How much do you stick to your home?

[DisneyPhD]

Hello. My husband and I just became new DVC members last month. We purched 170 points at VWL. We did VWL because off the buy back deal DVC had at the time. I hear WL is wonderful, but my fav resort is Y&B. I was given the impressions that your home resort is not really important and you can easily use any resort.

While I am so excited about our new membership, I wonder if we should of waited and got BCV.

After reading posts here at DIS boards it seems as most people stick to there home resorts, or even buy more points at new resorts in order to stay there.

How easy is it to use other resorts? Do most people stick to home resorts out of preference or because of necisity?

My husband is a college professor and we need to go when his school is out. We plan to take our vaction either before the Christmas rush or the first week in March. We may try the start of May at some point too.

 

[Richyams]

This is the most common lie that the DVC salespeople use:

I was given the impressions that your home resort is not really important and you can easily use any resort.

Home resort is VERY important. We have wide and varied opinions on everything here, there is only one thing we all agree on.....BUY WHERE YOU PLAN TO STAY!!!!!!

You will be get lucky sometimes, if you are VERY flexible with your dates and the size unit you want, and the resort you want to stay in, the seven month window can work.

 

[kem330]

As reported on this board, December can be a very busy month for DVC members because of low points cost and the wonderful decorations/activities during the Holidays. May might not be as bad. I second Rich's opinion- buy where you plan to stay or hope for some luck!

 

[Beth]

The times you intend to travel are the same time that <i>many</i> need to travel - so you may have a difficult time.

As Rich said, flexibility will be the key.

As far as BCV, I suspect that, since it is the "new kid on the block," many of us will be wanting to "try it out." I expect it will be pretty busy for quite some time - that combined with the fact that there will be limited inventory declared to DVC for a while.
Eventually - DI and Eagle Pines will open - and the pressure will be off BCV.

We own at OKW, and have had the opportunity to stay at all 5 resorts on at least two occasions. You'll definitely get to enjoy BCV - but maybe not every trip, especially during March and late December.

 

[DVCinderella]

DisneyPhD,

I echo Richyams' comments. We were also under the impression that home resort advantage was not overly important, and that the 7-month booking window was enough.

When we bought into the DVC, the only available WDW resort was VWL. BW is our favorite resort, but it was sold out. I'm sorry that I didn't look into a BW resale.

Right now, without children, DH and I can be flexible. But once children come into the picture, and we become slaves to a school schedule, I am worried about getting into non-home resorts.

Sounds like you feel the same way we do...I sure wish I knew about the DisBoards before I bought into the DVC. I still would have joined, but I probably would've purchased a BW resale.

 

[dbond]

We are OKW members and a family of 5. Our trips to WDW are either during our school's Spring Break (early March), Fall break (early October), the week before Christmas or the week after school is out (mid May). We usually go once or twice a year during those times. We plan our trips and airfare way in advance and typically book OKW at our 11 mo window and then at the 7 mo window we call back to check on availability at the other resorts, just to consider a little variety in our visits. We love OKW, but we also enjoy new experiences. In the past 4 years, we have been able to acquire the accommodations we needed at BWV only once. We have yet to experience availability during our designated time at WLV. Granted, we choose not to be flexible, we're not interested in sharing our stay between resorts, we like to move in and be settled for the entire trip. If the space is available we'll take it but we are perfectly happy at OKW. So my point is, unless you are willing to be extremely flexible with days, room sizes, etc., don't expect to get into these new resorts at a 7 mo. window until the new wears off. It took us 2 years to get into BWV, and I guess we'll just keep on trying WLV and now BCV and someday we'll hit it just right. Until then, OKW is and always will be our home away from home.

 

[jane51]

We are fairly new DVC members (1 Yr.). Our home is also VWL! Our first trip to WDW as members was last July and we got a 2bdr. at OKW 2 mos. out. It was wonderful and so peaceful. Our next trip was at our home resort VWL the week before Christmas in a studio which we did make at the 11mo. window. We loved the VWL! I know you will love it, too! Our next trip will be the last week of May and the first week of June when our youngest will be out of school. We originally made ressies at VWL at the 11mo. window, but later decided that we wanted to try all of the resorts and called at the 7mo. window for 3 ngts. at BWV and 3 ngts. at VWL; we got the BWV room with no problem. (We kept part of our stay at VWL because our children were not with my DH and me on our Dec. trip and they wanted to stay there also.) Now I realize that WDW is not as busy then as later, but it is still dream season and many will stay then to get the fewer points if they can go then. I guess if you realize that sometimes you can get what you want at the 7mo. window and sometimes you can't( particularly at Christmas week, Easter, and the 4th maybe).

 

[goaler]

This goes against the grain of the replies to this thread, but we have been very happy with our experience with booking outside our home resort.

We bought 220 points at Vero Beach in Jan 01 and have been to WDW 4 times and VBR 1 since then. We have tried to get into the BWV without success but have been very happy "settling" with OKW (been there three times). We also have been able to book resv at VWL for Jan 02 and Jun 02.

For us at least this has not been a problem, we have gotten the rooms and the dates that we needed each time. And except for not getting to see the BW have not had any other problems.

