Family of 5 (three kids, two adults) looking to purchase!

[SR21221]

Hi! I am generally a Disney expert, but the DVC is some unfamiliar territory for me. We are a young family, with 3 kids under 6. We travel annually, usually during the Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend or the Princess Half Marathon weekend (for a full week, with the race weekends kicking off our trip). We are now in a place to buy DVC, and I know it's worth it for families with our Disney spending habits!! I need some advice on
1) How many points we need (minimum and maximum)
2) Do we need a 1BR or 2BR (kids can sleep on sleeper sofas)
3) HOW can we make Beach Club our "home"? Is it possible? If not, Riviera is our choice
4) Where and when is the best time to buy (promotions, when visiting property, etc)?

Thank you all in advance - hoping to make this purchase either this summer or when we travel in Feb 2022 (although I know it'll be 2022 pricing by then). We are also going back in Sep 2022 (staying at Saratoga Springs) for a conference with my work, so I could tour then also but hoping to have made this purchase by then!!

 

[Ruttangel]

You can view point charts on DVC website, looks like about 114 for BCV for a studio (which sleeps 5) for a week end of October.
The 1BR sleep 4 so just have a think about that and 2BR are a lot more points, over 300 per week.
RIV is 123 points for a studio or 260 1BR, 345 for 2BR
Point chart seasons can change so you probably need to budget 10% more points so you don’t fall short

BCV has 22 year life left and is $245 ppp direct and about $130 resale
RIV has 49 years left and is $201 direct or if you buy 300 points it’s $176ppp, it’s also about $120 resale BUT it’s a restricted contract and you can only stay there.
I recommend you do lots and lots of research.

https://cdn4.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...harts/2021/FINAL_2021_DVC_RIVIERA_Pt_Chts.pdf
https://cdn4.parksmedia.wdprapps.di...ntscharts/2021/FINAL_2021_DVC_BCV_Pt_Chts.pdf

 

[SR21221]

Thank you so much! So the 1BR supposedly also sleeps 5 at the Riviera... is the main difference with studio/1BR the kitchen area? It's not essential that we have a full kitchen (it was more important when we had infants with bottles, we def needed it back then). Thank you! I have a lot of reading to do. It seems like BCV is worth it only to buy resale price... what do we miss out on with resale contracts vs new?

 

[Matty B13]

As a family of 5, we bought into DVC because of the cost of reserving 2 standard hotel rooms for our family. DVC actually works out pretty well in this case, if your going every year or every 2 years. We really like having the laundry in the 1 bedroom and 2 bedrooms for our trips, we only use the kitchen in the morning for breakfast but is still nice to have.

If you want BCV, make sure you understand that it ends on 2042, but that being said if has a much lower point chart for 1 bedroom and 2 bedrooms compared to the other Epcot Resort RIV. BWV is very similar to BCV point charts. RIV has a much longer end date, if that matters to you, but BCV still has 21 years left. Due to BCV popularity and small size it is one of the more expensive resorts to buy direct and resale right now, but with the lower point charts for 1 & 2 bedrooms compared to RIV it might end up being cheaper depending on when or if you plan on selling your DVC contract.

 

[havoc315]

Hi! I am generally a Disney expert, but the DVC is some unfamiliar territory for me. We are a young family, with 3 kids under 6. We travel annually, usually during the Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend or the Princess Half Marathon weekend (for a full week, with the race weekends kicking off our trip). We are now in a place to buy DVC, and I know it's worth it for families with our Disney spending habits!! I need some advice on
1) How many points we need (minimum and maximum)
2) Do we need a 1BR or 2BR (kids can sleep on sleeper sofas)
3) HOW can we make Beach Club our "home"? Is it possible? If not, Riviera is our choice
4) Where and when is the best time to buy (promotions, when visiting property, etc)?

Thank you all in advance - hoping to make this purchase either this summer or when we travel in Feb 2022 (although I know it'll be 2022 pricing by then). We are also going back in Sep 2022 (staying at Saratoga Springs) for a conference with my work, so I could tour then also but hoping to have made this purchase by then!!

Generally, you are looking for high demand time periods. You may want to consider buying a fixed week, which requires buying direct.
Also, you may want to consider buying sooner rather than later, especially if buying direct. If you bought before your Feb 2022 trip, you could effectively use double points for that trip. (why pay cash for the trip?)

