Buy "low", Book "high"

[yaya74]

Do all point have equal weight regardless of the per point $ at the time of purchase? For example, John has contract at GFV and Mary has contract at Vero Beach. Both want to book a stay at BLT that would cost 300 points. Does Disney take the same number of points from John and Mary despite of the fact that per point cost at GFV is higher than that at Vero Beach????

I know that I can book at 11 months out at my home DVC resort, and 7 months out for other DVC resorts. Based on the chart made by @skier_pete, the availably for 1 BR is pretty high during the first two weeks of August, which is usually the time my family travel to WDW. So would it work if I buy a resale contract with a lower per point cost, say at AKL which cost around $110 pp, and book rooms at BLK, which usually cost $150 pp, at 7 months out??

 

[rg35]

Yes all points are "equal" once purchased. 300 points are 300 points.

The difference really comes in that newer resort rooms have much higher points requirements and cost more per point to purchase than the older resorts. So for example, someone who bought 160 points at old key west in 1996 might be able to stay for a week plus in a studio at old key west, but they'd need to bank/borrow multiple years worth of points to stay in a studio for the same amount of time at a different resort.

 

[skier_pete]

You are correct in your assumption. All points are the same once the 7 month mark hits, so whether you bought your points at SSR or at VGF, it will cost you the same number of points regardless of which points you are using. This is why many people buy at the cheaper resorts - and part of what keeps the "cheaper" resorts still pretty pricey. I've used by AKV points at BCV, BWV, Poly, WLV, and VGC all at the same point rate that an owner there would get. The owner just gets the advantage of not having to worry if the resort gets fully booked by 7 months. As you point out, 1-bedrooms in early August are unlikely to ever be a problem at 7 months.

Now, the caveat to that is with the new resale restrictions, buying resale points are limited to the 14 Legacy resort - buying at Riviera only can be used at Riviera. buying resale anywhere else can't be used at Riviera. Direct though the rules apply across all 15 resorts.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

Do all point have equal weight regardless of the per point $ at the time of purchase? For example, John has contract at GFV and Mary has contract at Vero Beach. Both want to book a stay at BLT that would cost 300 points. Does Disney take the same number of points from John and Mary despite of the fact that per point cost at GFV is higher than that at Vero Beach????

I know that I can book at 11 months out at my home DVC resort, and 7 months out for other DVC resorts. Based on the chart made by @skier_pete, the availably for 1 BR is pretty high during the first two weeks of August, which is usually the time my family travel to WDW. So would it work if I buy a resale contract with a lower per point cost, say at AKL which cost around $110 pp, and book rooms at BLK, which usually cost $150 pp, at 7 months out??

Yes. Just make sure your factoring the difference in costs of maintenance fees. Vero Beach does have much more expensive maintenance fees than the other resorts which eats into that savings on the purchase price.

 

[jerseyduke]

Do all point have equal weight regardless of the per point $ at the time of purchase? For example, John has contract at GFV and Mary has contract at Vero Beach. Both want to book a stay at BLT that would cost 300 points. Does Disney take the same number of points from John and Mary despite of the fact that per point cost at GFV is higher than that at Vero Beach????

I know that I can book at 11 months out at my home DVC resort, and 7 months out for other DVC resorts. Based on the chart made by @skier_pete, the availably for 1 BR is pretty high during the first two weeks of August, which is usually the time my family travel to WDW. So would it work if I buy a resale contract with a lower per point cost, say at AKL which cost around $110 pp, and book rooms at BLK, which usually cost $150 pp, at 7 months out??

If you want 7 month points, SSR is a better value than AKV due to maintenance fees.

You really should always book at 11 months, then try to switch.
If you are fine staying at SSR when you can not switch, then its the place to buy.

If AK is your number 2, and you want to stay there when you cant switch at 7 months, then buy there.

But, a point is a point is a point, there is no conversion factor. Think of them like Disney dollars. 1 dollar is 1 dollar.

 

[skier_pete]

If you want 7 month points, SSR is a better value than AKV due to maintenance fees.

You really should always book at 11 months, then try to switch.
If you are fine staying at SSR when you can not switch, then its the place to buy.

If AK is your number 2, and you want to stay there when you cant switch at 7 months, then buy there.

But, a point is a point is a point, there is no conversion factor. Think of them like Disney dollars. 1 dollar is 1 dollar.

So, I have often said the "Buy where you want to stay" mantra should be "Buy where you are happy to stay." The reason we bought AKV over SSR is that we don't really care for SSR, but we like AKV - and while I'd certainly rather stay at the Poly or Boardwalk, for the price I am perfectly happy to "have" to stay at AKV sometimes. The MF point difference is a good point, but on a 160 point contract you are looking at $150 a year difference between the two and to me AKV as my home is worth $150 a year over SSR.

 

[jerseyduke]

So, I have often said the "Buy where you want to stay" mantra should be "Buy where you are happy to stay." The reason we bought AKV over SSR is that we don't really care for SSR, but we like AKV - and while I'd certainly rather stay at the Poly or Boardwalk, for the price I am perfectly happy to "have" to stay at AKV sometimes. The MF point difference is a good point, but on a 160 point contract you are looking at $150 a year difference between the two and to me AKV as my home is worth $150 a year over SSR.

That is what I would do myself as well (AK)!
Just do not know the OPs preferences

 

[skier_pete]

Here's what I know - factoring buy-in plus MF - I'm paying $411.14 for 3 nights at Boardwalk Villas this October (Sat-Tues) That $137.05 a night with no tax AND also I don't pay for parking (though I won't have a car).

Now I probably wouldn't be flying to Disney for a weekend without owning DVC - so I can't say that I am "saving" money - but I certainly couldn't do this otherwise.

