Purchase AKV for less money or BCV resale for more?

[Terry S]

Okay some of you may remember I was a DVC member a few years back with lots of points and had to sell them due to a job loss. Fast forward 2 1/2 years and I have now been back at work for a year and things are going well so we are thinking about buying DVC since we just spent over $10,000 in hotel bills on our last 2 disney vacations. I need your opinions.

I have always believed in the whole buy where you want to stay theory and our families favorite resort is BCV so a BCV resale seems like it would be the best bet BUT, since our last purchase I now have a family member that is a cast member so I can get AKV for $80.40 per point or do a BCV resale for I assume somewhere between $90 - $92 per point. What is your all of your opinions? I really would want to stay at BCV as often as I possibly could but would stay at AKV if I couldn't get BCV.

 

[lapeter]

Approx. $9 a point difference. Let's say you buy 150 pts. You pay $1350 extra to get BCV. Over say 10 years, that about $135 difference per year. If, I'm not a DVC member yet, it is that tough to get BCV reservations 7 months out, I would buy a resale BCV. Ain't much diff in the long run.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Okay some of you may remember I was a DVC member a few years back with lots of points and had to sell them due to a job loss. Fast forward 2 1/2 years and I have now been back at work for a year and things are going well so we are thinking about buying DVC since we just spent over $10,000 in hotel bills on our last 2 disney vacations. I need your opinions.

I have always believed in the whole buy where you want to stay theory and our families favorite resort is BCV so a BCV resale seems like it would be the best bet BUT, since our last purchase I now have a family member that is a cast member so I can get AKV for $80.40 per point or do a BCV resale for I assume somewhere between $90 - $92 per point. What is your all of your opinions? I really would want to stay at BCV as often as I possibly could but would stay at AKV if I couldn't get BCV.

I am partial to my home resort (AKV) so I would say buy there:
1) Newer property
2) Beautiful new Kidani village with pool to rival BCV pool
3) Consiere (sp.) level
4) many levels of accomodations to save points
5) dedicated bus service
6) animals, animals , animals
7) 2057 expiration
8) lower MF's
9) Current incentive gives you $500 gift card plus 2008&2009 points, plus developer points and $8 off per point.

I am sure people can add to this list. JMHO

 

[drusba]

The major difference: AKV expires 2057, BCV 2042. But if your desire is to stay most of the time at BCV, you likely need to buy there because it is often difficult to get 7 months out.

 

[CPTJAK]

I would get some BCV points. Ask if they also get a discount if you purchase BCV through Disney.

Also you could buy 1/2 at AKL and 1/2 at BCV and than average out your costs and have enough points to get every other year priority at BCV.

 

[lisareniff]

Welcome back Terry! I remember how sad you were when you had to sell.

It's a tough decision we just purchased an add-on at AKV so now own at both.

There are a lot of advantages and disadvantages of each but in the end, even with the much higher price, I would buy where you want to stay and that sounds like BCV. It is your vacation and you don't want to be wishing you were staying somewhere else.

I'm not sure what times of year you travel or how many points your looking to buy but I like CPTJAK's idea of half and half. Reserve Sun-Thurs with the BCV points and fill in the less desired weekend with AKV or alternate between the two and waitlist if desired. Although a small BCV contract may be difficult to find and priced even higher.

 

[twinklebug]

What a choice. Both are great.

Questions to you: Do you need to book BCV at 11 months out for the dates you're planning? Would you be just as happy staying at AKV if you owned there, booked your vacation 11 months out, had hopes to switch the reservation over to BCV at the 7 month mark but couldn't as it was filled up? Would you be disappointed to have to go on a wait list that might or might not go thorough?

With more and more units coming up for sale I suspect there will be more and more people dying to try BCV and you might need that 11 month advantage. Then again, you may not. On the other hand, due to it's size, I think it will be fairly easy to find something available at AKV at the 7 month mark, albeit not your first room choice AND not peak season.

 

[Laurabearz]

Hey Terry!! Welcome back!

I know how much you all love the Beach Club so I think you should buy there again. Maybe add some AKV points on to sweeten the pot, but only if your ok using those points there.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Buy @ BCV -- it's where your heart is plus you've already learned that life's circumstances sometime get in the way...so why not have a contract at the DVC resort that has managed to maintain the highest resale value thus far. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Laneychris]

Buy where you want to stay most often!

 

[Terry S]

Thanks for all the replies. I just put a call in to TTS to look out for some BCV points for me. My husband can't get past the cheaper price per point and extended years at AKL as well as the developer points. He feels we will be able to book BCV with the AKL points. Of couse, he was never the one to make the reservations so he doesn't know how hard BCV is to book. So we may just do both. That way we know we will at least get BCV sometimes.

Refresh my memory, I can book at AKV, and at the 7 month window if there is availability use those same points I used to book AKV and switch to BCV right?

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Thanks for all the replies. I just put a call in to TTS to look out for some BCV points for me. My husband can't get past the cheaper price per point and extended years at AKL as well as the developer points. He feels we will be able to book BCV with the AKL points. Of couse, he was never the one to make the reservations so he doesn't know how hard BCV is to book. So we may just do both. That way we know we will at least get BCV sometimes.

Refresh my memory, I can book at AKV, and at the 7 month window if there is availability use those same points I used to book AKV and switch to BCV right?

Yes!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

And you can also book what you can with your BCV points at 11 mos., then at 7 mos. use your AKV points to book the rest of your stay and they will link the ressies together. That way, say you only had enough BCV pts. for Sun - Tues, the likelyhood that Wed - Fri (or whatever) might be greater for you at 7 mos. Many ways to skin a cat!

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

We sold our larger BC contract this year, and turned around and bought a smaller one so we could still get the 11 month advantage there. I really like BCV for the location and pools, but the room layouts at AKV look great. There is too much competition for BCV at 7 months now that DVC is so big (compared to when we purchased pre construction BCV). Welcome Back.

 

[janni518]

Approx. $9 a point difference. Let's say you buy 150 pts. You pay $1350 extra to get BCV. Over say 10 years, that about $135 difference per year. If, I'm not a DVC member yet, it is that tough to get BCV reservations 7 months out, I would buy a resale BCV. Ain't much diff in the long run.

Yes, it can be hard to book BCV 7 months out depending on the time of year. Also if you are thinking of buying into DVC don't forget about expiration. Your calculations didn't take into account that AKV expires 2057, BCV 2042. Fifteen years is nothing to sneeze at.



Terry, welcome back, looking forward to getting to know you. If you love BCV and it sounds ike you do I have to agree that is the way to go, although I havent check out AKV yet, want to do that on our upcoming trip.

 

[SamSam]

Welcome back. We own at BCV and at AKV, the BCV we will always have because we love the food and wine fest and getting in during that time period (at the 7 month window) would be almost impossible. We will always have our AKV because I absolutely love the feel of it, when we stay there it's more of a laid back kind of vacation.
Like some have said, maybe you could buy some points at each resort.
Good luck with your decision; whichever way you decide I'm sure you will be a happy owner.

 

[Y-ASK]

Well if you're not in any hurry why not just low ball a BCV contract and see if you get any takers. Go through the ROFR process 3 or 4 times and see what happens, you might get lucky.

Y-ASK

 

[AKV707]

We are AKV owners and we love it. But it sounds to me like BCV is the right fit for you. Can't the CM in the family get you a discount on buying BCV direct?