Newbie needs answers or opinions on joining DVC

[KNICKG]

Just got back from a wonderful ten day vacation at WDW and I was very interested in the DVC. My wife and I took the tour and were blown away by the plan, but is it to good to be true? If anybody could answer some of these questions or add some comments from personal experience, we would greatly appreciate it.

1. Salesman told us if we didn't purchase plan right there, then APR would go from 10% to 13%. True or False?
2. If I buy my deed at Wilderness Lodge can I still make reservations at Old Key West & Boardwalk Villas?
3. How about other resorts in WDW not associated with DVC?
4. Told by salesman that even if I do a spur of the moment vacation, I could still get a room at any other WDW resort. True or False?
5. What is a good # of points to start out with?

I have so many more questions, but I will wait for some comments from the folks who are experiencing DVC as I write

 

[drusba]

1. Not quite true. Generally, they give you 30 days after the presentation to join and lock in the lower rate.

2. Yes, subject to availability and time allowed to make ressie. At home resort you can reserve 11 months out, at others only up to 7. That is an important distinction as it can be difficult at busy times of year to reserve 7 months or less out (and busy by DVC standards is not necessarily the same as busy by WDW in general standards, e.g., first two weeks of December are high DVC demand periods).

3. You can use points for many other WDW hotels--some are not on the list like All Stars, BWI, WL (the latter two are excluded because there is a DVC resort at those locations). For a once in a while excursion that is OK but points required are high, for example, a room at the Grand Floridan requires more points per night than a 1BR at OKW.

4. Sometimes--DVC rooms for many times of year can be fully booked long before you decide on that spur of the last moment vacation (although cancellations may occur). For example, people have reported already that there is nothing available at BWV for early December while others have reported that many summer times are still open. If your question goes to getting a room at a non-DVC WDW resort, the answer is also sometimes, subject to availability and subject to a rule that you cannot call and reserve during the last 60 days of your use year.

5. Number of points depends on a lot of factors. Minimum is 150. However, if your plan is to go a week every year and stay in a 1BR, you would usually need 270 for many times of year

[This message was edited by drusba on 02-26-01 at 12:36 PM.]

 

[SAKPEG99OKW]

Nick, Drusba was correct in all her answers. Just a few observations. My DW (dear wife) and I purchased at BWV. and have never had any problems making reservations at either BWV or OKW. The only problem you might encounter would be making reservations at a DVC resourt other then your home resourt i.e. you purchase at Wilderness but want to stay at Boardwalk duing christmas. This might be a tough time if you do not book 11 months out. Other then that we feel that it's a great plan and we love it. This year we are doing 10 days at OKW in may and 7 days at BWV in December. Is that great or what.

Welcome to the board.

Scott and Peg

OS-1976
AS-1994
AS-1996
PO/cruise-1999
OKW-08/00
OKW-05/01
BWV-12/01

 

[LauraS]

Just adding to the great info already offered...

Certain accomodations are difficult to come by unless you have an 11 month window. For example, owners at VWL would have a difficult time obtaining a Grand Villa at either OKW or BWV at any time of the year. Heck, it's even rough when you have an 11 month window to get a GV at certain times of the year ;o). I just thought that I'd mention this in case you have plans to bring down large groups of family/friends and would like to stay under the same roof. VWL has no grand villas and neither will the new resort DVC resort over at the Beach Club. Those glossy DVC pix of the Grand Villas are very enticing in those brochures and even more enticing in the video, and I just wanted to mention that you need the home resort advantage to get one almost 100% of the time.

Based on my experience and reports from others on this board, BWV accomodations are much more difficult to come by then OKW at certain times of the year. These times are not only holiday periods, but also times when point useage is low for us DVCers like most of November and December.

My point is that you'll always have the best shot of getting what you want at your home resort. This is true especially if you use your 11 month window effectively. If you plan on purchasing at VWL and staying mostly at BWV, you'll need to be more flexible with respect to accomodations and dates. The 11 month window at your home resort is important, and so you should really purchase where you think you'd like to stay the most. If VWL is not that place, then OKW and BWV are available through resale.

If you like visiting WDW at least every other year and enjoy staying on-site at deluxe WDW hotels, well, then the DVC is a great deal. As long as you go into the DVC understanding how the game is played, then you'll save heaps of money over the next 41 years.

Laura

 

[TheWho]

Hi Nick, I'm right down the road in Paramus.
Since BW and OKW are sold out, the only way to buy is a re-sale. If you like WLV, buy direct from Disney. I did, very easy, no closing costs and interest is tax deductable.

stay on this board, there's alot of help here.

Dave

 

[DisneyHumbug]

You guys are just full of information for us newbies - thank you so much. So let's see if I've got this right. I just bought last Friday at VWL. Plan to go this summer and next Feb. Since next Feb. will be a holiday week, I should try for my home resort, correct? And maybe try something else this summer since I'm more flexible.

 

[dianeschlicht]

You won't know until you try for a specific date. Keep in mind that your 11 month window for February is coming up. You can reserve 11 months from the day of check out, so make plans now. As for summer, call and see what you can get.
Good luck and Welcome Home!

Disneydiane

 

[eva]

Humbug you pretty much have the idea. Probably the best thing to do is call MS and ask about the summer trip. Tell them that you are open on the dates. They may be able to find you a reservation at the resort of your choice. I bet OKW will have something. For Presidents' week I would call at the 11 month window and book VWL. If you would like to try for another resort just call at the 7-month window and ask. At least you still have the reservation at VWL if the 7-month window doesn't work out.

 

[wdwnut]

Humbug: follow Eva's advice regarding making ressies; this way you'll be assured of a place to stay. KnickG: do you know we new jerseyans make up a significant portion of the dvcers? must be our lovely weather. the best advice is to buy where you plan to stay the most. if you prefer vwl, buy there; if you prefer bwv or okw, buy there through resale. if you aren't that thrilled with your current guide, ask for a different one. many of the posters here will recommend their guides as reliable and honest. our biggest regret was not buying in when we first heard about it in 93. any other questions, just post.