Possibly Purchasing Tomorrow...

[DisneyLover0610]

Hi! My husband and I are here now, and have done the tours and meetings and gone back, and forth (for years). Couple questions we have come up with - if anyone has answers, it would be greatly appreciated!

- Our home resort would be GF. While we loved it there this stay, our hearts are at BW & BC for Food and Wine. It seems that as a "regular person" I can book a villa room at 10 months out, so what is the "advantage" to 7 months out? Is there a different "pool" of rooms for DVC members?
- I've read that it can be pretty difficult to find availability in October at the Epcot resorts. We'd be flexible with the dates as long as they fell within F&W. Experience with this?
- Can you still do the dining plan with DVC? While I can do without it, we'd probably bring family along that would want to have it.
- Any other thoughts or advice would be awesome before we sign anything tomorrow am!!
Thanks so much!

 

[OntFamily]

yes, there is a completely different pool of rooms for DVC members (and, different resorts).


For example, Beach Club Resort and Beach Club Villas are two different resorts. DVC rooms are in Beach Club Villas -- which is a separate section of Beach Club.


As a DVC member, you can book your home resort 11 months out. Non home resort can be booked 7 months out.


As a DVC member, you can buy the dining plan (when staying at a DVC resort, while using your DVC points). An advantage for DVC members is you don't need to buy park tickets to get the dining plan (while regular resort guests must buy park tickets). Personal note: I don't think the dining plans are good value.


As a DVC member, you are still eligible for free dining promotions (but you must strictly abide by the free dining rules -- ie you can't use your DVC points, but must pay full rack rate for the hotel, etc).


I've been a DVC member for 7 years, and love it. Only drawback is planning all your vacations 7 to 11 months out. Getting rooms at last minute ( 3 to 4 months out) is a challenge. We've stayed at every DVC Resort except GFV and Hawaii -- and have had great experiences.

 

[MountainMouse]

There was a thread earlier today talking about the difficulty getting Epcot rooms during food and wine. That's one place/time I would say you would need to own to ensure a good booking. Have you looked into resale? It's a lot cheaper. If you're set on buying direct ask what's available at BC or BW. If there isn't anything ask them to call you when there is, it'll give you time to research resale.

 

[magicaldisney]

You really need to own at the Epcot resorts if you want them for Food and Wine. Sure there is a chance you can get something at 7 months owning at VGF, but it wouldn't be worth the stress if the Epcot resorts are really what you have your heart set on for October.

As previously mentioned, you can buy BWV or BCV direct from Disney as well. You might have to wait a little for them to have exactly what you want, but they will get it. Don't rule out the resale market. You could get a better deal if you went that route.

 

[disneynutz]

I suggest the following:

Don't buy until you have done more research and stayed at BCV and BWV.

Buy resale and save a few thousand dollars.

Bill

 

[jdm_dkm]

The best advice I ever got when we purchased was "Buy where you want to stay"

Getting a room at BCV or BWV at 7 months during food and wine is very tough. Buying through the secondary market may be a good choice if you want BCV or BWV.

 

[disBOBney]

Because BCV can be difficult to stay at I eventually bought there as my second contract. Since you already have an idea that you would like staying there during F&W and I presume that you also like the idea of staying at VGF, you could split your purchase, buying half at BCV and half at VGF, getting the same UY. Then you can borrow/bank the points from the resorts you want to visit in a particular year, and then the other resort the following.

 

[MountainMouse]

Because BCV can be difficult to stay at I eventually bought there as my second contract. Since you already have an idea that you would like staying there during F&W and I presume that you also like the idea of staying at VGF, you could split your purchase, buying half at BCV and half at VGF, getting the same UY. Then you can borrow/bank the points from the resorts you want to visit in a particular year, and then the other resort the following.

If you split you need enough BC points to book there at 11 months. You can't use GF points at BC until 7 months out.

 

[ziravan]

Beach Club direct from Disney (if you can get a guide to admit that they actually CAN sell you points to an older resort): $130/point.

Resale Market: $92-95/point.

