Just want to check myself here before purchasing.

[zavandor]

I am not a fan of dividing the upfront cost by years remaining, it puts too much weight to the length of the contract.
The proof this is not the right approach is OKW. Extended contracts seel for around $114 while not extended for $95. This means the next 17 years are valued $5.98 each, the following 15 are valued $1.26.
In your calculation, you are valuing all years the same, one CCV year in 2067 at $3.13, exactly like one in 2025.
Mousesavers has a good spreadsheet to account for time value of money.

DVC hard to book times are between the end of September and Marathon weekend in January. School holidays like Spring break and Summer are not that hard. But if you plan to go in December then buy where you want to stay.

Another option to consider is to upgrade to 1BR. For example right now at 7 months 1BR standard rooms at BWV are wide open in August. 1BR would also have a washer/dryer in the room, for the happiness of your wife.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Well, that's grimy, It does make it easy for me to not want this enough to pay too much though. I appreciate the insight.

check out the following availability charts to get an idea of historical availability at various resorts and accommodation sizes and views:

https://www.dvchelp.com/page/how-do-the-charts-work

FWIW, I don’t think many have an issue getting their desired accommodation when booking right at the 11m window or the day after.

I’ve also had great luck with waitlists.

Finally, if your really want to be close to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios and have a better deal than $900 a night then it’s still hard to beat the point chart and number of Studio sleeping surfaces at Boardwalk.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

I own at CCV, VGF and BWV (and RIV, but I’ll leave that out for now .)

A few thoughts as someone who also used to stay at the Swan several times a year, has a young kiddo and also needs travel to coincide with school schedules).

Can’t go wrong with CCV or VGF - but if you plan to travel in December and want a studio, as PP said, CCV is very challenging. So much so that I gave up on the idea entirely until I stumbled upon a CCV FW52. It’s just too expensive of a purchase to leave up to chance (or walk, which I personally don’t have the energy to do). So for December holiday travel I’d probably stick with VGF.

But if you go during Spring Break and love the EPCOT area (as I do), I wouldn’t automatically dismiss BWV. Those weeks are also really point-heavy but BWV low charts balance it…and there are resale deals to be had. Plus in 17 years you might not be tied down to traveling then, which helped me get over the 2042 expiration.

 

[nalababybear]

check out the following availability charts to get an idea of historical availability at various resorts and accommodation sizes and views:

https://www.dvchelp.com/page/how-do-the-charts-work

FWIW, I don’t think many have an issue getting their desired accommodation when booking right at the 11m window or the day after.

I’ve also had great luck with waitlists.

Finally, if your really want to be close to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios and have a better deal than $900 a night then it’s still hard to beat the point chart and number of Studio sleeping surfaces at Boardwalk.

Go where you want to stay -- location first, amenities second and then theming third.

Mindful of high demand times beyond school as mentioned above - races, festivals.

Walking is the reality of today; yet most days become available after the walkers pass your dates. Just Waitlist them, piece them together, merge with email to MS and you got your vacation. eg Dec 1+2 already cleared for our Dec VGC vacation as walkers aim for Candlelight weekend

 

[kristenrice]

Once you try a 1BR, you will never go back to a studio. That in-room laundry and the king size bed make it so hard to go back to studios. We compromise now and do split-stays where we start our trip in a studio for 2-3 nights and then move to a 1-BR for 3-4 nights. That way, we save points and get the best of both worlds.

I own at AKV and after staying at BWV and BRV on our last trip, we learned that we really miss that extra bathroom in the 1BR at Kidani. It's just 2 of us (me and my best friend) that travel together, but when we stay at Kidani, it is so nice that each of us can have our own bathrooms in the 1BR. Next year, we won't be at Kidani, but we will deal with it, because I managed to get a concierge studio for the first three nights! We will move to a 1BR at BLT for the rest of the trip so we will have our own bathrooms over there.

 

[BuzzLightyr]

With young kids, it makes sense to buy DVC. They will love it. Being on property for early bookings is particularly important for bibbidy boppidty boutique and then followed by certain character dinner adrs.

School vacations make 11mo priority important. Vacations are generally staggered and not as tricky as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Young kids, magic Kingdom is a huge draw. VGF is pricey from a point chart view but one of the best. Your dividing by year misses the time value of money difference between the two. I would take $1/year off the longer resort price beyond 2042 and compare that way. That should bring the price per point down to copper creek but you'll still need more points.

Do you like poly or riviera? Direct fixed week could be a good option. Hard to find fixed week on resale. Direct costs more than resale but I could make the case that resale VGF comes out similar to poly or riviera if you don't care about a premium view.

Lower point view options sell out first. The question is if you book at 8am 11mo out, are you going to get the cheapest view or need to pay up for preferred/theme park/lake view. Your fixed week locks in a lower view and takes the stress out of booking your annual trip.

 

[kboo]

My only input is are you sure you're done having kids? (yea super personal question I know) because if you MIGHT have a 3rd, CCV is NOT going to be good for you, hard limit on studios and 1br for 4, so if you had a 3rd youd have to book at 2br at CCV if not able to get a 5 person studio or 1br elsewhere. Just something to consider as well.

