What regrets do you have/mistakes made re: DVC purchase?

[jolia]

Bought in 2000 300 pts okw. Dont regret it. When I cant use them I rent my points; althoug it seems to be getting harder to rent them now! Depending on your vacation planning process, your home resort is important based on the 7 mths/11 mths but your taste might change over time so your home resort selection might be moot. If I were to do it again. i might split 150 and 150 to 2 differentr resort to be ableto access both in an easier fashion

 

[FindTheMickeys]

Bought 150 points at SSR after taking the tour (we were staying in a Value so it was a pretty easy sell). Took 4 trips with family and friends and then added on 100 more points. My only regret was that I didn't have the money to add on more when the price of SSR was at $90 a point... I know, resale is cheaper but going through all the financing paperwork is a pain!!
Anyway, I have never stayed at any other resort, but I have walked through the mock-ups at the DVC center at SSR when I'm there. Hope to one day be able to score a stay at BLT but if not, SSR is perfect for me.

 

[KPOP]

its been said elsewhere in the thread - but my only regret is not buying my 1st contract earlier

also - definitely consider purchasing resale. I just closed on an OKW contract that was significantly cheaper than buying direct

 

[dzorn]

We only have 225 but I wish we would have split it up into two contracts, so with an add on it would be easier to give to DDs down the road.

Denise in MI

 

[JimMIA]

I should add that we aren't considering OKW or SSR at all. Too far from the parks,

I'm always amused by these comments -- especially from folks considering AKV! SSR and OKW to MK is quicker than AKV to AK!

We always drive and can be anywhere onsite in 15 minutes, but if you bus, the buses at OKW are usually rated the best at WDW. SSR buses can be problematic for a couple of reasons...especially if you are staying at THV. Both resorts offer a very enjoyable boatride to DTD, which is also walkable from both resorts.

BLT is obviously convenient to MK, and less so to Epcot -- but not at all for AK or DHS or DTD.

AKV is as far from everything at WDW as you can be and still be onsite. Many offsite hotels and resorts are closer to MK than AKV.

aren't attracted to the theme...

We like the theme at OKW; SSR not so much. To us, the advantages of OKW are the MUCH larger villas, lower points costs (40% fewer points per night than most DVC resorts) and relaxed atmosphere. With SSR, THV is a big plus, although the bus situation there is poor.

We haven't stayed at BLT, but from lots of owner comments here on the DIS, the basic theme there seems to be "cheap construction, falling apart quickly!"

expires the fastest.

Well...that's in the eye of the beholder. Take a look at all the never-ending timeshares for sale for $1 with free closing on eBay. They are offerred for sale by owners trying to get out from under their annual maintenance fees. 30 years from now, you may feel the same about DVC.

Directly to your point, with SSR or OKW extended, the difference is only 3 years, I believe -- 2057 vs 2060. I don't see that as a difference worth worrying about.

If you're paying $65 per point for 2042 OKW resale vs. $130 for BLT direct, half-price more than makes up for 18 years difference in term of ownership IMHO. And, if it's that important, you can buy OKW for $65 (or less) and pay the $25 pp to extend to 2057 and still be WAY ahead.

Bottom line: My advice is NOT to purchase any resort where you would be disappointed to stay.

And I would carefully examine each little "conventional wisdom tip" very carefully to make sure 1) it actually makes sense when you think it through, and 2) it has some relevance to your family. A lot of "conventional wisdom" concerns trivial aspects of DVC ownership which may have no relevance at all for your family.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

JimMIA, thanks for the thoughtful response.

At the moment, location is much more important to us than space. We're only two people.

Also, we don't see AKV as far away, since it's a quick hop to AK, where we spend a fair amount of time.

 

[culli]

I'm still going back and forth on bang for the buck vs buy at where you want to stay. I got very good deals at SSR and do really like the resort. However, BCV and BWV is our favorite becasue of LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION - EPCOT is our favorite and the boardwalk is great - SAB is also a nice perk.

If I had to do it all over not sure if I would have gone with BCV or not.....I did get a BCV and BWV contract ROFR by Disney. Also MFs for SSR are great. If it was between BLT and AKV I would go with BLT as it is harder get into so using booking priority is more important and MFs are more likely to be stable as AKV has the animals.

I have bought both through DVC and Resale - weigh your options. When I bought SSR that had great incentives and resale was not the huge spread in price that it is today. When I bought resale got a loaded contract for an awesome price. So make sure to do some research.

