Sounding Board Thread: Any real advantages to buying a fixed week at CCV for larger units?

[pangyal]

I would like to thank everyone in advance for all opinions, whether positive or negative !

We are considering purchasing a fixed week for week 52 at CCV for a two-bedroom. I know what the savings would be with purchasing resale, since all of our existing contracts are resale, which we feel we got excellent deals on. However, we are interested in spending Christmas at Wilderness Lodge as much as possible going forward, especially as our single child gets older and (hopefully) can start bringing his own family many years from now. We would be paying cash, not financing.

Background: We already have a FW at VGF (purchased resale) for 4th of July/Canada Day week, which we have never used due to preferring to do larger units and shorter stays at each resort. This is just to illustrate that we are knowledgeable about how fixed weeks operate. With the current incentive, the difference between resale and direct is between $13-$35 per point for CCV for the amount of points we are considering. We own BRV but would consider selling it if this comes to fruition for the guaranteed additional years on the contract at CCV.

My main questions are this: first, has there been a booking crunch for that week in 2BD (dedicated) as well as with the studios? I know that if the room is available, we can always cancel and rebook to get the full allotment back, but what I’m really hoping for is just to not have to care how the availability is trending. I know that the studios are a mess in December...are the two-bedrooms the same?

Second, while we aren’t considering selling it (especially at direct prices!), it’s always nice to know that this is possible with DVC if things change significantly down the line in terms of how we like to spend our time. I’m a little concerned that a contract of that size would be an albatross and languish...or is there a chance that the fixed week option would add value and sort of balance that out?

We are mainly looking at buying into the guaranteed booking for Christmas without walking, over-planning, and so on, but it’s an inordinate amount of money compared to what we’ve paid for resale and I’d love some opinions on the true value of this idea .

Thank you for any input!

 

[princesscinderella]

I think you have a good plan laid out especially if you always want to be at WDW for the holidays.

 

[CarolMN]

IMO, a fixed-week contract for week 52 would be difficult to sell (because it would be large & expensive). It wouldn't always include Christmas Day, either (if that is important to you).

There are 56 dedicated 2 bedrooms at CCV. If you can book as soon as the 11 month window opens and are OK with a dedicated villa, I don't think you will have a problem. The main issue for CCV (as I think you know) is the large number of small contracts. Those owners want studios, which affects the availability of lock off 2 bedrooms but not the dedicated 2 bedrooms.

If it were my decision, I'd go with multiple smaller contracts and occasionally book a cabin. YMMV. Good luck with your decision.

 

[drusba]

As you are probably aware, CCV studios and thus also 2BR lock-offs now have a serious 11-month issue, in that they can be difficult to get even at 11-months out many times of the year. You should also be aware that beginning with reservations for late 2021, both 1BRs and dedicated 2BRs have also developed that problem for the highest DVC demand times of the year -- for the first two weeks of Dec and Christmas week, the 1BRs and dedicated 2BRs booked full for a number of the days right at 8 a.m. at 11-months out.

Possibly, that is only a one-year problem partially caused by members having excess points due to covid closings, but possibly it is the beginning of a new problem that will effect future Christmas weeks.

 

[EM Lawrence]

As far as the size of the contract goes... I think those cabins at CCV are going to remain highly desirable. There is always going to be a certain kind of buyer who wants large CCV contracts to use primarily for the cabins. So yes, a large points contract could become an albatross, but on the other hand I think if it is *large enough* it moves into a different category and has its own market.

 

[pangyal]

This is really what I’m tussling with- whether the fixed week would add enough value to balance out the large size of the contract (though I would still hope we wouldn’t need to sell).

I am also hesitating because I’m not sure what I think they will do with Boulder Ridge in 2042. If they offer an extension to current owners to bring it on par with CCV’s end date, then we could still continue to fight for that week with our existing points. I’m not sure they would offer an extension at $15 a point a la OKW, though!

 

[poofyo101]

I would not do that. I would buy contracts split into 50s for value and just take my chances.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I wish I had purchased week 52 and even wish it could be repackaged with every resort. It is the only time I want to be staying with my BRV and BLT points and the walking is brutal. Just today looking at availability for that holiday week at 10 month window at all the resorts for all the Villa sizes... I walked BLT but did not BRV and now worried.
I also think many Fixed Week owners consider it a smart purchase as they watch the points charts increase just within a 2 year window.

 

[EM Lawrence]

It sounds to me like you really want to make this purchase, you understand the purchase, you believe it will give your family joy and peace, and you can afford it.

Based on what we know right now, I don’t think the fixed week will offset the large size of the contract if you ever have to sell. That might change in the future, if DVC starts promoting fixed weeks, or if CCV becomes impossible to book across all room categories. (It sounds like it might be headed that way now?)

Will you be happiest if you get what you want and don’t have to worry about it anymore, or if you spend less money and make a financially conservative decision?

