Opinions from those who've been there

[jnamadison]

So my wife and I have been looking at the numbers and for our situation, it looks as though DVC will fit our situation quite nicely.

As evidenced below, my family has been going to WDW for a number of years. I've come to admit my addiction to Disney and hope to share that experience with my kids.

The request for opinions comes with the ever-present discussion of home resort. We have narrowed down our choices to BLT and SSR. Our recurring trips (and one planned for Sept 2015) is usually with family. We're looking at buying points to cover all of the family every 3rd year. We can buy a contract big enough for all of us at SSR now, or we can get the smaller one at BLT and buy more points at a later time. It doesn't seem to be an issue to rent/transfer points to cover us for this trip, but the question of whether we should purchase BLT (and have to rent points until the 2nd purchase) or save money overall by buying the bigger contract at SSR now.

We have stayed at SSR and know that we do like it, however the location with BLT is something we feel will be invaluable to us with the little ones over the next 10 years. We are open to traveling at most times of the year, so the 11/7 month windows aren't as big of a deal. We do hope to do a Christmas trip at some point with the kids, but that might still be a few years off. We would also like to try out different resorts at some point or another. AKV with the savannah view has been tossed around, along with trying BCV or BWV down the line. Being that we don't get down here as much as it seems a number of DVC owners do, is it worth the extra money?

I'm leaning heavily towards the "buy where you want to be" stance, but maybe the reasons I'm using to validate the higher purchase don't hold water.

Thoughts? Hoping the different perspectives and opinions will give me new things to consider.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Dean]

So my wife and I have been looking at the numbers and for our situation, it looks as though DVC will fit our situation quite nicely.

As evidenced below, my family has been going to WDW for a number of years. I've come to admit my addiction to Disney and hope to share that experience with my kids.

The request for opinions comes with the ever-present discussion of home resort. We have narrowed down our choices to BLT and SSR. Our recurring trips (and one planned for Sept 2015) is usually with family. We're looking at buying points to cover all of the family every 3rd year. We can buy a contract big enough for all of us at SSR now, or we can get the smaller one at BLT and buy more points at a later time. It doesn't seem to be an issue to rent/transfer points to cover us for this trip, but the question of whether we should purchase BLT (and have to rent points until the 2nd purchase) or save money overall by buying the bigger contract at SSR now.

We have stayed at SSR and know that we do like it, however the location with BLT is something we feel will be invaluable to us with the little ones over the next 10 years. We are open to traveling at most times of the year, so the 11/7 month windows aren't as big of a deal. We do hope to do a Christmas trip at some point with the kids, but that might still be a few years off. We would also like to try out different resorts at some point or another. AKV with the savannah view has been tossed around, along with trying BCV or BWV down the line. Being that we don't get down here as much as it seems a number of DVC owners do, is it worth the extra money?

I'm leaning heavily towards the "buy where you want to be" stance, but maybe the reasons I'm using to validate the higher purchase don't hold water.

Thoughts? Hoping the different perspectives and opinions will give me new things to consider.

Thanks in advance.

It's a decision you'll ultimately have to make. BLT will be more and give you options for BLT that SSR will not. Owning BLT will also give you access to the cheaper rooms there that will not be available using SSR as a rule. However, if I read your post correctly, you'd have to compromise on the number of points you buy to buy BLT. The size of the group every third year would affect my personal recommendation. Assuming you're looking at a 1 BR at BLT now and a 2 BR in a few years then every third year say two 2BR units at SSR all for a week, I think you're looking at a need of around 300 on off yrs and 600 on family trip years or a little more. That means roughly 400-450 total with those assumptions depending on targeted season, etc. This puts you close to where 2 home resorts (SSR & BLT maybe) would be a reasonable choice as long as you stay away from small contracts of under around 150. Or if you're thinking part of the time you'll do other resorts, more SSR & less BLT might be in order. One approach, and likely the best one, is to come up with answers to the questions of how many points and where you'd like to stay over time and then back into how many points you need and where you need them at. Once you have that info you should know how many points you'd need at say SSR vs BLT. Here are a few scenarios pulling from the assumptions above.

• Buy BLT now say 200-300 pts and see how it goes then add on later, ? SSR.
• Buy SSR points now say 300-400 and re-evalutate the add on for later.

For me personally trying to put myself in you position, it'd really come down on how tied I was to BLT or it's location. Another thought would be to buy SSR now and wait for the Poly and buy retail there at first offering. Another option given the size of your need is to plan for the 2 resorts in the next few years but go smaller and look to add a third resort in a few years if you still have the need. The advantage of this option is that you'll have more long term options and end up with even better long term decisions. The risk is the additional costs related to extra closing and the inherent higher pp costs of smaller contracts.

 

[jnamadison]

It's a decision you'll ultimately have to make. BLT will be more and give you options for BLT that SSR will not. Owning BLT will also give you access to the cheaper rooms there that will not be available using SSR as a rule. However, if I read your post correctly, you'd have to compromise on the number of points you buy to buy BLT. The size of the group every third year would affect my personal recommendation. Assuming you're looking at a 1 BR at BLT now and a 2 BR in a few years then every third year say two 2BR units at SSR all for a week, I think you're looking at a need of around 300 on off yrs and 600 on family trip years or a little more. That means roughly 400-450 total with those assumptions depending on targeted season, etc. This puts you close to where 2 home resorts (SSR & BLT maybe) would be a reasonable choice as long as you stay away from small contracts of under around 150. Or if you're thinking part of the time you'll do other resorts, more SSR & less BLT might be in order. One approach, and likely the best one, is to come up with answers to the questions of how many points and where you'd like to stay over time and then back into how many points you need and where you need them at. Once you have that info you should know how many points you'd need at say SSR vs BLT. Here are a few scenarios pulling from the assumptions above.

