Maintenance Fees--OKW vs. SSR

[ABE4DISNEY]

Hello all,
I am looking to purchase a small 100 pt. contract with either SSR or OKW.

Right now OKW's MF are higher, but I'm wondering since SSR is undergoing a refurb, will there be a big jump upon completion?

Did OKW have a large jump when their refurb was completed?

I'm just weighing all the pro's and con's right now. I love both resorts--OKW a little bit more--but really just want the most cost effective purchase.

Any insight will be appreciated!! Thanks!

 

[SL6827]

Hello all,
I am looking to purchase a small 100 pt. contract with either SSR or OKW.

Right now OKW's MF are higher, but I'm wondering since SSR is undergoing a refurb, will there be a big jump upon completion?

Did OKW have a large jump when their refurb was completed?

I'm just weighing all the pro's and con's right now. I love both resorts--OKW a little bit more--but really just want the most cost effective purchase.

Any insight will be appreciated!! Thanks!

They could. OKW did have a big jump in MFs last year. I had sold my contract just previously but when I seen that jump later in the year it really opened my eyes about the MFs even more. I would except such to happen to SSR, but if they hold off on more of the renovations, it could be later then. I am by no means an expert on here, lol.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

Thank you for your first hand experience. My gut is also telling me that SSR MF’s will jump so that really kind of erases the idea of buying it because of lower fees. If OKW is selling just a bit lower and then in the long run will have similar MF’s as SSR than I should probably just buy OKW.

 

[The Jackal]

DVC calculates in money for refurbishments in the dues prices. Disney had reached an agreement 2 years ago to raise cast members wages up to $15 per hour which has raised dues at a higher rate for the last 2 years. There will be another pay raise for 2021. I would do not expect SSR dues to raise any faster than OKW. Dues or maintenance fees are calculated for the upcoming year, it is based on the cost to operate the resort. DVC cannot profit from operating the resorts, They do get paid for their services. I do own at both resorts.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hello all,
I am looking to purchase a small 100 pt. contract with either SSR or OKW.

Right now OKW's MF are higher, but I'm wondering since SSR is undergoing a refurb, will there be a big jump upon completion?

Did OKW have a large jump when their refurb was completed?

I'm just weighing all the pro's and con's right now. I love both resorts--OKW a little bit more--but really just want the most cost effective purchase.

Any insight will be appreciated!! Thanks!

Reserves are accumulated for refurbs so there shouldn't be any sudden increase to SSR that related in anyway to that. I personally would not expect it to happen.

A previous poster commented on a jump at OKW last year but that happened for all resorts and was related to the pay increases for CM's.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

Thanks so much for weighing in!!

 

[TandemShoehorns]

I am looking to purchase a small 100 pt. contract with either SSR or OKW.

I'm not sure if contract length is of concern to you. OKW would either be shorter or longer than SSR depending on if you got an original or extended contract at OKW.

 

[E2ME2]

Hello all,
I am looking to purchase a small 100 pt. contract with either SSR or OKW.

Right now OKW's MF are higher, but I'm wondering since SSR is undergoing a refurb, will there be a big jump upon completion?

Did OKW have a large jump when their refurb was completed?

I'm just weighing all the pro's and con's right now. I love both resorts--OKW a little bit more--but really just want the most cost effective purchase.

Any insight will be appreciated!! Thanks!

Are you looking to buy Direct or Resale?

 

[SL6827]

One thing too is the fact that most of the DVC resorts have a hotel side that can help with the shared expenses. OKW and SSR do not. This could have been one of the reasons that OKWs dues went up so much. But then SSR did not, so I am unsure about that. Also with OKW you can get a booking location priority at the HH at 11 months out.

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

I'm not sure if contract length is of concern to you. OKW would either be shorter or longer than SSR depending on if you got an original or extended contract at OKW.

I know there is more value in the longer one so that is a good point.

Are you looking to buy Direct or Resale?

Definitely resale. We already have blue cards so just looking for value at this point.

 

[Lorana]

Also with OKW you can get a booking location priority at the HH at 11 months out.

I didn't know that! Is that only if you buy direct, or is that true with resale as well?

 

[E2ME2]

One thing too is the fact that most of the DVC resorts have a hotel side that can help with the shared expenses. OKW and SSR do not. This could have been one of the reasons that OKWs dues went up so much. But then SSR did not, so I am unsure about that. Also with OKW you can get a booking location priority at the HH at 11 months out.

