"peak times" looking

dman

Earning My Ears
Joined
Nov 13, 2001
Messages
3
I'm not yet a DVC member tho a twice yearly visitor to one or another DisneyWorld resort. We just got back from the 7 night DCL Carribean Cruise and are now totally hooked.

How difficult is getting your home or another resort during "peak weeks" esp spring break weeks such as 3/25 - 4/15

I assume you can always get the home resort but what about others?

Also is there a point spreadsheet on the web I've seen the calculator but it is tedious, and I think I had a grid in my hands after taking the tour a year or so ago? Can you send or me refer me to a recent one?

Don
 
Try this link for the point charts: http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dvc/7_DVCCharts/pointcharts.htm
I see that it hasn't been updated with the 2002 charts, tho. Other than holidays moving around, there aren't any changes.

There's no way to tell whether you'll be able to get into a non-home resort at the seven month mark. I've been successful the couple of times I tried to do it, but others haven't. The thing about peak weeks, tho, is that they mean peak points, and peak crowds too. So many members prefer to avoid those weeks. That gives everybody else a chance.

Good luck with your decision!
 
I must say that although I've heard some people have not been able to get their desired ressies at the 7 month window we have not had a problem. Every time I call MS they have been able to fill my ressie without a hitch.

One thing we do tho is to reserve at the 11 month window at our home resort and they change the reservation at the 7 month window to the resort we really want. That way we have a guaranteed ressie even if the non-home resort is unavailable.

Like I said tho, we have never had an issue at the 7 month window.
 
I own at BWV, which is home, and have had problems getting reservations there after the 7 month window, but have never had a problem trying to get into OKW, even within 2 months (but then again it wasn't during 'peak' times).
 

At 11 months out at home resort you will have no problem at all. At 7 months at a non-home resort it will be hit or miss. When we have called at 7 months for Easter time we have found no availability at BWV but some at OKW.

You can review point charts at the following site:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dvc/7_DVCCharts/pointcharts.htm

It is currently showing charts only through 2001. However, you can still use it to determine what it would be for 2002. The points required don't change. What does change is particular weeks applicable to Easter. The 2001 charts will have the points for those weeks from April 7 to 21. For 2002 the same point totals apply to March 23 to April 6.
 
I've also never had a problem getting in during peak periods within a few months of the date, but usually at OKW- which is great. If you want BWV, you usually need to reserve at the home resort window of 11 or 7 months. You will find the peak periods to be very crowded, so you start avoiding them if you can. We used our points to stay AKL during opening week this past April. The points were pricey, but it was a special, unique experience

What you will find if you join DVC is you will want to stretch your points for max time possible! You will start saying, I'll take the kids out of school for a few days for non peak periods, etc... or to stretch those points to take a DCL cruise....

I have found DVC to be a really worthwhile investment. We have stayed At BWV & OKW numerous times, used points at the Plaza in NYC, been on 2 cruises & Hilton Head. It's a bit more expensive than some other timeshares, but you are assured of that Disney quality, which you sometimes do not get with some of those other ones. The Hilton Head resort in SC is wonderful too. There are many options to suit your vacation preferences.

:)
 
I'm new at this and planning to come in January 2003 which is not peak (far from it) but I see some people say that it can be peak DVC time...will I need to call day by day for BWV? (my home) at 11 months?
 
Thanx for all of your feedback, does anyone know why the OKW cost/point and maint/point are so much lower?
 
Well, now you've done it!

You had no way of knowing, but this board is the scene of periodic battles over which resort is the best. It's likely that this thread will degenerate into one of them, so be prepared!
 
Originally posted by PKS44
I'm new at this and planning to come in January 2003 which is not peak (far from it) but I see some people say that it can be peak DVC time...will I need to call day by day for BWV? (my home) at 11 months?

My home resort is also BWV. The only time I have called day by day is when I wanted to be absolutely sure I got a standard view room. Standard view rooms seem to book up fairly quickly, no matter what the season. Even so, I probably could have called just once and still ended up with my week in a standard view room.

IMHO, you should not have to call day by day at 11 months to book BWV in January - especially if you will be booking a preferred view room. But if a standard view is important to you (less points), then I would still recommend you call day by day at 11 months. To me, it's worth the peace of mind.
 
Originally posted by dman
Thanx for all of your feedback, does anyone know why the OKW cost/point and maint/point are so much lower?

