Getting ready to purchase DVC cant decide between VGF and AKV

[anne0866]

So excited we are getting ready to become a DVC member. We have done our research and are buying direct from Disney. We know our budget of what we are comfortable with. Just can't decide between 200 points at VGF or for just about the same price 200 points at AKV. We are a family of 3 so will only be staying in a studio or 1 bedroom at best.

We keep thinking that VGF would hold their value better if we ever wanted to rent the points out or sell (both of which I don't plan on doing). And of course VGF is 50 years.

We would love staying at AKV while our child is still young however, as hubby and I get holder and we get to the empty nest time in our lives VGF would be great.

I am so very excited! I actually think I may have over researched and have been over thinking this. Just have to decide between the two.

 

[tomandrobin]

We own both and think they are both great resorts.

It looks like you are deciding to buy direct from Disney, which for Grand Floridian its the only option.

I would suggest buying 100 pts direct of VGF and buying AKV resale.

Even though the buy-in costs are similar, the point usage difference is huge. Especially if you looked at the value and standard view rooms at AKV.

 

[Deb & Bill]

So excited we are getting ready to become a DVC member. We have done our research and are buying direct from Disney. We know our budget of what we are comfortable with. Just can't decide between 200 points at VGF or for just about the same price 200 points at AKV. We are a family of 3 so will only be staying in a studio or 1 bedroom at best.

We keep thinking that VGF would hold their value better if we ever wanted to rent the points out or sell (both of which I don't plan on doing). And of course VGF is 50 years.

We would love staying at AKV while our child is still young however, as hubby and I get holder and we get to the empty nest time in our lives VGF would be great.

I am so very excited! I actually think I may have over researched and have been over thinking this. Just have to decide between the two.

The only problem is how long do you plan on staying each time, when do you plan on vacationing and what size villa will you need?

100 points at GFV will not go very far unless you bank and borrow. 200 points will get you a week in a studio any time of the year, except for Easter and Christmas. 100 points won't get you a week in a studio any time of the year. You need at least 125 for a standard view. And if you want the lake view, you'll need at least 148 (which would only be for January, Sept and early December).

200 points at GFV in a one bedroom don't even go as far as the studio. A week during the lowest point time of the year in a standard view one bedroom is 247 points.

AKV value villas are a bargain and would require owning there. You can't request a view for the value villas, but you might get a savanna view.

However, you might save money by buying AKV as resale instead of direct.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I agree that you're looking at very different lengths of stay between the 2 resorts or different accommodation sizes. VGF may be difficult to get into at 7 months but getting the value accommodations or concierge if you are interested in that at AKV are already difficult at 7 months. For example during the middle of June the 200 points would get you into a studio at VGF but no where near a 1BR. But for the same period you can get a 1BR value at AKV with a little less than 200 points.

Unless you know for certain you always want to stay at VGF I'd recommend AKV resale. I would not buy AKV direct unless it were for a small add on to match a UY.

 

[Trooper8286]

We looked at VGF very closely before deciding upon BLT. Here is my take on VGF....it is small and in demand. If you buy at AKV, you would have a hard time booking at VGF what you want at 7 months. Conversely, if you buy at VGF, you book at 11 months and if you decided to to AKV, it will be much easier to get a reservation you want because AKV is larger than VGF.

My guide, ever the salesman, pointed out that relative sizes of resorts made a difference and he thought VGF was going to be difficult to book without home resort priority. Is that overstated? Maybe. But we don't really know how difficult that will be until there is more feedback on reservations from members.
My discussion was between VGF and BLT. I suspect the analysis would be the same or even a little more pronounced based on the sizes of VGF, BLT and AKV.

In the end, we opted for BLT.

I think Debbie makes a good point (no pun intended) about length of stay.....

 

[anne0866]

Thanks everyone for your responses and info.

I think we will probably being going for the AKV. On a points basis you get more bang for the buck. We usually go in the fall or right before Xmas. Usually leave on the 24th or 25th (great airfare prices and we get out of WDW before a lot of the craziness starts). We usually take long trips 8-11 days. I was looking at the points calculator and for 189 points I can get a savannah view at AKV 12/14-12/25.

