Wish you bought at another DVC resort?

[jimmytammy]

We own 3 contracts at VWL and have no regrets. I will say that you should buy where you most likely will want to stay the most. That is very important for us.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We love where we bought, BWV, VWL and VB and we have used the 11 month window at all of the places.

If we ever found that we were consistently shut out of a night or two at BCV, even during a weekend, we would probably add some points on there.

Bobbi

 

[robinb]

We bought at contract at OKW and then bought another one at BWV. Sometimes I regret not buying at BCV, only because it seems to hold it's value better than the other resorts and would be easier to sell if I needed to. But, for our needs (Epcot proximity (BWV), standard View rooms (BWV), availability of Grand Villas at a cheap price (OKW)) our choices have worked out well for us.

 

[RAD]

Sometimes I regret not buying at BCV, only because it seems to hold it's value better than the other resorts and would be easier to sell if I needed to.

I'm happy with how BWV's resale prices have been holding up. My original contract(s) were at $69 per point and now I see the resales going in the low to mid $80's, only one listed at the TSS was for $79.

 

[WDWLVR]

We bought our main contract and BWV and that is where we love staying the most. I love having the 11 month window there.

We also own points at VB and they work well for us as well.

We've tried all the DVC resorts except SSR and HH and are quite happy with where we have bought. We still like to try others and I'm sure we'll have visits to SSR and HH soon enough!

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I wish I had bought sooner!!! I had a hard time comprehending the "points thing" we have 2 weeks of fixed week timeshare and it is all I knew!! When my brother in law bought, we thought he was nuts!!! Also because he doesn't explain we either!! Finally in 2002 I started pushing and rented points at OKW, well before we stayed in November of 2002, I had put a bid in on VWL points and by Jan 2003 we closed. I knew i wanted VWL, and the only way was resale, luckily got in before the "boom" and with closing got 196 points at 66 a point with 196 banked!!! Since then bought from DVC to to end up with 260 points!! Don't regret it at all, just wish I could get down more! My other choice would have been OKW, because its less points and larger rooms, OKW is the only resort I would stay 4 in a studio!

 

[southtown]

We bought at the only place available at the time BCV. We were considering a 50 pt resale at OKW(enough for 5 nts at a studio). We bumped into some BCV owners and they were saying that the Epcot resort area is the place to be, and after seeing Stormalong Bay we decided to buy at BCV. A few months later SSR became available and I was very upset to think for 750 more dollars I would have had 12 more years. But after staying at BCV and figuring I will most likely be gone in 37 years, I am very happy at BCV. Maybe we will buy another contract to gain those years for our kids to take their kids,but I aint going to worry about it for awhile.

 

[KyleRayner]

We wish we'd bought another DVC resort initially, OKW instead of VWL. That's only because DH loved OKW when we stayed there the first time, after we became members. However, since OKW has always been available at the 7 month window, it wasn't a big deal for us where we owned. And with the price of points going up every time you turn around, it seems, we're glad that at least we bought somewhere! Last year, DH decided he felt more comfortable being an OKW owner (just in case there's any need for the 11 month window in the future) so we did the switch home resorts thing. But, like I said, we've never regretted buying ANYWHERE we could get in when we did, never wish we'd waited, etc. The only advantage if we'd originally bought at OKW would have been to avoid the hassle this past year of the buy/sell process. But we've always been happy we bought.

What was involved in switching your home resort from VWL to OKW? Was it a hassle? Just curious. I bought at OKW but I wish I had bought at either BCV or BWV. I bought at OKW because at the time, they had one of the lower annual dues.

 

[Simba's Mom]

What was involved in switching your home resort from VWL to OKW? Was it a hassle? Just curious. I bought at OKW but I wish I had bought at either BCV or BWV. I bought at OKW because at the time, they had one of the lower annual dues.

Frankly, it was kind of a hassle. We bought at OKW first, had to wait on ROFR, sign papers, all that. Then we sold at VWL and had to go through all of that there. However, since OKW had lower dues (at least that's the reasoning that I used on DH), we ended up ahead on points (+210-175) so I'm not really complaining. It was sort of like getting 35 point add-on, just a little extra work.

