Should we preview our short list of potential home resorts? (and other questions)

[kboo]

The kids are 7 and 4 and the fact that in 6 years (or 3-6 trips) he will be a teenager was a more recent factor. We are used to the value resorts and do not spend a ton of time in the rooms. We were basically to a point that we wanted to upgrade to moderate resorts but the moderates do nothing to move the needle for me. The deluxes on the other hand are somewhere we want to be eventually, we know we are going to be going to disney for a long time so for me locking in a moderate (or less!) resort price with the amenities of a deluxe is why we are turning to DVC.

My kids are 8 (last week) and almost 4 (November). We had always scouted for discounts on deluxe rooms but that's pretty hard when you start traveling only during school vacations. End of August is still a decent time for discounts since many kids are in school by then. We don't spend a lot of time in the room, but now that we have several DVC trips under our belts (and because getting to/from the parks is pretty easy), each day is more relaxed. We are only 75% park commandos now, and often will spend the afternoon at the pool and may or may not go back to the parks for dinner or after dinner. Being able to watch

2.) One of our concerns was that once we have DVC we will not be able to stay at the main portion of each resort and for primarily that reason we crossed CCV of the list. However I was not aware that the right wing of WL was CCV and that for me puts that back in the running. My orignal plan was to buy direct for PBV but with the lower cost pp for CCV that may be more worth it top us because WL is one of our favorites.

As @_auroraborealis_ has said - if you are thinking about CCV, make absolutely sure you have enough points to book a 1br, because studios are VERY hard to come by. But it's a beautiful resort and we would try for a 1br sometime.

As for being at the "main portion" of the resort - that really does depend on each resort and how it feels *to you*. I felt isolated in the BCV section, but not so at VGF, even though on paper they are both separate buildings. Likewise, BLT does not feel very far from the main A-frame, and is arguably closer than the garden wing. And you have great views. BWV did not feel separated at all - the DVC wing is right off the main lobby, and is closer to HS. and so on... that kind of gets back to your original post - only you will know how much that matters to you, at each resort. I personally like the separation at VGF and BLT but not so much at BCV, for example.

4.) Based on the time of year we go availability likely would only be an issue for BCV towards F&WF. In this case we would back up to BWV.

Again, studios somewhat hard to come by, 1br availability is better for that time of year.

 

[What_13th_floor?]

This may be a stupid question (and a slightly rhetorical one) and forgive me if it is discussed elsewhere at any length but does not having home resort priority mean you can never stay anywhere else? I know it's based on time of year and availability but it's like I am putting so much thought into what our home resort should be almost like we will never have the option to book anywhere else.

 

[What_13th_floor?]

My kids are 8 (last week) and almost 4 (November). We had always scouted for discounts on deluxe rooms but that's pretty hard when you start traveling only during school vacations. End of August is still a decent time for discounts since many kids are in school by then. We don't spend a lot of time in the room, but now that we have several DVC trips under our belts (and because getting to/from the parks is pretty easy), each day is more relaxed. We are only 75% park commandos now, and often will spend the afternoon at the pool and may or may not go back to the parks for dinner or after dinner. Being able to watch


As @_auroraborealis_ has said - if you are thinking about CCV, make absolutely sure you have enough points to book a 1br, because studios are VERY hard to come by. But it's a beautiful resort and we would try for a 1br sometime.

As for being at the "main portion" of the resort - that really does depend on each resort and how it feels *to you*. I felt isolated in the BCV section, but not so at VGF, even though on paper they are both separate buildings. Likewise, BLT does not feel very far from the main A-frame, and is arguably closer than the garden wing. And you have great views. BWV did not feel separated at all - the DVC wing is right off the main lobby, and is closer to HS. and so on... that kind of gets back to your original post - only you will know how much that matters to you, at each resort. I personally like the separation at VGF and BLT but not so much at BCV, for example.



Again, studios somewhat hard to come by, 1br availability is better for that time of year.

I guess I will have to do a little more availability research since, for our budget and needs, I have only accounted for using studios to this point. My hope would be that down the line when/if needed we could more easily afford the points needed for 1br rooms. On the other hand though part of why we are considering DVC is for what the per vacation cost will come too. Since we do not typically need 1br accommodations I assumed we would be ok sticking to the studios but if availability is going to be an issue (even at our home resort) I am going to need to alter my thinking.

I am glad to hear your trips became more relaxed because I will say that during our trip last month we went pretty hard and I still didn't do everything I typically would. And that was without getting to see SWGE and factoring all the new things that will be in Epcot by 2021 and beyond.

