Gurus! Help me with Add-On Strategy!

[dsneygirl]

We currently have 170 at VWL with an Aug use year. We're now in a position for an add on. DH and I have 2 trains of thought and aren't sure which way to go. We want about another 100-150 points

Option 1) Get SSR cheap (about $69-$70/point) and use those 150 points for all our 7 month bookings. Also get the extra years

Option 2) More VWL with the Aug use year. We love VWL I can happily stay there for years and years. We also like to take family with us and will definitely use 2 bedrooms the 300 points will allow us to do this almost any time of year (except Xmas and Easter).

Any opinions on which is better? Why choose a different resort? Also any thoughts on if we can put in an offer and ask the seller to pay closing costs?

Thanks so much

 

[MrShiny]

We currently have 170 at VWL with an Aug use year. We're now in a position for an add on. DH and I have 2 trains of thought and aren't sure which way to go. We want about another 100-150 points

Option 1) Get SSR cheap (about $69-$70/point) and use those 150 points for all our 7 month bookings. Also get the extra years

Option 2) More VWL with the Aug use year. We love VWL I can happily stay there for years and years. We also like to take family with us and will definitely use 2 bedrooms the 300 points will allow us to do this almost any time of year (except Xmas and Easter).

Any opinions on which is better? Why choose a different resort? Also any thoughts on if we can put in an offer and ask the seller to pay closing costs?

Thanks so much

I would go with the SSR points because of the cost and the Treehouse Villas. If you like VWL, I bet you'll love those, and they seem like they will be very hard to get at the 7 month window. All but a very few nights are unavailable for Jun-Aug (I know - I had them check each week!)

 

[bobbiwoz]

We are in the process of purchasing an SSR resale, but we're doing it with the purpose of using the points for treehouses, although the contract comes with banked points that we definitely will need for some 7 month reservations next year.

Do you usually book at 7 months? At 7 months there are lots of owners trying to change, and what you want may not be available.

We are DGP and SSR is our 6th home resort, and we bought into each because we wanted something about the particular resort that we couldn't be sure we would get at 7 months, like a Beach Cottage at VB, the 2 bedroom with 2 Q's at BCV. If you want to own SSR, then buy it, but if you always want VWL, that's where I would buy if I were you.

Bobbi

PS. We offered what the seller was asking, but we split the closing costs. You could bargain about price and closing costs.

 

[disneynutz]

I say, buy where you love to stay.

Being able to book VWL at 11 months is really worth the extra expense. As more folks buy SSR with no intention of staying there, the other resorts like VWL will get very competitive at 7 months.

Bill

 

[Sandisw]

If you know that there are times you book trips 7 months or less, then go with the SSR points since home resort at that point does not matter.

However, if you do plan ahead and are just hoping that at 7 months there is no issue, then I would go with where you love unless you are okay with split stays.

Since you will be able to use the VWL and SSR points at 11 months at their own resorts, you would always be able to book some nights at each to have your whole vacation. At 7 months, call and switch and if not, wait list.

If you are okay with this possibly happening, then saving the money might be okay. But I agree with PP, as more and more buy SSR with no real intention of staying there, the demand for changes at 7 months could be increased.

 

[dsneygirl]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'll answer a couple of questions to help

1) we have no problem booking at 11 months

2) SSR is our least fave resort so it would be a last resort (no pun intended)

3) don't really have a huge interest in the treehouse. I really can't see us ever doing a Grand Villa, if anything we would need 2 2 bedrooms.

4) worry about the demand for VWL as there are more and more SSR/AKL/BLT owners. My DH camped at FW as a child and 25 years later the Bay Lake/WL/FW area is his favourite on property so I don't see that changing anytime soon.

I think we are leaning towards the VWL. I think the little more money will be worth it for ease and peace of mind.

 

[toniosmom]

Based on your last post, VWL is the way to go. It'll be worth the extra money to be able to book your entire vacation there at 11 months so that you won't have to worry about the 7-month-switch.

No sense in purchasing SSR if you have no interest in the treehouses.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'll answer a couple of questions to help

1) we have no problem booking at 11 months

2) SSR is our least fave resort so it would be a last resort (no pun intended)

3) don't really have a huge interest in the treehouse. I really can't see us ever doing a Grand Villa, if anything we would need 2 2 bedrooms.

4) worry about the demand for VWL as there are more and more SSR/AKL/BLT owners. My DH camped at FW as a child and 25 years later the Bay Lake/WL/FW area is his favourite on property so I don't see that changing anytime soon.

I think we are leaning towards the VWL. I think the little more money will be worth it for ease and peace of mind.

I think you are wise. We thought about buying SSR to save money but in the end we knew that BLT was where we wanted to be and if we weren't able to stay there, we would be disappointed. Saving money is nice, but not if it means there is going to be disappointment later on. To me, buying where you want to be, or at the very least, not where you don't, makes the best sense.

Good luck!!!!

 

[disneynutz]

Here are some pictures that I took during our last VWL stay.

http://www.dvcwishes.com/resorts/vwl/vwl_one_bed.htm

Bill

 

[Dean]

It's a personal decision. The best choice depends on how and when you'd use those points. For most the SSR is likely the best. It does depend to a degree on your risk tolerance as even if you'll use them almost exclusively at VWL, the SSR will still be the better choice for many. Also look at the price difference though usually SSR is significantly cheaper.

 

[DMKEDM]

One small add'l factor: consider use year...if your resale is the same use year as your master contract, you can have it added as an add-on and you can then combine all the points in both contracts (at 7 months if your new contract isn't VWL)...if it has a different use year, though, you can't combine points from both contracts for one night (e.g., if you need 25 points for a night and you have 12 in one contract and 11 in another, you can combine those points if it's an add-on (same use year and tagged to master contract), but you can't if you have two separate master contracts...(you can combine the points for a reservation, though, by linking nights ... so long as all the points for each specific night come from just one contract)

Probably a minor point, but one worth considering as you check on resale contracts...

Good luck!