Help me pick the best UY & resort for our family of 5!

[jolynne28]

You all have been so helpful, I can't thank you enough for taking the time! The only problem is that everyone has made amazing arguments for different resorts, and they all make sense to me. We'll have to figure out which one is 'best' for us, but I see the value in SSR, BLT, Poly (assuming new tower is same association) and even CCV. WL is our favorite resort, we go there just to hang out on some trips, so I get the appeal of CCV.

Now if only I had someone to rent me points just for tonight! We are literally walking out the door with no reservation for a quick one night trip. There's plenty of stuff available in and around Disney, so we're going to do this on the fly, but I've missed some good last minute opportunities for DVC b/c I don't have my own points...all the more reason to buy ; )

I will update this thread after Christmas and let you all know our thoughts on DVC from this quick visit.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

 

[intamin]

You all have been so helpful, I can't thank you enough for taking the time! The only problem is that everyone has made amazing arguments for different resorts, and they all make sense to me. We'll have to figure out which one is 'best' for us, but I see the value in SSR, BLT, Poly (assuming new tower is same association) and even CCV. WL is our favorite resort, we go there just to hang out on some trips, so I get the appeal of CCV.

Now if only I had someone to rent me points just for tonight! We are literally walking out the door with no reservation for a quick one night trip. There's plenty of stuff available in and around Disney, so we're going to do this on the fly, but I've missed some good last minute opportunities for DVC b/c I don't have my own points...all the more reason to buy ; )

I will update this thread after Christmas and let you all know our thoughts on DVC from this quick visit.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

If you really love CCV that much, I would just buy CCV. It is one of the best values in DVC given no resale restrictions and long time before expiration. It’s also particularly important to own there if trying to stay there during the holidays because of the decorations.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We bought our first contract in 1996 and have owned many resorts. We are currently 100% OCT UY as we tend to stay over Halloween or Thanksgiving or early December. OCT UY has always worked well for us.

At this point our son is 35 (he was 8 when we bought) and married to a Disney girl! We didn't like small rooms and getting a 1 BR was a luxury we were willing to pay for. Your kids will need more and more space as the years go buy so I would plan for 1 BR and maybe add on down the road. I can't say having the kitchen saves much money but it does make breakfast and snacks convenient and we always have a pizza or two in the freezer just in case. The W/D is invaluable and I do a load of laundry every single day (crazy but I bring less clothes).

We often meet our son and DIL at WDW and usually get them a studio at the same resort (thought not always) when we get a 1 BR so we can gather. Meeting for dinner or at a park is easy as we are all on property. Owning DVC has brought us more joy as the years go by as we see our kids more often and can cover their accommodations. We've sent them on many solo trips including Aulani where they had a blast. Our DIL's Mom has joined us as have friends.

The lesson is you always need MORE points and will find a way to use them! Do buy at a resort you will be happy with for many years into your kid's adulthood so you can continue your family traditions. Plan to add on in the future. Listen to your heart as far as location/resort goes not what others say. Enjoy!

 

[jolynne28]

Just a quick update, we got a DVC guide at poly, really like him, he is from where we currently live. Poly studio is nice w/2 showers, the resort for us is also nice but doesn’t wow. Monorailed to GF, and don’t get the hype, not our style. Our guide met us at WL to view CCV, and those one bedrooms are incredible. Currently sitting in front of one of the smaller fires totally relaxed, WL is by far our fav resort snd always has been. The lobby is just so incredible. We have an early Toppolinos breakfast and then he is showing us Riv and SSR.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Just so you are aware, with 3 kids it’s highly likely that you will eventually want a 2BD, not a 1. The 1BDs generally have a king in the master and then whatever accommodations in the living room. The 2BD effectively tacks on 2 queen beds (dedicated) or a queen bed and a sofa bed or pull down.

And at some point, you may make the mistake of trying a 3BD and then it’s all over…

 

[LittleBitGoofy]

Sounds like ccv could be ideal for you given how well the visit went. Long contract, relatively low point charts, and resale is a great price these days. However, ccv studio doesn't sleep five, but boulder ridge does which is even cheaper on resale and still at WL but goes poof much, much sooner.

 

[TCRAIG]

Honestly, I wouldn’t base my decision on theme since that can (and does) change with every refurb…it’s all about location, points chart, maintenance, etc. I would go with BLT due to the second bath in a 1 Br, location, decent maintenance rate, end date, standard room points costs and dining options.

 

[CarolynFH]

Honestly, I wouldn’t base my decision on theme since that can (and does) change with every refurb…it’s all about location, points chart, maintenance, etc. I would go with BLT due to the second bath in a 1 Br, location, decent maintenance rate, end date, standard room points costs and dining options.

I agree that BLT should be considered, not for studios but for 1BR due to the extra full bathroom and the sleeper chair in the living room in addition to the sofa bed there. Perfect for 3 kids!

