Purchausng resale conundrum

[Mardin]

Hello folks after many a trip to disney world we have finaly decided to buy into dvc. Here's the kicker we cant really make travel plans more than 5 mo in advance. With that being the limitation which resorts would you suggest we buy into... just go for the lowest point and dues ?

 

[poofyo101]

Saratoga. Longer contract then the 2042. Cheap points, cheap dues and you wouldn't be able to take advantage of the home resort 11 month advantage.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I wouldn't buy if you are 5 month planners.

 

[zavandor]

I wouldn't buy if you are 5 month planners.

This.
You're likely to be disappointed in what you can book only 5 months in advance, which for DVC is very last minute.

 

[AnnaS]

You might luck out booking for certain times of the year if you purchase at one of the larger resorts (SSR, OKW & AKV). As the pp said, you will be disappointed when you can't reserve a 3-7 night stay. If booking for a busy time - and not many slow times anymore....chances will be very slim. (OKW preferably ending in 2057))

I would really think this over. DVC might not be for you. If you really want in, perhaps buy a very small contract - enough for a few nights and see how it works out for you.

Good luck!

(I forgot about OKW ;0 ending in 2057)

 

[The Jackal]

If booking studios, there usually is only a few left at 5 months. If your going to a 1 bedroom there would be more options most of the year. If you were to do this you would be better off with the cheapest points, SSR. But it’s a tough decision for you with only being able to book at 5 months.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

I think you need to ask yourself a few questions, what time of year do you normally travel and what size room do you want/need? Does it matter to you which resort you are staying at? As others have said it may be difficult for you to book what you want during busy times but if you're flexible it may work. I agree with others who have suggest buying based on point cost.

 

[Sandisw]

I think more often than not you will find it difficult to book at 5 months out, depending on when you are going to travel,

If 1 bedrooms are what you are after, those will be easier. But what you might find is that you will have to book your trip as a split stay and then work to get what you want.

Summer will be easier at that time frame, but fall and school breaks will be tough.

Having said that, if you aren’t going to plan more than 7 months out, then buy a WDW resort, like SSR, which offers an overall good value.

 

[Philsfan77]

This seems like a bad idea

 

[lovin'fl]

You know, I used to say if one was a short term planner then they are not right for DVC. But we were just at WDW on a 9 day split stay. I booked well in advance (BWV at 11 months and SSR at 7). Got a 2BR because DS, MIL and FIL were all planning to come. But DS got new job and couldn't come. So Just DH and I and his parents.

The day before arrival we get a call from his parents to tell us they weren't coming as MIL was in hospital. She has been battling a myriad of health problems. So on drive down I called MS and asked them to break our 2BR lock off at BWV into just a 1BR and cancel the studio part. The 2BR at SSR was dedicated and nothing was available to swap. But I watched over the next week...the SSR part was last 2 nights at end of trip. I found many options and even grabbed up many things...1BR for 1 night at OKW, 1BR for 2 nights at SSR, could have had many choices for the 1 night (even BLT, AKV, BRV). The day before checking out of BWV, we found 2 nights at BWV in a 1BR. No need to even move resorts (had to move rooms because different views). I was surprised at how much popped up at the last minute.

We also, this July, were sitting around one Friday night contemplating what to do for the weekend (empty nesters). For poops and giggles we went on DVC site and popped in Saturday night at HHI. To our surprise there was a room available so we grabbed it and did a whirlwind 24 hour jaunt to HHI. Great trip!

So if OP is flexible he will be able to utilize DVC at 5 months out. Might have to do split stays or shorter stays and can watch the availability tracker to see what he can tweak to. If OP ALWAYS has to have a studio and/or ALWAYS in fall frenzy time (Sept through mid January is the toughest time to book DVC) then he should reconsider. But if he has points to grab a 1BR many times or can do other times of the year...then it could work fine.

But, yes, SSR is the resort to buy. Lower buy in, lower dues and longer contract life than the 2042s.

 

[Miffy]

Even though I don't own DVC, I read a lot about it on these boards, and I have a suggestion. Buy a direct contract for a fixed week. That way you wouldn't have to concern yourself with booking 5 months in advance as your week would be prebooked every year. Assuming you would want to travel the same week every year and can afford a direct-contract purchase, this could work out very well for you.

But for resale? I think you're playing with fire. It's the general opinion of everyone on the DVC boards that if you can't plan 11 months (even 7 is cutting it close these days) in advance, DVC is not for you.