 

[podsnel]

My only regrets are
-I wish I had a UY with more points available- we have June, and there are not a whole lot of June points to add on with! I believe it's one of the smaller UYs.
-I wish our original purchase at AKV had been split into 2 contracts, a 100 & a 125- so that it would be easier to split for my kids someday. OR...that I could have sold just one of them and purchased a little BLT when that came out.
-Like sooooooo many others, I wish we would have done it sooner!!

We bought in 2007 and the incentives were great- so I have no regrets about buying AKV direct from Disney! But we have added on (3x- almost. I'm waiting for a BWV contract that is in ROFR), and two of those times were through outside resales. Good luck!

 

[downontheBW]

We didn't buy for an investment. We didn't buy to hand down to our children someday. We bought because it meant that we could stay at nice Disney resorts without feeling "guilty" for the high room rates. We like being members - it's a good feeling and one of the best perks of being DVC (my opinion).

We bought at Boardwalk because we love the resort but have found that we tend to really like all the DVC resorts and I plan to stay in every one (I'm working on it, anyway).

We bought directly from DVC and didn't buy a lot of points but just enough for the two of us. We're unusual - we bought when our kids were in college so our trips have all been just the two of us. We haven't been to WDW with them since owners but will do that for the first time next spring in a 2BR - should be a blast!

 

[Simba's Mom]

1. If you can, try to visit all the resorts before you choose your home resort. This doesn't necessarily mean STAY at all the resorts, just walk around & visit them to get a good feel for what they're all about. We bought at AKV sight unseen, which in hindsight worked out well as we love it there and it's prob my #2 choice. I wish we had points at my #1 favorite BCV (hoping to purchase a small contract there some day in the future).

Good Luck and keep us posted!

In some ways I agree with #1, but not entirely. We bought where DVC was selling, and thought we'd love the DVC there. We'd stayed in the hotel part of that one and DH said then "If DVC ever builds a resort here, THEN I'd buy." Well, they did so we did. But we didn't like the DVC there. On our next trip, we stayed at OKW and found we loved it, so that's where we always stay. But I'd recommend staying there before you buy, not just walking around. We drove around OKW years ago, and thought we'd never want to stay there. Boy, were we wrong!

 

[conchflats]

I have been a member since 1992 and have loved every minute of it. Then SSR came to be and everything changed. Now your home resort booking window is golden. With all those SSR members looking to jump to any resort other then SSR at the 7 month window being able to stay outside your home resort has become very difficult. So my advice is that unless you are able to plan your vacations to WDW in the 11 month to 7 month window to your home resort you may find the DVC different then the "sales pitch" tells you. Also pay attention to the "developers points" in you contract.

 

[Sammie]

Actually interestingly OKW and SSR are closer to all parks than the other DVC resorts, they are just not close to "a" park.

 

[Eyemalive]

I agree. It is amazing how difficult getting a desired ressie can be now.

 

[LSZFagan]

We have never had a single regret! We bought 170points at the VWL in 2001. We use the points whenever we can. If we cannot use them... it's nice knowing we can bank or rent/transfer them on this site.

 

[disneynutz]

I have been a member since 1992 and have loved every minute of it. Then SSR came to be and everything changed. Now your home resort booking window is golden. With all those SSR members looking to jump to any resort other then SSR at the 7 month window being able to stay outside your home resort has become very difficult. So my advice is that unless you are able to plan your vacations to WDW in the 11 month to 7 month window to your home resort you may find the DVC different then the "sales pitch" tells you. Also pay attention to the "developers points" in you contract.

As additional resorts come on line, the situation will only get worse.

Bill

 

[marynvince]

at SSR before i knew about resale. HHI resale pending at a huge discount over direct

 

[FKOHUT]

I bought my points at OKW when it first opened and have added to them since. This is one of the best family investments you can evre make. Jump in, the waters fine.

 

[SusieBea]

We only have 225 but I wish we would have split it up into two contracts, so with an add on it would be easier to give to DDs down the road.

Denise in MI

This is my only regret, too: that, because contracts cannot be split, we had purchased two equal point contracts to make it easier for our two girls to inherit. As it is, we ended up adding on smaller contracts a couple of times (never a bad thing) to even things out.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

This is my only regret, too: that, because contracts cannot be split, we had purchased two equal point contracts to make it easier for our two girls to inherit. As it is, we ended up adding on smaller contracts a couple of times (never a bad thing) to even things out.

I'm hoping not to have that issue at all, since I'm only 30, and will only be 70-80 when the contract runs. But we're also Childfree.

 

[SusieBea]

I'm hoping not to have that issue at all, since I'm only 30, and will only be 70-80 when the contract runs. But we're also Childfree.

Well, it may be a moot point for us, too. I will be 89 when our contracts expire, and I intend for those girls to push us around the parks for as long as I'm able to be wheeled!