This is only speculation on my part, but I think that there are basically two reasons. One, OKW has many more units/rooms than the other DVC resorts, so operating costs are spread over a larger number of units (economy of scale). Two, BWV and VWL are more like hotels than OKW and provide some amenities that OKW doesn't. For example, BWV and VWL have valet parking, room service and pool slides. JMHO. YMMV.
 
As to January you should have no problem getting anything 11 months out by calling 11 months before expected date of departure from WDW. As to different point costs and maintenance fees for BWV and OKW, the main reasons are possibly the following:

1. Point Cost: Essentially all of OKW was built 3 to 5 years before BWV. Point costs bear a relationship to construction costs.The developer, who paid the construction costs, gets its investment back and profit mainly from selling at a higher number than its costs of construction; it can reach that goal by selling more total points or raising the price per point or doing a combination of both (Disney tends to do both). That time lag between the resorts' construction periods means the cost of construction per sq. ft. for BWV was higher than OKW. Also, BWV has the better location in the center of the Epcot area justifying a higher per night point cost. Finally, to a significant extent with OKW, Disney was going out on a limb--its first entry into the timeshare business which at the time was considered a business full of many cheats. It certainly did not want to set up a point system that would appear in any way too high at the time, and once set the point totals cannot be changed for that particular resort. Point totals like at BWV is probably more where Disney (at least in hindsight) would have like to have had OKW. However, the combination it picked at the time OKW opened -- large rooms with reasonable point levels at a reasonable price ($51 with an introductory price even below that)--was obviously correct as it succeeded and led to where the program is now. You should also note that OKW is "significantly lower" only when you compare it to BWV preferred view; BWV standard view is very close to the same point costs as OKW.

2. Dues: the difference in dues reflects a difference in the costs of operating the resorts. BWV is a hotel like resort that has valet service, bell services, room service, a pool that requires lifeguards and has higher maintenance costs, more boats, and other things that add both additional equipment and additional employees (and employee costs are well in excess of 50% of a resort's costs and your dues). Thus the difference between the two reflects the difference in operating costs per member.
 
Originally posted by Jimbo
Well, now you've done it!

You had no way of knowing, but this board is the scene of periodic battles over which resort is the best. It's likely that this thread will degenerate into one of them, so be prepared!

LOL, oh well that's a newbie for ya......I really do wanna know "which is best" ?????

I'm thinking BW as there seems to be alot to do restuarants, etc....close to all, we've stayed at WL hotel, it's very nice and close to the MK but far from food and shops....

With kids 4 and 8yo I don't see VB or HH as the "right place", we used to go to VB and stay at the in-laws condo (they were in Michigan) Vero is definately a retirement community, not a lot for the kids......

Hmmm, where should I buy?
Don
 
you can use my spreadsheet program. Click below for screenshots. The example shows an OKW ressie, 1-B/R for 6 nights, Mar 10th - Mar 15th, which is in Magic Season.

You simply click on any date(s) to select them. Click on any resort (OKW, BWV) to select it, click on any room type (Studio, 1-B/R), and view type if available. The program automatically calculates points required, and will generate a report.

Click Here for screenshot of calendar selection page

Click here for screenshot of report page

You can get a copy of this spreadsheet by going to the original posting for it. (Click Here to go to original post) From there you can follow the link to the download site.
 
Originally posted by dman
Thanx for all of your feedback, does anyone know why the OKW cost/point and maint/point are so much lower?
I think the explanations you've gotten as to why the dues are lower is right on. The constructions costs are the main determining factor for the number of points. Think points required times price per point. Some like one resort over another. Most of us have our preferences but they're all great in their own way. If you have a preference, you should likely buy there. If you don't know, I'd wait and visit WDW prior to buying.
 
Where should you buy?
Maybe you should wait until next year and buy at the new Beach Club Villas. That will still be in the same general area as BWV.
 
Originally posted by dianeschlicht
Where should you buy?
Maybe you should wait until next year and buy at the new Beach Club Villas. That will still be in the same general area as BWV.

Or of course, there is the resale market for BWV (though I notice a lot of "sales pending" on the BWV offerings there! Just wanted to mention all your options.
 
There aren't any lifeguards at the pools at OKW either which is a major cost saver. Lack of waterslides probably also means lower insurance premiums too.
 



















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