What Would You Buy?

[tammymacb]

Ok, I've already decided that I'm going to need more than my 100 BWV points..

I'm debating back and forth two options and I'd love some opinions.

Should I add another 50 BWV ( directly from Disney when available ) keeping all of my points at one resort. I know that I'm planning about 2 trips a year where my home resort will be important - Early December and Food and Wine- I travel during the week, though and my 100 points will cover me in a studio for those two trips.

OR should I buy OKW? The other resort that "calls" me. Like the theming, like the sizes of the room, the tranquility...Reason I'd consider BUYING there instead of BWV is that occasionally, I'd like to travel with my parents and sister etc and I'd love the 11 month window for an off season grand villa. Can't imagine they'd be easy to score any other way.

 

[alldiz]

I had the same decision to make.....where to add on?
I wound up adding on at WL...my home. So glad I did. I really do want
to have my points in 1 place. It really does make it easier to do a bigger
trip....or to trade out.

OKW grand villa's were calling me...but I figured unless I just wanted to do
a GV every 3 yrs at OKW with the 50pts for 5 nights, it would get too
complicated.
Kerri

 

[tammymacb]

Thanks for that opinion. I was really leaning towards OKW but mostly for the GVs. I won't use them often so I'm not sure if that's where I should buy the points.

I keep going back and forth, but the only time I think I'd "need" the 11 month advantage for OKW would be for a GV, and I'm not sure if that's worth buying for.

For the most part, my "planned" trips would be Early December ( at BWV made at 11 mos ) and alternating Oct-May girl trips. For the Oct trip BWV would be my choice, obviously, for food and wine. In May, I'd be more likely to "check out" the other properties.

 

[jekjones1558]

I did not vote because my thoughts do not fit your options.
If you really think you want to do an OKW GV sometimes, I would consider an OKW resale so that you can afford more OKW points for the same price as 50 OKW points from Disney. I would check with all of the resellers and see how many points you can get with the $$ that you have. The contract will likely expire in 2042, but the extra years of using more points is a wiser move, IMHO. If this option does not appeal to you, I would just add-on at BWV.
By the way, we went through the same thought process as you. Most of our points are at BWV but we bought an OKW resale contract just to have the 11 month window for a GV there.

 

[chalee94]

50 pts at OKW only gets you the 11 month window for 4 nights every 3 years in GV...i can't imagine that is worthwhile.

keep in mind you still will not be able to use BWV pts to book a GV at OKW until the 7 month window, even though you own pts at both resorts.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

We own 390 points at SSR. I'm looking at doing a few small add-ons over the next several years and am debating on where to purchase.

I am just about convinced that I'm going to purchase the add-on points at OKW. I truly love the resort, and I want the ability to book a GV at the 11 month window. As the kids get older (DS is 12 and DD is 5), I want the ability to book a GV without giving up an extra 200 points (difference between a summer week at SSR versus OKW).

My other agonizing decision ...resale versus direct. If I purchase through Dis, I could eventually split the points between my son and daughter and leave them both about 270 points each. They would be in their mid 50s when the points expire. Otherwise, we lose 15 years, but gain more points to use in the short term.

Uhhhhggggg....decisions.

 

[tammymacb]

50 pts at OKW only gets you the 11 month window for 4 nights every 3 years in GV...i can't imagine that is worthwhile.

keep in mind you still will not be able to use BWV pts to book a GV at OKW until the 7 month window, even though you own pts at both resorts.

That's about all I would need, actually ( in a GV ) Our trip in December consists of myself and family, my DS and her family and my parents. Right now we're using 3 studios ( and DS and I will use points every other year to allow our parents to join us ) So, we'd decided that a GV would also be really a nice option. I work weekends and my sister is obsessive about spending her points on weekends so we usually go for 4-5 nights. So, the 50 poins and the GV would actually work.

 

[chalee94]

That's about all I would need, actually ( in a GV ) Our trip in December consists of myself and family, my DS and her family and my parents. Right now we're using 3 studios ( and DS and I will use points every other year to allow our parents to join us ) So, we'd decided that a GV would also be really a nice option. I work weekends and my sister is obsessive about spending her points on weekends so we usually go for 4-5 nights. So, the 50 poins and the GV would actually work.

then you're good to go...

 

[tammymacb]

).

My other agonizing decision ...resale versus direct. If I purchase through Dis, I could eventually split the points between my son and daughter and leave them both about 270 points each. They would be in their mid 50s when the points expire. Otherwise, we lose 15 years, but gain more points to use in the short term.

Uhhhhggggg....decisions.

