Sold On The Dvc!!! Obviously!!!...(( Long ))

[gallam5]

As we have just discovered the world and all it has to offer our family of 6, we are addicted to Disney! Can't get enough - we started only in 2005 and have been several times... we have four small children and in the past it has been a very affordable vacation - that being said - we started at Value, moved to mod and have tried a few deluxes and now can't go back to the Value resorts after being so spoiled - (( sigh ))
So ... whats the prob? None except that the kids are ages 8,10,11,12 now - tix are more expensive ( now that they are considered 'adults') and we like to go more than once a year... I recently priced a trip w/o DP and air and it was $7,900 US - ouch - VERY expensive compared to before - which meant @ least 20,000 per year on two 10 day vacations - so NATURALLY it made sense to skip a year of vacationing and save for the DVC! NEW DILEMA!!!!!!! WHERE OH WHERE SHOULD WE CALL 'HOME'???
I appreciate the replies for dvc room pics and the thread on BWYWTSTM!!! That was the BEST thread! VERY helpful....
We loved staying at Wilderness Lodge on our most recent trip - but looking at the villas - there is ( or looks to be a difference ...?? ) older rooms - darker?? or is it just me? Love the location of WL - love the atmosphere too....
then there's BCV - and BWV - we toured BWV when we were there on our last trip - love the decor - don't particularly love the area of the resort -
but I could def see us owning BCV - theming location - pool - seems perfect!
AND LASTLY - there's the AKV and the BLT - I would never want to stay at AKV - doesn't appeal much to me to be what seems to be 'way outta the way ' we had dinner there once and while it is a beautiful resort - I didn't feel ... the 'magic' when we were there..... but the plusses are the fees - the expiration date and the newness of the accomodations -
and BLT - location. location. location. and newness and exp date - but points are steep ...
Bottom line is this - I THINK that we should buy 270 at BCV and 270 at VWL?
Is my thinking insane or does it make sense???
This way we can move between the two we like the most? no?
Sorry - new to this ... we are convinced that price wise it is for us - all around it is THE THING TO DO! My only regret is not doing it when we were there the third time! LOL! WE COULD have put all those thousands towards ownership!
Anyways ... thanks ... IF you got this far ... and THANKS for All of the insight! and info!
Looking forward to any extra input and advice ...

 

[MommaluvsDis]

The thing about DVC ownership is you will not be locked in to any one property. You can, with planning, book at 7 months out at another property.

The advantage to "buying where you want to stay" is that you will have a pretty much guaranteed place to stay.

Buy at the place you love the most. That way, you don't feel "stuck" by only being able to book there.

The pool at BCV is awesome for the kids but trust me, they'll enjoy ANY pool at those ages.

Fill in this blank and don't overthink your answer. Use the first one that pops into your mind.: If I could own anywhere at WDW, it would be _________! Then that's where you should buy.

Good luck. Boy, what a delima to have, huh?

 

[gallam5]

The thing about DVC ownership is you will not be locked in to any one property. You can, with planning, book at 7 months out at another property.

The advantage to "buying where you want to stay" is that you will have a pretty much guaranteed place to stay.

Buy at the place you love the most. That way, you don't feel "stuck" by only being able to book there.

The pool at BCV is awesome for the kids but trust me, they'll enjoy ANY pool at those ages.

Fill in this blank and don't overthink your answer. Use the first one that pops into your mind.: If I could own anywhere at WDW, it would be _________! Then that's where you should buy.

Good luck. Boy, what a delima to have, huh?

And a GOOD dilema at that!!! HHHmmmmm.... where to get the $$$ from .... lol ..... Actually I already have my AP !! ( ACTION PLAN!!! ) Anyhow - I already KNOW the first place that came to mind - I am dreaming BCV!

Kids are growing and this seems to 'fit' but I think I will do what seems to be the popular thing DH wants VWL - I want BCV - he wants 500 points I don't particularly care as long as I get to go ... so we will likely buy our first at BCV - just after Christmas - around Feb or so ... then 'add -on' VWL!

I think its settled - at least TODAY!!! LOL! I frequent all the dis web sites - allearnet, mousavers, diboards , but always to plan a trip as a 'non-dvc member' never even thought to look for the same info for the dvc resorts! This has been great!!!

My plan: I have a pair of female yorkies that I will be breeding out when they come into their 'season' ... and selling at 1300 - 1500 per pup, depending on size, colour, bloodline etc... so we should be able to buy in cash ... I prefer not to finance it - unless we can unload our stupid Ford Expedition!!! GRRRRR....

 

[SamSam]

I think your plan of buying at two different resorts is excellent. The only thing I would suggest is to buy 4 contracts, something like two 150 point contracts BCV and two 150 point contracts at VWL. I suggest this because of you 4 kids and years and years down the road it makes it easy to split the ownership among the kids. Also, if you ever decide to sell, it would be easier to sell a smaller 100-150 point contract than a 300 point contract.
Good luck with your decisions.