Now to answer some of your questions:
1. Totally depends on resort, time of year, length of stay, and room category. You'd probably fall between 125 and 300, but it's widely variable. So pick your resort first. Then use a point calculator to determine the point cost of your preferred room type.
2. Depends on the resort. For example, Riviera has large studios that can somewhat comfortably sleep 5. There are resorts where even 1 bedrooms only accommodate 4 people. Beach Club, for example, 1 bedrooms only sleep 4, but their studios sleep 5 (a cramped 5). You likely don't need a 2 bedroom.
3. You may Beach Club your "home" by buying Beach Club direct or resale. But warnings: Beach Club is the most over-priced resort for direct purchasing. It is irrational, for a 21 year contract. It is more expensive than just paying cash normally. Re-sale at Beach Club is better, but still not a great value -- and their 1 bedrooms only sleep 4. That said, if you truly love Beach Club more than anything else, then you can make it work.
4. If buying direct, watch for incentives. There are good incentives on Riviera right now. Older resorts don't really get incentives. Currently, it's $25 discount per point at Riviera if you purchase 300 points by April 7th.

 

[Ruttangel]

Thank you so much! So the 1BR supposedly also sleeps 5 at the Riviera... is the main difference with studio/1BR the kitchen area? It's not essential that we have a full kitchen (it was more important when we had infants with bottles, we def needed it back then). Thank you! I have a lot of reading to do. It seems like BCV is worth it only to buy resale price... what do we miss out on with resale contracts vs new?

Have a look at room tours on YouTube, I find here with the ears good.
With a resale contract you don’t get direct perks, mainly being the discount for annual passes and the ability to stay at future resorts.
So, with a BCV resale contract you could stay at any of old DVC resorts but not RIV or any new ones.
With a RIV resale contract that is only able to stay at RIV as it’s subject to a resale restriction which Disney just started with RIV

 

[SR21221]

As a family of 5, we bought into DVC because of the cost of reserving 2 standard hotel rooms for our family. DVC actually works out pretty well in this case, if your going every year or every 2 years. We really like having the laundry in the 1 bedroom and 2 bedrooms for our trips, we only use the kitchen in the morning for breakfast but is still nice to have.

If you want BCV, make sure you understand that it ends on 2042, but that being said if has a much lower point chart for 1 bedroom and 2 bedrooms compared to the other Epcot Resort RIV. BWV is very similar to BCV point charts. RIV has a much longer end date, if that matters to you, but BCV still has 21 years left. Due to BCV popularity and small size it is one of the more expensive resorts to buy direct and resale right now, but with the lower point charts for 1 & 2 bedrooms compared to RIV it might end up being cheaper depending on when or if you plan on selling your DVC contract.

This makes sense! Thank you. 50 years is better for us, my kids are already 3rd generation Disney freaks, so I am SURE we will use it as long as possible.

So if I buy RIV direct from DVC, we can switch up the resort we stay at periodically if we want to try another one? The pool at Stormalong Bay is my personal fav, and my husband's. BUT, the kids are not all able to swim yet on their own, so can't appreciate it just yet. I see in the next 10 years maybe wanting to trade our RIV week for BCV or even Polynesian (if they update the DVC rooms), for one of our stays. Is it flexible like this?

 

[Matty B13]

This makes sense! Thank you. 50 years is better for us, my kids are already 3rd generation Disney freaks, so I am SURE we will use it as long as possible.

So if I buy RIV direct from DVC, we can switch up the resort we stay at periodically if we want to try another one? The pool at Stormalong Bay is my personal fav, and my husband's. BUT, the kids are not all able to swim yet on their own, so can't appreciate it just yet. I see in the next 10 years maybe wanting to trade our RIV week for BCV or even Polynesian (if they update the DVC rooms), for one of our stays. Is it flexible like this?

If that is the case, then I would think RIV might be the better fit for your family. At RIV the studios can hold 5 people, but it is tight in a studio. We bought enough points for at least a 1 bedroom, and most times stay in a 2 bedroom because we like the space and it's more relaxing. Our girls are 5, 8, & 10 for reference. Our favorite resort is VGF, and bought in 2016 when prices were more reasonable, mostly resale.

Make sure you take your time with this expensive purchase, and understand that only Direct Points right now can book at ALL Resorts, and that resale contracts can only book at the original 14 Resorts (RIV is excluded). UY is a important thing, and don't just take the UY that the CM tells you that they are selling at the time insist on getting the UY that works best for your family.

Good luck, we love our DVC stays and it's nice to have something to plan.

 

[Matty B13]

The pool at Stormalong Bay is my personal fav, and my husband's. BUT, the kids are not all able to swim yet on their own, so can't appreciate it just yet.

