First time DVC buyer: New Poly tower direct, or resale?

[Road_Dog]

I'm a non-member looking to join the DVC life. I have my eyes set on an October use-year for either:

1. 150 point contract at new Poly tower, direct
2. 50-100 resale contract at either Poly, GF, Beach Club, or BLT

Do I Benefit From Direct Benefits?​

Personally, I feel direct prices are astronomical with resale offering the type of savings that it does, so I'm curious if the benefits of direct would even come into play for someone in my situation. It seems like the biggest benefits include:

• Annual Pass: We live in Wisconsin and would go AT MOST once a year. We'd probably even skip some years so we could bank points for a bigger room when we want to bring the grandparents or another family.
• Ability to use points at new resorts: I don't see this as being a major benefit in the short term--not being able to use my resale points at Riveria isn't ideal, but going only once a year or once every other year, I think we could keep ourselves busy at the resorts my points DO work at
• Access to member areas: Kind of a minor annoyance to not be allowed into members-only areas, for example, if we bought at BLT, I think it would be disappointing not being allowed to the rooftop area even though I am technically a DVC member

I wonder if I avoid buying direct if I will eventually regret it. You can't predict the future, but Disney over the years has stripped new resale buyers of benefits and has made resale ineligible to stay at newer resorts--lets just say I can't imagine it gets BETTER for resale-only holders. I almost feel it would be better to start direct and just add-on via resale if I ever feel 150 points isn't meeting my needs.

I've even considering buying only 100 direct and then trying to get 50 direct down the road--but what if they raise the minimum needed for benefits?

Is It Worth It For Us If We Go A Max of Once a Year?​

We just came back from a 6-night stay at Saratoga. My kids at 2.5 and 1. Our plan is to return in March 2027 for my oldest's 5th birthday. I'd imagine after that point, we're probably more likely to kick it up to more frequent visits, with potentially October 2028 for my youngest's 5th birthday. My wife thinks going every other year is "manageable" while I'd love to go once a year, so I think I need to only expect to go every 2 years and be happy when we return more frequently.

Because of this initial 2.5 year gap before we return, I'm fine with two scenarios:

1. If buying Oct UY direct, buying 150 to get the discount from $225 to $215, then selling back the first year of points for a $20 discount ($190 final price)
2. If buying Oct UY resale, buying a contract that already has zero 2024 points (to maybe lower the initial cost). This lets me bank 2025 points to 2026 and use the Oct 2026 points for our planned March 2027 trip.

Is October UY Right For Us?​

The reason I'm eyeing up October is because our Disney trips would likely fall between October and March for the following reasons:

• My youngest's birthday is October
• My wife's birthday is November
• My oldest's birthday is in March
• We'd love to go during Halloween and Christmas theming
• If we didn't go during theming, we'd like to go when it's cold up-north (January or February)

Our recent stay at Saratoga was in September and the heat/humidity were miserable--we will likely never return between June-September. I of course have no insight into the future with regard to school schedules, sports, etc. Also, the rollover deadline would be end of May, and because we'd likely never go during summer, that would be perfect for us to know whether we need to rollover or not.

Is Poly The Best Home Resort For Us?​

I'm not married to having Poly as my home resort, but I do think it's a great resort (love the theming, love Ohana, pools look great for kids). I'm arriving at Poly just because of the options available for direct purchase at the moment, the new Poly tower stands out to me as the best. Mostly because it's a monorail resort. With kids as young as I have, being that close to MK will be a huge asset to us for our first few trips as DVC members. Mid-day breaks will be easy, going back to the park for the fireworks will be ideal, MK is by far my wife's favorite park, and it's the most "kid-friendly" for young children (IMO). That being said, I'm operating under the mantra that gets repeated around here of "Buy where you want to stay".

