I am buying but need help

[hope3702]

I am buying through Resale and I actually haven't been to any of the resorts...I don't feel good about losing 12 years by buying at Boardwalk which looks amazing (or Beach Club)...Am I sacrificing anything by buying at SSR for 81-82 a point (resale)...SSR looks great as well but doesn't look at kid friendly at Boardwalk...or Beach Club...I appreciate any help you are able to offer...

 

[bcvillastwo]

If you are buying site unseen then you really don't have much information to an informed decision. That may not be a problem if you are just trying to get the maximum amount of time possible. If that's the case then as you say you would loose 12 years.

On the other hand, you could change your mind after staying at one of the other on site locations. You could find that you actually prefer WLV over SSR for example.

That would not be a problem if you own SSR if you have a great deal of flexibility as to when you take your vacations. However, you could have a problem if you wanted BCV at Christmas time. Under that scenario you would have to wait until the 7 month reservation window opened up to take your chances on making a Christmas reservation at BCV or WLV.

I see your point and in some respects I agree with your thinking. But, I would advise you to get as much information as you can, consider how flexible you are in terms of when you can take vacations, and really think about how, when, and where you are likely to use your points.

Good luck

 

[hope3702]

I appreciate your help on this...I probably for now will not go during XMAS...Maybe Presidents Week...I have a new born and my work schedule permits a vacation anytime during the year...I'm thinking I will like SSR but the Boardwalk Villas look very interesting as well...but I would like to get the most out of my original investment

 

[BlakeNJ]

I think if you post a little more info about your family, like the ages of your children and the time of year you visit, you'll get more opinions. For example, parents of small children may like the zero entry pool at SSR. BCV has Stromalong Bay which I have heard can be tricky for parents trying to watch small children--especially if they don't swim. What are your vacation habits? Are you flexible with the time of year you can visit? If that is the case, you will be able to book other resorts like BWV and BCV without the need of a 11 month window. If you vacation only during peak weeks (holidays, spring breaks etc), you might want the 11 month window.

You will get a wide variety of answers here that will help you make a decision. We bought sight unseen at SSR and are happy with our choice.

Good luck with your decision.

ETA: OP--We must have been posting at the same time. your above post answered most of my questions. Seems like you are years away from the pool at BCV and will be somewhat flexible with vacation habits so SSR sounds like a good deal for you. I agree, BWV look great and I can't wait to stay there but DH and I visited the Boardwalk area and he thought he'd like something a little more remote--quiet-especailly after a day at the parks. Maybe talk it over more with our DH to see what atmosphere you would prefer. The hustle and bustle of the BWV? The quiet serenity of OKW? Or maybe the themeing at SSR? We have stayed at the WL (not VWL) and thought it was great and very peaceful, although I wasn't blown away by the theme.

Hey, there is always the AKV!!! Looks like they'll have a zero entry pool and the animals would certainly intrigue my kids! Good luck again.

 

[aprince&princess]

Hi, when we toured SSR in Dec, we were shown the pool area which looks great and right near there is an arcade (twice the size of the BW's) and another rec room where there was a list of activities that they do throughout the day, and in another portion of that space there was a tv with video games and, if I remember right, some kind of sports table was also there.

So I did feel like it was very kid friendly. Of course, we usually spend the entire day at the park until it closes, but maybe that will change next time we go.

 

[hope3702]

You guys are a big help...I think I am good with SSR based on what I have read...I like a lot about the resort and don't think it is worth giving up 12 years plus I can still book 7 months in advance at the others...

 

[beachblanket]

You guys are a big help...I think I am good with SSR based on what I have read...I like a lot about the resort and don't think it is worth giving up 12 years plus I can still book 7 months in advance at the others...

Hope, don't assume that 7 month advance booking window is going to allow you to always get into other resorts at your chosen times

As example, you mentioned you are thinking about President's day week being a period when you might like to repeatedly stay at WDW.

That is a very high demand period, and unless you own at places like the Boardwalk and Beach Club (with a consequent 11 month advance booking window), you are going to get shut out of them if you try to book at the 7 month point. Frankly, the latter window is really only good for edge or off season bookings at those properties; the "prime time" is all spoken for by owners.