Also forgot that Stormalong Bay is nice, but any kid that uses it should be a STRONG SWIMMER and be able to swim on there own easily. The sight lines there are horrible for trying to keep track of your kids. But.... it does have a very nice sand bottom pool that is great for toddlers with supervision.

 

[Wendy98]

We are a family of 5 and bought BLT about 4 years ago. We bought with the intention of staying in a 1-bedroom (we also love the 2nd bathroom at BLT). We bought 200 points (resale) and typically travel end of May/first week of June. Within a few months I added another 63 point contact at BLT, then bought a small direct BW -- this was going to be for an "adults" trip each year. I added a small resale to that and now that has become a short family trip.

Anyway, 225-250 points seems to be perfect for us for 1 week in a 1 bedroom standard view (I book that at 11 months out). Unfortunately, my kids are at the ages that they detest sharing beds, so we bring an air mattress for that reason. We have stayed in a 2 bedroom at BCV (on rented points, since I am always out) and I really see us making the switch to 2 bedrooms in the future--ALL THAT ROOM. We do not do studios as a family of 5. We did Poly a few years ago and way too much closeness for us (might be able to get away with it for little kids).

I agree with others that BCV is very expensive for the life left in the contract. We have stayed at Riviera twice since the parks reopened. I LOVE Riviera--I come so close to buying a contract and my husband says no more contracts right now ( We will have 2 kids in college within the next 5 years).

Just remember to think about your family dynamics now, as well in a few years.

 

[Sandisw]

Just based on what you posted I think RIV is a good one for your needs.

The 1 bedrooms are great and being an owner will allow you to book SV at 11 months that will help to keep points closer to others.

At BCV, you will need a 2 bedroom if you want beds for all. Right now, kids are younger but when they are older no one is going to want to use an air mattress.

We sold Bwv to buy RIV in 2019 so we could get those extra years. It’s worth it IMO!!

Good luck!!!

 

[Rileygirl]

Also, the point difference between a 1 bedroom preferred view at the RIV and a 2 bedroom standard view at the RIV is almost negligible depending on when you go! Around 10 points for the week! And the RIV ‘standard view’ is of the sky liner and also Epcot and studios - you can see some fireworks apparently. There are some really bad standard views at the RIV, but a lot of them are great. Something to think about...

 

[RoseGold]

I would call DVC and ask about the fixed week for the princess marathon. They have sold FWs that move with the marathon events in the past. Now that those events are all canceled for the foreseeable future, it's not clear what they are doing with that. The guide should at least be able to get you a concrete price and answer on the fixed week. The FW point charts have shown some interesting math, and I would at least want an answer from Disney about what the choices are.

Personally, I would never buy RIV because of the resale restrictions and the crazy point chart. I would be looking at BLT, which also sleeps 5 in a 1BR, much better point chart than RIV, and can be bought resale easily. You can get into a BLT 2BR for the points of a RIV 1BR when I travel. If I were buying the inflated RIV point chart, I would do it at VGF, and I did. You should know the point cost for all the resorts you would consider for your travel dates. Others like AKL have similar math.

This is a huge decision. Take your time! DVC is not going anywhere. Check out the resale pricing. Run the math. Run it again. Know the charts. Know the pricing. Think about how you plan to sell. Think about your vacations ten years from now, twenty years from now. Buying RIV direct is a BIG, long term commitment, buying resale BLT not so much.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You may want to consider buying a fixed week, which requires buying direct.

You cannot buy a fixed week for BCV. Worth noting here.

We travel annually, usually during the Wine & Dine Half Marathon weekend or the Princess Half Marathon weekend (for a full week, with the race weekends kicking off our trip).

Both of these weeks qualify as "buy where you want to stay and book at 11 months." Don't buy with a thought you will "switch up" your resort for these weeks, as they are extremely high demand. To sleep around, you will need to travel in lower demand periods (not runDisney weekends).

 

[havoc315]

Thank you so much! So the 1BR supposedly also sleeps 5 at the Riviera... is the main difference with studio/1BR the kitchen area? It's not essential that we have a full kitchen (it was more important when we had infants with bottles, we def needed it back then). Thank you! I have a lot of reading to do. It seems like BCV is worth it only to buy resale price... what do we miss out on with resale contracts vs new?

