General Avial @ 7month, possible purchase advice needed

[Shaden]

Hey folks,

Wife and I are looking at buying DVC. We generally go the first 2 weeks of may, when things aren't too busy.

We are considering either AKV points, or Vero beach points.

We rented AKV for our recent trip and loved it, however we are already looking to try other DVC accommodations ...

We are thinking this would probably be true if we BOUGHT at AKV as well, we wouldn't want to do our home resort every year and would like to pop around at the others.

So a couple questions, with home points (when you own them and not rent them) can you book at 11 months, and then see if anything else is available at 7 months in the other resorts and then switch it up ?

Does anyone have experience looking around at the 7 Month mark for Trips in May, or Sept (I think Sept is a little less busy, but pretty similar) ?

What are your thoughts, Very beach we are looking between 40 and 50 $ / point, ... AKV between 75 - 80 ... that's a pretty big difference.

Many thanks,

 

[DenLo]

We have done several trips in May and the availability at the 7 month mark is very good. You might have more problems with Memorial Day weekend though. Still some types of villas and views are always hard to get if you do not have the home resort advantage including Value villas at AKV, standard at BWV, BLT and sometimes any view type at VGF (it's new and everyone wants to try it).

Sorry I cannot help with September, but others will comment soon.

 

[n2mm]

Sounds like you would be traveling at less busier times so your options would be better than most other times. Personally I would never buy a home unless I could use it to my advantage sometimes. I've stayed at vero and have never had a problem getting in there at the 7 month window, but I can't say that for wdw. We too always go the first 2 weeks of May. While there has always been some availability there are a few places you will find it hard to get into esp the rooms that cost the less points getting a 14 night reservation at one resort can be hard at the 7 month window. Mostly because you can only book 7 nights then have to call each morning to add additional nights. Believe me it can be a little stressful as I do it like that. As for the 2 resorts AKV will have a longer lifetime (not sure of the end date) while vero as a lesser lifetime. Also the big one is that vero dues are higher so you need to crunch the long term financial difference there vs the one time point purchase of AKV. Hopefully you gave also researched the difference between buying direct vs resale in terms of using your points for things other than dvc resorts .... I.e. Resale points can not be used for disney cruises. I own both direct sale points and resale. I always recommend resale to my friends now but do point out the pros and cons.

 

[DizBub]

Hey folks,

Wife and I are looking at buying DVC. We generally go the first 2 weeks of may, when things aren't too busy.

We are considering either AKV points, or Vero beach points.

We rented AKV for our recent trip and loved it, however we are already looking to try other DVC accommodations ...

We are thinking this would probably be true if we BOUGHT at AKV as well, we wouldn't want to do our home resort every year and would like to pop around at the others.

So a couple questions, with home points (when you own them and not rent them) can you book at 11 months, and then see if anything else is available at 7 months in the other resorts and then switch it up ?

Does anyone have experience looking around at the 7 Month mark for Trips in May, or Sept (I think Sept is a little less busy, but pretty similar) ?

What are your thoughts, Very beach we are looking between 40 and 50 $ / point, ... AKV between 75 - 80 ... that's a pretty big difference.

Many thanks,

Vero Beach points are fairly low to buy into but know that the yearly dues are the very highest in all of DVC.

Buy Vero Beach if that's where you want to stay, don't buy there if you primarily want to say at WDW DVCs.

Yes, you an book your home resort(s) at 11 months and other resorts at 7 months. You cannot combine points from 2 resorts until 7 months.

September is becoming more and more popular because it's one of the lowest point times for DVC and they have extended F&W into Sept. In other words it's getting harder especially at Epcot resorts. You should have more luck in early Sept. Early May isn't too bad.

Most people have decent luck getting something else other than their home resort at 7 months but we have learned to love SSR and OKW because sometimes we book much later.

 

[com_op_2000]

With DVC resorts there are currently two usage time frames, as DVC is designed to booked at 98% capacity every night of the year.
Mid-Sept to mid-Jan is consider the highest use time of the year.
Mid-Jan to mid-Sept is consider the less highest use time of the year, except for around holidays when it goes back to the highest use times.

DW & I travel at all times of the year now, I find that I am able to move to another resort at 7 months 95% of the time.
AS PP have stated it depends on the location of the resort, time of year, size of accommadations, and your expectations. You can be happy with DVC if:
1. Pick a home resort that you would not mind staying at.
2. Then "see" what is available at 7 months.
3. Do not be unhappy if you wind-up staying at your home resort.

 

[Shaden]

You guys are wonderful, I appreciate all the responses, though they haven't made my decision any easier

So what I am hearing is that its pretty darn likely that at 7 months I would be able to use potentially purchased Vero beach points for WDW resorts ....

That sounds awesome, Vero is WAY cheaper to buy into than AKV ...

BUT ... dues are higher, so long term cost might be about the same ...

hrm, tough call.

