DVC questions

[JCMHutch]

After a few years of discussions, pondering, researching and number crunching DH & I plan on buying a DVC membership in the next year. We are looking to go the resale route and are trying to decide which resort. We love the Epcot resort area but see that OKW and SSR have lower fees and point costs. We are wondering:

For Resales - is underbidding a viable option?
What are other peoples experience with the yearly fees - do they raise them?
Since it is just the two of us and we tend to travel during the slower times, how hard are the studios to reserve?
What is the difference between a standard view and a preferred view?
If you book at your home resort and then decide to change to a different resort, is there availability during slow times to switch?

Thanks in advance for any information you share.

 

[Pakey]

For Resales - is underbidding a viable option? Yes

What are other peoples experience with the yearly fees - do they raise them? Yes but the increases are usually minimal

Since it is just the two of us and we tend to travel during the slower times, how hard are the studios to reserve? Slow times mean less points needed so slow times are very busy times at DVC resorts

What is the difference between a standard view and a preferred view? Better views will require more points for your room

If you book at your home resort and then decide to change to a different resort, is there availability during slow times to switch? Depends on the time of year, what is going on at WDW and the resort you are wanting to switch to.

I would never buy at a resort that would make me unhappy to have to stay at every time I visited.

 

[Sandisw]

When buying resale, you are always free to offer whatever you want for the contract. You may even get a seller to accept the lower offer. However, all contracts go to Disney for ROFR. If the price is too good, chances are Disney will buy it out from under you. But, it is always worth the chance if you are in no rush to close the contract.

Depending on when you go will really depend on the availability. Slower time for WDW and the parks is not always a slower DVC time. December is a very popular DVC time. Many people do book home resort 11 months out and then see what is available at 7. We were able to trade out for a summer trip at 7 months without any issues.

Good luck!

 

[JCMHutch]

Thanks. We usually go in October or March so we shouldn't hit the Christmas crowds!

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks. We usually go in October or March so we shouldn't hit the Christmas crowds!

If you are interested in Food & Wine at Epcot, consider BCV or BWV as a home resort as getting reservations there during October is not that easy if you are not an owner.

Good luck!!

 

[Crystal_27]

Along with what others have said, I would add that "slow" seasons for regular guests and DVC owners mean different things. Because the point charts are more favorable during what are considered "slow seasons" for the regular park guests, a lot of DVC members choose to vacation during those times, meaning that even if the parks are not crowded you might have a difficult time getting into the DVC resorts for the dates that you want. Regarding where to buy, remember that you can book your home resort at 11 months prior to your trip, but you have to wait until 7 months prior to your trip to book at non-home resorts (and you will then be competing with every other DVC member who wants to book during those dates). Yes, the prices for SSR and OKW compared to one of the Epcot resorts are much cheaper, but it may be worth it to you to pay more at your first choice resort to guarantee that you can get in there at the 11 month mark...that is entirely a personal decision, though, but you should never assume that there will be availability at the 7 month mark and instead you should assume that you will be staying at your home resort every time, and if you are able to change at the 7 month mark it's just an added bonus. Good luck with your decision!

 

[bwvBound]

What are other peoples experience with the yearly fees - do they raise them?

History of dues, updated through 2010, found: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2396184

BTW, I've heard that studios are often more difficult to book than 1BR units for any given resort/time period. If you can't book using you "home resort" 11 month window -- you might want to have enough points to use a 1BR at the other locations. FWIW, we tend to prefer the 1BR unit even when traveling as a couple w/out family or guests.

 

[shortypots]

My DH and I tend to travel by ourselves and much prefer the 1 bd. We do not do a lot of cooking while in Disney, but it is nice to have the full refrigerator for drinks and washer and dryer to wash our clothes. We find it is much more comfortable with the separate living area too. Now that he has done a 1bd, I am not sure he will ever go back to a studio, although we do have one booked for Thanksgiving only for lack of points but it is a Savannah view

 

[sweetdana]

If you are looking to save a little money, SSR is an incredible deal resale right now. ...AND you have to like staying there too. OKW is cheaper up front, but MF and experation make overall less attractive.

If you cannot make ressies ahead of 7 months it doesn't matter where you buy anyway. If you cannot then buy at SSR, as they price is so low.

Buy where you want to stay and if you are okay with staying at SSR, take it and Run! Note as the market dries up with excess supply, the Epcot Resort will be tougher to get ressies at 7 months. (Actually all of them, but starts with most popular.)

You can also save a few bucks now and buy SSR, and sell it later to buy something else, or add on some where else you can save 10$ - or 20$. You will sometimes get what you want at 7 months, especially if you have negotaible dates and are okay with a few diff resorts.

