Newbie Considering DVC

[havoc315]

Agreed, all good considerations. Just pointing these out for OP as they're considering a potential BCV purchase/rental strategy for the future. Luckily BCV is low on my priority unless, that is until the little ones are old enough to enjoy Stormalong Bay!

For me, Stormalong Bay has actually become a negative. It was GREAT when my kids were adolescents to tweens....
But now that my kids are older teens, and more off on their own, we don't need to sit around with them at an overcrowded overly loud quasi-water park.

Which raises a good point -- When picking your home resort (and deciding whether to purchase DVC at all), one should consider that their preferences may change over time. I see a lot of people say, "we want a Magic Kingdom resort because we have little kids and MK is the best park for them" -- But those kids only stay little for a few years. Kids grows. Family size changes (as do the need for different sized rooms). It can be really challenging to do it, but it's important to try to think long term preferences.
If I had purchased in 2010 instead of 2019, I probably would have purchased BLT or Beach Club. I ended up purchasing Riviera, and at this stage in my life, Riviera is a lot better than BLT or Riviera. (and hopefully, that's the way I still feel in 10 years.)

 

[DsneyDude1]

For me, Stormalong Bay has actually become a negative. It was GREAT when my kids were adolescents to tweens....
But now that my kids are older teens, and more off on their own, we don't need to sit around with them at an overcrowded overly loud quasi-water park.

Which raises a good point -- When picking your home resort (and deciding whether to purchase DVC at all), one should consider that their preferences may change over time. I see a lot of people say, "we want a Magic Kingdom resort because we have little kids and MK is the best park for them" -- But those kids only stay little for a few years. Kids grows. Family size changes (as do the need for different sized rooms). It can be really challenging to do it, but it's important to try to think long term preferences.
If I had purchased in 2010 instead of 2019, I probably would have purchased BLT or Beach Club. I ended up purchasing Riviera, and at this stage in my life, Riviera is a lot better than BLT or Riviera. (and hopefully, that's the way I still feel in 10 years.)

Good point! It is why I just added on at OKW to cover my annual GV with my 5 & 3 year old grandchildren. Different things make sense for different people. And as you said, even that changes. We have been members for 30 years and it still varies by trip. GV with the grandkids. 1 bedroom for the in between grown up trips with the DW.

 

[CarolynFH]

When picking your home resort (and deciding whether to purchase DVC at all), one should consider that their preferences may change over time.

Yep, and that's why I feel we really lucked out by buying into DVC when BWV was the new and shiny resort. Our kids grew up there, we gave our daughter a honeymoon there, we've brought family there several times, and now that we're empty nesters we can look forward to enjoying our BW view balcony and walking or boating to two parks!

 

[shreddedshoe]

I think you should look for a small BC resale contract and then add on Poly 2.0 if and when the restrictions are announced. You may not be able to SELL your BC points in the next 20 years, but you certainly will be able to RENT those points out at a nice profit every year until they expire. I don't think that's a detriment at all! People will always want BC for F&W and race events. You could rent the points to cover dues or fund splurge trips somewhere else. Then you're not locked into WDW for all vacation needs to be met, and you don't have to sweat the contract losing value.

Oh resale definitely! Now that you mention that, I realize I don't think I stated that in my OP...BC would be a resale contract if I went through with that. I would never consider direct there, but this is what I was thinking...a small resale at BC, see what happens with PVB and add on there, potentially direct. I was thinking that route as well, as far as renting out points if we decided to vacation elsewhere or found we weren't using the points as much.

I think you should look for a small BC resale contract and then add on Poly 2.0 if and when the restrictions are announced. You may not be able to SELL your BC points in the next 20 years, but you certainly will be able to RENT those points out at a nice profit every year until they expire. I don't think that's a detriment at all! People will always want BC for F&W and race events. You could rent the points to cover dues or fund splurge trips somewhere else. Then you're not locked into WDW for all vacation needs to be met, and you don't have to sweat the contract losing value.

