How to choose home resort

[brookmey]

Hello!

I could really use some advice from some seasoned DVC members! We have decided to buy into DVC, have talked to a guide, so now we just have to decide between AKV and BLT. Both are appealing to us for many reasons. Our dilemma is because:

Annual dues (much less at BLT) v. Upfront costs (less at AKV)

Also, BLT requires more points per stay than AKV.

How much of an influence should annual costs have on our decision? Since we like both places, should annual cost be the deciding factor?

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[amystevekai&bump]

It is a really tough choice. For me it was more about where I wanted to stay and where I would be happiest at (if I was unable to swap out at 7 months).

I decided that whilst I definitely wanted some time at a monorail hotel, I also wanted the relaxation of being away from the parks that AKV offered. As a result, I ended up splitting my contract between the two!!

We love split stays, so for us this option was perfect.

Ultimately I would always buy where I really wanted to stay. (IMHO there is no point paying cheaper dues if you don't really like your home resort. That isn't 'good value' in my mind - I'd sooner pay higher dues and smile every time I think about my new home!!)

Good luck and have fun making a decision!!

 

[DVC Mike]

See the Choosing Your Home Resort - What to Consider? thread

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you made a reservation at your home resort at 11 months out AND at 7 months out, you were unable to change, where would you hope to be staying? Would you be upset if you couldn't change to AKV or BLT? Dues at either resort aren't fixed and BLT is bound to start going up once it is closer to being sold out. And the points will always be higher at BLT for the villa.

 

[disneynutz]

Buy where you love to stay. If you don't know where that is you should rent before you buy. DVC is a long term cost for most families, it makes sense to purchase at resort that you like the most.

 

[DebbieB]

If you like them equally and plan to stay at both, I would pick BLT. If you want the standard or MK view, you will probably need the 11 month window. I don't think there will be as much difficulty at AKV at 7 months.

 

[crisi]

If you like them equally and plan to stay at both, I would pick BLT. If you want the standard or MK view, you will probably need the 11 month window. I don't think there will be as much difficulty at AKV at 7 months.

Both BLT and VAKL have the "room type" problem - with VAKL its the Value rooms and the Concierge Rooms. With BLT its the Value rooms and MK View rooms.

I suspect in both cases that it will be rare for the high demand/low supply rooms to be available seven months out. But there should be availability for Savannah View or Lake View rooms at VAKL and BLT respectively seven months out. Similar to BWVs where there is preferred view availability seven months out (usually) but its rarer to get the standard view or Boardwalk view rooms.

 

[arthur06]

For me it was simple! My wife said BLT!

We have 30 points at BWV, we bought a small resale to start.

Then added on 125 at BLT! We thought of AKL, so that we could get '08 points! But with BLT we get 3 extra years. For us, being within walking distance to Epcot, HS, and MK was why we have those 2 for home resorts.

While AKL is "away" from it all. I live in North Iowa, so I am always away from it all! I wanted to be as close to the magic as possible.

Also, at both those resorts, I have categories (higher and lower point options). So I can make points go farther if I need to..and with only 155, I will!

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

Hello!

I could really use some advice from some seasoned DVC members! We have decided to buy into DVC, have talked to a guide, so now we just have to decide between AKV and BLT. Both are appealing to us for many reasons. Our dilemma is because:

Annual dues (much less at BLT) v. Upfront costs (less at AKV)

Also, BLT requires more points per stay than AKV.

How much of an influence should annual costs have on our decision? Since we like both places, should annual cost be the deciding factor?

Thanks in advance for any help!

My suggestion would be to buy where you want to stay if you make your reservations more than 7 months in advance. When making reservations more than 7 months you can only stay at your home resort.

 

[ToddyLu]

We thought about BLT...but DH loves photography...so we choose animals...he was more interested in that. How can I gaurantee that I will get any view. So if I can't have the view I want for one reason or another we also picked AKV for ambiance and the fact points are easier (not as many needed) so we can stretch our points further. I think I can watch an animal move around more than a castle at this point....but and this is a big but...we do not have children....if we did then BLT would have been a huge draw.

 

[CarolA]

I think the biggest decision is "how flexible are you" If that MK location is a "must have" then don't skimp and buy the cheaper resort.

For me, I must have a unit at BCV every year for a week during Food & Wine so I have enough points for that.

I also have AKV points because I figure at least every few years I MUST have a Savannah view and did not want to get stuck at 7 months with "standard view"

Now for my other trips, I can and do stay anyplace. Just whatever is open.....

Also, when are you going. Holidays, Spring Break, Presidents Day etc. Those may be 11 month booking requirements and you may be "staying where you own"

 

[Disney Doll]

Book where you want to stay.

