Every other year DVC question

[Hieraxx]

Looking to have folks comment on what to look out for - if considering purchasing with the following considerations - We've tried our best to read thru the forums a ton over the past few months

- Plan is to book 140 points yearly , the intent to go every 2 years
- We prefer Oct/Nov but can be flexible - suggested UY with that in mind ?
- since 280 points hits the 2BR CCV/BCV/BWV 1st and 2nd season targets.....are we safe (?)

When I first read thru DVC , I thought we could purchase 75 direct at CCV, 75 pts resale (rounding #'s) at BCV but realized after that the 11 month booking window does not allow point combines until 7 month
- we ideally wanted to alternate CCV/BCV every other trip - but can't consider doubling the pt investment at this time.

Anyhow - send us any red flags , as gotchas with every 2 year, 2 BR fall plan - given the booking availability. At this time - we are strongly considering purchasing all points at CCV and hoping we can vary every 3rd/4th trip get lucky and find ourselves at BRV/BCV for a change of pace.

thanks in advance - I've seen the potential Direct point increases. For all those who think it's nutz to spend at the current pts - keep in mind the room prices Disney currently fetches at those 3 resorts....

We are planning to let the kids use these points (CCV) if ever get to the point where that makes the most sense. Since '96 when we first brought the kids - we've averaged about a trip every 2 years. The extra 12 years at CCV seems enough of a difference maker that we can splurge on the direct point cost at this time.

thanks !

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We prefer Oct/Nov but can be flexible - suggested UY with that in mind ?

August, September or October. If you'd ever be early October, October might be frustrating though if you'd span UY (end of September dates).

since 280 points hits the 2BR CCV/BCV/BWV 1st and 2nd season targets.....are we safe (?)

Depends on if they realign the points charts. For October and November, I would still assume home resort booking and high likelihood of staying at home. Looking at 10/20-10/26 of THIS year, which enters 7 month booking next week, there are very few 2BRs with full availability right now. BCV and BWV do not have availability the whole week (and BWV is hard, becaue they're all lock offs). Right now, still in home resort, you can get a full week in only 5 2BR categories. You would need to be extremely lucky to find yourself at a BWV 2BR in fall, and the luck factor is pretty severe for BCV even though they have dedicated units.

You need to be willing to stay at CCV if you buy there for fall. You need to be booking 11 months for fall at CCV, because it's a small resort with bias from the cabin points being sold.

 

[kniquy]

Plan is to book 140 points yearly , the intent to go every 2 years
- We prefer Oct/Nov but can be flexible - suggested UY with that in mind ?
- since 280 points hits the 2BR CCV/BCV/BWV 1st and 2nd season targets.....are we safe (?)

Buying to stay every other year works - but it sounds like you are figuring out your point needs based on the cheapest points time of year. There have been times when they reallocate points so the room which once cost 240 points could cost 260 points - thus leaving you short points. Some people here advise on figuring out your point needs and adding on 10% for a cushion. If you want to travel during any other season the room costs will definitely be much higher. So that 2BR at CCV in October would be 278 points, but if you want to go in May it would be 318 points or April could be 350 points. So you might want to consider more points if you are only getting a 2BR.

Also if you are looking to stay in Oct or Nov exclusively then you will likely only get a 2BR at your home resort if you book right at the 11 month mark. This is very high demand DVC time (basically because of food and wine and extremely low points charts) rooms book up and with that at 7 months there will be limited if any availability at your other 2 desired resorts of BC and BW.

At this time - we are strongly considering purchasing all points at CCV and hoping we can vary every 3rd/4th trip get lucky and find ourselves at BRV/BCV for a change of pace.

Again if you want to stay elsewhere besides CCV - in Oct/Nov you will likely only have your choice of SSR or OKW at the 7 month mark.

As for UY - it is usually best to choose a UY closest to your typical travel time frame. So for you a September or October would be best.

 

[crisi]

Many many BWV and BCV owners own there just for the October/November timeframe - the resorts sell out long before the seven month window - you could get lucky with a cancellation and phone call at the right moment - but it will be a rare event.

We do every other year - it works great, but buy where you want to stay if you are planning on booking that time of year. And don't plan on being able to "sleep around"

 

[Hieraxx]

thanks for the replies -

I've revised our minimum pts to 175 to cover more seasons we would be able to visit.
Need to run some math and compare this vs other 2 room stay options

The kids are now older 21-26, still love going, but am having a hard time when I look at the long term MF costs.
We would not have to finance - but it's still sobering to consider the upfront outlay of $$ vs scaling back prospective
visits to every 3-4 years and looking for on-site discounts as we have always done.

Five-six visits to Disney in the next 20 years is still significant - but that's not what DVC is aimed at...

 

[Disneypapa]

I agree with the comments made by other posters. I am responding more about the general concept of every other year visits and my own experiences.

I purchased 200 pts at OKW about 20 years ago. Daughter in law teaches and grandchildren were in school, so we planned to go to WDW every other year in a 2 BR. This has worked very well for us and we have been fortunate to book other resorts frequently to get to experience different places to stay on site. My family are Disney nuts, me, not so much. Now that I am retired, most of my travel is international or our beautiful National Parks in America; the children and grandchildren, still go to WDW every other year. The point is that your future travel desires/plans are going to change, so you probably do not need the additional points, resulting in more dues to pay. Were it not, for other family members going, I would have a lot of points to rent out to just pay the annual dues. Just other considerations (changes in future travel) to take into account.

 

[kboo]

thanks for the replies -

...
Five-six visits to Disney in the next 20 years is still significant - but that's not what DVC is aimed at...

I agree with the comments made by other posters. I am responding more about the general concept of every other year visits and my own experiences.

I purchased 200 pts at OKW about 20 years ago. Daughter in law teaches and grandchildren were in school, so we planned to go to WDW every other year in a 2 BR. This has worked very well for us and we have been fortunate to book other resorts frequently to get to experience different places to stay on site. My family are Disney nuts, me, not so much. Now that I am retired, most of my travel is international or our beautiful National Parks in America; the children and grandchildren, still go to WDW every other year. The point is that your future travel desires/plans are going to change, so you probably do not need the additional points, resulting in more dues to pay. Were it not, for other family members going, I would have a lot of points to rent out to just pay the annual dues. Just other considerations (changes in future travel) to take into account.

We went the other way. Bought planning to go once a year, we arenot at 5-6 visits in 2.0 years. What a difference a decimal point makes....

 

[ElizabethG]

If point charts or time of year change from your current plan, you can always change what you book. Maybe you book 2 studios, or you stay 1 night less. There are options to make it work. If you find that it isn't working because you have too few points, you can always add on.

 

[k_hase]

We bought 200 under roughly the same idea, but have ended up going more often. It's been 8 years and this past year was the first time we skipped a year! But we're going twice in the next 11 months.

 

[crisi]

In fifteen years we've never gone more than every other year (that I can recall) and we are now at the point where we've rented out points because even every other year is too much. So it isn't a given that you will go more - but DVC does work best if you go at least every other year - six times over the next 20 - you'd need to rent out points (which will cover your costs, but isn't without negatives.)