 

[shreddedshoe]

Based on your reply, I'd make 2 recommendations:

1 -- If Beach Club is truly your first choice, and especially if you're not 99.99% sure you want to go every year for the next 20 years, then consider just renting points. Renting points will ultimately be cheaper than buying Beach Club, even resale.
2 -- If you do want to own, strongly consider Riviera direct. The studios are second largest on property -- just slightly smaller than Poly, much bigger than Beach Club. Direct pricing, with incentives, is just slightly higher than buying Poly re-sale. Your direct points are unrestricted. Considering the length of the contract, there will be retained re-sale value for a long time. Meaning, RIV ultimately would be much cheaper than Beach Club. (After 20 years, Beach Club will be worthless. After 20 years, Riv can still give you another 28 years of vacations OR can be re-sold probably for close to what you paid for it, in the first place). We have stayed at RIV for Food and Wine -- The skyliner makes access during the day and evening a pleasure 98% of the time. Yes, a large thunderstorm can shut down the skyliner. And the skyliner can be a mess 5 minutes after fireworks end. (Good strategy is to skip the last 5 minutes of fireworks, at which point the skyliner is still a pleasure). But Riviera is my favorite Epcot/DHS area resort for a long list of reasons. And financially, it makes the most sense.

So if Beach Club is your first choice -- I do believe in staying where you want to stay, but renting points may be better than buying. If owning in the Epcot area is your first choice, I'd urge you to look at RIviera.

Direct incentives right now for RIV, for a 150 pt contract equal to $8.00 per point off or $199/pt and resale looks like anywhere between $138 to $155 depending on size of the contract, so who knows what that will look like in 20 years, but I agree that this is probably a better route to look into (direct) than BC (resale) for an Epcot area resort. I was hoping to start with a small resale contract first however to try things out before diving into direct. I'd like to think that would be at the new Poly tower, but who knows what that will look like and maybe I won't like it. I don't care for the style of RIV, (based on walk-thru videos I've watched) but I haven't stayed there so I really shouldn't pass judgement. I guess we should probably just rent points again for our next trip..stay at RIV and see what we think.

 

[havoc315]

Direct incentives right now for RIV, for a 150 pt contract equal to $8.00 per point off or $199/pt and resale looks like anywhere between $138 to $155 depending on size of the contract, so who knows what that will look like in 20 years, but I agree that this is probably a better route to look into (direct) than BC (resale) for an Epcot area resort. I was hoping to start with a small resale contract first however to try things out before diving into direct. I'd like to think that would be at the new Poly tower, but who knows what that will look like and maybe I won't like it. I don't care for the style of RIV, (based on walk-thru videos I've watched) but I haven't stayed there so I really shouldn't pass judgement. I guess we should probably just rent points again for our next trip..stay at RIV and see what we think.

Yes. I would not encourage you to buy a resort you don't love, just because it represents a good value.
If your family is truly in love with Beach Club, I would make that my "home resort" ... but it doesn't mean I'd buy DVC there. I'd stay there with cash rooms, DVC rental points.... With the flexibility of knowing that there might be times I can't get a good cash rate/rental at Beach Club, so I might go someplace else.

It's a balance... what resort you love, and consideration of the value.

I'll say this for Riviera though -- A lot of people who might have been ambivalent, actually love it after they stay there. (and some people go in the opposite direction).
So you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't consider Riviera. But you shouldn't force yourself to love it. Either you love it, in which case the values match up, and you purchase it. Or you don't love it, and you look at your other options.

 

[Nursemanit]

Direct incentives right now for RIV, for a 150 pt contract equal to $8.00 per point off or $199/pt and resale looks like anywhere between $138 to $155 depending on size of the contract, so who knows what that will look like in 20 years, but I agree that this is probably a better route to look into (direct) than BC (resale) for an Epcot area resort. I was hoping to start with a small resale contract first however to try things out before diving into direct. I'd like to think that would be at the new Poly tower, but who knows what that will look like and maybe I won't like it. I don't care for the style of RIV, (based on walk-thru videos I've watched) but I haven't stayed there so I really shouldn't pass judgement. I guess we should probably just rent points again for our next trip..stay at RIV and see what we think.

