Renter considering purchasing DVC resale

[Fall1]

We have rented DVC points for our past 3 vacations and for our upcoming trip as well. We love BCV and would stay there every trip if we could afford it, so DH is convinced we should buy DVC.

We ideally will continue to go to WDW once per year from MA for 7-9 nights each trip. I was thinking we could buy 150 BCV points on resale and always stay in a Studio since it's like a hotel room.

We have stayed in a 1BR and a Studio and while I do love the extra space, I'm just not sure it's in the budget each trip.

If you rented before you bought, please let me know your thoughts! Thanks!

 

[chalee94]

it's a good plan, generally.

just be aware that when the kids are older, things will change. you might need more pts for larger accommodations if they remain disney fans...you might decide to bail out if they are more interested in other things...

if you and your DH are fans and will continue to use it regardless, i'd say buy in. if it's mostly for the kids and you're worried about burning out on wdw, i'd keep renting and avoid the commitment.

 

[htmlkid]

We have rented DVC points for our past 3 vacations and for our upcoming trip as well. We love BCV and would stay there every trip if we could afford it, so DH is convinced we should buy DVC.

We ideally will continue to go to WDW once per year from MA for 7-9 nights each trip. I was thinking we could buy 150 BCV points on resale and always stay in a Studio since it's like a hotel room.

We have stayed in a 1BR and a Studio and while I do love the extra space, I'm just not sure it's in the budget each trip.

If you rented before you bought, please let me know your thoughts! Thanks!

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if your having trouble affording it when renting, and its going to cost you more in the short term purchasing it (cost per point + closing costs + MF's), its probally not a good decision at this time!!!!!!

 

[tjkraz]

Assuming you have two four year olds as your signature indicates, staying in Studios is a short term solution, IMO. It may work for 2 years...4 years...6 years...whatever your tolerance allows. But eventually it will no longer be a good fit.

We bought DVC for the space and the luxury. In 8 years, I can only think of 3 or 4 random nights when we used points for our family of 4 in a Studio.

I'm sure that every day of the year there are families of 4 who stay in a Studio (or smaller) room at Disney and are quite content. But really that's a call you have to make. I couldn't do it...and that's probably reason #1 why we bought DVC in the first place: it was a means to have more economical stays in larger villas.

 

[disneynutz]

Expect to enjoy a one bedroom in the future even more than the studio, also you should consider that you might find a resort that you like even better than BCV.

We started in studios and now we stay in one bedrooms almost every vacation. We also started with BCV and now we own at five resorts.

Bill

 

[mousefan1972]

We started in studios and now we stay in one bedrooms almost every vacation.

Us, too. And our kids are almost 6 and almost 8. I had erroneously thought we had several more years before we outgrew a studio.

 

[disneydenisel]

We rented a 2 bedroom BCV before we bought . As soon as we got home, I found a resale 170 point contract. We always reserve a two-bedroom and go every other year (or so). I am always in the state of borrowing from the future for our trips . We have two kids, 12 and 9 now (they were 6 and 3 for our first trip). We like the extra space. We could manage in a one bedroom if we have to, but the kids don't sleep together and so this way they each get their own bed and we can bring family or friends, too.

 

[Greysword]

I think your plan is sound, and my colleagues are correct about out growing the studio. However, that is several years down the road, and you can add points as needed to compensate for your new vacation plans (you may choose to stay fewer nights in a 1BR for the same net number of points or decide to buy in a different resort and alternate stays each year).

That said, you are definitely ahead of the game by choosing to purchase where you want to stay. Be cautious about what Use year you choose, as you'll need to consider what months you prefer to go and what months you think would be best to avoid when the kids get older and then after they go off to college/job/etc.

Good luck!

 

[Deb & Bill]

At some point the kid won't want to sleep together ( and they might not now), so that means you and the spouse get to sleep with the same sex child until you get something bigger. And a one bedroom villa at BCV will still only have two beds (one king and one queen sleeper sofa - no twin sized sleeper chair).

 

[krisnchris]

Have rented 3 times, have two trips planned on rented points. Finally closed on a resale last week! 150 points. We also have 2 kids, 3 and 6, and have always done a studio. This is good for more than a week @ our home resort, but I guess we could add on or borrow or transfer from another member if we find we are short on points in the future. We can't wait to visit as owners!

 

[tjkraz]

At some point the kid won't want to sleep together ( and they might not now), so that means you and the spouse get to sleep with the same sex child until you get something bigger. And a one bedroom villa at BCV will still only have two beds (one king and one queen sleeper sofa - no twin sized sleeper chair).

That's always been my feeling, too.

We bought when our kids were ages 2 and 6 mos. The appeal of the One Bedroom back then was laying them down for naps in the privacy of the bedroom while we had the rest of the villa to relax.

As they got older, sharing the queen bed worked fine for a few years. But by the time they were about 8 and 6, even sharing a bed left something to be desired. Too much "he won't be quiet" and "she keeps kicking me." The 1B villas with the twin sleeper / Murphy Bed are becoming almost a necessity. I couldn't imagine the kids sharing a Queen sofa bed, much less the full size unit that's in most studios.

IMHO, smaller rooms work fine for the odd vacation here and there. If we do an overnight trip a couple hours away from home, the kids can survive one night in a sofabed. I could even see it for a once-in-a-lifetime trip to WDW.

But when I'm committing to a long-term vacation plan, putting 4 in a Studio year after year just doesn't cut it. No way.

Might be able to get away with it short-term while kids are still young, but folks better be prepared for that inevitable add-on or reduction in trip frequency when the kids get older. Trust me...it will happen sooner rather than later.

 

[jel0511]

Yes, we're at the add on point, again!!! We just added 200 points at SSR to the 425 we already own. My kids are 13 and 10 and for the past few years we've been making due with the 1 bedrooms with the pullout chairs so they wouldn't have to share. We finally realized that as they get older that being "stuck" with the resorts that offer that wasn't a good idea. We usually travel to WDW during spring break with the high points, as we really dislike the heat in the summer, and won't pull the kids out for more than a couple of days due to work loads at school. So we had to "suck it up" and buy more points to make it more comfortable for all of us to go. I think of DVC as prepaid accomdations and we really enjoy the larger rooms we get with DVC. We stayed in a studio ONCE and said NEVER AGAIN! That was probably our 2nd or 3rd DVC stay, so we really hadn't gotten used to the 1br yet.

 

[AllieV]

I think starting small is a good idea (though I don't consider 150 pts "small" as many others do). You can always sell and buy a bigger contract later, or go for fewer days to stay within your points.

I've rented DVC for about 8 years and am looking at a buy. I was going to start with a 25 pt contract and have a studio every two years, but thought better of it. I then thought a 75 pt contract would be ideal to have a 1-br every two years. But now I'm saving for a 150-pt contract so we can do it right with a 1-br or 2-br with borrowing. We have a 3-yr old now (and he's probably an Only) so we won't need bigger than a 2-br, if that.

Think about what you'll want to stay in ten years from now. You don't have to buy that now, but think about it at least.

 

[Disney Spaz]

I was trying to think back to pre-DVC when my oldests were little. Our first trip at 8 & 6 they shared a bed. Then 18 months later when we went back the now 8 year old insisted on sleeping on the floor because he couldn't stomach sharing anymore with the 10 year old. Since then we have made sure each child has their own sleeping space even if it is an air mattress on the floor.