Purchase advice needed...

[tink6137130]

Trying to decide on AKL through Disney or resale BCV or BWV. If we purchase through Disney , would I be able to charge the entire amount on my Disney Visa with 0% for a limited time? Also if we buy AKL, how likely would we be able to stay at BCV or BWV. When I requested the Dream book from Disney, my guide asked if I had a referral, I said no, Would it be too late to take advantage of that offer? TIA

 

[TisBit]

I don't believe you can change the entire amount with 0%, but it is supposed to be the downpayment for six months. Not sure what (or if) there is a cap, but you are limited to only so many disney dollars in a year too.

I think the advice on these boards is accurate of buying where you want to stay, if you are set on one resort, and would be dissapointed if you couldn't stay there, then buy there. You can also buy direct with Disney, even for sold out resorts, but you might have to wait for availability.

I think you can always do the referral, as long as you haven't purchased yet.

 

[msabol01]

A lot of things to consider. AKL will give you a longer ownership since those memberships are good through 2007. Whether or not you can get into BWV or BCV really depends when you are trying to stay and how far in advance you book. I think even at 7 months out you should be fine as long as you are not trying to book at peak times. That being said I was able to get AKL inside of 5 months, so luck has something to do with it.

One school of thought is to buy where you plan on staying the most, and it makes sense since it gives you an 11 month ressie window. I agree with that to an extent. My plan is to try to stay at each of the resorts at least once, so my choosing AKL was about membership length as mentioned above.

If you are able to get some good deals through using your Disney Visa and other perks I say go for it. At the end of the day its very much a personal choice.

 

[rsinj]

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[tink6137130]

Thanks for the replies… Also, if we decide to purchase through Disney - AKL 160 points, how much should I expect closing costs to be? I would like to have all my information together before I call our guide.

 

[TisBit]

Thanks for the replies… Also, if we decide to purchase through Disney - AKL 160 points, how much should I expect closing costs to be? I would like to have all my information together before I call our guide.

Direct was approx $300, I think it was in the upper $200's if paid in full and low $300's if financed. I don't have my paperwork in front of me, but that will get you in the ballpark. The closing through Disney is less than resale.

 

[tink6137130]

TisBit - Thanks for the info…if we decide to purchase through Disney I will use your referral- I was unable to reply to your pm . We really like BCV & BWV and I’m concerned if we don’t buy there I may be disappointed but the offer Disney has right now is hard to pass up.

 

[Pakey]

I hope you do not regret buying where you do not want to stay. We did. That's why now we own both SSR and BCV. I'm lucky in that we have adult kids so we let them use the SSR points but for DH and I, it's BCV. And the reason I ended up buying BCV after SSR is because I got tired of trying to waitlist at 7 months and NEVER getting a room there. At 7 months, I always seemed to only be able to get 2 BR's, no studios, and this is during the slower times.

The great deals Disney offers are only great deals if you get a home resort where you want to stay.

 

[tink6137130]

In order to have an opportunity to buy into GCV is it necessary to buy directly from Disney?

 

[karenmason52]

I second that opinion of buying where you would like to stay most often.
Last week we purchased at BWV. I adore the Epcot area. I called today to reserve a one bedroom with a boardwalk view for early December, and they were gone already. I was able to reserve a pool garden view.
I can't imagine too much is left at the smaller resorts when everyone can book at the seven month mark.

 

[TisBit]

Thanks...I didn't know that.

In order to have an opportunity to buy into GCV is it necessary to buy directly from Disney?

Yes, I don't believe it is selling yet.....so there would not be any on resale for awhile, even after it does start.

 

[Deb & Bill]

At least buy where you wouldn't mind staying if that was all you could get.

There are lots of people grumbling right now because they couldn't get the BW view or Standard view at the BW for Christmas/New Years at exactly 11 months. If you plan for a specific location at a specific time that might be more difficult to get, you really want to purchase points for that location.

For example, VWL is the smallest DVC at this point (GCV may be smaller when it is completed) and it is highly sought after for Thanksgiving through Christmas. Unless you own points there it is really difficult to get.

During Food & Wine Festival (almost wrote "Whine" Festival), BCV and BWV are the preferred place to stay because of the closeness to Epcot. If that is what you want, make sure you buy there.

