"Sleep-Around Points" (SAP) - The Thread

[lilsonicfan]

Booked Grand California 3 years running, never had an issue getting 1 bed at VGC including marathon weekend, stayed 1 bed BLT New Years 2019 and went to Top of the World.

This year even the 1BR at VGC were booked before the 7 month mark for marathon weekend. Not fully booked at 11 months, but definitely before the 7 months.
But …

I got my SSR points in my account last week and booked 4 nights in January in a 1BR at VGC today. YMMV but so far very happy with my $83/point purchase.

SAME…booked 4 nights at VGC in a 1BR in January, so it’s definitely possible, though I started on the date first available after marathon weekend and walked it forward. I know walking at 7mo isn’t a guarantee but at least it worked. My very similar priced contract is also making me quite happy.

We are doing some nights at SSR and I’ve managed to modify a couple into BCV nights, exciting!

 

[intamin]

If you’re not looking for those times, it probably doesn’t matter right now.

Just fair warning to whoever reads this - 5 years ago, there weren’t 4 times per year where anything sold out right at or before 7 months at SSR. Booking studios anywhere on property continues to get more difficult and more and more dates will likely be unavailable 5 years from now and even more 10 years from now.

There will certainly be dates where an Aulani owner cannot book a studio at WDW. A 2BR? More likely to be fine for a long while.

Yeup this is why I don’t recommend for AUL for people as their sole points if their intention is to stay at WDW. On the other hand though if you do plan to go to Aulani regularly and have WDW points already like if you’re west coast based then it can absolutely make sense. Aulani at least provides some sort of home booking priority that is valuable compared to SSR which rarely ever fills up. Even if they did fill up before the 7 month mark it’d likely be very easy to waitlist a studio and have it come through just based on the sheer size of the resort. I had booked a BRV 2BR at the 7 month window using my AKL points awhile ago but then decided to borrow some AUL points from the next UY because I already have enough points for my AUL trip next year and can use the rest to save some AKV points. We have a larger WDW trip coming up in 2025 so I decided I’d rather have some extra points with WDW priority so they’re great for supplementing trips like that.

 

[Wakey]

This year even the 1BR at VGC were booked before the 7 month mark for marathon weekend. Not fully booked at 11 months, but definitely before the 7 months.
But …

SAME…booked 4 nights at VGC in a 1BR in January, so it’s definitely possible, though I started on the date first available after marathon weekend and walked it forward. I know walking at 7mo isn’t a guarantee but at least it worked. My very similar priced contract is also making me quite happy.

We are doing some nights at SSR and I’ve managed to modify a couple into BCV nights, exciting!

I booked VGC for 4 nights one bed, early August in 2020, 2021, 2022. we finally went 2022. Nice but overhyped hotel.

 

[intamin]

Deleted

 

[emchen]

I booked VGC for 4 nights one bed, early August in 2020, 2021, 2022. we finally went 2022. Nice but overhyped hotel.

Needs its refurb bad…if CCV and Boulder Ridge refurbs are any indication, its gonna live up to the hype again IMO.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

They could decide that AUL trades in/out at 5 months and not 7….so, if WDW is my goal, I’d want something there just in case.

I know your example is hypothetical but what makes you think Aulani would get only 5 months while the other resorts get 7? Or was your example apply to all the resorts?

 

[emchen]

I know your example is hypothetical but what makes you think Aulani would get only 5 months while the other resorts get 7? Or was your example apply to all the resorts?

I would add: they are less likely to dis-incentivize Aulani sales than any other.

 

[Sandisw]

I know your example is hypothetical but what makes you think Aulani would get only 5 months while the other resorts get 7? Or was your example apply to all the resorts?

My example was that you never know what could happen and that if they want to make a change like that, they can.

Nothing prevents them from changing the non Home resort booking period from 7 months..many don’t realize that..and they can do it for one resort only if they wanted to do thst. They do not need to leave it all the same for every resort, like it is now.

It was more to say why I wouldn’t want an offsite resort as SAP since if BVTC decided to change up the rules for those offsite resorts trading into WDW, getting rooms could be harder. Many buy SAP and think just the 7 month window but in reality that can be changed.

The 5 months was just an illustration. I can certainly see this happening as we get closer to 2042 and those resorts getting different rules for no. Home resort owners to ensure those who own can use their points.