You should rent points and try it, RIV is in my bottom 5 - but I stay in hotels all over the - US pre-covid up to 110 nights a year for business. My aversion to RIV is that it is too much like a convention/business hotel so not " vacationy " to me compared to BW or Poly.
If that is not your background - you would be missing out on the newest and best-designed rooms plus easy access to F&W and much fewer screaming children than BC (SAB can have the decibels of a Jet taking off). One of the reasons that Disney is building towers (GDT, RR, BLT), is that it is easier to get around and more suited to Florida's climate. it can downpour and you can get food without getting wet ( not so easy at BW or BC and forget it at Poly)

 

[shreddedshoe]

For me, Stormalong Bay has actually become a negative. It was GREAT when my kids were adolescents to tweens....
But now that my kids are older teens, and more off on their own, we don't need to sit around with them at an overcrowded overly loud quasi-water park.

Which raises a good point -- When picking your home resort (and deciding whether to purchase DVC at all), one should consider that their preferences may change over time. I see a lot of people say, "we want a Magic Kingdom resort because we have little kids and MK is the best park for them" -- But those kids only stay little for a few years. Kids grows. Family size changes (as do the need for different sized rooms). It can be really challenging to do it, but it's important to try to think long term preferences.
If I had purchased in 2010 instead of 2019, I probably would have purchased BLT or Beach Club. I ended up purchasing Riviera, and at this stage in my life, Riviera is a lot better than BLT or Riviera. (and hopefully, that's the way I still feel in 10 years.)

Great point! Our daughter loves SAB, but she's not picky when it comes to pools, so wherever we end up she'll love just the same regardless of theme. Its BC's proximity to Epcot that does it for us, plus also having the ferry and skyliner for HS. After staying at Poly a few weeks ago to test the monorail to Epcot, we still prefer BC's access. We have not tried BW, but like BC, that short shelf life is looking more concerning, so I think it is worth giving RIV a try...since that's really the only alternative to BW and BC...other than Swolphin.

 

[shreddedshoe]

Yes. I would not encourage you to buy a resort you don't love, just because it represents a good value.
If your family is truly in love with Beach Club, I would make that my "home resort" ... but it doesn't mean I'd buy DVC there. I'd stay there with cash rooms, DVC rental points.... With the flexibility of knowing that there might be times I can't get a good cash rate/rental at Beach Club, so I might go someplace else.

It's a balance... what resort you love, and consideration of the value.

I'll say this for Riviera though -- A lot of people who might have been ambivalent, actually love it after they stay there. (and some people go in the opposite direction).
So you'd be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't consider Riviera. But you shouldn't force yourself to love it. Either you love it, in which case the values match up, and you purchase it. Or you don't love it, and you look at your other options.

 

[shreddedshoe]

And this is exactly why I posted here! These are the comments/opinions/advice and thoughts that I need to hear. You are right of course. RIV is worth considering...especially since that's the only alternative at the moment to BC/BW (not counting Swolphin). And after going through all these replies with my husband, he goes online to look at room tours...something I've been nagging him to do...and now he wants to stay at RIV. So our next trip will be to RIV.

 

[havoc315]

And this is exactly why I posted here! These are the comments/opinions/advice and thoughts that I need to hear. You are right of course. RIV is worth considering...especially since that's the only alternative at the moment to BC/BW (not counting Swolphin). And after going through all these replies with my husband, he goes online to look at room tours...something I've been nagging him to do...and now he wants to stay at RIV. So our next trip will be to RIV.

It’s hard to dislike the rooms at Riviera. They really are just elegant, large, functional, beautiful. There certainly are things people may dislike about the resort but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone say anything very negative about the rooms.

Even Riviera haters generally like the rooms.

