How difficult to buy BLT or VGF direct?

[Nursejilly]

Hi, we are DVC members who own at AKV. We just returned from our 3rd stay at Kidani Village. We stayed in a grand villa for the first time and loved all the space! We also love the atmosphere at AKV but alas, we still miss the heck out of staying at a monorail resort. My nephew has autism and having to take the bus every time is really a hassle. We want to purchase enough points at a monorail resort to stay in a grand villa every other year (historically thanksgiving week). Poly villa does not look appealing due to no grand villa. My question is, how difficult is it to add on points at BLT or VGF direct? I know resale is way easier on the pocketbook but we want to retain the option to use points for DCL, regardless of DCL being a good use of points. I am expecting a call from our guide tomorrow but would really appreciate advice!

 

[disneynutz]

Hi, we are DVC members who own at AKV. We just returned from our 3rd stay at Kidani Village. We stayed in a grand villa for the first time and loved all the space! We also love the atmosphere at AKV but alas, we still miss the heck out of staying at a monorail resort. My nephew has autism and having to take the bus every time is really a hassle. We want to purchase enough points at a monorail resort to stay in a grand villa every other year (historically thanksgiving week). Poly villa does not look appealing due to no grand villa. My question is, how difficult is it to add on points at BLT or VGF direct? I know resale is way easier on the pocketbook but we want to retain the option to use points for DCL, regardless of DCL being a good use of points. I am expecting a call from our guide tomorrow but would really appreciate advice!

Last I read VGF and BLT are not available direct.

Bill

 

[Nursejilly]

Hi Bill, thanks for the response. Is there no possibility of a "wait list" for direct points at a sold out resort? I have been looking at the resales for both resorts we are interested in. If we end up going with a resale, how much of a hassle would having a different use year be?

 

[LoLaRae]

When I was with a guide in September the only waitlist option was OKW. We weren't crazy about OKW so we bought BLT resale. Have you checked all the different brokers to see if you can find the exact use year you want?

 

[Nursejilly]

Hi LolaRae, I am looking at several resale sites today. If we can find a BLT contract that works for us, I think we will be looking to sell our AKV contracts. As much as we love AKV, the location is not ideal for us.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

BLT is still available to buy direct the last I heard although you might have to waitlist. It's $170 per point though so resale is far and away a better deal especially for large contracts. Both direct sales and even getting on a waitlist for VGF has been closed for a few months but you could purchase resale.

 

[Nursejilly]

BLT is still available to buy direct the last I heard although you might have to waitlist. It's $170 per point though so resale is far and away a better deal especially for large contracts. Both direct sales and even getting on a waitlist for VGF has been closed for a few months but you could purchase resale.

Ouch! Resale is looking better and better!

 

[disneynutz]

Resale take longer but for the same money as direct, you can get more points. Using for DCL is like tossing more money away IMO.

Have you stayed at BLT and VGF, if not I would use your AKV points to stay at each resort before buying. Maybe on your next vacation you can do a split stay and experience both resorts.

Having one UY makes things easier if it's the correct UY. If not when buying another resort would be the time to change.

Bill

 

[Nursejilly]

Thanks Bill! We are big fans of visiting DW in the fall. For us Thanksgiving week has been the best time even though its crowded. I have not tried to book BLT or VGF. I have kind of assumed the grand villas would be all booked up for that week by the time the 7 month window opens up. I am hoping to experience the parks during non-peak times when the kiddos are a bit older.

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks Bill! We are big fans of visiting DW in the fall. For us Thanksgiving week has been the best time even though its crowded. I have not tried to book BLT or VGF. I have kind of assumed the grand villas would be all booked up for that week by the time the 7 month window opens up. I am hoping to experience the parks during non-peak times when the kiddos are a bit older.

Owning at VGF will not guarantee GV availability, there are only 6. Do you need a GV each time?

We own both and VGF wins hands down, BLT has turned out to be our least favorite resort due to several reasons.