ETA: I've given this a lot of thought since I often think of perhaps buying DVC, and this is the conclusion I've come to for myself--that if I ever bought, I'd get a fixed week so I wouldn't have to concern myself with trying to get the exact reservation I wanted.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

So if OP is flexible he will be able to utilize DVC at 5 months out. Might have to do split stays or shorter stays and can watch the availability tracker to see what he can tweak to. If OP ALWAYS has to have a studio and/or ALWAYS in fall frenzy time (Sept through mid January is the toughest time to book DVC) then he should reconsider. But if he has points to grab a 1BR many times or can do other times of the year...then it could work fine.

I think, though, they have to understand that they will have to work hard to put together stays, piece together days, waitlist, etc. etc. It's not going to be turnkey.

I don't know that people buy DVC thinking about it this way. I think they think of magic, and booking different resorts, and etc. etc.

I think buying knowing you'll never use home resort, and will always be under 6 months planning, is setting oneself up for frustration. It's one thing if it's a now and again thing; happens to everyone. But if it's an every use thing...

 

[Mardin]

So i should have added we would only be looking for 1bed room units or higher. But it seems even those will be hard to get at 5 mo and so dvc is not for us

 

[lovin'fl]

So i should have added we would only be looking for 1bed room units or higher. But it seems even those will be hard to get at 5 mo and so dvc is not for us

1BR is not as hard. ANd some 2BR aren't. Only the resorts, like BWV, where the 2BR are all lock-offs because when the studios all book up they then have no 2BR and only 1BR left since the studios are part of all the 2BR.

As far as the fixed week mentioned above. That is a good idea too. even though it's a set week you can opt out whenever you want and just use those points as regular points. But fixed 1BR weeks are expensive as they are at the newer resorts which cost top $$$ and take a ton of points. I think if I were OP and wanted to move ahead, I'd get a 150-175 point SSR resale.

 

[SG131]

So i should have added we would only be looking for 1bed room units or higher. But it seems even those will be hard to get at 5 mo and so dvc is not for us

It's still not ideal, but one bedrooms are a bit more possible at 5 months unless you want to travel during fall frenzy.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Even though I don't own DVC, I read a lot about it on these boards, and I have a suggestion. Buy a direct contract for a fixed week. That way you wouldn't have to concern yourself with booking 5 months in advance as your week would be prebooked every year. Assuming you would want to travel the same week every year and can afford a direct-contract purchase, this could work out very well for you.

But for resale? I think you're playing with fire. It's the general opinion of everyone on the DVC boards that if you can't plan 11 months (even 7 is cutting it close these days) in advance, DVC is not for you.

ETA: I've given this a lot of thought since I often think of perhaps buying DVC, and this is the conclusion I've come to for myself--that if I ever bought, I'd get a fixed week so I wouldn't have to concern myself with trying to get the exact reservation I wanted.

Buying a fixed week is akin to planning 50 years in advance. I don't believe it's applicable to a person who cannot plan more than 5 months in advance. ie - if they have a week they know they could always go then they would just book it at 11 months and be done. For the fixed week to really be worth the additional purchase cost it should be a time you know you will almost always go, at a resort you want to almost always stay at and be a week and villa size that is actually difficult to book IMO. Otherwise if one books when the 11 month window opens there are few times during the year that you couldn't get what you want unless it's one of the very smallest of room categories. IMO currently there aren't any fixed weeks being sold that fit that unless you were possibly looking at a CCV studio.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I'm sorry to say I think you are better off just getting whatever deal Disney has at the time. It's challenging to book at 11 months, and so much about luck at 7 months and it has continued to get more difficult with each passing year. It's like buying a car that you might not ever be able to drive. I think it likely will be an expensive, unhappy and stressful experience.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So i should have added we would only be looking for 1bed room units or higher. But it seems even those will be hard to get at 5 mo and so dvc is not for us

Is there a general time frame you'd tend to be traveling? That could makea difference. Flexibility would always be key for using at 5 months though and the possibility of frustration is high if you are not flexible on where you stay or the exact dates.

Regarding resort, at 7 months a point is a point and you might as well purchase the most economical which still tends to be SSR.

 

[poofyo101]

So i should have added we would only be looking for 1bed room units or higher. But it seems even those will be hard to get at 5 mo and so dvc is not for us

I tend to disagree with everyone saying its fairly hard to book at 5 months out if you are looking at 1BR or higher. Usually those rooms stick around longer

 

[Brett Wyman]

I tend to disagree with everyone saying its fairly hard to book at 5 months out if you are looking at 1BR or higher. Usually those rooms stick around longer

Its greatly dependent on when they travel. Even SSR and OKW are hard to get Oct-Dec now. Other times of the year, outside of a few weeks here and there, it's no issue at all to book SSR or at 5 months. For instance 5 months from now all 1 bedrooms type are wide open at SSR.