 

[shreddedshoe]

You should rent points and try it, RIV is in my bottom 5 - but I stay in hotels all over the - US pre-covid up to 110 nights a year for business. My aversion to RIV is that it is too much like a convention/business hotel so not " vacationy " to me compared to BW or Poly.
If that is not your background - you would be missing out on the newest and best-designed rooms plus easy access to F&W and much fewer screaming children than BC (SAB can have the decibels of a Jet taking off). One of the reasons that Disney is building towers (GDT, RR, BLT), is that it is easier to get around and more suited to Florida's climate. it can downpour and you can get food without getting wet ( not so easy at BW or BC and forget it at Poly)

Yeah, it's a bit of a trek from the DVC longhouses over to the lobby at the Poly...even longer in the rain...been there, done that! I do love the theming though, but would like to stay in a 1 bedroom. The tower of course will fix that there, but I know if my husband had to choose, he would pick an Epcot resort. So we're going to rent points again and give RIV a try for our next trip.

 

[shreddedshoe]

It’s hard to dislike the rooms at Riviera. They really are just elegant, large, functional, beautiful. There certainly are things people may dislike about the resort but I don’t think I’ve seen anyone say anything very negative about the rooms.

Even Riviera haters generally like the rooms.

I've read that quite a bit...so many starting off hating on RIV...style, theming, restrictions...and then they try it and next thing they know they own there. We're going to give it try for our next trip. Can't hurt!

 

[shreddedshoe]

Your not risk free with buying BC now- your kinda in the yellow zone ( but closer to green than red)

1. Forget booking BC at 7 months - that may happen some years but the odds of a week at BC @7 months are poor. This should simplify the equation.

2. You only have 18 use years ( not 19) at BC left ( 2022 is booked and there are no 2042 points)

3. Assuming a 1 week November stay in a 1 br each year, you need 250 points BC. so 45 k is the buy in or $10 per point (4500 points) then add maintenance you are just under $18 per point. So you come in under renting by about $750 to 1k a year.

4. Stop worrying about the end date if you are saving $750 to 1k each year. You could save up to 15k vs. renting points over the life of this contract. Also the value will not likely not drop to zero as long as there are points left.

5. if you wanted to skip years you will not break even renting when taxes are considered ( hense the risk)

The math is tight - so if that is too much risk consider BW since it is cheaper - or for the lowest risk RR Direct ( PVB unlike BC can be usually be rented at 7 months )

I had not thought about suggesting BWV as @Nursemanit did. What is it that your husband loves about BCV? If it's the proximity to Epcot and being on crescent lake then Boardwalk may work for you guys. If it's stormalong bay there's no match, though I do personally like Boardwalk's slide better than any other I've been on at any Disney resort including Beach Club's. Boardwalk is due for a full refurb in 2023 so they will likely be getting the murphy beds and the rooms will be all new. (Can't wait for this!) Boardwalk also has bookable views, which is important to me because I like AM coffee and PM wine on the balcony. The point chart for a 1BR Boardwalk view is similar to Beach Club's 1BR, but if you go standard view 1BR at Boardwalk you could save a ton of points and likely end up with the same kind of view you would have had at Beach Club. A 1BR standard view at Boardwalk is less than 170 points for a week in November assuming it's not Thanksgiving week, but even that is only 176 points. Standard 1 Bedrooms are pretty easy to grab at 11 months at BWV because a lot of people go for the super low point studios and the Boardwalk rooms are all lock offs.

Honestly...we stayed there (BC). We didn't get a chance to check out BW on that trip but after reading these posts we agreed that on our next trip, we will. We have also decided to give RIV a try as well. And then we will see.

 

[shreddedshoe]

All this! Such great commentary and so appreciated! Again, why I posted my initial question. I was only scratching the surface with my initial thoughts and experience to date, but when you really get into the weeds and numbers for that matter, there really is a lot more to take into consideration. And an ever growing case of FOMO doesn't help either. I did have in the back of my mind that we probably need another trip before diving into this any further. And thanks to everyone's insight, that's what our plan is going to be. So our next trip will be RIV for F&W next year. I still want to go next Spring Break..that was the original plan and its my Bday...but my husband now really wants to try RIV for F&W, so we will do that. I might still try to fit something quick in though...it is my bday after all! Thank you again everyone for your time and invaluable advice!

