Pre purchase Questions

[Tracy2014]

We are looking into buying a resale at BLT. I have read on here a lot that Saratoga is the best value so considering that too. However, I have stayed at Saratoga and have no desire to ever go back. Just my least favorite resort and I can get there anytime through my RCI timeshare. I would only buy it to trade into other resorts. If I book right at seven months, how likely am I to get into other resorts?

Also, what if I buy 125 points at Bay Lake Towers, and 50 points at GF. Could I then book at grand Floridian 12 months ahead with all of my points, or just with those 50 points?

Also, if I reserve a room at my home resort 12 months in advance, but then at the seven-month window I check at my desired resort and something is available-can I switch the reservation with no penalty?

Finally, The 7/12 month rule simply applies to your vacation time, right? It has nothing to do with your membership month?

Thanks in advance!

 

[ptlohmysoul]

We are looking into buying a resale at BLT. I have read on here a lot that Saratoga is the best value so considering that too. However, I have stayed at Saratoga and have no desire to ever go back. Just my least favorite resort and I can get there anytime through my RCI timeshare. I would only buy it to trade into other resorts. If I book right at seven months, how likely am I to get into other resorts?

Also, what if I buy 125 points at Bay Lake Towers, and 50 points at GF. Could I then book at grand Floridian 12 months ahead with all of my points, or just with those 50 points?

Also, if I reserve a room at my home resort 12 months in advance, but then at the seven-month window I check at my desired resort and something is available-can I switch the reservation with no penalty?

Finally, The 7/12 month rule simply applies to your vacation time, right? It has nothing to do with your membership month?

Thanks in advance!

1. It really depends on the time of the year. From end of Sept. through mid-Jan, it could be hard. First 2 weeks of December almost impossible. The remaining times should not be too hard.
2. At 11 months in advance you can only book at the home resort which is associated with the specific points.
3. In general, yes. You do not actually switch reservations, but cancel the old one and create the new one. Again, it's at 11 months.
4. In general, yes. It only affects a cancellation made right before your next point year. Again, it's a 7/11 month rule.

 

[DizBub]

We are looking into buying a resale at BLT. I have read on here a lot that Saratoga is the best value so considering that too. However, I have stayed at Saratoga and have no desire to ever go back. Just my least favorite resort and I can get there anytime through my RCI timeshare. I would only buy it to trade into other resorts. If I book right at seven months, how likely am I to get into other resorts?

Also, what if I buy 125 points at Bay Lake Towers, and 50 points at GF. Could I then book at grand Floridian 12 months ahead with all of my points, or just with those 50 points?

Also, if I reserve a room at my home resort 12 months in advance, but then at the seven-month window I check at my desired resort and something is available-can I switch the reservation with no penalty?

Finally, The 7/12 month rule simply applies to your vacation time, right? It has nothing to do with your membership month?

Thanks in advance!

Depending on the season and the resort you shouldn't have too much trouble at 7 months. That said you really should buy where you want to stay or at least where you don't mind being stuck at 50% of the time.

No you cannot combine points until 7 months. Also, no booking until 11 months at the earliest.

Yes, you can book your home resort at 11 months and switch at 7 months depending on availability. No penalty whatsoever.

11/7 month only has to do with when you book your reservations, nothing to do with Use Year.

 

[PensFan]

Might I ask WHY you never want to go back to Saratoga?



we are looking into getting something there ... looks great don't see any negative reviews etc.. would just love to hear why you feel the way you feel.

 

[disneynutz]

Might I ask WHY you never want to go back to Saratoga?



we are looking into getting something there ... looks great don't see any negative reviews etc.. would just love to hear why you feel the way you feel.

Everyone has their own tastes, likes and dislikes that why I now say buy a resort like SSR knowing that you might be selling and buying somewhere else in a couple of years after you have stayed at all of the DVC resorts.

SSR is a condo style resort, some people don't like that, some do.

SSR is large, some don't like that, some do.

SSR can have full buses, some don't like that.

Some don't like the theme, some do.

Some don't like the food offerings, some do.

The list can go on and on about every amenity and the same list can be used for each resort. Only you can decide if you love a resort enough to own there.

Only you can decide your tolerance for not getting to stay where you want, when you want.

