Potential DVC Purchaser needs guidance

[Mjkre]

Ok, so I think we are ready to take the plunge. We are hoping to purchase points via resale--somewhere. I have read through all the posts about where to buy, when to buy and what use year to look for. Thanks to all for your valuable information.

My question is: is there a benefit to owning smaller allotment of points at multiple resorts? We have a big family and would almost always need enough points to stay in a 2 bedroom. Sometimes, we may be able to stay in a one bedroom that sleeps 5. So, should we buy where we were perfectly happy most recently (OKW) or buy there and some other small amount when available elsewhere? While staying elsewhere would be nice sometimes (in particular in the BW and BC area), I don't want to stay there the majority of the time. Overall, however, as long as we would be staying in some Disney resort, we will be happy. Did I metion we are in the middle of a Blizzard right now?

I ask the question b/c it seems that many people buy smaller contracts at resorts other than the resort inwhich they own the majority of their points at.

Thanks for any advice available,
Melissa

 

[Deb & Bill]

We did have contracts at two additional resorts because we wanted to be able to get a reservation at 11 months out at those. VWL because of the holiday time (you've really got to own there to get Christmas). BCV because of the use of the pool (I hate it, husband and son love SAB).

But you'll need enough points to make the reservation at 11 months out. So you could get a smaller contract, bank and borrow and go to that resort every three years in the two bedroom if you need it.

 

[Mjkre]

I guess that is my question-- does owning even a small amount of points allow you to book at the 11 month mark, even if you do not own enough points at that resort to book a room there at the 11 month mark (assuming you would have enough, pooling all possible points that would become available to stay there). For instance, if we purchased 300 at okw and 50-75 at Beach Club, could we book a room at the 11 month mark at the beach club?

My family was sort of disappointed in SAB. It is a great set of pools, but liked the peace, tranquility but ability to have fun of OKW. I did not finds SAB relaxing at all. We loved the location, though. We would purchase at the BW but all are creeped out by the clown!

Melissa

 

[wbl2745]

I guess that is my question-- does owning even a small amount of points allow you to book at the 11 month mark, even if you do not own enough points at that resort to book a room there at the 11 month mark (assuming you would have enough, pooling all possible points that would become available to stay there). For instance, if we purchased 300 at okw and 50-75 at Beach Club, could we book a room at the 11 month mark at the beach club?

To answer your last question, no, all of the points that you use to book at 11 months must be from your home resort.

For instance, say you have 100 points at OKW, 100 at BCV, and 100 at AKV. Then at 11 months to make a reservation at OKW you can only use points of the current use year from OKW, banked from the previous year for OKW, and borrowed from the next UY at OKW, but you can't use any points from your BCV or AKV contracts.

However, given the scenario suggested here (100 OKW, 100 BCV, 100 AKV), you could gather three years of OKW points (bank, current, borrowed) to have 300 points at eleven months, then next year gather three years for BCV, then the next year gather three years for AKV.

Does that make sense?

 

[Mjkre]

If I understand correctly, to maximize our potential choices of resorts I should:

a) figure out approximately how many points we would need to stay at our top 2-3 resorts for the length of time we would want to go as well as the use year we would want, etc.
b) try (and I know it all involves the timing of availability) and spread out those number of points over 2 years for two resorts or three years for three resorts, etc.
c)then bank, use and borrow the points from 2 years or 3 years respectively, alternating years at different resorts.
d)book, relax, enjoy, repeat.

But all of this doesn't matter if I do not have my act together at 11 months, but wait until 6 months and just gamble and hope something is available, correct? BTW: Is there any guarantee at the 6 month mark that some resort somewhere on Disney property will be available?

Thanks so much...I would rather try and do it right from the start than have regrets later.

Melissa

 

[Tigger1]

I have added rooms at 3 to 7 months times. I could not get the VB, beach club cottages at 7 month, but 2-bedroom and studios, , 1-bed or 2-bed at AKL, Beach Club, Wilderness lodge and Saratoga. I have only used my DVC points between Late may to the 10th of August to make these trips as I have not been able to travel except fot those months.

About to try to make ressies for next August nest week at 7 months. Wish me luck.