 

[mickey7861]

We haven't had any problems booking ressies at any of the WDW resorts. We've stayed at VWL, OKW last year getting ressies at the 7 month window but then changing them at the 2 month window without any trouble. This summer we'll be at OKW, BWV, and VWL we called at the 7 and 6 month windows and the only room we couldn't get was the standard studio at BWV, preferred was fine with us. We also made a ressie for my niece in September, a week at VWL for her honeymoon, no problem. The only time I've had to change my intended ressie was when we booked VB for April, no ocean view inn rooms left, had to settle for a studio. We don't usually know 11 months in advance when we'll travel anyway. I teach so we usually go in the summer but have made a fall and a spring ressie without problems.

*** oops sorry messed up my original months...obviously since I own at VB I didn't book at VWL, OKW etc at the 11 month window.....I was thinking asap which for me is 7 months...sorry.

 

[Lisa F]

Mickey7861, by booking 9 and 10 months in advance you are still booking within the home resort priority window, so that doesn't say how hard it is to book after that window closes.

goaler, you are not going against the grain of the other posters but really supporting their argument. OKW, because it is by far the largest of the DVC resorts is the easiest WDW resort to get on short notice. BWV have traditionally been the most difficult. It's hard to tell, with BCV coming online if that will alleviate it or make the problem worse, but the Epcot resorts area is pretty much the most difficult area to get into at 7 months right now.

VWL is a beautiful resort and we added on 50 points there (BWV was sold out already and we wanted 50 more points anyway) but honestly it does seem like it is a little easier to get into that resort at 7 months than BWV. That doesn't mean you will NEVER get into BWV... all it means is that you shouldn't count on it.

Lisa

 

[DisneyPhD]

Thanks for all the info guys. I am still disapointed that we didn't wait for BCV and was talked into VWL, but I am also sure that VWL is wonderful and my husband is excited about it being close to MK. We hope to book VWL (sudio to save points) March 2003 and then OKW Dec (a few weeks before christmas) 2003 for a 2 bedroom and bring the in laws. So as it turns out we won't be able to try for BCV until March 2004 anyway, by then maybe it will calm down or other DVC resort open to take off presure.

What I am wondering when booking should be book 11 months out at home resort and then try to change to another resort 7 months out. If you wait to book for a different resort and turns out you don't get it, you also miss your home atvantage.

Another problem I see if you do change your points and it is less for the new reservations do you lose those points and are unable to bank them? Man, this is more complacated then I bargined for!

Thanks for the help new neighbors!

 

[Lisa F]

VWL is wonderful. My first love is the BWV, but we love VWL as well. I don't think you will be disappointed.

I would DEFINATELY book at the 11 month window and then try to change at the 7 month window, this way at least you have something if your dates are sold out. As far as the banking window goes, you have until 6 months after your use year starts to bank 100% of your points, and up to 9 months to bank 25% of your points. You need to figure out where in your banking window you would be at 7 months before making the change. There should be a little chart somewhere in your dvc stuff that says "if your use year is <x> you have until <this date> to bank <this percentage> of your points." Just keep those dates in mind and you will be fine!

Lisa

 

[Luv2Dream]

We also own at VWL. We booked a 1BR standard view for a week at BWV at the 7 month window and we only had one night on a wait list and it came through before we got our confirmation. This was for the first week of June, 2002. We also booked 6 nights for the week of May 25, 2002 at HH at the 7 month window in a 1BR, no waitlist. I guess I was lucky. We've also reserved 8 nights at VWL in October 2002 and I will call at the 7 month window to try to get into BCV just to "try it out". If I don't get it, it's no big deal because we love VWL. So my advice is to book at VWL at the 11 month window and then try to switch.

 

[mickey7861]

oops...sorry in my original post I said I booked at the 10 and 9 month window....obviously not since I own at VB...I was thinking asap and for me that's 7 months.

We booked our trip for this August in January...BWV, VWL, and OKW. Booked my niece's VWL in February for Sept. and last year booked OKW and VWL at the 7 month and then changed ressies at the 2 month window all ressie were successful without wait lists...sorry about the confusion, that's what I get for talking on the phone while typing!!

 

[Disney Doll]

Well,we tend t stay at OKW (our home resort)the most because we like it and the point values are the cheapest.Right now we only have 200 precious points, so we try to s-t-r-e-t-c-h them as much as possible!!! Hopefully, by the end of the year, we'll have purchased another 200 points somewhere(not necessarily OKW, but I wouldn't be opposed to it either!), so I won't feel the need to guard every point so fiercely!

 

[DisneyPhD]

Thanks for all the advise. I am going to book in our home resort 11 months out and then see what I can get at 7 months.

I still get a little envious when I see people buying BCV, but I am sure I will get over it when I actually get to go to WDW and stay at VWL! We bought at 170 points, so maybe some day we can add on points at BCV (resale or otherwise) if needed.

I have considered calling our sales rep and asking her frankly about telling me "you can stay anyway, it is easy". I do feel a little fooled.

No matter what I am so pleased with our new membership and can't wait to go "home!"

Thanks again!