Where (if) to buy? Simply cannot decide!

[Figment1990]

I desperately need your help. We have finally decided to buy into DVC. Now that we actually have a child (he's 10 months and anxiously awaiting his first trip!), I can't imagine going to WDW without the benefit of a 1-bedroom (at least). We have many years of him going to sleep earlier than us, and if we have any more children - we have even more years of it! So the bigger accommodations argument has finally swayed us.

Now it's just up to where to buy-in and how many points. I read a previous post about this same topic and everyone was so helpful I thought I'd get some feedback from the experts. For the purposes of this conversation, we don't need to discuss price or current incentives. We want to buy where we think we will enjoy the most, over time, regardless of if it costs slightly more (or less). The resort itself is important to us, we prefer the deluxe resorts for their theming, dining, pools, transportation.

Here is our situation.

How often: We plan to vacation at least 1x a year, but only 1x at WDW. If we take more than 1 vacation in a year, we would be looking to go somewhere else - most likely DCL, Paris/Italy/or Ireland, Hawaii, or the beach. We also often vacation with extended family, and would be looking at several trips in a 2-bedroom (or even a grand villa) over the next 20+ years.

When: For the near term, we are not limited by school, but in 4 years, we will be limited to Spring break, summer, and christmas breaks. I don't plan to take our kids out of school for vacation and I don't really like the heat of the summer. So eventually, we will be looking at some high point seasons. (Any feedback on what UY would be best would be appreciated too)

Where: I will attempt to list these and our current thoughts out in the order we are currently considering them.

BWV - Pros: We LOVED our stay at the Boardwalk this past fall. We loved the pool, the atmosphere, and especially the proximity to Epcot and DHS. If we buy here, we would buy enough to do the Boardwalk view. I also read a great "pro" - nearby after park hours options, should the grandparents be willing to babysit or when the kids become teens. Cons: For at least the next 8 years, we will probably have very young children that I figure will like MK best... I'm torn on this issue, because I also think there are tons of things for young kids at ALL the parks. But the bus transportation from BWI to MK on our last trip was very cumbersome. I grew up at the Poly, so I'm very transportation spoiled.

AKV: Pros: I have not stayed here, but love the decor. Love Jiko. REALLY love the artist rendering of the water play area. The decor of the villas is the style that best fits my personal style. I THINK my DS will end up liking AK a lot. Especially when he's very young. Cons: I've never stayed here because AK is my personal least favorite park and i've always been afraid it's too far away from the other parks.

BCV: Pros: I have not stayed here, but love the decor. Love the proximity to Epcot. Cons: I've heard that SAB is tough to keep an eye on kids. I like to relax at the pool and hear it's much easier to do so at the BWV pool.

WLV: Pros: I LOVE WL. I love WL at xmas time. I know it's impossible to stay at WLV if you don't own there. Proximity (and boat option) to MK. Cons: I do not love the WLV decor (particularly the green wood). Part of what I love about WLV is the courtyard view off the balcony and the main atrium of the lodge.

SSR: Pros: Second to AKV, I really like these accomodations (or what I have seen online). I like the room decor and layout, the pool, the spa. Cons: Every time i go to DTD from any resort, I feel like it takes forever. Will it feel like forever to get to any park? Plus I hear it's not that difficult to book at the 7 mo window.

BLT: Pros: Proximity to MK. Cons: I have never ever ever wanted to stay at the Contemporary. While I believe it's has very beautifully designed rooms, I just don't feel the disney magic. Please don't flame me, it's my personal opinion.

Solution: Currently I'm leaning towards starting with a BWV contract around 150-250 points... That way, even if I had to stay right on top of the MK and use my points for the Poly or GF for one or two years until BWV suits us better, I can. Or I can use the points for a trip just me and DH. Then if we REALLY want to stay at WL some time, we can pay cash, since it's a lower priced deluxe. Someday, I guess I'm going to have to take the plunge and stay at AKL. Probably when we do, i'll be hit with add-on-itis and add on there??? Or BCV?

Help...

 

[5forDiz]

I'll try taking a stab at some of what you're asking/thinking about :

~ regarding taking trips outside of DVC resort: I'm including all WDW DVC resorts, HHI, VB and soon to be GCV & DVC Hawaii because I think you might have been mainly talking about using your points at other DVC resort locations? Have used points for stays at DVC's HHI & VB and loved both. Beyond these 2 off-site DVC locations I really can't help on this because we've never used our points for a non-DVC resort vacation but there are many here on these boards who don't think DVC is a good choice if you're regularly thinking of using your points outside of DVC resorts; there seems to be other timeshares that are better for those purposes. I am sure they will jump in here to give you more insights on this. Any other WDW resort esp Polynesian and GF are HUGE points amounts even at lowest season maybe approx 35 - more than 70 per night depending on resort and day of week. A better alternative to that is purchasing an AP for discounted AP room rate or booking a DVC villa for cash through MS and hopefully 25% member discount would be available for your dates.

~ for Use Year, I'd suggest December: December at holiday time or February which is customary winter break time for many schools and perhaps in March or April which is typically a spring break/holiday time then December Use Year would give you until July 31 to bank your points in the event you needed to cancel a trip reserved for Dec, Feb, Mar or April. This works well for summer travel too although it could be a bit dicey if you have resi for dates very late in August that you may need to cancel but you still would probably make the July 31 banking window.

March not as good a choice even though you'd have until October 31 to bank points for a cancelled December trip the problem would be if for example your trip was reserved for December 2 and you cancelled 31 days or more before (which btw you'd need to do or points would go into Holding Status and would not be bankable anyhow) then for example, a cancellation on November 1 even though 31 days or more before your Dec 2 reservation would already be beyond your Oct 31 banking window so you wouldn't be able to bank.