 

[Philsfan77]

I'm going to defy general logic of the boards here slightly (buy where you want to stay) and base my response solely around when you expressed you want to travel. August (the last week or 2) generally has availability at the 7 month mark for studios. With your willingness to do split stays...I'd really consider buying 1 contract where you want to stay and buying the other at SSR or OKW to save some money and maximize points you can buy (even if its an extra 25 and you're going every other year, that gives you some flexibility to book 1 bedrooms, which are almost unanimously available in august at every resort).

I know people will tell you the booking windows keep tightening, and you don't want to bank on that lasting forever, and I saw your post that you don't want to get "stuck" at SSR or OKW, but honestly, if you're planning to do a split stay and view resorts (you might want to consider at least taking the tour over at SSR) just to make sure its totally out of the question (while keeping in that back of your mind, that you will probably be able to switch at 7 months to a resort you want) Right now, you're probably a MK family...5-10 years from now, you will probably be a Hollywood Studios/Epcot family...5-10 years from then, you might be a Disney Springs family, whose park habits have changed. It's impossible to know of course.

I'd pry go 75 points - where you want to stay...75 SSR with the mindset of the 7 month booking window to swap in somewhere else in August.

 

[Philsfan77]

I guess I will have to do a little more availability research since, for our budget and needs, I have only accounted for using studios to this point. My hope would be that down the line when/if needed we could more easily afford the points needed for 1br rooms. On the other hand though part of why we are considering DVC is for what the per vacation cost will come too. Since we do not typically need 1br accommodations I assumed we would be ok sticking to the studios but if availability is going to be an issue (even at our home resort) I am going to need to alter my thinking.

I am glad to hear your trips became more relaxed because I will say that during our trip last month we went pretty hard and I still didn't do everything I typically would. And that was without getting to see SWGE and factoring all the new things that will be in Epcot by 2021 and beyond.

I think if you asked the majority of people on these boards their one regret...it would be not buying a few more points initially to give them the 1BR flexibility...or just flexibility in general.

 

[What_13th_floor?]

I'm going to defy general logic of the boards here slightly (buy where you want to stay) and base my response solely around when you expressed you want to travel. August (the last week or 2) generally has availability at the 7 month mark for studios. With your willingness to do split stays...I'd really consider buying 1 contract where you want to stay and buying the other at SSR or OKW to save some money and maximize points you can buy (even if its an extra 25 and you're going every other year, that gives you some flexibility to book 1 bedrooms, which are almost unanimously available in august at every resort).

I know people will tell you the booking windows keep tightening, and you don't want to bank on that lasting forever, and I saw your post that you don't want to get "stuck" at SSR or OKW, but honestly, if you're planning to do a split stay and view resorts (you might want to consider at least taking the tour over at SSR) just to make sure its totally out of the question (while keeping in that back of your mind, that you will probably be able to switch at 7 months to a resort you want) Right now, you're probably a MK family...5-10 years from now, you will probably be a Hollywood Studios/Epcot family...5-10 years from then, you might be a Disney Springs family, whose park habits have changed. It's impossible to know of course.

I'd pry go 75 points - where you want to stay...75 SSR with the mindset of the 7 month booking window to swap in somewhere else in August.

I think if you asked the majority of people on these boards their one regret...it would be not buying a few more points initially to give them the 1BR flexibility...or just flexibility in general.

I fully expect to be at 160 before long. We were never a once a year family but we are leaning towards that with the increase in the amount of things to do and the desire for us to be able to enjoy vacationing more versus having to attack the parks to feel like we got our money's worth. We hope that by going every year we feel like it won't be another 2 years before we get it out of our system again.

 

[Philsfan77]

This may be a stupid question (and a slightly rhetorical one) and forgive me if it is discussed elsewhere at any length but does not having home resort priority mean you can never stay anywhere else? I know it's based on time of year and availability but it's like I am putting so much thought into what our home resort should be almost like we will never have the option to book anywhere else.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-studios-1-bedrooms-june-2018-update.3689931/
This thread will answer most of your questions in terms of booking availability at each resort for Studio's and 1 Bedrooms. It's certainly not an exact science, but I've found it to be valuable and reliable thus far.

I'm an eternal optimist...I think for the time period you want to go...you'll be able to swap at 7 months if you don't "buy where you want to stay" with some of your points.

