Thoughts on buying SSR with intentions on elsewhere

[dwight16]

you have to buy where you want to stay! when i bought a resale i did not know anything and the first sales person said to me do you like book your trips far in advance or more of last minute booker.....i was like more last minute....well he pointed me towards SSR i did not fully understand what i answered bc i did not know all the ins and outs with the 7 and 11 month window. granted i have owned since 2010 and i have not been to SSR but it take a lot of work planning and having your list of resorts you might get. i am dealing with it again going mid October for a few days....behind early December its ground zero for DVC. so i am going to cross my fingers at best i will get AKL when i want VWL or something else.....long story short if i could do it over again i would have bought somewhere else then SSR. knowing i have no real interest in staying there

 

[SarahInMN]

For us the #1 rule was to buy where we wanted to stay. We did not want to be dependent on the bus system for F&W and we wanted to just meander over to epcot for an hour or two and then wander back to BCV. For us, we would not be happy staying somewhere else during F&W. So we bought BCV on the resale market. We are extremely happy with that purchase!

 

[crisi]

If you can book more than seven months in advance, buy where you won't be disappointed to end up. If you buy SSR hoping to stay at BLT because you can't afford BLT, and would be disappointed to end up at SSR, your better bet is not to buy at all, but to rent points, or to buy fewer points and go less often. Or wait until you can afford BLT.

If you regularly book less than seven months in advance, buy the cheapest resort with the cheapest dues (probably SSR) and understand that many times, some choices, and sometimes many choices, will not be available. If that is going to be disappointing, don't buy - DVC isn't a good option for you.

If you would like to stay other places, but if you'd have to stay at home once in a while, and doing so won't cause you anything more than a little disappointment but in the end - hey, you are at Disney (no heartache, no regret), then go ahead and buy a less expensive resort.

 

[Dean]

you have to buy where you want to stay! when i bought a resale i did not know anything and the first sales person said to me do you like book your trips far in advance or more of last minute booker.....i was like more last minute....well he pointed me towards SSR i did not fully understand what i answered bc i did not know all the ins and outs with the 7 and 11 month window. granted i have owned since 2010 and i have not been to SSR but it take a lot of work planning and having your list of resorts you might get. i am dealing with it again going mid October for a few days....behind early December its ground zero for DVC. so i am going to cross my fingers at best i will get AKL when i want VWL or something else.....long story short if i could do it over again i would have bought somewhere else then SSR. knowing i have no real interest in staying there

It is important to know what you're getting into for far more reasons than just this issue, one should not spend that much money without knowing. We don't know a lot about your specific situation but from what you've posted, I didn't get the impression you wanted a specific item most or the time or had move to planning AT the 11 month window. In the absence of both of those changes, you'd but as likely to be disappointed with VWL, BLT, VGF, etc. You should be able to get AKV standard as a minimum. I'd agree that if one wants a specific option or resort most of the time and the cost makes sense otherwise, they should consider owning there. I think a couple of the exceptions can be AKV and SSR but I don't ever remember the post where someone bought elsewhere intending (from day one) to stay at SSR most of the time. Maybe I missed it and I could see that post from and owner at HH or VB but that's about it. Worst case scenario is you could sell and rebuy or do an add on at a different resort you'd be happier with. IMO it's far better to own at a lower resort and wished you'd have made a difference decision than a more expensive one. Unfortunately you'd lose a lot because you bought retail when the resort might have been far cheaper resale.

 

[ckb_nc]

Great advice everyone - still debating the ins and outs. Family of 5 - freshmen in college, junior in high school and a fifth grader. Since 2001, we have been to WDW a bunch (8 times as family plus 2 adult only trips). We have stayed off property twice and have come to the decision we want on-property. Been in moderates the last two times as a family and it worked but was truly cramped (we love Riverside). Rented a one bedroom at AKL Kidani in 2012 and loved it and the space. We often drive now (9 hours one way).

 

[zavandor]

My rule: Buy the cheapest resort where you don't mind staying. If you want to try all resorts over time: buy SSR. If you really need to stay in a specific resort buy there.

I bought SSR because I want to try a different resort every time, at least until I find a favorite. If in the future I'll find it and it's not SSR (being in walking distance to Disney Spring it will be a major contender, I think), then I can sell and buy there.

1 bedrooms are usually the last room type to go away, so it would be easier to book other resorts. If you are interested in 1bed, then another point for SSR.

 

[ckb_nc]

Thinking 2 bedroom in the future - My wife made the following comment to me - WDW is our happy place; first time she has committed to WDW for the long term.

 

[Sandisw]

Be sure that you are comfortable staying at your home resort if what you want is not available when the 7 months comes up. We own at places we want to stay so we don't have to worry about what will happen at 7 months. If owning SSR because upfront costs are less and you are going to be comfortable knowing that you may not get BLT every single trip...or will have trouble getting all the nights or room type you want at BLT...and are willing to stay at other places, then it might be a good move. But, DVC is a big chunk of change and for me, saving a few thousand dollars upfront, only to be frustrated in a few years because the trades you expected aren't going the way you want is a big risk. And, as others have said, the difference between LV and SV points, may help to crunch the point difference needed in terms of what you buy.

