Ready to buy

[roumic]

After many years of considering buying from Disney directly, I think I am finally ready to buy but through resale (I am not interested in using beyond DVC resorts). I would like to buy around 100 points since it is just my finance and I. We visit Disney every January so it is typically a low point season and we like to go for a week. We also like to drive down so we aren't dependent on the buses. Our favorite parks are EPCOT and Magic Kingdom, butwe don't always go to the parks during our visits. I am looking for advice on the best value for my money considering the initial cost per point and the annual dues.

 

[roumic]

I failed to mention that although we go every year in January, we rarely are able to book more than 6 months in advance due to our current jobs. Also, on our last visit we stayed at BCV in a studio (45% discount to public) and felt that the room was more than sufficient to meet our needs. It will never be more than two of us.

 

[Mouse Ears]

If you are sure that you will never book more than 6 months out, then where you buy doesn't matter too much.

SSR seems to be the best overall value, considering cost per point, dues, and length of contract.

Me, I book at 11 months and prefer my home resort of Beach Club, and it's worth a premium to me (now in contract for additional points at BCV).

 

[Sandisw]

If you don't ever see yourself booking during a home resort period, then resort does not matter so SSR will give you the overall best value for your money in terms of dollars spent. It is one of the cheapest per point, has lower MF's, and does not expire until 2054.

However, if you ever think there could be a time when you would be able to book during a home resort period, and would have a preference, then consider other resorts.

We also bought at the resorts we love--BLT and BWV--but we travel in August mostly, and eventually will be traveling during F & W in October or in early December--popular times--and wanted to be sure we had the option to book early.

 

[juncker]

Agree that SSR is the best value for the money if you don't need home resort booking priviliges. The bonus of SSR is the ability to reserve THVs at 11 months. We haven't stayed there yet, but have driven around there and it looks fun. These sound difficult to get at the 7 month mark (however they have added a number of units to inventory lately).

I'm also a supporter of resale vs. direct.

Best of luck!

 

[GoofItUp]

Our first contract we bought at BCV because DH stayed there and loved it. We wanted to make sure we could get in when we wanted to. The second contract we bought at SSR as our 7-month go anywhere points. The price, MF, and contract length made it the best value as others have mentioned.

 

[Deb & Bill]

When in January do you usually go? If it is marathon time, that gets a little harder than other times in January.

 

[DVC Dude]

I failed to mention that although we go every year in January, we rarely are able to book more than 6 months in advance due to our current jobs. Also, on our last visit we stayed at BCV in a studio (45% discount to public) and felt that the room was more than sufficient to meet our needs. It will never be more than two of us.

Just another thought, check the points chart to see how much joining DVC will cost vs your typical discounted visits. Click link at top of this window.

You have to figure in buy-in cost (estimate $2-3 per point) + annual dues (estimate $4-5pp) = $6-8 per point

You can always rent points for $10-11pp

BCV in January costs around 15 points per night.

Thus your "member rate" is around $90-120 per night using my formula

Some people will only use the annual dues (and ignore buy-in costs) and that will be around $75 per night, but I think that is unrealistically low.

Your rental rate (@ $10-11pp) is around $150-165 per night

 

[crushturtle]

I am looking for advice on the best value for my money considering the initial cost per point and the annual dues.

I would suggest purchasing at either SSR or AKV.

 

[papamouse1]

I would suggest purchasing at either SSR or AKV.

I second this... SSR is best value, but AKV is a close second IMO

 

[maburke]

I failed to mention that although we go every year in January, we rarely are able to book more than 6 months in advance due to our current jobs. Also, on our last visit we stayed at BCV in a studio (45% discount to public) and felt that the room was more than sufficient to meet our needs. It will never be more than two of us.

I'm going to disagree with everyone's advice here. You say that you rarely are able to book more than 6 months in advance, and yet you know that you always go for a week in January. Well, after the holidays and the marathon, you only have 2 or 3 weeks to choose from, and by adjusting that "rarely more than six months" to "sometimes just over seven months" you are now in the home resort period. I just hate to see someone make a big purchase like this and buy into a resort that they really never want to stay at. "Buy where you want to stay" is good advice, since your vacationing plans may well change a lot over the course of the decades.

 

[disneynutz]

I failed to mention that although we go every year in January, we rarely are able to book more than 6 months in advance due to our current jobs. Also, on our last visit we stayed at BCV in a studio (45% discount to public) and felt that the room was more than sufficient to meet our needs. It will never be more than two of us.

Things change over the years, jobs, relationships, where you live, you just never know. You have a choice, buy a contract with the best value or buy a contract at your favorite resort.

Bill

 

[roumic]

I crunched the numbers and originally hoped to buy resale. I was hoping for BLT, SSR, or OKW. I wanted a 100pt contract with end of year use year such as August, but I was not having any luck on the resale market. So, I bit the bullet and bought BLT direct (MK is one of favorite parks, I love wishes, boat rides on BL/SSL, and the WP). I was able to everything I want that way and have my first trip booked - ALK Kindani Savanna view Studio for the last full week in January.

Since we know we always travel one of the last two weeks of January, I am committing to booking at the 11 month window and work will just ave to make do without me! We will try to rotate the trips between those two weeks to get two vacations out of one annual pass so we only have to buy them every other year or so (I do enjoy going to WDW and not stepping foot into the theme parks).

Thanks for all of your suggestions!