Reasons why you have picked the resort you have

[Michal Holm]

Hi

I was just wondering, why you guys have picked the resort you have?

Is it the Mf alone or do you like one location, theming more than another. If it is one location you like more than another, what is it you like? I mean why is BCV or BWV more attractive than SSR ?

I know that the thumb rule says to buy where you wanna stay. I my self like the AKV because of the animals and theming, but since its a big resort and the availablity is always good when I wanna travel. I could decide to buy somewhere else.

I mean SSR has low MF and the buyin is good, but should I in some years decide not to use my points, i could rent them out, and with home-resort advantage at some high demand resort it may be easier.

The sites that do rent out points, says its easy to do so, but is it really?

regards Michal

 

[Minniesgal]

We picked AKV because we love being on the Savannah and VGF because we love Bay Lake and everything that goes on there as well as the dining options.

i really like owning where I want to stay as I like being all booked at 11 months as we have to buy international flights.

 

[quandrea]

We own at AKV and Ssr. We liked the long contracts when we purchased resale. First time purchase was AKV. We just took what they were selling. Newbies. Love ALL though. Would stay there every time if we had to. Love how easy it is to book and the activities and amenities on site are unparalleled.

 

[crisi]

We wanted to buy. We looked at the contracts available at the time (there were fewer choices then) and made an offer.

We ended up with BWV. At the time, BWV and OKW were generally available resale. VWL was sometimes available resale, but expensive, and Disney was selling BCV - expensive and not yet built.

And I think this is worth keeping in mind with the MANY choices that face you now. If your heart is at a certain resort, or if you need something specific with regularity - buy there. (Especially if its Grand Californian or HHI in the Summer). If you don't have a decided preference, that's a good thing. Thousands and thousands of people have been perfectly happy with a subset of the choices you have. Or with the only choice the DVC guide put in front of them. Pick a resort that appeals to you in your price range, and don't be too swayed by anyone else. You will have opportunities to stay other places - maybe not exactly what you want when you want it, but over the course of ownership, you won't be "stuck" at your home all the time.

 

[hopeful4fl]

We picked SSR and HHI.
With our kids grown up, we are not really bound to the super busy Disney times and can generally get into any resort we need. Case point is an upcoming trip in Jan where we will be staying in AK Kidani and VGF (2 bedroom in each resort, since we are taking family with us). Had no issues getting in the 7 month window.
If our circumstances dictated us to stay in VGF (which is my fav resort) during the busy times, I would have bought there without thinking twice.
In the end, I think people should look at the next 10 years of expected vacation timeline (Yes.... I know..... more friggin planning) and decide the best pick for them. In the end, you will be able to budget and enjoy MUCH better. You could buy a 200 point contract at HH resale at < half the price for a VGF one, IF you knew you would not be needing VGF during the busy seasons.
I know that HHI will be a faster depreciating contract (Since it ends sooner), but I fully expect Disney to come up with a way to up the end date with a buy in of some sort.

 

[davper]

I wanted a Downtown Disney Location, an Epcot location, and a MK location.

Magic Kingdom Options
VGF & Poly - Too expensive right now and I have never stayed there.
BLT - is a little too sterile for me but not out of the question because I would like to go at new years and experience the new year on the top deck lounge. Need the 11 month window for that.
VWL - Love the theming and want the ability to stay at Xmas time and will need the 11 month window to book at xmas time.

I went with VWL. I bought enough points to rent a 1br every 2 years. In a few years, I may add the BLT.

Epcot Options
BCV - Doesn't get any closer than this and the pool is awesome. Will need the 11 month window to stay during F&W.
BWV - Nice and almost as close as BCV to Epcot

I plan to buy at the BCV next year. Enough points to rent a 1br every 2 years. I am not worried about the expiration date. I like to go to the F&W Festival. You can't beat walking over to the World Showcase and grabbing a bite to eat and a drink to end your night and then leisurely walk back to your room.

Downtown Disney Options
OKW - Quiet resort but spread out without being close to any one area. Inexpensive
SSR - Very inexpensive to own but spreadout. Treehouse is an alternative to change up your vacation. I like the option to walk over to DTD and not worry about the traffic and parking issues that everyone talks about.