 

[MommaluvsDis]

Don't forget that you will have monthly maintenance fees on those points too.

May I make a suggestion? Buy your points (I believe you said 500) in several smaller contracts. Here's my reasoning: smaller contracts seem to sell easier than the one large one. And, we never know what the future holds. It may be that down the road your financial situation changes and you could sell just one or two of the smaller contracts if necessary.

Also, I have 300 SSR points in two 150 point contracts with the same UY. I can therefore will each of my sons an euqal contract. As you know, you can buy thru Disney but I highly recommend The Timeshare Store. It may take a little while to find several smaller contracts with the same UY but it's very doable and you'll be surprised at the savings. Negotiate on your contracts.

Good luck!

 

[gallam5]

See... this is the best place IMHO to get the true scoop - we just received info package from the Timeshare Store - I think that it is a no brainer to buy from there??? no?
We got an updated DVC package from Disney too a couple of weeks back - it is great too - they sent me a full colour beautiful blue hardcover colour book that has DREAM embossed on the front - worth it to order even if you already own DVC - it's a beauty!
Has floor plans , colour pics, points charts, locations around the world, etc.

ANYHOW - I think that's a great piece of advice - what the heck will two people do with 500 pints a year when there's just that : TWO of us!
Plus I never thought of the splitting etc...

Does it matter what the UY or month is???

 

[cogero]

LOL DH and I are already discussing adding on at a couple of places to go with our main contract at AKV. We had always said we would never stay at AKV and then we toured the model and absolutely fell in love.

But we do know our first add on will either be at BW or BC unless a GF DVC ever comes to fruition.

 

[hakepb]

I would not buy AKV "for a deal" or length if you do not covet the idea of the 11 month booking window for the few AKV value or Concierge rooms. AKV will be big enough that most any owner will be able to book there at the 7 month window at most times of the year. If you want to stay at the smaller DVC's (VWL, BCV, BLT..) Then buy at one of them,
BLT does have contract length, and should have lower member fees(MF) per point (because you need more points per room at BLT, DVC is not charging less member fees per room when you do the math) Which works to your advantage when you use your "cheaper MF BLT points" at other resorts.. But, do not buy BLT expecting to stay at BCV every year as you will likely be disapointed. Decisions, decisions. Personally I would guess they will eventually offer better deals on BLT if you wait..

You are talking about enough points that you could consider more than 2 home resorts. With banking and/or borrowing you only need 1/2 as many points in a contract to stay every other year. (i.e resort A and B in 2009 and resort C and D in 2010. Or you do resort A every year but switch between B and C every other year)

Also remember that DVC contracts cannot be split for for future resales or inheritance purposes so if inheritance is a concern you may want several smaller contracts at each resort...

 

[edk35]

I too would break the contracts up. We did that for our 300 points at SSR. We have three kids so they will each get 100. We just added on at AKV and maybe should have bought 150 and split that 3 ways..but we didn't even think about it. Oh well....but sounds like you know where you want to stay the most and those are two primo resorts and having that 11 month window will probably be a great thing. We loved Beach Club when we stayed there last summer. Your kid are at the pefect age to really enjoy SAB too. I think you have made two awesome choices and like the others said....you can stay at the other resorts too....so congrats and good luck.

 

[gallam5]

OKAY! I am too excited ... because I am getting CLOSER to picking up that phone and knowing exactly what I want -
1. I will def buy from TTS

2. I will def buy smaller contracts ( 4 of them - and maybe add a fifth -
(( as I have read about the add -on addictions!!! lol ))

3. BCV and WLV it is - heck - if I am splitting four way why wouldn't I buy one of each? ( spoken from a true 'spend what you don't haver!!! )

4. You ONLY live once - Live for DIS! - "it's for the kids honey"
(( are my famous last words ))

 

[TOM&LORIE]

Does it matter what the UY or month is???

We have a September UY and we tend to travel in October and May. The UY of September works VERY well for us in the situation we must reschedule a trip. If the October trip must be rescheduled then we have till the next September to use the points (Once you schedule a trip those points must be used in the UY of the reservation). So if you travel in a certain month and think that trend will continue, obtain a UY just prior to that month if you can. Our guide gave us that scenario before we purchased and it has held true. Just an opinion ...

 

[gallam5]

We have a September UY and we tend to travel in October and May. The UY of September works VERY well for us in the situation we must reschedule a trip. If the October trip must be rescheduled then we have till the next September to use the points (Once you schedule a trip those points must be used in the UY of the reservation). So if you travel in a certain month and think that trend will continue, obtain a UY just prior to that month if you can. Our guide gave us that scenario before we purchased and it has held true. Just an opinion ...

Thanks ... lots of good tips on this 'journey called decision'!!!