• Buy BLT now say 200-300 pts and see how it goes then add on later, ? SSR.
• Buy SSR points now say 300-400 and re-evalutate the add on for later.

For me personally trying to put myself in you position, it'd really come down on how tied I was to BLT or it's location. Another thought would be to buy SSR now and wait for the Poly and buy retail there at first offering. Another option given the size of your need is to plan for the 2 resorts in the next few years but go smaller and look to add a third resort in a few years if you still have the need. The advantage of this option is that you'll have more long term options and end up with even better long term decisions. The risk is the additional costs related to extra closing and the inherent higher pp costs of smaller contracts.

It's somewhat self-validating reading your post, given that we are considering 200-250 at BLT, or 300 at SSR. With a probable add-on in the event of BLT or a possible add-on in the event of SSR.

Right now it would be more limited to the trip every 3 years given the family will be at 10 with 6 adults. We've actually looked at either sharing GV's, or doing 2 2's. We could make those work, but until we buy a 2nd contract with a BLT purchase, we'd have to rent/transfer points to accomplish our goal.

With my preference for BLT for the next few trips (given the ages of my kids), I'm very much leaning towards that purchase, with an eye on adding more points later.

Still going over all the options with the wife though.

Guess I'll have to wait and see, but so far I'm not that intrigued by the Poly expansion. When we stayed at the Shades of Green a few years ago, walking to the Poly to catch the monorail/bus was the easiest way to go anywhere. I'll reserve final judgement for seeing it completed, but I can't currently imagine I'd ever do more than try it one trip just to check it off the list.

We've looked at off-site timeshares as well, but having tested those waters, and then following that up with a stay at SSR, we've decided the on property life is for us. And if we're going to spend DVC type money anyways, might as well get the most for our money.

Thank you for the different ideas to think about.

 

[bookem]

I too was looking at both BLT and SSR. BLT for the closeness to MK and SSR based on being able to buy more points upfront. After losing a contract for BLT to rofr, I decided SSR was the better choice. My main reason for choosing SSR was the price that allowed me to get more points now. Also we plan to stay at all the resorts so I could always go on the waitlist for both BLT and VWL if I want to be close to MK. And if I can't get anywhere else at 7 months SSR is still better than the value resort I would be staying in if I wasn't in DVC (IMO). With SSR you get the lower price per point, lower dues, longer lease, and it's walking distance to DTD.

 

[supersnoop]

Buy both?

 

[DizBub]

We are BLT owners who love SSR. IMHO you can't go wrong with choosing either resort.

With little ones the ability to walk back and forth from MK is invaluable but transportation to and from the other parks and DTD is frustrating.

We have found that the bus service is surprisingly good to and from SSR and the access to DTD is priceless. SSR does offer more for kids. Our grandkids love it there.

Both have similar contract lengths. We only stay in standard villas at BLT because we want to maximize our points and that takes the 11 month booking window. Both have similar MFs. Resale prices will give you more SSR points.

Knowing what I know today we should have bought SSR.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[dmaxphil]

We are open to traveling at most times of the year, so the 11/7 month windows aren't as big of a deal.

If you don't see this changing then I would rank cost (the ability to buy more points) as the more important factor. You already said you like SSR, so if you don't feel like you'd be disappointed with an SSR stay you should buy there. Book an SSR stay at 11 months and at 7 months, try for BLT or elsewhere.

IMO both BLT and SSR are great values.

 

[disneynutz]

The problem with any purchase is that things will change.

You think that you want a certain resort, after staying at all of them a couple of times that may change.

You think that you will vacation at WDW every 2 or 3 years, that will change.

MK is your favorite park, that may change.

Most assume that they can get the resort they want, when they want at 7 months, IMO that is changing. Seems like there are more waitlist posts and "what should I do" posts.

After a few years of WDW vacations you have done it all. You will still enjoy Disney but you begin to see behind the curtain. You may ask yourself why are you getting up for rope drop, fighting the crowds to stand for in line for 30 minutes for a 5 minute ride that you have been on 20 times.

Bill

 

[bookem]

After a few years of WDW vacations you have done it all. You will still enjoy Disney but you begin to see behind the curtain. You may ask yourself why are you getting up for rope drop, fighting the crowds to stand for in line for 30 minutes for a 5 minute ride that you have been on 20 times.

Bill

I can't wait for this to be the case! To be able to relax and really enjoy everything that Disney offers is why I bought into DVC.

 

[disneynutz]

I can't wait for this to be the case! To be able to relax and really enjoy everything that Disney offers is why I bought into DVC.

There are so many things to do at Disney. A couple of years ago I stayed up all night and watched the crews decorating the resorts for Christmas. It is really a well orchestrated show.

Bill

 

[Minniesgal]

We can't go again until 2016 due to work restrictions so we rented out 2014 points. I am currently half thinking through our next trip in 2016. As we are currently in Australia we were thinking Aulani but my 11 year old is missing Orlando and fighting to go back which is kinda a little where my heart I seen though my head thinks we should try Aulani while it is a nine hour flight away as we are UK normally. To try and make the decision I asked him to list his 6 favourite things to do at Orlando and he did without even touching the parks.

His list.

Watching the animals from our balcony at Kidani
Watching the monorail from BLT
Swimming
Food
Mini golf
Renting boats on bay lake

I could well see us doing 10 night split between Kidani and BLT and never setting foot in a park. Even if we decide to do park tickets it will be a couple of hours to hit a favourite then back to do other things at the resorts.