Where to buy points (which resort)

[Breyean]

Originally Posted by klepton

I see people here saying they purchased at additional properties just to get the 11 month booking window. I was given the impression that you can only use points you earned at that resort for the 11-month period. So, if I bought 160 points at AKV, but already had 320 points at a non-WDW Disney resort, I would only be able to use the 160 from AKV before the 7 month mark, right?

Right. Only the points you own at each home resort can be used before 7 months at that one resort. So the 160 AKL points could be used at 11 months for AKL, but not, for example, for a BLT or OKW reservation, for which you'd have to wait until the 7 month mark.

Likewise, and HHI or VB points can only be used starting at 7 months for and onsite WDW DVC resort (or VGC for that matter).

[Brian Noble]

The conventional wisdom is "buy where you want to stay." I have a slightly different version: don't buy where you would not be happy to stay. Unless you would be happy to have all of your DVC stays be at a non-WDW resort, you should not buy at a non-WDW resort.

[kristenrice]

Originally Posted by klepton

I see people here saying they purchased at additional properties just to get the 11 month booking window. I was given the impression that you can only use points you earned at that resort for the 11-month period. So, if I bought 160 points at AKV, but already had 320 points at a non-WDW Disney resort, I would only be able to use the 160 from AKV before the 7 month mark, right?

Yes, but you can bank and borrow. For example, we own 100 points at AKV and 50 points at HHI. Here's how our vacations are laid out...

2013: 50 banked + 50 current + 50 borrowed HHI points (150 total) to go to HHI...bank the 100 AKV points

2014: 100 banked + 50 current AKV points (150 total) and go to WDW...bank 50 AKV points

2015: 50 banked + 100 current AKV points (150 total) and go to WDW...bank 50 HHI points...

...repeat...

This way, we can buy AP's at WDW and take two trips in two years (usually early June followed by April the next year). On our "off" year, we go to HHI for spring break instead.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by Brian Noble

The conventional wisdom is "buy where you want to stay." I have a slightly different version: don't buy where you would not be happy to stay. Unless you would be happy to have all of your DVC stays be at a non-WDW resort, you should not buy at a non-WDW resort.

This is exactly my recommendation. Worded differently it's "buy the cheapest WDW resort you'd be happy being stuck at for a given trip" assuming WDW is the goal. For many this makes SSR the best/cheapest option. Another similar thought is to buy the cheapest resort that offers you something you can't get without it. This is generally BWV due to the standard view options or AKV due to the CL and value rooms. If you'll only be happy at GF, BCV, BLT then the 2 methods are one and the same.

[Disney Doll]

Buy where you want to stay.
You might want to take a couple of trips where you stay at different DVCs to see which one really appeals to you.

We own at OKW. We bought it years ago (late 90s) when only OKW & BWV were available. OKW was cheaper per point, we liked the larger rooms, we liked the condo style. We looke dat it from the perspective of "If Disney changes the rules down the road to where you can ONLY stay at your home resort would we be happy here?".

The answer was yes so we bought points.

We have stayed at the other DVCs @ WDW and like them all well enough...they all have their strong points, mostly being location for those with quick access to parks. Not a huge fan of AKV...don't like that whole African thing and prefer the lighter beachier or more tropical themeing. But we also love OKW so it works for us.

[SpaceMountain77]

Here are my two tips based on my experience:

(1) Your home resort selection should be based on where you plan to vacation. Honestly, since I prefer the Disneyland Resort to Walt Disney World, I really should have waited for points to come available at the Grand Californian.

(2) If you plan to vacation at Walt Disney World, rent points to try out various resorts or, at the very least, tour potential properties. You will certainly find you prefer some over others.

[wildernessDad]

Originally Posted by klepton

I see people here saying they purchased at additional properties just to get the 11 month booking window. I was given the impression that you can only use points you earned at that resort for the 11-month period. So, if I bought 160 points at AKV, but already had 320 points at a non-WDW Disney resort, I would only be able to use the 160 from AKV before the 7 month mark, right?

What you can't do is book resort A with resort B's points at the 11 month mark.

[fairy8i8]

Originally Posted by wildernessDad

What you can't do is book resort A with resort B's points at the 11 month mark.

I thought I read in another thread that if you transfer points from one of your contracts to another, the CMs basically view those points as the same (except for expiration date).

One guy even said he had a problem because he had BCV points transferred to him, and at first the CM wouldn't let him use those points to book more than 7 months out at BCV until the CM went in and manually looked at the point transfer.

Obviously if you keep your contracts separate, you can't combine points for a stay, but can you combine them if you transfer your points from one contract to another?

[ELMC]

Originally Posted by fairy8i8

I thought I read in another thread that if you transfer points from one of your contracts to another, the CMs basically view those points as the same (except for expiration date).

