What would be the best DVC resort to buy right now?

[BarryandCaron]

Originally Posted by Emily90

Thank you for your replies.

Can I ask - how difficult are Grand Floridian studios and Beach Club studios to get at 7 months in relatively low periods such as early May, and in late august? Thank you

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I was looking at BCV and Poly studios at 7 months for May 2019. There wasn’t any availability for BCV studios the whole of May.

[skstorm]

I looked at Beach club studios in August last year and there were non available we did get a one bed for 5 days though

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by YorkshireT

Both times, save for any marathons etc are low DVC times. Bang on 7 months at both times you stand a chance, but far from guaranteed in studios.

Not sure about a marathon weekend, but other than that or a public holiday, 1 beds at both resorts are usually no problem at these times at 7 months.

Trying to get studios at 7 months is a lot more of a gamble than 1 beds- significantly more.

You need flexibility with getting studios at 7 months- you’ll almost always have choices other than your home resort, but need to be prepared for potential disappointment for one of the most popular. But, for example, I booked Copper Creek this summer in a studio.

If you want VGF or BCV (which is harder to get than BWV) in studios and have to stop there, I’d buy there. VGF can be a toughie to get even in 1 beds at certain times, but not in summer.

1 beds are totally different to studios generally though, you will usually have a very good choice. As above I’ve booked Boardwalk just before Xmas this year (a low points very high demand time), could have had Beach Club, last Xmas I stayed in BLT and Beach Club 1 beds, booked Grand Californian for summer - all 1 beds of course and all supposed difficult to book places.

But it looks like you are considering studios, and if I was always booking studios this requires a differing mindset for those wanting the most popular resorts.

Another tactic some do is rather than buying enough points for a studio at say VGF, they’ll buy twice the points at a cheaper resort for ‘sleep around’ points booking 1 beds. More dues to pay of course, but if you do score that studio you can rent out the rest of the points that would cover virtually all your dues for the year. Otherwise these people like me, stay mainly where they want in 1 beds.

Study ‘skier petes’ 7 month availability charts on the ‘other board’. Be aware where he says ‘patchy’ availability at 7 months, it is generally available and he told me his charts in that regard are on the pessimistic side as he wasn’t checking it as soon as the booking window opened. I always checking 7 month availability out of interest and have often seen patchy is really available.

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Very unlikely to ever be a Run Disney event in May or September as it would be too hot. I was trying to highlight that availability seven months from today was probably not indicative of normal seven month availability (due to the Marathon weekend).

[KarenG]

Originally Posted by skstorm

I looked at Beach club studios in August last year and there were non available we did get a one bed for 5 days though

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Yes, YT always has very helpful insight about one bed availability being so much better than studios.

For OP, another way of looking at it for you, could be that you could have much bigger accommodation in future through DVC one beds for less than you’ve likely spent in the past on single rooms?

[gavvy]

I would not be tempted to but at Vero or Hilton head unless you want to stay at those resorts, the buy-in is a lot cheaper but the Annual dues are much higher and will quickly erode the savings you made, plus you only have the 7-month window to stay at WDW which may cause issues depending on demand.

[JasonErpelding]

Originally Posted by BarryandCaron

I was looking at BCV and Poly studios at 7 months for May 2019. There wasn’t any availability for BCV studios the whole of May.

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Even though Beach Club expires 2042 this is the reason it still sells for around $138 to $145 per point. Location, location, location.

Jason Erpelding
Lic. Real Estate Broker
Buy and Sell DVC, Inc.®

[YorkshireT]

Originally Posted by KarenG

Yes, YT always has very helpful insight about one bed availability being so much better than studios.

For OP, another way of looking at it for you, could be that you could have much bigger accommodation in future through DVC one beds for less than you’ve likely spent in the past on single rooms?

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Thanks Karen, I know I harp on about it but it is a good strategy which often isn’t considered. Doesn’t work for everyone, but I haven’t regretted for a second going down the buy enough Saratoga points for 1 bed sleep around points at all- in fact it’s worked out fantastically well.

