To buy! Or Not to Buy!

[dmoore22]

To buy, or not to buy into DVC is not the question. But where to buy. How difficult is it to make a reservation within the 7 month window at a non-home resort?

 

[mikesmom]

Depends on the resort and depends on the time of year.

BWV or Boardwalk during Food & Wine - difficult to impossible at 7 months
HH in summer - difficult at 7
anything DVC onsite in December - pretty bad to very difficult at 7
Anthing DVC onsite Thanksgiving or Christmas week - forget it!
A Grand Villa anywhere - Very difficult but not impossible

Not being fussy about which onsite or what size room most times of the year - not hard at all (you'll probably get OKW as it's the biggest)

That's why you buy where you plan to stay! Then you don't have to worry.

 

[Pa@okw95]

It depends on the time of year, the size of the room you want and what resort. The most important factor is the time of year!

 

[RumpleMom]

We had a studio at VWL this past Easter week. I booked at 7 month window and did not do it day by day. It was our first time staying somwhere other than our home resort-OKW, so I've only tried once. June we went back to OKW.

 

[crisi]

Buy where you won't be disappointed if you end up staying there.....

Many DVCers make their ressies at their home resort at the eleven month window. Then at seven, they see if where they want to stay is available. If you have a WDW home resort and are planning on going to Disney - you aren't too disappointed if you end up at your home resort of VWL instead of BCVs.

If you NEED to be a VWL in early December, BWV during the Food and Wine Festival or get a OKW Grand Villa, you'll want to make your home resort the place you want to stay. (Now you see why so many people have points at a lot of resorts).

Using this logic, its easy to see why a home resort of VB or HH might not be your best option if you want to have WDW vacations.

 

[Mary Ellen]

BWV in early December (esp. standard view) is also very hard to get. Usually, to get those standard view rooms, one needs to call day-by-day at 11 months. Some do get lucky with the wait list, but I wouldn't buy counting on getting one.

 

[Buzzro]

Personally I would not be that concerned. We have been members for 3 years now and have never had a problem.
We own at OKW (personally my favorite) and have only stayed there once. We go during the food and wine festival every year and usally stay at the BWV, and spend May at VB W/stop at WDW (again at BWV). This year we have reservations at BCV. We have always stayed in 1 or 2 bdrms. But my point is this. No matter where you stay you will like it. We have stayed at all the resorts and have been impressed with everyone. If you can be flexable you should always be able to get a room somewhere at WDW. The only time I would make an exception to what I just said would be if someone could not be somewhat flexable in the days that they required or they needed a GV. With DVC planning is everything, but even when plans have changed within a couple of month of our trip we have always been (lucky) enough to make a change that worked for us. If you plan on only taking trips to WDW I would recommend buying a Disneyworld resort, but which one really does not matter. If you will be using VB or HH once in awhile, then it really dosn't matter at all. WE LOVE OUR DVC

 

[dmoore22]

I like the way you think!! DVC here we come!

 

[Shontell_Crawford]

Buzzro made some great points.

I personally own Hilton Head and have always used my points in Orlando. I chose HH because the price on the resale was right, and the dues are lower than all resorts but OKW.

I rarely book more than a couple of months in advance and have always gotten something when I needed it. The easter week example above really says a lot about the flexibility of DVC.

Good luck!
Shontell

 

[HorizonsFan]

Since it can't be said enough...
Buy where you want to stay the most.