Does everyone really "love" their home resort?

TchrAmanda25

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 25, 2019
Before purchasing DVC it was a wish or a thought, not even a dream for me. I knew that it would lock in the vacations for years to come, but I didn't see it happening financially. We had a two week stay and went to a presentation to check things out, get fast passes and ice cream, and we left DVC owners. We chose Riviera above Copper Creek because it allows 5 and sometimes we travel as a family of 5, most often as a family of 3-4, but we liked knowing that we would likely be able to secure a deluxe studio for 5. We had our first DVC trip in December- split between the Polynesian and Boardwalk, and we enjoyed both, probably the boardwalk a little more in some ways. We visited Riviera to eat twice and while I do like it I feel like I liked our stay at Saratoga Springs the summer before even more, and that I would still prefer to stay at Saratoga Springs. I don't get all warm and fuzzy about my home resort. My husband still jokes that Port Orleans French Quarter is our home resort. Does anyone else feel that way- you like your home resort but it isn't like this feeling of "going home" just because you are there?
 
Just curious how you picked your home resort...did you truly buy where you wanted to stay or was it due to some other influence? Did you just limit your options to the two resorts that have not been sold out?
 
I just added on RIV and also own BWV and SSR. These are all resorts I enjoy, but bought SSR for the purpose of staying at other resorts I like better like VGF and BLT. But, I also have BWV and RIV for stays there as I tend to split stay so I am in Epcot area for part of time and MK area the rest,

Honestly, I don’t think anyone should be a home resort they aren’t thrilled with. DVC is a lot of money and if you feel thst SSR fits your needs...SV 1 bedrooms which will sleep 5 now with renovations are not going to be much more than a PV studio at RIV during certain times of the year..5 points more a night in the summer,

I love RIV and am glad I bought there. But, even going direct, SSR will be less expensive and if you’d be happy there more than RIV, I’d consider that,
 


I have multiple home resorts - each for different reasons...like it really not a fan of BLT but you just can’t beat the location. The 2 that I truly feel are ‘home’ are OKW and BRV...something else to consider - our first trip to AK-Kidani - I really didn’t like the resort At All! That was years ago - went back this June and loved it! So things change and tastes change and decor changes etc. I think you made a good choice in RIV and hope you have many years of wonderful vacations at WDW
 
We initially bought DVC at OKW in 2006. Then added HHI, AKV, BWV and CCV. Sold the AKV after owning just 2 years since we can book there easily at 7 months and sold for a nice profit ($16pp more than we bought). We just sold the OKW too (also a good profit). We never really liked it there. But we bought it initially because it was the cheapest resales back in 2006...at WDW (SSR was selling new for like $95pp and we paid $76 for the OKW via resale). So we planned to book 1BR villas (if we wanted to all 5 be in same room we too would have continued to stay at Port Orleans)...but we planned to book best resort still available at 7 months out (and to bop around trying them all). And we did have pretty good success using those OKW points all over (did every east coast DVC with them except VGF and Riv). They were our sleep-around points as they have been coined here on the Dis.

As for HHI, we LOVE it there. Fabulous resort and great staff there (really friendly and helpful and the 3BR GVs are awesome with wood burning fireplace....we had for NYE one year and that was the BEST). Have to own here to book in summer. BUT the dues are now way too high. We can rent all over the island for way less than our dues (fell in love with the Shelter Cove Harbourside condos and can rent a 3BR over there for way less than our HHI resort dues). So I would really like to sell them too. Or can make them our expensive sleep-around points I suppose.

CCV. Really like it there too. But we only have 70 points there and it doesn't go far. Now that we're empty nest I was planning on getting a studio there during December. That's nigh impossible. But I do really enjoy that resort. Will just bank/borrow to get a 1BR for a few nights every 2-3 years.

BWV. This one is a love hate relationship. Love the location. But the resort is old and worn. They have water pipe issues. The cast members are snooty most of the time. Go to the desk to check in early and get the very stern 'check in is AFTER 4pm'. Rarely get a room there before 3-4pm (though will say lately it's been improved). MBs always have issues, like opening door or charging...they never get it right. Rooms are dirty and AC is freezing cold (seems like it's 2 settings...off or arctic). But the location is THE best. And the point cost per night is fabulous....especially the standard view. And you do need to own there to get standard view or boardwalk view (def for studios and 2BR). The lobby is pretty. The boardwalk is neat. Lots of places to eat and drink around there.

