Trying to get a bit of an idea about the DVC resorts

[jberry5]

We've travelled with Grandma on occation - we get a two bedroom - put the grandparents in the second bedroom, take the master for ourselves, and put our two kids on the hideabed. Takes points, but we don't treat that often.

There are no connecting studios with DVC.

Yeah, just saw that on another thread, and it makes sense now that I think about the different floorplans in DVC that sometimes make use of a 1BR & studio to create a 2BR.

I'm still trying to talk DW into this, and am starting to think the route we may go is to purchase approximately 1/2 the points we'd expect to use, and then use DVC every other year. Her parents, and definitely mine would be going every other year at the most. So it might work out from that aspect as well. Use DVC one year, then book regular the next, and so on, with maybe a splurge every so often with a bigger DVC room if we want to stay together.

Thanks again, probably alot of the same questions over and over that I'm asking. And I know I've been asking alot of questions, but don't want to go into this without having a decent idea about things I think will effect us the most. Thanks.

 

[BroganMc]

I'm still trying to talk DW into this, and am starting to think the route we may go is to purchase approximately 1/2 the points we'd expect to use, and then use DVC every other year. Her parents, and definitely mine would be going every other year at the most. So it might work out from that aspect as well. Use DVC one year, then book regular the next, and so on, with maybe a splurge every so often with a bigger DVC room if we want to stay together.

If I understand you, you mean to use DVC one year and CRO the next? Unless you're planning on using CRO for the Values (Pop, All Star) or possibly the Moderates (POR, CBR, CSR), you'd be defeating the purpose of a DVC membership. The idea in owning is to lock in Deluxe resort prices for the life of the ownership (35-50 years depending on which resort you buy). Those hotel rooms at WL will go up dramatically in price over the next decade.

Usually every other year membership is for those who prefer to visit Disney every other year. Annual visitors tend to get just enough to satisfy their needs and go with smaller or cheaper DVC resorts to bank points for future splurges.

What you want to do in inviting the grandparents is something my dad and I do. We are taking the role of grandparents and invite my siblings' families along for our trips. Then we get a 2bedroom unit and share the common rooms. We'll get a 1bedroom or studio for ourselves. If you prefer more privacy or want to bring along both sets of grandparents, you can get a 2bedroom and studio (cheaper than a Grand Villa, except at OKW). You won't get connecting studios but you could get rooms in the same building (for the standalone resorts like OKW and SSR) or a few doors down the hall for the hotel-style resorts.

One other tip, all those low point rooms at BWV and Grand Villas at OKW you've been told about? Keep in mind they are in low quantities and made available to resort owners 4 months before general DVC membership. So you need to consider which resort you want to make your home to get all the advantages. i.e. if you fancy a BWV Boardwalk View room, buy BWV resale.

 

[jberry5]

Yes, that would be my thought in the 1/2 the points idea. One year stay DVC, the following stay at All-Stars or Pop, or take advantage of things like free dining, etc. We wouldn't have that initial investment be quite as large, nor the annual fees, while we see if an annual or more frequent trips to WDW is in our long-range plans.