How did you choose your home resort?

[ilikedvc]

We stayed at the Boardwalk the weekend it opened (paying cash) and fell in love with the location. We have since added on at BCV and BLT for same reason. Location, location, location

 

[crabbie1]

Buy where you love to stay!

All resorts are available for purchase through Disney but the Guides push what's currently available because it makes Disney more money and the deal closes faster. You may have to wait longer for older points to become available but if you tell your Guide that you can only wait until a certain date, you will be amazed that the points soon become available. We have done this a couple of times.

The Guides don't change the deal if you are interested but when buying anything, it's always in your best interest not to show your hand.

Bill

Thankyou so much for that.We love the rustic feel of WLV and AKLV but never stayed at the epcot resorts.We are going to look at the BWV showroom of a villa and having stayed at OKW and SSR we know what they are like. We have based our finances around AKLV prices per point and monthly dues and we have around £18000 as a maximum budget. Monthly repayments are more than affordable but hope to pay off sooner.Would do resale but they do not offer finance to UK guests. Getting our annual passes this time as planning to go back feb/march and then later next year. Be nice not to worry about paying a fortune for accomodation which we will be paying for monthly.Cant wait to say WE OWNCan you tell me if the points say at WLV or OKW for example would be less than the ones disney are selling at present. The last time I looked AKLV were $120 a point. The freinds and family rate was a good offer but obviously we were not there to take up the offer. Hope they bring another offer out.Our rep Jason,did send a voucher of $1250 off the purchase if we buy which is not bad. Thanks again.

 

[DizMagic]

Crabbie1 -

we were in the same position as you 2 months ago. we love, love, love VWL. and knew we wanted to own there. i got an email solicitation from DVC and decided to call them directly. they offered me VWL at $102 per point. I almost did this until i found the resale market (which i understand may not be an option for you). i was able to get 200 points (2011 points forward) for $59.5 per point. i paid 2011 MF and the seller paid closing. we closed earlier this month and just got loaded into the system yesterday.

the direct route will get you in the system quicker and give you access to the unrestricted booking options (cruise, resorts, exchange, etc). for us, it was better to go resale but we were able to secure financing.

good luck.

 

[crabbie1]

Crabbie1 -

we were in the same position as you 2 months ago. we love, love, love VWL. and knew we wanted to own there. i got an email solicitation from DVC and decided to call them directly. they offered me VWL at $102 per point. I almost did this until i found the resale market (which i understand may not be an option for you). i was able to get 200 points (2011 points forward) for $59.5 per point. i paid 2011 MF and the seller paid closing. we closed earlier this month and just got loaded into the system yesterday.

the direct route will get you in the system quicker and give you access to the unrestricted booking options (cruise, resorts, exchange, etc). for us, it was better to go resale but we were able to secure financing.

good luck.

I really wish we had the cash up front to buy but dont have it and rather then shed out £1000,s on accomodation once a year I would rather invest it and perhaps go more often. I havent stayed at WLV but have visited the hotel and love it. Thankyou for your advice. We could buy double points if we bought resale

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

Don`t forget that double points also means double MF. You can always purchase more points in the future if you need. People tend to get caught up in the moment!!

 

[dbs1228]

The resale companies do offer financing, a little higher rate maybe but when you are saving $40.00 or more a point (8000.00 USD) that is huge! Not sure that route would work for you or if you already looked into it. Good luck

 

[ToddyLu]

I was the one who really wanted DVC . DH supported me and now is a DVC lover. We purchased 210 points at AKV in June 2009. I would have been fine at any resort...but he wanted AKV. I thought SSR was beautiful but it is so very big and quiet. We live on the Gulf Coast so OkW was too much like home. BCV and BWV are in great locations but DH isn't fond of the walk around the boardwalk. DH used to fight Forrest fires and VWL reminded him of those days. BLT just doesn't do it for us with the decor. DH loves animals and photography, I love the decor of AKV....so it was definitely was the feeling and vibe. We see the remote location a perfect break from the parks. We had never even seen AKL...only the buses pull up and take those lucky guests back the that wonderful resort. I would definitely not recommend picking a resort without seeing it....we really lucked out.

 

[Isaiah55.1]

there was only OKW. We have stayed in others on occasion, but if I had to choose now, I think I would choose OKW. We like the quiet setting, and the size of the accomodations to name a few things.

