Where to buy next?

[Pluto 32]

Hi DVC Family!

So I caught Pete Warnar's "add-on-ides" and I'm between four resorts.

1. Disney's Polynesian Resort & Bungalows
2. Disney's Copper Creek Villas and Cabins
3. Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
4. Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

All three are beautiful and I like them all for different reasons.

- The Polynesian is great because they are all studios and you don't have to fight for them being left with a room that is larger and more $$$ than your needs. I also love the theme (one of my contracts is at Aulani but it's not right next to MK)

- Disney's Copper Creek Villas and Cabins are just beautiful and have the wow factor like AK has (I own there too).

- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort I love for the, well contemporary feel of it.

- Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has that luxury feel.

My needs do not go beyond a 1 BR. It's just my wife, me and my newborn son for now. I'm also looking for a smaller contract (under 150 points). I currently own two cortracts direct from DVD. 160 pts at AKL and 100 pts at AUL both with a December use year so I'd like to keep that same use year as well. My next buy will be on the resale market. I personally have not stayed at any of these resorts so all of your experiences and opinions are very valuable!

So that are your thought? What DVC Resort would you purchase next and why? Pros and cons welcome.

Thanks all and Happy Disney Days!

~ Pluto 32 ~

 

[Deb & Bill]

What size villa would you normally book? I wouldn't buy BLT to stay in their tiny studios, nor CCV since they are so hard to get at CCV. One bedrooms might work out better. GFV standard one bedrooms are lovely and we have booked them a couple of times with our cheap old OKW points. But studios there are also going to be hard to get.

 

[MilesMouse]

We bought direct CCV last year. We’re really mulling over options for an add on. I feel like we’re at the point of “when” not “if’. We can talk ourselves in and out of just about every scenario and resort. I’m pretty confident we’d do resale for our second contract. On one hand we’d like to add on CCV and then always be able go for 1BRs for longer than a week, as well as the occasional 2BR. Or, a smaller contract at another resort we’d like as a second home. Something like BLT or AKL. We’re fairly young and like the idea of the longer contracts. We’ve got a newborn and hopefully another 1 coming along someday later on so studios aren’t going to be very good for us eventually. Or, option 3, but more points somewhere cheaper and see how we do at the 7 month mark in bigger room categories.

We think we could work it out well to use each contract every other year so we’ve always got two UY worth of points at each home resort. On too of that, getting same UY so if/when we want that bigger trip to Aulani every few years we can do nicer accommodations at the 7th month combined mark.

 

[badeacon]

Hi DVC Family!

So I caught Pete Warnar's "add-on-ides" and I'm between three resorts.

1. Disney's Polynesian Resort & Bungalows
2. Disney's Copper Creek Villas and Cabins
3. Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
4. Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa

All three are beautiful and I like them all for different reasons.

- The Polynesian is great because they are all studios and you don't have to fight for them being left with a room that is larger and more $$$ than your needs. I also love the theme (one of my contracts is at Aulani but it's not right next to MK)

- Disney's Copper Creek Villas and Cabins are just beautiful and have the wow factor like AK has (I own there too).

- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort I love for the, well contemporary feel of it.

- Villas at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa has that luxury feel.

My needs do not go beyond a 1 BR. It's just my wife, me and my newborn son for now. I'm also looking for a smaller contract (under 150 points). I currently own 160 pts at AKL and 100 pts at AUL both with a December use year so I'd like to keep that same use year as well.

So that are your thought? Pros and cons welcome.

Thanks all!

*O*

You say 3 resorts twice but list 4 resorts. Did you start with 3 and then when listing keep adding ones you wanted?

 

[Pluto 32]

You say 3 resorts twice but list 4 resorts. Did you start with 3 and then when listing keep adding ones you wanted?

Yes that's exactly what happened! LOL!

 

[mustinjourney]

if you're thinking about staying in 1BRs -- then the economical choice of SSR could be a good fit. BLT, even though it is expensive up front, offers some cheaper point rooms that could make up for the more expensive initial outlay.

If you want to stay in studios during fall -- then VGF home resort priority is practically a necessity. If doing 1BRs, then SSR would work.

 

[Pluto 32]

if you're thinking about staying in 1BRs -- then the economical choice of SSR could be a good fit. BLT, even though it is expensive up front, offers some cheaper point rooms that could make up for the more expensive initial outlay.

If you want to stay in studios during fall -- then VGF home resort priority is practically a necessity. If doing 1BRs, then SSR would work.

I know SSR is the most economical choice but I'm over that place. It's very outdated and is probably the last DVC resort I want to relax at. Are there a good amount of studios at VGF? I know they are limited at CC and 1 BR even more limited.

 

[mustinjourney]

I know SSR is the most economical choice but I'm over that place. It's very outdated and is probably the last DVC resort I want to relax at. Are there a good amount of studios at VGF? I know they are limited at CC and 1 BR even more limited.

I was saying to buy SSR as your sleeping around points. If you visit from january to September, you can get studios just about anywhere at 7 months. If you are staying in 1BRs, you can use SSR points to book just about anywhere at 7 months.

If SSR is outdated based on the inside decor -- keep in mind it's getting renovated and should look a lot nicer.

VGF has 47 studios I believe. 30 standard and 17 lake view. Standards typically go VERY fast.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I know SSR is the most economical choice but I'm over that place. It's very outdated and is probably the last DVC resort I want to relax at. Are there a good amount of studios at VGF? I know they are limited at CC and 1 BR even more limited.