I bought into SSR. It is a great way to buy in the first time and a great price. I bought enough points to rent a, wait for it, 1br every 2 years.

I am not officially an owner yet. My 2 contracts have passed ROFR and am just waiting to close. Next year I will be on the lookout for a BCV contract. A year or 2 after that, I may get a BLT contract.

That would allow me to go twice a year for a week in a 1br or spend 6 weeks in studios during the winter months as a snowbird every year.

 

[disneynutz]

In the beginning we were just happy and excited to be a DVC owner at WDW. Parks were the priority so we didn't put much thought into which resort to buy, BCV was our first resort. After several years we started to spend less park time because we were vacationing so often at WDW, we had spent so much time it the parks, seen everything, done everything many times over.

We bought AKV and after awhile the animals were just there, sometimes we had good animal views, sometimes we didn't. We found the resort to be dark and the location too remote.

VWL was a winner for us as was BWV which we like better than BCV. BCV is stuck behind the BC with not much to look at, but the common areas are great and storm-a-long bay is the best pool complex on property.

BLT was next, location is great for walking to the MK, ended up not caring for the resort theming and we had a couple of years with room issues due to construction issues.

BWV has turned out to be our favorite due to theming, location and views, VGF is another beautiful resort and it's obvious that Disney has a larger budget for their flagship resort.

PVB doesn't due anything for us, the studio only concept and the ridiculous bungalows tells us that Disney builds for profit and not to meet the needs of the membership as a whole.

Bill

 

[Disneychica18]

We bought Bay Lake Tower because of it being a monorail resort and the proximity to MK. We have young kids, so that is important. We may will add on more points in a couple years.

 

[chalee94]

I was just wondering, why you guys have picked the resort you have?

i like(d) OKW for the low buy in, relatively low annual dues and low point costs. i like the theming (although i liked it better when the interiors were more old-key-west-like) and the 2 queens in the studios. i'm old enough that the 2042 end date is a plus.

I mean why is BCV or BWV more attractive than SSR ?

BCV is much, much smaller...so even if the resorts had all other attributes in common, BCV would be tougher to book.

but they don't, if i'm staying at BCV, i can swim in stormalong bay - or i can hop to SSR if i decided i really wanted to. no one can hop to stormalong bay.

BCV means being able to walk to epcot or take a longer walk or boat to DHS. SSR means buses everywhere.

BCV also means easy access to the boardwalk entertainment at night. SSR doesn't have anything similar.

SSR has a longer end date and lower dues but it will be a long time before SSR contracts are more valuable than BCV IMO.

I know that the thumb rule says to buy where you wanna stay. I my self like the AKV because of the animals and theming, but since its a big resort and the availablity is always good when I wanna travel. I could decide to buy somewhere else.

buying SSR and using it to book AKV (standard or sav view) will work most of the time, yes. if you really wanted to go for club level rooms or value villas, then you'd need to own AKV. (and if you travel a lot in nov/dec - peak DVC booking season - it's probably still less stressful to own where you want to end up.)

 

[mort1331]

1st and 2nd contract both at SSR. We like the layout and the walkable to DD. We don't always plan more than 6 months out, so don't need the lead time. We have tried other resorts, wife hates AKL, but loves BCV. I like the longer timeline for SSR, still cant get over that BCV & SSR are only 2 years different but end dates are 10, someone got screwed.

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

BCV also means easy access to the boardwalk entertainment at night. SSR doesn't have anything similar.

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one. The rest of your points on why BCV is superior were valid, but not really buying this one considering SSR is an easy walk to DTD (Disney Springs), which has plenty of entertainment at night.

 

[zavandor]

I nearly bought at BWV, I made a few offers there. I was looking for the standard view combined to parks proximity. However after a few rejected offers, I decided to buy SSR instead and it was the right decision for me. Travelling from the UK I don't visit often (twice every three years) and I don't have a favorite resort, yet. SSR is the cheapest resort if you want to try different resorts over time (and are flexible enough to be able to book most of them at 7 months) and it has the added bonus of being in walking distance to DTD (which I usually visit at least twice during a vacation, so it's as convenient as BLT for me).
I'm very happy with my purchase because I like every resort I visit and I don't have a favorite yet. It will take me a lot of time to visit all and probably I'll continue to stay in a different place every time, SSR is simply the best for this.