In the event I don't pick Poly direct, I'm open to the following home resorts via resale:

• GF: Proximity to MK, love the upscale Mary Poppins theming, walking path to MK gates if we don't want to monorail. Initial cost is higher.
• BLT: Proximity to MK, theming isn't as exciting, but offers much more favorable costs, walking distance to MK. Initial cost is lower, and dues seem very manageable. I hear the pool is lame? But I've never been there or seen it. I'm wondering how much young kids will actually care or notice.
• Beach Club: Pool pool pool. My oldest for now loves swimming and it was probably her favorite part about Saratoga. We'd be willing to sacrifice proximity to MK to have access to this pool. I'd love the proximity to Epcot for me and my wife if we ever wanted to quickly dip over there for food and drinks, but that won't really be an asset to us until the kids are old enough to be left on their own. Initial cost is lower, average dues. The contract length is also much shorter at 2042.

How Many Points is Best?​

If I bought direct, I'd go with 150 simply due to being able to get the benefits. The 150 would be good for a week-long studio at a number of resorts, or I could bank and have 300 at my disposal which is good for a 1-bedroom at some (but not all) properties.

If I bought resale, I can "start small" and go with a 50-100 point contract. Simply because if we're not planning on going until March 2027, this lets me

• Buy in at a much more affordable price point
• Bank Oct 2025 points to Oct 2026, and give me more flexibility
• If we only go every other year, a 100 point contract provides us with 200 points every time we want to use it, which for now will provide what we need to get a week long studio at all of my desired resorts. As the kids age and we desire more room (and want a 1-bedroom for the extra space and the kitchenette), I'd have to add on more points via resale, but that is a problem for the future.

Also, for what it's worth, I plan on paying cash and not financing. I could drop the $13k-$15k on a 100 point resale contract (to something like BLT) without skipping a beat. Spending $30k on a 150 point direct contract to Poly is another story. I could comfortable put $15k-$20k of that down. The rest I would probably put onto some 0% APR credit cards and pay off within a year.

 

[Mle8308]

You might be better off renting DVC points after you factor in dues. Though with younger children, you may eventually want to visit on a more regular basis so buying might be better. If every other year, I would strongly consider resale (if you don't want to rent points) unless some good incentives are offered. Lots to consider!

 

[pzw90]

If buying Oct UY direct, buying 150 to get the discount from $225 to $215, then selling back the first year of points for a $25 discount ($190 final price)

I thought the magic beginnings was only $20 pp, where is the $25 coming from?

 

[AstroBlasters]

I'm a non-member looking to join the DVC life. I have my eyes set on an October use-year for either:

1. 150 point contract at new Poly tower, direct
2. 50-100 resale contract at either Poly, GF, Beach Club, or BLT

Do I Benefit From Direct Benefits?​

Personally, I feel direct prices are astronomical with resale offering the type of savings that it does, so I'm curious if the benefits of direct would even come into play for someone in my situation. It seems like the biggest benefits include:

• Annual Pass: We live in Wisconsin and would go AT MOST once a year. We'd probably even skip some years so we could bank points for a bigger room when we want to bring the grandparents or another family.
• Ability to use points at new resorts: I don't see this as being a major benefit in the short term--not being able to use my resale points at Riveria isn't ideal, but going only once a year or once every other year, I think we could keep ourselves busy at the resorts my points DO work at
• Access to member areas: Kind of a minor annoyance to not be allowed into members-only areas, for example, if we bought at BLT, I think it would be disappointing not being allowed to the rooftop area even though I am technically a DVC member

I wonder if I avoid buying direct if I will eventually regret it. You can't predict the future, but Disney over the years has stripped new resale buyers of benefits and has made resale ineligible to stay at newer resorts--lets just say I can't imagine it gets BETTER for resale-only holders. I almost feel it would be better to start direct and just add-on via resale if I ever feel 150 points isn't meeting my needs.

I've even considering buying only 100 direct and then trying to get 50 direct down the road--but what if they raise the minimum needed for benefits?

