Why does it matter which resort you buy into?

[Leslierx]

I'm just looking into DVC after taking a wonderfull 3 day cruise. If you buy 150 points, can't you use them anywhere? Why do some people want them at Old Key West or somewhere. I thought each vacation you take costs x amount of points and it didn't matter which resort you owned into. Also, does anyone know the points required on the cruises? Where do you go to look at how many points vacations cost? And once you buy into the vacation club, do you have to pay anything like a yearly fee? And how long do you get to use your points , every year for the rest of your life?

Sorry for all the stupid questions...this stuff is confusing!

 

[Lew]

You can certainly use your points at any DVC resort; however, you get a four-month reservation advantage at your home resort. You can book 11 months in advance at your home resort, but just 7 months in advance at other DVC resorts.

The points required to stay in the same type of accommodation may vary each resort.

There are maintenance fees that are levied yearly. Members pay fees based on the number of points they own.

 

[JOC]

Here are my answers to your questions:

1. If you buy 150 points yes, you can use them anywhere, but you can book at your home resort 11 months out and at other DVC properties 7 months out. The 11-month booking window might be a major factor when trying to reserve during major holidays and when WDW has special events like the Food and Wine Festival.

2. Point requirements vary for studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom accomodations and also vary during the different DVC "seasons."

3. There's a link to the DVC resort point chart on this forum. Points required for cruises is in the literature that DVC will send you if you contact them for more information.

4. There's a yearly maintenance fee that varies depending on which home resort you have. OKW has the lowest dues; Vero Beach the highest. I believe OKW is $3.49 per point, so if you own 150 points the maintenance fee is roughly $500 per year.

5. You get to use the points until 2042.

Hope that helps!

 

[KNWVIKING]

I will be in WDW every Oct/Nov and Dec.

During Oct?Nov,(F&W time), I ONLY want to stay at BCV. Only way to be sure I'm there: Added on.

In Dec I ONLY want to be at VWL,(Christmas decor/theme). Only way to be sure I'm there: Added on.

Other times of the year I'm flexable so I use OKW points. I always book the trip dates at 11 months out, then see whats availible at 7 months if I care to move.

 

[burnsoc]

Hi,
You might want to click on DVC FAQ's at the top of the page, I think you'll find it very helpful. If you have any more questions, this is agreat board to ask them. I have found a lot of information from the people here. Definitely do your homework to see if DVC is for you. I can honestly say it's one of the best purchases I've ever made.
-Chris

 

[reneesam]

Just to add to these already excellent answers...the adage I learned from these boards is "buy where you plan to stay the most." For example, do not buy Vero Beach when you plan to vacation at Disney World most often, because the 11 month home resort advantage does become very important unless you are very flexible about your travel dates. For example, when we bought our first contract, we bought resale, because OKW was our preferred resort and it was "sold out." We often travel with large groups or over holidays, and the 11 month window allows us to be sure we can get the accomodations we need at the resort we like during busy travel times.

Currently, Beach Club Villas and Vero Beach are on sale through Disney. Call for the official package and video, and read and ask questions on these boards. Also, check out the FAQ on this board, as well as the point charts. You may find, for example that 150 points may be enough for your Disney World travel plans, but may not be enough if you want to cruise often, etc.

Good luck!

Renee

 

[SheriB]

I understand your questioning: why does it matter where you buy? That is because the DVC salespeople tell you it doesn't matter. It does. Period. If you bought BCV and tried to make a Christmas reservation at BWV, good luck. I think the salespeople are very nice, but the one misleading statement they make is that it doesn't matter where you own. Wrong. However, having said that, if you really don't care which DVC resort you get to stay at at WDW, then it wouldn't matter where you buy. My suggestion is to keep reading these boards and get as much info as you can.
We almost bought at HHI while we took the tour in Disney. Luckily we came home and researched and found these boards. We even considered a resale at one point. All of our questions, and then some, were answered. Good luck, whatever you decide!

