Help with next DVC purchase (growing family, already own at VGF)

[cncm]

Hi all - I've found this forum to be extremely helpful over the years. Hope to hear your advice as we plan our next DVC purchase.

A little background: we bought 160 points at VGF last year and have used it to stay at VGF and AKL on two separate trips since then. What we found in those trips is that we absolutely value convenience and location, especially with a toddler - being walking distance to MK is HUGE. We usually rent a car and don't mind driving to the other parks but not having to go through TTC makes visiting MK so much more enjoyable (especially since we take midday naps). We always intended to add on as our family grows. Now I'm expecting #2 (due September!) we'd like to add additional points so we can comfortably stay in a 1br for a week long stay. A 6 night stay at VGF in March costs about 285 points, so we're looking to add on another 100-200 points. I'd like to go resale this time as we already have blue card benefits.

Here's the dilemma. Should we buy at another monorail resort or branch out to other locations? I was looking at the Riviera as we love HS (it's both my and my husband's favorite park) and my little girl is obsessed with Frozen so I think we'll be visiting Epcot more in the future. Having skyliner access to both parks seem like a huge perk. But if we were to do that, we'd need to do a split stay as I don't think we can get away with not visiting MK and I really don't want to drive to TTC/MK. The idea of packing/moving mid-trip with a baby/toddler sounds pretty unappealing but in the long-run those early baby years are short and maybe we'll be glad to have two convenient locations when the kids are older. If we do decide on Riviera - is it good idea to buy resale there since I can only use those points to stay at that resort. Alternatively, I'm thinking we can maybe buy resale at BLT, use those points to stay at either BLT/VGF/Poly for MK access and use our existing VGF points to stay at the Riviera. OR should I just go for the cheapest contract (SSR) since I've heard 1br is easier to book at the 7-months mark compared to studios (in this case I would plan on using the SSR points for monorail resorts and my VGF points for the Riviera).

I guess my main questions are: 1) is it realistic to do split stays with young toddlers/kids - would love to hear other's experiences; 2) what's the best combo of resale/direct contracts if I want to branch out to a HS/Epcot resort (and is Riviera the best one?)

Lastly, how important is it to have the same UY for both contacts? All else equal obviously it's better if they're the same UY but is it more a "nice to have" or something I should prioritize when I look at resale contracts?

Thanks everyone!

 

[kanerf]

Well, I do split stays every trip, but I am single. The key is planning. I go to the next resort I am staying at that morning, early if possible. I take the food with me that needs to be kept cold and leave it with the bell desk at the new resort and they put it in cold storage for me. I have my luggage picked up and transferred to the new resort before I leave in the morning. Once I have my cold stuff put away, I head for one of the parks and wait for my room ready notification. Depending on when that happens, I may go to the new room and have my cold things sent over and put them away. My luggage may not be available at this point, but that is ok.

Remember that resale Riviera contracts are only good at Riviera. I own there, both resale and direct. Another option you might consider is Boardwalk. Also easy to get to both Epcot and HS. It does end in 2042, but no one is sure what that means yet. It should be a little cheaper.

 

[Hubalorian]

Hi! My wife and I have a toddler and hoping for another soon! We own at AK and VGF. We lucked out and got beach club for two night on our trip in July. We are doing a BC/Poly split stay for our trip in July. I have a feeling a sand pool along with 3 acres of water park may influence our need for BC points. I have a feeling my son will fall in love with that resort. BC gives you access to skyliner walking to HS and Epcot. I wouldn't completely rule out resale BC or BW. Your children will be adults or close to it when the contract expires, so you will get good use out of it.

