How important is home resort?

[WDWorld2003]

Thanks for all of your help - we are SERIOUSLY considering DVC. I've been looking through resales and see there are several for Vero Beach, Hilton Head, OKW, etc....... If we bought resale at one of these what would are chances be of getting in late March or early April at any of the WDW villas? I know maintenance costs are lower at OKW (not sure about Vero or HH) over 10 years this could add up....at 200 pts. this would be over $2,000 if we chose OKW over BCV.......

Any thoughts on this? Again, thank you!

 

[spiceycat]

OKW is a WDW villa - it was the first!!!

OKW is not near a theme park - you must ride a bus or ride a car to the theme parks. BWV/BCV walk or boat to Epcot/Studios. VWL boat ride to MK.

So you can buy at OKW and still be at WDW.

 

[WDWorld2003]

I guess what I'm really asking here is do you have any trouble renting at the 7 month window at another resort rather than your home? And, do maintenance costs flucuate by resort?

 

[CarolMN]

Your home resort is the place that allows you to reserve your room 11 months ahead of check out. DVC members who don't own at your home must wait until 7 months ahead of check out date. To be assured of getting your first choice of vacation dates and room size, that 4 month avanatge can be critical. That's the real reason behind the most oft repeated advice to "buy where you want to stay the most."

That said, if you are seldom in a position to plan your vacation more than 7 months in advance, the home resort advantage becomes moot. You can then buy wherever you can find the best deal/annual dues, because you can't use the home resort advanatge anyway.

For WDW, late March/early April (spring break time) can be difficult to book at the 7 month window, especially if Easter happens to fall during that time. You may have to use the waitlist to get the dates/room size you prefer. If you are flexible about dates, resort and room size, you should be able to get something, though. (IMHO).

My advice is not to let maintenance fees drive your decision. The difference will seem insignificant if you are unable to book a room when you want to visit. If your aim is to mainly stay at WDW, don't buy HHI or VB. Buy where you want to stay the most!

Good luck with your decision-making process!

 

[hulagirl]

I think it really depends on the time of year you like to travel and the size of unit you will need. I just tried yesterday to get a 2 bedroom at any of the resorts for Thanksgiving (we are just at the 7 month mark for that) and not one was available for the entire time. I could have waitlisted for each day at a time but I don't have the patience. I may have had better luck if I called right at 9am - I'm not really sure. The best advice on this board is "buy where you plan to stay the most". That 11 month window can be very important at certain times of the year. From what I hear though, the waitlist is usually successful. I just don't have experience with that yet... Hope that helps!

 

[crisi]

I prefer "buy where you wouldn't be disappointed if you ended up staying there."

If my home resort were OKW, I could book it 11 months out and still stay at WDW. I could then try for VWL at seven months out over Christmas and I might get lucky, but if I didn't I'd still be at Disney. If my home resort were HH, and everything at Disney was booked up, I'd be disappointed.

If I were the type of person who would be disappointed not to be at VWL over Christmas, I'd better have my points there, and better be able to book eleven months out, or I'm setting myself up for disappointment. (I could get lucky, but I'd rather not depend on luck).

OKW has some great advantages as a resort, btw. Big units. Lots of value for the points, low dues. It is, however, the easiest resort to book at seven months, so most DVC owners can get take advantage of the benefits of OKW (except dues - you pay dues on your home resort, not the resort you stay at).

I agree with the advice not to make a decision based on dues. Dues will change over time and if the $1 a point difference every year is a big deal to you, you may want to re-evaluate DVC in relationship to your financial situation.

 

[spiceycat]

sorry - Easter break, Thanksgiving and the first two weeks of December - are hard to get at the 7th month time - at any WDW DVC resorts.

October is busy as BCV and BWV - because of the wine and food festavial plus that golf thing (it can sometimes make OKW busy too). Also the MK is having MNSSHP which I think on those nights might make VWL busy. someone say that they are also during something at the Studios (don't remember what).

May can also be busy at Epcot resorts because of the Flower and Garden and at Studios because of the Star wars. Although a don't think they are as busy as October.

summer is at HH

Spring break and sometimes summer (it is getting more popular in the summer) at VB

So it depends upon when you go - if you never go at these time -
then no you won't have a problem. Of course members habit can change at any time - so what is true today - might not be right in the future.

you can generally get a WDW DVC resort in the summertime at the 7th month or later time

also Christmas to NY is not as hard to get as it is other time.

Spring break depends some week are very bad others are not - so I guess it is how many school districits have spring break when you are trying to go - and in these schools districits how many would go to WDW that are DVC members. Which is probably why both all spring break and summer are together point wise - WDW can't say either.