Bill

 

[Nursejilly]

My dad loved having the whole family all together in the grand villa. I would like to hear more of your thoughts on BLT

 

[disneynutz]

My dad loved having the whole family all together in the grand villa. I would like to hear more of your thoughts on BLT

You need to stay there to understand.

My family feels like BLT lacks Disney theming and staying there is like staying in any high-rise hotel. There really isn't a great view of the park, the lake view is okay, the pool just okay and the resort shows wear more than it should.

VGF is just like the GF, Disney's flagship, beautiful details, high end amenities and service.

Bill

 

[Nursejilly]

You need to stay there to understand.

My family feels like BLT lacks Disney theming and staying there is like staying in any high-rise hotel. There really isn't a great view of the park, the lake view is okay, the pool just okay and the resort shows wear more than it should.

VGF is just like the GF, Disney's flagship, beautiful details, high end amenities and service.

Bill

Thank you for the input. One of the things I love about AKV is the theme. Very quiet and private feeling. We only get down to Florida every other year since we moved to WA state. I will talk with sister in Louisiana and maybe she can check out the resorts next year. Definitely don't want to regret a big purchase for our family. Your advice is greatly appreciated

 

[disneynutz]

Thank you for the input. One of the things I love about AKV is the theme. Very quiet and private feeling. We only get down to Florida every other year since we moved to WA state. I will talk with sister in Louisiana and maybe she can check out the resorts next year. Definitely don't want to regret a big purchase for our family. Your advice is greatly appreciated

Maybe you should take a Mom break and meet your sister there for a resort vacation/tour?

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I think that's a good idea to have family check them out if you're not familiar with either resort. There are lots that love BLT too and I would count myself as one although I haven't stayed in a GV there (yet!). And it's almost always theme park view for us at BLT- there's no better IMO at WDW. Top it off with being able to walk to MK and it's a winner. My stay a couple of years ago at VGF the monorail went down as I was waiting to board. Exactly 1 hour later I was finally walking thru bag check. If I had been at BLT I would have been to the park in 10 minutes or less. I do like VGF and own a few points there however we book BLT more - VGF is very point intensive and I'm just as happy at BLT which has lower point requirements. I've found that if I give family members who are joining us a choice it's also what they pick.

About the points - one thing to consider is that the GV's at VGF will be more than the BLT GV's. I've toured them and they are spectacular but I tend to think all GV's are. For the week of Thanksgiving next year the requirements would be 749 points for a BLT LV GV, 903 points for the BLT MK GV and 999 points for the VGF GV. All of those are lakeview and do face the MK. And all of those are more than the AKV GV's which for the same time would be 606 points for the standard view and 657 points for the savannah view. The upfront purchase of points will likely be somewhere around 20% more for VGF vs BLT and the dues are a little more at VGF. For 2015 it was $5.05 per point for BLT and $5.52 per point for VGF.

If you sell your AKV points you will be paying somewhere around a 8-10% commission. Just trying to point out a few considerations for what you are thinking about. Maybe you even want to see about renting a GV at either BLT or VGF to see if it really will better suit your family needs since this will likely be fairly expensive exchange to sell and rebuy. You can rent out your AKV points to cover some or all of the rental costs.

 

[Nursejilly]

Yall are great! I agree that we should check both resorts out. The BLT being so close to MK is a major draw for us. Poly would be my first choice if they had any grand villas. Fortunately we aren't in a rush. We are not planning a big trip again until 2017. Yep, Kat4disney, it would take 999 points for us at VGF thanksgiving week. I kept hoping my calculator was wrong. My dad absolutely loved having both daughters and his 4 grandkids together in the grand villa. He is a big softie. He says the monorail would be the icing on the cake. I just feel fortunate to get to DW at all. I am calling our DVC guide tmro. Interested to see what he has to offer us but am not expecting a miracle going the direct route. We will see!

