UPDATE for those wondering if we are buying...

[ppony]

Yes, I'm 99% certain. But WHY did they have to send us the literature. NOW I'm not 100% on AKV. I LOVE IT and have stayed at AKL but I'm suddenly questioning whether we'd like BLT. Oh dang. WHY isn't it cut and dry!??!?!? My guide is going to arrange to show me either the models of all the available properties at SS when we get there in Nov. OR he'll meet me at BLT and we'll look there.

Just had to share. THANK YOU to all the WONDERFUL helpful folk!

 

[ACDSNY]

Watch out DVC is addictive. You might want to check out the incentives while on your cruise, sometimes they are better than what the WDW guides can offer. It's always a good idea to have an existing member referral too in case that might get you additional incentives or discounts. Good luck with your decision.

 

[ppony]

Watch out DVC is addictive. You might want to check out the incentives while on your cruise, sometimes they are better than what the WDW guides can offer. It's always a good idea to have an existing member referral too in case that might get you additional incentives or discounts. Good luck with your decision.

HEY YOU!!! You're on my cruise!

My guide said he'd let me know the incentives they have right before I go on the cruise. I'm not sure if he knows the DCL incentives but he should right?

Decisions decisions. And yes, I'm worried about addonitus I've read about.

 

[ACDSNY]

My guide said he'd let me know the incentives they have right before I go on the cruise. I'm not sure if he knows the DCL incentives but he should right?

Sometimes the guides know since they may have recently returned from selling on a cruise and sometimes they don't. Each DVC sales center can have slightly different sales incentives, but the discount usually is pretty consistant. It will be a good idea to check what your guide has for incentives before the cruise and then go to the DVC event on the cruise and see which is the best option for what your looking for. Also the Disney VISA sometimes has incentives and 6 mo zero interest.

I'll need to behave and not add on anymore points.

 

[bumbershoot]

Wait for the cruise....yeah, maybe get the info from the guide before the cruise, but wait for the cruise to buy.....

 

[christa112]

OP--How many points are you planning on purchasing? Maybe you could split the contract between AKV and BLT if you love them both. It is an option to consider. We purchased all of our points at AKV. I didn't know about the splitting option until after we purchased. The things you learn on Disboards!!

Good luck with your decision.

 

[ppony]

OP--How many points are you planning on purchasing? Maybe you could split the contract between AKV and BLT if you love them both. It is an option to consider. We purchased all of our points at AKV. I didn't know about the splitting option until after we purchased. The things you learn on Disboards!!

Good luck with your decision.

YA know? I'm not sure. At first I thought 160 would be too much but we have to finance through Disney to do this so we have to do at least that much. BUUUUT, the more I look at things, the more tempted I am to do more like 200. ONly because the idea of being able to possibly go annually is getting more and more appealing by the minute. Initially we just thought a trip every 2 years would be just peachy and we'd be able to "do it up" for a good length and/or villa. Not sure if we should but I think that is addonitus creeping in before we even do anything!

I'm pleased to report my DH was actually asking me questions about it last night that indicated his enthusiasm AND I got up this morning to find the brochures about points and the available resprts sitting next to his recliner. Yay me!

I think I'll have to wait until the cruise to buy anyway. We're using every spare dime to save for spending $ on the trip and to pay off credit cards so we have nothing else to worry about. THAT and I'll look at the models while there to help solidify our decisions. So a split between the 2 I hadn't even thought of. THANKS.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

So a split between the 2 I hadn't even thought of. THANKS.

Yep...if you are torn between the two, I'd buy 100 pts at each of them. Good luck with your decision!!!

 

[ppony]

Yep...if you are torn between the two, I'd buy 100 pts at each of them. Good luck with your decision!!!

So here's a question then, can you split your stay? By that I mean book part of your trip at the one resort and then move to the other? Can only 1 of them be booked at the 11 month window being designated as your home resort and then the other at the 7 month window if you're luck to have availability? I'm assuming that even if you own equal points at each, one has to still be designated the home right?

 

[5forDiz]

So here's a question then, can you split your stay?


Yes anyway you want at as many resorts as you want as long as you have the points to cover it.