 

[TOM&LORIE]

As you make your decision just remember to buy where you wanna stay. We constantly are soooooooooo glad we bought at BWV (11 month window) as we can simply walk to the back entrance of EPCOT and we usually walk to Hollywood Studios. BCV allow the say but there are not as many of them. Having stayed at BCV, AKL, SSR and BWV. We enjoy the BWV the most from the respect that it fits our needs. We will buy into one of the Monorail resorts at some point when grandkids come along because a walk to MK or a short ride on the Monorail is a plus. BUT with that said ... I love the location of BWV in respect to EPCOT so it has become "Home".

 

[gallam5]

As you make your decision just remember to buy where you wanna stay. We constantly are soooooooooo glad we bought at BWV (11 month window) as we can simply walk to the back entrance of EPCOT and we usually walk to Hollywood Studios. BCV allow the say but there are not as many of them. Having stayed at BCV, AKL, SSR and BWV. We enjoy the BWV the most from the respect that it fits our needs. We will buy into one of the Monorail resorts at some point when grandkids come along because a walk to MK or a short ride on the Monorail is a plus. BUT with that said ... I love the location of BWV in respect to EPCOT so it has become "Home".

That's why I know for sure our first buy in will be the BCV - the walk to Epcot - we spend most of our time there on vacations - EATING!!!
And I thought it would be a good choice for growing kids - it won't be long before the want to go on their own way - and I heard that there MAY be a GF DVC in the works - I would def love to have that!
One of the boat guides told us that last time we were there - here's hopin!

 

[jade1]

We own at BCV and VWL as well and its been great. We also reserve BWV BW View at 7 months on occasion with great success, so we have found it not necessary to own there. We look at it as being "stuck" with either VWL or BCV as a great thing.

 

[Liljam]

I also agree with the others about buying four small contracts and if I could go back in time, I would have done that myself. If I ever decide to buy more, it will surely be in small contracts that I can use every other year or so at a different resort, maybe BWV or BCV, because I like both so much even though I haven't stayed there. Also, if you're up for buying small contracts, I'd like to suggest an SSR contract in addition to the others you like - I know it's not everyone's "cup of tea" but it has low MFs and its end date is around 2047 or something like that, plus with the THV it might be worth it for you to have too. I happen to like all of the resorts that WDW has to offer, DVC or not - even the ones I've never stayed at. I would pick SSR over AKV any day though because I love being near DTD. That's just my two cents! Good luck with your purchases!

 

[jamstew]

Something else to keep in mind is that if you buy resale (which you have to do to get in the door at either BCV or VWL), finding multiple contracts with the same use year can be challenging and involve waiting for them to come along. E.g., here's what TSS has right now:

BCV -- a 150 and a 180 with a March UY. The 150 only has 10 points coming for 2009.

VWL -- The smallest contract listed is a 160 April UY, with no points coming until 2010.

Not saying you need all four contracts with the same UY (although it would be nice), but each resort should have the same UY.


You should definitely let TSS know what you're looking for and get on their email list so you'll get early notice of what's available before it shows up on the web site.

What I did was buy my first 100 points at BCV by resale and then added on through Disney to get the same UY. Even then, I was on a waitlist for a while to get the add-ons.

 

[moredisneyplease]

I agree with the smaller contracts and watching the use year carefully! I'm in an Oct UY and am wishing I didnt have Oct because looks like we're starting to do more traveling in the summer (kids!) so if we book and something happens then we dont have a lot of give for using those points!

Congrats on your decisions!

 

[TOM&LORIE]

To reiterate myself ... Our guide was very helpful in this. We never contemplated this prior to our purchase but I am soooooooo glad Mike was very specific as to our UY month. I remember him asking very specifically "Will you be traveling in October in future years?" Our answer was "Yes." He then followed it with "You need September UY, trust me, you NEED September UY."

 

[dvcforlee]

As you make your decision just remember to buy where you wanna stay. We constantly are soooooooooo glad we bought at BWV (11 month window) as we can simply walk to the back entrance of EPCOT and we usually walk to Hollywood Studios. BCV allow the say but there are not as many of them. Having stayed at BCV, AKL, SSR and BWV. We enjoy the BWV the most from the respect that it fits our needs. We will buy into one of the Monorail resorts at some point when grandkids come along because a walk to MK or a short ride on the Monorail is a plus. BUT with that said ... I love the location of BWV in respect to EPCOT so it has become "Home".

Have to agree with Tom&Lorie, we've been members for 10 years, own at BWV and always stay there. We have 4 kids too and now that they are 16 to 22 being on the Boardwalk gives them so much freedom to come and go to Epcot and the studios as they please, hit ESPN and "Beaches and Cream", etc... We don't worry about them and are so happy they still want to vacation with us. Just recently added on ssr and blt to broaden our horizons but DH and I will use those points for our long weekend getaways.