I'm a new DVC owner! Now what?

[wingkng]

I did it! After owning timeshares outside of WDW (at Starwood), I finally took the plunge and bought 150 points at SSR through Disney today. I was happy to get the December UY I requested. I just got my member number, and my guide says I can start making reservations on Monday!

This is especially momentous because I am doing this as part of my honeymoon planning. I will be going to Orlando in May for my honeymoon, spending 7 days at Vistana Villages (which I currently own), then spending 4 days at a Disney cruise, then finally spending three days in WDW.

I had first made reservations for the cruise and then a stay at POFQ, but the more honeymoon planning I did, the more I was drawn to DVC. I had gone to a presentation a few years back, but never got into it. That was when the timeshare bug bit me, and I bought a Starwood week in Scottsdale. However, every year since then I have managed to go back to Orlando. And now, I am going there again for my honeymoon! To make a long story short, I decided that I wanted to make a trip to WDW a regular, if not annual, part of my vacation plans. Of course, my honey is supportive of my purchase.

Now here are some questions for the veterans:

1) What are my most realistic options for 3 days (Thurs-Sat) stay in mid May? Since this will be my only opportunity to be in Orlando this year, I don't mind maxing out my 150 points at a nice 1 bedroom villa anywhere. I will cancel my POFQ reservations so I can take advantage of my new DVC membership.

2) I know that SSR has a gym. Is usage of the gym included in the stay, or is there an extra charge, like the spa?

3) If you were to use a DVC resort as part of your honeymoon, which location would you consider to be the most romantic?

I still plan to keep my Starwood timeshare, which I can convert every other year into points to be used in the Starwood hotels (ie, Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis, W Hotel) I also will plan on banking/borrowing my DVC points to use every other year. This way, I can stay outside of Disney one year (and stay at some nice hotel somewhere) and then go HOME another year.

Life is wonderful!

 

[lisaviolet]

First of all...

Congratulations on your marriage!!!

Congratulations on your DVC purchase!!!!

Welcome Home!!!

1) I don't think you'll have a problem booking. Maybe around your Memorial Day weekend. Whoops you said mid-May, didn't you???!!! So no problem I would think. Good luck!!

2) SSR's gym....it's great....no extra payment.

3) Honeymoon....does it really matter about the location??? Just kidding. Hmmmm.... I don't know. It depends on your taste I guess. Oh boy. Can't give my opinion. Maybe others...sorry.

Enjoy your cruise as well.

Lisa

 

[vascubaguy]

1) What are my most realistic options for 3 days (Thurs-Sat) stay in mid May? Since this will be my only opportunity to be in Orlando this year, I don't mind maxing out my 150 points at a nice 1 bedroom villa anywhere. I will cancel my POFQ reservations so I can take advantage of my new DVC membership.

2) I know that SSR has a gym. Is usage of the gym included in the stay, or is there an extra charge, like the spa?

3) If you were to use a DVC resort as part of your honeymoon, which location would you consider to be the most romantic?

First of all, WELCOME and CONGRATZ on the wedding and DVC!!! I think it was a good decision!

1) The most number of points you would need is 140. That would be for a 1BR at BCV, VWL, or pref view at BWV. Std view at BWV would run around 122 pts. Lowest points would be OKW 1BR at 116 pts. (SSR at 125pts) I doubt you'll have much trouble getting ressie at any of them since 2 of the nights are Fri/Sat. I think many members try to avoid the "higher" point nights.

2) Usage of the gym is included as long as you are staying at the DVC. For instance, you couldn't be staying over at POR and go over to SSR to use the gym. All the DVCs have a fitness center.

3) Most romantic... that probably more of a personal call and what you 2 consider "romantic". Some might consider sitting out on the balcony overlooking the Boardwalk area as romantic. Others might think of the carriage rides around SSR... I dunno... I'd probably say BWV with a boardwalk view though. If you try that, make sure and indicate you want boardwalk view (not pref view).

 

[wingkng]

First of all, WELCOME and CONGRATZ on the wedding and DVC!!! I think it was a good decision!

1) The most number of points you would need is 140. That would be for a 1BR at BCV, VWL, or pref view at BWV. Std view at BWV would run around 122 pts. Lowest points would be OKW 1BR at 116 pts. (SSR at 125pts) I doubt you'll have much trouble getting ressie at any of them since 2 of the nights are Fri/Sat. I think many members try to avoid the "higher" point nights.

Thank you for that info. In fact, thank you for your website. I actually read through it very carefully and used it to help me decide on the December UY. I had your website in front of me when I made the purchase. Because my vacation schedule for the whole year doesn't come out until December, and I prefer to travel to Florida in the spring and in cooler seasons, it would give me plenty of time to make or change plans before the deadline to bank the points at 100% (for December it would be May 31).