Bill

 

[Tracy2014]

Might I ask WHY you never want to go back to Saratoga? we are looking into getting something there ... looks great don't see any negative reviews etc.. would just love to hear why you feel the way you feel.

I can't say anything "bad" about it, but to me it was just nothing special. Just kind of like any basic time share. Now, I traded in through RCI, so maybe I got the "rci section". Again, it was fine- but just very basic and certainly nothing magical in my opinion. Having stayed at Animal Kingdom, Poly, Yacht Club and Contemporary (I know the latter three are not DVC, but two have DVC on the same property and I saw rooms, and of course Poly is building now) I just much prefer these options. I also have small children and confess the monorail experience is so much more appealing to me. I told my husband, it's worth $300/night just to not have to fold up the darn stroller! So maybe I'm a bit biased!

 

[Tracy2014]

Thank you all for your responses! Helps a ton!! Getting excited!!

 

[DizBub]

Having stayed at Animal Kingdom, Poly, Yacht Club and Contemporary (I know the latter three are not DVC, but two have DVC on the same property and I saw rooms, and of course Poly is building now) I just much prefer these options. I also have small children and confess the monorail experience is so much more appealing to me. I told my husband, it's worth $300/night just to not have to fold up the darn stroller! So maybe I'm a bit biased!

Totally understand this. Ironically, we own at BLT and really prefer SSR but we are older and our vacation habits have changed. Rather than being park commandos we spend more time at the resorts and enjoy being close to DTD. It's really great to have all the options.

 

[Dean]

We are looking into buying a resale at BLT. I have read on here a lot that Saratoga is the best value so considering that too. However, I have stayed at Saratoga and have no desire to ever go back. Just my least favorite resort and I can get there anytime through my RCI timeshare. I would only buy it to trade into other resorts. If I book right at seven months, how likely am I to get into other resorts?

From a cost standpoint SSR will be much cheaper both short term and long term I believe. Reserving at 7 months out most options will be available most of the time but not all, esp with good use of the WL. So if one wanted to stay at AKV, BLT, VWL, BCV, BWV over time, owning SSR should not be an issue and one would likely never have to stay there. Some options and some resorts will be more difficult but with planning even VGF and the Poly would be realistically possible for many situations. So if one is just wanting to get into the system and try many things over time; SSR is going to be the cheapest and for many, the best option. However, for those that would be unhappy if they were stuck staying there, would plan 10-11 months out and routinely wanted more difficult options like AKV value/concierge, BCV 2 queen or VGF or the Poly then it wouldn't be a good choice. One other point is that buying SSR compared to buying VGF is a totally different cost/value analysis. There are many situations where DVC may make sense for SSR but not for the higher end options.

 

[Tracy2014]

From a cost standpoint SSR will be much cheaper both short term and long term I believe. Reserving at 7 months out most options will be available most of the time but not all, esp with good use of the WL. So if one wanted to stay at AKV, BLT, VWL, BCV, BWV over time, owning SSR should not be an issue and one would likely never have to stay there. Some options and some resorts will be more difficult but with planning even VGF and the Poly would be realistically possible for many situations. So if one is just wanting to get into the system and try many things over time; SSR is going to be the cheapest and for many, the best option. However, for those that would be unhappy if they were stuck staying there, would plan 10-11 months out and routinely wanted more difficult options like AKV value/concierge, BCV 2 queen or VGF or the Poly then it wouldn't be a good choice. One other point is that buying SSR compared to buying VGF is a totally different cost/value analysis. There are many situations where DVC may make sense for SSR but not for the higher end options.

Great info, Dean. Thank you. Still weighing options. We live only and hour away and are very flexible with our travel plans, so SSR may be the wiser option.

Question- does Disney do it's own resale ever? I'm wondering if I bought resale through them, if I wouldn't lose the other DVC options (not a deal breaker at all as I probably wouldn't use them anyway).

Also- anyone know when Poly is going on sale and what the cost is going to be?

 

[DizBub]

Question- does Disney do it's own resale ever? I'm wondering if I bought resale through them, if I wouldn't lose the other DVC options (not a deal breaker at all as I probably wouldn't use them anyway).

Also- anyone know when Poly is going on sale and what the cost is going to be?

Sure, Disney does it's own version of "resale" meaning they take contracts through foreclosure or ROFR and repackage them as "new" and sell it to you for full price. So in reality they don't do resale.