Using this strategy nothing is guaranteed, and that’s a big point, if you (as in the prospective buyer) have to stay in one place at a certain time, buy there and don’t consider this strategy. If however you are happy to take your pick from a large choice at 7 months, and know there will be likely some very good choice, and probably where you’d like to stay, then go ahead. Also if you can get a studio, you can rent the rest for all the dues to be covered.

Downsides- less certainty, higher buy in (although not much more with say an SSR vs VGF) higher dues. Upside- significantly superior accommodation, 7 month availability, ability to score a studio, rent and cover all dues.

It was always an easier strategy for us also because most of the time we like the 1 beds and would be staying there anyway.

So to me, buying at Boardwalk made little sense when we bought (only because of length of contract, otherwise I’d have bought in) as I’ve never not been able to get in at 7 in the 1 bed and it’s our favourite.

There are exceptions to this one bed resale point strategy though. As I say if you have to stay In one place, if you like to stay in Copper Creek for example.

But buying where you want to stay in 1 beds could be pointless. For example, if you know you are staying in 1 beds at AKV- why pay the extra dues unless you want a shot at club, you can always get 1 beds. Same OKW. I’d pretty much also say the same about Boardwalk, BRV, and others at the moment.

Also adopting this strategy be aware things can change, both with availability and you.

We constantly hear rooms are getting harder to get at 7 month, and they are- in studios. As it gets more expensive, people are buying only enough points for studios. I have not seen the same availability tightening in 1 beds, but it theoretically could happen.

Next you may decide to move to studios- if the kids grow up etc. funnily enough we have gone for 2 studio bookings recently. One in summer as it was only a 4 night stay and we needed to conserve points. I got Copper Creek, albeit sadly that is off.

We have booked an SSR for Easter as we have booked another trip- I’ll probably try to shift as I’ve had to go preferred for the refurb room, but if not possible I’m more than happy at SSR.

Sleep around points though I would not recommend as a sole contract for studios, and in that scenario I’d be likely buy where I want to stay. But be alive to the fact that if you buy VGF and are in a studio, I could quite easily be next door in a large one bed, having paid almost the same buy in.

[KarenG]

YT I laughed out loud at your post! I hope you didn’t think mine was suggesting you ‘harped on’ 😂

It sounds like polite corporate conversations where I thank people for their consistent feedback on a subject when what I’m thinking is ‘stop harping on’ 😆

[lam]

When we eventually bought at AKL, we considered

The 'wow' factor.
The bedrooms and layout of the resort
The 'feel' of the resort itself and the facilities it offered
transport availability and times to parks.
size of the resort
food/restaurant
pool/tubs etc
childrens areas and activities
unique additions eg savannah and night goggles at AKL


points charts per room (type)
concierge rooms?
how often we'd stay and for how long
annually or bi-annually
Then decide if you need a large contract or 2 smaller contracts at the same or a different resort?
larger contracts tend to take longer to sell in some dvc's and for less US$ per point whereas smaller contracts in most resorts tend to keep their value better.
lease/contract expiry term as this can affect price too. some 20+ years and others 35+ years.

Re- sale is much cheaper but you don't get the same benefits now as if you buy direct from disney.
SO 2 contracts? buy smallest no of points at favourite resort with disney? and another contract at a cheaper resort via resale?

As Karen G and Yorkshire T and others have stated, lots to consider so take your time and don't forget to consider the future too.
eg My son now grown up and thankfully still loves to go to disney and still loves our resort
BUT we needed child activities and childminding whilst on site and didn't want to be too far away.AKL offered child facilities at the time as well as restaurants, bar and seating areas

Nowadays, its the animals, pool, games arcade and the parks he is more interested in!
The point is, it works for us and has done for the past 13 years!

Good luck with it all!
I haven't regretted buying AKV jambo house points resale for a single minute!

[YorkshireT]

I think the satisfaction scores for DVC owners is incredibly high- it is rare you hear from one who regrets buying and even those who sell, say they have had a good experience. It isnt for everyone though. There is a thing called 'addonitis' and it is real, where owners buy one contract and then need more, and more points and keep on buying add ons. I was bitten quite a few times myself with this bug.