Is It Worth It For Us If We Go A Max of Once a Year?​

We just came back from a 6-night stay at Saratoga. My kids at 2.5 and 1. Our plan is to return in March 2027 for my oldest's 5th birthday. I'd imagine after that point, we're probably more likely to kick it up to more frequent visits, with potentially October 2028 for my youngest's 5th birthday. My wife thinks going every other year is "manageable" while I'd love to go once a year, so I think I need to only expect to go every 2 years and be happy when we return more frequently.

Because of this initial 2.5 year gap before we return, I'm fine with two scenarios:

1. If buying Oct UY direct, buying 150 to get the discount from $225 to $215, then selling back the first year of points for a $25 discount ($190 final price)
2. If buying Oct UY resale, buying a contract that already has zero 2024 points (to maybe lower the initial cost). This lets me bank 2025 points to 2026 and use the Oct 2026 points for our planned March 2027 trip.

Is October UY Right For Us?​

The reason I'm eyeing up October is because our Disney trips would likely fall between October and March for the following reasons:

• My youngest's birthday is October
• My wife's birthday is November
• My oldest's birthday is in March
• We'd love to go during Halloween and Christmas theming
• If we didn't go during theming, we'd like to go when it's cold up-north (January or February)

Our recent stay at Saratoga was in September and the heat/humidity were miserable--we will likely never return between June-September. I of course have no insight into the future with regard to school schedules, sports, etc. Also, the rollover deadline would be end of May, and because we'd likely never go during summer, that would be perfect for us to know whether we need to rollover or not.

Is Poly The Best Home Resort For Us?​

I'm not married to having Poly as my home resort, but I do think it's a great resort (love the theming, love Ohana, pools look great for kids). I'm arriving at Poly just because of the options available for direct purchase at the moment, the new Poly tower stands out to me as the best. Mostly because it's a monorail resort. With kids as young as I have, being that close to MK will be a huge asset to us for our first few trips as DVC members. Mid-day breaks will be easy, going back to the park for the fireworks will be ideal, MK is by far my wife's favorite park, and it's the most "kid-friendly" for young children (IMO). That being said, I'm operating under the mantra that gets repeated around here of "Buy where you want to stay".

In the event I don't pick Poly direct, I'm open to the following home resorts via resale:

• GF: Proximity to MK, love the upscale Mary Poppins theming, walking path to MK gates if we don't want to monorail. Initial cost is higher.
• BLT: Proximity to MK, theming isn't as exciting, but offers much more favorable costs, walking distance to MK. Initial cost is lower, and dues seem very manageable. I hear the pool is lame? But I've never been there or seen it. I'm wondering how much young kids will actually care or notice.
• Beach Club: Pool pool pool. My oldest for now loves swimming and it was probably her favorite part about Saratoga. We'd be willing to sacrifice proximity to MK to have access to this pool. I'd love the proximity to Epcot for me and my wife if we ever wanted to quickly dip over there for food and drinks, but that won't really be an asset to us until the kids are old enough to be left on their own. Initial cost is lower, average dues. The contract length is also much shorter at 2042.

How Many Points is Best?​

If I bought direct, I'd go with 150 simply due to being able to get the benefits. The 150 would be good for a week-long studio at a number of resorts, or I could bank and have 300 at my disposal which is good for a 1-bedroom at some (but not all) properties.

If I bought resale, I can "start small" and go with a 50-100 point contract. Simply because if we're not planning on going until March 2027, this lets me

• Buy in at a much more affordable price point
• Bank Oct 2025 points to Oct 2026, and give me more flexibility
• If we only go every other year, a 100 point contract provides us with 200 points every time we want to use it, which for now will provide what we need to get a week long studio at all of my desired resorts. As the kids age and we desire more room (and want a 1-bedroom for the extra space and the kitchenette), I'd have to add on more points via resale, but that is a problem for the future.

