Is buying direct VDH to mostly use in Florida a terrible plan?

[ClaraOswald]

Wrong thread.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Huh?

 

[VGCgroupie]

To add to @Brian Noble's point, it seems like part of your rationale is that you'd like direct points, presumably for the blue card benefits. Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think there are many blue card benefits at DLR, and they just did away with EE (which sounds like it was quite a phenomenal perk at DLR). Of course, we all know that blue card benefits can and will change, but if the majority of blue card benefits are WDW-based, and you're hesitant about owning in FL long-term, the benefits of direct may not be there for you right now.

The lounge at DLR is ah-mazing much much better than any of the ones at WDW! They also have MM in CA and they often do mixers etc for blue card holders.

 

[intamin]

I’m going to say it’s a great plan. Having points for priority when you do decide to make the west coast stays are priceless. Who needs to go for the leftover scraps after us owners book all the good stuff? The TOT is by stay and yearly dues are getting closer to other resorts.

You are already an expert at WDW stays. You know there will be multiple options at 7 months, even split stays with those points.

Give me your scraps please

I booked a VGC studio and a VDH duo studio for 2 days a piece at the 7 month mark. I think this will likely be the game plan for me as a local whenever we just want a quick staycation

 

[atthebeachclub]

Give me your scraps please

I booked a VGC studio and a VDH duo studio for 2 days a piece at the 7 month mark. I think this will likely be the game plan for me as a local whenever we just want a quick staycation

Oh, you switched coasts recently, right? Might want to get some local points!

 

[intamin]

Oh, you switched coasts recently, right? Might want to get some local points!

The wife would absolutely murder me. She told me I get enough to buy one more 30-35k contract and that's it. Finito. My DVC addonitis is coming to an end..


..Until yacht club opens but she doesn't know that .. I would definitely drop my resale AKV for it though but otherwise really that's it, I'll have it in the locations I wanted when this first started which was always one for Epcot/HS, one for AK, one for MK, one for Hawaii. I doubt I'd ever plan DL more than 7 months out as it's not a necessity for us to stay there so the points I have work just fine booking staycations.

 

[Brian Noble]

Yeah, I'll go to DLR pretty much any month of the year. But I will only go to WDW in winter.

Having gone to both DLR and WDW several times at the same time of year (late February/early March)----the weather at WDW has been significantly better during that period.

 

[ClaraOswald]

Having gone to both DLR and WDW several times at the same time of year (late February/early March)----the weather at WDW has been significantly better during that period.

Better in what way? Less rain chance than at DLR? We've had decent luck with weather in February at Disneyland but don't go there in the winter quite as much.

 

[longboard55]

If you want to stay in California you need California points. Yes some people do get rooms at 7 months, but when you plan a long term vacation you need specific dates, I do not care what month it is.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Having gone to both DLR and WDW several times at the same time of year (late February/early March)----the weather at WDW has been significantly better during that period.

I'd say that weather in Florida in my experience is a lot more unpredictable compared with California. Florida in winter can be exceptionally pleasant though. Especially in February/March. January can be cold (which I frankly don't mind; still much warmer than home), but Florida's summer is such a wildcard. You know it will be hot and humid but the weather there can change very quickly. We had a day with predicted nice weather, but it ended up with a washout thunder and rainstorm, cancelling Fantasmic.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Also…day trips to Avalon or even Carlsbad or Encinitas!

We absolutely use our CA DVC as a Southern California home base for longer stays. It’s a fantastic place.

 

[atthebeachclub]

You are wroking very hard to justivy buying VDH points. If you want them, just buy them and figure out how to use them later! As I just wrote in my family group chat: Money is for spending.

Contracts are already signed. LOL. I'm excited about it. Here's to many more planned years of vacation!

With such a long contract it really might expire after me, which is also bit sobering, since I didn't think I was all that old.

 

[atthebeachclub]

We absolutely use our CA DVC as a Southern California home base for longer stays. It’s a fantastic place.

Maybe I'll try 7 monthing in there sometime. The direct park entry spot looks nice. It will feel less stressful to waitlist there as at least you are already scheduled on the same coast, if nothing else.

 

[Brian Noble]

Better in what way? Less rain chance than at DLR? We've had decent luck with weather in February at Disneyland but don't go there in the winter quite as much.

Anaheim is just a little chilly for me that time of year. If it rains on top of that, it can be actively miserable. Orlando can be cold as well, but in this case Anaheim's consistency is not helpful.

Don't get me wrong, the west coast is still a great trip that time of year, but the weather itself is not usually why.

 

[ClaraOswald]

It's very rare that I'm cold at DLR or WDW in the winter. But probably because we don't rope drop or stay until close. And I'd prefer cold to hot anyway.

Rain...as a glasses-wearer....never a fan!

 

[Brian Noble]

I normally don't mind it chilly---we often hit up one of the later Halloweekend Sundays at Cedar Point, and it can be downright cold then. But, if I am escaping a Michigan winter, I want it to be warm!

 

[atthebeachclub]

Anaheim is just a little chilly for me that time of year. If it rains on top of that, it can be actively miserable. Orlando can be cold as well, but in this case Anaheim's consistency is not helpful.

Don't get me wrong, the west coast is still a great trip that time of year, but the weather itself is not usually why.

I used to vacation in Seattle in January and it felt positively balmy…which is definitely saying something because Seattle January has a reputation based on reality.️

 

[Brian Noble]

Yeah, I did a sabbitcal year in Seattle. I saw actual snow! It wasn't much and it didn't stick around, but still.

 

[atthebeachclub]

It usually isn’t that cold. In my decades there though I did see at least two cold snaps with extended periods of 20 degrees or so. It’s very rare in the city.

 

[intamin]

I normally don't mind it chilly---we often hit up one of the later Halloweekend Sundays at Cedar Point, and it can be downright cold then. But, if I am escaping a Michigan winter, I want it to be warm!

I miss living near Cedar Point but I do NOT miss Ohio winters. Obviously not as bad as Michigan winters but compared to the other places I've lived it had the worst winter weather. It being on the peninsula made it absolutely freezing with any sort of breeze later in the season. I went to a winter chill out one time and I swear my hands would've frozen off if they hadn't given everyone gloves. Some day I'll make it back over there but I'm good on a break from there for now but man do I miss Maverick, Top Thrill and SteVe

If you want to stay in California you need California points. Yes some people do get rooms at 7 months, but when you plan a long term vacation you need specific dates, I do not care what month it is.

Yep for any real consecutive stay that must happen you definitely need to own there.