Did you buy into SSR, with the sole intention of always staying at BCV/BWV?

[Sammie]

Your sister is thinking about this all wrong. After the 7 month window comes for a particular reservation, she no longer really HAS a home resort . For that reservation, she is "just" a DVC club member the same as everyone else. Her complaint at the "month or two out" time frame really has no more weight than someone else who owns at Vero or SSR that likewise cannot book BCV. People need to drop the mindset that where they bought their points somehow follows them all over. The ONLY thing it really does is give you a 4 month booking advantage. After that, it really means nothing (until the dues bill arrives).

Very good point. As our guide explained it to us when we bought, you are buying into a very large vacation club with many options. You have a 4 month "home" advantage and after that you are on equal ground with everyone.

So at 7 months a Vero Beach owner has as much right to BC and BW as those that own there. If this is something as a member bothers some, they were not wise to buy DVC.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Very good point. As our guide explained it to us when we bought, you are buying into a very large vacation club with many options. You have a 4 month "home" advantage and after that you are on equal ground with everyone.

So at 7 months a Vero Beach owner has as much right to BC and BW as those that own there. If this is something as a member bothers some, they were not wise to buy DVC.

Agreed... that is why you buy where you want to stay... Even though we own at BWV and stay at VB mostly. That just happened after becoming an owner (I think I just thought of a new thread). I suspect we will have to buy into VB at some point, but for now VB is easy.

 

[BCV23]

based on friends who work at BW and BC more members are booking their home resort between 11-8 months than ever before. Some of those are rentals which is dramatically increased in the last 3 years.

So the blame of not getting last minute does not fall on other members but home members changing their booking stradegy.

I think you may have cause and effect mixed up here, Sammie, at least for member stays.

I know I try to book our DVC stays earlier now as there are more owners than ever competing for any resort at the 7 month mark. By sheer number, SSR owners will make up a good % of those.

Rentals could be an entirely different story but are probably still driven by demand.

 

[pouncingpluto]

We bought 200 SSR points with the intention of staying at BWV/BCV/VWL when we could get them and OKW/SSR when we couldn't. And that's still the plan with those, anyway (plus whatever future resorts may come)! It just made sense financially and due to the extra years.

We've tried SSR, and it's nice, and we'll be fine staying there if we can't get in off a waitlist. It simply doesn't feel very themed to us, and the walk to DTD just doesn't compare to being close to a park.

We recently added on 100 AKV points, and we bought those to use at AKV at the 11 month mark. When we want to trade out or use the Disney Collection, we'll do it with the SSR points.

 

[patti2533]

We just had the opposite experience. I called MS yesterday to add a day to our New Year's trip (from 1/2 to 1/3) at SSR. I was told that there was no availability at SSR, AKV (our other home resort), or OKW. They gave me a choice of BWV or BCV. We chose BCV, but it certainly wasn't by choice. We had to waitlist for our home resorts. It will be nice to try BCV if our waitlist doesn't come through, but we certainly bought where we wanted to stay.

 

[Luigi's Girl]

Nope. We were VWL owner's and we wanted more points and the SSR information was sent to us before the actual sale started. There was a great incentive and the resort looked nice in pictures so it was the perfect opportunity for us to do an add on. That being said, we have not stayed there yet. We have booked our home resorts at 11 months and then switched over to VWL or BCV at 7 months. So, although we didn't purchase SSR for the reason you asked, we have wound up staying at BCV instead.

 

[disneykid4ever]

We bought into SSR because we thought the rooms were beautifully appointed and the atmosphere relaxing. We also love VWL for its cozy rustic charm so we alternate between the 2 resorts depending on time of year (we love VWL in the cooler months). So far, we really are only drawn to these 2 resorts, even though we have walked around OKW, BCV, and BWV. Out of those 3, the only one we might consider staying at a night or 2 would be BWV, just to get the all-hallowed Epcot area DVC experience. The only draw that BCV holds for us is Beaches and Cream, and we don't need to get a room there to enjoy those eats!

 

[Mtnman44]

You should probably consider deleting this post. There are some on the board that may not be able to cope with such a shock to their preceived reality re: SSR vs. BWV/BCV. Surely you don't want to send someone into a catatonic state!

We just had the opposite experience. I called MS yesterday to add a day to our New Year's trip (from 1/2 to 1/3) at SSR. I was told that there was no availability at SSR, AKV (our other home resort), or OKW. They gave me a choice of BWV or BCV. We chose BCV, but it certainly wasn't by choice. We had to waitlist for our home resorts. It will be nice to try BCV if our waitlist doesn't come through, but we certainly bought where we wanted to stay.

