What’s Wrong With Vero Beach DVC? Or, What Would You Do and Why?

[Dan1]

Hi!

Looking for collective wisdom of the DIS.

We have a resale contract at SSR.

We want to add more through:

1. 75 points DVC direct resale (yes, so we can be like the cool kids )
2. X # of points through reseller to a max. of $12,500.

We go frequently to Food & Wine Festival and find BDWLK hard to get into; so we’ve pretty much settled on the 75 point direct from DVC for BDWLK. It’s just DW and I, and we typically stay in a studio is 75 points gets us around 4 to 5 nights which is fine for Epcot and Disney Studios.

Our other favorite place is AK: we typically have no issue getting a reservation there any time of the year.

So, with a budget of $12,500 for the second contract, based on typical-ish resale prices, here are the # of Points we could buy:

1. AK - 125 points
2. SSR - 132 points
3. Vero Beach - 180 points

I should add we do like SSR and it’s never sold out.

So, why would we not buy Vero Beach to max the # of Points?

What’s wrong with owning at Vero Beach (1) long term and (2) if we rarely plan to stay there?

Thanks so much for your thoughts and guidance!

 

[JETSDAD]

Issues with VB are the high dues. If you rarely plan to stay there then it can be difficult to get what you're wanting elsewhere at 7 months. I voted for AKV because it's your favourite resort and owning there gives you a shot at value rooms which will stretch your points further.

 

[Drewferin]

I was in your same boat. Liked AK the best but had a limited budget exactly in your range. I ended up grabbing some money from savings to get a bigger contract at AK which could work for a family if 5 on an annual basis.

 

[chalee94]

VB's dues are the main issue - and if Irma had stayed on its projected course last year, dues could have gone even higher.

The loss of the 11 month window is also a big factor - sounds like you don't mind staying at SSR, which is good, so at least if nothing else is open at 7 months out, you'll still be onsite.

VB also has the earliest expiration - at 2042.

VB is a bit cheaper upfront but not nearly enough to make it worthwhile if you are trying to book onsite at wdw.

I voted for SSR since you don't mind staying there. Lower upfront cost (more pts), lower dues and 2054 expiration date.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For what you say, I'd go with AKV. Couple reasons:

1. Even AKV is getting harder at 7 months, and it's hard to say what the impact of the CCV cabins and whatever they launch at Riviera is going to be. Of the "you can always get..." 7 months resorts, it is clearly the one people prefer.

2. AKV is your "other favorite."

3. Shot at Value and Club, with a better shot of the former than the latter. More availability of Jambo, in general, during home resort.

 

[disneynutz]

VB equals high dues and special assessments due to storm damage. Pretty sure that VB owners are paying off a loan from DVC for their insurance deductible due to storm damage.

Bill

 

[Drewferin]

VB equals high dues and special assessments due to storm damage. Pretty sure that VB owners are paying off a loan from DVC for their insurance deductible due to storm damage.

Bill

That brings up a good question. Do people normally insure their DVC timeshares in Orlando? Do insurance companies even sell this?

 

[disneynutz]

That brings up a good question. Do people normally insure their DVC timeshares in Orlando? Do insurance companies even sell this?

DVC insures their timeshares.

Bill

 

[Drewferin]

See I just learned something... thanks

 

[Jerry5788]

That brings up a good question. Do people normally insure their DVC timeshares in Orlando? Do insurance companies even sell this?

I imagine you can get insurance if they charged special assessments for these insurable events. However, if it is in maintenance I don't think you have the information of why dues increased (i.e. the cost of the claim). I imagine maintenance fees would increase by Disney's deductible and new insurance rate as I imagine they are insured. Also you just own right to use the property so that is why home insurance isn't necessary if financing.

 

[chalee94]

Pretty sure that VB owners are paying off a loan from DVC for their insurance deductible due to storm damage.

Bill

I think it's HHI but VB is at risk of the same situation.

 

[lovin'fl]

Only buy HHI or VB if you plan to stay there often. Otherwise the dues are too high. I initially voted SSR since you get more points for your money but I then noticed you already have SSR so I voted AKV. It's nice to have multiple resorts for the 11 month window. Though not really needed at either SSR or AKV unless you want value or club level rooms at AKV. So AKV does have a tad advantage there AND it's a longer contract life.

 

[DaveNan]

I voted for AKV. A year ago SSR was going for $80 and AKV was at $95. Now with that gap closed, I lean towards AKV. That being said, I have one of each in rofr right now.