Also, for what it's worth, I plan on paying cash and not financing. I could drop the $13k-$15k on a 100 point resale contract (to something like BLT) without skipping a beat. Spending $30k on a 150 point direct contract to Poly is another story. I could comfortable put $15k-$20k of that down. The rest I would probably put onto some 0% APR credit cards and pay off within a year.

Do you want to be able to access Beach Club and Boardwalk with the points after 2042+?

 

[Road_Dog]

I thought the magic beginnings was only $20 pp, where is the $25 coming from?

You're right. I've corrected the original post.

 

[VGCgroupie]

If you choose direct I would wait and see if poly incentives get any better. They are not great right now.

If you buy a small resale first you can then qualify for member pricing and it will allow you to get a feel for DVC and see how you like it.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

This feels like a case for resale. But you would know your finances best. If the direct pricing is but pocket change then go direct. If the difference between direct and resale is a major factor then your particular usage sounds perfect for a resale contract. Either way it's absolutely worth joining DVC!

 

[Sandisw]

They are not offering MB for Poly purchase so that discount would not apply.

Based on what you have said, I don’t know if you need to rush into direct. If you did, I might just start with the 100 because where one can use points is different than the membership extras, like Sorcerer AP discounts, and special events that you get with 150.

No matter how many direct points you own, those points will be good everywhere and that is a function of the resorts rules via the DVC Resort Agreement.

Membership extras are just that…extras…those can change or go away anytime.

Right now, you have to have 150 direct points, or own grandfathered contracts, to be eligible, but if you don’t really need them, it doesn’t make sense to pay extra just for them.

Maybe, starting with resale makes sense and then you can add direct down the line if you really want points for those new resorts. Given you are looking at an every other year in the short term, I don’t see going all direct a big rush.

 

[Road_Dog]

You might be better off renting DVC points after you factor in dues. Though with younger children, you may eventually want to visit on a more regular basis so buying might be better. If every other year, I would strongly consider resale (if you don't want to rent points) unless some good incentives are offered. Lots to consider!

Thanks. I've been doing my best to compare the cost of buying (direct or resale) to what I'd be paying for renting points. I never factor in the cost of paying full cash price for rooms (i.e., a studio isn't really $900/night if I can get it for $450/night renting--that becomes the price to beat when I factor in my upfront costs and my yearly dues).

Do you want to be able to access Beach Club and Boardwalk with the points after 2042+?

Probably... I should add I'm 35 and my wife is 33. A 2042 contract end puts us into our early 50s. While our kids will be "grown" by that point (18+), I'd imagine we'd want to continue going, either just ourselves (we're big Disney fans) or taking the kids into their college aged years and beyond. I think in 2042 and beyond we'd be far more interested in Epcot and Boardwalk areas.

If you choose direct I would wait and see if poly incentives get any better. They are not great right now.

If you buy a small resale first you can then qualify for member pricing and it will allow you to get a feel for DVC and see how you like it.

Thanks, what type of incentives should I look out for? I guess I was under the impression that lowering my cost to $195/point was as good as it was going to get, outside of another "VGF firesale" type scenario that I've read about on this forum.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Thanks. I've been doing my best to compare the cost of buying (direct or resale) to what I'd be paying for renting points. I never factor in the cost of paying full cash price for rooms (i.e., a studio isn't really $900/night if I can get it for $450/night renting--that becomes the price to beat when I factor in my upfront costs and my yearly dues).


Probably... I should add I'm 35 and my wife is 33. A 2042 contract end puts us into our early 50s. While our kids will be "grown" by that point (18+), I'd imagine we'd want to continue going, either just ourselves (we're big Disney fans) or taking the kids into their college aged years and beyond. I think in 2042 and beyond we'd be far more interested in Epcot and Boardwalk areas.


Thanks, what type of incentives should I look out for? I guess I was under the impression that lowering my cost to $195/point was as good as it was going to get, outside of another "VGF firesale" type scenario that I've read about on this forum.

