Small DVC Resale purchase - please check my logic

[bruin89]

Hi folks, long time lurker, first time poster

We live in the San Francisco Bay Area and make it down to Disneyland about twice a year. Last summer we made our first trip to WDW in 20+ years and it was nothing like we remembered, especially with our young kids in tow this time. Finally, we go to Hawaii every year to visit family for an extended stay.

We've gotten a taste of DVC living with short stays using rental points at Aulani and AKL. We loved it each time, and have become interested in buying a small amount of points for short "splurge" stays during our regular visits to DLR and Hawaii. Now for both destinations we always have cheap/free lodging available for the bulk of our stays - either Priceline for Disneyland or family in Hawaii. We're interested in just a couple nights a year at Aulani and/or Grand Californian to enjoy a little luxury; a vacation within our regular vacations.

So that said, a 50-60 point resale purchase seems to make sense for us. we don't go to WDW enough to rationalize a "normal" DVC purchase of 160 points. I understand that by buying "cheaper" points via resale for a different DVC resort than the ones I'm actually interested in only gives me 7 months advance reservations. And I know that the earlier we can book the better chance of getting the dates we want. But am I wrong to assume that trying to book a two-, *maybe* three-night stay tops, at either resort (or any, for that matter) should not be as difficult to reserve compared to booking a week or so at a time? Obviously, time of year will matter, but just in general. And then since I'd be buying at a DVC resort that I'm probably never planning to stay at anyways, I should just buy the least inexpensive resort then right?

Both times we rented points for 1-2 night stays we were pleased to have a reservation booked for us within a day of placing the request. This is what informs my logic but please let me know if I'm misguided. I've seen posts stating the the GC books up early, but again wouldn't I have an easier time if looking just for a couple nights at a time, and therefore more flexibility? What are your experiences with Aulani in this respect?

Any and all opinions and/or advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

[MEK]

to the DIS boards!

I don't know how helpful my response will be, but I couldn't miss the opportunity to welcome a first time poster.

The old adage to DVC is buy where you are going to stay. That being said - I have points at SSR and VWL and have secured reservations at ALL the east coast DVC resorts at 7 months (including Vero and HHI). I did have to waitlist BWV during F&W, but it came through.

Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of experience with the west coast availability. I know I am planning to try to book the Grand Californian in fall of 2014 and am hoping for a reservation at 7 months.

I guess the thing about WDW is there are multiple resorts, so I know if I don't get my first pick (which really hasn't happened), there is another resort to stay in. Owning on the east coast and hoping for a west coast booking is a little less sure. Hopefully, you'll get some replies from people who have done that.

The other thing I have to say, since I bought both of my contracts through resale, is you have to be lighting fast to get a 50 or 60 point resale contract. They sell in minutes.

Good luck with your decision!

[disneynutz]

VGC is the smallest DVC resort and booking at 7 months could be a challenge.

Bill

[DannysMom]

No experience with the "western" DVCs-- but the typical advice is to buy where you want to stay. If you only foresee yourself staying at GCV or Aulani, I would purchase at one of those resorts. Otherwise you may find yourself shut out of where you would actually like to stay & be put in the position of having to rent out your points so that they are not wasted.

PP is correct, in that if you are shut out of your first or second or even third choice at WDW DVC, you will still have options. Not so much in CA or HI.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos or autocorrects!

[tjkraz]

Originally Posted by bruin89

But am I wrong to assume that trying to book a two-, *maybe* three-night stay tops, at either resort (or any, for that matter) should not be as difficult to reserve compared to booking a week or so at a time?

In general, sure it's easier to get just 2 nights rather than a much longer stay.

But the main question is how far in advance would you be looking to reserve? I just scrolled through availability at the Grand Californian for June, July and early August 2013. Those dates are 5-7 months from now.

Did not see a single night available in a Studio villa. In a One Bedroom, there were maybe 3-4 scattered nights over that entire 75 day period. In a Two Bedroom there were approx 15-20 nights available, many of them singles but there were weekends where you could get both Friday and Saturday. Of course, those summer weekends run 80-90 points each over the summer.

Most non-owners who successfully book the Grand Californian are doing so right at 7 months. If you have visions of getting a room just a few weeks out, I think you would be in for a rude awakening. It COULD happen at times and I'm sure there are people who would report success booking on short notice. But more often than not you are liable to end up disappointed.

DVC will eventually build more rooms at Disneyland. The most popular rumor involves a fourth tower at the Disneyland Hotel with a couple hundred villas. More rooms will make DL much easier to book on short notice. But hard telling when that project will get off the ground.

Aulani should be easier to book...especially as more and more rooms are available to owners. Eventually there will be nearly 500 villas in Hawaii. But rooms will only be added to the member inventory as sales are made. Right now, demand at 7 months is exceeding availability making it difficult to get a room during many periods.

[sechelt]

I own at VGC and have never had a problem reserving in the early booking window. At 7 months is when it gets difficult. If DLR is where you vacation the most and you're able to plan more than 7 months out, I think you'd be best to buy there. The VGC contracts are hard to find but putting your name on the email list with the resellers could help and you may even want to consider a direct purchase for a small contract. That's how I got my 50 pointers and I've never regretted it.