 

[sndral]

When do you plan to visit? That can make a huge difference in whether you need 11 month home resort priority for booking or whether 7 months will work. Also keep in mind that once your children start school, you’ll be more limited as to when you’ll be able to visit.
I personally wouldn’t want resale Riviera points because they can only be used there & I’m not a fan of the resort - but many love it & the Skyliner to Epcot especially - when operating - is a real plus.
Regarding resale elsewhere, yes, having the same use year makes it much easier to combine points for booking & also it’s simpler to keep track of use year/banking deadlines & the like, when I was buying my resale contracts I made matching my use year a priority, but it did take some patience to find the right resale contracts (especially VGF before DVC added the new resort studios at BPK.)

 

[DeeBee3]

Split Stays: We have done multiple split stays with young kids. We never find it to be a problem. Some people hate it. We don't normally unpack everything so it's not an inconvenience. We pack up the night before and let bell services handle luggage when we leave the next morning. We make sure to have park plans and not expect the luggage at a certain time. I suggest using a backpack to have a change of clothes for the kids or even a bathing suit. You may not have your room ready, but you can certainly use the resort amenities if you need a break from the parks. I love experiencing different resorts.

Resale: Love Riviera. Not sure I would do resale due to restrictions. If you are ok using those points there, then not an issue. My kids enjoyed the resort and it is lovely have the Skyliner. Epcot is our favorite park. We have yet to be interrupted by weather on the Skyliner. Check out the member add-on incentives that are offered right now through June 24.

 

[ffindis]

Hello and welcome to the beginning of addonitis! We do not have any little ones by my family hates split stays and has will not let me plan any others. I think everything is harder with little ones but it does get easier with time. However, we do like to unpack and get settled into our villa. I do plan my trips around what resort we ar staying at. When we stay at VGF or WL we definitely go to the MK more. When we stay at BWV we will spend more time in Epcot and HS.

I would definitely be hesitant to buy resale at Riviera, even if you love it and wouldn't mind always staying there. As things change in your priorities, and take it from me as an owner since 1997things change over time, you will have lots of trouble planning trips when you don't plan way in advance. There will be times when things change and you will be locked out of options with those resale points. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

 

[cncm]

Well, I do split stays every trip, but I am single. The key is planning. I go to the next resort I am staying at that morning, early if possible. I take the food with me that needs to be kept cold and leave it with the bell desk at the new resort and they put it in cold storage for me. I have my luggage picked up and transferred to the new resort before I leave in the morning. Once I have my cold stuff put away, I head for one of the parks and wait for my room ready notification. Depending on when that happens, I may go to the new room and have my cold things sent over and put them away. My luggage may not be available at this point, but that is ok.

Remember that resale Riviera contracts are only good at Riviera. I own there, both resale and direct. Another option you might consider is Boardwalk. Also easy to get to both Epcot and HS. It does end in 2042, but no one is sure what that means yet. It should be a little cheaper.

Ooh I didn't know about this luggage transfer service between resorts - last time we did a split stay, we packed everything ourselves into the car and just left the bags in the trunk while we spent the morning at the park until we could check in to our 2nd resort. Is there a fee for this service?

When do you plan to visit? That can make a huge difference in whether you need 11 month home resort priority for booking or whether 7 months will work. Also keep in mind that once your children start school, you’ll be more limited as to when you’ll be able to visit.
I personally wouldn’t want resale Riviera points because they can only be used there & I’m not a fan of the resort - but many love it & the Skyliner to Epcot especially - when operating - is a real plus.
Regarding resale elsewhere, yes, having the same use year makes it much easier to combine points for booking & also it’s simpler to keep track of use year/banking deadlines & the like, when I was buying my resale contracts I made matching my use year a priority, but it did take some patience to find the right resale contracts (especially VGF before DVC added the new resort studios at BPK.)

We've gone in Feb/May/Oct/Nov and have planned another trip for next March already. Basically any time outside of June-Aug and Thanksgiving/Christmas would work for us as we hate the heat/humidity and also extreme crowds. I do realize that may be problematic once the kids are older and we're bound by school schedules. My plan is to take them to Disney a lot while they're young and then go 1x a year once they're older/in school (most likely during Spring Break). We took my daughter 4 times last year when she was two.

