DVC Resorts - Newbie Questions

[AKBAFB]

Hi! My husband and I are considering buying DVC and I've been scanning these boards - you guys have tons of great info! I do have a few questions regarding DVC resort rules though:

1. Is the only drawback to booking another DVC resort (other than your home resort) the 7 month window? Do they charge more points if it is not your home resort or are there any other fees?

2. Will the future/new/rumored (I know there are no guarantees) resorts like DisneyLand, Hawaii, and Kingdom Tower work the same as far as booking other DVC resorts (that aren't your home resort)?

3. How realistic is it for a family of 4 to be comfortable in a Studio?

Thanks for all of your helpful knowledge and advice!

 

[ChelleinNC]

1. Is the only drawback to booking another DVC resort (other than your home resort) the 7 month window? Do they charge more points if it is not your home resort or are there any other fees?

No, the 7 month booking window is the only difference among DVC resorts. There are extra charges/higher points for staying at a non-DVC resort, but those are the same for everyone.

2. Will the future/new/rumored (I know there are no guarantees) resorts like DisneyLand, Hawaii, and Kingdom Tower work the same as far as booking other DVC resorts (that aren't your home resort)?

They should work exactly the same.

3. How realistic is it for a family of 4 to be comfortable in a Studio?

With small children, it should be allright. If you're comfortable in a regular hotel room, then it should be fine. All the studios (except OKW) are 1Q bed and 1 dbl sofa sleeper. We stayed 10nts in a studio last summer with DD13 & DS10 and it was tight. They won't share a bed, so we set up an areobed for one to use at night, then stood it up out of the way during the day. We're done with studios for now, we need/prefer a little more space.

 

[tjkraz]

1. Is the only drawback to booking another DVC resort (other than your home resort) the 7 month window? Do they charge more points if it is not your home resort or are there any other fees?

The 11-month booking window is the only benefit. (Your dues are also calculated on where you own, regardless of where the points are actually used.)

But be warned that there are no guarantees outside of 7 months. I've personally used my points for many different resorts throughout the system, as have many others. But there are also dates and room classes that are virtually impossible to obtain at 7 months.

Your Home resort is best viewed as your fallback position. Do NOT buy a Home resort that you dislike. You will not be successful booking elsewhere 100% of the time, so pick a location that you will enjoy even if it may not be your absolute favorite destination.

2. Will the future/new/rumored (I know there are no guarantees) resorts like DisneyLand, Hawaii, and Kingdom Tower work the same as far as booking other DVC resorts (that aren't your home resort)?

I'd say the answer to that is "probably."

There is absolutely nothing which obligates DVC to bring the Grand Californian, Contemporary or Hawaii resorts into the program under the same terms we have now. Legally DVC could create a separate tier for some or all of those destinations with different booking terms. Some could even be canceled and never join the program.

That said, the odds of that happening are remote, IMO. Still, I would recommend buying with the understanding that you get what we have now.

3. How realistic is it for a family of 4 to be comfortable in a Studio?

A studio is basically a standard hotel room. At most resorts you get a single queen-sized bed plus a pull-out full-sized sofabed. There is just one bathroom.

I bought into DVC specifically to have more space to move around, a full kitchen in the room and a washer/dryer. There's no way I would stay more than a couple days in such a Studio with my wife and two kids , but that's me.

 

[shelby101301]

But be warned that there are no guarantees outside of 7 months. I've personally used my points for many different resorts throughout the system, as have many others. But there are also dates and room classes that are virtually impossible to obtain at 7 months.

I'm going to jump on this thread as another newbie (our paperwork should close in the next week) Can you give me some examples of these time periods and/or resorts so I know what to expect? We are hoping to stay at AK in late Feb but own in SSR. Thanks for the input

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you want AKV Concierge, BWV BW view, BWV standard, BWV GV, BCV dedicated two bedroom with two queens in the second bedroom, you'll need to own at those resorts. Even OKW GV is hard to get at 7 months out, but it is sometimes possible.

So if you want to stay in a GV, you really want to own at that resort.

VWL at the winter holiday time is hard to get unless you own there.

 

[Hieatt]

We just got back from a paid stay at Hilton Head and thinking about buying there and going to WDW maybe every 3 years or so. So it is unrealistic to consider getting into Boardwalk or Beach Club Villas during school break time with HHI as home resort? What about the other way around? We love the Boardwalk area and would really want to stay there. Should we buy half at one and half at the other and plan to go every other year?? Anyone have experience with this?

 

[ksoehrlein]

Knocking wood, we've been lucky (so far!) with getting BCV or BWV at the 7-month window for our school breaks, and we own at Hilton Head. I usually call day-by-day when the 7-month window opens up. Using this technique, we procured a standard view studio at BWV twice and a 1-BR at BCV once, all for Spring Break.

 

[Boas]

I own at BCV.... and usually try to get a studio on the "off school" dates, but then again I tend to plan "short notice"

i can honestly say that I got lucky only once inside the 7 month window (and ironally had to cancel my reservation).. every other time i stay at another resort.

If you really want BCV AND you can plan 7+ months in advance, then buy at BCV. My experience after 2 years is all the resorts are really nice, and I take any one (ironically my favorite is Wilderness Lodge) and with 20/20 I am not sure I would have paid the "premium resale" price for BCV... but no regrets.

Good luck.

 

[crisi]

This lucky at seven months thing....

Sometimes people have incredible luck. They call five months out and lo and behold, there is a BW Standard View two bedroom available for EXACTLY the five nights they want, sometimes at the times of year where you are thinking "no way." (Personally, I'd have used that kind of luck on a lottery ticket, but that would mean knowing you were due for it).

Sometimes people say "I had no problem" - but what is no problem to them may be a hassle to you - they may have had to waitlist for a few days, or they may have been calling at 6am their time every morning, day by day as booking opened up.

My own favorites are the responses where someone asks "what are my chances the first two weeks in December (a very popular DVC time) and someone comes back with "No problem, I got exactly that in September" (a slow DVC time).

If you are willing to call day by day at seven months you are going to be "lucky" more often than if you wait until five months out to book somewhere that isn't home. Or even if you just forget that this was the week to call or miscount months and miss the phone call by a week or two.

The one thing we know is that it isn't very likely for VWL suddenly to get bigger, and its a popular resort in December. With every new DVC member that doesn't have VWL as their home, it gets ever so slightly harder to book that resort for other non-owners.

 

[drumer121]

I like my space and with children I would go for 1 BR. You have a full kitchen with 1 BR , but if you eat out or on meal plan do not need full kitchen