 

[disneynutz]

I think that's a good idea to have family check them out if you're not familiar with either resort. There are lots that love BLT too and I would count myself as one although I haven't stayed in a GV there (yet!). And it's almost always theme park view for us at BLT- there's no better IMO at WDW. Top it off with being able to walk to MK and it's a winner. My stay a couple of years ago at VGF the monorail went down as I was waiting to board. Exactly 1 hour later I was finally walking thru bag check. If I had been at BLT I would have been to the park in 10 minutes or less. I do like VGF and own a few points there however we book BLT more - VGF is very point intensive and I'm just as happy at BLT which has lower point requirements. I've found that if I give family members who are joining us a choice it's also what they pick.

About the points - one thing to consider is that the GV's at VGF will be more than the BLT GV's. I've toured them and they are spectacular but I tend to think all GV's are. For the week of Thanksgiving next year the requirements would be 749 points for a BLT LV GV, 903 points for the BLT MK GV and 999 points for the VGF GV. All of those are lakeview and do face the MK. And all of those are more than the AKV GV's which for the same time would be 606 points for the standard view and 657 points for the savannah view. The upfront purchase of points will likely be somewhere around 20% more for VGF vs BLT and the dues are a little more at VGF. For 2015 it was $5.05 per point for BLT and $5.52 per point for VGF.

If you sell your AKV points you will be paying somewhere around a 8-10% commission. Just trying to point out a few considerations for what you are thinking about. Maybe you even want to see about renting a GV at either BLT or VGF to see if it really will better suit your family needs since this will likely be fairly expensive exchange to sell and rebuy. You can rent out your AKV points to cover some or all of the rental costs.

I don't understand the view thing. What view or is it the idea of being close to the park? We have stayed in several different rooms, the lower floors have a view of the parking lot, fence, and space mountain roof. Upper floors aren't much better, we don't really see much inside the park. Now the castle top is in the distance, you do see the monorail and the fireworks, what am I missing?

Bill

 

[disneynutz]

Yall are great! I agree that we should check both resorts out. The BLT being so close to MK is a major draw for us. Poly would be my first choice if they had any grand villas. Fortunately we aren't in a rush. We are not planning a big trip again until 2017. Yep, Kat4disney, it would take 999 points for us at VGF thanksgiving week. I kept hoping my calculator was wrong. My dad absolutely loved having both daughters and his 4 grandkids together in the grand villa. He is a big softie. He says the monorail would be the icing on the cake. I just feel fortunate to get to DW at all. I am calling our DVC guide tmro. Interested to see what he has to offer us but am not expecting a miracle going the direct route. We will see!

Don't let your guide talk you into anything, maybe Dad would want to buy some points?

Bill

 

[Nursejilly]

Don't let your guide talk you into anything, maybe Dad would want to buy some points?

Bill

Dad IS the one buying the points

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I don't understand the view thing. What view or is it the idea of being close to the park? We have stayed in several different rooms, the lower floors have a view of the parking lot, fence, and space mountain roof. Upper floors aren't much better, we don't really see much inside the park. Now the castle top is in the distance, you do see the monorail and the fireworks, what am I missing?

Bill

It's all of it - the views of the CR, the monorail, 7 Seas which has all of the lake activity, Poly to one side, VGF across the way, the sunset view (because I don't see many sunrise so that's wasted on me! lol) and MK. I definitely like the activity there even though I also enjoy quiet, less active resorts too. Space Mt is definitely the most prominent but you can see more of the park too. And it's quite special at night IMO with the lights. And topping it off is the fireworks. In Oct we watched them 3 times from the room sitting on the couch and chair - the most comfortable I've ever been watching fireworks. Since Disney now does so many special party nights during times we enjoy going it's nice to still be able to enjoy the fireworks on all nights and I'm a bit of a firework fiend. Out the back is Bay Lake and there's access to the launches which go between the 3 resorts there. One of these days I keep saying we'll have to try the lakeview which I know I'll also enjoy.

Some is nostalgia I'm sure and I can't say for certain if I'd have similar thoughts if I were coming to WDW for the very first time, but perhaps I would. When I look out I see a location that I've been coming to for over 40 years with many friends and family. And it's just a very unique, cool view!