Home Resort Advantage

[SpaceMountain77]

Ever since I became a member, I have often wondered about which resorts provide the greatest advantage. As mentioned on countless threads throughout this discussion board, with some resorts, advantage is defined by villa type and others park events. Owners at AKV and BLT have an advantage with value/concierge and standard rooms, respectively. Beach Club and BoardWalk owners are guaranteed priority for villas during International Flower & Garden and Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. During the winter months, particularly in December, Wilderness Lodge becomes increasingly popular because of its holiday overlay.

Overall, if you were to rank the Walt Disney World DVC properties, from greatest home resort advantage to least advantage, how would you order the current resorts?

 

[drusba]

1. BWV, to get boardwalk view (best on site), GVs or bargain point cost standard view.

2. BLT for standard view. reasonable cost for ideal location

3. AKV for value, lowest point cost there is. One might also say there is an advantage for concierge but having tracked the 11 month window for concierge, I know now that even the 11 month advantage isn't an advantage. Because members can reserve up to 7 nights from date of arrival at 11 months out, concierge is actually full a lot of times at exactly 11 months out because of earlier multiple day reservations. Note that you don't need the 11 month advantage for standard rooms there since those are easy to get at 7 months.

4. BCV for food & wine time and Thanksgiving, first two weeks of December and Christmas week because high risk exists you won't get those times 7 months out.

5. You really only need it at VWL for Thanksgiving, first half of Dec and Christmas week. It is usually open at other times.

6. OKW for GV at the hospitality house area. If you want a GV there you are not likely to get it at 7 months, anything else including GVs elsewhere at OKW are usually easy to get 7 months out.

7. There is no need at all for the 11 month advantage at SSR. Used to be for treehouses but now you can easily get those 7 months out ever since they raised the point cost for them by 15% this year.

 

[cwdefouw]

Agree with Drusba completely. BWV, BLT, AKV, BCV all have specific advantages for owners who can book at 11 months. OKW and SSR don't require the owners window as much. We don't stay at VWL so I cannot comment on that one.

As far as AKL concierge goes, the 11 month window may still present some challenges in getting these rooms, but it is possible with advance and flexible planning, We got three nights in a one bedroom mid-week check-in last year, during Spring Break right at 11 months with no problem. 7 months is nearly impossible, they do happen occasionally due to cancellations, but not with enough consistency to say that it is really an option.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Thank you, both, for your thoughts on this topic. Personally, I have long assumed that VWL, OKW, and SSR round out the bottom 3 spots, respectively.

Admittedly, I am surprised by the order of your top four. While I agree with your placement of BLT and AKV, I had assumed that BCV and BWV would be switched.

 

[hakepb]

The other home resort advantage is annual dues. I was very happy that the "undesirable " SSR only had a 1.73% increase this year because the low resales lowered our property tax evaluation

 

[drusba]

To me BWV boardwalk and standard view come in first because of boardwalk view and bargain cost standard which many desire but are usually hard to impossible to get about 80% of the entire year at 7 months out. BLT standard is close to being unavailable 90% or more of the year at 7 months out but gets second because it is still a high point cost for "standard" even though the lowest at BLT. AKV value with its very low point cost is also generally unavailable at 7 months out 80% or more of the year (concierge is close to 95% unavailable at 7 months). BCV gives you an excellent location and resort and is hard to get at 7 months out for the times I mentioned but comes in fourth because it is very often available at 7 months out between Jan right after marathon weekend and the end of Sep even for most holiday times during that period,

 

[crisi]

Thank you, both, for your thoughts on this topic. Personally, I have long assumed that VWL, OKW, and SSR round out the bottom 3 spots, respectively.

Admittedly, I am surprised by the order of your top four. While I agree with your placement of BLT and AKV, I had assumed that BCV and BWV would be switched.

If any room at bwv will do, then the nod would go to bcv. But bwv has three hard to get room types bcv doesn't...boardwalk views, standard view, and grand villas.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

If any room at bwv will do, then the nod would go to bcv. But bwv has three hard to get room types bcv doesn't...boardwalk views, standard view, and grand villas.

Thanks, this is very helpful and I sincerely appreciate your response.

 

[sleepydog25]

Thank you, both, for your thoughts on this topic. Personally, I have long assumed that VWL, OKW, and SSR round out the bottom 3 spots, respectively.

Admittedly, I am surprised by the order of your top four. While I agree with your placement of BLT and AKV, I had assumed that BCV and BWV would be switched.

As with most things of value in one's life, it all depends on what means the most to you. For example, BWV isn't a resort that appeals to me, so I would never rank it number one. I used to love F&W, so I can see how BCV might be high in the ranking, but since losing its allure to me, again I wouldn't put it atop the list. Another poster highly ranks SSR in large part because of the lower dues. My favorite time to visit is during the holiday season, specifically the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas. As a VWL owner, being able to book 11 months out for that hard-to-get-during-the-holidays resort is priceless. It's all relative.

 

[spiceycat]

depends upon your point of view

use to love Epcot - but lately my first love has come back - MK

therefore for me
1) BLT - love standard views! even the lake views are pretty wonderfully - as far as blt standard it is 14 points for my favorite time - both bwv and bcv are 15 for that time - walking to MK
2) BCV - for epcot it is the best!
3) VWL - peacefully
4) BWV - love the standard room here - but have tried the BW view twice and that darn boat wakes me up every morning. do not like the pool/garden view - which is most of this place
5) AKV - lt is interesting and you can actually learn something- well you can learn something at each DVC resort - if you try.
6) OKW - use to love it and still do - just remember the way it was and want that back - bad then it was special!!!!
7) SSR - it is just too easy to get - that say their community hall is the best - it is really a great place

 

[n2mm]

I own BWV for the standard rooms and getting in during F&W in October

I own BLT for the standard rooms and for the 11 month window like BWV

I own at SSR for my 7 month booking windows