Classic resorts (OKW, VWL, BWV, BCV, SSR) are selling for $130 per point. BLT is still selling for $165 and judging from what they priced VGF it's a safe bet the Poly will start at $150+. I've heard speculation that they could start sales as early as this Fall.

 

[Dean]

Great info, Dean. Thank you. Still weighing options. We live only and hour away and are very flexible with our travel plans, so SSR may be the wiser option.

Question- does Disney do it's own resale ever? I'm wondering if I bought resale through them, if I wouldn't lose the other DVC options (not a deal breaker at all as I probably wouldn't use them anyway).

Also- anyone know when Poly is going on sale and what the cost is going to be?

Everything DVC sells is used once it rolls out so there is no need for them to have a different price for anything they sell that may be "resale" vs retail. For DVD sales it's all one base price and all one set of rules and unless they decide to do consignment sales, there's no reason for them to price them differently. Other than one who receives a gratuitous transfer of qualified points, there's no way to have certain options currently by buying resale. To assign value to those options in question they would have to meet at least one of two criteria but in most cases they'd really need to meet both criteria unless the short term savings was dramatic. The criteria are be guaranteed (contractual) and offer a significant cost savings. NONE of the cash type exchange options lost by buying resale even meets one of those criteria. Take DCL for example as the poster child for this issue. In most cases you get a value between $6 & $7.50 pp. It's unusual to get that return up to $8 and I only recall 2 or 3 examples where it was at $10 or more. Even on those rare occasions when the return on paper gets up into the range it's more reasonable, it's usually because you've missed early discounts, otherwise it's very unusual and specific exceptions. The same type of info is true for all of the cash options. So if one owns, has the points and wants to use them or has points they will lose otherwise, that's one thing. It's nice to have options, basically insurance, but to buy retail for the insurance or for the usage (almost always buying more points for a double whammy) is a bad choice 100% of the time with the current setup and really always has been. In addition, using points for any of those options well in advance, even at break even. carries such risk as to make it unreasonable even if the numbers were favorable.

My message to you, because you asked, is you're likely better off with resale even with a minor savings. They are really doing you a favor by forcing you to think about what those other items really cost. Now it may be they make a change tomorrow that is more important and more substantial and that is the real risk to buying resale in this discussion in my opinion. If you can get the option with essentially no cost, but not buy extra points to use the option, then why not, it's always good to have choices but even for VGF I'm not seeing that situation currently. Otherwise there is no intellectual way to justify paying significantly more largely for the options and when other factors push one to buy retail (new resort, etc) buying extra points or using these options to justify the purchase are unreasonable.

 

[crisi]

Do note that its really hard to get specialty rooms at seven months - regardless of time of year. So if you are looking at BLT Standard View rooms, that's hard (so are BWV Standard and Boardwalk). It may be hard to get the rooms at the Poly - there aren't many of them - or at VGF over time - again not many of them and it hasn't been open long enough to figure out.

At seven months EVERYONE can move around. So you are suddenly competing for rooms at BCV during Food and Wine with all DVC members (except home resort owners who already booked) who say "wouldn't it be nice to stay at an Epcot resort during Food and Wine" or all the DVC members who say "how about this year we spend a week at Hilton Head in the Summer." So while its certainly possible to move around, if you want what you want when you want it - DVC can be very difficult to be content with. On the other hand, if you wouldn't mind ending up at SSR or OKW or even VAKL once in a while those resorts remain open much longer - or saying "well, BLT isn't open, but we can stay at VWL" - your chances of being content go up.

 

[chalee94]

We are looking into buying a resale at BLT. I have read on here a lot that Saratoga is the best value so considering that too. However, I have stayed at Saratoga and have no desire to ever go back. Just my least favorite resort and I can get there anytime through my RCI timeshare. I would only buy it to trade into other resorts. If I book right at seven months, how likely am I to get into other resorts?

depends on the resort, type of villa and time of year.

"buy where you don't mind staying."

Also, what if I buy 125 points at Bay Lake Towers, and 50 points at GF. Could I then book at grand Floridian 11 months ahead with all of my points, or just with those 50 points?

for booking VGF at 11 months out, you would only have access to pts from the 50 pt VGF contract. it would be like you didn't own the BLT pts until 7 months out.