[Breyean]

Originally Posted by sechelt

I own at VGC and have never had a problem reserving in the early booking window. At 7 months is when it gets difficult. If DLR is where you vacation the most and you're able to plan more than 7 months out, I think you'd be best to buy there. The VGC contracts are hard to find but putting your name on the email list with the resellers could help and you may even want to consider a direct purchase for a small contract. That's how I got my 50 pointers and I've never regretted it.

Agree 100%.

Just wanted to add that for special events such as the DL 1/2 marathon, or at certain times of the year, like Christmas, some room types tend to go way before the 7 month window opens.

We've been lucky in that we use our VGC points for long range planning for those types of trip around events or holidays, but have also been able to use non-VGC points we own for trips on short notice.

[zavandor]

VGC contracts are difficult to find. And 50 points contract are even more difficult. And they are often ROFRed anyway.
Just to say that with closing costs, premium for a small contract and premium to avoid rofr, 50 points at VGC is one of those cases where direct makes sense.

[JimMIA]

I would not buy ANYBODY's timeshare for a couple of 1-2 night stays per year.

You have been using a strategy that has worked well for you -- discounted hotels and DVC rentals. As your family grows, there is no reason why you couldn't expand the non-DVC options with rentals from owners of other timeshare systems. There are many options available just about anywhere you want to go. (Check rentals available on eBay, TUG, and Redweek, to mention just a few)

If I were in the market for a timeshare, lived in the Bay Area, and had only visited WDW once in the last 20 years, DVC would not be my choice of timeshares. There are many excellent timeshare systems which can be purchased much less expensively than DVC (sometimes for $1 on eBay), have lower annual costs, and offer many times the flexibility...including several drive-to destinations from the Bay Area.

[Miss Peach]

We have a somewhat similar situation.

We live close enough to Disneyland that we go for the day several times each month. But we were looking for a way to "plus" some of our visits.

We started by buying 50 resale points at VCG. 51 points buys three nights in a studio in the low season, mid week.

We bought at VCG because we only wanted to use our points there and didn't want any seven month booking drama!

Well, it worked out great! And we added more points later because it really is fun to have a few nights, here or there, to stay over and make it special!

Good luck!

[algae]

We also are in the SF bay area and get down to DL once or twice (or 4 times) a year. When VGC started, we figured we could find better lodging deals on the net than going with DVC. Well, we were wrong. the prices at all the resort properties kept going up and we ended up staying at PPH all the time because it's the only place we could get decent deals (AP and otherwise). Although we like PPH, we'd like to stay at GCH. Doing all the math over the last few years showed we would've been better off buying into VGC when they opened. Hindsight is 20/20. Armed with this info, we finally bought into DVC at VGC in April last year while sailing on the Fantasy. Took us until Nov to get our VGC contract, but we finally got in. Now that we're in, I hope the math still favors our decision

As far as making reservations, it is tough. We got into DVC in Dec2012 and tried to get a 4 day reservation for Feb2013. No dice for all nights all at once. Trying to get one night here and there hoping to cover the whole trip kinda works, but you really need the 11-month advantage at VGC IMHO.

[murphy7573]

I live in Sacramento and own at SSR and BWV and actually just stayed at VGC from 6 Jan - 8 Jan from my daughters B-day...this was my third stay at VGC on points since I purchased a re-sale over a couple of years ago. I have not had a problem booking at the 7 month window yet at VGC, buy we also have been to WDW once a year for the last three years as well. We do plan on going to Aulani as well in the future, hopefully out of Travis AFB space A on the cheap (would be aewsome)! So, we did purchase WDW resorts as our home resorts because we love going to WDW. But anyways, like I said earlier have not had trouble booking at Exactly 7 months out at VGC. Good luck in whatever you decide...my reply LOL probably made no sense to you other than my rambling on, sorry. Good luck with what you decide!

[bruin89]

Wow, you guys rock. I had minor surgery the day after I posted and had only been checking mail on my phone, saw only the first reply via email and figured that was it. Just got back onto a computer now and was blown away by all the great posts!

The overriding sense I get out of this is that VGC is tough at seven months, much less on relatively short notice like most of our DLR trips are. Sounds like buying there is the way to go. I appreciate your advice and thanks to all for your help!

[DannysMom]

Originally Posted by bruin89

Wow, you guys rock. I had minor surgery the day after I posted and had only been checking mail on my phone, saw only the first reply via email and figured that was it. Just got back onto a computer now and was blown away by all the great posts!

The overriding sense I get out of this is that VGC is tough at seven months, much less on relatively short notice like most of our DLR trips are. Sounds like buying there is the way to go. I appreciate your advice and thanks to all for your help!

Buying there **might** be the way to go, IF you can make your plans early enough to utilize the home resort booking priority window, so 11 months in advance or at least before the critical 7 month window opens. After that 7 month window opens, it will be difficult to book.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos or autocorrects!

[sechelt]

Originally Posted by DannysMom

Buying there **might** be the way to go, IF you can make your plans early enough to utilize the home resort booking priority window, so 11 months in advance or at least before the critical 7 month window opens. After that 7 month window opens, it will be difficult to book.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards App, please excuse any typos or autocorrects!

Yes, but if OP buys direct, which is most likely for VGC, they can also book DLH and PP using those points and on shorter notice.