DVC Want-a-be

[JayShea]

Looking at buying and we typically travel for Food and Wine in Oct. and then in March. Will be retiring in 4-5 years and will have more flexibility. Want Boardwalk for fall and Grand Floridian for Spring. Can you buy for each and combine if needed? How difficult is this if we want to go to just one location in a year? Know we should buy the same use year for both.

 

[DaveNan]

Theoretically, you could combine the points, if they are the same UY. However, you can't use them on the same reservation until 7 months. The challenge will be BWV in the fall and VGF all year will likely need to be booked before 7 months and closer to 11 months. If you go during slow times, book 1BR, or look at resorts with more availability, you can definitely combine the points for "bigger" stays.

 

[JayShea]

We are heading to Disney this month to do some "research". We are staying at Contemporary and really going to see which Monorail resort we like best for DVC. Do you think BLT might be a better pairing to combine?

 

[CarolMN]

Consider buying half of what you think you need at each resort and then alternate years. For example, in Year 1, bank VGF points. Stay at BWV by borrowing Year 2's points. In Year 2, stay at VGF using banked points from Year 1. Then repeat the cycle.

If you want to go twice a year, you'll have to buy enough points at each resort to book your stay. If you use the contracts separately (seldom, if ever, combine points from both contracts for a single stay), you won't need to keep the same use year.

Have fun researching1

 

[RoseGold]

The BLT studio is very tight. If you can swing the points, the VGF is a much more luxurious experience. Or Poly is my favorite, assuming it ever opens at full force again.

Both BW and VGF studios are fiercely competitive and usually require 11 month booking. F&W will be completely booked and might even be hard at 11 month.

A cheaper, easier to book, and completely different experience is SSR/OKW. I’ve never even been out there, because it’s not for me, but plenty of people like long trips to these resorts in retirement.

 

[Sandisw]

As mentioned, points from different home resorts can not be used at the other until 7 months.

Also, right now, there is a 50% borrow rule in place due to Covid we don’t know how long that will be there, so keep that in mind for plans for the next few years of travel.

I have ad good luck getting VGF studios in spring and summer at 7 months, it has taken waitlists and some adjusting of dates, but it was easier than getting BWV for F and W.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Or you could buy enough points to bank one contract each year and use double the points to book your home resort at 11 months out. If they revert to allowing members to borrow as many of their points from the next year as possible, you could bank, borrow and use to get your stays.