Questions before buying DVC

[DVCSunDevil]

Hey there!

OK, so me and my family ( of three) stayed at Art of Animation for our first Disney trip november 2019.
I’ve listened to and watched the dis-dvc-show and other the Dis shows, so I pretto much know them by heart.

Well, the dvc-bug bit me.

Now, I live in Scandinavia, so, a Disney trip cost a LOT of money, but I think that I have persuaded myself (or maybe I’ve been Brain-washed by the Dvc-show) into buying into DVC.

Now, to the hard part:
Wich resort should I buy into?
My first thought were Saratoga springs because it is resonable priced and the annual dues arent bad.

But I have now instead almost made a decision that the resort is animal Kingdom. Reasonably priced per point etc. And, if I can get them, the value studios... cheapest accomodation. I can then stay about 9-10 nights per year in a value studio.

But I think I would want to stay at the polynesian and other dvc resorts to. But they are quite expensive to buy.

all properties look great.

100 or 150 points?
100 points is about enough for one week Every year, but 150 is ”sweeter”, but a lot more expensive. About 5-6000 more, and 50% more annual fee. BUT it gives more flexibility for staying at more expensive resorts. And, for inviting friends to stay once in awhile.

But, at first I thought about 75 points, just to get into it. And it’s not too much money.

Maybe 100 would be the most reasonable choice.
But it would be ”fun” with more points (see, my brain is trying to push me towards 150 points)

What are your thoughts?
Buy 100 and then add-on later if I like to?

Question ”2”.
I really want to use my points at aulani sometime.

Lets say I buy 100 points and they enter my account 1st October (October use year), I bank them, use the points I get 2021, and borrow points från October 2022.

When can I make the reservation for aulani and when can I stay there? (Month and year)?
When Will all those points ”expire”?
Can I use them for, let’s say november-december 2021?

I’m confused...

I would recommend buying into a resort that you would most like to spend your time. Buying into a home resort just for money purposes can lead to regret down the road. I am a new DVC-er myself, but my wife and I did a lot of research before we pulled the trigger. Experienced sales agents all recommended buying into a place you would be happy spending non-park days. Also, do you have a larger family and need 1-2 bedrooms? That can also dictate what resorts you should consider. And are there certain parks you love? For example, my family puts a lot of weight on pool time (especially living in the northeast) so we chose Beach Club. We also love Epcot and BCV is literally a 5 minute walk to Epcot. In regards to your second question, there are plusses and minuses with going low not the point total to start and then adding on later. The benefit is that you are reducing the risk of buying more points then you need, but smaller contract (to add later on) are typically more expensive per point. We tried to narrow down what times of year we would normally visit and looked at the associated point schedule for those time periods. That helped us figure out what we would need from a point perspective.

Good luck!

 

[jill444]

Hi there... we are looking to buy and just put in an offer so I understand all your questions. All the advice so far is spot on. Take a look at Pete's availability chart. (it won't let me link for some reason, but it is in the member services thread).

It helped us A LOT when looking at our vacation patterns and where we would want to stay. To emphasize what has been said... Sept-Jan are a premium time for DVC so don't expect to stay anywhere but your home resort. There is 'spotty' availability in some resorts at the 7 mo mark, but most of that is the 1 br more 'expensive' rooms. You won't get a studio anywhere other than AKV, SS, or OKW at that point. So if you are ok staying at AKV when you go in Nov... then buy there. Just don't expect to get anything at Poly (they only have studios and 2br bungalows and sell out fast). As was said before too, if you want to buy 2 resorts and bought 50 pts at Poly, you can only use your Poly points at 11 mos and 50 pts doesn't go far at Poly, so if you were planning to go using those points, look at the point charts and make sure 150 is enough for the time/room you need.

One thing that I didn't see mentioned is the total you will need at closing is the contract price + closing costs + full year MF. The added costs will add a couple thousand to your total cost, so if your cap is $10,000, make sure you factor in those fees before you decide on a contract.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

Thank you, all.
a New thought:
One reason for buying DVC is, like I wrote in my original post, for staying at aulani Studios for 10-14 days.
Is that even possible to book at the 7 month mark?
Or should I simply buy Aulani instead, and get in at akv or whatever at the 7-month ”all other trips”?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Thank you, all.
a New thought:
One reason for buying DVC is, like I wrote in my original post, for staying at aulani Studios for 10-14 days.
Is that even possible to book at the 7 month mark?
Or should I simply buy Aulani instead, and get in at akv or whatever at the 7-month ”all other trips”?

It depends on the season and your expectation. Some seasons, no. Most seasons, not the least expensive studios.