One guy even said he had a problem because he had BCV points transferred to him, and at first the CM wouldn't let him use those points to book more than 7 months out at BCV until the CM went in and manually looked at the point transfer.

Obviously if you keep your contracts separate, you can't combine points for a stay, but can you combine them if you transfer your points from one contract to another?

Yes, you can (use points together if you transfer them). Point transfers are not as clean as you would like to believe, as evidenced by your story above. Also, transferred points will not show up on your online account, which means that if you want to use them to book you will need to call MS. Because of this, they are also easy to forget about.

[radmcg]

I went over a lot of the same thing but one thing people haven't mentioned alot is the size of the resort, demand and room preference helped me make my decision. I have never run a search and not seen an alternative opening at SSR or OKW, if you don't have specific room needs. If you own points there then you have "wasted" (to me) your 11 month advantage. You can almost always get them. If you try to get BWV, BCV or BLT then the 11 month window is always an advantage especially if you want Boardwalk view or MK view . What I'm saying is the availability can also affect where you buy (size and demand). You can almost always get a resi at OKW or SSR at 7 months. You cannot say the same for BWV, BCV or BLT. I own at BLT and have a contract pending at BWV. My logic is I like BLT so I'm covered at 11 months. BWV is my favorite so I'm covered. If I want to stay at SSR or OKW I can almost always get a room at 7 months. With my last search for a vacation in May you can add AKV to the list of almost always get at 7 months (that one is more variable). Of course if you want specific rooms ie treehouse that changes things some but thats not a big deal to me my room preference is at the boardwalk and BLT.
just my logic, may be faulty but it is the way I explained it to my wife.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by radmcg

I went over a lot of the same thing but one thing people haven't mentioned alot is the size of the resort, demand and room preference helped me make my decision. I have never run a search and not seen an alternative opening at SSR or OKW, if you don't have specific room needs. If you own points there then you have "wasted" (to me) your 11 month advantage. You can almost always get them. If you try to get BWV, BCV or BLT then the 11 month window is always an advantage especially if you want Boardwalk view or MK view . What I'm saying is the availability can also affect where you buy (size and demand). You can almost always get a resi at OKW or SSR at 7 months. You cannot say the same for BWV, BCV or BLT. I own at BLT and have a contract pending at BWV. My logic is I like BLT so I'm covered at 11 months. BWV is my favorite so I'm covered. If I want to stay at SSR or OKW I can almost always get a room at 7 months. With my last search for a vacation in May you can add AKV to the list of almost always get at 7 months (that one is more variable). Of course if you want specific rooms ie treehouse that changes things some but thats not a big deal to me my room preference is at the boardwalk and BLT.
just my logic, may be faulty but it is the way I explained it to my wife.

Your logic is valid, the fact that owning a higher demand options gives you an advantage there can be important. However, there is a cost to that approach in most cases and it only gives you the advantage for the one resort. That's a main reason why some own multiple home resorts. It's essentially what many of us mean when we say either "Buy where you want to stay" or "buy where you wouldn't mind being stuck at". It is my opinion that a large % of buyers don't know where they'll want to stay long term, even the ones that think they do.

I'm also a fan of getting in for less and trying to trade up when possible. SSR is the perfect example of that strategy. You can get in relatively cheaply by DVC standards but still get an 11 month priority. I'm hesitant for VB or HH both because of the dues and because of the lack of 11 mo priority. Other considerations with the same thoughts in mind are OKW for the 3 BR units, AKV due to concierge and value and BWV due to 3 BR & standard view. If one is not going to be happy unless they're at BLT every trip, they should own there. Once they start using their points for other things and at other resorts, the value related to the extra cost quickly goes away and they just overpaid for little added benefit. The slightly lower dues (catching up) will no where near offset the extra cost.

[bookwormde]

Based on pure $ SSR is the cheepest per point using Point use depriciation buydown and lost purchase income cost calculation (at a little under $7/yearly pt) if you can buy it close to $50/pt

OKW was close when you could buy for 40-45/pt but DVD is buying it back at that rate right now so that is not an option, unless you are willng to add about .50/yearlypt

BLT was actually next until the maintinance fees went up so sharply.

[bakerworld]

We own at AKL however we don't stay there very often altho I think in the future that will change. I think as we age the concierge option and the low lighting will be a greater attraction.

[rmcildw2m]

I do this now . I own at HHI but have only stayed on wdw property . The trick for me even though AKL is my favorite, any resort will do as long as the points cover the stay .

[martinolichfamily]

Originally Posted by rmcildw2m

I do this now . I own at HHI but have only stayed on wdw property . The trick for me even though AKL is my favorite, any resort will do as long as the points cover the stay .

We're with you...just bought points at VB due to cost per point vs. AKL...we plan on using mostly on WDW property. We were able to get a studio at AKL for this July this past weekend.