QUESTION: points for other DVC resorts vs. home resort

[dsnyaddict]

We are interested in DVC, so if we bought points for our home resort, how would I figure out the points I would need to stay at the other DVC resorts?

Is there a fee for switching?

We are thinking about buying into OKW because that is where we would be most.

But we would want to visit Vero Beach and maybe some of the others once in a while.


Thanks!

Monica

 

[DisneyKidds]

Points required to stay at a particular DVC resort have nothing to do with which 'home' resort you 'own'. You would look to the point chart for each resort to determine the points required to stay there. The only impact 'home' resort has is when you are able to make reservations. If you 'own' OKW you can make reservations at OKW 11 months in advance. You wouldn't be able to make reservations at other DVC resorts until 7 months in advance. Reservations at that time would be subject to availability. Depending on the time of year and the resort, reservations at 7 months can be very easy or very difficult to obtain. There are no fees involved. Sounds like you are following one of the best strategies - buy where you plan to stay the most.

 

[dsnyaddict]

Thanks!

So buying into the resort you plan to be at is done mainly because reservations can be made more in advance? It isn't because of the points involved?

I'm asking because I see prices ranging from $59.50/per point at Vero to $70/per point at BWV. It seems like a big difference in price!

Also, I have heard that it is not very smart financially to stay at non-dvc resorts (on-site) . Are there point charts for them as well?

thanks again,

monica

 

[Laurabearz]

Originally posted by dsnyaddict
Thanks!

Also, I have heard that it is not very smart financially to stay at non-dvc resorts (on-site) . Are there point charts for them as well?

thanks again,

monica

Point for point you get more bang for you buck at the DVC resorts. Period.

With that said we have used our points to stay at the Poly, BC, and soon AKL...... WHY? Because they are our points and we will use them in a manner that suits our family best. PLUS there is no way DH would pay 4 or 5 hundred bucks a night for Poly Lagoon view concierge...... but on points... it was posible

There are charts out there.... but other than the member's site, I am not sure where.... sorry...

good luck with you decision!

 

[drusba]

For point charts see the following:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dvc/7_DVCCharts/pointcharts.htm

It has the point charts for 2002 but not for BCV; nevertheless the BCV points are exactly the same as VWL. The points remain the same from year to year except that the higher point times of Easter and Thanksgiving change dates each year.

Yes you can get Vero cheaper than VWL but then annual dues at VB are now the highest of the resorts. Moreover, understand that the 11/7 reservation window is important. For example, in the the past few years, BWV has been difficult to get many times of year with the 7 month window. The same will likely be true in the future for VWL and BCV; even OKW which has more than 2X the number of rooms than any other DVC resort is very difficult to get with the 7 month window during holiday times and high DVC demand times like the first two weeks in December. The usual advice is to buy where you plan to stay most to take advantage of 11 month window.

Using points at non-DVC Disney hotels is not something you should plan on doing often as the point cost is high -- for example, it can cost more points for a night in a hotel room in a non-DVC Disney resort than it costs for a 1BR in a DVC resort (that 1BR is 3X or more larger than the typical hotel room and has a kitchen, w/d, and a large bathroom and if you stay in one of those you will never want to stay in a regular hotel room again).