 

[SlyHubby]

we own at OKW and stay there about 1/3 the time, staying at other resorts the remainder. we have never had trouble reserving at the 7 month window - just be flexible and have a list of resorts in priority order when you call. If you know when you want to travel you are bound to be able to get in at one of the resorts. most times we get our first or second choice when reserving at 7 months. also, when a new resort opens up, it is extremely easy to reserve at 7 months since they haven't sold any/many yet. BCV was a breeze getting reservations at 7 months.

as far as the maintenance fees, yes, over time they can add up. however, a portion of the fee is for property taxes, which is clearly broken out on your statement. you can deduct that on your income taxes if you itemize (standard disclosure - I am not a tax authority, contact your tax professional regarding your personal tax situation ). in the end, I don't think that the fees should be your overriding factor for deciding on one resort over another.

 

[Dean]

While OKW has the cheapest dues, VB has the highest by 75¢ pp. If you want to go to WDW, buy the resort you want. The price difference alone (dues or purchase price) is not enough to make complicating your life worth it. If you want WDW but either don't care that much about home resort or will usually plan 7 months out, buy OKW resale.

 

[jimmytammy]

We like to vacation at WDW in Dec. That said, we own at VWL and it is difficult to get a ressie for that time of year unless you book at 11 mos window. We would love to stay at the other resorts sometime but we know we have that 11 mos window to work with to get ressies. I didnt think it was so important on which resort you owned when we first purchased, but if you want to stay at WDW more often than the beach resorts, I would suggest you try to get ownership at a WDW resort. I have never tried the waitlist before and it does work for some people but there is no way it works for everybody everytime. Bottom line... Buy where you want to stay the most.

 

[cheyita]

Funny, we're in the same position as we're about to join DVC and are debating which resort to make our home. We have just scheduled a vacation to WDW in November at Veteran's Day week (my DD has 3 days off that week). We couldn't reserve a one-bedroom at BCV for the two nights prior to Veteran's Day! I don't know if DVC members have a certain amount of space that I - not yet a member - couldn't get to, but I know how disappointed I felt when I got the "optional resorts" screen on my computer! On the plus side, this will give us a chance to see OKW for a couple of nights, but it confirmed our belief that we better buy into the resort we love.

 

[spiceycat]

if you can't get BCV before then - try at the 60 days period - all not taken villa at all DVC resorts are released to CRO then - so you might get lucky.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by cheyita
Funny, we're in the same position as we're about to join DVC and are debating which resort to make our home. We have just scheduled a vacation to WDW in November at Veteran's Day week (my DD has 3 days off that week). We couldn't reserve a one-bedroom at BCV for the two nights prior to Veteran's Day! I don't know if DVC members have a certain amount of space that I - not yet a member - couldn't get to, but I know how disappointed I felt when I got the "optional resorts" screen on my computer! On the plus side, this will give us a chance to see OKW for a couple of nights, but it confirmed our belief that we better buy into the resort we love.

I am assuming you are trying to make a cash reservation. You really can't judge availability (for points) by the availability you find online or by calling CRO. Member rooms and CRO cash rooms are actually two separate "pots" of room inventory.

FWIW, November, especially the Veteran's Day weekend is a popular time for owners to visit the EPCOT resorts (BWV & BCV) because of the Food & Wine Festival. Also, the NJ schools generally have several days off about that time and it seems many families take advanatgae of that to schedule a vacation at WDW. As a member, you will not have a problem reserving a room at your home resort if you use the 11 month window to schedule your trip. You may need to use the waitlist if you have to use the 7 month window.

Good luck with your decision-making process.

 

[spiceycat]

Carol at the 60-day period - WDW takes control of all unused villa and yes CRO does get the ones that DVC member have not taken. It is in your contract. So it is very important to have your reservation in before the 60 day period.

that does not mean that you can't get a DVC resort through member services after that day - but they generally have to call to check on room status

 

[cheyita]

spiceycat and Carol - thanks. I think I'll keep the two nights at OKW regardless because it's a chance to try something new. And Carol helped convince me that while my logic might not have been completely on track, there is still sufficient reason for me to get my points at BCV.

 

[Terry S]

I think that besides Richyams telling everyone that OKW is the biggest and the best resort, the 2nd most thing you will read on these boards is "buy where you plan to stay most often"! You will almost always be guaranteed reservations at your home resort at the 11th month window. Good luck with your decision!

 

[tvwalsh]

Originally posted by WDWorld2003
Thanks for all of your help - we are SERIOUSLY considering DVC. I've been looking through resales and see there are several for Vero Beach, Hilton Head, OKW, etc....... If we bought resale at one of these what would are chances be of getting in late March or early April at any of the WDW villas? I know maintenance costs are lower at OKW (not sure about Vero or HH) over 10 years this could add up....at 200 pts. this would be over $2,000 if we chose OKW over BCV.......

Any thoughts on this? Again, thank you!

Conventional wisdom says "Buy where you intend to stay." If you plan ahead and have a very favorite resort like I do (OKW) that you almost always stay at, using points from other contracts will make your planning far more difficult. I planned a trip for eleven months out and will be stuck paying for a plane change if I am able to add the additional days I want at seven months out.