DVC Resale Hamster Wheel

[GoofTroop4Life]

I have been researching DVC for about a year, and I feel like I am still spinning in circles trying to decide which resort to purchase via resale. My husband and I have two kids (DS 12 and DS 8) and we live in the upper Midwest, so we have to fly every time we go. I'm a teacher, so I am limited in when I can travel (primarily during the summer and sometimes during Christmas and Thanksgiving). Here's what I've been trying to sort out:

AKL
Pros: I love the theming and the food. This is the place I could spend the most resort time at and really feel like I'm home. Extra bathroom at Kidani is ideal.
Cons: I'm not sure if it's necessary to buy here (SSR is cheaper) since 1 and 2 bedrooms generally seem available during the summer, but with all the talk of a possible Skyliner expansion to AKL, these rooms might be harder to book in a few years.

SSR
Pros: The remodeled rooms are lovely, but the rest of the resort is meh. The price is right and we enjoy eating at Disney Springs.
Cons: I'm not getting any 11 month advantage - we would almost always be using these points to stay other places. I'm also not sure how rentable these points are if we ever can't bank or use them.

BLT
Pros: This keeps coming up as one of the least expensive when calculating the cost/point over the life of the contract. Amazing location and extra bathroom in the 1 bedrooms.
Cons: I really don't like the rooms (theming or size) or pool.

Additionally, I am also considering buying a 50 point contract to Boulder Ridge to be able to stay there for a few days during the holidays when I know the 11 month window is essential. BLT is a better long term value, but BR is where I would rather be during Christmas or Thanksgiving.

I know that ultimately this comes down to what I think will be best for my family, but anyone who's willing to share their experiences and be a sounding board gets an A in my book!

 

[JenboJambo]

I love the theming and the food. This is the place I could spend the most resort time at and really feel like I'm home

Key word is 'home'. You should buy here. I've stayed at all 3 of these resorts. The only one I don't love on your list is SSR because it just doesn't appeal to me. BLT location is wonderful. I don't know if you can put a price tag on walking to MK. AKV is stunning, food is great, theming is immersive. What I gathered from reading your post, it seems you enjoy AK most out of these resorts. Have you thought about the perk of being able to book the value resorts at AKV if you own there? Value studios are super hard to get at 11 months, but 1 bedrooms and 2 bedrooms are a bit easier and an amazing value!

 

[Sandisw]

I vote for AKV. If things get tougher and you can’t trade out, it sounds like you’d enjoy this the best.

I also like the plan to add a few points at BRV for holiday time

 

[carli_h]

I agree on AKL. I have seen some contracts pass not far off SSR recently. Yes the dues are more but it offers a very different experience. Points are also easier to rent here than at SSR and tend to attract a little more so if you need to rent you are in a better position.

 

[GoofTroop4Life]

Thanks for the feedback. I think I have decided that AKL will be our home base (at least for longer summer trips), but there is just so much pressure to get the "best" deal. I honestly started freaking out a bit about maintenance fees (totaling up those dues over the life of the contract was a huge reality check), which is what led me to consider SSR and BLT, even though I wouldn't plan on staying at either of those resorts often.

On another note, do any of you keep smaller point contracts for special use? If so, I curious where you stay and what you use the points for.

 

[Sandisw]

I own BWV and just added on at RIV and those points are going to be used there most of the time, especially during F and W or Flower and Garden.

 

[Jetku]

I know you decided, but I’d vote (and did buy last year) AKV. It’s going to have a hard foods refurb in 2023 so I’m sure the new rooms will be gorgeous. And if you ever plan to stay in studios, BLT are relatively tiny.
We bought AKV 80 points direct last year and are trying to add on 120-180 points via resale this year. I’ll use the 80 banked / borrowed for a riviera / reflections stay once in a while with the resale points for the annual AKV / treehouse / 1 bedroom elsewhere

 

[GoofTroop4Life]

Thanks Jetku. I’ve also been keeping my eye out for info on the refurb. The pics I’ve seen of the hotel rooms at Jambo are awesome. I hope they do just as good of a job for DVC.