By that I mean book part of your trip at the one resort and then move to the other?Each Home Resort you own at allows you to book at that particular resort during owner's priority booking window ( 11 mos thru 7mos+1day before checkin you want)

Can only 1 of them be booked at the 11 month window being designated as your home resort and then the other at the 7 month window if you're luck to have availability? I'm assuming that even if you own equal points at each, one has to still be designated the home right?

Each and every DVC resort you own at is a "Home Resort" - - if you own 100 points at BLT that give you Home Resort priority booking there for up to 100 pts 11 mos-7mos+1 day before checkin date you'd want at BLT; if you own 100 pts at AKV same thing applies there - you can still book there at owner's priority booking window but only using your AKV points. You cannot use BLT points to book at AKV until 7 mos or less before checkin date, etc. You can't use BLT or AKV points to book at any of the other DVC resorts until 7 mos or less. And you would not be able to use BLT points combined with your AKV points to cover a night of your reservation at either BLT or AKV until 7 mos or less.

At 7 months or less all points regardless of what Home Resort they are tied to become "equal" so to speak and may then be used to book at any DVC resort.

Members who own points at more than one resort often alternate stay EOY or ETY at their resorts by using banking &/or borrowing - - if you banked 2009 UY points from BLT into 2010 UY you would have double UY allotment of BLT points to book BLT with for a trip during your 2010 Use Year at 11 month owner's priority booking window ( triple UY allotment to book with at 11 mos owner's priority booking window if you both banked 2009 & borrowed 2011 UY points )

Hope this helped some.

 

[ppony]

Hope this helped some.

Helped a TON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!

 

[YourEveryDayAdam]

ppony,

i'm glad to hear you are close to buying! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me!

Adam

 

[Sandisw]

So here's a question then, can you split your stay? By that I mean book part of your trip at the one resort and then move to the other? Can only 1 of them be booked at the 11 month window being designated as your home resort and then the other at the 7 month window if you're luck to have availability? I'm assuming that even if you own equal points at each, one has to still be designated the home right?

There are many people buy at two resorts and then do the split stays. The other piece is that use banking/borrowing to alternate the yearly trips and do one year at one resort and the next year at the other (so there is no moving mid - trip).

For example, with 100 BLT and 100 AKV, you could bank, say, the 100 BLT points, but borrow the 100 AKV points. That would give you 200 AKV points to use this year at that resort. Then next year, you would not have any AKV points (since you borrowed them) but you would have 200 BLT points to use.

Now, I just completed a split stay and I enjoyed being at different resorts. We did it because it was our first DVC stay and we wanted to try some. BLT is our home resort (and glad it is because it is my favorite and we will always stay there) but I could see us doing a few nights at VWL or BCV at the beginning of our trip, if for nothing else but to do the DDP for those two nights (and do the quick service for the rest). We are not big fans of the sit down meals, but do like to do 1 or 2 during our trip.

If you do think about getting two home resorts, I would advise looking at the points chart and think about how many points at each one you might want for the split stays so that you gear the contracts that way. You don't have to split evenly. BLT takes more points per stay than AKV, so you may find doing an uneven split better (ie: 115 BLT and 85 AKV).

Good luck!!!

 

[AKV707]

Congrats on deciding to buy! All of the advice given here is on target. You can, as has been said, buy at each and go every other year to each one, giving you an annual trip without having to move.

Then again, you could buy them all at one resort, if you really prefer one to the other. I can tell you that Jambo and Kidani are beautiful. But then again, I am a little partial. DW and I love it at AKV, but being close to the MK is not that important to us. And we have the animals!

Have a great time on the cruise and happy deciding!

 

[ppony]

DIS DVCers are the BEST! Seriously, people here are SO helpful and giving of your opinions and time. I dearly appreictae every one of you!

As I was driving home from errands today I was thinking more and more about the split stay thing. Or splitting points thing and alternating resorts. I have to say it's QUITE inviting to have something different to look forward to. When DH and I first walked into the AKL in 2006 (I think?), it was the very first time we had ever fallen in love w/ a resort and felt we had a place we had to come back to from then on. We've liked others but never felt drawn...until then. We still feel that way, but, we also have been habitual split stayers (see siggie ) Just to have a change of scenery if nothing else.

