So new to this

[TeeterTots]

If you purchase resale can you stay at moderate hotels or at the poly? What about VGC? When will disney start to sell poly villas? Any info is helpful. Trying to make the right decision for our family.

 

[DizBub]

If you purchase resale can you stay at moderate hotels or at the poly? What about VGC? When will disney start to sell poly villas? Any info is helpful. Trying to make the right decision for our family.

Moderate hotels and the Poly come under the Disney Collection and you cannot use resale points to stay there.

My question to you is why would you want to if you have DVC points??? Disney Collection is very expensive (point wise). DVC points are best used at DVC resorts and until something changes you can use resale points at all the DVC resorts, including VGC.

Poly is rumored to start selling as early as next month. Don't know if that is true or not.

 

[skier_pete]

What Dizbub said. You cannot use resale points to stay at anywhere but the DVC resorts (the bunch at WDW, Hilton Head, Vero Beach, Grand Californian, and Aulani), not the rest of the Disney hotels. If you buy points direct from Disney, you can. However, if you look at the cost, it would actual cost you MORE to stay at say Caribbean Beach Resort using points than if you just booked it yourself. You'd be better off renting out your points and using the money to book the CBR stay. Same with say a Disney Cruise.

You CAN use the points at the Grand Californian, but it's pretty hard to get into unless you own there, which is why the resale is so high. Off peak times you can get in though.

The only reason to buy new is if you want to own at the VGF or the new poly one when it comes out. And if you own there, you almost would have to exlusively stay there (IMO) or else feel like you were "wasting" your money to stay elsewhere. ($165 a point for VGC versus $100 a point @BLT versus $80 a point @BWV)

 

[TeeterTots]

Thank you all. Like I said, I'm very new to this and I'm just in the research phase. My family loves Disney as do all of you. I'm hoping to be a neighbor in the very near future

 

[DizBub]

The questions are understandable. When we bought DVC we were staying at POFQ and actually booked a bounce back deal for the next year, not realizing that we had 420 DVC points to play with and what that meant. It was so far out of our comfort zone to NOT stay at a moderate that when I booked our BLT stay I didn't cancel POFQ until the last minute.

Now I can honestly say that I can't bear the thought of going back to a regular room stay......We really enjoy the DVC locations, the balconies, the sofas and even the kitchenettes when we stay in studios, not to mention the extra space in the 1 and 2 bedroom villas. It's a whole new world, at least for us.

 

[skier_pete]

Thank you all. Like I said, I'm very new to this and I'm just in the research phase. My family loves Disney as do all of you. I'm hoping to be a neighbor in the very near future

This is a great place to ask questions. I am new to DVC also, not as new as you as I am 6 months since we put in a bid and we haven't yet stayed at with our points (5 weeks!).

It really is a great deal, even versus a moderate, IF you take advantage of the resale market. But, I highly recommend doing a lot of research so you know all the pitfalls. Read through threads here, a lot of questions will have been answered multiple times.

 

[magicaldisney]

DVC is best for those who can plan their next Disney visit 11 months ahead of time. Seven months ahead of time is ok. Under seven months, if you want to visit at a busy time, you need to be open to staying at any DVC resort that is available and any size villa that is available. DVC busy times are not necessarily Disney busy times. Do research on how many points you will need for each visit.

 

[bmcd1998]

DVC is best for those who can plan their next Disney visit 11 months ahead of time. Seven months ahead of time is ok. Under seven months, if you want to visit at a busy time, you need to be open to staying at any DVC resort that is available and any size villa that is available. DVC busy times are not necessarily Disney busy times. Do research on how many points you will need for each visit.

Can anybody shine light on the "DVC busy times are not necessarily Disney busy times"? The only part of this I think I understand is that BCV/BWV around F&W is busy time there but as the kids are in school is not busy "Disney time".

 

[vicki_c]

Can anybody shine light on the "DVC busy times are not necessarily Disney busy times"? The only part of this I think I understand is that BCV/BWV around F&W is busy time there but as the kids are in school is not busy "Disney time".

The most popular DVC time appears to be early December. The overall resort crowds are not that high then but DVC bookings are.

