Purchasing DVC timeshare

[ScottyG]

My husband and I are seriously considering the purchase of a
DVC timeshare. We are most interested in BCV, BWV, and OKW.
We have stayed at OKW in the past and plan to stay at BCV this
fall. Could someone please share their thoughts on these particular resorts. Also, how much should one consider maintenance fees in making a decision? Thank you for your responses.

D. Goodman

 

[Richyams]

BCV and BWV are pretty much the same, same small units, same long walks to the room, same high point scedule, same high dues....some minor differences, a small number of standard view room at BWV for less points, BCV has SAB.

OKW on the other hand, allows you to park right in front of your unit, has the lowest dues, the lowest point scedule and the largest rooms.

OKW is easiest to get into at seven months, so having it as a home resort only lowers you dues and allows you to get a GV when you want.

I really find the BWV/BCV/WLV tiny rooms just too small. BWV has a two bedroom unit that sleeps eight with a dining table suitable for two. If the pull out couch is open, it fills the entire unit.

Some people feel that the location of the BWV makes up for the tiny units, the high dues and the high point scedule.

 

[crisi]

Take what Rich says with a grain of salt. He is known around here for being a little evangalistic on OKW.

When we bought resale, we looked at OKW and BWV. I actually tried to purchase OKW and ended up at BWV after the OKW owner pulled out. I'm happy, here is why.

While OKW has bigger rooms, we don't spend that much time in our room anyway.

You can park in front of your room at OKW, but we take a shuttle in and are dependant on Disney transportation or our feet.

We have two children who believe all pools should come with slides.

From reports here, OKW is the easiest to get into at the seven month window (exceptions would be booking a GV - especially at peak times of year). So when we want larger rooms, a quieter resort, and easy access to our car, we shouldn't have a huge problem booking at OKW.


I wouldn't be too concerned with dues. OKW has the lowest dues currently, but saw the biggest increase last year. There is no guarentee OKW will continue to have the lowest dues. My take on it is that if the difference in dues between the lowest dues resort and the highest makes a difference, you probably can't afford the purchase in the first place.

 

[burnsoc]

All the resorts have their pro's and cons. I bought into BCV because of the proximity to Epcot and BW. OKW was just too far removed from all the restaurants and nightlife. As far as maintenance costs go, the difference in cost was minimal to me between the different resorts in WDW. If you intend on purchasing a lot of points, then there could be a significant difference in cost of dues. If you enjoy a resort with a lot of dining and entertainment options on site or within walking distance, then I would go with either BCV or BWV. If what you're looking for in a vacation is a quiet and spread out resort, OKW would suit you. What's nice about DVC is there's a resort for whatever type of vacation you're interested in. I also enjoyed WLV for it's beautiful lobby and proximity to MK and FW. Whatever you decide, I think you'll find DVC to be a great financial decision.

 

[rae519]

I echo burnsoc - but then whatelse would I do for a fellow New Yorker - and Goshen having the famous Trotter's Hall of Fame.

I have bought both DVC and resale from the Timeshare Store - if I would have known this time last year about the DIS Board and DVC, I'd have certainly investigated the resales and gone that route.

Rae

 

[burnsoc]

Rae519, You've actually been to the trotter's hall of fame? That's too funny! Just to give you an update, it hasn't changed one bit. How's a fellow New Yorker like you getting by in Indiana?

 

[Cruelladeville]

I agree with crisi, I also chose BWV because of its proximity to two theme parks, tons of eating places within walking distance, pools with slides, convenient activities, and valet service Although I love OKW's large rooms and peacefulness, my teens hated it, they said it reminded them of a rest home for the insane (the Disney insane, perhaps? OKW was great when I had a car, but it was awful when I had to depend upon their transportation when I flew, due to it's notorious slowness. You need to walk into a DVC ownership with your eyes wide open--if you want closeness to theme parks and eateries at your fingertips, you will pay slightly more for it in the form of maintenance, perhaps $.50 per point over OKW fees, but as crisi pointed out, unless you are buying a large number of points, this shouldn't be your focus. If $75-$100 is a huge amount to you, then DVC probably won't fit into your budget easily, and it has to fit pretty easily, especially if you are making that payment every month for 3, 5, 7, or even 10 years.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

my teens hated it, they said it reminded them of a rest home for the insane ...... awful when I had to depend upon their transportation when I flew, due to it's notorious slowness.

Hmmm, hadn't heard this description before.

One option to consider would be to rent some points and stay in a couple of different DVC resorts on your vacation, maybe your top two. Then you could make a decision with a little experience of having stayed in both resors to compare. We like the room size at teh BCV, and with all the repetative talk about how it is so much smaller the size of the BCV unit is great for us. We also stay in Vero beach which has larger units, so we understand the differences in size. Location and ease of transportation to resorts are priorities for us. The beauty of the plan is you can stay in all resorts, you just want to think through which you may want to have the 11 month priority in peak seasons at. For us, that was definitely BCV, it's beautiful. I recently saw a description of it as the Grand Floridian of the Epcot Resorts area. But hay, rent some points and check out the resorts for yourself.

You also might want to check out a recent thread comaring BCV and BWV, there were some good points for each of the resorts. There's also a thread from a long time ago where everyone posted the good points they liked about thier home resorts, instead of beaing negative about other resorts, which had a lot of nice comments and oints about the resorts you didn't always see in the which resort is better discussions. Those tend to be negative towards other resorts instead of listing the positive points about each .

Good luck, enjoy your decision.

 

[rae519]

burnsoc (Fellow New Yorker!)
See your Private Messages for a reply!