 

[Sandisw]

And this is exactly why I posted here! These are the comments/opinions/advice and thoughts that I need to hear. You are right of course. RIV is worth considering...especially since that's the only alternative at the moment to BC/BW (not counting Swolphin). And after going through all these replies with my husband, he goes online to look at room tours...something I've been nagging him to do...and now he wants to stay at RIV. So our next trip will be to RIV.

I have to say when it was first announced I didn’t thank Id like it or ever buy…once I saw it up close we feel in love.

We originally bought BLT when it opened and have bought and sold a lot to get to what we have now.

We love the tower and love the laid back feel after being at the parks. And, many of the SV rooms have firework views which are hard to get if you don’t own there.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

I am in no way trying to talk you out of BC or BW, but I am glad you’re open to giving Riviera a try. We did BC for a split stay and really enjoyed it. Walking to/from Epcot was great, and Stormalong was fun. Hurricane Hanna’s was decent poolside grub. If it was in active direct sales (and not $200+pp!) I would consider adding on there a small contract for yearly long weekends. But . . . we really love the layout of the Riviera rooms for relaxing vacations. There’s so much usable space, and they don’t get the pinch points like other resorts do.

I am interested in Poly 2.0 tower and hope they continue to tweak and perfect the room layouts even further! The Riviera Tower Studios, I think, are 85% right for cheap points for a couple/solo, but they need to shrink the bathroom and put more living space in the room. Curious if Poly 2.0 will improve that category.

Nice thing with DVC, yes, definitely buy where you want to stay, but you DO have other options to try for the next 20+years, in most cases.

 

[McCrae]

Should you decide to buy my advice would be keep it simple.
By that I mean don’t fall into the trap of buying multiple contracts at different resorts. It’s much easier to manage your points and vacation bookings if you choose one resort and If you are buying resale buy all your points with the same use year.
How many points should you buy? Since this is a longer term commitment I would suggest you would want to consider staying in a 1br rather than a studio. That extra space once your daughter grows up will be invaluable.
It looks like you will visit every 2 years. On that basis I would buy half the points you would need to stay every year and through banking and borrowing you will have enough points to cover your trip.
If you buy direct and with the new Poly Tower you may decide to do that , depending on how many points you buy I would ask for split contracts, 50 points per contract.
Should you decide to reduce your holdings at a later date smaller contracts tend to sell for a higher price.

 

[shreddedshoe]

I am in no way trying to talk you out of BC or BW, but I am glad you’re open to giving Riviera a try. We did BC for a split stay and really enjoyed it. Walking to/from Epcot was great, and Stormalong was fun. Hurricane Hanna’s was decent poolside grub. If it was in active direct sales (and not $200+pp!) I would consider adding on there a small contract for yearly long weekends. But . . . we really love the layout of the Riviera rooms for relaxing vacations. There’s so much usable space, and they don’t get the pinch points like other resorts do.

I am interested in Poly 2.0 tower and hope they continue to tweak and perfect the room layouts even further! The Riviera Tower Studios, I think, are 85% right for cheap points for a couple/solo, but they need to shrink the bathroom and put more living space in the room. Curious if Poly 2.0 will improve that category.

Nice thing with DVC, yes, definitely buy where you want to stay, but you DO have other options to try for the next 20+years, in most cases.

No, I know. I appreciate your viewpoint. I've been watching room/resort tour videos now of Riviera and we're definitely going to check it out on our next trip. I am interested in the Poly tower as well and wish they would announce whether it will be a new association or not.

 

[RoseGold]

Yes. I would not encourage you to buy a resort you don't love, just because it represents a good value.

I would. I've gotten to stay everywhere I wanted with my cheap SSR points, except BW view, but I did book it once! But I travel off peak in mostly 1BRs.

I think it depends on how flexible you are and when you are traveling. Everytime I am traveling, I know I can at least get a savanna view 1BR, and that's an OK backup for me. YMMV.