Sleep around points

[MarkNC2Disney]

I would simply buy where you want to stay most of the time, and use those points to explore other places. SSR has been a nice target for SAP, but all it takes is one or two bad years of dues escalating faster than other resorts (which you can’t control or forecast very well) and the attractiveness will drop. Then you’re stuck with an undesirable contract and resale value has already fallen as much or more than any other resort.

 

[hilltopper152]

I would simply buy where you want to stay most of the time, and use those points to explore other places. SSR has been a nice target for SAP, but all it takes is one or two bad years of dues escalating faster than other resorts (which you can’t control or forecast very well) and the attractiveness will drop. Then you’re stuck with an undesirable contract and resale value has already fallen as much or more than any other resort.

Its good advice for sure. We happen to actually like SSR and cost is big for our family. We are not set like others here or later in life. It does one thing awful for us though... Transportation was not ideal when we needed to go to parks especially with strollers. Otherwise I would have been sold. A skyliner would allow me to pay $30 more a point easy. I think your advice resonates though which is why I may lean to CCV or back to BLT if I find a good deal. Those resorts I will never be upset being stuck at. SSR has to be cheap cheap mentally now.

 

[pianomanzano]

Then you’re stuck with an undesirable contract and resale value has already fallen as much or more than any other resort.

Hey, don't talk about my SSR like that! (Don't ask me the last time I've stayed there though haha).

 

[disney-inspired]

I would simply buy where you want to stay most of the time, and use those points to explore other places. SSR has been a nice target for SAP, but all it takes is one or two bad years of dues escalating faster than other resorts (which you can’t control or forecast very well) and the attractiveness will drop. Then you’re stuck with an undesirable contract and resale value has already fallen as much or more than any other resort.

I'm currently on the hunt for an SSR contract for SAP but also I won't regret it if I 'have' to stay there. I love the closeness to Disney Springs. I considered Vero Beach or OKW but their dues are way too high.

 

[kboo]

I am going to ask a curveball to this thread.... What is wrong with CCV being a strong SAP contender? The contract has a crazy amount of years left of use.... I am almost 30 so that provides me stays until 75. So there is even resale potential far as value even 20 years from now even if still just a little. But more important, the contract provides a great resort, high demand rental points if needed, access to studios that are hard to get, and the dues are not too bad. Prices have fallen to 135-155 from what I have seen. That is not much more than BLT and similar to RV without restrictions. Just caught my eye as a solid option for someone looking for LT value without paying too much.

If I didn't already have 2 MK home resorts....!!

I think 1BR limited to 4 and 2BR limited to 8? Not that I would ever want to be at capacity in a 2br ...
For us, we got BLT at a price only a few $ above SSR, and CCV had not gone on sale yet. we liked the additional full bath in the units. Also we bought while we were still in strollers, so monorail/walking access was important. If I were looking at resale now and with kids not in strollers, I would for sure consider it since we only have 2 kids and aren't having more. As it is, we often visit for dinner at least once.

 

[hilltopper152]

If I didn't already have 2 MK home resorts....!!

I think 1BR limited to 4 and 2BR limited to 8? Not that I would ever want to be at capacity in a 2br ...
For us, we got BLT at a price only a few $ above SSR, and CCV had not gone on sale yet. we liked the additional full bath in the units. Also we bought while we were still in strollers, so monorail/walking access was important. If I were looking at resale now and with kids not in strollers, I would for sure consider it since we only have 2 kids and aren't having more. As it is, we often visit for dinner at least once.

I think I would grow into liking it there more. I live a little rural so the charm is not as nice to me but I love the outdoors and the beauty of the resort. I do feel far from everything except MK there but as my kids grow it would be easier to hop on busses to get around anyway. We never rent cars and depend on disney transportation.