If you really love CCV at Christmas, and could see wanting to go there...you basically have to own there...with that being said, disney at Christmastime is beautiful everywhere, and you could always boat over to the Lodge and see the decorations.

 

[What_13th_floor?]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-studios-1-bedrooms-june-2018-update.3689931/
This thread will answer most of your questions in terms of booking availability at each resort for Studio's and 1 Bedrooms. It's certainly not an exact science, but I've found it to be valuable and reliable thus far.

I'm an eternal optimist...I think for the time period you want to go...you'll be able to swap at 7 months if you don't "buy where you want to stay" with some of your points.

If you really love CCV at Christmas, and could see wanting to go there...you basically have to own there...with that being said, disney at Christmastime is beautiful everywhere, and you could always boat over to the Lodge and see the decorations.

Thanks for the link, I was actually searching the forums for that thread since some mentioned it before. CCV came up as an attractable option for a direct sale over the likes of SSR and OKW IF we went the direct sale route for the 75 points needed to be Blue carded. However now that there is a rumor out there that they are going to a 100 pt min I may go 100% resale and in that case would implement something similar to what you said. Likely purchase PBV or BLT with a small SSR or OKW contract mixed in to boost points.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

But at worst case scenario we would always (hopefully) have our CCV as our default

That's a lot of hope. CCV is often gone at 8:01AM of the 11-month window in the studio class in fall. But availability is not great year-round, to be honest.

CCV has 42 dedicated studios, and an additional 36 that are part of lock-off 2BR units (so, they may not always be booked as studios). Not every studio will be available for every check in date, so on any given booking date, you are in competition for some fraction of those studios.

Right now, July and August have good availability for 2020 - obviously, both are within the home window, given that it is currently September. May and June are ALSO within home resort, and there are 5 total days open in a studio based on my scan for May, and June is slightly better so long as you're cool with the studio with walk-in shower (no tub). And that is DVC low season. In DVC high season, there wouldn't be THAT much as early as 10 months out.

 

[What_13th_floor?]

That's a lot of hope. CCV is often gone at 8:01AM of the 11-month window in the studio class in fall. But availability is not great year-round, to be honest.

CCV has 42 dedicated studios, and an additional 36 that are part of lock-off 2BR units (so, they may not always be booked as studios). Not every studio will be available for every check in date, so on any given booking date, you are in competition for some fraction of those studios.

Right now, July and August have good availability for 2020 - obviously, both are within the home window, given that it is currently September. May and June are ALSO within home resort, and there are 5 total days open in a studio based on my scan for May, and June is slightly better so long as you're cool with the studio with walk-in shower (no tub). And that is DVC low season. In DVC high season, there wouldn't be THAT much as early as 10 months out.

Just got back from reviewing the studio availability spreadsheets and reading some posts there. I’ve long realized that for someone who’s family (immediate and extended) has been to WDW as much as we have that we really missed the boat on buying DVC cheap. Furthermore that thread has me discouraged that I am likely going to have to change my budget to account for he likelihood that studios won’t be available and the 1BR’s will be a necessity.

If there is a silver lining it would be that if we do nab a studio we could use the leftover points for another year

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Just got back from reviewing the studio availability spreadsheets and reading some posts there. I’ve long realized that for someone who’s family (immediate and extended) has been to WDW as much as we have that we really missed the boat on buying DVC cheap. Furthermore that thread has me discouraged that I am likely going to have to change my budget to account for he likelihood that studios won’t be available and the 1BR’s will be a necessity.

If there is a silver lining it would be that if we do nab a studio we could use the leftover points for another year

Yeah. CCV really isn't on those sheets, and it's worth noting that those are historical. Recent experience is worse.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

T

1.) I am likely going with a 2 resort portfolio. I want to purchase 75 direct and 50 resale. Initially the member discounts were not a big deal because we already have the Visa Card and will not be buying AP's. However since i did not originally factor in free parking to resorts and we drive, saving $175 a trip is significant.

To reiterate - free resort parking is NOT a benefit of direct point ownership. It is provided to all DVC stays because the maintenance fees pay for the upkeep of the parking lots. So resale or direct you'll get the free parking. If that's the justification for direct then you can remove that because you'll have free resort parking when staying at the resorts on your membership even with resale only points.

And theme park parking is a benefit of staying at an onsite resort - so also direct or resale doesn't matter.

 

[What_13th_floor?]

Yeah. CCV really isn't on those sheets, and it's worth noting that those are historical. Recent experience is worse.