Please elaborate on the booking location priority at HH. I had not heard that anywhere before.
ET

 

[The Jackal]

Please elaborate on the booking location priority at HH. I had not heard that anywhere before.
ET

At OKW there are 8 buildings considered to be near Hospitality House (HH). So they have a separate booking category, these rooms usually fill up fast, as some owners like these due the short walk to the HH. Just be advised that when the built OKW they did make some changes. These HH buildings were the first built. In the one bedrooms and 2 bedroom rooms, there is only 1 entrance into the master bathroom. The buildings built after these, the non HH buildings, have a second entrance into the master bathroom. This door would be used for guests staying in the living room. Without the second door guests have to enter the master bedroom to use the bathroom. The HH rooms and non HH rooms have the exact same points value. Can you get a HH room at 7 months, probably some times during the year you can. We did before we owned there, but don’t expect to if you do not own there.

 

[heynowirv]

Thank you for your first hand experience. My gut is also telling me that SSR MF’s will jump so that really kind of erases the idea of buying it because of lower fees. If OKW is selling just a bit lower and then in the long run will have similar MF’s as SSR than I should probably just buy OKW.

Yes ,but all things being fairly =,where would you'd prefer to stay?

 

[SL6827]

Thank you for your first hand experience. My gut is also telling me that SSR MF’s will jump so that really kind of erases the idea of buying it because of lower fees. If OKW is selling just a bit lower and then in the long run will have similar MF’s as SSR than I should probably just buy OKW.

I think you are right. I feel like SSR will match OKW dues. It is just a matter of time.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I didn't know that! Is that only if you buy direct, or is that true with resale as well?

It's a booking category for OKW. At 11 months an owner there can book either HH or non-HH category and the same thing at 7 months for other resort owners. It's like SSR preferred or standard view or BWV - Boardwalk view where you'd have a general knowledge of where your room will be. Same thing with other "view" bookings. With SSR and OKW it's buildings/sections. We don't own at OKW but have booked in both categories there at 7 months. Myself? I prefer non-HH so am happy if OKW owners do book that up and leave non-HH rooms available!

 

[E2ME2]

At OKW there are 8 buildings considered to be near Hospitality House (HH). So they have a separate booking category, these rooms usually fill up fast, as some owners like these due the short walk to the HH. Just be advised that when the built OKW they did make some changes. These HH buildings were the first built. In the one bedrooms and 2 bedroom rooms, there is only 1 entrance into the master bathroom. The buildings built after these, the non HH buildings, have a second entrance into the master bathroom. This door would be used for guests staying in the living room. Without the second door guests have to enter the master bedroom to use the bathroom. The HH rooms and non HH rooms have the exact same points value. Can you get a HH room at 7 months, probably some times during the year you can. We did before we owned there, but don’t expect to if you do not own there.

Thanks for clarifying. I was unfamiliar with HH, and thought maybe it was supposed to be HHI, which was really throwing me off!
I've owned at SSR since 2011, and the Congress Park rooms there used to be similar for SSR owners, and they were the same point value before they became "Preferred".
ET

 

[Lorana]

Thanks for clarifying. I was unfamiliar with HH, and thought maybe it was supposed to be HHI, which was really throwing me off!
I've owned at SSR since 2011, and the Congress Park rooms there used to be similar for SSR owners, and they were the same point value before they became "Preferred".
ET

Ha Ha Ha! I did the same! (Thinking HH = HHI). This is good to know about the Hospitality rooms, though. Thank you

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

Yes ,but all things being fairly =,where would you'd prefer to stay?

I prefer OKW, but the rest of the family prefer SSR so it really doesn't matter. I just need to find a contract that meets our needs--I'm looking at both right now.

 

[The Jackal]

Thanks for clarifying. I was unfamiliar with HH, and thought maybe it was supposed to be HHI, which was really throwing me off!
I've owned at SSR since 2011, and the Congress Park rooms there used to be similar for SSR owners, and they were the same point value before they became "Preferred".
ET

While I do own since 2017 at SSR and appreciate the lower points for standard rooms, I would have been upset when they changed the point cost when they made some preferred. My guess why at OKW they didn't change the point value because there are not enough rooms in the HH category to offset the rest. They probably would have had to increase the points per room by 3 or 4 to do it. At SSR they have 7 buildings in the preferred category and 11 in standard category. At OKW there are 8 HH buildings and I think 41 or 42 non HH and the building at OKW are not all the same design and have different room amounts. At SSR all buildings are the same layout.