Before anyone asks, this can not be a direct vs resale difference because the resort as a whole is part of the system and the rules in/out have to be the same for all points who are eligible to trade there.

Just wanted to point out those trading rules csn be changed.

 

[crisi]

My example was that you never know what could happen and that if they want to make a change like that, they can.

Nothing prevents them from changing the non Home resort booking period from 7 months..many don’t realize that..and they can do it for one resort only if they wanted to do thst. They do not need to leave it all the same for every resort, like it is now.

It was more to say why I wouldn’t want an offsite resort as SAP since if BVTC decided to change up the rules for those offsite resorts trading into WDW, getting rooms could be harder. Many buy SAP and think just the 7 month window but in reality that can be changed.

The 5 months was just an illustration. I can certainly see this happening as we get closer to 2042 and those resorts getting different rules for no. Home resort owners to ensure those who own can use their points.

Before anyone asks, this can not be a direct vs resale difference because the resort as a whole is part of the system and the rules in/out have to be the same for all points who are eligible to trade there.

Just wanted to point out those trading rules csn be changed.

Its also long been a theory that if Disney should ever decide to divest the DVC portfolio, they could divest some resorts - and the offsite resorts are the most likely for them to divest. That would remove them completely from the portfolio. I don't think that's likely to happen, but its one of the reasons to buy where you won't mind ending up.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

Its also long been a theory that if Disney should ever decide to divest the DVC portfolio, they could divest some resorts - and the offsite resorts are the most likely for them to divest. That would remove them completely from the portfolio. I don't think that's likely to happen, but its one of the reasons to buy where you won't mind ending up.

I wonder what that would mean for existing owners legally, if DVC were to “divest” in a property before the lease expiration,

 

[bakerworld]

Our original membership AKV are our SAP. We didn't use that term but we purchased them because they were the current direct buy deal. I still think of them as SAP and we use them everywhere because they are also our biggest contract. I usually decided when we going, hop on the PC at 11 months to book a value and then swap out the stay at 7 months. If we do last minute stay I use anything we own but I usually use the AK points.

 

[Sandisw]

I wonder what that would mean for existing owners legally, if DVC were to “divest” in a property before the lease expiration,

The POS does discuss that they can remove a resort from BVTC, and it defines the ways they can do it.

It’s the resorts status within that that allows trading. Once removed, you are getting your use at home resort which is really all that is guaranteed.

The lease expiration has nothing to do with the entrance of any resort into the exchange system to use at other DVC resorts.

That only applies to your ownership interests at the resort itself.

Thst is why it’s important that people at least understand whst things could happen within the system for access to other DVC resorts.

 

[intamin]

The POS does discuss that they can remove a resort from BVTC, and it defines the ways they can do it.

It’s the resorts status within that that allows trading. Once removed, you are getting your use at home resort which is really all that is guaranteed.

The lease expiration has nothing to do with the entrance of any resort into the exchange system to use at other DVC resorts.

That only applies to your ownership interests at the resort itself.

Thst is why it’s important that people at least understand whst things could happen within the system for access to other DVC resorts.

I know we're just talking about this hypothetically but jeez the amount of backlash this would cause from DVC members. I imagine it could also deter people from buying future DVC resorts if they decided they wanted to drop Aulani from the portfolio because people will start asking what if they decide to drop the resort I'm buying into? Obviously extremely unlikely since all of their other resorts are on property aside from HHI/VB which have since long sold out. Since Aulani is still actively selling, I guarantee some people who recently purchased Aulani would be extremely upset and likely create a PR nightmare. Again I know it's all hypothetical but it's fun to think about lol.

 

[eticketplease]

Our original membership AKV are our SAP. We didn't use that term but we purchased them because they were the current direct buy deal. I still think of them as SAP and we use them everywhere because they are also our biggest contract. I usually decided when we going, hop on the PC at 11 months to book a value and then swap out the stay at 7 months. If we do last minute stay I use anything we own but I usually use the AK points.

Make sure to let us know know when you are swapping your value room so us non owners can grab them

 

[eticketplease]

I think you are right . Was able to book 4 nights in October at PVB with my BLT points but it was a lot of stress.