If I were in your shoes, I would sell the BR points and get exactly what I wanted. Then I would look forward to many happy family Christmas vacations at CCV. And I’m pretty financially conservative. Maybe I’m just feeling generous tonight.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

It sounds to me like you really want to make this purchase, you understand the purchase, you believe it will give your family joy and peace, and you can afford it.

Based on what we know right now, I don’t think the fixed week will offset the large size of the contract if you ever have to sell. That might change in the future, if DVC starts promoting fixed weeks, or if CCV becomes impossible to book across all room categories. (It sounds like it might be headed that way now?)

Will you be happiest if you get what you want and don’t have to worry about it anymore, or if you spend less money and make a financially conservative decision?

If I were in your shoes, I would sell the BR points and get exactly what I wanted. Then I would look forward to many happy family Christmas vacations at CCV. And I’m pretty financially conservative. Maybe I’m just feeling generous tonight.

These are my thoughts also. As for the "happiest" question to ponder, I'd also look at the inverse question: what would you regret more? NOT getting it or getting it?

 

[pangyal]

I’m also so hesitant to purchase direct after years of feeling gleeful about saving tons of money on resale, but I can’t see this exact contract coming on the market for resale anytime soon. Since we are already blue card members, we have qualified points to use for future builds, so that's not an advantage of buying direct. We keep going back and forth on this, but thank you so much to everyone who responded so far, as all of the comments have been super helpful !

 

[RoseGold]

The point charts at Christmas have been escalating in a crazy way. There was a 2BR Week 52 VGF contract listed last year that was a huge point discount, because the charts had inflated so much.

I can absolutely see that happening at CCV, for December and Christmas in particular. If this is how your family plans to book, sounds like a good plan to me.

For resale purposes, a FW studio contract I would think that would be easy to sell. But that doesn't help your family with the availability issues, and isn't a big enough booking for you. I guess two studios would be?

I guess the question is whether you think the Christmas charts are going to keep escalating, and whether you plan to hold long enough, to make it worth the risk of buying such a large contract. You are really marrying this one, so you and your kids better plan on doing this the next 20 years (or renting this out which is not the greatest financial plan).

Right now is the 2021 10 month mark, and all the 2BRs for late December are booked solid, lock off and dedicated.

Edit to add: I would imagine the point cost for Christmas keeps escalating to match the cash side. I don't see that changing, and would expect Christmas to keep escalating over time, like the bananas cash pricing, which has not yet shown a limit. Maybe your crystal ball is different than mine.

 

[pangyal]

The point charts at Christmas have been escalating in a crazy way. There was a 2BR Week 52 VGF contract listed last year that was a huge point discount, because the charts had inflated so much.

I can absolutely see that happening at CCV, for December and Christmas in particular. If this is how your family plans to book, sounds like a good plan to me.

For resale purposes, a FW studio contract I would think that would be easy to sell. But that doesn't help your family with the availability issues, and isn't a big enough booking for you. I guess two studios would be?

I guess the question is whether you think the Christmas charts are going to keep escalating, and whether you plan to hold long enough, to make it worth the risk of buying such a large contract. You are really marrying this one, so you and your kids better plan on doing this the next 20 years (or renting this out which is not the greatest financial plan).

Right now is the 2021 10 month mark, and all the 2BRs for late December are booked solid, lock off and dedicated.

Edit to add: I would imagine the point cost for Christmas keeps escalating to match the cash side. I don't see that changing, and would expect Christmas to keep escalating over time, like the bananas cash pricing, which has not yet shown a limit. Maybe your crystal ball is different than mine.

This is totally accurate and a really good point. For 2021, the points needed for week 52 are 415. For 2022, they’re 446.

 

[RoseGold]

This is totally accurate and a really good point. For 2021, the points needed for week 52 are 415. For 2022, they’re 446.

I think if you buy now you lock in the 2021 chart and not the 2022? That's 477, with the extra 15%. I can easily see the points inflating to cover that gap. That's just another 7% on the 2022 chart, and your fixed week premium is gone.

 

[EM Lawrence]

I think with a fixed week, you actually buy based on the points chart the year the resort first opened. Correct me if I’m wrong!

 

[striker1064]

I think with a fixed week, you actually buy based on the points chart the year the resort first opened. Correct me if I’m wrong!

Correct, FW points are set at resort opening. A CCV week 52 2br will require 415 points.

 

[Lorana]

This is totally accurate and a really good point. For 2021, the points needed for week 52 are 415. For 2022, they’re 446.

I was just going to come here to say that. Buy the FW, because you are already saving points! Week 52 is 446 in 2022, and only 415 to buy the FW.

I think if you buy now you lock in the 2021 chart and not the 2022? That's 477, with the extra 15%. I can easily see the points inflating to cover that gap. That's just another 7% on the 2022 chart, and your fixed week premium is gone.

I think with a fixed week, you actually buy based on the points chart the year the resort first opened. Correct me if I’m wrong!

You are not wrong. The cost of the FW is based on the year the resort open, and those point costs remain fixed. It's one of the reasons I picked up FW 46 last year, as it only cost 118 points for a CCV Studio but the point chart was 123 points for 2021 and 126 for 2022.