I would compare the poly incentives to the other active properties to get a feel for how it differs. There’s a chance after 12/11 they get better or maybe stay the same.

Many people will say rent points instead, for me that was non an option due to the no refund policies on rentals. So I only compared my purchase to staying on cash w/ discounts. For me it was well worth it. I bought 100 points resale and that purchase has paid for itself by 45% already, I only bought it 5 months ago.

My biggest warning is you will love DVC so much that you will for sure want to buy more points.

 

[maui22]

Welcome to a fellow cheesehead.

What you describe is very much how we started with DVC.

October UY would work well. (We choose September only because we like end of September to early October because it's quieter F&W/MNSSHP period).

Something to mention for PVB. If you did opt to buy direct....October UY will receive 2024 points all the way through September 2025. Meaning you could buy 350 days from now and have the exact same points to use. Plus you would avoid December 17-31, 2024 dues and Jan-date of purchase dues in 2025. NOTE: direct price may go up, but Disney has shown a willingness to offer larger incentives after the initial 1-3 months of sales.

 

[maui22]

My biggest warning is you will love DVC so much that you will for sure want to buy more points.

This is the one reason we are happy we bought direct first before resale. As Disney changes policies (restrictions, DVC-Y, etc). Points/benefits being grandfathered in gives us peace of mind.

Been through 2-3 changes, that we didn't anticipate. I expect Disney will implement more changes in the future. (@Sandisw opened my eyes significantly earlier this year describing the potential for the DVC2 system).

Being happy with the system on the day you purchase is important. Nothing about future resorts/builds is guaranteed.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Thanks. I've been doing my best to compare the cost of buying (direct or resale) to what I'd be paying for renting points. I never factor in the cost of paying full cash price for rooms (i.e., a studio isn't really $900/night if I can get it for $450/night renting--that becomes the price to beat when I factor in my upfront costs and my yearly dues).


Probably... I should add I'm 35 and my wife is 33. A 2042 contract end puts us into our early 50s. While our kids will be "grown" by that point (18+), I'd imagine we'd want to continue going, either just ourselves (we're big Disney fans) or taking the kids into their college aged years and beyond. I think in 2042 and beyond we'd be far more interested in Epcot and Boardwalk areas.


Thanks, what type of incentives should I look out for? I guess I was under the impression that lowering my cost to $195/point was as good as it was going to get, outside of another "VGF firesale" type scenario that I've read about on this forum.

The thing is that BCV and VGF seem to be expensive on the resale market right.

I think BLT is a great value, but I think most people should buy where they want to stay vs just buying for value alone.

Since you are young and will want flexibility post 2042, I vote direct with putting the delta in upfront on a 0% card for 6-months and spread the payoff over as long as you can.

Then you can also use the point if you ever want to go to California as well.

The timing would depend on when you want to travel next and how soon you need the points in your account.

 

[mort1331]

From what you have laid out, I am in the park of resale BLT of about 150points.
1st you still get the O14 clubs up till 42, not knowing what will happen after that.
You lower your buy in cost considerably.
If you have not been to the Beach pool, I for one and my kids do not think it lives up to the hype. Plus that lazy river is dangerous for kids who are weak swimmers, points of it drops to 10 feet. My girls who are now 17 and 13 have always loved SSR and AKL pools the best.
If you really want DVC Y later you can sell and "buy up" if you like.
Resale is a good way to get your feet wet and try out things.
If you want one of the restricted one year you can rent out your points and rent in to that resort. ( we do this sometimes when wanting VGC and dont want to risk 7 months out )
Good luck and Welcome

 

[Road_Dog]

From what you have laid out, I am in the park of resale BLT of about 150points.
1st you still get the O14 clubs up till 42, not knowing what will happen after that.
You lower your buy in cost considerably.
If you have not been to the Beach pool, I for one and my kids do not think it lives up to the hype. Plus that lazy river is dangerous for kids who are weak swimmers, points of it drops to 10 feet. My girls who are now 17 and 13 have always loved SSR and AKL pools the best.
If you really want DVC Y later you can sell and "buy up" if you like.
Resale is a good way to get your feet wet and try out things.
If you want one of the restricted one year you can rent out your points and rent in to that resort. ( we do this sometimes when wanting VGC and dont want to risk 7 months out )
Good luck and Welcome

Thanks! Actionable advice I've been looking for.

