Newbie Question

[eandrsmom]

I've seen Saratoga Springs points for sale on the resale market for a very good price. I know that you can use your points at any DVC property, but the booking window is shorter for properties other than your home resort. How difficult is it to get reservations at other DVC properties at the 7 month window? We usually don't visit during holidays, but if we did, I'd be happy with to stay at Saratoga Springs. I guess I'm wondering if it's worth paying almost double for points at a newer DVC, when I could possibly stay there using points I purchased at a lower price somewhere else.

[faline]

We bought our points in the resale market 4 years ago. Our home resort in Old Key West. I don't think I've ever booked at our 11 month window. When we have booked at our 7 month window, we have often not gotten our first choice. We have always approached booking with flexibility. Typically, I have 3 top choices but still remain flexible. To date, we have stayed at Bay Lake Tower (first choice, second choice of dates), Animal Kingdom (Kidani Village, first choice of dates, second choice as to accommodations), Old Key West (third choice), Beach Club (first choice), Beach Club (first choice), Saratoga Springs (third choice), Wilderness Lodge (first choice), Aulani (first choice). Thus far, we feel we have been quite successful at booking resorts other than our home resort at the seven month window. That said, we enjoy our home resort and would be happy to stay there if that were our only choice. So, I would still echo what others will likely say - buy where you will enjoy staying as sometimes you may find that is your only choice.

[PlutoPlanet]

We have owned at Saratoga for 10 years. I've never stayed there, and we go to Disney every year. We've always been able to get something else. We do book close to the 7 month window. We never wait until a couple of months before our vacation. We've stayed at BLT, GFV and BWV on our Saratoga points.

[Aurora]

We own at Saratoga and have stayed there as well as DVC at Bay Lake Tower, Boardwalk, Aulani and Wilderness Lodge. We've also had AKL and OKW available to us but never chose them.

The only time we've not been able to get the resort we wanted (even with a waitlist) is when we tried to stay at the Boardwalk during the Food and Wine Festival.

Most of our reservations are made three to four months before our trip.

We don't do Spring Break, Easter or Christmas seasons, but we've done summer several times as well as January, October, November and December.

We're also really happy with the dues at Saratoga compared with other DVC resorts.

Good luck with your decision!

[TracyL]

Obviously you're going to have a challenge to book high-demand properties during high-demand seasons. But depending on when you go, and which resorts you like, you will probably get what you want much of the time.

VGF is small -- only about 100 villas in total -- and tends to book up early. If you try for that in a busy season, you probably will have trouble. AKL and WL are both pretty big properties and will almost always have availability. The resorts that are not in the Epcot corridor or on the monorail will tend to be easy to get into no matter what -- OKW, SS, etc. should tend to have availability even at the last minute. I booked a studio at SS a week or two out (we live local) and had no problem, and that was for a weekend in June.

So unless you think you'll want to book at VGF during high season, I wouldn't sweat the particular location of your home resort. Do make sure you understand exactly what you are and are not getting when you buy points on the resale market. Some of the perks of DVC membership don't transfer to a secondary buyer. That may not be a big deal to you, but you do want to make sure you know what you are and are not entitled to.

[VWL Mom]

AKL and WL are both pretty big properties and will almost always have availability.

Actually VWL is one of the smallest properties and can be tough to get a certain times of the year because of the proximity to MK and the lower point usage compared to BLT and VGF.

So, I would still echo what others will likely say - buy where you will enjoy staying as sometimes you may find that is your only choice.

I have to agree with Linda on this. We love our home resort and don't mind being "stuck" there.

[faline]

VGF is small -- only about 100 villas in total -- and tends to book up early. If you try for that in a busy season, you probably will have trouble. AKL and WL are both pretty big properties and will almost always have availability. The resorts that are not in the Epcot corridor or on the monorail will tend to be easy to get into no matter what -- OKW, SS, etc. should tend to have availability even at the last minute.

This has not necessarily been my experience. In early December, we stayed at Old Key West as we were unable to book our first choice - Wilderness Lodge at the 7 month mark. I have also had to go on to second and third choices at the 7 month mark when attempting to book at Beach Club and Boardwalk. At the 7 month mark, for my most recent booking, I was unable to get a 2 night studio stay at either Grand Floridian or Bay Lake Tower. I booked at Animal Kingdom Kidani Village but was able to move my reservation to Bay Lake Tower when my waitlist came through. The key is to be flexible on where you are going to stay.

[TracyL]

I'm sure it depends on time of year, and I admit to being fairly new. I'm going partially on my own experience (having booked 2-BR DVC villas as a non-DVC member and now as a DVC member booking studios) and partially on what our DVC guy told us. He suggested that it's usually easier to get into WL than other MK-area resorts, which seems likely to be true although it's relative, and that AKL being both pretty big and pretty far afield of 3 of the 4 parks, usually has availability.

Certainly agree that flexibility is key.

According to DVC website, only Aulani and GF are currently available for purchase, so if you want a different home resort you would need to look at the resale market.