So, a decent 150 point contract will save you about $5,000 (and about twice that from the direct price of the same number of VGF points)

And you'll be where you want.

I'd wait and research it more. Both the direct and resale market will still be around after you've had time to research it a bit more.

 

[DisneyLover0610]

Beach Club direct from Disney (if you can get a guide to admit that they actually CAN sell you points to an older resort): $130/point. Resale Market: $92-95/point. So, a decent 150 point contract will save you about $5,000 (and about twice that from the direct price of the same number of VGF points) And you'll be where you want. I'd wait and research it more. Both the direct and resale market will still be around after you've had time to research it a bit more.

So there's BC available to purchase? And for how long?
I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas!

 

[DizBub]

So there's BC available to purchase? And for how long?
I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas!

Disney does not want to sell you BCV points at $130pp. They want to sell you the VGF and Aulani for $165pp. But they can and will get you BCV points if you insist. Catch is that you may have to go on a waiting list as they will have to acquire those points through Right of First Refusal (ROFR).

When someone sells/buys a resale contract on the secondary market Disney has 30 days to review the sale and they have the option to buy back that contract if they feel the price is too low or if they need those points to sell to customers. Since BCV is fully sold out this is how they get those points.

BCV contracts will all expire in 2042 even if you buy directly from Disney. Same with BWV.

I agree you need to research more and seriously consider resale. It will save you thousands.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So there's BC available to purchase? And for how long?
I really appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas!

There are always BCV points to purchase via resale.

There may be BCV points to purchase direct from Disney or you may have to go on a waitlist for them but you can buy direct - it just may take longer than if you bought resale.

It's the same end date no matter which route you go - 2042. Same with BWV. But you'll save money buying resale if you're going to go with one of the Epcot resorts. Actually - you'll save money buying resale for every WDW DVC except VGF but that's just because it's so new. If you don't intend to primarily use your points to stay at VGF then look to buy resale at one of the resorts where you would intend to stay most visits.

 

[Bciris]

Definitely buy resale. I bought resale last year. I booked a split stay BLT and BCV last July under the 7 month mark. I am doing a split stay with VWL and BWV this coming spring. It may have been hard to get a full week at just one of those resorts but no problem finding 3-4 day blocks. I didn't even try wait listing though either. We like the split stay to try out multiple resorts and be in the different resort areas.

 

[MountainMouse]

Well, did you end up buying?

 

[Sleepy425]

If you split you need enough BC points to book there at 11 months. You can't use GF points at BC until 7 months out.

In the scenario you quoted, the poster is saying to bank and borrow for each resort at the 11 month mark- so s/he will only use the points at the home resort, not try to combine two resorts.

 

[MountainMouse]

In the scenario you quoted, the poster is saying to bank and borrow for each resort at the 11 month mark- so s/he will only use the points at the home resort, not try to combine two resorts.

Thanks for the correction. That's an excellent idea.

 

[DisneyLover0610]

Hi everyone!!
I appreciate everyone chiming in, and sorry it's been so long since I've responded. I tend to get overloaded at work after vacation and anything disney gets pushed to the side
We did end up purchasing! We decided that since we left having so many questions, we would go back and speak to someone different. The first guy was just too much of a salesman for me. He was only interested in getting us to buy instead of helping us make a decision that was best for us. So we sat with a man named Nick, who was amazing. He was down to earth and listened to us describe how we vacation so we could make the right choice. We decided on an amount at The Grand that would allow us to stay a full week during the time we go. DH thought about it and decided that being in Disney is what he really wanted the most (he even timed monorail transportation from Epcot to GF). And I could stay anywhere so GF was good for me. We are also on the wait list for some Boardwalk points. Just enough for a few days.
Even though at the end of each trip I always knew we would be back, it's so great knowing you'll definitely be back the following year, or spur of the moment, whenever! With what we were paying each trip, it makes financial sense for us, considering we've been 6 times together since 2008, with three additional short trips in there between my parents and I.
Again, thank you all for your help! I was having a moment of panic!