 

[homey12]

Can’t go wrong with any of them, but something special about AKV.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Thanks Jetku. I’ve also been keeping my eye out for info on the refurb. The pics I’ve seen of the hotel rooms at Jambo are awesome. I hope they do just as good of a job for DVC.

DVC at AKV is not being refurbished any time soon. They are not on the announced schedule before 2023-2024. There are resorts that seem to be ahead in line not on said list either.

 

[GoofTroop4Life]

DVC at AKV is not being refurbished any time soon. They are not on the announced schedule before 2023-2024. There are resorts that seem to be ahead in line not on said list either.

True, but if they are following the 7 years for soft goods and 14 years for full refurb schedule, AKV should be coming up soon. Maybe after Beach Club? I think I saw a soft goods was scheduled there for 2022 and it had its last refurb the same year as AKV.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

True, but if they are following the 7 years for soft goods and 14 years for full refurb schedule, AKV should be coming up soon. Maybe after Beach Club? I think I saw a soft goods was scheduled there for 2022 and it had its last refurb the same year as AKV.

So did BWV and BLT. The 7-14 hasn't been well followed.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

So did BWV and BLT. The 7-14 hasn't been well followed.

Even if it has, that’s too long imo.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

Personally I am not big on resorts that rely only on buses to get you to a park. BLT studios are small, but being able to walk back in the evening is great.

We own most of our points at BWV for that reason, we will probably add in in the next few years at GFV now that the bridge is being built to MK.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[CarolynFH]

True, but if they are following the 7 years for soft goods and 14 years for full refurb schedule, AKV should be coming up soon. Maybe after Beach Club? I think I saw a soft goods was scheduled there for 2022 and it had its last refurb the same year as AKV.

So did BWV and BLT. The 7-14 hasn't been well followed.

I think the 7-14 refurb schedule is a pretty recent decision by DVC. I remember Ken Potrock announcing it at an annual meeting, and we only attended in 2017 and 2018. So they have a lot of catching up to do.

 

[RoseGold]

7 month availability can be a joke at peak times, though is often decent in the summer.

If you want to use these points for Christmas/Thanksgiving, you should buy where you want to stay, because the 11 month window will be critical for you. That sounds like AKL for you.

I agree that if you plan to rent out points, SSR is not the way to go.

 

[paults]

As long as you like buses for travel then AKV is good.

 

[igrsod]

I vote for AKV... and agree, you need to be ok with buses.

 

[jerseyduke]

If you rent a car, buses are not an issue.

I would take AKV over SSR based on your comments. the resale price per point is not very different. the dues get ya a little bit.

Do not be overly obsessed with the best deal, that ignores your enjoyment. A Good deal should suffice.

 

[kniquy]

I know that ultimately this comes down to what I think will be best for my family, but anyone who's willing to share their experiences and be a sounding board gets an A in my book!

I went through a similar process when buying my resale DVC. I had narrowed it down based on a few considerations. Where can I buy the most points? Which resort offers me the best experience, for the price per point how long of a contract can I get. This boiled down my choices to SSR and AKV. I didn't consider BLT because i didn't care for the more modern style and the cost per point was much higher than other options. When i looked at AK and SSR, having stayed at SSR something felt off when there. It is a very nice resort but for me when i realized that there was not a palm tree in sight I knew I wouldn't like being stuck there which lead us to buying AK as our first resale. The price per point allowed us to stretch our budget. The MF are not horrible and it is truly a unique resort so getting "stuck" there would be ok for us. We love the resort and it has some of the best dining options on property. It has a slightly longer contract compared to SSR - not a huge difference but it is something. The only negative that we had found at AK is that is it a slighly longer bus ride when going to MK, but on the same token it would be a long ride from BLT to AK - the other 3 parks the bus ride is reasonable.