: )

Rae

 

[DeeP]

As others have said the difference in the dues between OKW and BWV is $.50 which comes out to $150.00 more per year or $12.50 more per month for a 300 pt contract--not a real significant difference especially considering how many more amenities you get at BWV and BCV vs OKW. Like being able to walk to 2 parks, numerous great restaurants right outside your door, nighttime entertainment, valet parking, room service, great pools with slides and life guards, etc. Also as others have stated the dues at OKW are now $.50 lower than BWV, that may not stay that way. OKW had a significantly larger increase in dues for 2003 than BWV or BCV did. This might very well continue and the dues may very well someday be equal to, be less than a $.50 difference or maybe even higher than BWV & BCV. No one knows. Do not pick your home resort based on the dues, it is not enough $ to really make a difference.
OKW does have the largest units, mostly the 1 BR. The studio has a very small size difference and so has the GV at OKW vs BWV, BCV & VWL. The 1 BR at OKW is a very nice size unit.
Pick your home resort by the atmosphere, the location and the amenities offered at the resort. If you want a quiet, laid back, all units facing a parking lot, not conveniently located to anything and less amenities available to their guests than the moderate resorts, than OKW might be just what you are looking for. If you want a top shelf deluxe resort with full deluxe hotel amenities available to their guests and a resort located in a prime, convenient location then BCV, BWV, VWL might be more to your liking.
All the DVC resorts have their fans and they all also have those that do not like them at all. What appeals to one person might be the total opposite of what appeals to someone else. Check them all out and decide which best suits you and your vacation wants and desires. Good luck!

 

[Richyams]

Here is a quick rundown, they always like this.....

OKW units are 25% bigger than BCV, cost 25% less points per night and dues about 15% lower than BCV. THis makes OKW dues 65% lower than BCV per sq ft per night.

 

[burnsoc]

Don't forget Rich that OKW also has 90% less amenities!

 

[jimmytammy]

Scotty G

Have you considered VWL? We love it! Its quite and peaceful, very relaxing. Maint. dues are something to think about but nothing to really sweat over. If your initial purchase can be handled meaning thats where you need to place more concern, knowing it will be payed for upfront or the money wiil be there to take care of it each mos., I would be more concerned about that aspect of the purchase.

By the way, keep a check on the DVC board for any upcoming NC DVCers getting together for a meet. We went to the last one and met some really nice folks with a lot of good insight about DVC and getting ready for our 1st trip home(which Im sad to say took way to long to get here and was over way too quick)

At any rate good luck on your decision to join and where to call "home". I will say this, make your home resort where you feel like you want to stay the most, because of the 11 mos. window.

 

[DSNY FN]

Our favourite one to date is BWV my wifes parents stayed at OKW and yes the rooms are bigger but it is just so quiet there. I prefer to have lots of things to see and do right outside my door and for me that was Boardwalk. WLV were nice but just not exciting enough.

 

[disny4ever]

My DW and I just recently purchased at BCV's., Why ?? because we liked the resort and everything it had to offer. The room size is fine for us, the dues are fine for us, the points used per night are fine with us.
So take the time to look around, decide where you want to have your home for the next 40 years and purchase at that resort. If you can't decide maybe you will have to have more then 1 contract....lol

 

[Sharper]

In case you haven't figured it out, this is something that you are not going to get much help on from this board. I laughed out loud a few times reading these posts.

OKW is NOT in the boondocks (it has dedicated bus service, instead of making the rounds like BCV and BWV), it is beautiful and peaceful but my children and their friends (ages 6 through teens) think OKW is great--not as packed and formal as others, pools are not crowded, easy access to downtown disney via boat, there are many positives, such as the activities at Community Hall.

And no, BCV/BWV rooms are not tiny, and they are more convenient TO A DEGREE, but I would not consider everything to be at your door. The pools are more elaborate if that is important to you. There is a difference in environment which is a personal preference sort of thing.

All of the DVC resorts are great. We own at both OKW and BCV because we see the pros and cons of both. I have stayed at the Boardwalk and Wilderness Lodge also, and they too have their wonderful points and perhaps some tiny disadvantages depending on your specific situation.

 

[RLevy29]

Sharper,
Thank you for posting a positive report about all of the DVC resorts located in DW. I own at OKW and if I tried to book at any of the other resorts to try them, I wouldn't be disappointed if I couldn't get in. I think that they are all great. (DH has more preferences than I do) I think that they all have their positives. I think that yiou will be happy no matter where you buy! Good Luck!

 

[mikesmom]

my teens hated it, they said it reminded them of a rest home for the insane (the Disney insane, perhaps?

Your remark made me chuckle as it's pretty much what DS said at age 17 when we stayed at OKW for 2 nights before moving on to BWV for the remainder of our days.

Fast forward to this summer when he is 19 and we added 2 days to our vacation and had to move to OKW to get a room. He liked it so much he didn't go into the park! Go figure.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Another point to consider is which resort will you want to stay in during peak periods and will you want to be able to use Grand Villas or 3 bedroom units. For onsite resorts only OKW and BWVs have three bedroom units, the other's don't. You need the 11 month advantage to book a 3 bedroom. OWK seems to have more availability than the other resorts, people who cannot get in at BCV or WLV at the 7 month window find they can still get into OKW at the 7 month window.

If cost per square foot is your deciding factor, then choose OKW, or if you like golf, or Downtown Disney. Another option might be the new resort Saratoga Springs that is being built. If your looking for amenities and proximity to parks and activities, there are other options worth considering. We really like BCVs, the room layout is great for us, and the proximity to two parks along with restaraunts and jellyrolls all close for nightime activities works out wonderfully. We find we do MK or AK a few mornings, and then we are close to Epcot for Dinner in the evenings. There's lots to do in the Crecent Lake area and we like alternative forms of transportation othere than just the buses, the busses seem to be the least "fun" transportation available. We like the boat rides.