 

[intamin]

I agree that BLT should be considered, not for studios but for 1BR due to the extra full bathroom and the sleeper chair in the living room in addition to the sofa bed there. Perfect for 3 kids!

I’m at BLT right now and despite all the garbage the resort gets for lack of theming, I’ve gotta say this “lake view” room may have turned me into a fan. Definitely don’t mind spending my resale points here. Probably will be back in the not so distant future once I can actually go into the parks and take advantage of the proximity to MK.

 

[AstroBlasters]

You seem like a value buyer.

June UY BLT.

1BDs have 2 bathrooms. Easy monorail and walking to MK. Cheap dues. Cheap resale price per years left in contract. Resale price likely to go up after remodel.

See threads from SSR owners who want to stay at other resorts but can’t find availability at 7m.

 

[NVDISFamily]

You seem like a value buyer.

June UY BLT.

1BDs have 2 bathrooms. Easy monorail and walking to MK. Cheap dues. Cheap resale price per years left in contract. Resale price likely to go up after remodel.

See threads from SSR owners who want to stay at other resorts but can’t find availability at 7m.

Does BLT have the space to put the twin pull down under the TV and the queen murphy in the wall during the remodel? If so, that would be awesome and a good option until they can pile up enough points for a 2BR. BLT is one of the resorts I've done the least homework on.

Edit - Just looked it up. Seems like it's a good size room and should be easy to fit the twin in that spot as long as that door out to the balcony and the table doesn't get into the way.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Does BLT have the space to put the twin pull down under the TV and the queen murphy in the wall during the remodel? If so, that would be awesome and a good option until they can pile up enough points for a 2BR. BLT is one of the resorts I've done the least homework on.

Edit - Just looked it up. Seems like it's a good size room and should be easy to fit the twin in that spot as long as that door out to the balcony and the table doesn't get into the way.

If they put a touch of good theming in those rooms along with extra bedding in the living room… the size of the rooms, the extra bathroom, a reasonable point chart, low dues, easy Monorail access, walking distance to MK…. it won’t stay @$130pp resale….

 

[MyDogTink]

You have received helpful info already and better than I could provide. I will give my two thoughts. With 5, you are going to want larger accommodations, especially if you try it once you will want to repeat it. That said BLT and Kidani have 1 BRs with two full bathrooms. I personally find the living room space in BLT to be very spacious. I know I’m an outlier here on liking BLT. Also, the points charts are workable in my opinion. While LV 1 BRs are usually available, I think with holiday travel you want the “buy where you want to stay” strategy so you have that 11m booking.

Download one of the point calculator apps and play around with different dates, room categories, etc. to get a feel for the points you may need/want during your travel period. Sometimes it’s a reality check to see the points for say VGF vs BLT at Christmas.

Also, with BLT, there’s a lot of good resale contracts now (maybe the delta between it and SSR could be ~$30) and it’s getting a refurb.

 

[MyDogTink]

Does BLT have the space to put the twin pull down under the TV and the queen murphy in the wall during the remodel? If so, that would be awesome and a good option until they can pile up enough points for a 2BR. BLT is one of the resorts I've done the least homework on.

Edit - Just looked it up. Seems like it's a good size room and should be easy to fit the twin in that spot as long as that door out to the balcony and the table doesn't get into the way.

The living room area in BLT is spacious. If they could manage it in RIV, I can’t see how it can’t work in BLT.

 

[mamaofsix]

If money is no object, it sounds like CCV 2 bedrooms would be perfect for you. You could use your points to stay there for Thanksgiving / Christmas trips, and perhaps stay at SSR or a cheaper point resort for longer June trips by booking at 7 months.

One thing you didn't mention was budget. CCV will take 360-460 points for Thanksgiving or Christmas stays in a two bedroom (unless you plan on staying less than a week?). SSR one bedrooms for the same time of year are 230-310, or a two bedroom is 300-400.

If you're buying resale:
Copper Creek average resale is currently $145 pp. If buying 400 points, that's $58,000+
Saratoga Springs average resale is currently $108 pp. If buying 400 points, that's $43,200+
Dues are about the same at these resorts. So the question is - are you okay with a $15,000.00 difference in price?

If you go with SSR, there is little to no chance you'd be able to trade into CCV (or many other resorts) for Thanksgiving / Christmas weeks at 7 months.

If it were me, I'd say it's worth the extra cost to go with CCV and enjoy the magic.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Just so you are aware, with 3 kids it’s highly likely that you will eventually want a 2BD, not a 1. The 1BDs generally have a king in the master and then whatever accommodations in the living room. The 2BD effectively tacks on 2 queen beds (dedicated) or a queen bed and a sofa bed or pull down.

And at some point, you may make the mistake of trying a 3BD and then it’s all over…

There is NO going back LOL!