Hubby wants to buy direct, that way having the flexibility to use points on cruise etc. I understand that the points needed for a cruise are high, Also may want to add a small contract at the poly if/when that comes.

 

[NoleFan]

AKL is at least a 40% saving buying resale. On a 200 point contract, that is over $10K. Is buying direct really worth passing up a savings of that magnitude?

I know it a personal decision for everyone but really worth researching your options via resale.

 

[nalajms]

We own at both, AKV resale.
If you're set on buying direct, I would either buy 200pts VGF, or 150pts VGF and 50pts AKV. Getting a studio sv is not too hard at the 7 month window. The first 2 weeks in December will be difficult, but 3rd week and right before Christmas is not nearly as bad if you book right at 7 months.

My reasoning is the VGF contract will hold more value later on if you decide to sell. If you buy both, the 50pt AKV will hold slightly better value than a larger contract (tho you could break up the 200 into smaller contracts). Buying both will give you 2 home resorts so if you really wanted AKV value/concierge you can bank and borrow for part of a week.

 

[Minniesgal]

We own at both and I would possibly buy some points at both resorts. I would work up how I would use them. We do split stays our plan is to start the holiday with 4 nights at VGF not to do parks but to unwind, get over the jet lag, swim, rent boats and do the nice restaurants before moving to AKV to do the parks possibly finishing at BLT todo MK.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We own at both and I would possibly buy some points at both resorts. I would work up how I would use them. We do split stays our plan is to start the holiday with 4 nights at VGF not to do parks but to unwind, get over the jet lag, swim, rent boats and do the nice restaurants before moving to AKV to do the parks possibly finishing at BLT todo MK.

Because of the distance, I could see staying at AKV to relax and unwind. But GFV is so close to MK (the next monorail stop away) that I would hate to waste those nights and not go to the MK.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Just to reiterate what I think you probably know but.... for 200 points your talking 8-10K in savings in purchasing AKV resale which would pay for a couple of cruises on it's own. You also can always rent out your resale AKV points and pay for the cruise. And lastly - being able to use any points for cruising is not guaranteed for anyone going forward and availability can and has been limited in the past which would leave you needing to pay cash for the cruise anyway.

 

[Missyrose]

Thanks everyone for your responses and info.

I think we will probably being going for the AKV. On a points basis you get more bang for the buck. We usually go in the fall or right before Xmas. Usually leave on the 24th or 25th (great airfare prices and we get out of WDW before a lot of the craziness starts). We usually take long trips 8-11 days. I was looking at the points calculator and for 189 points I can get a savannah view at AKV 12/14-12/25.

Hubby wants to buy direct, that way having the flexibility to use points on cruise etc. I understand that the points needed for a cruise are high, Also may want to add a small contract at the poly if/when that comes.

Just to reiterate what I think you probably know but.... for 200 points your talking 8-10K in savings in purchasing AKV resale which would pay for a couple of cruises on it's own. You also can always rent out your resale AKV points and pay for the cruise. And lastly - being able to use any points for cruising is not guaranteed for anyone going forward and availability can and has been limited in the past which would leave you needing to pay cash for the cruise anyway.

In addition to what Kathy said, you need to realize that should you ever need to sell your direct-bought AKV contract, you'd have to sell at the current resale value. So your contract loses about half its value as soon as you sign on the dotted line with Disney.

If you want to buy direct, buy VGF. If you want AKV, look at resale and put the extra $10K in savings in a cruise fund.

 

[MarlaSingersLaundry]

Just to reiterate what I think you probably know but.... for 200 points your talking 8-10K in savings in purchasing AKV resale which would pay for a couple of cruises on it's own. You also can always rent out your resale AKV points and pay for the cruise. And lastly - being able to use any points for cruising is not guaranteed for anyone going forward and availability can and has been limited in the past which would leave you needing to pay cash for the cruise anyway.

In addition to what Kathy said, you need to realize that should you ever need to sell your direct-bought AKV contract, you'd have to sell at the current resale value. So your contract loses about half its value as soon as you sign on the dotted line with Disney.

