Would you risk this?

[captainkidd]

I found a great resale price at Vero Beach. It would cover the amount of points we'd need in a year (over 600), and the price is excellent. However, we have no desire to ever stay there. We go to WDW for 1 week in January and 2 weeks in mid July. Given the 7 month window rule, do you think we'd have any problems getting a 1 bedroom for those 2 weeks in July at either Wilderness, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Bay Lake, Animal Kingdom?

I know there's no definite yes or no answer to this, but based on your experiences, would this be a good idea?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

Personally, I wouldn't want to take that chance. At least if you bought at a WDW resort you didn't like then you would still be in WDW if you had to be at that home resort. Also, I would caution against buying one really large contract like that. The reason the price is probably so good is because that person if having a very hard time selling. Even if you need 600 points, you would probably want to break that down to 3 contracts at 200 points each.

 

[captainkidd]

Personally, I wouldn't want to take that chance. At least if you bought at a WDW resort you didn't like then you would still be in WDW if you had to be at that home resort. Also, I would caution against buying one really large contract like that. The reason the price is probably so good is because that person if having a very hard time selling. Even if you need 600 points, you would probably want to break that down to 3 contracts at 200 points each.

I was thinking about that. Can you do that resale? Only problem I see with that is, what if the points don't all come at the same time? It could get rather confusing.

Vero Beach resale is going for as little as $39 per point. That's crazy!

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I was thinking about that. Can you do that resale? Only problem I see with that is, what if the points don't all come at the same time? It could get rather confusing.

Vero Beach resale is going for as little as $39 per point. That's crazy!

With resale, you would have to buy 3 separate contracts. You are correct in saying that it could be potentially difficult because you would likely be buying from 3 different people. You can't split a contract once it has been sold, so those 600 points you see at Vero will be one 600 point contract until 2042 (unless Disney reacquires it and the points go into their inventory). With Disney they can split your contracts however you want when you make your purchase.

 

[captainkidd]

With resale, you would have to buy 3 separate contracts. You are correct in saying that it could be potentially difficult because you would likely be buying from 3 different people. You can't split a contract once it has been sold, so those 600 points you see at Vero will be one 600 point contract until 2042 (unless Disney reacquires it and the points go into their inventory). With Disney they can split your contracts however you want when you make your purchase.

That sounds like a risk to buy resale then, am I correct?

 

[Pioneer Hall]

That sounds like a risk to buy resale then, am I correct?

Well, risk is dependent on the person. I bought a 200 point contract through resale which I didn't think was risky at all. If I need to sell, I should be able to get rid of a 200 point contract since there are a lot more people looking for that as opposed to 600 point contracts. Buying any 600 point contract is a risk...doesn't matter if it comes from Disney or a resale company. I think the bigger risk of this situation is that it is all at Vero. I know people who own there and have never stayed there either, but I personally wouldn't want to take the chance if I traveled during the busier times of year like you do (or if you really don't mind Saratoga).

 

[captainkidd]

Well, risk is dependent on the person. I bought a 200 point contract through resale which I didn't think was risky at all. If I need to sell, I should be able to get rid of a 200 point contract since there are a lot more people looking for that as opposed to 600 point contracts. Buying any 600 point contract is a risk...doesn't matter if it comes from Disney or a resale company. I think the bigger risk of this situation is that it is all at Vero. I know people who own there and have never stayed there either, but I personally wouldn't want to take the chance if I traveled during the busier times of year like you do (or if you really don't mind Saratoga).

LOL - That's what I was thinking, "Well, if all else fails, we can always stay at Saratoga." I don't like it there, so that would be a bad move on my part.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

LOL - That's what I was thinking, "Well, if all else fails, we can always stay at Saratoga." I don't like it there, so that would be a bad move on my part.

That's been my attitude since joining the DVC. My home resort is Saratoga, a property I detest and never plan to stay at. I've always had other options, usually my first choice (AKL) is available.

But, absolute worst case scenario, Saratoga is still at Disney.

 

[jim1051]

January dayes should be OK at 7 months. July might be iffy, unless you don't care at which resort you stay.

I own at Hilton Head since 1999. My only regret is that I did not buy at WDW since we have been there way more than Hilton head. 4 grand children have caused that. I guess as they grow we'll return to HH more.

 

[MaxsDad]

Capp,

I recently booked a SavanView studio at AKL Jambo for 6 out of seven nights two months out for the end of April, first of May. I would think that to be comparable to mid-January. As I have been looking to get that last, seventh night, OKW was available for Thu-Sun up until about a week ago. At the time of this typing, the fulll week is still available at SSR.

I have not stayed DVC points in Jan or July. I find it hard to believe that somone on top of their planning could not get 1BR at WDW by booking on the very first possible hour on the very first possible day at the 7 month window of the seasons you reference. At that moment, all are equal. You could have paid $180/ point at the GF DVC, or $40/pt for a closet in maintainance building at SSR. You are treated equally.

Especially likely is a 1BR. It is my beleif that 1BR's are the nomansland of DVC. If I have 4 people, I am likely to get a studio, as it takes less points, I can stay longer, get better views, go more often, etc. If I have more than 4/5 people, I will go 2BR for obvious reasons. Therefore, 1BR appeal to a smaller market: "I have 4/5 people, I have points to blow, but not enough people or points to go 2BR." I realize this is a generalization, but if we are using the law of large numbers, it applies.