 

[Aussie RJ]

I've bought 250 points at SSR for SAP.
Successful trips so far:
3 x VGC (1 Bed x 2, Studio x 1)
1 x VGF (1 Bed)
2 x AUL (2 Bed IGV x 2)

We decided to top it up with a $130 a point contract at BLT... But then I fell in love with TPV and must have that for NYE.
Due to a cancelled cruise we also stayed at SSR for 4 nights last summer and absolutely loved it, not sure where that leaves us with SAP's

 

[DavidMagic]

I feel SAP points are fantastic if you are okay with being flexible -- ie doing split stays or being okay with staying at less desirable resorts and/or paying a premium for room category or having even slightly flexible dates.

I would not recommend SAP for any group who does not have such flexibility as there are situations where simply you won't have options apart from SSR or OKW.

 

[Pens Fan]

We don't really have any SAP's technically as we only buy where we'd be happy to stay. Most of our points are at CCV and we have one HHI contract. However, we have used them at other resorts successfully a few times. We've only been members since 2019, but in that time we've booked:

1 BR at VGC in Jan 2020 - one night add on to an ABD tour that I waitlisted and stalked and managed to get (stalking did the trick) a couple of months prior to the trip

2 BR at HHI in Sep 2020 booked about a month or so before by stalking the site - this was before we owned there, so used CCV points. I was searching for HHI resale contracts by the second day .

2 BR theme park view at BLT in Sep 2022 (including Labor Day weekend) for 6 nights - booked 7 months out at 8 AM

2 BR preferred view at RIV in Jan 2023 for 4 nights - booked 7 months out at 8 AM

Ocean view inn room at VB for 5 nights in Jan 2023 - booked 7 months out at 8 AM - Though we ended up getting moved to WDW due to an emergency maintenance issue at VB. They let us continue our stay in our 2 BR at Riviera for the extra nights for the same number of points we'd have paid at VB .

2 BR ocean view at AUL in Oct/Nov 2023 for 9 nights - booked 7 months out at 8 AM

We have also used a few of our CCV points at HHI. We own at HHI, but recently needed a few of our CCV points to cover the time we wanted in Jan 2023.

We still use the majority of our points at CCV because that's what we love. But it's fun to sleep around too!

 

[lilsonicfan]

This thread is awesome! - we have a contract signed to buy SSR points, waiting on ROFR and all of those closing bits. I'm MOST excited to get points into an account so that I can start browsing and stalking and generally seeing whether I can snag a reservation at a hard to get resort just for the fun of it (or hey maybe a last min vacation!) But, in preparation for buying, I also watched some videos about SSR and really it looks like a pretty nice resort to stay at, especially with the refurbished rooms.

 

[intamin]

This thread is awesome! - we have a contract signed to buy SSR points, waiting on ROFR and all of those closing bits. I'm MOST excited to get points into an account so that I can start browsing and stalking and generally seeing whether I can snag a reservation at a hard to get resort just for the fun of it (or hey maybe a last min vacation!) But, in preparation for buying, I also watched some videos about SSR and really it looks like a pretty nice resort to stay at, especially with the refurbished rooms.

IMO SSR gets a bad rap on here but in general it's a great resort. I fell in love with WDW on an 8 night stay in a preferred 1BR at SSR. Being able to take the bus from the parks to Disney Springs and then pick up a dessert at Amorette's and walk back to the room at night was amazing. If SSR was difficult to book at 7 months, I'd probably own there tbh.

 

[hilltopper152]

IMO SSR gets a bad rap on here but in general it's a great resort. I fell in love with WDW on an 8 night stay in a preferred 1BR at SSR. Being able to take the bus from the parks to Disney Springs and then pick up a dessert at Amorette's and walk back to the room at night was amazing. If SSR was difficult to book at 7 months, I'd probably own there tbh.

It's very peaceful and feels like a restful resort. I liked it a lot. I did not like the QS and did not like only relying on a few bus stops but it's great overall especially for point cost.

 

[intamin]

It's very peaceful and feels like a restful resort. I liked it a lot. I did not like the QS and did not like only relying on a few bus stops but it's great overall especially for point cost.

I never tried the QS just because of the amount of food at DS. But yeah my gripes are the number of bus stops, how spread out it is and that it's only method of transportation is the bus. Otherwise it's a beautiful resort with great rooms with a great point chart.