Admiteddly I've never stayed or used the Beach pool so I was relaying on reviews and videos. My daughter loved the main pool at SSR, mostly because of the big slide, which most of the resorts have?

We'd definitely be interested in checking out other resorts but want to bank on that 11-month availability at a resort we're happy with. From what I can tell, Beach Club is one of the harder places to get 7-month availability, which perhaps gave way to my early desire to choose that.

Then once I dove into pricing more, BLT looked like it provided the best cost savings (both upfront and for annual dues) while still providing me with a place I'd be comfortable staying (given the walkability to MK or the monorail to Epcot).

I appreciate the advice. I was already leaning towards at least 100 points resale at BLT. My gut feeling was that if I do end up loving DVC, I might regret not buying direct to start. Especially if the minimum number of required points for benefits goes up. But I will say, I'm absolutely happy with the choice of the O14 clubs.

 

[Road_Dog]

The thing is that BCV and VGF seem to be expensive on the resale market right.

I think BLT is a great value, but I think most people should buy where they want to stay vs just buying for value alone.

Since you are young and will want flexibility post 2042, I vote direct with putting the delta in upfront on a 0% card for 6-months and spread the payoff over as long as you can.

Then you can also use the point if you ever want to go to California as well.

The timing would depend on when you want to travel next and how soon you need the points in your account.

Thanks! Never been to California and have always wanted to for a 3-night stay. I'd imagine we'd mostly plan the use of our points around a 6 or 7 night stay in Orlando, but having flexibility to use in California would make it an easier decision for my wife to agree to check out the original Disneyland.

Where would you recommend I buy direct? Should I go with Poly tower since it's MK-centric? Should I bug a sales rep about finding me a direct contract elsewhere?

 

[kgou]

You can't predict the future, but Disney over the years has stripped new resale buyers of benefits and has made resale ineligible to stay at newer resorts--lets just say I can't imagine it gets BETTER for resale-only holders.

Disney over the years has also hacked away at the benefits offered to direct members. Many on these boards have pointed out that the benefits offered to blue card owners could change at any time. Like you said, we can't predict the future, but it's possible that the benefits offered to direct owners today will not always be offered. But it sounds like the direct benefit most important to you is access to new resorts, which hopefully will never change!

Beach Club: Pool pool pool.

My kids are 7 and 5 and the Beach Club pool is a nonstarter for me despite them both being relatively strong swimmers. Having the access to the big slide outside of the pool gates, plus the lazy river as mentioned above, plus the sprawling and spread out nature of the pool skyrockets my anxiety. I much prefer the Boardwalk or Poly pool with them, where it's big enough for them to feel like they have independence but small enough for me to get a lounger with good visibility and have eyes on them the whole time.

I agree with points others have made above. Since you don't need points immediately, may be worth waiting to see if the incentives improve at all for Poly. I have a mix of resale and direct, and the case for resale is strong in your use case I think.

 

[MICKIMINI]

From an old timer DVC owner. I think you would do well initially with:

*OCT UY
*Resale (initially)
*200-250 points

DVC is crazy expensive direct IF you are never going to buy AP's and don't spend much on ADR's (DVC and Disney Visa discounts are often available) and don't care about a lounge that may be here one vacation and gone the next. If you are talking 150 points which is around 35K with closing and MF's for Poly. That won't get your family much at WDW.