Sheri

 

[Disney Doll]

The main reason is the 11 month booking window.

Other people may list as reasons:
1. Location (if you love the Boardwalk area, buy there)
2. Dues cost(OKW has the cheapest dues per point)
3. Room size(OKW has the largest rooms)

When we bought our first set of points, we bought at OKW because it was a little cheaper cost per point, and the dues were cheaper. We had seen OKW and BWV (the only 2 DVC properties available at WDW at the tiome), and while both were equally as nice, we just couldn't justify spending the extra $$ on the BWV, basically because of its location, which I wil agree is wonderful. We also knew we would be travelling at funky times of the year, and probably wouldn't have much of a problem staying where we wanted most of the time.

Luckily for us, this has been the case. We have had the good fortune of paying the cheapest dues and being able to stay at the DVC property of our choice each time we have gone there. But the bottom line is that if we could only stay at OKW for the rest of my life, that would be fine by us!!!!

 

[KNWVIKING]

"That is because the DVC sales'people tell you it doesn't matter. It does. Period. If you bought BCV and tried to make a Christmas reservation at BWV, good luck. I think the salespeople are very nice, but the one misleading statement they make is that it doesn't matter where you own."

My guide never misled me.Never lied either. When I bought,OKW, BWV,HH and VB were availible. I told him WDW trips were our preference, he GUIDED me towards OKW and BWV. Money was an issue, I could only afford certain number of points, I wanted the most time for my points, he GUIDED me towards OKW, where I purchased.

 

[Richyams]

We have had many people share a different experience KNWVIKING.

I sat through a presentation for HH and was told: "Home resort doesn't matter. Since most reservations are made less than six months out, home resort is meaningless."

We have had many reports of twisted facts, distorted reality and outright lies. I guess this is expected from TIMESHARE SALESMAN.

My favorite is: "Sure, VB has the highest dues today, but they were lowest once and dues vary every year."

This leaves the impression that VB may once again be lowest. VB was never lowest, there used to be a developer subsidy that was ended when they dramatically downsized VB because of poor sales.....there is no chance that VB will ever be lowest agan, yet they deliberately leave that impression.

GUIDE???? LOL, yeah, right, no, these are timeshare sales men that use lies and deception...maybe not as bad as the stereotypical timeshare sales person, but still liars.

Sorry, just heard too many stories from friends, relatives and right here, to think that your experience was typical.

 

[Richyams]

but the one misleading statement they make is that it doesn't matter where you own.

Its more than one, way more.

"VB dues were lowest once, they may be again"

"Occupancy rules are for fools"

"We have something "substantially similar" to replace the free passes when they expire in 2000"

"HH is going to sell out this summer".....this one has been popular since '98 or '99

 

[RLevy29]

I think it depends on why you buy into DVC. Some people buy points to make sure that they can stay where they want at DW any time of the year. If you can book your reservations 11 months in advance and you really care about where you stay, then your home resort matters a lot. If you don't care which DVC resort you stay at or you can't make reservations more than 7 months in advance then it doesn't matter.
I love all of the DVC resorts. They all have their positive and negative sides. But they are all deluxe resorts and worth more than just staying in a hotel room.

 

[RobDoc]

While some seem to delight in suggesting that features of the DVC program are falsehoods, my personal experience has been that I own at OKW and HH and have stayed at all DVC resorts making reservations within 7 months on numerous occasions.

Certainly, there have been times when I had to patiently wait for the waitlist to provide dates I wanted, but I have never found a time I wanted to go to any DVC resort and was unable to make a reservation- even at Christmas time and early December at BWV- all within 7 months and sometimes within 2 weeks.

Since the HH sales office has been closed for about a year, reports of presentations there are from memories at least 12 months old.

Features of DVC do allow for non-home reservations using points beginning at 7 months. I'll still challenge anyone to name a date that someone can't get a non-home reservation within 7 months.

