Hey! So I am still deciding on where to buy into. well first I still have to collect all my facts but can anyone take some time to tell me a thing or two about each resort. Its so hard to decide. I have such a migraine.
Is the easy part figuring out when, where i would normally stay (as far as buying pts)? What is the only difference between buying into a specified resort as oppose to the 'other" resort you can still visit. Is it just the 11/7 month booking advantage?
Lots of questions and more to come. big decision have to know as much as i can. I know I can call, but I prefer real advice not a sales pitch.
thanx in advance,
Ivette
Right now there are only 4 resorts that you can really easily buy in to...atleast directly from Disney: Bay Lake Towers, Animal Kingdom Villas, Saratoga Springs and Villas at Grand California. You can buy at other resorts, however, you will most likely have to buy resale.
If you buy direct from Disney, it's quick, easy, incentives, and it's predictable. It's also EXPENSIVE
If you buy resale, it's cheap, but no incentives, can take a month or two before you are done and can book trips, and Disney has the ability to pull the rug out from under your deal (ROFR) and you have to start all over again. This is the quick and dirty on the two ways to buy...There are plenty of threads on the pros/cons of both methods.
The obvious consequence of your resort decision is the 11/7 book advantage. Everyone says: "Buy where you will want to stay." Some other people have said "buy where you won't mind being stuck at." A lot of people don't care where they get a room, so long as they are at WDW. That being said: My thoughts on it are "Buy the theme that calls to you." If you could picture your perfect non-wdw vacation...what would it be? Buy the resort that most resembles that vision. My thinking was "I like modern conveniences, no walking, and excitement." So, I purchased the Bay Lake Towers...modern is the theme, it's just a giant building (all elevators my friend), and it's right in the middle of all the WDW action.
There are some resorts that are so big that you will almost always be able to get a room at 7 months, except for the most peak of times: Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Bay Lake Towers, and Animal Kingdom villas all have a very large number of rooms. However, most of them have booking categories that you will only likely be able to get with the 11 month book advantage: Concierge at Animal Kingdom Villas, Magic Kingdom View at Bay Lake Towers, and the Treehouse Villas at Saratoga Springs. More than likely, in order to be able to book these rooms, you will likely need to own at the resort.
I am a new member and don't have a lot of experience with booking yet, so take my observations with a grain of salt. From what i've read on these boards is that, in most cases, as long as you call right at the 7 month mark for the resort you want, you will most likely get it (except at peak times). Even if you can't get it at the 7 months mark, you can probably wait list it successfully. The general advice going around is: Book SOMETHING at 11 months, and then try to switch it out at 7 months. That way you have a place to stay when you want to go.
The other consideration to where you buy your points at is the annual dues. Each resort has a different cost to maintain, so the members who own that resort have a different ongoing cost from members who own other resorts. For example: Bay lake tower has the lowest maintenance cost...Less roof to repair, less landscape to maintain. Animal kingdom villas has all the costs of maintaining the resort, plus they have to pay to take care of the animals...I would expect their annual dues to be higher. Vero Beach has the highest annual dues since they have high insurance and repair costs being right on the coast and hurricanes. The annual dues will be, by far, the biggest expense to owning
DVC so it is something to consider.