For a 10-14 day trip to Aulani I would strongly recommend a 1BR. Even with a car, you'll find the cost of eating out 2 out of every 3 meals destroys any "savings" by having a studio without a kitchen.

 

[Deano45m]

Hey there!

OK, so me and my family ( of three) stayed at Art of Animation for our first Disney trip november 2019.
I’ve listened to and watched the dis-dvc-show and other the Dis shows, so I pretto much know them by heart.

Well, the dvc-bug bit me.

Now, I live in Scandinavia, so, a Disney trip cost a LOT of money, but I think that I have persuaded myself (or maybe I’ve been Brain-washed by the Dvc-show) into buying into DVC.

Now, to the hard part:
Wich resort should I buy into?
My first thought were Saratoga springs because it is resonable priced and the annual dues arent bad.

But I have now instead almost made a decision that the resort is animal Kingdom. Reasonably priced per point etc. And, if I can get them, the value studios... cheapest accomodation. I can then stay about 9-10 nights per year in a value studio.

But I think I would want to stay at the polynesian and other dvc resorts to. But they are quite expensive to buy.

all properties look great.

100 or 150 points?
100 points is about enough for one week Every year, but 150 is ”sweeter”, but a lot more expensive. About 5-6000 more, and 50% more annual fee. BUT it gives more flexibility for staying at more expensive resorts. And, for inviting friends to stay once in awhile.

But, at first I thought about 75 points, just to get into it. And it’s not too much money.

Maybe 100 would be the most reasonable choice.
But it would be ”fun” with more points (see, my brain is trying to push me towards 150 points)

What are your thoughts?
Buy 100 and then add-on later if I like to?

Question ”2”.
I really want to use my points at aulani sometime.

Lets say I buy 100 points and they enter my account 1st October (October use year), I bank them, use the points I get 2021, and borrow points från October 2022.

When can I make the reservation for aulani and when can I stay there? (Month and year)?
When Will all those points ”expire”?
Can I use them for, let’s say november-december 2021?

I’m confused...

You also can buy 200 then either sell off some or bank them into following year to stay longer. SSR is a great lower point resort plus able to walk to Disney Springs for shopping, dining and nighttime entertainment

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

Welcome to the DIS - I'm from Scandinavia too

For starters - I dont recommend buying any resort without having stayed or as a minimum have visited first.

Basically the recommendation is to buy where you like to stay or at least dont mind staying. With that said it also depends on WHEN you plan to go. Late September - mid January is called fall frenzy and during that time you will most likely have to stay at your home resort. Outside that time you will have a much better chance of using whatever points you own as SAP (Sleep around points)

One thing to point out about AKV - Don't buy AKV with the expectation of staying in a value studio or Club level studio. They are VERY hard to get, and you will get lucky and be able to book them some times but not everytime (by a long shot)

For AKV you should plan on getting a standard view studio and buy enough points for that.

If you should buy 75, 100 or 150 points all depends on the size of your wallet 75 points will demand a higher price per point due to the small contract, the 100 points contract are in the middle price wise and the 150 points in the lower end compared to the 75 point contract.

IF the intention is to stay during the first part of the year and stay away from Fall Frenzy I'd buy SSR or AKV. AKV only if you wish to have a shot at the value or club level rooms. Id buy 130+ points whatever is the cheapest you can find.

IF you wish to stay during both fall frenzy and outside I'd buy at a resort I like staying at. I would also buy 2 x 75'ish point contracts as that would give me more flexibility regarding the resorts I can book 11 months out. It will come with a higher pricetag due to the higher price per point and twice the closing costs but IF you need to sell the selling price will also be higher.

Regarding the Use year. A contract with an October use year will in 2020 have points available from 10/01-2020 - 09/30-2021, that means your points are good for a vacation during that time. a use year do not follow the calendar year. If you dont use your points during that time they will expire. If you bank your 2020 points then they can be used for a vacation from 10/01-2021 - 09/30-2022. Points can only be banked once meaning points that have been banked from 2020 to 2021 will expire at the end of your 2021 use year (9/30-2021) If you have banked your points to the following use year you will be able to use the banked points, the points from that use year plus be able to borrow points. That means that you can potentially use 3 years worth of points.


If you want to stay at Aulani you can use your points to book 7 months out from the day of checkin assuming you dont own at Aulani. A basic misunderstanding is that your use year have to be started before you can book, it doesn't. As long as you have points available in your account you can book 7 months our or 11 months out for your home resort.

As a fellow scandinavian, do you know if I can buy direct from Disney by calling them?

 

[Cyberc1978]

As a fellow scandinavian, do you know if I can buy direct from Disney by calling them?

IMO You can't.

With that being said Disney can have different policies in place for different countries. Take UK they can buy direct by calling Disney. In Denmark we can't.