Split Stays: We have done multiple split stays with young kids. We never find it to be a problem. Some people hate it. We don't normally unpack everything so it's not an inconvenience. We pack up the night before and let bell services handle luggage when we leave the next morning. We make sure to have park plans and not expect the luggage at a certain time. I suggest using a backpack to have a change of clothes for the kids or even a bathing suit. You may not have your room ready, but you can certainly use the resort amenities if you need a break from the parks. I love experiencing different resorts.

Resale: Love Riviera. Not sure I would do resale due to restrictions. If you are ok using those points there, then not an issue. My kids enjoyed the resort and it is lovely have the Skyliner. Epcot is our favorite park. We have yet to be interrupted by weather on the Skyliner. Check out the member add-on incentives that are offered right now through June 24.

Hello and welcome to the beginning of addonitis! We do not have any little ones by my family hates split stays and has will not let me plan any others. I think everything is harder with little ones but it does get easier with time. However, we do like to unpack and get settled into our villa. I do plan my trips around what resort we ar staying at. When we stay at VGF or WL we definitely go to the MK more. When we stay at BWV we will spend more time in Epcot and HS.

I would definitely be hesitant to buy resale at Riviera, even if you love it and wouldn't mind always staying there. As things change in your priorities, and take it from me as an owner since 1997things change over time, you will have lots of trouble planning trips when you don't plan way in advance. There will be times when things change and you will be locked out of options with those resale points. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

I know Boardwalk/Beach Club are popular resorts but I'm hesitant to buy into them given the short contract life. And I've heard they're basically impossible to book at the 7-months mark if you don't own there. But Riviera also has significant drawbacks given the resale restrictions. I feel like there are no really good/obvious choices for HS/Epcot resorts whereas I would be happy owning at any of the 3 monorail resorts. Hence the dilemma!

 

[Hubalorian]

There is currently no fee for luggage transfers during a split stay.

I agree, there is no clear cut choice for Epcot/HS resorts. They all have drawbacks

 

[TinkAgainU]

I am ALL about ease of access to the theme parks for Rope Drop, long mid day break, back in the evening for lights and fireworks. I usually split stay Grand Floridian and Boardwalk (add tile or airtag to your luggage for peace of mind if using Disney to move stuff instead of your car) - but could also just alternate one each year.

I'm not a fan of Riviera because if the Skyliner is down, that means no Skyliner ride to/from, but also a Long wait since then they are bringing backup buses ... I love Skyliner and take it for breakfast or a drink at Riviera from Boardwalk, and it's super fun to ride - just not as park access. The boats between Beach Club/Boardwalk and Epcot/Hollywood Studios add another amazing and relaxing transport option. Between now and 2042 you may well come up with other theories anyway. Just my two cents worth.

Use Years: I have multiple Use Years and am going to sell and consolidate to one UY (but resale commissions of 8-10% are painful). While I appreciate the extra waitlists, and I'm very detail oriented (nearly OCD), I find multiple UYs if I'm banking and borrowing for a trip to just reach the point of too complex. Disney trips already have a lot of moving parts without making it harder upfront

 

[Electron_si]

If I were in your shoes I would look hard at AKL. It gets a bad wrap from a lot of people, and I agree the rooms are dark and in need of an update, but when the update comes they will be on par with most of the other resorts.

We’ve stayed at AKL several times, the Savannah view is always a hit for our kids and they are a wide age range (13, 9, 2). The pools are excellent and the dining is something we really enjoy too. If you have younger kids the splash area and overall setup at Kidani is great.

Yes there is a lot of walking and transportation is only bus BUT for resort rest days it’s amazing and the cost PP is very affordable.

We own Poly and RIV but I put an offer in on an AKL contract that was never responded to before we ended up buying RIV, and we were resale only before RIV and decided to get blue card status.

 

[TinkAgainU]

If I were in your shoes I would look hard at AKL. It gets a bad wrap from a lot of people, and I agree the rooms are dark and in need of an update, but when the update comes they will be on par with most of the other resorts.