I'd still suggest purchasing where you'd like to stay, but points can be used at any of the DVC resorts.

Dues at VB were lowest at one point, they are currently the highest, but it is within the realm of possibility that they could be lowest again.

HH has sold out and it's not even summer yet. With defaulted contracts and DVC's ROFR, all resorts are still available directly thru DVC- even OKW and BWV- but they are also officially sold out...and it's not even summer yet.

While some wish to paint all DVC guides with the same broad brush, many here can express very honest communication with their own DVC sales experience. For those who feel misled by sales comments, a thorough reading of the legal documents will provide all aspects of the program. Many have even had an attorney review the documents prior to signing to make sure they understood their rights within the contract.

Verbal representations are overridden by the actual documents and there is even a period of time allowing buyers to rescind the contract without penalty- thus allowing opportunity to review all aspects of the contract.

Enjoy!

 

[A1A1]

My guide never misled me.


I chose to purchase my original contract and add-ons at the resorts where I wished to stay. I used to be able to stay at different times during the year, so home resort didn't matter. Things have changed and we can only go now during school holidays. Home resort priority is imperative.

 

[mickeyc]

I agree with Doc. My experience in the three years we have been DVC owners is we have been able to get reservations at both our home resort and other resorts under the 7 month window. I have been on the waitlist and they have come thru even during the Xmas holidays. The only time I was not able to get a reservation was in Oct. and we attempted to make the reservation within three weeks of our travel date. I didn't realize the Wine & Food Festival was such a draw, during a slow time at WDW. We were lucky we stayed at Port Orleans with my son who was a CM at the time and received a nice discount. Now he is off to dental school- -no more discounts. However, we will still be able to take advantage of our DVC membership. Good luck in your decision!

 

[jimmytammy]

I think its important for you to purchase where you will want to stay the most. Our guide told us we could stay at BWV at the 7 mos window but depending on what time of year it was it may be difficult to book there. Same goes for all the other DVC resorts as well. I wanted BWV originally but all contracts were sold so WLV was next available. I have never stayed at other DVC resorts YET but look forward to staying at all of them soon.

Bottom line is buy where you feel you want to be at most. All the DVC resorts are very very nice so you wont go wrong at any of them.

And by the way none of your questions were stupid... we all have been there, heck Im still there... learning as I go...and having fun along the way!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Very nicely said, Doc.
My guide went out of his way to point out the advantages/disadvantages of our home resort. We bought at VWL and VB because that is where we will stay most. I may choose to buy SSR so I will have the 11 month window for a Grand Villa.

Good Luck.....

 

[dbkelly]

If location is very important to you and you plan to attend WDW during high season, then you should buy were you want to stay. However, if you are more interested in getting more for your buck, then OKW beats out every resort. My husband and I like BWV, but we could not justify the additional cost when OKW is just as wonderful (just not as convenient).

You need to decide if cost or location is more important. If you have plenty of money to spare then I wouldn't even consider cost. However, if you do not plan to attend WDW during high season, I think it would be unwise to purchase anywhere else except for OKW, because you could most likely stay anywhere you want for the cheapest cost.

The bottom line, you just need to decide what is more important to you, cost or location and purchase accordingly.

D. B. Kelly

 

[crisi]

Buy where you won't be disappointed if you end up there.....

Also, buy what fits your needs. We bought BWV - although we looked at an OKW resale, love VWL and BCV was what Disney was currently selling. Had they still been selling VWL we'd have bought there. We bought BWV because we got a contract at the right price (resale, back when resales could be a good deal) at the right time with the right number of points and a decent use year for our travel plans. Others bought OKW because it was the only thing available at the time, or BCV because it was all Disney was selling on site and they didn't want to buy resale - those people are often quite happy. Others will look for an OKW resale because the low dues, low point structure, and bigger rooms are very important (although I can take advantage of OKWs low point structure and bigger rooms at the seven month window, I'll still pay BWV dues to do so).