If you want to buy direct, buy VGF. If you want AKV, look at resale and put the extra $10K in savings in a cruise fund.

Very sound advice and exactly what I am suggesting. We first purchased a 225 pt AKV resale contract in 2012 for $57 a point ($12,825). This year we purchased a 200 point VGF contract for $145 a point ($29,000). The first contract at AKL we purchased was a good deal, and not likely to be had now. However, you can still save significantly by purchasing resale. Even at $80 per point ($16,000), you are saving around $13,000. That is a lot of money, and a lot of cruises in cash. Also, if you are financing your purchase, you are paying a high interest rate on a larger purchase price.

I'd save the money and go resale with AKL. If you ever sell your contract, you won't get near your original purchase price. If you have your heart and wallet set on spending more than $30K, buy resale 200 AKL and direct VGF for around 100 points.

 

[Minniesgal]

Because of the distance, I could see staying at AKV to relax and unwind. But GFV is so close to MK (the next monorail stop away) that I would hate to waste those nights and not go to the MK.

We do BLT for the MK as we have never found it to be a problem getting a lake view at 7 months. I love the GF spa, boat rentals, the view and the restaurants for suit is the perfect chill resort.

 

[ToddyLu]

Also keep in mind that your DVC trips WILL change the way you visit Disney. You will want to maybe increase those trips, go childless for a long weekend...etc. I can't express this enough. This causes more plane rides, APs a TIW card, etc. So for the average family with two working adults it can become an expensive "vacation" quickly.

We purchased 210 points in 2009 direct at AKV. We love the resort and have no interest purchasing any where else. We may add on in the future.

I would buy a 100 point contract direct, At AKV...get a studio....try it for a couple of years...see how it changes your Disney trip first. Then you can save a few bucks for the other contract. I would purchase resale. Price out a couple of Disney Cruises and see how far you get with 200 points at any resort.

Because we only have 210 points and a 3-day cruise is about 130 points Each person (not sure exactly), a trip to Ireland with ABD 400 points each person and a night in the DVC outside Asheville (Biltmore) is 70 points a night. There is no way we would waste points doing that. Give me my 14-15days in a value studio anytime. Making our Direct purchase an expensive although wonderful treat for the Disney Fanatic.

Now 4 years out I wish we had purchased 300 points. We enjoy it so much it has already increased our traveling to 2 times a year taking family one trip and us alone one trip...all value studios so we can do this. Owning at a different resort would not make this way of traveling as economical. Yep, the girl who bought direct is giving "economical" advice about owning DVC.

Parks become less important and relaxing becomes more important and the wonderful Deluxe Resort helps feed this lifestyle.

 

[ToddyLu]

I see your trips have been value trips like ours were before DVC--it will spoil you quickly.

 

[rosanab1031]

I have two contracts with DVC that I purchased direct through Disney, One for 60 points at Aulani and one for 50 at VGF. This gets us a nice vacation every other year and gave me the flexibility of financing my purchases. We plan on adding in the future when we have more money and we hope to purchase AKV as my boyfriend loves it! But we will NOT be buying AKV direct. It is just WAY to much money even with the incentives. When we are ready to buy again it will be resale for AKV. Unless you plan on using RCI or traveling to DLP or any of the other parks around the world using points (like me ) Then I would go with what others are saying and purchase resale if AKV is really where you want to be.

 

[ELMC]

So excited we are getting ready to become a DVC member. We have done our research and are buying direct from Disney. We know our budget of what we are comfortable with. Just can't decide between 200 points at VGF or for just about the same price 200 points at AKV. We are a family of 3 so will only be staying in a studio or 1 bedroom at best.

We keep thinking that VGF would hold their value better if we ever wanted to rent the points out or sell (both of which I don't plan on doing). And of course VGF is 50 years.

We would love staying at AKV while our child is still young however, as hubby and I get holder and we get to the empty nest time in our lives VGF would be great.

I am so very excited! I actually think I may have over researched and have been over thinking this. Just have to decide between the two.