 

[hilltopper152]

I never tried the QS just because of the amount of food at DS. But yeah my gripes are the number of bus stops, how spread out it is and that it's only method of transportation is the bus. Otherwise it's a beautiful resort with great rooms with a great point chart.

Yeah only reason to use QS is in a pinch on way out of resort. I have only stayed preferred studio though. Always got lucky with college area or whatever that was called. Made DS even shorter walk.

 

[intamin]

Yeah only reason to use QS is in a pinch on way out of resort. I have only stayed preferred studio though. Always got lucky with college area or whatever that was called. Made DS even shorter walk.

I've only stayed in Congress Park and after being spoiled by that area idk if I can stay anywhere else at SSR lol.

 

[hilltopper152]

I've only stayed in Congress Park and after being spoiled by that area idk if I can stay anywhere else at SSR lol.

Ha that's it. Not college... Congress. Yeah same.

 

[DisneyPiPhi]

We bought CCV direct in 2018 intending to mostly use them to stay at CCV, but they've kind of become sleep around points! We've used them to stay at CCV but also at VGC, Boardwalk, Beach Club twice, and have an upcoming AKL stay booked. We may use them for Aulani in a couple of years, too. I've had a lot of success with waitlisting, so much so that our next points purchase will likely be resale points that we use as SAP. I'm considering Boardwalk (this fits "buy where you want to stay," too) or SSR (where I'd have no problem staying with a rental car.)

 

[E2ME2]

I've only stayed in Congress Park and after being spoiled by that area idk if I can stay anywhere else at SSR lol.

We stayed at CP the first couple years of our DVC experience, but then CP became "preferred", so now we try for Paddock, Grandstand, or The Springs. We had to stay in the Carousel section once, and did not like that. SSR was our initial purchase (Direct at $99PP in 2011), and we were unaware of the resale market or what SAP was at that time. We have since added on at AKV/BCV/BWV, for 11 Mo. advantage at each. We have successfully used SSR as SAP, however, getting AUL/OKW/AKV/BWV at 7 Months. *We actually scored BWV on a wait-list mid-COVID, and got some pixie dust to go with it. We booked 1 week "STD" view & 1 Week "G/P" view. When we checked in, we found that they just put us in a G/P room for both weeks, and did not require additional points.

 

[intamin]

We stayed at CP the first couple years of our DVC experience, but then CP became "preferred", so now we try for Paddock, Grandstand, or The Springs. We had to stay in the Carousel section once, and did not like that. SSR was our initial purchase (Direct at $99PP in 2011), and we were unaware of the resale market or what SAP was at that time. We have since added on at AKV/BCV/BWV, for 11 Mo. advantage at each. We have successfully used SSR as SAP, however, getting AUL/OKW/AKV/BWV at 7 Months. *We actually scored BWV on a wait-list mid-COVID, and got some pixie dust to go with it. We booked 1 week "STD" view & 1 Week "G/P" view. When we checked in, we found that they just put us in a G/P room for both weeks, and did not require additional points.

Even buying direct back then was a freakin' steal lol. I wish my parents had just used my college tuition money on a contract instead. I'd probably be happier.

 

[crisi]

I feel SAP points are fantastic if you are okay with being flexible -- ie doing split stays or being okay with staying at less desirable resorts and/or paying a premium for room category or having even slightly flexible dates.

I would not recommend SAP for any group who does not have such flexibility as there are situations where simply you won't have options apart from SSR or OKW.

Better if you are booking seven months out. Less good if you are booking four or five months out. Better if you can do a one bedroom (which is more points than a studio and really eats into the idea of saving money via SAP), less good if you only have studio quantity points. Better if you can stalk the website for your dates. Less good if you want your reservation with minimum hassle. Better if you don't mind switching resorts mid stay. Less good if your stays are always longer and you don't ever want to move resorts.

With DVC reservations at your non home resort - the more flexible you can be in multiple directions, the more the idea of sleeping around works. (This is also true for home resort reservations made at popular resorts as you get close to the seven month window - and for certain rooms like VAKL Value rooms all the time.)