Newbie question

[bluejean]

My husband and I took the tour and got the sales pitch for Saratoga Springs a couple of days ago. We're about ready to buy, but I'm concerned about the importance of the home resort. I really like the location better of both Boardwalk and Beach Club Villas. Our guide said it doesn't matter at all which one you buy because you can stay at any one you want and we would never have to stay at Saratoga Springs. But when I read the posts here, it seems that it does matter. The incentives are nice for Saratoga Springs, but would I be better off buying resale points for Beach Club Villas?

 

[cewait]

Others will have comments, but from where I set, the Home resort only makes a difference in your ability to reserve a villa if you travel during peak times (i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, etc.) That's because you are allowed to reserve eleven months out at your home resort and only seven months out at the other resorts.

So, you make a ressie at you home resort 11 months out then at the seven month window, start trying for the resort that you want. It won't always work, but from what I have read, it seems to work most of the time.

Anyway, that's what I am banking on.

 

[jmminarik]

The common wisdom is to buy where you want to stay the most (or my spin, where you don't mind staying the most). BW and BC seem to be very popular choices for people so getting the room(s) you want at 7 months can be difficult if you plan on going during the popular DVC times of the year...those are mainly the same times Disney's popular with the notable exception of the first two weeks of december. Those weeks are low park attendence but high dvc useage since the points costs are low.

If you go with SSR, the common wisdom seems to be reserve what you want at 11 months at your home resort, then at 7 months see if the resort you wish to visit has rooms available...if so, cancel your home resort and rebook the desired resort. If not, just keep your existing ressies.

Not hearing exactly what your guide said I won't call them on the carpet in this case, but guides have been known to not fully tell the information about the importance of the 7/11 month windows.
Fortunately you learned about this board before you bought...unlike some of me.

-Joe

 

[lacool]

If you are young enough, those extra ten years at Saratoga Springs might sway you in that direction, regardless of where you want to stay the most. If you liked the looks of SSR, and are willing to stay there if need be, then I'd seriously consider it before choosing the BW or BC for location.

Of course that is easy for me to say. I own at the BWV!

 

[Granny]

If you have a lot of interest in a Boardwalk view room at BWV, you'll probably want to purchase there given their new booking policy.

Of course, they could change that tomorrow.

Personally, I think the home advantage is very important wherever you buy. I like to book at the 11 month window, getting a lot of peace of mind that I'm probably going to get what type of accommodation I want.

If you want to book BCV or BWV for the Food & Wine Festival time period, you have a MUCH better chance if you own at one of them.

But that extra 12 years is an attractive lure for SSR.

 

[JimC]

The home resort advantage is important at peak DVC times of the year Thanksgiving to year-end and the other traditional WDW peak times of year. Mid-October to Mid November is becoming busier due to Food & Wine festival, Halloween, golf classic and 10K run. 11 month advantage is also important for reserving GV.

If those don't apply to you or you are flexible on the reosrt and arrangements for peak times, the 7 month window should work fine.

Your age and the value of the longer contract is likely to be the more improtant issue for you for SSR vs resale at another resort.

 

[ArnyVee]

It really depends on where you would want to stay and at what times of the year you stay as well.

For instance, you would think that mid-October and early November is off-season for WDW. Well, for the parks themselves it is, but for DVC members it's one of the busiest because of the Food & Wine festival.

I own a small contract and it's at OKW and I just got a wailist request come through for me after a few weeks of waiting. I was on the waitlist for both BWV and BCV with not much of a chance to stay because it was entirely booked.

With SSR having such an advantage in the number of years and lower 'buy-in' (although some resales are at a lower price with banked points...see www.DVCByResale.com) as opposed to the conventional Disney pricing, that it's very attractive.

 

[floridafam]

I haven't read all the posts but I don't agree that you can stay anywhere you want whenever you want.

There are certain times of the year where it is quite difficult to book a room at certain resorts.

If you think you are going to be staying at BCV or BWV most often then I would buy there assuming there are any pts left there.

Yes, there is some truth to what your guide said. I've read a lot of posts about people who have never stayed at their home resort.

What times are you going to be traveling?

 

[bluejean]

Thanks for all of the information. I'm still not sure what to do. We would most likely be traveling at the end of March or the beginning of June or mid to late August. Are those busy DVC times?

 

[PamOKW]

The times you are planning on traveling are about in the middle in terms of demand. School being in session has a lot to do with high demand times. Early June, some schools aren't out yet. Mid-August, some schools are back in session. End of March, unless it's Easter, most winter breaks are over although you might still have some college Spring Break'ers.

 

[Terry S]

bluejean, I haven't read all the replies yet, but did you ask your guide if there was points left at BCV or BWV? Last I heard there was some available at BWV and there was a waitlist at BCV that seems to be coming through in less than a week.

 

[bluejean]

Thanks for the tip. I have a call into our guide. I'll ask him about buying into one of the other resorts when he calls me back. I assumed they were unavailable.