We didn't buy where we want to stay

[ksoehrlein]

Is it just us?

Here's why:
At the time we bought, I was a DS CM. DVC was offering Magical Beginnings only at HH. The price per point was the lowest we could possibly get by buying there, so that's where we bought.

We're not too picky about where we stay when we go to WDW. (Yes, Member Services has always denied our request for a Standard view BWV studio, but one of these days, we may luck out.) We've been happy with all of our stays, even if they weren't at the resort we first had in mind when calling Member Services. After I make the ressie, we start to get jazzed up about what that particular resort has to offer and plan our trip around the ammenities/location/etc. accordingly.

We never plan our trips 11 months out, and even 7 months is highly unusual. So there's no booking window advantage for us. And we don't even try to go during peak season.

Anyway, we have no regrets. Just wondering if we're alone in this.

 

[tjkraz]

Nope, you're not alone.

Actually I'll qualify that. We bought into Saratoga Springs not having a great idea of what the resort would look like, and honestly not knowing which of the existing properties we would like the best. We probably would have chosen OKW or BWV, but the extra long contract at SSR was too much to turn down. Sounds like you made out pretty good with your CM discount, too.

So far SSR is our favorite, so everything has worked out well.

And we even got a BWV Standard View 1B at 7 mos.

 

[CharlesTD]

We didn't buy where we wanted to stay either. We bought HHI in 01 because of the incentives we were going to buy VWL but then our guide told us about the buy back option fro HHI at 13.00 a point we saids where do we sign. Same with VB for our second one and SSR for the last add on. We love BWV and usually stay there but bought all our points based on value of the points at the time and the program they offered to us to buy.

 

[DisneyPhD]

We bought VWL before BCV was avilable. We really love BCV and often wish we owned there, but mostly because I would like to say it was our "home" resort, because it was the 1st place we stayed and does feel like home to us. However we haven't had a problem getting in there and VWL is very nice too so it isn't bad staying there instead.

It sounds like you did the right thing.

We want an add on, but only 50 or so points and not sure what to do, get resale of VWL same use year so they are all together our somewhere else we want. (or SSR with the longer contract.)

 

[megrod74]

I think 'buy where you want to stay' is very good advice - however it's not always practical. If you can buy in now but only afford a different resort, that to me is better than waiting until maybe you buy the one you love at resale. I'm all for instant gratification!

 

[colleen costello]

We were green and bought what Disney was pushing at the time, having no clue about anything like resales... We wound up with a very fair deal on BCV points, so overall I think we did well. The only problem is all the warnings about impending doom: "As more units are built it will be harder to stay anywhere but your home resort" etc. My favorite resort is OKW and I really enjoy how I can stretch the points by staying there... If there comes a time when I can't stay at OKW I will really be bummed! I don't think this will be the case for a long time...Meanwhile I have access to Stormalong Bay which is a very cool consolation prize

 

[RayJay]

Is it just us?

Here's why:
At the time we bought, I was a DS CM. DVC was offering Magical Beginnings only at HH. The price per point was the lowest we could possibly get by buying there, so that's where we bought.

We're not too picky about where we stay when we go to WDW. (Yes, Member Services has always denied our request for a Standard view BWV studio, but one of these days, we may luck out.) We've been happy with all of our stays, even if they weren't at the resort we first had in mind when calling Member Services. After I make the ressie, we start to get jazzed up about what that particular resort has to offer and plan our trip around the ammenities/location/etc. accordingly.

We never plan our trips 11 months out, and even 7 months is highly unusual. So there's no booking window advantage for us. And we don't even try to go during peak season.

Anyway, we have no regrets. Just wondering if we're alone in this.

I don't know, we were gonna do HH, then chickened out and bought BWV. Actually we like BCV the best, waiting for the right resale to come along.

RayJay

 

[fkj2]

Don't feel bad. I bought all my points at OKW. Did the initial contract and then a couple of add-ons. In retrospect, I should have bought the add-ons at BWV and VWL but hindsight is 20/20. I've been able to flip into the others, depending on the season of course.

HHI should be a great place to have bought. I'd think you'd have no trouble at all trading points with one of the WDW owners who might want to golf there during a time when you have the booking window advantage.

I recently was fortunate to do a trade with a VWL owner for this Christmas and they got the chance to get a GV at OKW that otherwise they might not have had. That's just one of the (many) wonderful things about the boards.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We bought where we wanted to stay - at all three of the resorts we love.

 

[DVCconvert]

I think 'buy where you want to stay' is very good advice - however it's not always practical.

IMHO, you should buy where you wish to stay the most. You may want to use other resorts for lower points at some times, but owning where you think/feel you most wish to spend you time on property is the only way to go.

 

[AJKMOM]

We called to buy SSR in 2003, and ended up with BWV. They were selling points that represent the villas going in where the sales office was. At that point we had never even been to the Boardwalk, when we tried once, there was no parking.

 

[Disney4ever4569]

This will be our 3rd trip since buying DVC and it will be the 1st time staying at SSR. Our other 2 trips were BCV and OKW. So far we really don't care where we stay, it's all good.

 

[lsutigger2]

No you are not alone. We've always made our ressies at a non-home resort, have never had to be on a waitlist, and have gotten our first choice all but one time. Once I was going to try BWV but they didn't have a standard view. I wasn't heartbroken and went with my second choice.
Need to mention that we go in spring and fall (April - May and October), but one year would like to go at Christmas.
When we bought it was what we could afford and before I found these boards and didn't know as much as I do now. It has always worked for us and we haven't regretted it one day!!

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

We didn't buy where we wanted to stay...because we didn't know where we wanted to stay!!! We need a DVC sampler pack.

 

[Scoootch]

We never plan our trips 11 months out, and even 7 months is highly unusual. So there's no booking window advantage for us. And we don't even try to go during peak season.

Anyway, we have no regrets. Just wondering if we're alone in this.

Since you always book at 7 months out or less and not during peak season, then I imagine you shouldn't have any regrets since at 7mos out all points are created equal

The buy where you want to stay issue is most pressing when you're talking about those of us who just would not be happy if they couldn't stay at a particular resort or get that certain size villa and/or time of year they're looking for. And there are many who fall into this catagory.

In your case home resort isn't as much of an issue do to how you normally book. Happy to hear it has worked out well for you! And I'm sure you're not alone being in the 7mos. or less catagory. That's one of the wonderful things about DVC....so many choices and so many different people to make the DVC world go round'.