BTW, we are going to try to also go in Oct and March next year making ressies at 7 months, saving some points for one resort for a family trip the next summer.
I usually only go once a year or two but DH wants two non grown children trips with just him and I.
One for Food and Wine festival (our first), and the other for our 20th anniverisity of our first date.

 

[Sandisw]

WE owned at two resorts for a short time but realized that unless you own enough at the resort to book what you want, either in combination with what you own at the others, or for the entire stay, you could end up always having to borrow.

We only owned 50 points at VWL and 130 at BLT at the time. Neither contract was big enough to book the entire trip at 11 months we do in the summer without having to borrow points.

So, if you know you will be happy at any one of the resorts but seem to like OKW, then I would buy points there and see what happens at the 7 month window.

We ended up selling the 50 points at VWL and re-bought BLT points so we own everything there now. We are happy with what we have. If we ever decide to add on at another resort, we will be sure we add on what we need to book the nights we want.

 

[rice00]

It is ok to have a minimal amount, maybe 60 points, on one your contracts at a second resort. You could actually bank or borrow from the next year's points to make your reservation at the 11 month window. This will work if the other resort you own at is at the minimum 150.

What I would avoid is just buying 2 resales of different resorts for 50 points each.

 

[Amy5000]

If I understand correctly, to maximize our potential choices of resorts I should:

a) figure out approximately how many points we would need to stay at our top 2-3 resorts for the length of time we would want to go as well as the use year we would want, etc.
b) try (and I know it all involves the timing of availability) and spread out those number of points over 2 years for two resorts or three years for three resorts, etc.
c)then bank, use and borrow the points from 2 years or 3 years respectively, alternating years at different resorts.
d)book, relax, enjoy, repeat.

But all of this doesn't matter if I do not have my act together at 11 months, but wait until 6 months and just gamble and hope something is available, correct? BTW: Is there any guarantee at the 6 month mark that some resort somewhere on Disney property will be available?

Thanks so much...I would rather try and do it right from the start than have regrets later.

Melissa

Hey Melissa. It does sound like you understand the system. For the record, I own at 2 resorts and think it's actually more of a hassle than its worth. Are you staying at peak times? Is the resort really important to you? If the answer to either of those questions is "yes" then it might make sense to explore owning at multiple resorts further...if not...save on closing costs and buy at one resort.

Good luck. Amy

 

[joandegennaro]

We bought enough point to stay of a week each year regardless of DVC season at OKW. At the 7 month mark I call to see what was available for a March '11 trip. I could have had BC, BW and WL. When I offered to try a different resort my family turned them all down and wanted to stay at OKW. My recomendation is to purchase where you will love to stay (for us that's OKW) and then see what is available at 7 months. This is my plan moving forward. Right now OKW served a very important purpose with the 2 queen beds that all other DVC studios don't have. Once its just DH and I we will start exploring more of the other resorts based on what is available at the 7 month mark.

Good Luck with your choice.

 

[chalee94]

But all of this doesn't matter if I do not have my act together at 11 months, but wait until 6 months and just gamble and hope something is available, correct?

correct - at 7 months or less, points are points. BLT pts will get you in at OKW if there is availability and vice-versa.

but as others have said, if you are more than 7 months out, you need the correct "currency." BLT pts can be used to reserve BLT - doesn't matter if they are banked BLT pts, current BLT pts, borrowed BLT pts or BLT pts transferred from a BLT owner - but they must be BLT pts. same with any other resort.

BTW: Is there any guarantee at the 6 month mark that some resort somewhere on Disney property will be available?

nope. (usually there will be but there are no guarantees.)

 

[crisi]

Hey Melissa. It does sound like you understand the system. For the record, I own at 2 resorts and think it's actually more of a hassle than its worth. Are you staying at peak times? Is the resort really important to you? If the answer to either of those questions is "yes" then it might make sense to explore owning at multiple resorts further...if not...save on closing costs and buy at one resort.

Good luck. Amy

I'd agree. Unless you have your heart SET on two resorts, and two resorts who you want to visit at peak time (i.e. you want a Boardwalk View during Food and Wine and NEED VWL the first two weeks in January), own at one resort. Especially going in. IF, two years from now, you discover you need more points and you've figured out the system, and you decide you want the benefit of two home resorts, then do it.

