Taking advantage of DVC's options...

[pouncingpluto]

Hi guys,

My husband and I just got married last Saturday (11/5) on the Boardwalk, and we took the DVC tour at Saratoga Springs on the last day of our honeymoon (yesterday).

We're very interested, but I guess my biggest concern is that we're interested in all of the variety of options DVC offers... especially the various DVC properties, Disney hotels in other countries, and the world passport program. We wouldn't be happy if we had a hard time using our points in a variety of ways rather than just at SSR every single year.

What have your experiences been? How hard is it to get Hawaii, Italy, Australia, South America, etc.? Unfortunately, our anniversary falls during Epcot's Food and Wine festival, so are odds against us that we'd ever be able to get a one-bedroom villa at BWV for an anniversary trip? This isn't something we'd want to do every year... but we'd definitely like to do it sometime! We'd probably rather own at BWV, since we're sentimentally attached to the Boardwalk for obvious reasons, but the 15% off incentive and the 12 extra years are really great motivation to go with SSR. How hard is it to get a hotel at DLP?

Thanks for your help!

 

[TammyAlphabet]

Congrats on your recent marriage. I don't have alot of advice but wanted to wish you well.

 

[tjkraz]

If you're talking about using points at resorts in DVC's Disney Collection, Concierge Collection and Adventurer Collection, I doubt you will have much trouble getting reservations--as long as you don't have an expection of doing it on short notice. DVC wouldn't keep resorts in those Collections if they weren't able to accommodate member demand. About a year ago DVC announced that the Atlantis resort would be joining the list of resorts at which we could use points. Several months after the announcement (and before Atlantis was even accessible to members), they announced that it would not be available after all. One of the main reasons was that Atlantis wasn't making enough rooms available to DVC members for booking.

With regard to booking DVC resorts that are not your Home, the key is simply planning ahead. More members means greater demand for the smaller resorts. The smaller resorts will thus fill-up sooner, making it paramount to call as soon as you are able if you know your dates.

One Bedroom villas tend to be the easiest rooms to book. Those who have 4 or fewer in their party tend to favor Studios, while parties of 5 or more are too large for a One Bedroom.

I wouldn't be surprised to find you successful more often than not in booking BWV at 7 months--even during the F&W Fest. If you can't get the resort you want when you first call, book elsewhere (just so you have a room), and go on the waitlist for your first choice resort.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

If your thinking of buying DVC to go elsewhere, I would think very hard. I am one of those that bought solely to use at WDW, I think you can find better "deals" out there at the same places on your own then through DVC. I looked into Atlantis, and could stay much cheaper paying cash then my DVC points. But the key to everything is plan ahead!!!

 

[SEC]

We used DVC for a 6 night stay at Juniper Hill Inn in Vermont in July. This was a great bed and breakfast.

We have also exchanged for 3 nights to Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC which was a nice trip also.

All our other DVC stays have been at WDW or Disneyland (Grand Californian).

You will use more points to stay off-site, but it is nice to be able to go somewhere different and still check out without a bill!

 

[spiceycat]

if you love BWV then I would consider buying an add on (resale) there.

a one bedroom standard view - is 18 points - so you could stay 5 nights for 90 points. now I don't think I have seem a 90 point contract on resale - but I know I have seem a 100 point one.

if you could work with a studio - then it would be 9 points - so 45 points for 5 nights during the food/wine - I have definitely seem a 50 point contract in the resale market.

for non-DVC resorts - dvc is not a good bargin, as has been said.

I would rent my points then use the cash for other stays.

but for any DVC resort it is a GREAT deal.

 

[Cinderella]

Well, I am of the opposite opinion. I bought dvc and for a variety of reasons - could not do wdw for almost 5 years. You asked about DLP - it was very easy to swap into, both in August, and over Christmas. Points are high and getting higher, but your park tickets are included, both for MK and the studios.

We only had one swap where we would have been better off paying cash - it was still a nice resort, but we could have rented it cheaper privately. One v cool swap we had was to Four Seasons in the Algarve, and it was definitely worth it - it would have cost us a fortune to stay there but we got the swap for a three bed villa in May, with pool for the point cost of a two bed HH in March. We still do want to go to WDW and it is worth it if you are going at least one or two times in every three years IMHO.

 

[pouncingpluto]

Thanks for all your help guys! We're pretty much sold... we were able to get the 15% off... and I remembered that I have a real-life acquaintance who has been a DVC owner practically since inception. Now I just have to decide how many points! We're thinking 175 or 200. And then in a few years an add-on at the Boardwalk Villas.