We’ve stayed at AKL several times, the Savannah view is always a hit for our kids and they are a wide age range (13, 9, 2). The pools are excellent and the dining is something we really enjoy too. If you have younger kids the splash area and overall setup at Kidani is great.

Yes there is a lot of walking and transportation is only bus BUT for resort rest days it’s amazing and the cost PP is very affordable.

We own Poly and RIV but I put an offer in on an AKL contract that was never responded to before we ended up buying RIV, and we were resale only before RIV and decided to get blue card status.

Downside to AKL is right now (and due to the size of the rooms I don't know if it would change at the refurb?), for a family of five you have to get a 1 bedroom with a view. AKL Studios are only four people. You are almost at four people already, and bringing one of the kid's friends (or a nanny) removes the option of staying in studios or even the non-view 1 bedrooms there. I know you said you prefer a 1 bedroom anyway so maybe not an issue.

 

[Cfabar1]

with a growing family are you sure you want to stick with studios? You mention wanting to use the 285 points for a VGF 1 bedroom I think.

if you think you want 1 BR or 2 BR 160 VGF points won't get you very far... I'd build out a little more of a VGF portfolio before expanding to other resorts personally so you know you have a great stay at 11 months. The kids are young so MK is where you're going to want to be for now anyways....

don't mess with two UY unless you find an amazing resale deal... too much work...

 

[Electron_si]

Downside to AKL is right now (and due to the size of the rooms I don't know if it would change at the refurb?), for a family of five you have to get a 1 bedroom with a view. AKL Studios are only four people. You are almost at four people already, and bringing one of the kid's friends (or a nanny) removes the option of staying in studios or even the non-view 1 bedrooms there. I know you said you prefer a 1 bedroom anyway so maybe not an issue.

That’s a good point, we are family of 5 but book 1 BR’s at AKL because they are points friendly.

For someone booking studios 4 max occupancy is a consideration. We are about to get blocked out of a lot of resorts once our youngest turns 3. Booking 2 BR’s just isn’t in the cards for long stays for us right now.

 

[Nicnicnic.nic]

I recently did 2 split stays with my 4yo and 2yo. We had a car and was no big deal going from Vero to CBR because we planned the drive for nap time but the second one from CBR to ASMo was not the best. My older one and I hung out at the pool but she doesnt really need a nap anymore. It messed up my 2yos nap that day. Dad just drove around aimlessly with him and then tried to get him settled in the room once it was available. I planned the packing situation keeping in mind the split stays so no issue there. So my only issue with it is the possibility of messing up nap time.

 

[Electron_si]

I recently did 2 split stays with my 4yo and 2yo. We had a car and was no big deal going from Vero to CBR because we planned the drive for nap time but the second one from CBR to ASMo was not the best. My older one and I hung out at the pool but she doesnt really need a nap anymore. It messed up my 2yos nap that day. Dad just drove around aimlessly with him and then tried to get him settled in the room once it was available. I planned the packing situation keeping in mind the split stays so no issue there. So my only issue with it is the possibility of messing up nap time.

We have a 2 year old and always do split stays. I agree it does make nap time a lot harder. We typically just push through nap time at the park and he will usually crash in the stroller for an hour being pushed between rides.

We have 2 older boys 13 and 9 so they ride all the rides during nap time and my wife and I trade off pushing the stroller or sitting during nap time.

 

[tx911]

with a growing family are you sure you want to stick with studios? You mention wanting to use the 285 points for a VGF 1 bedroom I think.

if you think you want 1 BR or 2 BR 160 VGF points won't get you very far... I'd build out a little more of a VGF portfolio before expanding to other resorts personally so you know you have a great stay at 11 months. The kids are young so MK is where you're going to want to be for now anyways....

don't mess with two UY unless you find an amazing resale deal... too much work...

I agree with the above.