I've been thinking the same thing. You have LOTS more points than I need though.. In my case, I'll be watching the resale market ( for the same UY ) as well as contacting Disney direcly. I'll see what the cost compares to ( adding on with Disney, I'll have no closing costs, which drastically reduces the cost of their small contract points as compared to resale ) and see what works out the best. As long as I have the same UY, I guess I'll have two different contract #s anyway with 2 resorts. ( Unless or course, I buy more BWV )

 

[jimmacmn]

OR should I buy OKW? The other resort that "calls" me. Like the theming, like the sizes of the room, the tranquility...Reason I'd consider BUYING there instead of BWV is that occasionally, I'd like to travel with my parents and sister etc and I'd love the 11 month window for an off season grand villa. Can't imagine they'd be easy to score any other way.

We own at OKW (since '94) and SSR. If you are going to score a GV at OKW during Food and Wine or Dec, you will need the 11 month window. Our last trip was during Food and Wine and we booked at 11 months for a GV. Even though we booked at 11 mos (we did not do day by day) we were still wait listed for one of our days. The wait list did come through, but this shows you need the 11 month window. Also, if all you can afford or want to buy is 50 points, you will be able to get very limited stays in a GV, even using the bank/borrow scenario. In the Choice Season (F&W and most of Dec) a GV is 38 points per night for week nights and 91 for a Friday and Saturday. At 150 points you wouldn't even have enough for 4 nights. So if the points max is 50, I'd go with your current home resort.

 

[tammymacb]

Well, I do only need 50 more points..My DH and I are scuba divers so Disney is only a small part of our yearly trips. And you're right, if I went later in Dec, I'd use 38 points a night instead of 36. With the 11 month window, I could do 4 nights the first 2 weeks of December though.

Also, there's no question, for Food & Wine, I'll be staying at Boardwalk.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

I enjoy the 11 mo. window at 2 resorts, I voted OKW you decide on the amt.

 

[OKW Lover]

As you can tell from my screen name, I love OKW so that would have been my suggestion. But you mention going to F&W is important to you so I actually voted for BWV in this case. (I really would have suggested BCV instead, but they're pretty much the same.) There's nothing like just walking over to F&W for a while, then back to your room to relax a while and back over again for more F&W. Something that is easily done from BWV, but is more time consuming from OKW.

 

[sajetto]

As you can tell from my screen name, I love OKW so that would have been my suggestion. But you mention going to F&W is important to you so I actually voted for BWV in this case. (I really would have suggested BCV instead, but they're pretty much the same.) There's nothing like just walking over to F&W for a while, then back to your room to relax a while and back over again for more F&W. Something that is easily done from BWV, but is more time consuming from OKW.

I'm surprised I'm saying this, but agree with OKW Lover. Being a HUGE OKW fan I'd normally suggest anyone to add on there, but considering F&W, I'd go with BWV.

 

[tammymacb]

I'm sorry. My wording must have been confusing in the original post.

I will stay at BWV for F&W, and usually for the early Dec trips.

I have 100 points there and only travel to Disney during the week- so I can stretch my BWV points for 4-5 nites early December S-Th for 36-45 points. I can also get 3 nites at F&W standard for 9 points = 27. I have PLENTY of BWV points for what I need for those two trips.

I would use OKW for other trips!

I'd mostly like to have the OKW points for the "occasional" ( every once and a while ) trip when the rest of my family came down in December, to get a GV. If I went the first week of Dec, I could get 4 nites every three years..

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

I thought of adding on at OKW just for the grandvilla too. If that's where you want to stay you can't beat 36 points for one. Depending on how many points you purchase you could bank and borrow and live it up every three years.

I'd love to buy VB for the Beach cottages too, although the points to rent them aren't as low as OKW.

Have fun!!!!

 

[eporter66]

From reading here it seems like it is fairly easy to book at OKW. So, if you have your entire 150, you can book BWV at the 11 month, and then try to switch to OKW at the 7 month.

I have had 2 instances where I needed to make a reservation and it was 2 or 3 months before my trip. OKW has always come back as having availability (we book 1 bedrooms).

If you travel during the busy times, this probably wont work the same way, but it seems in my experience OKW usually has something

 

[RAD]

I voted to add on at BWV. We've done three add on's and all were at BWV our home just because of the home resort advantage. We haven't tried to book a GV at OKW but we've never been able to not get a 1BR or 2BR there at 7 months out. With all the special events that run at Epcot or the Studios I would want to have home resort standing if I wanted to be in that area.

If you want a GV try to save up your points and splurge on a BWV GV, we finally stayed in one last October. The unit we had took the entier 5th floor of the building over Screen Door General Store, kind of neat to look back at the BW and think we had all that space

 

[tammymacb]

I've decided to stick with BWV, I'd like to check out lots of the different DVCs but I really do like having the advantage of 11 months out at BWV as so far, it's still my favorite!

 

[JimC]

BWV if you are only looking for 50 points.

Another consideration is whether you can buy OKW from Disney with a 2042 contract end or if they are selling only the 2057 contracts.