The only way to truely know is by calling DVC.

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

IMO You can't.

With that being said Disney can have different policies in place for different countries. Take UK they can buy direct by calling Disney. In Denmark we can't.

The only way to truely know is by calling DVC.

Thank you, I will try that.
but first, I have to decide where to buy resale (and then add-on-direct)

One minute i have decided I’m gonna buy at AKL, then it’s PVB, then it’s Aulani, then RRV, BWV... they ALL seem nice.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Thank you, I will try that.
but first, I have to decide where to buy resale (and then add-on-direct)

One minute i have decided I’m gonna buy at AKL, then it’s PVB, then it’s Aulani, then RRV, BWV... they ALL seem nice.

In the current market I recommend that you watch out, no one knows if the resale market will take a small or big hit if any hit at all.

Unless you are in a hurry or find a really good deal I would wait.

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

In the current market I recommend that you watch out, no one knows if the resale market will take a small or big hit if any hit at all.

Unless you are in a hurry or find a really good deal I would wait.

Yes, I Will Wait and watch how the market reacts

maybe by then I have made a decision about where I wantto buy.

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

I’ll continue in my own thread:
Use year. Everyone is saying get a sept-oct use year for november trips in case you have to cancel.
BUT the reason many have to cancel is that you get sick or something, maybe days prior to your trip. How does it work then?
Travel insurance ”takes care” of the money for the flights, but what about the points?

 

[Cyberc1978]

I’ll continue in my own thread:
Use year. Everyone is saying get a sept-oct use year for november trips in case you have to cancel.
BUT the reason many have to cancel is that you get sick or something, maybe days prior to your trip. How does it work then?
Travel insurance ”takes care” of the money for the flights, but what about the points?

If you cancel your trip only a few days out, then points go into holding. Actually they go in to holding if you cancel less than 31 days out.

Point insurance is only available in the US (maybe also UK) so if you need to cancel it’s bad luck.

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

Alright. Thank you. it’s not a deal-breaker, but good to know.

 

[brertoad]

If you planned on getting value rooms at AKV you pretty much need to own at AKV, the availability at 7 months is non-existent.
AKV also has a lot of choices, you have Jambo value studio, Jambo regular studio, and also Kidani studio. If a studio sized room is what you want, then AKV has the most flexibility and with an 11 month window you'll have a good chance at booking at least something in the deluxe studio size that works for you.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

I’ll continue in my own thread:
Use year. Everyone is saying get a sept-oct use year for november trips in case you have to cancel.
BUT the reason many have to cancel is that you get sick or something, maybe days prior to your trip. How does it work then?
Travel insurance ”takes care” of the money for the flights, but what about the points?

The points would go into holding and need to be used by the end of the UY. It's pretty fair IMO. Getting sick last minute would stink, but DVC is still willing to work with you and give you time to use the points.

 

[mimmipigg]

I normally lurk here, but just had to chime in - I'm an American living in Sweden for 5+ years and I think it's really great to see that there are other Disney-obsessed fans in Scandinavia on this forum as most Europeans you see are from the UK.

I'm also thinking about buying DVC now that prices are coming down a bit, but I'm still in the research process. Like you, ArtofAnimation, I can't make my mind up about which resort because there's so many that I love! Keep us posted on where you decide to call home

 

[Cyberc1978]

Right now you can make some good deals.
I just added on at VGF at $145 and seller paying closing. Contract have all points from 2019 and onwards.

There is a newish thread about lowballing offers. Take a look and maybe you can get inspired.

 

[ArtOfAnimationGotMe]

Yes. I am following the ROFR-thread and the lowball-offer-thread like a junkie. and the closing-thread also...

I’m looking for an AKL contract for now. 100-120 points, and the right use year.
(but maybe tomorrow it Will be PVB or BLT)

One negative thing about PVB is the high point-cost for a studio for a week... but Ohana, Captain Cooks, and monorail...

 

[Cyberc1978]

Yes. I am following the ROFR-thread and the lowball-offer-thread like a junkie. and the closing-thread also...

I’m looking for an AKL contract for now. 100-120 points, and the right use year.
(but maybe tomorrow it Will be PVB or BLT)

One negative thing about PVB is the high point-cost for a studio for a week... but Ohana, Captain Cooks, and monorail...

I don’t recommend buying any location just for a restaurant. For me Ohana was one and done.

however I’m not particularly enjoyed either over Poly.

 

[mimmipigg]

Right now you can make some good deals.
I just added on at VGF at $145 and seller paying closing. Contract have all points from 2019 and onwards.

There is a newish thread about lowballing offers. Take a look and maybe you can get inspired.

Wow, that's a really good deal! How did you find that one? Which sites have you been using to search?