If you can afford any resort, and you are not okay with SSR, do not buy there. Buy where you are happy with staying as it is a HUGE investment and your annual vacation, don't let 15$ a point change your enjoyment level.

GOOD LUCK and no matter where you pick Welcome Home!

 

[JCMHutch]

This is all great information. We are going down in July and will be heading over to SSR for a look. The pricing is looks really good right now. We also are able to book at the 11 month window

Additionally, we do not have to be "in the middle of things" and have never minded the bus rides to & from the resorts. As we get older, we find that we enjoy spending some down time at the resort (loved POFQ and the Dolphin) and we like to explore the dining options on property that are not in the Parks.

Also, DH absolutely loves the Downtown area - especially the choices in restaurants. I love the shopping so being in that area wouldn't be a hardship for us.

 

[Donna M]

We own at SSR and it sounds like it will be a good fit for you.

 

[Dean]

No one size fits all. If you want to be near EPCOT most years I'd look at BCV/BWV and realize that BWV is likely to be cheaper to buy and also has the standard view option for cheaper points. It also has the BW view. However, the best $$$ value right now buying DVC is certainly SSR. If you don't mind reserving SSR at 11 months and trying for others at the 7 month window and at times, not getting what you want even with the wait list, SSR is likely the best choice. If not being close to EPCOT most trips will be a problem for you, buy there.

 

[shortypots]

This is all great information. We are going down in July and will be heading over to SSR for a look. The pricing is looks really good right now. We also are able to book at the 11 month window

Additionally, we do not have to be "in the middle of things" and have never minded the bus rides to & from the resorts. As we get older, we find that we enjoy spending some down time at the resort (loved POFQ and the Dolphin) and we like to explore the dining options on property that are not in the Parks.

Also, DH absolutely loves the Downtown area - especially the choices in restaurants. I love the shopping so being in that area wouldn't be a hardship for us.

DH and I have gotten to the point that we do not "commando" the parks anymore and we like downtime at the resorts too. This is also why we like the 1 bds, it gives us more space to chill out.

And if you like dining options, definitely check out Turf Club. It is one of our favorite restaurants at Disney! We also loved being close to downtown Disney since there are great restaurants there, and let's not forget Goofy's. We loved being able to walk back and forth from Congress Park.

While SSR is not our favorite resort by any means, we don't mind staying there if that is the only option. We bought at AKV and VWL because we loved staying at those and like the theming there. We also happen to love the dining options at those as well. Our purpose for VWL is for Thanksgiving trips, and the purpose (although maybe changing) of AKV was to take the family (11 of us total) every other year.

Determine what your purpose of going is, what time of year you prefer to go, and where you would want to stay. Another of our favorites is OKW because it is so laid back, and seems to be right in the middle of everything so your bus trips aren't outrageous to any of the locations, and the boat to DTD is really fun. All of the resorts have resales available so that shouldn't be too hard, but again, Disney has ROFR so they may take a contract back from you. We had that happen once, but we bid on another one, and went with it.

 

[LSchrow]

do seriously consider buying into whichever resort you prefer - life will almost definately change over the many years of your contract, and you might find yourselves unable to get what you really want later on.
case in point.:
we thought we would always go during the last week of august, so added on at the BCVs and SSR (to our BWV contract). we hadn't stayed at the BCVs or SSR prior to purchase.
now, our kids are out of school. dh and i find we really enjoy the F&WF in oct, and (after stays at almost all the other resorts) decided our personal heaven is BW view at the BWVs
we really don't care for the BCVs, and as beautiful as SSR is, it's doesn't have a BW view (nor is within walking distance to EPCOT/DHS).
soooooo, almost every march we have to go on a waitlist, hoping and praying we get what we really want - which doesn't always happen

20/20 hindsight is certainly annoying
(btw, we will eventually sell off those pesky BCV points, and buy more BWV points. it's just not in the cards right now)

 

[daddey]

"For Resales - is underbidding a viable option? Yes

What are other peoples experience with the yearly fees - do they raise them? Yes but the increases are usually minimal

Since it is just the two of us and we tend to travel during the slower times, how hard are the studios to reserve? Slow times mean less points needed so slow times are very busy times at DVC resorts

What is the difference between a standard view and a preferred view? Better views will require more points for your room

If you book at your home resort and then decide to change to a different resort, is there availability during slow times to switch? Depends on the time of year, what is going on at WDW and the resort you are wanting to switch to.

I would never buy at a resort that would make me unhappy to have to stay at every time I visited."

I think that Pakey said it all. Personally I have owned SSR and love it. OKW didn't do anything for me other than lower points when staying there. I currently own @ BLT and will probably add on with SSR re-sale down the road. It really depends on if you want to stay at a certain resort if you should own there. I bought BLT because I know that I can use the points @ SSR easily, but currently not the other way around during peak times.