~ Which resort ? this is a really TOUGH choice for most. You mention Grand Villa for travelling with extended family and I just want to point out in case you weren't aware that VWL and BCV do not have Grand Villas so this may be important in your decision making because GVs are tough to get if you aren't booking 11 months out with your Home Resort booking advantage.

BWV does offer so much for all ages both at BW itself and all the neighboring resorts and of course Epcot & DHS. So nice to stroll around Crescent Lake or take the Friendship boats to resort hop. I think it offers lots for kids of all ages & adults as well. Although all our points are at OKW ( which our family loves ) would have to say our next favorite is BWV.

If you want the best of more than one "world/resort" divide the number of points you plan to buy between 2 resorts; with banking or banking & borrowing you'd have double or triple amount to use every 2nd or 3rd year.

you can always do add-on(s) for additional points as time goes on and you find you'd require more points and those add-ons may be at any DVC resort not just the resort(s) where you already own points.

Hope this helped a bit . Best wishes & hope to welcome you home soon.

 

[disneynutz]

I always recommend that you buy where you love to stay and if necessary rent a reservation to check out the resorts that you have not stayed at.

Some members post that they don't like their home resort that they purchased, but they bought there because that was the resort currently being sold by DVD or because they received developer points.

The developer points will be long gone and you will be kicking yourself a few years from now when you can't book your favorite resort at 7 months.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

We own at the BWV and love it (2 DD's age 11 & 8).

I think the BW is a perfect fit for your family. The bus ride to the MK is a pain (that's why we added on at the BLT-so we could split our stay)

The BCV don't have the great views of the boardwalk view rooms so imho, it lacks the magic of the BW when you are in your room, but other than that its a great resort and has a great pool, which is hopping every afternoon.

The AKV (we stayed there last Feb) was blah! We stayed in Jambo in a savannah view room. I hated the Dark rooms and the savannah, because it was winter, wasn't lush and it felt like I was looking out onto a project high rise. The reason is that in order to make the savannah animal friendly, the colors used for the exterior are earthy tones and the 1st floor is all concrete painted brown. Now if they had trees around the foundation it would have made it feel better, but since you were looking out at the foundation, it was cold feeling and most of the time we were there the animals weren't on the Savannah. Just MHO. Being able to see the animals from the balcony was really cool, but going from a BW view room to that was very disappointing. However, if you own at the BCV and stay in the rooms overlooking the Street, the savannah view is heaven to the street view. (I have been spoiled by that Boardwalk View I guess). Another thing about the AKV is that you need to take a bus to every park, but you don't have to share it with 3-5 hotels like you do with the BW.

GOOD LUCK!!! Hope we get to be neighbors!

 

[hakepb]

Sounds like BWV may be your best fit.
I did love a recent AKV stay (and manning the balcony while the little guy walks to the railing and yells at an animal was priceless!) but I think you'd usually be OK booking an AKV Savannah view room because ther are so many..

..which brings up the point of booking your favorite, and most hard to reserve resort and I think BWV most fits your bill. It also gives you the possibility of booking a lower point standard view room before/after a larger family stay to save up points...

I do not think VWL is hopeless (well Christmas might always be), I just booked a May/June stay, and think BLT will be reducing some of the MK proximity bookers..

 

[Rick-Toronto]

I will not try to sway you one way or another, but will relay our personal experience if it helps. We purchased at BWV in '97 when there was a lot less choice in terms of DVC resorts. Our children were young when we purchased 5 & 3 and are now 16 and 14.

While we started out spending more time at MK, today, that is the park we spend the least amount of time at. It has been a gradual transition over the past 5 years and while the girls still enjoy MK, we have started spending more time at AK and Epcot. So much so, that out of our usual 7 days that we visit WDW every year, we only spend 1/2 to 1 day at MK.

The other thing that I have noticed as they get older is that the parks themselves are becoming less important, and they are more interested in other activities at places like Downtown Disney and the Boardwalk. They love the Boardwalk itself, particularly in the evening when there is a bit of activity and the lights from the neighbouring resorts. We find that on a day when we are not visiting any parks, there are other things to do at the Boardwalk and the neighbouring resorts.

All in all, you have what I call a "first class" problem to solve. There is no wrong answer, and I think you will find all choice are good ones. It is simply a matter of your personal likes and dislikes. My only encouragement (and it sounds like you are thinking about it anyways) is to think long term because you will change, your kids will change, the time that you can vacation will change and purchase where you most want to stay.

Good Luck with your decision

 

[lisareniff]

You seem to have a very good handle on things. Deciding on a home resort is tough especially when you realize that you will need those harder 'school break' weeks. You are smart to think ahead over the years of the contract. From the way you have described the resorts, I would say your heart seems to lie with BWV and would make a fine choice. It has an variety of different reservation choices, including GV's, BWview, Std View and the location is great. I would suggest getting a contract that is half the size of what you would need in the end, stay at different resorts for the next couple years and then add on at a different second resort to compliment your BWV purchase. That way you get two choices!

When: For the near term, we are not limited by school, but in 4 years, we will be limited to Spring break, summer, and christmas breaks. I don't plan to take our kids out of school for vacation and I don't really like the heat of the summer. So eventually, we will be looking at some high point seasons. (Any feedback on what UY would be best would be appreciated too)

We too are limited by our school vacations and will not go to FL in the summer months. For us that leaves Thanksgiving, Christmas, Pres. Week and the Third week of April with our favorite being Pres. Week. We have an Oct UY and it work great. Since we would never go during June-Aug, a UY that starts after that time is perfect (Sept or Oct). We would never have a vacation to cancel during the last three months of our UY yet have plenty of room to change or cancel those break vacations.