MOST of the time, you can get what you want at seven months. Buy where you won't be disappointed to end up. Then try and switch at seven months. If you can't, you will still be staying at a resort you like.

 

[Mississippian]

Add me to the chorus that says it's a bad idea to own at two resorts unless you have a specific reason to. For example, if you have decided that you want to get a grand villa at OKW every two years and a Standard View BWV room every two years, it makes perfect sense to own these points as you are unlikely to get these rooms unless you book at 11 months.

But, if you don't see yourself as trying to book hard-to-get rooms, just find low-priced points at a resort you like a lot. Personally I'd go a little further than Chrisi's "don't mind staying," but it's just a balance of price versus where you want to stay. I would be reluctant to buy points in a resort that wasn't in my top three.

My personal opinion is that OKW and BWV offer the best values in the system. OKW offers cheap points and cheap rooms. BWV has a great location with relatively cheap points and cheap standard-view rooms.

 

[Mjkre]

Thanks so much. Before posting this question, I was leaning towards purchasing at two resorts after reading, but obviously not fully understanding, other posts. Now, I am convinced I will just purchase at one resort (OKW of SSR) in that points are points, we are happy anywhere, and the chances of me being prepared to plan a vacation 11 months out are slim to none.

We have been going to WDW the week before Thanksgiving and will likely continue that trend. It works for us with the kids missing a minimal amount of school (usually two half days with not much going on) and the crowds are low until we get closer to Thanksgiving day. Otherwise, the only time I know we will not go is during the summer months....I don't do heat well! So I think a Sept or October use year will work best.

Now I am left debating whether to buy enough points for every other year, or really dive off that cliff and buy enough for every year. We have been going every year for the last 3 years. My children are prime Disney age right now, but teen years are looming and I don't know if it will continue to be everyone's favorite place to vacation every year, say, 5-10 years from now. We would not be financing the purchase, regardless of which option we choose. If anyone has any opinions, I welcome hearing them.

 

[Sandisw]

Thanks so much. Before posting this question, I was leaning towards purchasing at two resorts after reading, but obviously not fully understanding, other posts. Now, I am convinced I will just purchase at one resort (OKW of SSR) in that points are points, we are happy anywhere, and the chances of me being prepared to plan a vacation 11 months out are slim to none.

We have been going to WDW the week before Thanksgiving and will likely continue that trend. It works for us with the kids missing a minimal amount of school (usually two half days with not much going on) and the crowds are low until we get closer to Thanksgiving day. Otherwise, the only time I know we will not go is during the summer months....I don't do heat well! So I think a Sept or October use year will work best.

Now I am left debating whether to buy enough points for every other year, or really dive off that cliff and buy enough for every year. We have been going every year for the last 3 years. My children are prime Disney age right now, but teen years are looming and I don't know if it will continue to be everyone's favorite place to vacation every year, say, 5-10 years from now. We would not be financing the purchase, regardless of which option we choose. If anyone has any opinions, I welcome hearing them.

I would start off with the EOY plan and go from there or search to buy multiple contracts to start. While this could give you a second set of closing costs, having two separate contracts would allow you to sell off points down the road if you find that you just have too many.

We currently own 210 BLT points, but in 3 separate contracts. At least if we find at some point we want less, we have some options. OF course, I am still looking at more and realize that my goal is to add on again in the next few years either some BCV or BWV points so that I can visit yearly and have points to send my kids (two who are adults now) with their friends as well.

Good luck!

 

[kmccl]

I would suggest buying as many points as you can afford right now! We bought 230 BLT points two years ago and figured we would go every other year and once in a while go two years in a row. Tried HHI and loved it, tried Kidani and loved it, tried Vero and loved it! Now we are going to HHI every March and trying to go to disney world every summer(heat doesn't bother us too much). We will never finance and were going to add on this year (230 is not close to enough points for our family of 6 after getting a taste of everything DVC has to offer). Had a serious illness in the family and medical bills piled up. Now we can not afford to add on. Wish we would have bought more points in the beginning, and would have if I would known what I do now! But as you stated earlier, never know what the kids will be into 5 - 10 years from now. I couldn't imagine them ever not wanting to go to Disney, but if they don't, HHI and Vero are nice options. Good luck!