 

[JimC]

We own at two -- OKW and BCV. Wish we had bought both when they were first announced We toured in August 1992 and made our purchases in July 2002. That is right ten years later.

We are interested in buying VWL primarily to have the 11 month booking advantage for December reservations.

If AKL got a DVC resort we would probably add-on there as well.

 

[debbie in Seattle]

Bought at both BWV and BCV, sold BWV and still have BCV. Love the location, it being by itself, smaller and more intimate. BWV was too huge for me, but must say, the views are great. How often do we go to WDW to sit in the rooms and stare out the door? Not too many, to be honest, I bet.
We aren't ones for spur of the moment vacations, so the issue with having to pretty much book at the 11 month window hasn't become a big deal (yet).

 

[Beca]

We originally bought at BWV because the price of the contracts were very reasonable, and I loved the idea of the standard view points. We then added on at VWL (for Christmas) and OKW (for the cheap grand villas)....THEN we took our first trip "home". We realized about halfway into the trip that we had mad some bad mistakes (for us). DH wasn't crazy about the atmosphere at BWV (too busy), and although we really LOVED the theming and boat ride at VWL, we realized maybe an add-on of 60 points would be better for us than our contract of 200. We also realized that OKW was too remote for us to feel like we were "living" at WDW. We came home from our trip, sold all of our points, and bought at BCV....we truly fell in love with that place!!!

So, I certainly advise buying where your heart is pulling you, not your head. I really WANTED to love BWV more, because contracts are plentiful and the standard view points are one of the best DVC deals out there, but what we realized was that even more precious than the money we spent on DVC was dh's vacation time to go to WDW. For us, staying at our favorite resort was important...we only get to go to WDW for about 2 wks every year...it is important for us to 1) stay where we truly feel like we are vacationing in luxury, and 2) know that we have the "home" advantage to stay there and are not panicking day-by-day at the 7 month window. I have said this many times, but for us....owning where we want to stay is a bargain, but paying for a resort that we don't "love"....well, that's just too expensive.



Beca

 

[dvc-NE]

Beca: I thought you owned truck fulls of points. Do you get a 2 BR, that what it sounds like. Matt

 

[disney-super-mom]

I have to say that we want to buy where our "hearts" our pulling us, like Beca advised, but we won't have the luxury of visiting WDW and all the DVC resorts before buying. Basically, we'll be buying sight unseen, so we have to make a decision based on what we learn here from all of you, as well as reviews and pictures.

It's a hard decision because ALL the DVC resorts sound great, but they're all great for very different, yet all equally important reasons.

I'm now leaning in the direction of three DVC resorts to consider for us (yes, I keep changing my mind ):

OKW, BCV and VWL (oh, who am I kidding, we're still considering BWV too!)

The only resort that's consistently been on our list is OKW. We just can't seem to get over how inexpensive it is to stay there point wise vs. the other DVC resorts, especially those grand villas, which we could end up reserving a lot since we'll invite guests to join us at WDW often! That 11 month booking window could be very important for us and come in handy to book an OKW grand villa.

One thing that keeps us from making a decision is the question of being able to book a room at the 7 month window. I keep reading that it's getting more difficult to book rooms at the smaller DVC resorts at the 7 month window, or sometimes even earlier! If this is true, it will greatly influence our decision on where to buy!

 

[pouncingpluto]

We just bought at SSR, and we're happy with our decision, but if BWV had the longer contract, we would have bought there in a heartbeat. We were married on the Boardwalk and really love it there, so sentimentally that's what we would love to have. But I just can't get past the 12 years, as I won't even be retirement age yet come the end of the BWV/BCV/OKW/VWL contracts and don't want to lose our points at that time.

That said, we really like the adult feel at SSR, and we love the idea of walking to DD the same way we love the walk to World Showcase from BWV.

But we want to try them all! I think we'll be doing that for the next few years until we settle into our "home."