 

[lucyem]

From the moment we first pulled up to the BC I was in love. I knew a little about DVC and thanks to a friend and a Yak Attack ended up in a DVC sales meeting. I drove the guide nuts criticizing AKL & BLT until he finally admitted BCV would be available at a higher price. Being a reference librarian I left that sales meeting and was immediately on the disboards. Bought BCV resale a month later

 

[juncker]

We ended up purchasing SSR resale, sight unseen. We're pretty new to DVC, but have been very happy with the purchase and process.

This is how we ended up here:

Family of 6, kids are now 11-18 years old. We've taken many trips to Disney in the past, and always love the way that we feel when we're there. We've stayed offsite before, and it saved money, but just didn't give us the feel of being fully taken care of. It's the little things like the transportation that make us feel good staying onsite. Purchasing into DVC just made sense.

We decided to look into DVC, so started requesting the official information from DVC direct. Great DVD and material only got us more excited. Luckily, we came across the Disboards and learned about resales. This saved us a lot of money.

We are pretty easy going, and are looking forward to staying wherever is available. Originally, we had hoped at getting into BLT, but found that SSR made more sense to us. The main reasons were: 1) Price, 2) Longer Contract Length, and 3) Lower Maint Fees. Access to the THVs is a bonus to SSR, but really wasn't what made us select it over BLT.

It was a bonus that the 160 point contract had all previous years points banked along with the current year. We were able to spend a week in a 2 bedroom only a month after we closed We did 1 night at BCV and 6 at home (SSR). It was nice to check out multiple locations, with the main part of the trip at our home resort for our first visit. We've stayed at the Yacht Club before, and we had considered a BCV contract, but after staying there, we really didn't think that BCV was that special. I can see how some people prefer it, but it wasn't just for us.

Our future plans are going to be to make SSR reservations at the 11 month mark, and see what else is available at the time. I'm looking forward to visiting all DVC properties, but will never be disappointed getting SSR. I really want to check out BLT and OKW as they interest me. The beauty of DVC is that I have years to have the opportunity. The hardest part is the waiting between trips.

 

[Breyean]

We were on our first visit to DW with our son, who was 8 at the time. My wife and I had been there a few times before, both as a couple and individually before that, but we wanted to wait until we were sure our son would remember it before we took him.

Does he ever! We never live this story down.

On our last night we were finishing up the MK and we had seen the little storefront off to the right side of Main Street, not ON Main Street, mind you, but off to the side, with the Vacation Club sign.

So we told our son to wait for us in the Penny Arcade, back when there were actually penny arcade type games in there to keep him busy. I know, but this WAS in 1993 and this WAS the MK.

My wife and I went to check out the DVC store, and we were really interested. So we made an appointment for early the next morning to go to the OKW, and the DVC people told us they would then drive us to the airport to make our flight.

We went back the Arcade to collect our son, but he was gone. This was also pre-cell phone, so we didn't know whether to wait there, split up and look for him, etc. While we're debating this, people are streaming out of the park.

Coming from the opposite direction, against the flow, we heard our son's voice. He was towing a Cast member along. We had spent so long in the DVC office, he had decided to go shopping and wandered into the Emporium, where he started talking to the Cast Member and told him we had left him to talk with the DVC.

So we collected him and left, thanking the Cast Member for his help. Next morning we went to OKW, took the tour, bought our points, had our picture taken in a hot air balloon in teh sales center, and made a mad dash for the airport.

It was one of the best decisions of our lives. It CHANGED our lives. With the free passes they were offering back then, we made two trips to DW each year for many years. Our son grew up at OKW, exploring, discovering and sharing his new-found "secrets", like paths and shortcuts, with us.

But to this day, whenever we tell friends about the DVC and how highly we recommend it, if our now 26 year old son is there, he chirps up with how we abandoned him that night - that we fell so much in love with DVC that we forgot about him.

 

[Chowmainia]

We are pretty easy going, and are looking forward to staying wherever is available. Originally, we had hoped at getting into BLT, but found that SSR made more sense to us. The main reasons were: 1) Price, 2) Longer Contract Length, and 3) Lower Maint Fees. Access to the THVs is a bonus to SSR, but really wasn't what made us select it over BLT.