As more and more properties are sold, more and more members are competing for the same times.

Good luck in making up your mind.

 

[CarolAnnC]

A reminder to everyone - this thread has been edited as offers to PM posters for referrals are only allowed on this thread. Thank you.

 

[SanDeeKath]

In order to have an opportunity to buy into GCV is it necessary to buy directly from Disney?

It's necessary to buy from DISNEYLAND directly to get the 60 day "priority" right to buy, which some people are predicting will sell out most of the points. This priority is put into your contract so you know it's not just a salespitch.

If you don't mind taking the chance, you can buy resale just about anything to get "into" the DVC system. Then you have equal chance at getting GCV if it is released to the general membership. Just remember: 4000 people get first cracks (those who bought a contract from DVC DISNEYLAND first). Then it goes to the 100,000+ members, who are all treated equally regardless if it was a resale or DVC purchase. Then it goes to the general public, which I am certain will never make it.

Only 50 rooms at GCV. We added on to AKV to get the priority status! We really liked our guide and she told us about the priority in detail and explained the numbers to us (odds of purchasing GCV if you do this or that). Also, you don't have to physicallly BE at DL to buy or be a CA resident. You just have to use their sales team.

K

 

[rsinj]

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[sajetto]

The great deals Disney offers are only great deals if you get a home resort where you want to stay.

So true. OP, this is the best advice you could get. We are in the same boat a Pakey. While we don't think there is a thing wrong with SSR we always want to stay at OKW or AKV. If I knew then what I know now, my first purchase would have been an OKW resale and then an add on at AKV.

 

[JimMIA]

I think "Buy where you want to stay" is valid only in certain circumstances. "Buy where you wouldn't mind staying" is more logical, but also has zero value < 7 months.

First of all, obviously you have to CARE where you stay, and presumably, you'd want to stay there most of the time. This particular requirement does not fit our family; we want to (and have) tried many DVC resorts.

Second, you have to be able to firmly set your dates, and reliably be able to book within your 11-month window. Not everyone can book vacations 11 months out because of job constraints.

If you're trying to get a GV anywhere, standard view at BWV, F&W at BWV or BCV, or just about anything between Thanksgiving and New Years, you're going to have to book exactly at 11 months, and sometimes book day-by-day precisely at 11 months. If you think you're going to book standard view BWV at 8 months, you're living in a dream world.

If you can't book most of your vacations > 7 months out, you have no home resort advantage, so it doesn't matter where you own.

It also matters greatly when you plan on vacationing. If you are going to visit during peak periods, and you can reliably book 11 months in advance, definitely "buy where you want to stay."

But if you often visit during other times, you can usually get what you want inside seven months. For example, we booked a May 07 BCV studio at five months. My family has also booked VWL, BWV, VB, and HH inside seven months, including several bookings inside two months -- traveling off-peak most of the time, but not always.

 

[SanDeeKath]

Or, say you don't plan on going to WDW so much (like us). We bought at AKV because we loved the concept of the animals in our back yard. We'll go every few years but will use the points for other trips inbetween. I know it's not popular on the boards here but we use our points for nice hotels in the DVC system. We'd never fork out $800 for a Grand CA night but now that we can do it with points, we've stayed for single nights 3 times already and it made our trips wonderful! We'd also like to cruise one of these days.

We chose AKV because should we decide that it's not for us, I think it will retain it's resale value the best. It has the currently longest contract (2057) and it is a novel concept in the way the hotel is set up in a wild animal Savanna. I think it's a better "investment" for resale than other DVC properties currently.

 

[SanDeeKath]

And as unbelievable as it may sound to you, people will be able to stay there making their reservations at the 7 month window - and I am certain of that.

Doubtful. Grand CA hotel has a current 98% occupancy at $500-$800/night!! Good luck getting a 7 mo ressie in a place with a kitchen and more SF.

K

 

[CarolAnnC]

Doubtful. Grand CA hotel has a current 98% occupancy at $500-$800/night!! Good luck getting a 7 mo ressie in a place with a kitchen and more SF.

K

Plus, as has been the case in the past, once a DVC opens at GC then the main hotel will no longer be available on points. This drastically cuts down what has been available to DVC members there thus far. But it also is motivating me to consider buying more points at GC.