 

[Beca]

Beca: I thought you owned truck fulls of points. Do you get a 2 BR, that what it sounds like. Matt

Nope, not a truckfull!!! Right now we have 540, but we are on the list for 60 more (it's been a LONG wait). That is enough for a week in a 2 bedroom in December (about 270), and a week in a 1 bdrm during higher-peak times (about 200) with a few points to spare. The problem is, those "few points to spare" keep getting used up pretty quickly!!! I used to be the Artistic Director of a children's theatre in Phoenix. A lot of my students were EXACTLY the same age. Those students (who were my FAVORITE kids) will be seniors next year. I have been teaching some of them since they were six years old, so I REALLY want to treat the seniors to a trip to WDW. Actually, they will have to cover everything BUT the room....but, I figure we can do that for them. So, March of '07 I will need another two bedroom plus a studio for that trip. Also, my dd really misses her best friend in Phoenix, so we plan to treat them every year to a room at WDW so the two girls can "hook up" as long as our dd feels the need!! This March, DH does not have enough vacation, so he is just going for a long weekend, and we are staying a few more days. We are just doing two studios that week...and, I had to BORROW the points for that!!!

No matter how many points I own...I ALWAYS seem to be in borrow mode!!!



Beca

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have to say that we want to buy where our "hearts" our pulling us, like Beca advised, but we won't have the luxury of visiting WDW and all the DVC resorts before buying. Basically, we'll be buying sight unseen, so we have to make a decision based on what we learn here from all of you, as well as reviews and pictures.

It's a hard decision because ALL the DVC resorts sound great, but they're all great for very different, yet all equally important reasons.

I'm now leaning in the direction of three DVC resorts to consider for us (yes, I keep changing my mind ):

OKW, BCV and VWL (oh, who am I kidding, we're still considering BWV too!)

The only resort that's consistently been on our list is OKW. We just can't seem to get over how inexpensive it is to stay there point wise vs. the other DVC resorts, especially those grand villas, which we could end up reserving a lot since we'll invite guests to join us at WDW often! That 11 month booking window could be very important for us and come in handy to book an OKW grand villa.

One thing that keeps us from making a decision is the question of being able to book a room at the 7 month window. I keep reading that it's getting more difficult to book rooms at the smaller DVC resorts at the 7 month window, or sometimes even earlier! If this is true, it will greatly influence our decision on where to buy!

One thing you should consider is buying two smaller contracts so you have home resort priviledges at two different places.

Like others, our biggest regret was not purchasing when we first learned about DVC back in 1992. We waited 5 years until we could afford it, and then just missed the free passes! We had a choice between OKW and BWV, and the choice for us was an easy one and the right one. We don't care for BWV at all and LOVE OKW! Besides likeing the set up, size and decor, we love that the point cost is less. We really prefer staying there to anywhere else on site. We do own two contracts, but both are at OKW, because we know we want to stay there most. Your expected travel dates might effect where you want to have as a home resort as well. If you like to travel eary December and like lots of great HOliday decor, you might put more consideration on VWL. The atmosphere there is marvelous, but too much like home for us, so we never stay there. OKW just feels so much like home away from home to us.

You might also consider if the extra 12 years are a concern for you. If you are young, that might make buying at least some of your points at SSR a good deal.

 

[DisneyPhD]

No matter how many points I own...I ALWAYS seem to be in borrow mode!!!



Beca

I don't have many points, but we are in a constant state of borrowing points. The good news is none ever go to waste that way.

 

[dvc-NE]

Nope, not a truckfull!!! No matter how many points I own...I ALWAYS seem to be in borrow mode!!!



Beca

Beca: I knew you were a kind person, and generous to a fault like my wife. But isn't the "borrow mode" the mode of choice? Matt

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We own at VWL and VB. I specifically purchased at these resorts. We purchased at VWL the last day they were for sale through DVD (February 2, 2002). BCV was going on sale on the 3rd, so we had our choice of either. I just can't get enough of the theme, and quality theming found at VWL/WL.
My wife enjoys the beach, so VB was a good option for us. We like the 11 month window, as we often book a cottage. It really is a beautiful resort.

MG