So if what you said about ressies on Fri/Sat is true, has anyone out there actually seen a dip in the "busy-ness" at the resorts on those day? The point value for the weekends are double that of the weekdays; however, looking over my Starwood timeshare daily use chart, they do that as well. I guess this is a classic case of supply and demand.

Wing

 

[byoung]

Congrats and Welcome Home.

 

[krdisneybound]

CONGRATULATIONS on becoming a DVC member and WELCOME HOME. Great choice.

 

[Judique]

I did it! Life is wonderful!

Congrats and Welcome Home!

 

[paults]

 

[Plutofan]

Welcome Home Neighbor. If you are thinking about May I would call right away. I have called for renters for April and May and there is not much left in rooms. If you do not have a member number yet call your DVC rep. The day I joined the rep made my reservations the same day for me. Good Luck.

 

[castleri]

When we checked into OKW last Sept the CM said that builidings 55 and 56 were requested by honeymooners beacuse they are somewhat secluded, look over the canal to downtown Disney and the one BR's are bigger than the other resorts as
well as bigger jacuzzis in the master bath. Guess it depends on whether you want the relaxation or the activity of someplace like the BW. Congratulations and enjoy the planning and the trips.

 

[T.E. Yeary]

Congratulations & Welcome Home!

HAPPY "MAGICAL" VACATIONING,
Tom & Staff

 

[wingkng]

Welcome Home Neighbor. If you are thinking about May I would call right away. I have called for renters for April and May and there is not much left in rooms. If you do not have a member number yet call your DVC rep. The day I joined the rep made my reservations the same day for me. Good Luck.

Thanks for the advice. I do have the number and I will call first thing on Monday. BTW, what time do they open up? When you say there are not many rooms left, are you referring to the high demand resorts like VWL or BCV, or are you saying in ALL of the resorts?

Since I already have reservations at POFQ, if I don't get a 1 BR villa, I will still have a place to stay. Since I have a December use year, I could feasibly bank them, or better yet rent them out (I would have to learn how to do it first).

Wing

 

[Plutofan]

I tried to get a one bedroom for a renter in BCV, Boardwalk and Wilderness Lodge. Definitly try calling MS. You may be able to find one at the larger resorts but definitly ask about the smaller ones since you never know somthing may have opened up. They open up at 9:00 EST. Do you have the number? I would call a few minutes early and do re-dial. Mondays are very bizzy for them so you want to be one of the first to call. Good Luck.

 

[ByWm]

If you have trouble getting a reservation, you might ask your guide. I think they may be able to access extra inventory for your first trip.

Congratulations!

ByWm

 

[Cinderella]

Waitlist - i got memorial weekend just a couple of weeks ago at WLV for May. Congratulations and welcome home by the way.

We are doing our honeymoon in October at SSR, which we chose because of the spa and the lovely theming. But, I would think that all of the DVC resorts would be nice for a honeymoon for many different reasons. POFQ is lovely - but all the DVC resorts would blow it away.

The other poster is right - the baths at okw are much bigger than the other resorts - they all have big tubs, but the old key west ones are huge.

 

[dvc_john]

Don't be discouraged if you have difficulty getting thru to MS without a lot of re-dialing and/or waiting. Many people are calling to make reservations for Christmas week, so MS will be very busy tomorrow.

 

[shellbelle1971]

Congrats & Welcome Home!

For romantic...I'd go for a 1-br villa at SSR. The theming is beautiful, the spa is awesome, and carriage rides are great!

 

[Wendy1953]

Welcome Home and Congratulations on your upcoming marriage! As far as which DVC is more romantic....that's up to you and your future spouse! VWL is like staying in the mountains, BCV is like staying at a beach house, BWV is like staying on a busy boardwalk, SSR is brand new and like staying at a horse track, OKW is another beautiful beach house!

once again welcome home and I hope you have many magical vacations in the future!

 

[wingkng]

Now that I have a nice place to stay at, any ideas for a nice romantic dinner inside WDW? I heard Artist Point is nice. What about California Grill?

 

[Plutofan]

If you want to go to the best and most expensive it would be Victoria and Albert in the Grand Floridian but you need to book around 6 months out since they have very limited seating. I believe that the dinner lasts two - three hours. We went to California Grill and Artist Pointein June. Both are nice but in my opinion California Grill is better. If you reserve early you maybe able to get a table at the time that they do the Fireworks at the Magic Kingdom. I have heard it is great watching from the Contemporary Grill.