I thought that BLT ($3.90/pt) had the lower maint fees compared to SSR ($4.52/pt). Can someone correct me if this is wrong?
thanks.

 

[paults]

BWV 2002 ONLY SEEN from the outside but loved being close to 2 parks

 

[moepanz]

We just purchased (well waiting for ROFR to come thru) BLT I have only seen the BLT at the Door way to Dreams. I have not seen any other DVC properties. I just wanted the convenience of the Monorail. I am sure I would have preferred the style of most of the other DVC properties but my dad (76yrs) said he would be happier on the monorail. So the plan is when Grandpa comes with us we stay at BLT and we can check out other places when he stays home.

 

[chalee94]

I thought that BLT ($3.90/pt) had the lower maint fees compared to SSR ($4.52/pt). Can someone correct me if this is wrong?

SSR is low relative to other DVCs but BLT does have it beat at this point.

some suspect that sharing monorail costs might push BLT above SSR at some point, but that is all speculation.

 

[mikron]

We bought SSR for price and we liked new resort. Bought OKW resale, good price and like the larger size of OKW. We also stay more at BW with BWview.

 

[maddhatter_34]

Bought at the BW because it was the current option at the time... we are probably going to add on to the resort soon - if I had to pick another one though - wife LOVES the BC - so that would probably be it - I love being so close to Epcot and having the boardwalk district right there

 

[JWG]

...it was August and my family was celebrating our 3rd trip to Disney, at least my third trip. I was originally supposed to bring a friend (it was the summer before my senior year of college) but he couldn't make it and my girlfriend was the substitute. We stayed at Dixie Landing resort.

Somehow, we ended up over at the Boardwalk. I was familiar with DVC already and as we walked by the sales center I decided I wanted to do the tour knowing full well I wasn't going to be able to buy in. My parents and GF followed me in and tagged along. They made the pitch to my parents, which of course they did, they're smart. I remember going through numbers and doing math and my dad working the guide and his calculator. We left not making a purchase.

That was the trip I told my mom that I'd marry the girl with us. Anyway, that winter I found out that my parents had purchased 210 BWV points that January. They bought BWV because that's what was available.

Then, in 2005, they added on 40 more points at BWV to get to 250 points.

Fast forward to 2010 and my 10th anniversary with that girl I took to Disney in 1998. We bought BLT sight unseen (well, interior unseen I guess). CR was always my favorite resort and I missed staying there even with BWV. Then, March of 2011 the perfect resale came through and we added on again.

So there you have it, 13 years and 375 points later we own at BWV & BLT, one because thats what was being sold and one because it's part of my favorite resort.

Some days my parents a glad I strolled into that tour and others I the they wish we'd have walked the other way.

 

[missycj96]

I'm a lifelong disney fan, and had been vacationing there each year since 2003. I was interested in DVC but knew I would only enjoy it if I had enough points to vacation when I wanted (otherwise, I'd be paying for DVC and still paying for hotel rooms).

To get enough points to enjoy DVC, I had to buy resale. I had waited to become a member until they started selling BLT. But then the price per point for BLT was so much higher than SSR resales, I went with resale SSR to get a 330 point contract with banked points in summer 2009. At the time I paid $65 per point for SSR, which I thought was a great deal. I recall that with incentives BLT was close to $100 at that time (which of course sounds like a bargain now).

I picked SSR resale because of the great per point price, low dues and late expiration date - with an on property location. I had previously stayed at SSR and while its not my first choice, I really like the pool and community hall.

Since then I have added on twice resale, one small VWL contract and a second SSR when prices fell last year.

I am happy with my decision as I have had great luck calling at 7 months. This summer will be my third vacation at BLT. I have also stayed at BWV and VWL, AKV Jambo and BCV since joining. I find if you are flexible in dates, resorts, room types and views, the SSR resale points work our great. I love a variety of disney resorts and enjoy having a good amount of points.

If you have a strong preference for a favorite resort, and would only like to stay there, then I would go with buy where you want to stay.

 

[mousefan1972]

We followed the old adage of "buy where you want to stay"... so we purchased BLT. MK is our favorite park and always will be. (Yes, even 40 years from now. We know what we like) We travel at high peak times (Christmas, April school vacation week, and summer) so being able to book the low point usage standard view is awesome. If the rules change and owners can only book at their home resort, that's fine with us.