This is a good point to consider. Also if you ever think you will bring a friend or grandparent. I would find it too hard to be locked in to getting a 2br any time we had more than 4 people going.

CCV will give you more bang for your buck. You can do 5 days in summer and 5 days between Christmas and New Years for about 200 points.

Yes - the point charts are worth considering. Our first VGF resale contract was 200 points, and Easter week was 199 points in a studio. We added on.

A few thoughts as someone who also used to stay at the Swan several times a year, has a young kiddo and also needs travel to coincide with school schedules).

Can’t go wrong with CCV or VGF - but if you plan to travel in December and want a studio, as PP said, CCV is very challenging. So much so that I gave up on the idea entirely until I stumbled upon a CCV FW52. It’s just too expensive of a purchase to leave up to chance (or walk, which I personally don’t have the energy to do). So for December holiday travel I’d probably stick with VGF.

We also used to stay at the Swan and Dolphin, until we bought DVC when our kids were 6 and 2. As others have said, we pretty quickly went from studios to 1br for the ease of laundry and the space. Our first purchase was BLT which checked all the boxes for us - a lowish point chart, easy transportation, especially to MK (where we spent most of our time) and we got enough points to alternate a studio and a 1br.

As you can see from my signature, we went with VGF over CCV but there's no "right" answer, only the one that is right for you. There are going to be factors that matter more or less to you:

VGF - studios, 1br sleep 5
CCV - studios, 1br sleep 4

VGF - original DVC units are in a small building that is much more peaceful. it has its own check in and concierge desk and is a LOT less hectic.
CCV - is in the main hotel building.

VGF - point chart is rough
CCV - nice point chart

VGF - December and Christmas sort of challenging
CCV - December and Christmas really challenging

VGF - imo better transportation, especially with strollers (usually uses smaller boats except in busy times; small boats require stroller folding)
CCV - boat or bus (but boats are larger, usually won't need folding)

At Christmas break (and Thanksgiving break) we book at 11 mo and stay put. But when we go during February break, April break, long weekends and summers, we usually book at 11 mo and then look at what's available at 7mo. Sometimes we need to waitlist but not that often. We've stayed at AKV, BCV, BWV (and also AUL and VGC) from switching at 7 months, and visit Poly and CCV often (but don't stay because my kids now prefer to be in 2 separate sleeping spaces and we tend to book 1br and 2br now. My 83yo dad often joins us since my mom passed.

 

[Potigant]

This is a good point to consider. Also if you ever think you will bring a friend or grandparent. I would find it too hard to be locked in to getting a 2br any time we had more than 4 people going.

Yes - the point charts are worth considering. Our first VGF resale contract was 200 points, and Easter week was 199 points in a studio. We added on.

We also used to stay at the Swan and Dolphin, until we bought DVC when our kids were 6 and 2. As others have said, we pretty quickly went from studios to 1br for the ease of laundry and the space. Our first purchase was BLT which checked all the boxes for us - a lowish point chart, easy transportation, especially to MK (where we spent most of our time) and we got enough points to alternate a studio and a 1br.

As you can see from my signature, we went with VGF over CCV but there's no "right" answer, only the one that is right for you. There are going to be factors that matter more or less to you:

VGF - studios, 1br sleep 5
CCV - studios, 1br sleep 4

VGF - original DVC units are in a small building that is much more peaceful. it has its own check in and concierge desk and is a LOT less hectic.
CCV - is in the main hotel building.

VGF - point chart is rough
CCV - nice point chart

VGF - December and Christmas sort of challenging
CCV - December and Christmas really challenging

VGF - imo better transportation, especially with strollers (usually uses smaller boats except in busy times; small boats require stroller folding)
CCV - boat or bus (but boats are larger, usually won't need folding)

At Christmas break (and Thanksgiving break) we book at 11 mo and stay put. But when we go during February break, April break, long weekends and summers, we usually book at 11 mo and then look at what's available at 7mo. Sometimes we need to waitlist but not that often. We've stayed at AKV, BCV, BWV (and also AUL and VGC) from switching at 7 months, and visit Poly and CCV often (but don't stay because my kids now prefer to be in 2 separate sleeping spaces and we tend to book 1br and 2br now. My 83yo dad often joins us since my mom passed.

If I have 3 kids and want to bring a grandparent, suddenly CCV is back on a level playing field with all the others.

 

[LionKingCPA]

Probably more general than what you were looking for but here goes. . .

We bought in when our kids were around the same age. First bought 230 at BLT but then got addonitis for two more contracts SSR and BRV. Kids are 13 and 10 now. Even if we had to give up the contracts today, it was all worth it. I was big into the numbers when I first bought in, which was very much the right thing to do at the time. But looking back 9 years now it was a no-brainer.

Also, the laundry advice above is real. My wife really enjoys laundry on vacation too. I don't understand it but I appreciate it. Anyway, once you go 1BR or 2BR, there will be no going back. Trust me.

 

[BetterInTheWildnerness24]

I’d love to hear more about peoples experiences doing laundry at CCV. We are trying to make a decision about our next contract and have never stayed there. Doing laundry at AKL jambo was a bit of a nightmare (2 washers, far from our room, and 1 broke mid stay).