 

[crisi]

By the way, to talk in a very general sense...

Make a list of what is important to you.

Some people like being walking distance to a park (or two)
Some people like an awesome pool
Some people like low dues
Some people like animals outside their door
Some people ALWAYS have stayed at the Poly since their honeymoon there 20 years ago
Some people like interior hallways
Some people like being able to park really close to their room
Some people like a great view
Some people like a quieter resort
Some people want a resort where the points per night is low
Some people want to be able to book Grand Villas
Some people want easy access to some of their favorite restaurants
Some people like the theming of one resort a lot
etc.

 

[chalee94]

old thread that still has useful input:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/choosing-your-home-resort-what-to-consider.2152512/

 

[disneynutz]

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one. The rest of your points on why BCV is superior were valid, but not really buying this one considering SSR is an easy walk to DTD (Disney Springs), which has plenty of entertainment at night.

Disney Springs is becoming a place to eat and buy things, it's like a huge outdoor mall, not so much entertainment anymore.

Bill

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

Disney Springs is becoming a place to eat and buy things, it's like a huge outdoor mall, not so much entertainment anymore.

Bill

Umm, I dunno if I agree with that. Edison and Hangar are more bar-type experiences (granted, neither are open yet). There is a movie theater, bowling alley, Cirque, and Disney Quest (soon to be NBA?). Raglan Road and Boathouse both have live music.

There is no dance club, but to say there is no Entertainment is quite a stretch...

 

[disneynutz]

Umm, I dunno if I agree with that. Edison and Hangar are more bar-type experiences (granted, neither are open yet). There is a movie theater, bowling alley, Cirque, and Disney Quest (soon to be NBA?). Raglan Road and Boathouse both have live music.

There is no dance club, but to say there is no Entertainment is quite a stretch...

When you consider there are 8 experiences on your list and DS will have over 150 establishments IMO it's all about making more money for Disney, not providing an inexpensive alternative to the parks. The Boathouse seats 600 people and offers various boat rides, a 20 minute Amphicar ride will cost $125.

Bill

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I mean SSR has low MF and the buyin is good, but should I in some years decide not to use my points, i could rent them out, and with home-resort advantage at some high demand resort it may be easier.

The sites that do rent out points, says its easy to do so, but is it really?

regards Michal

What you may get is a couple dollars less per point renting but I know of a couple SSR owners who rent and say they have never not been able to. But the couples dollars less per point is not a bad thing for a rental now and then - the lower dues and buy in price would offset that. I'd say don't buy SSR if you never would be ok staying there. If AKV is your preference and you don't want Club level or values then most likely you'll be able to use your SSR points to stay there most times and will have options to check out other places too.

 

[GoofyDisneyDaddy]

When you consider there are 8 experiences on your list and DS will have over 150 establishments IMO it's all about making more money for Disney, not providing an inexpensive alternative to the parks. The Boathouse seats 600 people and offers various boat rides, a 20 minute Amphicar ride will cost $125.

Bill

But you said there is "not so much entertainment." And the original person I responded to said "entertainment at night. SSR doesn't have anything similar." What difference does it make that there are 150 shops?

Someone, please, explain to me how the Boardwalk has more "entertainment" than Disney Springs (once completed). Different entertainment, perhaps, but to say that SSR doesn't have something similar to the Boardwalk entertainment wise or that there is "not so much entertainment," is flat out wrong, in my opinion.

 

[disneynutz]

But you said there is "not so much entertainment." And the original person I responded to said "entertainment at night. SSR doesn't have anything similar." What difference does it make that there are 150 shops?

Someone, please, explain to me how the Boardwalk has more "entertainment" than Disney Springs (once completed). Different entertainment, perhaps, but to say that SSR doesn't have something similar to the Boardwalk entertainment wise or that there is "not so much entertainment," is flat out wrong, in my opinion.

Okay I give, they both have entertainment.

Bill