Swan Reserve vs DVC

[tom1944]

For the family suite - just a large studio with a living room area - only about $500 / night.

The rest of the suites you have to call to book. They will make good deals for longer stays.

Thank you

 

[havoc315]

They have old-fashioned suite-style rooms - I have stayed in the Governor's suite - it had a wet bar and the living/dining room was about the size of 3 rooms with a joining room on either side.

They have jr. / family suites with sitting areas -- but not designed like DVC. I would not consider it apples to apples - the suites are designed for business meetings not kids.

I would never pay for a suite @ Swan over DVC ( that is why I purchased RR) at its heart S/D is a business hotel, not a family resort. But Studio to Studio - it is a good option for singles or couples.

Agreed it's not apples to apples. In fact, every on and off-site property has unique attributes, so almost nothing is apples to apples.

Swan/Dolphin though is a fairly close comparison to regular hotels rooms and studios at the various Epcot area Disney properties. Similar location, similar room size and amenities.
For 1 BR units and larger, you really can't compare directly to most traditional hotels. It's just a room type not found in traditional hotels.
In fact, the best comparison for 1 BR units at DVC is simply looking at the cash rates for 1 BR units. The point allocations are out of whack for 1 BR units. Often, there isn't a huge savings over the cash rate in buying/renting DVC.
When I've done the math before, the value of DVC when staying in studios is often $30-$40+ per point.... 2 BRs are often $25-$35+... 1 BRs are often just in the range of $20-$25 per point. (So owning DVC for 1 BR use saves some money, but not a tremendous amount).

On a space basis, the best comparison to 1-2 BRs is simply comparing it to multiple hotel rooms. But if the kitchen is the key factor, then there really is no on-site/near-site comparison. You truly have to start looking at off-site condos.