Ask yourself "If they change the rules and I can only stay at my home resort for the next 50 years, which place would I be happier staying at for 50 years?".

For me, the choice between BLT & AKV would be easy...I don't care for the AKV theme, so I'd choose BLT.

 

[nytimez]

Maybe I'm simplistic, but I had one criteria: where would I be happiest staying? So I picked AKV...

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Annual dues (much less at BLT) v. Upfront costs (less at AKV)

Also, BLT requires more points per stay than AKV....!

The dues at BLT won't always be this low. Right now the developer is paying a lot of the cost of running the facility. Once it gets closer to being sold out, your dues could go up.

 

[dizfan]

We agree with PPs. Buy where you want to stay.

At 7 months you can book at other resorts, but worst case scenario you may be stuck at your home resort.

One of the factors, we used was to look at the size of the resorts and guess how likely it is that we will be able to stay elsewhere. We guessed (and it's strictly a guess) that the larger the resort, the easier it will be for us to book at the 7 month window. We suspect it won't be true for popular times of the year, (F&W attracts people to BCV and BWV), Christmas to VWL, etc.

Everyone is different and what's important to each family determines where they want to stay.

OKW - 761 Max. Available Rooms
BWV - 532 Max. Available Rooms
VWL - 181 Max. Available Rooms
BCV - 282 Max. Available Rooms
SSR - 1320 Max. Available Rooms
AKV - 708 Max. Available Rooms.
BLT - 428 Max. Available Rooms

Percentage of WDW DVC rooms belonging to a resort...
okw 761 18%
bwv 532 13%
vwl 181 4%
bcv 282 7%
ssr 1320 31%
akv 708 17%
blt 428 10%

 

[kristenrice]

A note to the OP....

Just because Disney is actively selling BLT and AKV, do NOT think that those are your only choices. You can buy ANY DVC property, either through Disney or through resale.

If you really like OKW or BCV, for example, you can buy them direct from Disney. You may have to go on a waiting list, and you won't be eligible for any incentives, but you CAN choose a home resort that is NOT AKV or BLT.

If you like a resort besides AKV or BLT, you can save a lot of money buying resale. You have to try and find a contract that has the use year and number of points that you want, but if you are not in a hurry, you can save thousands of dollars with a resale.

Good luck with your purchase.

 

[ppony]

For me it was simple! My wife said BLT!

We have 30 points at BWV, we bought a small resale to start.

Then added on 125 at BLT! We thought of AKL, so that we could get '08 points! But with BLT we get 3 extra years. For us, being within walking distance to Epcot, HS, and MK was why we have those 2 for home resorts.

While AKL is "away" from it all. I live in North Iowa, so I am always away from it all! I wanted to be as close to the magic as possible.

Also, at both those resorts, I have categories (higher and lower point options). So I can make points go farther if I need to..and with only 155, I will!

You're entire post made me roll! ESPECIALLY the 2 parts I bolded.
I'm in the Twin Cities in MN and when I drove through Iowa a few years ago to get to Texas and back, I was going through IA and southern MN asking "When would it be over". IA has the BEST rest stops though from MN to TX. Just had to give you a friendly rivalry nudge.

 

[wdrl]

The dues at BLT won't always be this low. Right now the developer is paying a lot of the cost of running the facility. Once it gets closer to being sold out, your dues could go up.

I'm not sure if DVD is paying "a lot" of the cost of running BLT. The 2009 operating budgets for the resorts indicated that BLT was receiving a developer subsidy of only .0506 out of a total dues assessment of $3.6709. Furthermore, the subsidy may have been eliminated by now. When we purchased a BLT contract in May 2009, our guide and QA stated that the BLT MF was not subsidized. In addition, the paperwork we received on our contract showed the .0506 subsidy amount lined out.

I agree that the BLT MF will go up over time. But I also believe that AKV's MF will always exceed that of BLT. AKV is the only resort with a budget line item for Animal Programs, which is $0.2414 in 2009.

 

[arthur06]

You're entire post made me roll! ESPECIALLY the 2 parts I bolded.
I'm in the Twin Cities in MN and when I drove through Iowa a few years ago to get to Texas and back, I was going through IA and southern MN asking "When would it be over". IA has the BEST rest stops though from MN to TX. Just had to give you a friendly rivalry nudge.

If you thought Northern Iowa was away from it all...try Western Nebraska!

 

[TK Brown]

Like everyone else has said.....buy where you want to stay. We bought at AKL and have stayed there twice. Enjoyed both stays and have zero complaints.