Good thinking or not?

[Christina2.0]

So I'm in the "researching/deciding" phase of buying into DVC as well as whether we want to buy direct or resale. We are family of four (with a 4 and 1 year old) and we usually go for my daughters birthday May 9th and my birthday (1st or 2nd week of December). We usually stay on the monorail loop. We love Poly but whole purpose of DVC is to get into 1 bedroom villa's. GF is sold out (if buying direct). Copper Creek looks interesting but I'd rather go to BLT if I had to choose between the two.

So I've been seeing how cheap I can get SS or OKW for, would it make any sense to buy resale whichever points sell for the lowest and then just book any of the resorts 7 months out?

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

The first two weeks in Dec are busy weeks for DVC so you would want home resort advantage especially if you want to be on the monorail.

 

[momto3pirates]

Buy where you want to stay. Also, your vacation times may change as the kids get older, start school, etc. Don't buy and assume you can move at 7 months. It's getting harder and harder.

 

[Marionnette]

So I'm in the "researching/deciding" phase of buying into DVC as well as whether we want to buy direct or resale. We are family of four (with a 4 and 1 year old) and we usually go for my daughters birthday May 9th and my birthday (1st or 2nd week of December). We usually stay on the monorail loop. We love Poly but whole purpose of DVC is to get into 1 bedroom villa's. GF is sold out (if buying direct). Copper Creek looks interesting but I'd rather go to BLT if I had to choose between the two.

So I've been seeing how cheap I can get SS or OKW for, would it make any sense to buy resale whichever points sell for the lowest and then just book any of the resorts 7 months out?

If you want to be able to stay at VGF in December, the only way to do it with any degree of confidence would be to purchase it on the resale market. VGF is no longer accepting waitlists for direct purchases. That could change as DVD buys more contracts thru ROFR and clears out the waitlist. But the resort is relatively new, so there aren't a lot of owners who are selling their contracts right now.

May is a different story. Less DVC demand in May compared to December. You have a greater chance of using SSR or OKW points at the 7-month window to get a 1-bedroom at BLT during that time period. VGF would still be iffy and PVB, as you know, doesn't have 1-bedroom villas.

If you want a 1-bedroom on the monorail, BLT is an excellent value. The walk to MK can't be beat if you have little ones in a stroller and access to the monorail at CR is easy. However, the number one rule of timeshare ownership is "Buy Where You Don't Mind Staying". If you don't mind SSR or OKW then buy there knowing that you may end up staying there a good portion of the time. Booking non-home resorts at 7 months has become increasingly difficult.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Early December you want to own where you will be happy staying. Of the two monorail resorts BLT will be less expensive than VGF - lower buy in, lower point requirements for most views and lower dues. If you'd be happy staying there that would be the least expensive of the two you probably want to look at and for the May trip it's very likely you'd be able to book VGF with the BLT points. Vice versa if you bought VGF - should be able to get into a BLT 1BR in May.

One thing that for me gives BLT an edge for families looking for 1BR's is that there are 2 full bathrooms in the 1BR. VGF is a split bath so still only 1 toilet and 1 shower in the 1BR's although the studios have 2 showers in their split bath (but still only 1 toilet). Also you can walk to MK from BLT.

If you are ok with staying OKW or SSR in early December and just trying to waitlist something else then of those two I'd do SSR. Lower dues, longer expiration and it now also has the standard view with point requirements that are similar to OKW. For May again, you'd likely be able to stay elsewhere in a 1BR and you never know what luck you might end up with for booking in Dec but staying elsewhere is not something to count consistently. The second week of December is more likely to have something vs the first week but still not great.

 

[BillPA]

Do not buy SSR or OKW if you would not be happy to stay there. Switching is getting very difficult and about impossible from October to mid December.

 

[supersnoop]

I bet you'd be able to get a one-bedroom lake-view room at BLT for your dates at 7 months. It's not a sure thing, but I'd say it's pretty likely. Would you be okay buying SSR and spending the extra points for a lake view, or would you want a lower-point standard view? Or a high-demand theme-park view?

