What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of picking between the different "home base locations?" Which do you feel are better to choose from or stay away from?
Thank you all soo very much!!!
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What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of picking between the different "home base locations?" Which do you feel are better to choose from or stay away from?
Thank you all soo very much!!!
Remember there are two types of locations:
New (currently Saratoga, Animal Kingdom, Contemporary, Hawaii, and Grand California)
And Used (everywhere else)
Assuming you have visited WDW several times over the years, you probably have some favorite resorts. They all have their own personalities and appeal to different people for different reasons. There are no bad choices.
You should buy into DVC at a resort you want to stay in.
If you choose to buy new points from Disney, your choices will be Bay Lake Tower (at the Contemporary) or Animal Kingdom Villas, and probably Saratoga Springs (those are the new ones in Florida).
If you want one of the older resorts (with shorter life spans as well)- you would most likely have to do that by resale. That would include Old Key West, Boardwalk, Beach Club and Wilderness Lodge.
With the DVC Membership growing as wildly as it has been, it is becoming more difficult to reserve vacations at other resorts (not impossible, just more difficult). So just make sure you buy points at a resort you enjoy.
There appear to be some problems with folks trying to stay outside of their home resort. So, if staying at a particular resort is important, buy there.
The newer resorts have more useful years left on their contracts. For example, Boardwalk contracts are good until 2042 I think, but AKL and BLT are 2057 if I recall correctly.
The biggest thing to remember is you can make reservations at 11 months out at your home resort. You need to wait until 7 months out to make reservations at a non-home resort. At 7 months, many of the DVC resorts are already very full (SSR excluded for the most part)
Here are the expiration dates for the contracts:
2042
Old Key West
Boardwalk
Hilton Head
Vero Beach
Wilderness Lodge
Beach Club
2054
Saratoga
2057
Contemporary
Animal Kingdom Lodge
I don't know if they've released dates for the Grand Californian or the Oahu sites yet....but they will probably be in the same ballpark
What factors should one consider in choosing their home resort?
The most popular philosophy, and the one I personally adhere to, is “Buy Where You Want to Stay”. If you really love a particular resort, then buy into it. There are some people who have a particular fondness for a resort and really want to stay at that particular resort, and they would be unhappy if they were not able to book there. These folks should buy where they want to stay, provided that they can reliably plan and book to take advantage of the 11-month home resort booking advantage.
If a specific resort (theme/style, location, villa type and/or view) is important to you and you want the 11-month home resort booking advantage, then buy into that resort. The need for the home resort booking advantage varies by resort, villa type, view and time of year that you most often vacation.
I fall into this camp, as I am a planner and always book my WDW vacations at the 11-month window so that I can stay at the resorts that I love – BCV, BLT, BWV, VWL, and AKV.
If you don’t have a particular fondness for a certain resort, or if you’re not a planner and anticipate always booking at the 7-month window (or less), then one of the next two philosophies may be best for you.
One alternative philosophy states “Buy Where You Wouldn't Mind Staying”. This view states that people should avoid buying at a resort that they really wouldn't be happy staying at. Since the resort you buy into will be your default location should your other options fall through at the 7-month window, you should pick a resort that you would wouldn’t mind staying at; i.e., it would not make you unhappy.
Finally, others promote the idea of “Buy the best deal”; that is, whatever resort has the lowest overall cost. If any resort is fine, then buy where you get the best overall deal for total cost of ownership. Recognize that the variables for that depend on purchase cost (price, closing costs and finance charges), annual dues, expected length of ownership and likely resale value upon disposition. Keep in mind that any savings in upfront purchase cost will probably be offset by the difference in maintenance fees.
I'm just going to add that OKW now has two end dates - 2042 for people who didn't extend when offered and 2057 for those who did or if you buy from Disney. I suspect most resales will not be the extended dates but would expect some difference in cost if they have the longer date.
I disagree.....i wouldn't imagine those that bothered to pay extra 30 years from the end of the contract are those that would now be reselling.....but i'm sure it is that case in someQuote:
Originally Posted by dlpmikki
Actually you agree with me. I said that most resales would be the shorter dates. And it is 15 years not 30 years extra (simple maths).Quote:
Originally Posted by lockedoutlogic
Quote:
Originally Posted by dlpmikki
sorry...i misread you...
...then you misread me....I said those that pay extra when they STILL had 30 years remaining on their contract
which is exactly what those that bought the 15 years extra at OKW did
I agree 100%! Buy what and where you love. Our fave resort was YC, so buying into BCV was a no brainer.Quote:
Originally Posted by DVC Mike