Edit to add...really like all the resorts for various reasons. But we do have an order of preference and OKW was at the bottom (as was Poly and BLT and likely VGF would be too but we have not stayed there yet...VB is also at the bottom). We really like SSR and AKV for non home resorts. I prefer BCV over BWV but we own BWV and can get the lesser costing standard view at BWV so there is that. Love AKV Jambo over Kidani for the breathtaking Jambo lobby. In the same vein, that is why we love CCV over BRV. But we'd stay at any and really enjoy things about all of them. (can't wait to try out Riv on our next trip)
 
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We stayed at BWV a few times on rented points before buying in via resale and haven’t stayed there since. We like the location of the resort and the boardwalk (of course) but the rooms themselves are just ok — we primarily bought there because of location and a great deal on the resale market.

I picked up a SSR contract shortly afterwards because it was too good a resale deal to pass up and we have never stayed there.
 


We like different resorts for different reasons and stay everywhere based on the mix of the group and what we want to do.

Our home resorts are HH and BRV, but we most often stay at BWV. SSR is growing on me!
 
I’ve owned BWV for 20 years and love it. Nothing beats a boardwalk view for me. Walk/boat to Epcot and DHS. I’ve alternated to most of the WDW DVC for variety, except CC and SSR (Riviera in April).

In the process of buying VGC, I’ve regretted not buying for 10 years, managing to get in on my BWV points (but having to get a 1 bedroom many times). Love it!
 
I own VGF and AKV. Love them both. They are the only DVC where we love to stay.
Owned VGF first but was using VGF points to book at AKV for at least one trip a year. It made sense to expand my collection.
 
Is it safe to say that people who buy DVC have an abundance of disposable cash?

I would love to know what the buy in cost for two weeks for a two bedroom deluxe resort in December? Let's say the Rivera and Poly.
 
I honestly can’t event choose which home I love more. VGC, VGF, Aulani. If I were to add on, I’d choose BWV.
 
Is it safe to say that people who buy DVC have an abundance of disposable cash?

I would love to know what the buy in cost for two weeks for a two bedroom deluxe resort in December? Let's say the Rivera and Poly.
Only 2Br at Poly DVC are the Bungalows -
 
What would be the buy in cost
Poly resales, 200-300 point contracts go for about $145pp. But those bungalows cost crazy tons of points per night. Better off getting 2 connecting studios. Riviera direct is $188pp. Add in closing costs for both. And maybe covering 2020 dues up front.
Your are looking at $70K plus for 2 large contracts.

My points were bought over years. Small contracts that we'd pay up front for (no financing). We bought resales on the cheap initially (like our HHI were $50pp) and then in recent years added a couple small direct contracts to match our use year.
 
We own at AKV and SSR. We love AKV and use those points to primarily stay there.... and although SSR is nice enough, we don't LOVE it there.... we use those points to hopefully sleep around. If we had to stay at SSR it isn't the end of the world, but we like other resorts better.
 
Poly resales, 200-300 point contracts go for about $145pp. But those bungalows cost crazy tons of points per night. Better off getting 2 connecting studios. Riviera direct is $188pp. Add in closing costs for both. And maybe covering 2020 dues up front.
Your are looking at $70K plus for 2 large contracts.

My points were bought over years. Small contracts that we'd pay up front for (no financing). We bought resales on the cheap initially (like our HHI were $50pp) and then in recent years added a couple small direct contracts to match our use year.
The cost are crazy.
 
We bought our first contract in 1997 for $50 a point direct from Disney for OKW. We had a choice of BWV or OKW at WDW. We had no need for VB or HHI and like the community feel of OKW so much better than the tight little hotel room feel of BWV. In our 22 years of owning OKW (and BRV - bought it preconstruction), we've stayed there over 30 times and still enjoy it the best. We enjoy staying at the other resorts from time to time if we find them available at seven months and we have enough points left over to trade, but OKW is still our favorite. The only studio we'll book is OKW because of the two real beds. We usually book one bedroom villas.

Now that we are retired and only live a little over three hours away, we can take shorter trips, three or four nights, instead of the seven to ten nights twice a year we used to take.

I would never consider recommending a young person buy into DVC at the prices they are selling them currently. Plus annual fees keep on rising. We started out at less than $3 a point and now are closer to $7 a point.

2042 isn't a bad thing for us. Since we'll probably both be long gone by that time.
 
Our first contract was AKV and we absolutely love it. The resort feels like the best version of home.

We also love the Epcot area, and the Yacht Club in particular. We added on at BCV because of that. We both really love BCV, but I still prefer the Yacht Club if I am being honest, but I just find everything about DVC easier, so I am more than happy to stay at BCV if it means not having to chase good deals at the Yacht Club.
 

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