Really - I own at Boardwalk, and have found that to get what I want (which are not just prime but also some transitional periods like late spring and late summer), I not only have to book at 11 months, but on a day by day basis. It's that tight. The 7 month people competing with me for BW view 2Brs during those periods don't have a prayer.

Also, certain resorts have their own seasons which affect booking windows. As example, HH is very tough to get between June and late August if you don't own there, and Vero is similarly tough in the Spring.

Moral - buy where you think you are most frequently going to want to stay. With kids, I'd vote BWV, not SS.

 

[Slakk]

I am buying through Resale and I actually haven't been to any of the resorts...I don't feel good about losing 12 years by buying at Boardwalk which looks amazing (or Beach Club)...Am I sacrificing anything by buying at SSR for 81-82 a point (resale)...SSR looks great as well but doesn't look at kid friendly at Boardwalk...or Beach Club...I appreciate any help you are able to offer...

You know I thought I would love BWV but after staying there I really did not. I thought I would hate VWL and was drug kicking and screaming to the resort and LOVED IT.

So thinking you will like something and liking are totally different in real life.

If you have not stayed at any of them then you really don't know what you would like. The great news is unless you are really picky and only go at peak times...the 7 month window works well and so if the resort you choose as your home is not what you would like, then you can stay elsewhere.

BUT if you want a GV - you should buy at a resort that has them because they fill up very fast at all resorts.

Good luck with your desision!

 

[Slakk]

Hope, don't assume that 7 month advance booking window is going to allow you to always get into other resorts at your chosen times

As example, you mentioned you are thinking about President's day week being a period when you might like to repeatedly stay at WDW.

That is a very high demand period, and unless you own at places like the Boardwalk and Beach Club (with a consequent 11 month advance booking window), you are going to get shut out of them if you try to book at the 7 month point. Frankly, the latter window is really only good for edge or off season bookings at those properties; the "prime time" is all spoken for by owners.

Really - I own at Boardwalk, and have found that to get what I want (which are not just prime but also some transitional periods like late spring and late summer), I not only have to book at 11 months, but on a day by day basis. It's that tight. The 7 month people competing with me for BW view 2Brs during those periods don't have a prayer.

Also, certain resorts have their own seasons which affect booking windows. As example, HH is very tough to get between June and late August if you don't own there, and Vero is similarly tough in the Spring.

Moral - buy where you think you are most frequently going to want to stay. With kids, I'd vote BWV, not SS.

I got BW view at BWV last year with no problems at 6 months.

 

[sarac]

We just bought at SSR and booked our first trip at BWV for mid-August using the 7 month window (right at the 7 month mark). We didn't have any problems; however, Beachblanket has sage advice.

Personally we loved SSR, liked the idea of having 12 extra years, as well as the ability to try out other resorts using the 7 month window... its difficult for us to plan out more than that.

Best of luck on your decision... don't think you can go wrong either way!

 

[simpilotswife]

Personally the only time that I've had any trouble moving resorts at 7 mo. was President's week from BWV to BCV. Instead we were able to book at WLV (which became my favorite). For the last 2 years we've successfully switched from BWV to BCV for mid August at the 7 mo. window. We've also been able to switch to HH for August at the 7 mo window. Now that may very well be because we always book a 2 BR but we've only ever had that one problem (which actually worked out nicely).

Christmas, Easter and the Epcot resorts for F&WF are problematic but generally switching resorts at the 7 mo. window should be doable (especially if you call day by day which I do).

 

[beachblanket]

I got BW view at BWV last year with no problems at 6 months.

What size villa and during what time period? I didn't state that getting BW view at 7 months was always impossible - just at popular and transitional times (if you want a late January or early May booking, 7 months may be sometimes be doable. I've also occasionally heard of people getting something in the brutal early August period.). I'll add that the GV and 2Brs in that category are also tougher to get in general; they go faster than the studios and 1Brs.

 

[byoung]

Wish you the best on your decision.

 

[Dean]

If I were buying new currently I'd look long and hard at Animal Kingdom.

