Torn on where to buy?!

[Can_Dannn]

New to DISboards, and hopefully new member to DVC soon.
I will get right to my questions - I have done A LOT of research, listened to podcasts, played with math, etc.
I am very torn on where to buy:
Considering (1) BAY LAKE TOWER, (2) RIVIERA, or (3) ANIMAL KINGDOM

- I know dues are lowest at BLT, highest at RR. I am very hesitant on purchasing RR due to resale restriction. By far, animal kingdom has the most authentic Disney theming (BLT and RR are modeled very hotel like).
- Anyone think Disney will reverse the resale restriction on RR?

Love any help or guidance
Love these forums!

 

[peabody58]

Buy where you want to stay. Buy resale if possible. IMO - 150-200 pts is optimal for most families. Be prepared for point reallocation's in 2021.

No, Disney will not reverse the resale restrictions on Rivera.

 

[Jack_Sparrow_NJ]

Only Disney knows what they are going to do and they seem to have the ability to change things at will.

Buy where you want to stay assuming you will not be able to switch resorts and you should be safe. Buy enough points that includes a buffer for when point reallocations occur.

 

[JenboJambo]

By far, animal kingdom has the most authentic Disney theming

Sounds to me like you enjoy the theming of AK the most. Buy there. You won't be disappointed. It is a lovely resort! I do not think that they will reverse restrictions on RR.

 

[DVC Doctor]

Buy BLT as it has the highest demand and you can easily reserve reserve AKV at 7 months but will have a hard time booking BLT at 7 months.

Forget RR....for now

 

[TJ Bryant]

If you want value or club level at animal kingdom buy there if you’re ok with standard or savanna buy at bay lake tower.

 

[clayfolks]

Have you rented points at any of the resorts you are considering? I think the best advise is to buy where you’d be happy staying. We love AKV. We purchased there sight unseen - which could have been a very expensive disaster. Booking at 7 months is starting to become more difficult when it comes to studios. We have stayed at BLT on multiple occasions and have yet to even fall “in like” with it, although the two bedroom dedicated villa is lovely. I find the resort very sterile and the CMs not nearly as friendly as those at AKV.

 

[Pyotr]

I wouldn’t buy Riviera quite yet. I would want to wait until it opens and check it out first. And no, I don’t think Disney will reverse the resale restrictions.

If deciding between AKV and BLT, I would choose BLT. I like both resorts but it appears that BLT is harder to book at 7 months.

 

[Bearval]

New to DISboards, and hopefully new member to DVC soon.
I will get right to my questions - I have done A LOT of research, listened to podcasts, played with math, etc.
I am very torn on where to buy:
Considering (1) BAY LAKE TOWER, (2) RIVIERA, or (3) ANIMAL KINGDOM

- I know dues are lowest at BLT, highest at RR. I am very hesitant on purchasing RR due to resale restriction. By far, animal kingdom has the most authentic Disney theming (BLT and RR are modeled very hotel like).
- Anyone think Disney will reverse the resale restriction on RR?

Love any help or guidance
Love these forums!

I think Disney would increase the membership benefits ( like discounts on all food not just certain places and discounts on park tickets not just season passes) before they even consider removing the resale restrictions on the newer resorts to drive move direct sales over resale.

 

[Katie2]

Another vote for AKV. The point charts are more favorable, and the theming is to our liking.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Easy for me.. Bay Lake Tower.

AK would be second choice. I wouldn't even consider Riviera. Especially not without experiencing the hotel first to see if it's worthy of it's price tag

 

[rg35]

AKV is a great resort. BLT is basically an annex hotel tower with most of the amenities at the Contemporary Hotel. Unless you want the ability to walk to and see the Magic Kingdom from your resort (which is a very minor benefit), AKV is a no-brainer.

Point charts are also better at AKV

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Unless you want the ability to walk to and see the Magic Kingdom from your resort (which is a very minor benefit)

That's certainly subjective. Being a brief walk away from WDW's flagship park is more than a minor perk to most park-goers, let alone being able to view it from your room.

It also completely eliminates the biggest logistical pain about MK, which is trying to leave after the nightly entertainment.

It might not be a selling point for everybody, but calling it "very minor" I don't think is fair.

 

[jerseyduke]

AKV is a great resort. BLT is basically an annex hotel tower with most of the amenities at the Contemporary Hotel. Unless you want the ability to walk to and see the Magic Kingdom from your resort (which is a very minor benefit), AKV is a no-brainer.

Not for people with kids who go to MK a lot! Not having to wait for the buses or monorail? Many would say that is not a minor benefit, but of course, that is going to depend on the individual. Heck people are getting excited about the rumors that a walkway from MK to GF is in the works, and thats a much longer walk.

Also I do not fully agree with the buy animal kingdom because the point charts are better. Would you always stay at AK when paying cash because its cheaper than the Contemporary? Yes, you will get more bang for your buck at AK in those terms, but that is not the only decision point.

If you want to stay at both, buy BLT, as it is easier to get into AK at 7 months than it is the other way around. (And in the years when you do switch, even though you bought BLT, you will be using the AK point charts).

If you want to make a purely economical decision and are willing to go with BLT once in a while, and maybe split stays, then go with AK.

Other random thoughts:
BLT - great location in your go to MK a lot. Pools are lacking. Less theming. Monorail ride to other resorts that offer other eateries and such.
AK - Nicer Pools. Great at Christmas time. Great overall theme. Have to bus to anywhere you go.

Riviera.....pass.

What about a smaller contract at each and alternate trips?

