Suggestions from you multiple resort owners

[beer dave]

and for people watching -- BWV. Buy small contracts at both and alternate years. That was our choice.

 

[dvcdisney]

I just want to pipe in about staying at the resorts before you buy. I don't think many of us got to stay at all or even any of the resorts before we bought. We did one off site trip and one POR trip before we bought. The only resorts we had even set foot onto was POR, CR (for Chef Mickeys) and FW (for Hoop Dee Doo). We bought OKW resale, in 2006, to get the most points for our money. Then we started staying at all the places and learned what we like and don't like...and, yup, OKW is at the bottom. But we can stay there, if we must, and be happy. We have also used those OKW points to stay at every east coast DVC resort except VGF and Poly (and we don't really want to...cost too many points). It's not always easy or do-able but we have done it over time and by being flexible. We have also added on at other resorts (BWV for F&W trips and HHI for summer trips...both though to book with OKW points). If you start small to get a feel, then you can always add on. And smaller contracts are easier to resell if that need should arise. So, I don't think you need to stay at each resort before you buy.

When we first became members, we were offered a great deal on Vero Beach. Our guide offered no other choice at the time. Like you, we had never stayed there before. The reason we wanted to purchase into the membership was because of our 8 night stay at AKV (actually after 2 nights, we made the appt with a guide and by the end of our stay, we had made a purchase). When BCV became available, we purchased...and then, when AKV became available, we purchased again. We stayed at these and other DVC resorts for 6 yrs before we actually stayed at VB. VB is great and it's a nice relaxing resort. But I do tend to use those points for other resorts such as VGC and Aulani. I keep my BCV and AKV points for the Home Resort Priority.

But I agree with the others, if you have a chance to stay at the resorts before purchasing, then you can make a better choice. As everyone says, it's personal. And personally, having stayed at both BWV and BCV several times, my family would choose BCV. It feels like "HOME" to us. When my son was very young (4yrs old), we had stayed at a 1bd at BCV for 14 night. When it was time to go home, he was upset because he thought we had moved there permanently.