 

[tjkraz]

One of the main selling points of DVC to me was the diversity of the program. I've stayed at 4 of the 6 on-site resorts (plus a pre-DVC stay at AKL) and usually leave a resort even more confused than before in trying to determine which is my favorite.

But I'm also a realist. I know that SSR and OKW will be the easiest to book on short notice. So, on those occasions when I'm ready to make reservations at 7 months, I certainly consider booking outside of my Home and feel zero remorse at doing so.

 

[TammyAlphabet]

I own at BWV, and use those points for stays there, standard view or boardwalk view booked at the 11 month mark. I also own at SSR, and those points are for last minute reservations and other resorts at the seven month mark.

I am planning to use them this next year for a few nights at HHI. I bought them during the friends and family promotion earlier this year, January. We have a one night reservation at AKV for february and will use some to extend my BWV reservation for next summer at WDW.

I don't plan on staying at SSR for the time being but do plan on using them for reservations at all the other resorts. If I happen to stay at SSR, that is okay too!

 

[jerry557]

This is why you have a special reservation window open just for you from 7-11 months out at your home resort. So that you will always have that advantage over everyone else who doesn't own there and pay those maint fees.

Anytime you plan a vacation anywhere (not just Disney) with less than a few months notice....chances are that you won't get what you want unless it is during an off season. I know many people who plan their vacations a year ahead of time because their jobs require them to turn in their vacation requests very far in advance. So they book their vacations as early as possible. And this is what is killing your ability to book at BCV 3 months out.

YES...even SSR and OKW have been booked 3-5 months out. It's not just BCV and BWV.

 

[BroganMc]

Thanks for your feedback everyone, and your honesty. When I mentioned my sister's situation, it is only out of frustration because she USED to be able to book a month or two out with EASE at her home resort, BWV. She can no longer do that. She completely understands the ins and outs of windows and the need to book way ahead, she also gets that DVC has grown considerably, herein lies her frustration, that is all it is. Anyway, thanks again a very interesting discussion!

I think your sister's frustration and blame laying just exemplifies what I generally find amongst DVC members. BWV/BCV owners are more likely to blame SSR owners for booking difficulties.

I think it all stems from the fact that there are just so many SSR owners in the system that the chances of meeting one at another resort is higher than any other. And since there are more rooms at SSR, with most newly added to the inventory, that being offered an SSR room is more likely at a later date.

But those factors ignore the other things that are driving up BCV/BWV demand. Namely earlier owner bookings (for spec or rental) and relative size of the resorts.

It's unfortunate that BCV/BWV owners have to compete so much for rooms, but that is how the system is set up. BCV/BWV were built at a time when DVC was not considered a main draw. SSR took the system into a mainstream competitive world. All you can do is learn the system and work within it's kinks.

I know when I bought I was happy to stay at any of the DVCs. I didn't develop my "brand loyalty" for SSR until after I stayed there. My philosophy was "buy where I was not unhappy to stay". If I bought SSR solely with the intention of staying elsewhere, I think I'd be selling my ownership now. It's just too much hassle to battle the minions at 6 months and under.

 

[Melrosgirl]

We own at BCV and usually stay at BCV. I've stayed at other resorts though when needed. I will be trying AKV at some point, but BCV is what I prefer, so I guess lots of people try out other resorts.

I do know several SSR owners who have never stayed there.

 

[Dean]

based on friends who work at BW and BC more members are booking their home resort between 11-8 months than ever before. Some of those are rentals which is dramatically increased in the last 3 years.

So the blame of not getting last minute does not fall on other members but home members changing their booking stradegy.

Yes and no. It appears that a large reason that members have changed their strategy is the non members booking. Those that could previously book at 6-7 months out now find they cannot consistently at their home resort. Those that were previously booking at 7-9 months out (before non members could book) now find increased competition from the group above and so on ending at booking day by day at 11 months out for more than previously did so. So yes, the increased competition at or after 7 months out has affected bookings all the way to 11 months day by day. And SSR is disproportionately represented for non home resort bookings for a number of reasons far beyond simply it's size and number of points available. As pointed out above, it IS the nature of the beast.

Jillpie, your sister needs to plan further out even if it means booking several times and/or unit sizes until she knows what she truly needs/wants.