Conversely, DVC seems not so popular in the summer but Disney overall is crowded.

Just two examples.

 

[skier_pete]

Can anybody shine light on the "DVC busy times are not necessarily Disney busy times"? The only part of this I think I understand is that BCV/BWV around F&W is busy time there but as the kids are in school is not busy "Disney time".

DVC busiest time, from what I have found, is:

1) Early to mid-December (super low point season + xmas)
2) Late September to late November (F&W + low point season)
3) Anytime there is a Marathon (Just because marathoners must own DVC a lot)
4) Certain holidays (New Years Eve, 4th of July come to mind)

Least popular seems to be early September, followed by mid-January to mid-February (even though they are low point times), followed by summer (high point season). Spring isn't too bad either, but it's sporadic. The first few weeks of May by my observation has booked up really fast, but I have never seen anyone claim that as a busy season.

 

[DizBub]

With DVC the lowest points seasons are the whole months of September and January and the first 2 weeks of December. It used to be that those were really slow times and they needed to fill rooms. Not so much anymore with all the special events like F&W, holiday parties, races, etc.

It seems that the slowest DVC times now is during the summer months but if you check the point charts it's quite expensive to go then.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You need to book at 11 months out for early December, Christmas and New Years. From mid-Sept (start of Food & Wine) through mid-Jan it can be hard to get something DVC at seven months out. You might find SSR, OKW or AKV, but not the villas that require the fewest points (studios). And trying for a full week can be hard at seven months out.

DVC members tend to stay for running events (marathons, half marathons, ten milers, etc), holidays, Disney events (F&W, F&G). Summer gets spread out over three months, so it can be easier to book at seven months out.

But if you constantly need to book at three or fewer months out, you might be disappointed frequently.

BCV, BWV and BLT tend to be favored. Also the new GFV (it's the smallest of all other than GCV). Value villas at AKV, standard villas at BWV, any villa at BCV, standard villas at BLT are all popular. BWV only has seven GV so they go fast. OKW has more GV, but they require the fewest number of points, so they can go fast. VWL studios may become the new hot ticket since they sleep five and are very limited in number (it's also a small resort).

 

[mcap2004]

The most popular DVC time appears to be early December. The overall resort crowds are not that high then but DVC bookings are.

Conversely, DVC seems not so popular in the summer but Disney overall is crowded.

Just two examples.

I figured DVC would be popular in the summer. Can you explain why it's not. :newbie:

 

[supersnoop]

I figured DVC would be popular in the summer. Can you explain why it's not. :newbie:

The point costs are structured with the purpose of maintaining 95% occupancy throughout the year. DVC owners tend to focus on value, and it's "cheaper" to travel in the off season. And it's nicer to travel when crowds are lighter.

 

[crisi]

The point costs are structured with the purpose of maintaining 95% occupancy throughout the year. DVC owners tend to focus on value, and it's "cheaper" to travel in the off season. And it's nicer to travel when crowds are lighter.

And DVC is a luxury purchase - owners are probably older than average than hotel guests - they tend to be people who have chosen a "Disney lifestyle" rather than people who go for the kids. In fifty years of ownership - you have to be aware of school schedules for twelve or fifteen - maybe twenty if your kids are spread out- possibly less - and none at all if you don't have kids or you bought when your kids were adults. Once your kids are out of high school, you go when you want, not when the school schedule gives you a break.

 

[mcap2004]

The point costs are structured with the purpose of maintaining 95% occupancy throughout the year. DVC owners tend to focus on value, and it's "cheaper" to travel in the off season. And it's nicer to travel when crowds are lighter.

I would most definitely love to travel when crowds are lighter once I join DVC, hopefully sooner than later; however, I have 2 boys (3 and 8) that I would not feel comfortable with them missing school so our only option to go would be the during peak season. -.-

 

[supersnoop]

I would most definitely love to travel when crowds are lighter once I join DVC, hopefully sooner than later; however, I have 2 boys (3 and 8) that I would not feel comfortable with them missing school so our only option to go would be the during peak season. -.-

Then it should be easy to get a room with your DVC membership.