I think I'll crunch the numbers and see as was suggested about doing more and one and less at another just to balance them out in how we'd likely travel. Though I know the allocations can and do change. At least I have a good ballark. I don't see the interest in BLT ever going down personally amongst WDW goers.

HUGS all around! Wait, we're adults here.... DRINKS all around!

 

[bumbershoot]

We're using every spare dime to save for spending $ on the trip and to pay off credit cards so we have nothing else to worry about.

Good for you! After you pay 'em, get rid of them or put 'em in a block of ice or something. But keep track of what you have been paying, and you could put that amount extra towards the DVC payments, pay it off FAST!

 

[dizfan]

As a newer DVC member (June) I know what you're going through as far as points. We bought 160 and we keep kicking ourselves for not buying 200.

I believe all the incentives in the last 3 months have had a better price per point when buying 200 points ($2 less per point), than the 160-199 point range.

For us, if we had bought 200 points, we would have had two 100 point contracts drawn up even though we would have purchased them all at BLT. If we ever have to sell, smaller contracts are easier to sell.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[zalansky]

I know how you're feeling! When we bought initially at SSR, we intended to buy 160 points. When we went to sign the contract we decided to go with 200 because the incentives were good and we knew 200 would be better for our needs. We added 100 more a year later at AKV. And 100 more at SSR 9 months after that on a cruise. Trust me, those 200 points may sound like a lot now, but when you use them, not so much. Look at us, 400 points now and thats my limit!

As far as resort...I have to push AKV on you a little bit. You've seen it so you know how great it is. I think though, with the choice of Jambo or Kidani and 4 different categories (meaning smaller point options) and a concierge option - its the best choice! Maybe I am biased because BLT does not appeal to me much right now. And on one last note, as I said we own the majority of our points at SSR but have stayed there the least. Just because you own at one resort does not mean you're locked into staying there. But you already know that. Many people here say buy where you want to stay. I would never mind staying at SSR, I love it there, so if I HAD to take SSR if my other chouice was not available so be it. I just don't buy into that buy where you want to stay thing.

Have a great cruise and deciding where to buy!

 

[ppony]

Trust me, those 200 points may sound like a lot now, but when you use them, not so much. Look at us, 400 points now and thats my limit!

Famous last words! I'm starting to think that this is exactly the case. Initially I thought 160 was too much. Especially given we only go every 2-3 years. BUT, (and I have a big butt! ) the thought of being able to go annually is intoxicating! We've only done the every 2 or 3 year trips because that's all we could afford. Flights, hotel, food and shopping ya know. BUT if one has just been taken care of, all we nee dto worry about is flying, eating and shopping. MUCH less than the resort included factor.

As far as resort...I have to push AKV on you a little bit. You've seen it so you know how great it is. I think though, with the choice of Jambo or Kidani and 4 different categories (meaning smaller point options) and a concierge option - its the best choice! Maybe I am biased because BLT does not appeal to me much right now. And on one last note, as I said we own the majority of our points at SSR but have stayed there the least. Just because you own at one resort does not mean you're locked into staying there. But you already know that. Many people here say buy where you want to stay. I would never mind staying at SSR, I love it there, so if I HAD to take SSR if my other chouice was not available so be it. I just don't buy into that buy where you want to stay thing.

Have a great cruise and deciding where to buy!

To be 100% honest, when I first saw BLT I thought it looked like a senior high rise or a business development. Don't hate me! I am really into modern stuff actually. I LOVE contemporary art mostly. But BLT looked a bit sterile to me. the more I looked though and the more I thought about looking out at fireworks nightly and being so close to the monorail, the more those images softened. That walkway between the CR and BLT is COOL though!!!! I liked the idea of not having to walk outside through the parking lots. No DOUBT though I am seriously attracted to the decor of AKV. MAN, I want granite countertops!

Decisions decisions. TAHNKS for all your advice guys! I called my guide today to tell him we were mulling this over.

 

[ppony]

So I suppose that the "share the magic" reward can only go to one person? I've gotten SO many helpful people's names. I want EVERYONE to get credit dang it!