PVB hasn't been a problem at 7 months yet, but that could change when it sells out.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

PVB hasn't been a problem at 7 months yet, but that could change when it sells out.

This year PVB started having days gone before 7 months during the usual busy DVC times.

 

[holden]

I'd echo others and say buy where you want to stay. We own at BLT and while I don't care for the modern decor, the location can't be beat - on the monorail and a walk to MK. Also, as your kids get older that 2nd bathroom in the 1BR will be a necessity. Trust me.

We have also used our BLT points to stay at OKW, AK and this summer in a 2BR at VGF!

 

[DVC Doctor]

Buy BLT as the location is what you want, price is reasonable, the dues reasonable, and has a longer RUT than SSR and much longer than OKW.

 

[disneynutz]

You could buy on the cheap and use the points to learn and experience the system. After finding what's available to book at 7 months and which resort is your favorite, you can sell and buy that resort later. The other option is to take your best guess at which will be your favorite and maybe ending up selling anyway.

We bought AKV, nice resort but not our favorite, sold most of the contracts. Bought BLT, thought we would love it, we don't. Favorites are VGF, BWV, and BRV. BCV is nice but like the view at BWV better.

Bill

 

[ELMC]

So I'm in the "researching/deciding" phase of buying into DVC as well as whether we want to buy direct or resale. We are family of four (with a 4 and 1 year old) and we usually go for my daughters birthday May 9th and my birthday (1st or 2nd week of December). We usually stay on the monorail loop. We love Poly but whole purpose of DVC is to get into 1 bedroom villa's. GF is sold out (if buying direct). Copper Creek looks interesting but I'd rather go to BLT if I had to choose between the two.

So I've been seeing how cheap I can get SS or OKW for, would it make any sense to buy resale whichever points sell for the lowest and then just book any of the resorts 7 months out?

I would agree that given your needs (1BR, monorail loop, super high demand time for DVC) that BLT is your best bet. I wouldn't buy at the Poly because adjoining studios are not guaranteed. Also VGF has a higher buy in cost and higher point requirements per night. If you would be happy being forced to stay at OKW or SSR I would look there for the savings. But if there's any doubt (and there probably will be even if there isn't now) then BLT (resale) is the way to go. Good luck with your purchase!

 

[ELMC]

We bought AKV, nice resort but not our favorite, sold most of the contracts. Bought BLT, thought we would love it, we don't. Favorites are VGF, BWV, and BRV. BCV is nice but like the view at BWV better.

Bill

So true, and that was our thinking when we first bought BWV over BCV. The view was more important above all else. But now between BCV having a vastly superior pool and the annoyance of the noise from the Boardwalk at night, we are changing our thinking. Currently looking for a BCV resale. So like you said, tastes change...

 

[michelleiada]

I say buy where you want to stay. It is a lot of money to spend to not be 100% happy. if you get stuck at your home resorts due to lack of availability elsewhere, you wont be happy with your purchase.

 

[kboo]

Another +1 for BLT. Also - do consider that as your older one starts school, your needs and dates will change. Just as an FYI (there are posts with this information), we were booking for Presidents' Week (not super high season, surprisingly) at 9 months, and at first we could not get availability for any studio for the whole week, and standard 1BR were already gone. There is still full week availability for a LV 1BR, though. So if you think you want to stay at BLT in a 1BR, do consider either buying enough cheap point somewhere else to get a LV 1BR at 7 months, or buy at BLT and book relatively early.

We've stayed there before on rented points and loved the location above all, and it was very quiet except for the MK fireworks (which didn't wake the kids in any event)... such first world problems...

 

[1momof3boys3]

You could buy on the cheap and use the points to learn and experience the system. After finding what's available to book at 7 months and which resort is your favorite, you can sell and buy that resort later. The other option is to take your best guess at which will be your favorite and maybe ending up selling anyway.