Don't discount the value of owning a lot of points at one home. You get the 11 month booking with all your points, and can go big with a 1- or 2-BR Villa if you add on to your existing VGF. You can always do small contracts somewhere else like RIV in the future if you find you really want/need 11 month advantage there.

Re Split Stays, I don't care for them on a short trip. Probably would be ok on a week trip or longer. Remember on the day of your resort change, you will not have a resort to go back to until your room in the new resort becomes available. We did not like this because we like to go back to the resort in the afternoon shortly after lunch.

I think multiple UYs would be too complicated for me. Just owning more than one home resort adds some complexity, and I personally would not want multiple UY on top of that.

 

[cncm]

If I were in your shoes I would look hard at AKL. It gets a bad wrap from a lot of people, and I agree the rooms are dark and in need of an update, but when the update comes they will be on par with most of the other resorts.

We’ve stayed at AKL several times, the Savannah view is always a hit for our kids and they are a wide age range (13, 9, 2). The pools are excellent and the dining is something we really enjoy too. If you have younger kids the splash area and overall setup at Kidani is great.

Yes there is a lot of walking and transportation is only bus BUT for resort rest days it’s amazing and the cost PP is very affordable.

We own Poly and RIV but I put an offer in on an AKL contract that was never responded to before we ended up buying RIV, and we were resale only before RIV and decided to get blue card status.

We stayed at AKL on our last trip and loved it - except for the transportation. It's also relatively easy to book there (we had no issues booking only 4 months out) so I don't feel the urgency to own there. I think if the kids were older, it'd be less of a hassle taking the bus everywhere but when you're dealing with strollers and mid-day naps, it's too much of a pain.

with a growing family are you sure you want to stick with studios? You mention wanting to use the 285 points for a VGF 1 bedroom I think.

if you think you want 1 BR or 2 BR 160 VGF points won't get you very far... I'd build out a little more of a VGF portfolio before expanding to other resorts personally so you know you have a great stay at 11 months. The kids are young so MK is where you're going to want to be for now anyways....

don't mess with two UY unless you find an amazing resale deal... too much work...

Yea we definitely want to stay at 1br going forward once we have 2 kids. We made it work last time in a deluxe studio at VGF cos we put my daughter's crib in one half of the split bathroom but with two kids we will need more space (and separate space for the parents to hang out when the kids are sleeping).

It's one of the reasons I'm considering BLT so strongly as I've read 1-bedrooms are harder to come by (and more expensive) at VGF compared to BLT where 1- and 2-brs are easier to book.

I agree with the above.

Don't discount the value of owning a lot of points at one home. You get the 11 month booking with all your points, and can go big with a 1- or 2-BR Villa if you add on to your existing VGF. You can always do small contracts somewhere else like RIV in the future if you find you really want/need 11 month advantage there.

Re Split Stays, I don't care for them on a short trip. Probably would be ok on a week trip or longer. Remember on the day of your resort change, you will not have a resort to go back to until your room in the new resort becomes available. We did not like this because we like to go back to the resort in the afternoon shortly after lunch.

I think multiple UYs would be too complicated for me. Just owning more than one home resort adds some complexity, and I personally would not want multiple UY on top of that.

I think I'm going to stick with same UY for the resale after reading everyone's comments. Not sure I want to buy more resale points at VGF as it can be hard to get 1br there (less availability compared to studios) - so leaning toward BLT for now. But not sure how I feel about owning at 2 MK resorts, would love to diversify geographically with a HS/Epcot resort but none really make sense for us (compared to BLT where both pricing and location are really good)

 

[Electron_si]

We stayed at AKL on our last trip and loved it - except for the transportation. It's also relatively easy to book there (we had no issues booking only 4 months out) so I don't feel the urgency to own there. I think if the kids were older, it'd be less of a hassle taking the bus everywhere but when you're dealing with strollers and mid-day naps, it's too much of a pain.