Also, if I reserve a room at my home resort 11 months in advance, but then at the seven-month window I check at my desired resort and something is available-can I switch the reservation with no penalty?

no penalty to cancel and rebook.

Finally, The 7/11 month rule simply applies to your vacation time, right? It has nothing to do with your membership month?

the 11 month booking window is a benefit of what home resort you buy into.

it has nothing at all to do with your UY month, correct. any BLT contract with any UY month can book BLT for 11 months out for any arrival date.

"Use Year" refers to when you "use" the pts for a stay - it's not about booking dates.

 

[mcap2004]

Do note that its really hard to get specialty rooms at seven months - regardless of time of year. So if you are looking at BLT Standard View rooms, that's hard (so are BWV Standard and Boardwalk). It may be hard to get the rooms at the Poly - there aren't many of them - or at VGF over time - again not many of them and it hasn't been open long enough to figure out.

Is booking these standard view rooms at the 7 month window only hard at this window to book or does it also apply to the 11 month window? I ask because we are looking into dvc and are a family of 4 so we wouldn't need anything more than 2 beds unless family tags along. I'm trying to decide what route to take as my "home" resort for a family of 4... 2 adults, 2 boys

 

[rlovew]

At some times of the year BLT standard is hard- specifically holidays even at 11 months. I have had trouble getting standard view at BLT around Thanksgiving when we go for my birthday each year- I have gotten the last studio a couple of times at 8am on the first day of my trip.

 

[crisi]

Is booking these standard view rooms at the 7 month window only hard at this window to book or does it also apply to the 11 month window? I ask because we are looking into dvc and are a family of 4 so we wouldn't need anything more than 2 beds unless family tags along. I'm trying to decide what route to take as my "home" resort for a family of 4... 2 adults, 2 boys

So there are two things to know here.

The only way to get two real beds at DVC at WDW is to book a two bedroom or stay at OKW. All the other configurations are a bed and a pullout couch. The opinions on how comfortable the pullout is vary - it isn't the hide a rack from the 70s, but it isn't a real bed either.

The second thing is availability - and that depends on the room and time of year. At eleven months - value rooms at VAKL, Standard View rooms at BLT and BWV Standard rooms can all be DIFFICULT to get, depending on the time of year. Because there are so few of them VALK values can be difficult to book year round, where BWV Standard Views are only difficult during DVC/BWV peak times - like Food and Wine or December.

 

[mcap2004]

So there are two things to know here.

The only way to get two real beds at DVC at WDW is to book a two bedroom or stay at OKW. All the other configurations are a bed and a pullout couch. The opinions on how comfortable the pullout is vary - it isn't the hide a rack from the 70s, but it isn't a real bed either.

The second thing is availability - and that depends on the room and time of year. At eleven months - value rooms at VAKL, Standard View rooms at BLT and BWV Standard rooms can all be DIFFICULT to get, depending on the time of year. Because there are so few of them VALK values can be difficult to book year round, where BWV Standard Views are only difficult during DVC/BWV peak times - like Food and Wine or December.

Oh ok got it! Thanks! =) My boys can fall asleep anywhere so I doubt a sofa bed will be a problem.

Now, back to the value studios at any of the DVC Resorts, I actually got some great input on that. Someone told me if you're always going to want to book the studios, then you might as well just book regular hotel. I only asked about the studios in case the MIL and FIL tagged along cuz someone mentioned sometimes its cheaper to book 2 studios as opposed to getting 1 room that accommodates all of us. But I would most definitely want to take advantage of the 1 bdrms just for the space fir a family of 4. Thanks for that info. =)

 

[Dean]

Now, back to the value studios at any of the DVC Resorts, I actually got some great input on that. Someone told me if you're always going to want to book the studios, then you might as well just book regular hotel. I only asked about the studios in case the MIL and FIL tagged along cuz someone mentioned sometimes its cheaper to book 2 studios as opposed to getting 1 room that accommodates all of us. But I would most definitely want to take advantage of the 1 bdrms just for the space fir a family of 4. Thanks for that info. =)

I would personally disagree with that line of thinking. While we prefer the full kitchen, the studios offer things that regular hotel rooms don't (and vice versa). From a value standpoint they are the best option and for many, they are the best to use. As a rule I'd take a studio over a hotel room at the same price assuming no concierge and the same resort.