Insight to choosing a home resort

[rovitm]

Hi,

I am new to DVC and am looking to buy next year hopefully in March. I am having problems decisding on a home resort. We are in Orlando every 2-3 years, but may also be interested in HHI. I can see going to HHI every 2-3 years, and althoug it would be long(12 hours), the drive is manageable. I am interested in AKV, SSR, and HHI.

Please correct me, but I think you can book 11 months in advance at your home resort, but have 7 months at all other resorts. I usually plan vacations 3-5 months in advance, so I feel this would be a disvantage for picking HHI as my home resort. Unless HHI is easier to book for the middle and end of August? I am in the NE so that timeframe would work. Is do not know a lot about the resort. Is it close to the ocean? Does it have a nice free forming pool?

I am split between AKV and SSR, but leaning towards SSR since I can buy resale.

I also have a question on trading. I have read that DVC is not the bext option for trading, but on the occasion I may want to trade within II. How well does DVC trade within Marriott or Hyatt.

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for your time.

Mike

 

[4Pluto]

You are right that the advantage of buying a home resort where you want to stay is that you can make reservations 11 months out. At 7 months out, all owners can make reservations at each of the DVC resorts.

If you do not plan to make reservations more than 5 months in advance, then the criteria you should use in picking a home resort is: (a) the price of the points; (b) the cost of maintenance fees; and (c) the life of the contract (some expire earlier than others).

The problem comes if you want to visit in popular months when all the rooms are booked 7 or more months in advance. There may not be much advantage to having HHI as your home resort if you don't make reservations more than 7 months out, but you may not get to stay at HHI during the peak seasons if you don't make reservations more than 7 months out. My impression is that HHI in August is not the most competitive season, but its more popoular than, say, HHI in February.

DVC works best if you can plan more than 7 months in advance, or are flexible in your dates and resorts, or travel frequently in low seasons. I've not had any problems at 6 months out making reservations at any resort for early May.

One last thought. When I bought into DVC I thought I wasn't someone who planned vacations more than 3 or 4 months in advance because I normally didn't plan vacations that far in advance. I've actually found myself making reservations much earlier than I used to and not really because of the booking system, but because I'm having fun inviting friends and family, and making dinner reservations or show reservations, all of which takes early coordination. Plus knowing I've booked a vacation makes it a little easier to "whistle while I work".

Good luck and keep asking good questions.