LT @ 12Just starting, have questions

[scfarrell]

What is the advantage for me to buy direct from WDW for BLT @120/pt. When I could buy resale at HHI for 67/pt???

Is the 11month vs. 7 month book window the only disadvantage? Are the pts. 1 for 1?

 

[Chuck S]

The points are one for one. However, depending upon your age, you may want the longer contract life of BLT.

HHI contracts expire in January 2042, BLT in January 2060. Also, depending upon when you wish to travel, and where you wish to stay, that 11 moth window can be extremely important, especially if DVC continues to add offsite resorts, or, if rumored, DVC turns management over to an outside company, like Marriott or Hilton, and we are absorbed into their system...we'd be competing many many times the number of people desiring a WDW location.

 

[Crystal_27]

Is the 11month vs. 7 month book window the only disadvantage? Are the pts. 1 for 1?

Yes, that's very true, points are points, but you have to consider that if you purchase at HH, there is no real guarantee that you'll be able to book at BLT (or any other non-home resort) at 7 months. Of course, you'll probably get something each year but, given that you'll be booking at 7 months intead of 11, you may not get your first (or even second or third) choice of resorts. Every single year you're going to be rolling the dice when booking your trip. Also, HH maintenance fees are much, much higher than BLT's, so the "deal" that you are getting upfront, will get chipped away every single year because of the higher maintenance fees you'll be paying.

For what it's worth, I think that everyone who is considering purchasing DVC goes through this internal debate - buying at the non-Disney resorts because they are so much cheaper versus buying where you really want to stay. Remember, your contracts are going to last a long time, and what seems like a stellar deal now may end up being not so good in the future. Either way, good luck!

 

[bwvBound]

For what it's worth, I think that everyone who is considering purchasing DVC goes through this internal debate - buying at the non-Disney resorts because they are so much cheaper versus buying where you really want to stay.

Ouch! Isn't it just a bit harsh to call the DVC locations outside WDW "non-Disney"?

OP: After reading the excellent posts above, please consider SSR as a potential home resort. Resale rates are quite attractive, the resort has plenty of years left ahead of it and its dues are lower than most DVC properties at WDW. Owners at SSR may take comfort knowing that they have home-resort booking advantage (11 month window) at WDW ... and can still hope for variety across the other locations at the 7-month window.

 

[chalee94]

Is the 11month vs. 7 month book window the only disadvantage? Are the pts. 1 for 1?

there is also the higher maintenance fees: HH is $5.36 per pt and BLT $3.67 per pt. should a storm damage the HH resort, a special assessment might push the costs even higher.

if you are looking for a cheap DVC and don't really care where you stay (but want to go to wdw and can book 8-11 months out), i'd suggest SSR or OKW.

you would rarely be at risk of getting locked out of wdw by buying at HH, but the one time it happens...

 

[Crystal_27]

Ouch! Isn't it just a bit harsh to call the DVC locations outside WDW "non-Disney"?

Oh, rest assured, with the wonderful reports of HH and VB that I've been reading lately, I know that they are not short on magic, awesomeness and funness. We are actually planning a HH trip in 2012 and I'm pumped!!

 

[awilliams4]

I personally would be concerned that one day Disney drops this off their list of DVC resorts and sells it to a Marriot or Hilton.

 

[dizfan]

If you plan to stay at a specific resort most of the time, buy there.
If that's not the case, buy at a resort you will be happy with (for many, just being at a WDW resort is great).

If you're planning to use the points at WDW most of the time, I would buy points at a WDW resort. At 11 months out, book your home resort. If you want to stay at another WDW resort, call at 7 months and try to change your reservation. By doing this, you will at worst be staying at your home resort.

As others have mentioned, make sure to factor in the maintenance fees into the cost equation. If location wasn't important to us, we would have bought SSR (great pricing, contracts good until 2054, and low MFs).

 

[quentina]

The bulk of my points are at HHI.

First...you get 11 month window at HHI which is an amazing benefit. If you want another resort, someone will swap with you (they book DW resort, you book HHI). I met an amazing person by doing that and we have become friends.

Although I do own at VWL, I will say that I have never not been able to get a room at 7 months. Never......will it change, maybe however, no matter what you will have HHI at 11 months.

If you have never been to HHI, you only need to go once to fall in love!

My next add on will be HHI. My kids pick it when we are only doing 1 trip per year (yep, over WDW). They are 12, 7 and 5.....

I cannot give you any reason to not make the purchase.

 

[cayman01]

The only FINANCIAL reason to buy BLT is if you can get enough incentives to get your actual price per point under $100. For example, they offer $10-15/pt incetive and '08 points. You could rent out the '08 points for $12/pt and your actual cost would be about $93-98/pt for BLT. That would be a good deal.

As it is now they only have $8/pt off. Big pass IMHO. In this case I would look at the resale market, especially AKV and SSR which do not expire til 2057 and 2054 respectively. You can get SSR contracts for less than $70/ pt and AKV's in the low $80's.

Finally, you can always add on at BLT down the road once a resale market gets established. Contracts are coming online now for around $100/pt, BUT they are few and far between at this point.

Good luck.

 

[Crystal_27]

The only FINANCIAL reason to buy BLT is if you can get enough incentives to get your actual price per point under $100. For example, they offer $10-15/pt incetive and '08 points. You could rent out the '08 points for $12/pt and your actual cost would be about $93-98/pt for BLT. That would be a good deal.

Good luck.

I think that you mean 2009 points. BLT didn't offer any 2008 points.

 

[sssteele]

Quentina - We own 200 points at VWL and no points at HHI. We have stayed at HHI 3 times, and have fallen in love with the resort. So far we have been able to get what we wanted at 7 months, but our luck may be about to run out - I'm calling Nov. 20th to try for two studios or a 1BR for June 20th to June 25th (5 nights). We have been able to take our granddaughter for a visit (3 days) on our way to WDW, but have hopes of also taking our son and grandson in June. If you ever want to consider a point swap, send a PM, and we'll talk about it. My wife and I usually use most of our VWL points in December, and I 'd hate to give that up, but we might be able to shorten the trip to save some swap points. I'll be calling in January for December 2010. Let us know.