We bought AKV, nice resort but not our favorite, sold most of the contracts. Bought BLT, thought we would love it, we don't. Favorites are VGF, BWV, and BRV. BCV is nice but like the view at BWV better.

Bill

I'm glad you mentioned this. I was wondering if this was recommended. My husband and I can't make up our minds on which one to buy into, so we thought we would purchase OKW since it's one of the cheaper options. That way we could take several years to explore the other resorts and find out which one is our favorite. Once we know for sure which one is our favorite we could sell OKW and buy there.

 

[Marionnette]

I'm glad you mentioned this. I was wondering if this was recommended. My husband and I can't make up our minds on which one to buy into, so we thought we would purchase OKW since it's one of the cheaper options. That way we could take several years to explore the other resorts and find out which one is our favorite. Once we know for sure which one is our favorite we could sell OKW and buy there.

Have you considered just renting DVC reservations at the various resorts instead of purchasing right now? That way there's no long-term commitment, you can get the 11-month advantage at any resort by renting thru a member that owns there and it gives you more time to evaluate how DVC works. Buying OKW now, paying closing costs only to sell it in a few years for less and paying a commission, ROFR and estoppel costs sounds like a poor financial plan.

 

[1momof3boys3]

Have you considered just renting DVC reservations at the various resorts instead of purchasing right now? That way there's no long-term commitment, you can get the 11-month advantage at any resort by renting thru a member that owns there and it gives you more time to evaluate how DVC works. Buying OKW now, paying closing costs only to sell it in a few years for less and paying a commission, ROFR and estoppel costs sounds like a poor financial plan.

I did look into it. We quoted going the week we wanted, the size of room we would need, and it didn't seem cost effective either. We know we definitely want to buy DVC resale. We have done quite a bit of research, crunched the numbers, and feel confident in our decision. We like OKW a lot. We just don't know if it's what we'll like long term. When I say "several years" I mean 10-20. lol. We only go every other year, so it's going to take quite a while to visit the other resorts. I want to spend the night in rooms, not just walk through the resorts.

Also, my boys are young and they already won't share beds. With OKW's room size, I think we're starting off in the right location. Again, I'm just not sure if that's what we'll need in 10 years.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'm glad you mentioned this. I was wondering if this was recommended. My husband and I can't make up our minds on which one to buy into, so we thought we would purchase OKW since it's one of the cheaper options. That way we could take several years to explore the other resorts and find out which one is our favorite. Once we know for sure which one is our favorite we could sell OKW and buy there.

It's not a bad plan at all. First - you like OKW so it would follow that you would be ok there if for some reason you couldn't switch out at 7 months. And second - it's not exactly short term you're looking at. If you like SSR at all you might want to throw that into consideration because of the longer term (2054 vs 2042 for OKW). It's possible that you'd be able to get into OKW or AKV with points from there and if you suspect you might want to sell and buy elsewhere in the future after trying out other resorts in theory the value might be holding up better. But I don't really think OKW will just plummet in the next 10 years or so either.

 

[1momof3boys3]

It's not a bad plan at all. First - you like OKW so it would follow that you would be ok there if for some reason you couldn't switch out at 7 months. And second - it's not exactly short term you're looking at. If you like SSR at all you might want to throw that into consideration because of the longer term (2054 vs 2042 for OKW). It's possible that you'd be able to get into OKW or AKV with points from there and if you suspect you might want to sell and buy elsewhere in the future after trying out other resorts in theory the value might be holding up better. But I don't really think OKW will just plummet in the next 10 years or so either.

I tried to win the hubby over on SSR. I showed him pictures and YouTube videos and he gave me that "don't ever mention this again" look. hahaha! It's definitely not his taste. I think he would be miserable if we couldn't get something different at 7 months, so I don't want to risk that. It's too bad, though. SSR has great prices on the resale sites, it's a great location, and I like the longer term. =/