For a more concrete answer, I just checked availablity for mid-July for a 1BR on the website. Available: 1BR Std view and Pool view at Boardwalk. (Standard view at Boardwalk is a great deal, and hard to get I am told), AKL Savannah view, Wilderness Lodge. This is about 3.5 months out.

Now, you didn't ask this, but I will caution this. Dues at the beach properties are high, and have the greatest potential to get really high (storms, insurance, property taxes) IMHO. A large contract would be hard to sell already, as others have said. What if the dues started to skyrocket? could you get stuck?

The beach properties have always appeared to me to be an up front savings at the expense of longer term cost. Weigh that carefully.

 

[tjkraz]

We go to WDW for 1 week in January and 2 weeks in mid July. Given the 7 month window rule, do you think we'd have any problems getting a 1 bedroom for those 2 weeks in July at either Wilderness, Beach Club, Boardwalk, Bay Lake, Animal Kingdom?

Animal Kingdom would be easiest to get. It's the largest resort and due to it's relative seclusion, not among the most sought-after Deluxe properties. I'll go out on a limb and say that AKV will be available upward of 95% of the time for the dates you mention when booking right at 7 months.

Others will be available some times and not others. Waitlisting will be successful sometimes and not others. From your list, the next highest probabilities are likely to be BoardWalk Pool view and BLT Lake view.

I was thinking about that. Can you do that resale? Only problem I see with that is, what if the points don't all come at the same time? It could get rather confusing.

Regarding separate contracts, ideally you would want to buy the same Use Year. That's the only way DVC will link them together in a master/subordinate relationship. If you buy different Use Years you face 30+ years of additional headaches trying to manage the points. They aren't major headaches but enough to give you extra work for 30+ years and it raises the possibility of points being lost if not managed properly.

As for resale value, it depends on how much weight you want to give to that factor. Yes, 600 points will be harder to sell than 3 x 200. But is that enough of a reason to walk away? Only you can decide.

Vero Beach resale is going for as little as $39 per point. That's crazy!

Consider that Vero dues are $7.12 per point in 2012. By comparison Saratoga Springs dues are $4.73 per point. Assuming similar annual % increases in dues, a difference of $2.39 per point today means the Vero points will cost you more than a SSR purchase by year 9 or 10. For the remaining 20 years the Vero points will cost you more annually than SSR ownership.

That's why the market is so soft for Vero points.

LOL - That's what I was thinking, "Well, if all else fails, we can always stay at Saratoga." I don't like it there, so that would be a bad move on my part.

Does "Well, if all else fails, we can always stay at Vero" give you any more comfort?

 

[goodanu]

$7.12 per point in mf's today. 600@ $4272.00is crazy money. What your saving in upfront costs will eventually get eaten up by the mf's.

Please explain to me why this would be a good buy? Ssr fees are 2 dollars less. Saving roughly $1200 per year.

 

[Tigger 68]

My family goes to WDW every year the week of July 4th and we get a 2 bedroom villa. Our home resort is SS and we have never stayed there. We have always gotten our first choice on where to stay. We have stayed multiple times at Boardwalk, BLT, Wilderness Lodge, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. The only minor problem we had was we stayed at BLT and had to switch from a MK view to BL view mid trip due to availability.

 

[Tom]

That's been my attitude since joining the DVC. My home resort is Saratoga, a property I detest and never plan to stay at. I've always had other options, usually my first choice (AKL) is available.

But, absolute worst case scenario, Saratoga is still at Disney.

We are in the exact same situation. Bought 200 at SSR in 2008 and have never stayed there....and never plan to. There's always SOMETHING available at 7 months, except BLT MK View....or if you travel during peak season.

But then again, off-season is different for DVC, because DVC members are often a bit more WDW-savvy than the average guest, and know when to go....making the off seasons become more of a moderate season at Villas.

 

[captainkidd]

$7.12 per point in mf's today. 600@ $4272.00is crazy money. What your saving in upfront costs will eventually get eaten up by the mf's.

Please explain to me why this would be a good buy? Ssr fees are 2 dollars less. Saving roughly $1200 per year.

I was unaware the dues were that high at Vero Beach.

 

[Tom]

I was unaware the dues were that high at Vero Beach.

Me too. Ouch.

 

[Pioneer Hall]

I was unaware the dues were that high at Vero Beach.

Yeah, they got hit really badly by hurricanes in 04. They had to close the resort for a while to clean up the damages. Unfortunately, those types of unexpected costs are going to be placed on owners.

 

[slappy magoo]

I suspect Disney gets a break on property taxes in Orlando they dont get anywhere else, which will make the non wdw Dvc resort's maintenance fees rise higher than the ones in Orlando. That as well as the hits HH and VB may have endured due to prop damage.

 

[captainkidd]

This is why I ask these questions. Everyone here seems to know their DVC stuff.

I know some think I'm anti-DVC, but I'm really not. I want to be able to join and have it make sense for me. I'm always hearing people (both Disney CM's and non) tell me "Why don't you join DVC? You're the perfect candidate." It bothers me that I can't seem to understand how I would be.

 

[awilliams4]

One concern I would have with buying VB or HHI with the intent on using those points to mostly stay at WDW is there is always the possibility that VB/HHI could be sold off or somehow separated from the WDW pool and you would have points that could not be used at WDW.