 

[Sandisw]

Does BLT have the space to put the twin pull down under the TV and the queen murphy in the wall during the remodel? If so, that would be awesome and a good option until they can pile up enough points for a 2BR. BLT is one of the resorts I've done the least homework on.

Edit - Just looked it up. Seems like it's a good size room and should be easy to fit the twin in that spot as long as that door out to the balcony and the table doesn't get into the way.

Since it does have the twin sleeper chair now, I wonder if they will just replace that vs taking it out and doing the under TV one.

 

[jolynne28]

We just got back, went to SSR to tour the Riv & Saratoga 1 bedroom models there. Both very nice, I agree that having a 1 bedroom at minimum is ideal, but know that we can still squeeze into the studios that sleep 5 for now if we want to save some points. Poly was nice b/c of the 2 showers.

I should have clarified this earlier, b/c a lot of people are commenting on the holiday stay. Our longer stay would be summer, we aren't looking to do a week during any holiday, just maybe pick up a long weekend to see some of the decor. We've done Disney the week before Christmas before we moved to Fl and that was kind of a one and done for us. Now that we live close enough to drop and go last minute when we know crowds are lower, it's very hard to think about going back to the wall to wall people at peak times.

Someone nailed it when they said I'm a value buyer. That describes me perfectly. I want to get the most bang for my buck in nearly every situation. I'm regretting not touring BLT while there, lots of recommendations for that. When is that refurb scheduled for? I also swear I read a comment somewhere on another thread that CCV was getting another refurb and they should be adding in those pull down twins to sleep 5/9 instead of 4/8. Or maybe I'm making that up, our guide said they just had a refurb fairly recently.

I'm still stuck on the fact that we can get more points at SSR right now. Summer at 7 months has availability at other places, and if it happens that we can't get something else I think we would be fine there. I did love CCV, but the Riviera rooms were shockingly spacious. But buying direct is the only way to stay there, well or renting points, and direct doesn't offer us enough benefits to buy from Disney.

People stay to buy a small contract and see how it goes, but i was thinking 150p. Am I crazy for that? should I stick closer to 100p? We aren't financing, nor are we blowing through our savings. We are fortunate to be in the position to do this without it being a financial burden. Aside from maybe running numbers and considering BLT as well, am I missing anything else?

 

[CarolynFH]

People stay to buy a small contract and see how it goes, but i was thinking 150p. Am I crazy for that? should I stick closer to 100p?

We bought many years ago, when it wasn’t so complicated. However, we chose our resort first (BWV vs. OKW), then we looked at how many points we would need for what we thought would be our usual stay (7 nights, Thanksgiving week, 2BR), which was 300 points. So that’s what we bought, but broke it into two 150-point contracts. I suggest that you review the points charts for the resorts, villa sizes, and seasons you think you’ll want to book, and base your purchase on that. Even in a studio, I’m not sure that 100 points would get you anything close to what you envision, unless you envision going every 18 months to 2 years so that you can bank/borrow to make it happen.

 

[AstroBlasters]

We just got back, went to SSR to tour the Riv & Saratoga 1 bedroom models there. Both very nice, I agree that having a 1 bedroom at minimum is ideal, but know that we can still squeeze into the studios that sleep 5 for now if we want to save some points. Poly was nice b/c of the 2 showers.

I should have clarified this earlier, b/c a lot of people are commenting on the holiday stay. Our longer stay would be summer, we aren't looking to do a week during any holiday, just maybe pick up a long weekend to see some of the decor. We've done Disney the week before Christmas before we moved to Fl and that was kind of a one and done for us. Now that we live close enough to drop and go last minute when we know crowds are lower, it's very hard to think about going back to the wall to wall people at peak times.

Someone nailed it when they said I'm a value buyer. That describes me perfectly. I want to get the most bang for my buck in nearly every situation. I'm regretting not touring BLT while there, lots of recommendations for that. When is that refurb scheduled for? I also swear I read a comment somewhere on another thread that CCV was getting another refurb and they should be adding in those pull down twins to sleep 5/9 instead of 4/8. Or maybe I'm making that up, our guide said they just had a refurb fairly recently.

I'm still stuck on the fact that we can get more points at SSR right now. Summer at 7 months has availability at other places, and if it happens that we can't get something else I think we would be fine there. I did love CCV, but the Riviera rooms were shockingly spacious. But buying direct is the only way to stay there, well or renting points, and direct doesn't offer us enough benefits to buy from Disney.

People stay to buy a small contract and see how it goes, but i was thinking 150p. Am I crazy for that? should I stick closer to 100p? We aren't financing, nor are we blowing through our savings. We are fortunate to be in the position to do this without it being a financial burden. Aside from maybe running numbers and considering BLT as well, am I missing anything else?

https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/best-economical-dvc-resorts-to-purchase-fall-2023/