 

[kidren21]

Location, location, location!

Nothing beats being walking distance to a park, meaning either BLT, BCV o BWV. Since only BLT is on your list, that is my recommendation.

Don't even consider RR until it becomes clear what its resale value is (which will take quite some time).

 

[SG131]

It sounds like you really like AK, so buy there. If you're saying BLT is too much like a regular hotel, it doesn't sound like it's for you. I would NOT buy Rivera under any circumstances with these resale restrictions. 50 years is a long time, hopefully you will be lucky and have a wonderful life, but there are a lot of things that happen that could cause you to need to sell. Maybe 23 years from now when we hit the end of the first few DVC resorts the resale on Rivera may do much better, but if something happens 5 years from now, it might be hard to unload.

 

[Pigletpal40]

New to DISboards, and hopefully new member to DVC soon.
I will get right to my questions - I have done A LOT of research, listened to podcasts, played with math, etc.
I am very torn on where to buy:
Considering (1) BAY LAKE TOWER, (2) RIVIERA, or (3) ANIMAL KINGDOM

- I know dues are lowest at BLT, highest at RR. I am very hesitant on purchasing RR due to resale restriction. By far, animal kingdom has the most authentic Disney theming (BLT and RR are modeled very hotel like).
- Anyone think Disney will reverse the resale restriction on RR?

Love any help or guidance
Love these forums!

I would vis

New to DISboards, and hopefully new member to DVC soon.
I will get right to my questions - I have done A LOT of research, listened to podcasts, played with math, etc.
I am very torn on where to buy:
Considering (1) BAY LAKE TOWER, (2) RIVIERA, or (3) ANIMAL KINGDOM

- I know dues are lowest at BLT, highest at RR. I am very hesitant on purchasing RR due to resale restriction. By far, animal kingdom has the most authentic Disney theming (BLT and RR are modeled very hotel like).
- Anyone think Disney will reverse the resale restriction on RR?

Love any help or guidance
Love these forums!

I would visit all the places you're considering to get a feel for the resort. When my wife and I were looking,
we went to the Boardwalk show room. We liked it, but didn't love it. We were staying in her Aunt's at OKW,
and had the same feeling. They were planning VWL at the time, so we headed to dinner at Whispering Canyon and when we walked through the lobby doors of the lodge, we knew we were home!
We waited for the Villas to be completed and bought there. We never regretted that purchase, and my
children love, "Coming Home" to the lodge.

 

[rg35]

That's certainly subjective. Being a brief walk away from WDW's flagship park is more than a minor perk to most park-goers, let alone being able to view it from your room.

It also completely eliminates the biggest logistical pain about MK, which is trying to leave after the nightly entertainment.

It might not be a selling point for everybody, but calling it "very minor" I don't think is fair.

Not for people with kids who go to MK a lot! Not having to wait for the buses or monorail? Many would say that is not a minor benefit, but of course, that is going to depend on the individual. Heck people are getting excited about the rumors that a walkway from MK to GF is in the works, and thats a much longer walk.

Once you buy DVC, you will be at WDW very frequently. I bought in 2012 and have been to WDW every year since 2013 except for 2018, and with trips planned for this August and 2020. I have triplets who are almost 11, so we have done plenty of theme park time and commuting around WDW with them in tow. I still wouldn't trade our stays at AKV or OKW for BLT because we could have walked to the MK instead of driving to TTC and using the ferry or monorail or taking the bus directly to MK.

IMO, leaving the MK once per trip for fireworks is a minor benefit because it's something you do maybe once over the course of a week plus trip. Over time, most DVC buyers spend less and less time at theme parks and more time at the resort. So I'm taking the long view.

Perhaps I am atypical of many people who have a strong need to be as close to the theme parks as possible. I am looking for a more comprehensive vacation experience. Our family is OK with the theme parks not being in our face every moment.

 

[AvidDisReader]

My 2 home resorts are AK and BLT. I love BLT for the convenience of walking to Magic Kingdom, the Monorail that services Epcot. My wife prefers AK, absolutely loves sitting on balcony with a Savanna view and watching the animals. IMO the theming gripes on BLT are overrated, but again my wife does not agree. If you stay at AK the bus transportation can be a negative, not unusual for buses to be more than 20 minute wait. We almost always get a rental car when staying at AK as IMO the most important commodity on vacation is time and I do not want to waste large amounts of it waiting for a bus.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Once you buy DVC, you will be at WDW very frequently. I bought in 2012 and have been to WDW every year since 2013 except for 2018, and with trips planned for this August and 2020. I have triplets who are almost 11, so we have done plenty of theme park time and commuting around WDW with them in tow. I still wouldn't trade our stays at AKV or OKW for BLT because we could have walked to the MK instead of driving to TTC and using the ferry or monorail or taking the bus directly to MK.

IMO, leaving the MK once per trip for fireworks is a minor benefit because it's something you do maybe once over the course of a week plus trip. Over time, most DVC buyers spend less and less time at theme parks and more time at the resort. So I'm taking the long view.

Perhaps I am atypical of many people who have a strong need to be as close to the theme parks as possible. I am looking for a more comprehensive vacation experience. Our family is OK with the theme parks not being in our face every moment.

I mean, you're talking to fellow DVC members, so it's not like we don't know what it's like.

If I thought I needed a place to relax without the theme parks, Central Florida would be at the bottom of my list of places to visit, let alone buy a timeshare.

If I ever reach the point where I'm in the resort significantly more time than the parks during operating hours, I'll be selling my DVC for sure.