Any further advice is appreciated of course, this has already been awesome.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Generally, availability is good at AKV, OKW and SSR during May and September. While some specific villa types, such as values for AKV and near Hospitality House for OKW, will be challenging at 7-months, overall booking should be easy.

If cost is a factor, I would consider a OKW or SSR contract as you will likely regularly secure a AKV room at the 7-month mark.

 

[DizBub]

If cost is a factor, I would consider a OKW or SSR contract as you will likely regularly secure a AKV room at the 7-month mark.

I completely agree with this.

 

[BillPA]

FYI
Old Key West*, Boardwalk Villas, Beach Club Villas, Villas at Wilderness Lodge, Vero Beach Resort and Hilton Head Resort. end January 31, 2042
Saratoga Springs memberships end on January 31, 2054,
Animal Kingdom memberships end on January 31, 2057,
Bay Lake Towers memberships and The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel® and Spa end January 31, 2060.
*Some Old Key West listings end 2057 and those are clearly marked.

The approximate annual dues per point for 2014 at each resort are: Bay Lake Tower $4.78, Grand Californian $4.94, Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas $4.84(Subsidized), $6.44, Saratoga Springs $4.91, Grand Floridian $5.41, Old Key West $5.54, Animal Kingdom $5.97, Beach Club Villas $5.79, Wilderness Lodge $5.93, Boardwalk Villas $6.01, Hilton Head $6.28 and Vero Beach $7.75

 

[drusba]

You guys are wonderful, I appreciate all the responses, though they haven't made my decision any easier

So what I am hearing is that its pretty darn likely that at 7 months I would be able to use potentially purchased Vero beach points for WDW resorts ....

That sounds awesome, Vero is WAY cheaper to buy into than AKV ...

BUT ... dues are higher, so long term cost might be about the same ...

hrm, tough call.

Any further advice is appreciated of course, this has already been awesome.

May and most of Sep have gernerally been low to moderate DVC demand times. If you bought at Vero, you would have a good chance of getting something at WDW in May and Sep at 7 months out, but here are other things to consider:

1. VB may not be a wise choice. Your dues per point per year will be higher at VB than any WDW resort. Currently VB is $1.78 per point higher than AKV and $2.84 at SSR and the differences in dues per point are likely to continue to widen annually. I mention SSR in that equation because usually its resale price is among the lowest of the WDW resorts and if plan is to go mainly to WDW and take the risk that something other than home resort may not be available at 7 months out, SSR is usually the better choice than VB. VB may have the lower purchase price but that dues difference will ultimately turn your purchase into an overall cost greater than SSR and possibly even AKV. Also, VB contracts end in January 2042, only 28 years from now, while SSR is good until 2054 and AKV 2057. If you are currently younger than 50, that can be a difference of real significance.

2.There are certain categories of rooms that are often full most of the year at 7 months out. If your plan is to get any of the following without difficulty any time of year, you best own at the particular resort and reserve 11 months out: AKV concierge and value rooms, BLT standard view, BWV standard and boardwalk view, BWV Grand Villas, likely VGF studios (patterns still developing for it) and the OKW Grand Villa at the Hospitality house area (a booking category). Also BCV and BLT theme park view, particularly studios for either, can be difficult a number of times. You will note that if your desire is "bargain," including getting lower cost studios, it is lower point cost rooms-- BWV standard, AKV value, and BLT standard -- that you are not likely to get at 7 months out.

3. If all you will ever want is May or Sep, then for the immediate future May and much of Sep will likely be lower demand season and thus many things other than those mentioned in 2 above are likely to be open at WDW at 7 months out. However, if you mean last part of Sep after Food & Wine begins, the entire universe changes. The time between start of Food & Wine in September (which is actually being moved up a week this year into the third week in Sep which may have an impact on Sep demand next year) and the Monday after marathon weekend in Jan is DVC's high demand quarter and demand during that time dwarfs all the rest of the year, mid-Jan to late Sep, including any holidays between mid-Jan and late Sep. It is far easier to get a near park resort during the Easter weeks at 7 months out than it is to get any near park resort during that last quarter of the year. In other words, if you ever change your mind and decide you might want to go in mid Oct then be prepared at 7 months out to take whatever is left, usually SSR, OKW and AKV standard and savanna view, although even AKV and OKW can sometimes have issues during the middle two weeks of Oct, the Thurs to Mon of Veteran's Day weekend, Thanksginving time, first two weeks of Dec and Christmas week. And even SSR can disappear New Year's Eve or the Friday of Veterans Day weekend.

4. Finally, there is no certainty May and much of Sep will remain lower demand times. As noted above, Disney just added another week in Sep to the beginning of Food & Wine. That change came too late to impact the 7 month window this year but it could starting next year. Similar Disney event changes or additions at any time of year could have significant impact; example: before the Princess half marathon was invented, Feb starting shortly after Prseidents Day, was among the lowest DVC demand times of the year. Now that Fri and Sat night of Princess half marathon weekend in the latter part of Feb is actually the highest DVC demand time during the mid-Jan to late Sep period.