 

[abner1776]

AKV ???...hmmmm...Dean has a point...if you can wait until AKV comes available, it maybe your best choice.

I have two experiences with the 7 month booking window...one goes one way...one the other...

I booked at 2bdrm unit at VWL(my home) for the week after Thanksgiving. I booked it two days b/4 the 7 month window opened up and got the last 2bdrm unit available. If VWL was not my home, I most likely would not have been able to book it...on the other hand....

I booked a studio at BWV for April vacation week just after the 7 month window opened with no problems...then had to change the ressie three weeks later to BCV and got put on the wait list...the ressie change came through in less than a week...so this would indicate that the 7 month window is not much of a big deal...

...so I guess the answer is ...somewhere in between...

 

[Slakk]

What size villa and during what time period? I didn't state that getting BW view at 7 months was always impossible - just at popular and transitional times (if you want a late January or early May booking, 7 months may be sometimes be doable. I've also occasionally heard of people getting something in the brutal early August period.). I'll add that the GV and 2Brs in that category are also tougher to get in general; they go faster than the studios and 1Brs.

I got a studio. My parents came on later (about 5 months) and they could only get a preferred.

 

[Lady V]

Hope, don't assume that 7 month advance booking window is going to allow you to always get into other resorts at your chosen times

true, true....but I have been very lucky in getting BWV at 6 months out and BCV at 7 months out. But!! luckily, if I can never switch I will just as happy because I love, love, love my SSR!!!

 

[kcgirl]

I got a 2bdrm at BCV at 7mos. for June 2-9 with no problem. This has been my only time trying to switch at 7 mos. but it worked great. I figure that if I can't switch I still get to stay at SSR, which is a beautiful resort!! I also get an extra 12 yrs to try to book at the 7mo mark at other resorts if I want to and odds are I will be able to book at all of the different resorts!!

 

[Demosthenes]

With the ages of your kids, I'd buy at SSR, or possibly AKV. I wouldn't want to give up 12 years of vacation time; remember, that can be for your kids one day too. Also, the indoor activities on the BW all have age restrictions, so when you get teenagers, they will be wanting to go to DTD West Side at night anyway. It would be nice to have that within walking distance. BW & BC are very convenient to Epcot, but not as much to the other parks. It takes longer to boat from BW or BC to MGM than it takes to bus from any other DVC resort to MGM. Also, MK and AK bus rides take a long time (5 stops in off season either on the drop off or pick up) and tend to be pretty crowded. SSR and AKL have dedicated busses (though AK does stop at the AK before proceeding to other them parks on occasion). BW and Beach Club both have very good access to restaurants, but DTD has even more, and DVC members get great discounts in a lot of places. There are more DDP restaurants within walking distance of BC and BW.

BW and BC have better views than any of the other DVC resorts. Both have great pools, though SAB is much more than just a pool. SAB is tough for families with real little ones because it is so big, but it is the best pool I've ever seen.

Despite some doom and gloom forecasts you sometimes read, it is definitely possible to get what you want accommodations wise at a resort that is not your home resort. Like everyone else has said, peak times will require you to be more flexible with your travel dates or accommodation type. If that kind of flexibility does not fit your vacation MO, then you need to be sure and purchase at the resort you would most like to stay at. If you can be flexible, save the money, buy the SSR resale, and know that you are buying at a top tier resort with a lot to offer.

 

[ScottakaMickey]

Here is another perspective. When we go to WDW we are there to enjoy the parks and the room is just where we end up at the end of the day, with the occasional hop back for refreshments or break. So, we prefer to be near the action and Epcot is the center for us. So, that puts BC and BW at the top of our list followed by OKW. For me the challenge with SSR, WL and now AK is they are further from the action and therefore it can take longer to get from those resorts back to a park. We are FL locals, so we always have a car, but some rely on Disney transportation and that can add some to your stay.

If you do SSR and have a car, you'll learn the back roads as it can get very congested coming back by DD.

Just another perspective as I know a lot of people do focus on the resort and its amenties, but the parks and access to them is equally important, IMHO.

Scott