Here's the thing. Rarely does anybody go into a DVC purchase saying "I'm probably going to have to sell this in five or ten years, so let me buy the property with the best resale". But the thing is, people do end up selling after ten, five, even one year. And when they buy direct at resorts with low resale values they end up taking a bath...at a time when they can least afford it.

So if you're asking me if I would buy VGF or AKV, it's a no brainer. The resale value at VGF provides extra security, as does the higher than market point rental price. Furthermore, your VGF points will get you just about any room at most times of the year at AKV. The same cannot be said about AKV points at VGF.

Also keep in mind that your DVC trips WILL change the way you visit Disney. You will want to maybe increase those trips, go childless for a long weekend...etc. I can't express this enough. This causes more plane rides, APs a TIW card, etc. So for the average family with two working adults it can become an expensive "vacation" quickly.

We purchased 210 points in 2009 direct at AKV. We love the resort and have no interest purchasing any where else. We may add on in the future.

I would buy a 100 point contract direct, At AKV...get a studio....try it for a couple of years...see how it changes your Disney trip first. Then you can save a few bucks for the other contract. I would purchase resale. Price out a couple of Disney Cruises and see how far you get with 200 points at any resort.

Because we only have 210 points and a 3-day cruise is about 130 points Each person (not sure exactly), a trip to Ireland with ABD 400 points each person and a night in the DVC outside Asheville (Biltmore) is 70 points a night. There is no way we would waste points doing that. Give me my 14-15days in a value studio anytime. Making our Direct purchase an expensive although wonderful treat for the Disney Fanatic.

Now 4 years out I wish we had purchased 300 points. We enjoy it so much it has already increased our traveling to 2 times a year taking family one trip and us alone one trip...all value studios so we can do this. Owning at a different resort would not make this way of traveling as economical. Yep, the girl who bought direct is giving "economical" advice about owning DVC.

Parks become less important and relaxing becomes more important and the wonderful Deluxe Resort helps feed this lifestyle.

One thing that I think it's important to point out is that you bought direct when AKV prices were about $100 a point. That's a completely different situation than what exists today. So when using point cost as your basis for comparison, it's important to realize that those same value rooms would cost the OP significantly more than they are costing you.

 

[Missyrose]

Also keep in mind that your DVC trips WILL change the way you visit Disney. You will want to maybe increase those trips, go childless for a long weekend...etc. I can't express this enough. This causes more plane rides, APs a TIW card, etc. So for the average family with two working adults it can become an expensive "vacation" quickly.

We purchased 210 points in 2009 direct at AKV. We love the resort and have no interest purchasing any where else. We may add on in the future.

I would buy a 100 point contract direct, At AKV...get a studio....try it for a couple of years...see how it changes your Disney trip first. Then you can save a few bucks for the other contract. I would purchase resale. Price out a couple of Disney Cruises and see how far you get with 200 points at any resort.

Because we only have 210 points and a 3-day cruise is about 130 points Each person (not sure exactly), a trip to Ireland with ABD 400 points each person and a night in the DVC outside Asheville (Biltmore) is 70 points a night. There is no way we would waste points doing that. Give me my 14-15days in a value studio anytime. Making our Direct purchase an expensive although wonderful treat for the Disney Fanatic.

Now 4 years out I wish we had purchased 300 points. We enjoy it so much it has already increased our traveling to 2 times a year taking family one trip and us alone one trip...all value studios so we can do this. Owning at a different resort would not make this way of traveling as economical. Yep, the girl who bought direct is giving "economical" advice about owning DVC.

Parks become less important and relaxing becomes more important and the wonderful Deluxe Resort helps feed this lifestyle.

If the "other" options are a poor value for those direct-bought AKV contract, I'm curious what reason is behind suggesting OP buy direct for their AKV contract? If they plan to use the points at DVC resorts, why pay $150 per point when they could buy the same contract for $75 per point?

 

[Mickbee]

The decision to purchase either of the resorts is totally a personal choice and you know best what works best for your family.


My only suggest: IF you buy all 200 points at a resort, have Disney break the contract into two 100 point contracts. This would allow you the flexibility to sell some if vacation styles change or you decide there is a different resort you prefer better down the road.

Best of luck!!