On the fence, mainly because of home resort ..

[marygrcevic]

Hi all,
Just back from another wonderful trip - this time to AKL with a lovely upgrade to 1-bedroom at the Jambo house (had booked studio directly with Disney) - we really want to purchase a resale DVC, but our main deterrent seems to be worrying about whether we will be able to find availability to do what we like to do .... As far as choosing a home resort - we really don't have a preference because we want to stay at all, eventually!! But we've heard so many stories about how hard it is at that seven month window - can anyone offer insight? We are very flexible, always go weekdays for four to five nights, preferred time of year in late October to early December, always trying to avoid the busiest times...Ideally if we could, we would buy into one of the less expensive home resorts, if we thought we would be able to book other resorts...
Any advise for a newbie?

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

The Oct - Dec time frame is one of the busiest times for DVC so switching at 7 months will be difficult. You should buy at a resort you'd be happy staying at and if you're able to switch all the better. However, it does help that you book 1BRs as they go last.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If you don't have an absolute favorite then the best advice I'd have is to buy at the lowest cost resort that you don't mind staying at when considering both purchase price and dues. Then you'll at least have a resort you like to stay at and any think else you manage to get at 7 months will be for fun to try somewhere else.

As mentioned, the times you like to go are actually the busiest for DVC resort bookings. Summer and even some times in the spring would allow more movement around to other resorts. The size villa you will look to stay in will affect availability too. Studios are popular and go first. 1BR's almost always go last and are going to be the most likely to get at 7 months in the Oct-Dec months. And also the lowest point views - standard or values and concierge are nothing to count on.

So, it's possible to get into other locations than your home resort but it's getting more and more difficult every year for the Oct-Dec time. If you visit every year you also could buy smaller contracts at 2 different resorts and buy using banking or borrowing rotate where you'll stay each year. And then also use waitlists or see what's available to switch to.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

In October, I'd never expect to book outside of home resort for a studio, and even 1BRs are going to be tough. With luck, waitlist, and maybe a willingness to stay at Saratoga, you might switch from home resort in a studio in that time period. But I'd still not expect it.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Hi all,
Just back from another wonderful trip - this time to AKL with a lovely upgrade to 1-bedroom at the Jambo house (had booked studio directly with Disney) - we really want to purchase a resale DVC, but our main deterrent seems to be worrying about whether we will be able to find availability to do what we like to do .... As far as choosing a home resort - we really don't have a preference because we want to stay at all, eventually!! But we've heard so many stories about how hard it is at that seven month window - can anyone offer insight? We are very flexible, always go weekdays for four to five nights, preferred time of year in late October to early December, always trying to avoid the busiest times...Ideally if we could, we would buy into one of the less expensive home resorts, if we thought we would be able to book other resorts...
Any advise for a newbie?

If you consider Vero Beach and Hilton Head Island as less expensive home resorts, you need to check out the annual fees there. Highest of all. And they will continue going up. If your plan is to go to WDW most of the time, buy the WDW resort that you won't mind staying at if you can't change your reservation at seven months out to another resort. You'll want to plan on booking your home resort most of the time, especially for Oct through Dec at eleven months out. If you can't make a reservation at eleven months out, you may have a problem booking anything at a shorter time out.

 

[RichVIII]

We bought the first placed we stayed (BLT). We are always glad we did, I just in hindsight wish we would have maybe tried some more places before we added on since I wish we had more than one home resort advantage. We started with 160, added 50, and added 115. I do think prices will start to fall in the next few months will dues just coming due and some changes that have people thinking. That said, waiting forever won’t do any good either. If you want to regularly stay in a 1bdrm, you will have it easier at the 7 month mark. Good luck with your decision!

 

[marygrcevic]

Thanks so much, to everyone!

 

[Dean]

Hi all,
Just back from another wonderful trip - this time to AKL with a lovely upgrade to 1-bedroom at the Jambo house (had booked studio directly with Disney) - we really want to purchase a resale DVC, but our main deterrent seems to be worrying about whether we will be able to find availability to do what we like to do .... As far as choosing a home resort - we really don't have a preference because we want to stay at all, eventually!! But we've heard so many stories about how hard it is at that seven month window - can anyone offer insight? We are very flexible, always go weekdays for four to five nights, preferred time of year in late October to early December, always trying to avoid the busiest times...Ideally if we could, we would buy into one of the less expensive home resorts, if we thought we would be able to book other resorts...
Any advise for a newbie?