I've never had an issue but we were going for standard. Were you doing Lake view that has less rooms perhaps?

 

[crisi]

I know we're just talking about this hypothetically but jeez the amount of backlash this would cause from DVC members. I imagine it could also deter people from buying future DVC resorts if they decided they wanted to drop Aulani from the portfolio because people will start asking what if they decide to drop the resort I'm buying into? Obviously extremely unlikely since all of their other resorts are on property aside from HHI/VB which have since long sold out. Since Aulani is still actively selling, I guarantee some people who recently purchased Aulani would be extremely upset and likely create a PR nightmare. Again I know it's all hypothetical but it's fun to think about lol.

I don't think its likely, but if they did sell off resorts, they might not do it until they had felt they had exhausted the timeshare market and weren't going to build anything new to sell. Then they might look at their existing resort portfolio as a source of short term revenue by selling it. And DVC members tend to overestimate the impact of decisions on Disney PR. A few people would be really upset and make a lot of noise, but its a few people when looked at the overall numbers of Disney consumers.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

Our original membership AKV are our SAP. We didn't use that term but we purchased them because they were the current direct buy deal. I still think of them as SAP and we use them everywhere because they are also our biggest contract. I usually decided when we going, hop on the PC at 11 months to book a value and then swap out the stay at 7 months. If we do last minute stay I use anything we own but I usually use the AK points.

The best sleep around points are the ones you already have!

 

[intamin]

I don't think its likely, but if they did sell off resorts, they might not do it until they had felt they had exhausted the timeshare market and weren't going to build anything new to sell. Then they might look at their existing resort portfolio as a source of short term revenue by selling it. And DVC members tend to overestimate the impact of decisions on Disney PR. A few people would be really upset and make a lot of noise, but its a few people when looked at the overall numbers of Disney consumers.

True, it’d probably get a 2 minute segment on the clip and then they’d be done with it. We often overestimate our importance. I think based on how many new resorts they’re building we have a pretty good idea of their position on whether or not they think the timeshare market is saturated.

 

[Sandisw]

I know we're just talking about this hypothetically but jeez the amount of backlash this would cause from DVC members. I imagine it could also deter people from buying future DVC resorts if they decided they wanted to drop Aulani from the portfolio because people will start asking what if they decide to drop the resort I'm buying into? Obviously extremely unlikely since all of their other resorts are on property aside from HHI/VB which have since long sold out. Since Aulani is still actively selling, I guarantee some people who recently purchased Aulani would be extremely upset and likely create a PR nightmare. Again I know it's all hypothetical but it's fun to think about lol.

Which is why it is important for anyone who is buying to understand that you are not guaranteed the right to trade into other DVC resorts if, for whatever reason, they decide to remove the resort from BVTC.

To be fair, they can't do it willy nilly or on a whim...there are some ground rules...but when we buy, we are buying for the right to use our home resort only.

As I said, there are a lot of things that can be done to change how exchanges work. They don't have to be free...they can decide to have non home resort point charts for trading...they can change the booking window....and who knows what else.

I agree that it is unlikely to happen at this juncture, but its always good to know these things and whether or not buying a non WDW resort for staying at WDW will work if something like this happened. Its why many have always advised not to buy VB or HH for WDW stays if there is no intention of using there.

Its like the change to borrowing that happened during 2020...many did not realize that DVC has the power to amend banking/borrowing rules if they feel it is needed to balance demand....

 

[DanCali]

Which is why it is important for anyone who is buying to understand that you are not guaranteed the right to trade into other DVC resorts if, for whatever reason, they decide to remove the resort from BVTC.

To be fair, they can't do it willy nilly or on a whim...there are some ground rules...but when we buy, we are buying for the right to use our home resort only.

I've read that language and from what I can tell, deletion can happen in cases of resort devastation, eminent domain issues, expiration of term (if you can't reserve home resort, you automatically can't exchange), or if the resort ceases to be affiliated with DVC.

So if they sell Vero Beach in 2042 to Hyatt, yes it will be deleted. If HHI or Vero Beach go down in a hurricane, they may be deleted if the replacement vacation homes (from insurance money) do not meet the criteria set by DVC. But those are 1 in 1,000,000+ circumstances. It's not going to be done just because some resort functions as SAP on the resale market...