HELP ME Please - DVC NEWBEE

[dvc rookie]

My family just returned from 12 disney filled days. On the last day I meet with the DVC people. I think we have joined.

I am in the process of buying 210 points at DSS. I didnt relize that where and when I bought my points made a difference. If I have prebought for August at DSS am I stuck there? Why if it is so flexable are people asking to rent points at differnt resorts?

I dont plan to visit again till sometime in 2006 and plan on using most of my 600 points for the family.(210 banked for this year, 210 for current year and borrow the rest.) Will I have trouble getting rooms at BCV or any other resorts? Can anyone make this simple for me. Have I messed up?
Thanks
We are in Calif and want to visit when the crowds are not to bad and the weather warm enough for water fun. When should we plan it?
One more thing GV OR 2 2 bedroom for the family.
Thanks to everyone for being so nice!!!!

 

[Dizzy4Dizney]

Buying DVC is never a mess up! If you have all your points at SS, you will be able to book up at 11 months before your trip. In order to book at the other DVC resorts, you can do this 7 months out. We own at BWV and never had a problem booking at the 7 month window. Of course, I've never booked the vacation weeks so I can't vouch for that. We actually just booked a trip for May at the BCV and this is only 4 months out. If you're not booking at "High" time, you shouldn't have a problem.

Welcome Home! You will love DVC! Read the boards and you will learn a lot and always ask questions

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Welcome to the Dis-Boards. Too bad you didn't find this site before you purchased.

First there is a period of time where you can cancel a contract. I'm not sure how long that is or if you are still in it, but if you want to cancel, you may be able to.

The biggest difference there is for where you buy your points is the 11/7 month reservation window. You will have an 11 month reservation window at SSR (Saratoga Springs Resort). At 7 months, you will be able to use your points anywhere. So are you "stuck" at SSR for for 2006? That depends on when you want to visit. If you want to go during high use times, then you might have a problem. But many other times of the year, you won't have an issue at all.

Only you can answer whether you messed up or not but probably not. All of the DVC resorts are great places but I am one of the people who preaches that you should really only buy at the place you won't mind staying at, just in case you can't switch out at 7 months. If you would mind staying at SSR, then you may ned to reconsider.

HBC

 

[lovwdwalot]

Also alot of people just rent points from DVC member for their WDW vacation, most people find it cheaper to rent point at $10.00 per point than to buy at rack rate for the same resort.Also welcome home !!

 

[TammyNC]

You didnt mess up. DVC is a great "timeshare" to belong too. I call it "timeshare" for lack of a better word right now. We are at SSR right now and it is very nice. We own at VWL with 3 stays there under our belts along with another at OKW. We love the flexibility and vacationing when WE want too, not when some timeshare tells us we can.

As for swimming but no crowds, try early May. CM told us that May is great! No crowds, but weather is warm, not hot.

DVC is a good thing. Our biggest regret, not buying sooner.

Jimmy aka jimmytammy

 

[mochabean]

Many people who rent are not DVC owners.

If you go during off-season, getting BCV at 7 months shouldn't be too difficult.
I like to go in September, crowds are low and weather is warm. I haven't had a problem getting BCV or WLV at the 7 month window for September trips.

As for the GV vs. 2 2BR question, it all depends on if you think being stuck in the same room with those people for a week would make you happy or unhappy. 2 2BRs gives everyone more privacy and flexibility (and it's a little cheaper too!).

 

[FamilyGuy]

Although I am not seasoned with making DVC reservations, and I wholeheartedly agree that you should buy at your 1st choice resort, IMO the 7 month window for booking is not a HUGE issue.

You can book at your home resort 11 months in advance. When your 7 month window pops up, you can check availability at another resort, you could even waitlist it if you really wanted to try and get it.

Peoples plans change. Flights, family, work, and other (sometimes uncontrollable) factors can change plans. That may open up an opportunity when you need it.

But it goes back to, as mentioned earlier, if you would be disappointed staying at your home resort if another resort was not available, then you should think twice about that particular resort being your home resort.

I remember the guide making it sound like no matter what you should buy at SSR for the 12 additional years and you can stay where ever you like! I am gald to have found this site before buying and taking to owners and other research opportunities before making my purchase decision. I knew all the details and all the ins and outs before making the final purchase. I can truly say that I am 100% satisfied with my initial 160 point SSR contract.

 

[athenna]

You haven't messed up! You've been thinking about buying something that can make you and your family happy for many years to come, and that can never be wrong. We are glad you have found us. I am also a newbie, and these folks here on these boards have already answered so many of my questions, you've come to the right place. We're like 1 big family looking out for each other. I was worried about the same things you are, and between these helpful folks and my DVC guide, I'm not so worried. I have already booked 2 trips for 2005 and am thrilled with my decision. We are here to help you.
And if you buy into SSR, we'll be neighbor's!!!!

 

[KennyK]

WELCOME HOME

Anyway, I definitely don't think you messed up. We've been members since only 2001 and really enjoy our DVC ownership. With the variety of resorts to choose from it almost makes it impossible to not find a place to stay. We've stayed at the BWV, VWL (home), OKW, & SSR (Home 2), and HHR (Hilton Head) we have yet to enjoy Beach Club but will try it one of these years.

We find that it is harder to find decent airfares from New York than booking a resort especially if you don't mind different ones.

We have a vacation scheduled for April 05. We decided on this trip at the last minute, a family get together. We would of loved to get Beach Club but it was full for the amount of rooms we needed ( 1 -2 bdrm, 2 - studios) (Flower and garden show) going on at Epcot and BCV is a prime location. So we opted for SSR our other home resort. Have all the rooms tied to the same ressie so will be in the same building.

As far as renting pts. As others have stated and there is a DIS board for this, most non-DVC'ers do this as DVC resorts/rooms make even a delux look small. Once you've stayed at DVC resort you'll never go back to a regular resort (no Flaming now!!). We rented pts to another DVC'er after we first joined as we had pts we couldn't use, wouldv'e lost them so rented them to another DVC'er who needed a few more pts to have a magical vacation for her family.

We were just happy to help out.

So anyway, don't regret it. My only regrets are that we didn't buy when we were first introduced to "Disney Vacation Club" back in the beginning when there was only one resort (now called Old Key West).

Kennyk