I'd buy SSR in this situation with enough points to cover the other resorts over time and possibly in a higher season than you're looking at. That'll be more than SSR but less than the most expensive options though I wouldn't go under 150 or so. If you're looking at studios or specialty options you may need a cushion of 10-20%. BLT would be my second recommendation esp if you'll take advantage of the standard view option there. You'd then book the home resort at 11 months and try for other options at 7 months wait listing where needed. You'll get to try everything over time but likely not at the point you prefer for all of them. You'd always keep a wait list going for your most desired/difficult options.

 

[msp2mco]

We have owned at SSR and BWV for 10+ years. We can't always book at the 11 month window, nor the 7 month window, but we usually get to stay where we want, and we've stayed everywhere except Poly. We just haven't gotten around to that. We usually rent 2 BRs. In our experience, we have been able to plan far enough in advance for a March spring break trip. Recently, we've made trips that have been planned within a month or two, and nothing has been available. I did add a couple of days onto our March trip the other day and SSR was available. Waitlists have come through for me in the past.

I wouldn't buy at HH or VB, if you really want to use your points at WDW. Even if I don't get the resort I want, I know I can stay at WDW.

 

[gharter]

As mentioned, the time that you are looking at, is a high demand time for WDW. While possible, I would not expect to be able to switch resorts at 7 months. If you don't mind doing a split stay, it may work.
Then you have 2 options, you can buy the cheapest, often SSR, if you don't mind staying there.
Or, as many suggest, buy where you really want to stay. This sounds less relevant for you as you want to try all the resorts eventually.
Our experience is generally renting a 1BR and while not as large in demand, still had trouble getting one outside our home resort at 7 months for October.

 

[holden]

If possible, rent some DVC points and stay at different DVC resorts to determine which you like best.

 

[twinklebug]

If possible, rent some DVC points and stay at different DVC resorts to determine which you like best.

I highly recommend doing this. I rented points and stayed at 4 DVC resorts over 2 stays, and was surprised to find that I loved AKV, and disliked another that I thought I would like. It's money worth spending, plus you can take that DVC tour each time and keep getting free icecream and fastpasses, LOL

 

[DSLRuser]

meh....my 1st 4 stays with DVC since i bought direct have all been NOT at our home. in fact, i have yet to stay at my home resort of Copper creek.

Booked 3 of the 4 trips at 11 months @ home, but switched to another resort (boardwalk and beach club) at 7,6 and 6 months.

Our first trip was booked at 4 months to boardwalk.

plenty of rooms to book at non home resorts.

 

[crisi]

meh....my 1st 4 stays with DVC since i bought direct have all been NOT at our home. in fact, i have yet to stay at my home resort of Copper creek.

Booked 3 of the 4 trips at 11 months @ home, but switched to another resort (boardwalk and beach club) at 7,6 and 6 months.

Our first trip was booked at 4 months to boardwalk.

plenty of rooms to book at non home resorts.

Are you booking during October, November or December? Because if you aren't, your experience has no bearing on what the OP will experience. And if you are, you've been exceptionally lucky.

 

[DSLRuser]

Are you booking during October, November or December? Because if you aren't, your experience has no bearing on what the OP will experience. And if you are, you've been exceptionally lucky.

March, March, May, June

 

[crisi]

March, March, May, June

Yep, that is a completely different story than October, November and December, which is when the OP said they usually go. You can book easily at seven months in March, May and June because so many DVC members want to be there in October, November and December.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

Yep, that is a completely different story than October, November and December, which is when the OP said they usually go. You can book easily at seven months in March, May and June because so many DVC members want to be there in October, November and December.

So, for the life of me, I cannot figure out why there aren't more Oct UY contracts. They're all Dec and Feb. .... The worst for Oct-Dec travel. What the heck?!?! DVC never has points for me to buy direct and I never get good options for resale! Lol

 

[Dean]

So, for the life of me, I cannot figure out why there aren't more Oct UY contracts. They're all Dec and Feb. .... The worst for Oct-Dec travel. What the heck?!?! DVC never has points for me to buy direct and I never get good options for resale! Lol

They sold some UY more than others but I don't think anyone knows why they did the UY the way they did with 8 total and volume of points not evenly spread across the UY's.