More good news! Thanks! J/k...It’s not your fault the prices are so high now that the majority need studios to afford to stay.

To reiterate - free resort parking is NOT a benefit of direct point ownership. It is provided to all DVC stays because the maintenance fees pay for the upkeep of the parking lots. So resale or direct you'll get the free parking. If that's the justification for direct then you can remove that because you'll have free resort parking when staying at the resorts on your membership even with resale only points.

And theme park parking is a benefit of staying at an onsite resort - so also direct or resale doesn't matter.

Thanks, I am aware now. I think having the flexibly to book at all present and future DVC locations is the biggest member benefit for all now especially given the current room availability issues.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Regarding that, there is a fair amount of speculating that the new resorts are going to become more difficult to book at 7 months than what may be seen at many of the original 14 which already are tight during many times of the year. As direct contracts are sold the new resale buyers at these resorts are 100% limited to those resorts. They can't try and switch anywhere else to try another resort and will almost certainly be booking in the home priority window and will provide less movement at 7 months.

 

[kboo]

I am glad to hear your trips became more relaxed because I will say that during our trip last month we went pretty hard and I still didn't do everything I typically would. And that was without getting to see SWGE and factoring all the new things that will be in Epcot by 2021 and beyond.

Although ... we were there in April for 10 days and kept talking about taking a day off from the parks and never did. We did do slightly shorter days, though, often breaking in the mid-afternoon for some resort pool time and then a relaxed dinner at the resort (or another resort).

versus having to attack the parks to feel like we got our money's worth.

um. See above - we are kinda still sorta doing that...

f you really love CCV at Christmas, and could see wanting to go there...you basically have to own there...with that being said, disney at Christmastime is beautiful everywhere, and you could always boat over to the Lodge and see the decorations.

We went last Thanksgiving for 5 nights and had dinner at WL for 2 of those nights because of the decorations. Luckily we were staying at BLT so it was an easy boat ride over. We haven't stayed there, yet, but lately it seems we are doing at least 1 if not 2 dinners there each trip, because we like it so much (we have 2 dinners booked - Artist Point and WCC) for our upcoming Christmas trip. So far we feel like that is adequate for us, but that's also because we are pretty happy with our home resorts.

Regarding that, there is a fair amount of speculating that the new resorts are going to become more difficult to book at 7 months than what may be seen at many of the original 14 which already are tight during many times of the year. As direct contracts are sold the new resale buyers at these resorts are 100% limited to those resorts. They can't try and switch anywhere else to try another resort and will almost certainly be booking in the home priority window and will provide less movement at 7 months.

That may be true, but I think it's going to be a few more years before that happens since RIV will still be in active sales for a few more years and the # of resale buyers limited to RIV only is still a drop in the bucket compared to the # of direct owners. But even so, then it makes more sense to buy where you at least wouldn't mind staying.

 

[kboo]

I’ve long realized that for someone who’s family (immediate and extended) has been to WDW as much as we have that we really missed the boat on buying DVC cheap. Furthermore that thread has me discouraged that I am likely going to have to change my budget to account for he likelihood that studios won’t be available and the 1BR’s will be a necessity.

If there is a silver lining it would be that if we do nab a studio we could use the leftover points for another year

This was us, 2.5 years ago! I think if you poll anyone who's bought in recently or in the process of adding on, most people wish we'd bought sooner, or bought points when they were under $100pp, or bought more points when they had been cheaper ...

One thought about 1BR - as your kids get older, they may want/need more space, and *you* may want or need more space. When we bought BLT, we bought 185 points, which was about midway between what a week in a studio v 1BR could cost us. The plan was to try out DVC without over buying, but we had flexibility. That's why I have a hard time with Poly - if you decide you want to upsize, even for a shorter trip, you have to look at 7 mo. Right now late summer is generally available in a 1br at 7 mo, but it's very unclear how that will change. Another resort you might consider is AKV. It's got a great price point to dip your toe in, and has some very nice 1br if/when you are ready to upsize, great theming and great restaurants.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Some of us call the 1BR the "boom boom room."

Just sayin'.

 

[skippytx]

Some of us call the 1BR the "boom boom room."

Just sayin'.

During the day it's the Nap Time room. We throw the kids in there and shut the door. They can nap, we can watch TV and relax without bothering them. It does afford some nice privacy at night though

The kids are getting to the point where they don't need the nap anymore though. We'll see how the next trip goes. They're going to be 10 and 8 next trip.