Of the ones you list VGF has the fewest studios although it isn't as bad to book as CCV studios. For easy of studios PVB will be the easiest, BLT next, VGF next and last is CCV.

 

[Pluto 32]

Of the ones you list VGF has the fewest studios although it isn't as bad to book as CCV studios. For easy of studios PVB will be the easiest, BLT next, VGF next and last is CCV.

Great info! Why is it that VGF isn't as bad to book as CCV if VGF has fewer studios?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Great info! Why is it that VGF isn't as bad to book as CCV if VGF has fewer studios?

It can be bad depending on season. But it also doesn't have 26 point-intensive cabins that were sold as small contracts.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Great info! Why is it that VGF isn't as bad to book as CCV if VGF has fewer studios?

IMO the only thing that makes sense is all the points sold that were from the Cabin declarations. That means many many more contracts at CCV as a percentage of studios compared to the ratio of contracts sold to studios at VGF. There weren't going to be a lot of buyers who bought to book the cabins every year. They tend to be available at 7 months and eventually get taken up by owners of other resorts. VGF studios do book as quickly at certain times of the year though and you don't really want to miss the 11 month window in most cases but they do last awhile at times like spring and summer and just don't have quite the frenzy. You can look at the RAT for the spring and see how the resorts you are all looking at compare for availability. Fall is a frenzy most everywhere.

 

[Pluto 32]

IMO the only thing that makes sense is all the points sold that were from the Cabin declarations. That means many many more contracts at CCV as a percentage of studios compared to the ratio of contracts sold to studios at VGF. There weren't going to be a lot of buyers who bought to book the cabins every year. They tend to be available at 7 months and eventually get taken up by owners of other resorts. VGF studios do book as quickly at certain times of the year though and you don't really want to miss the 11 month window in most cases but they do last awhile at times like spring and summer and just don't have quite the frenzy. You can look at the RAT for the spring and see how the resorts you are all looking at compare for availability. Fall is a frenzy most everywhere.

The amount of points it takes is rent the cabin is crazy! One either needs to pull 3 years together or be in the 1000 point club. Haha!

 

[The Jackal]

As others have stated VGF has 47 studios, CCV has 78 studios. The problem is all the points sold for the cabins. The average contract is around 150 points. 150 points gets you at most 1 day in a cabin most of the year. During magic season it will not even get you a day. So all those contracts are looking for studios and 1 bedrooms. DVC does sell some high point contracts, but not enough to book the high priced cabins. For a couple more points per night you could stay in a 3 bedroom grand villa.

 

[zavandor]

Be aware that the rolled back 2020 reallocation did move points from the bungalows and cabins to the other rooms at the resort. Poly studios are already pricey and DCV thinks they can increase them even more. CCV points per night are on the low side, when comparing with the newest resorts, but it may change soon to get to BLT levels. At that point BLT will be an even better value, comparatively.

 

[TCRAIG]

I voted BLT - Location, Location, Location! I would never personally buy Poly due to studios only (I don’t count the bungalows - I’m in the 1000 club but I’d still never waste my points to stay)...I own BLT along with 6 other home resorts...not crazy about the theming and maybe because I have grands now - but BLT is the resort I wish I had more points at

 

[Pluto 32]

I voted BLT - Location, Location, Location! I would never personally buy Poly due to studios only (I don’t count the bungalows - I’m in the 1000 club but I’d still never waste my points to stay)...I own BLT along with 6 other home resorts...not crazy about the theming and maybe because I have grands now - but BLT is the resort I wish I had more points at

Thank you for your feedback! Because you have so many points and a larger family than myself, is that pretty much the only reason why you prefer not Polynesian because you obviously need a larger room size? Do you think that BLT is a nicer resort and has better rooms than Poly?

 

[Pluto 32]

Be aware that the rolled back 2020 reallocation did move points from the bungalows and cabins to the other rooms at the resort. Poly studios are already pricey and DCV thinks they can increase them even more. CCV points per night are on the low side, when comparing with the newest resorts, but it may change soon to get to BLT levels. At that point BLT will be an even better value, comparatively.

I have not stayed at any of these resorts so I’m not quite sure how the experience would be. I have walked around the Poly once (had dinner at the luau show and I was extremely disappointed) as well as the GF and Contemporary on the hotel side.

 

[MilesMouse]

Thank you for your feedback! Because you have so many points and a larger family than myself, is that pretty much the only reason why you prefer not Polynesian because you obviously need a larger room size? Do you think that BLT is a nicer resort and has better rooms than Poly?

I haven’t stayed at enough DVC properties yet compared to a lot of seasoned folks here, but I have stayed at Poly recently. If the DW and I are traveling solo I think this will be our go to resort every time. The property is great, food is great, and the extra bathroom is great. We’ve even stayed with another adult friend and felt like we still had a good amount of space. A lot of it just comes down to how you and your family prefer to travel. The hard part is predicting traveling with your future family size. That’s why I like to take a lot of good advice from those around here with a lot of experience traveling with kids of all ages. We’d love to buy Poly but I think we’re happier buying somewhere that fits our future family best, which in my opinion is a place like BLT.

 

[Fauntleroy]

New born son = BLT for me every time. Walking “home” at the end of the day from MK where food, AC, pool, naps, and eventually fireworks beckon is straight up gold. Toss in monorail connection to Epcot, and it’s close to a no-brainer for a younger family IMHO (aside from premium cost)...