Good luck!!

 

[Dean]

Great advice everyone - still debating the ins and outs. Family of 5 - freshmen in college, junior in high school and a fifth grader. Since 2001, we have been to WDW a bunch (8 times as family plus 2 adult only trips). We have stayed off property twice and have come to the decision we want on-property. Been in moderates the last two times as a family and it worked but was truly cramped (we love Riverside). Rented a one bedroom at AKL Kidani in 2012 and loved it and the space. We often drive now (9 hours one way).

I'd encourage you to find a good loaded contract if you do decide to buy and get one that's maybe slightly smaller than you think you need as long as you're at least 150-170. That way you can get the savings and not have too many points as you go through the larger and smaller trips coming up and even years you can't go because of kids activities, etc.

My rule: Buy the cheapest resort where you don't mind staying. If you want to try all resorts over time: buy SSR. If you really need to stay in a specific resort buy there.

I bought SSR because I want to try a different resort every time, at least until I find a favorite. If in the future I'll find it and it's not SSR (being in walking distance to Disney Spring it will be a major contender, I think), then I can sell and buy there.

1 bedrooms are usually the last room type to go away, so it would be easier to book other resorts. If you are interested in 1bed, then another point for SSR.

This with the right size contract resale is the best option for almost all new owners.

 

[ckb_nc]

So the plan Iam working is a Christmas gift for my wife - my wife's gift to her future grandkids. Down to three
BLT
AKV
SSR

BLT is roughly $27 a point higher at purchase but has three things - location, location and monorails. Walk to MK, monorail to Poly to our favorite restaurants and monorail to Epcot. Like the idea of walking to MK to get a bus to other resorts. Plus a boat ride to WL.

AKV - Wife really likes the Savannah views here - peaceful
SSR for cost only.

Working on how to bridge the cost to BLT.

 

[Dean]

So the plan Iam working is a Christmas gift for my wife - my wife's gift to her future grandkids. Down to three
BLT
AKV
SSR

BLT is roughly $27 a point higher at purchase but has three things - location, location and monorails. Walk to MK, monorail to Poly to our favorite restaurants and monorail to Epcot. Like the idea of walking to MK to get a bus to other resorts. Plus a boat ride to WL.

AKV - Wife really likes the Savannah views here - peaceful
SSR for cost only.

Working on how to bridge the cost to BLT.

Only you can decide what works for you, I'm not as concerned about where you own as much as how you'll use it. If you want AKV Savannah much of the time I'd likely buy SSR and try to get into AKV for most trips. You should still be able to get into BLT for some view but likely not the standard views. If you'd use BLT and try for standard view most of the time, that will save you some, roughly half of the difference in price and with dues lower than AKV and in line with SSR.

 

[ckb_nc]

SSR is looking very promising

 

[supersnoop]

So the plan Iam working is a Christmas gift for my wife - my wife's gift to her future grandkids. Down to three
BLT
AKV
SSR

BLT is roughly $27 a point higher at purchase but has three things - location, location and monorails. Walk to MK, monorail to Poly to our favorite restaurants and monorail to Epcot. Like the idea of walking to MK to get a bus to other resorts. Plus a boat ride to WL.

AKV - Wife really likes the Savannah views here - peaceful
SSR for cost only.

Working on how to bridge the cost to BLT.

I'll agree with Dean; if you want AKV, buy SSR. Personally, I bought both BLT and SSR; BLT for the reasons you've stated plus the low maintenance fees, and SSR for shorter notice trips or trips to larger resorts.

 

[ckb_nc]

Offer made on SSR - looks like 250 points at 70 per - pretty darn excited. One of my bucket list items coming true we hope. This board was so helpful

 

[Dean]

Offer made on SSR - looks like 250 points at 70 per - pretty darn excited. One of my bucket list items coming true we hope. This board was so helpful

Hopefully it'll be welcome home soon. Good luck with your purchase.

 

[loveglobe]

So the plan Iam working is a Christmas gift for my wife - my wife's gift to her future grandkids.

Just wanted to say that's really sweet. : )

 

[ckb_nc]

Contract submitted - seller from England so I think I have a motivated seller -27 2014 points 250 2015 (december use year) - now we go into waiting/hibernation

Used DVC Resale Market - very impressed to date. Very crisp process. Got a call after I submitted my offer with a counter and we settled pretty quickly.

 

[CMOORE185]

Contract submitted - seller from England so I think I have a motivated seller -27 2014 points 250 2015 (december use year) - now we go into waiting/hibernation

Used DVC Resale Market - very impressed to date. Very crisp process. Got a call after I submitted my offer with a counter and we settled pretty quickly.

Congrats! We own at SSR and have been very happy with it. Try the Tree houses some day, they are awesome.

 

[ckb_nc]

Treehouses is on the list

 

[suebeelin]

I have BWV and closing on BLT soon. I am of the philosophy of buy where you want to stay. But, that being said, I'm interested in SSR-- to use these best value points at the 7 mo mark for resorts I wouldn't use my BLT or BWV points.

I'll be waiting for a dip i in the market. Hubby thinks I'm crazy with 2 200 pt contracts, and looking to add on more.

Addonitis has afflicted me.