But I did a quick search on the same 3 nights at Boardwalk and it would cost me $1647.00 to get a cash room for the night. Again, I would never, ever pay that - so I'm not really SAVING $1,200. I'm really just upgrading my lifestyle.

Edit: Posted this in the wrong thread- but actually the 'value" of the buying bargain points still comes through.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Also, if you ever decide to take a year off and rent out your points, you will get more value out of a monorail resort (or BC, or BW), and my not be able to rent out VB points at all.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'd also not assume things like "getting BLT Standard."

 

[kniquy]

Does Disney take the same number of points from John and Mary despite of the fact that per point cost at GFV is higher than that at Vero Beach????

The point cost is the same for all members - there is no difference.

So would it work if I buy a resale contract with a lower per point cost, say at AKL which cost around $110 pp, and book rooms at BLK, which usually cost $150 pp, at 7 months out??

If you plan to travel during the slower DVC time (Mid Jan to Mid September) and plan to book at 7 months then certainly it would be better to buy at a cheaper resort. BUT - if you have to going into this venture knowing you might not get exactly what you want. Sure you can book BLT 1BR but don't expect to get a standard room, plan to book a more expensive LV or TV room. Have a back up plan - which might be booking your home resort at 11 months to secure something, then at 7 months look to see what else is available.

So as of right now the best bargain resort is SSR - low buy in and the lowest MF. Actually the resort is very nice and you have easy access to Disney springs so not a bad place to stay if you are "stuck" there.

 

[Littlelulu01]

Akv and okw extended resale and even direct makes most sense to me. I guess ssr is even more sound if willing to stay there but I’ve never penciled it out for lack of interest in the resort. Seems we most often end up at akv. I’d prefer to be at gfv but at a cost of almost double the points, akv standard usually wins out. There’s always that carrot to dangle with the values at akv. The one bedroom values are typically attainable at 11 months and occasionally at 7. Studio and concierge fairly impossible. The points I’ve been happiest using so far are the Aulani subsidized. I purchased at $80. A rare lucky score akv value pretty much paid for contract after first year over cash rates. I’ve been pretty lucky using them for akv standards which at $5.91 mf this year is a bargain. I don’t think I’d chance aulani subsidized unless I’d be ok if I “got stuck” at aulani. I’d never consider Hilton Head or Vero beach because I know we’ll likely never stay there. We’re west coast so potentially getting “stuck” at aulani isn’t an issue.

 

[skier_pete]

Not to encourage people to have high hopes to do so, but we've scored AKV Value studios FOUR times since we bought there in 2014. First three were shorter stays (4 nights) and one of those I didn't actually use. The most recent one we got 8 nights, but I couldn't get the first two nights and managed to scoop up the last 6 slightly after 8 AM. (I wasn't expecting them to be there.) I then waitlisted the other two - one appeared almost right away (a couple days later) and the first night took almost 4 months but came through on a waitlist. So, while I would never buy with the intention using value rooms, it CAN happen.

 

[Phatscott25]

Agreed. I've been able to book value rooms every time I tried (which is only twice). Not peak season though. Once was late January and the other was late August. I still wouldn't advise anyone to expect it but sometimes I think the inability to book those is overstated.

 

[crisi]

So your problem will become when your booking patterns or DVC availability patterns change. A one bedroom might work for you now, but (and I don't know your family situation) in a few years you may discover two kids don't want to share the pull out couch and you need a two bedroom. Or you might decide that with the kids in college, a studio works fine for the two of you. Or you may bring some friends and want a two bedroom. Or Disney might add a big event to the season you usually go, or you may switch jobs - the kids get involved in sports - and the only thing that works is a different season.

When we bought our kids were barely out of diapers - and a one bedroom at our BWV home before Food and Wine started when the kids had a long statewide school break was what we planned for.

1) Within a year, Disney moved F&W back, making out school break F&W season.
2) Within a year, we were taking guests - pushing us to two bedrooms
3) Within five years, out kids wouldn't share a pullout and we needed two beds.
4) Within six our season moved completely to match school schedules - the long break was two days and we'd pull the kids from school for three - that stopped being feasible in middle school.
5) Within ten when we vacationed was completely out of our hands and in the hands of whatever activities the kids were involved in and our school scheduled.

Sometime in there Disney opened SSR, Poly, BLT, VAKL, VGF, Aulani and CCV - adding a ton of competition to the system at seven months - so that BCV room that was pretty easy to get when my kids were young is very hard to get now.

And they did three things to make studios even harder to book - lowered the amount of points you needed to buy direct as a first time buyer, made studios sleep five, and negated perks for new resale buyers - pushing resale buyers to buy small contracts for the perks.

If they raise prices on studios and lower them for one bedrooms (something they have signaled they are going to do), availability patterns will change again.


Now, almost twenty years later our kids are young adults and we will be using our points to snowbird in HHI - a completely different vacation.

You are buying for the long term and your life will change. The longer you see yourself owning DVC the more things are likely to change - with your life and with how Disney runs their operations.

 

[LandFan]

So your problem will become when your booking patterns or DVC availability patterns change.

Awesome post - really makes you examine how things outside your control can impact how you look at/use DVC over the years. Thanks!

 

[Fred M]

Awesome post - really makes you examine how things outside your control can impact how you look at/use DVC over the years. Thanks!

And sometimes it's within your control! For my family, it's just my wife, son, and I. We intended to stay in studios because we felt like we didn't need the space of a 1-bedroom. That all changed when we stayed at Boardwalk and OKW in 2018. We couldn't get a studio at 7 months without wait listing, so we went with 1-bedrooms, and it was like heaven for just 3 people. Now we're a 1-bedroom family.