Both 1 BR and studio have the same sleep arrangements: 1 Bed, 1 Murphy Bed, and 1 pulldown.
As your kids get older, a studio may feel cramped. 1 bedroom gives you a good amount more space.
The 2 big perks of the 1 BR, besides "space"is full kitchen and full washer/dryer. Don't discount the value or both -- just having a full fridge stocked with beverages, breakfast and snacks can be a real money saver. Of course, you can always buy studio level points now, and add more later.

Direct contracts give you access to existing AND future resorts. They also include perks like discounted annual passes, discount dining, use of the Epcot member lounge. The annual pass discount (currently suspended during Covid) can be a significant $$ saver for people who make multiple trips. If it comes back, there were a few nights of the year where there was an after-party just for DVC.
Only direct buyers can use points for cruises, etc -- but that typically isn't a great value anyway.

Re-sale contracts: Cannot be used at Riviera or future resorts. They don't qualify for membership extras.

Even at re-sale pricing, BCV is an iffy value, depending on other factors as well. But yes, if it's far and away your favorite resort, probably would work. Beware the rooms are not on the bigger side. And while re-sale value us very strong right now, it will likely weaken significantly in the next 10 years as the expiration date starts to get closer.
If you're happy with owning DVC for 20 years, and then just letting it expire, BCV can be a good option. If you're hoping to stretch this into taking trips with the grandkids.... you will want a property with a longer contract.

 

[DVC Doctor]

I think a studio for a family of 5 for a week would be not so fun, but a 1 bedroom would be fine when they are young, but a two bedroom when they are teens.

I would probably advise Riviera, but the savings of buying SSR resale is significant if money is an issue.

 

[Brian Noble]

2) Do we need a 1BR or 2BR (kids can sleep on sleeper sofas)

Do you *need* a villa? Probably not---there are studios that sleep five.

Would you *want* one? That's maybe a more interesting question. The way DVC is priced makes the villas *much* more expensive than the studios---and that's a little unusual in the timeshare world. So, there are some pretty strong rea$on$ to go with a studio.

However, I really prefer the villas. I like having separate sleeping and living spaces--even when it is just the two of us, as I tend to be more of an early bird, and DW is a bit of a night owl. When we had kids traveling with us, it was nice that we had a door---that locked---between us and the kids. (Another DISBoarder refers to this as the "nookie tax.") And, again because of the way DVC is priced, once you are in for a 1BR, the 2BR starts to make a lot of sense for a family so that the living room never has to be a bedroom.

As noted, if you are going to go on race weekends, you need to own at a place you'd be happy to stay.

 

[mjb347]

Best of luck! We are in almost the exact position (family of 5, 3 young children) but looking to buy resale at BLT. We love the Epcot resort area but they don't have 1 bedrooms that sleep 5 ☹

After doing a pretty exhausting rounds of research, discussions with resale reps, and too many spreadsheets. I think we are now on the "Renting Points" train. I am also considering buying resale and selling in 15-20 years when the kids will be in college. In the long term it's hard to get over the cost of maintenance fees years from now. Having a larger family really kills it because we need so many points for the times we would normally travel.

 

[Hopfather28]

I've seen a few people here saying BCV 1 Bedrooms only sleep 4. That's only partially true. They only provide linen and sleeping space for 4 but an air mattress can be used with your own linen and pillow to make capacity 5. I haven't done the BCV air mattress thing (yet...we will this summer) but it's worth pointing out that it is an option.

 

[justadreamaway77]

I would call DVC and ask about the fixed week for the princess marathon. They have sold FWs that move with the marathon events in the past. Now that those events are all canceled for the foreseeable future, it's not clear what they are doing with that. The guide should at least be able to get you a concrete price and answer on the fixed week. The FW point charts have shown some interesting math, and I would at least want an answer from Disney about what the choices are.

Personally, I would never buy RIV because of the resale restrictions and the crazy point chart. I would be looking at BLT, which also sleeps 5 in a 1BR, much better point chart than RIV, and can be bought resale easily. You can get into a BLT 2BR for the points of a RIV 1BR when I travel. If I were buying the inflated RIV point chart, I would do it at VGF, and I did. You should know the point cost for all the resorts you would consider for your travel dates. Others like AKL have similar math.

This is a huge decision. Take your time! DVC is not going anywhere. Check out the resale pricing. Run the math. Run it again. Know the charts. Know the pricing. Think about how you plan to sell. Think about your vacations ten years from now, twenty years from now. Buying RIV direct is a BIG, long term commitment, buying resale BLT not so much.

I agree with the BLT purchase. You may not have walking to EPCOT but you would have the monorail and walking to MK. Those resale restrictions on RIV scare me and the point chart, eek.