Yea we definitely want to stay at 1br going forward once we have 2 kids. We made it work last time in a deluxe studio at VGF cos we put my daughter's crib in one half of the split bathroom but with two kids we will need more space (and separate space for the parents to hang out when the kids are sleeping).

It's one of the reasons I'm considering BLT so strongly as I've read 1-bedrooms are harder to come by (and more expensive) at VGF compared to BLT where 1- and 2-brs are easier to book.



I think I'm going to stick with same UY for the resale after reading everyone's comments. Not sure I want to buy more resale points at VGF as it can be hard to get 1br there (less availability compared to studios) - so leaning toward BLT for now. But not sure how I feel about owning at 2 MK resorts, would love to diversify geographically with a HS/Epcot resort but none really make sense for us (compared to BLT where both pricing and location are really good)

Personally BLT is the bottom of the list for me, I’d do SSR or OKW over it. The modern theming and the BLT pool situation just doesn’t do it for us. But I understand location, transportation, and dining wise why it’s so popular with people.

The bus situation didn’t bother us at AKL. I don’t love the busses and folding strollers is not fun, but I do find it relaxing to have an air conditioned 20 minute ride back to the resort after the parks.

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

Congratulations on baby #2! I think having the direct points already, you’re in a great place to focus on some good SAP or SAP+. If you’re looking at 1bdrms, you have a pretty decent chance of getting even standard view rooms at RIV at 7mos most times of the year (for now). Preferred rooms are pretty much no issues at all.

I love the Riviera and we have direct points there, but I don’t feel confident enough in my DVC planning abilities and skills to own resale there and use it the way I should, so I’d be wary of RIV resale. Although I could see myself getting a smaller resale contract in the future if Riviera gets harder to book as it sells out. Your potential plan to use your direct points at RIV and resale point sat MK resorts is pretty sound. Only downside I see is that you might get stuck having to go with 1bdrm PV and those can be very point precious.

When it comes to resale, I’d rather have SAP+ and have a home resort with some secondary advantage than SSR, unless you really don’t care where you stay. BLT is pretty low in my list but the bigger villas, location and low dues can’t be beat.

Of course, the poly tower is coming up and I personally think 7mo availability is going to be pretty scarce fo a few years. If you’re considering this one, it may be worth waiting a bit and seeing if the rooms and point charts are to your liking and doable and then wait just a bit longer than that for the resale prices to come back down to earth before buying there.

VGF 1bdrms are harder to book at 7mos but not impossible. But, as others mentioned above, having a nice chunk of points in a single home resort could be useful. We’re looking to bulk up a couple of our home resorts for convenience and ease of booking last minute/bigger rooms.

You haven’t mentioned it but I’ll bring it up because I think it’s worth a consideration. There’s also CCV, probably my favorite SAP+ resort. There’s no walking path but It’s a beautiful resort, low dues, an easy boat ride away from MK, and a reasonable point chart. Downside you’d have to go to a 2bdrm since a 1bdrm only sleeps 4. On the other hand a 2bdrm at CCV is not too much more than 1bdrm at VGF (like 15-20pts more on average), YMMV.

Trust your gut but more importantly, buy where you want to stay, that’ll never fail you

 

[sndral]

Downside to AKL is right now (and due to the size of the rooms I don't know if it would change at the refurb?), for a family of five you have to get a 1 bedroom with a view. AKL Studios are only four people. You are almost at four people already, and bringing one of the kid's friends (or a nanny) removes the option of staying in studios or even the non-view 1 bedrooms there. I know you said you prefer a 1 bedroom anyway so maybe not an issue.

AKV 1 br.s at Kidani are either standard or savanna view & they all sleep 5, they have a king bed in the master bedroom, a queen size sofa bed & a single sleeper chair in the living room. The Kidani 1 br.s also have 2 bathrooms. At Jambo the club, savanna, & standard views sleep 5 & have the same bed/sofa/chair set up as Kidani, the value 1 br.s do not have the sleeper chair & thus only sleep 4. The Jambo 1 br.s only have 1 bathroom.