Home Resort Importance????

[llamaface]

To join or not to join???? We are still debating and have a question for all you experts. How hard is it to get into a resort that is not your home resort? Our favorite out of all available is VWL. Given that our stays are usually during "adventure" season, how hard would it be to get into that resort? It has been recommended that we buy into SSR, but quite honestly, I don't like the theming very much. How important is your home resort????

[rsumrall]

You will find intercottees in relative agreement on this one - don't buy somewhere you are not willing to stay. You can get ressies 7 mo out at other resorts, it's just not a no-brainer. If you locale is the most important thing for you, buy VWL via resale. If you like the longer term of usage, go for SSR. It's all about what is most important to you. Good luck.

[mprewitt]

You should always buy where you want to stay. If you want to stay at VWL, then by all means, buy there.

You can buy VWL via resale or even directly from Disney. I just purchased 90 points at VWL direct from DVC to make it one of my three home resorts. This will allow me to book at the 11-month window for times like December when it will be difficult to book at the 7-month window. Plus, VWL is the smallest DVC resort at WDW (only 136 rooms).

Don't buy SSR as your home resort if you don't like it.

[vizsla]

As the others have already mentioned, buy where you know that you would like to stay all the time if a non-home resort was not available. It is getting harder to book a stay at a non-home resort since the DVC is growing at an enormous rate with new members.

[NewmanFamily6]

I realize that SSR is not VWL but it is really beutiful. We joined last year and stayed for the first time in Dec. The children loved it too. We are considering buying more points in the future through resale as mentioned before so that we always have at least 2 options

[llamaface]

You should always buy where you want to stay. If you want to stay at VWL, then by all means, buy there.

You can buy VWL via resale or even directly from Disney. I just purchased 90 points at VWL direct from DVC to make it one of my three home resorts. This will allow me to book at the 11-month window for times like December when it will be difficult to book at the 7-month window. Plus, VWL is the smallest DVC resort at WDW (only 136 rooms).

OK - so if we buy points at 2 different resorts (providing we are lucky enough to get VWL), can the sum of the points at both your home resorts be used at just one. In other words, if we have 160 at SSR and then 50 at VWL, can 210 be used to book VWL at 11 mos out?

[Maleficent's Dad]

It is getting harder to book a stay at a non-home resort since the DVC is growing at an enormous rate with new members.

Very, very true statement!

Unfortunately, with DVC growing and expanding at its current rate, it is becoming increasingly more difficult to get "into" resorts that are not your home resort.

Not too long ago - within the past 5-7 years, DVC was able to boast how their members had a variety of resorts to choose from. They still use this as part of the sales pitch. Unfortunately, it's not an accurate statement! With so many members, the 7 month mark for the "more desireable locations" is becoming extremely competitive - waitlist galore!

The BCV and WLV are extremely difficult to get into unless they are your home resorts (unless you travel at an off peak time - like mid January to mid-February). If you're going at a time when schools are out, you'll most likely find yourself a your home resort.

Now, this is not a bad thing! Staying at SSR is a great thing - a very nice resort with excellent accomodations. But more and more people try to get into the BCV, BWV, and VWL, making them more "prime locations."

The best part of SSR and VAKL is that both resorts offer more years of membership than all of the other resorts!

[Maleficent's Dad]

OK - so if we buy points at 2 different resorts (providing we are lucky enough to get VWL), can the sum of the points at both your home resorts be used at just one. In other words, if we have 160 at SSR and then 50 at VWL, can 210 be used to book VWL at 11 mos out?

No - your home resort dictates the 11 month mark. In the case you mention, only 50 points at the VWL would be available to you at the 11 month mark. 160 would be available to you at SSR at the 11 month mark.

[mprewitt]

OK - so if we buy points at 2 different resorts (providing we are lucky enough to get VWL), can the sum of the points at both your home resorts be used at just one. In other words, if we have 160 at SSR and then 50 at VWL, can 210 be used to book VWL at 11 mos out?

No. You can only use the points you own at a particular resort to book at the 11-month windows. So you can use your 160 at SSR to book at SSR at the 11-month window, and the 50 at VWL to book at VWL at the 11-month window.

You may combine and book any of the 210 points only at the 7-month window.

[GAN]

We bought into SSR 2 years ago, and have never had a problem booking a different resort(twice now)at the 7 month window. We just booked BWV during F & W which is one of the busiest times for BWV, so I don't see a problem. During adventure season a WL, unless you're trying to book first 2 weeks of Dec, you shouldn't have a problem booking -nothing guaranteed of course. I think the extra 12 years(or whatever it is) is very important, especially as these contracts hit the 15 year limit -their value will decrease significantly, which is important in the event that you ever need to sell your ownership. So, unless WL is the ONLY place you want to stay then I would buy WL, otherwise I would look at SSR or AKV.

[Ian]

Personally, I think unless you're totally married to VWL, you should buy either SSR or VAKL. Those extra years on your contract are invaluable and there's always an even money chance of waitlisting into VWL anyway.

One thing to consider though ... going during Adventure season will probably have the opposite effect of what you're thinking. Adventure season is very popular with DVCers, because the point usage requirements are so low.

[dvc_john]

OK - so if we buy points at 2 different resorts (providing we are lucky enough to get VWL), can the sum of the points at both your home resorts be used at just one. In other words, if we have 160 at SSR and then 50 at VWL, can 210 be used to book VWL at 11 mos out?

As others have said, no. In your example, 160 could be used at SSR at 11 months, and 50 could be used at VWL at 11 months. 210 combined could be used at 7 months.
However, with banking and borrowing, you could have us to 3 times the points for a given year. For example, with a 50 point VWL contract you could have up to 150 points at VWL for a reservation at the 11 month mark. (eg, bank 2007 points into 2008, borrow 2009 points into 2008, and have 150 points for use in 2008).

Also, while I agree with the mantra 'buy where you want to stay most", if you really don't care where you stay, or if you can never really book more than 7 months out, then home resort really doesn't mean much.