I suggest instead, looking for a super loaded 200-250 point contract that has 2023 and 2024 points giving you a tremendous head start. That contract should have the seller paying for both those years MF's. 400-500 points out of the gate with 200-250 2025 points coming in next year. (Banked 2023's would need to be used by UY 2024). 2024 points need to be banked 8 months from UY so if OCT it would be May.

You can either book a vacation to beat all vacations or rent those 2023's and possibly 2024's to offset your buy in.

For instance: SSR and AKV are both hovering in the $90's in ROFR (see disboard's ROFR thread). 200 @ $90 plus closing costs would come in under 20K. If you rent one year (it was free MF's) at $18 or $3600 that brings you down around 16K and if you rent 2024's it would bring your buy in under 13K (not counting income taxes on rentals).

I just don't see how you can lose either way in that scenario. At around $9 in MF's or $1800 a year, your family can take longer vacations or upgrade to larger villas. You will end up doing both. Trust me on that one.

This is a controversial thought, but if you rent some of those points, you consider buying a small contract over at BCV or BWV for split stays. 100 points using it every other year? Same philosophy with buying a loaded contract. Being at the International Gate is priceless. Yes they are 2042 resorts, but those childhood years are where you would drive that contract until the wheels come off so to speak. Then they are off to their lives and you still have your other contract(s) until they come back to vacation with you as adults. It WILL happen and you and they will love it!

We bought when our son was 8. He and his wife meet us at WDW most years and we provide a studio for them (occasionally a 1 BR if we have points) and we get a 1 BR. Sometimes we are at different resorts but it doesn't matter as we all know our way around (she is a Disney brat too!).

Do some soul searching about the resorts you love since this is like buying in the neighborhood you want to live in for 20 or more years. Not a short term decision. Bots seem to be scooping up the cheapest (point wise) villas so you will be competing with them, something I never imagined almost 29 years ago. Even resorts that are easy to get now at 7 months could change, who knows? Buy enough points for your needs at 11 months now and down the road a bit (values at AKV for example are almost impossible now). You can always bank but you will likely end up borrowing like most of us until you buy more and more...

Good luck and happy vacationing!

 

[mort1331]

Thanks! Actionable advice I've been looking for.

Admiteddly I've never stayed or used the Beach pool so I was relaying on reviews and videos. My daughter loved the main pool at SSR, mostly because of the big slide, which most of the resorts have?

We'd definitely be interested in checking out other resorts but want to bank on that 11-month availability at a resort we're happy with. From what I can tell, Beach Club is one of the harder places to get 7-month availability, which perhaps gave way to my early desire to choose that.

Then once I dove into pricing more, BLT looked like it provided the best cost savings (both upfront and for annual dues) while still providing me with a place I'd be comfortable staying (given the walkability to MK or the monorail to Epcot).

I appreciate the advice. I was already leaning towards at least 100 points resale at BLT. My gut feeling was that if I do end up loving DVC, I might regret not buying direct to start. Especially if the minimum number of required points for benefits goes up. But I will say, I'm absolutely happy with the choice of the O14 clubs.

I will add 2 points...1- I think the pool at BLT is one of the smallest and worst onsite, but you can use the Contemp pool as well.
2- others can please correct me but I dont think the Min req points has been over 150 since after OKW min buy was 230. Now they have gone down,,but cant remember a time its crossed the 150 threshold.

 

[Massachusetts]

I also vote for resale. Give it a try and see how it works for your family. Resale points at any resort are not going to depreciate as fast (or maybe not at all) as a direct purchase would. You can always sell the resale and upgrade to direct later or add on a direct contract later when you might want to use a bigger room to give you some space from the children.

I would think BLT would be the way to go if your focus is MK. With young children walking back to BLT makes life so much easier. The children are going to love the pool no matter which resort you buy. Dues and the fact that points go so much farther at BLT are a couple of other good reasons to weigh BLT as an option.