 

[DVCDisneyRunner]

We really like SSR, but since you have points their and AKV is your favorite I picked AKV. Getting the home booking at your favorite resort will be valuable when you are wanting to be there over a busy DVC time.

 

[CarolMN]

There's nothing wrong with VB - it's a lovely beach resort. It's not the least expensive DVC option if you plan to use your points for studios at WDW. Booking studios at WDW using the 7 month window is becoming more difficult. If you haven't already, check out this post on 7 month availability:

drusba's Booking Summary for the 7 month window

That thread is from October of 2016, and IMO, it is even more difficult to book now (18 months later) than it was when the thread was first posted. If you want to be at WDW, buy the WDW DVC resort where you want to stay most of the time - or at least a resort that you would be OK with if your other choice(s) weren't available.

 

[GoUgaDawgs]

Not sure if you have seen this before, but I thought it puts the true cost of each resort in pretty compact nice perspective. It takes in to account the current resale cost, current annual dues, and time left on the contract to generate a cost per point per year. Vero beach is way down the list because of the short time horizon and high dues.

https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/best-economical-dvc-resort-to-purchase-spring-2018/

Also... not to throw a monkey wrench in your plans, but have you considered flipping which contract you are going to buy direct? If you are buying 75 points direct for the membership extras why not purchase those from AKV or SSR (whatever you decide).... then your direct points and membership extras will be valid for 39 or 36 years rather than the 24 years left a BWV. Then buy a BWV resale. Just a thought...

 

[Jerry5788]

Not sure if you have seen this before, but I thought it puts the true cost of each resort in pretty compact nice perspective. It takes in to account the current resale cost, current annual dues, and time left on the contract to generate a cost per point per year. Vero beach is way down the list because of the short time horizon and high dues.

https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/best-economical-dvc-resort-to-purchase-spring-2018/

Also... not to throw a monkey wrench in your plans, but have you considered flipping which contract you are going to buy direct? If you are buying 75 points direct for the membership extras why not purchase those from AKV or SSR (whatever you decide).... then your direct points and membership extras will be valid for 39 or 36 years rather than the 24 years left a BWV. Then buy a BWV resale. Just a thought...

Problem when you look at that link though is it doesn't account for point stay difference.

BLT costs $9.35 while BWV costs $11.59 (24% more expensive) - but to stay at BLT costs 25% to 50% more points depending on the season

 

[Taylor1428]

Consider buying your direct points from Disney not for Bwv. The other resorts have a later expiration date and the direct perks will expire with the contract.

 

[bumbershoot]

Problem when you look at that link though is it doesn't account for point stay difference.

BLT costs $9.35 while BWV costs $11.59 (24% more expensive) - but to stay at BLT costs 25% to 50% more points depending on the season

But that’s a question of how you’re going to use whatever points you have. And the stays cost what they cost whether you use bay lake points or veto beach points to book bay lake.

 

[Dean]

Hi!

Looking for collective wisdom of the DIS.

We have a resale contract at SSR.

We want to add more through:

1. 75 points DVC direct resale (yes, so we can be like the cool kids )
2. X # of points through reseller to a max. of $12,500.

We go frequently to Food & Wine Festival and find BDWLK hard to get into; so we’ve pretty much settled on the 75 point direct from DVC for BDWLK. It’s just DW and I, and we typically stay in a studio is 75 points gets us around 4 to 5 nights which is fine for Epcot and Disney Studios.

Our other favorite place is AK: we typically have no issue getting a reservation there any time of the year.

So, with a budget of $12,500 for the second contract, based on typical-ish resale prices, here are the # of Points we could buy:

1. AK - 125 points
2. SSR - 132 points
3. Vero Beach - 180 points

I should add we do like SSR and it’s never sold out.

So, why would we not buy Vero Beach to max the # of Points?

What’s wrong with owning at Vero Beach (1) long term and (2) if we rarely plan to stay there?

Thanks so much for your thoughts and guidance!

I agree with the above recommendations, do not buy VB for WDW. It's far more expensive long term. It also has more risk. For this situation it depends somewhat on how many SSR points you have but if you're going to buy anyway, adding something that is either the cheapest or gives you options you don't have would be the best 2 strategies. That sounds like BWV but you might also look at BLT at maybe 100 pts. BLT will be the second cheapest after SSR long term. Unless you'll make almost universal use of the AKV value rooms, I'd recommend against buying there. Or you might save and wait for Riviera.