Is it imperative to rent and stay at a DVC property prior to purchasing?

[DonMacGregor]

Coming from a moderate, you should be satisfied with any of the DVC resorts (except maybe Boulder Ridge).

I have been quietly buying up a few small contracts at BR (not too many points as it is a 2042 resort), in anticipation of the refurb. Yes, it's been delayed like 50 times (ok maybe not THAT many), but it WILL get refurbed, and it will then have rooms that are bigger than CCV and newer, and for me, the benefit of NOT being in the main building. I LOVE that lobby, but man can it get noisy and busy in there at times.

I think it's hands-down the most beautiful resort and while it may not have a savanna, and dining isn't the best (no sig restaurant anymore), I love the amenities and the location is perfect for us. Not on the Monorail to keep the crowds down, but still close enough to get a boat to MK (or CR when the start up again) and access to the Monorail resorts for dining.

 

[Jwaire]

I think it's hands-down the most beautiful resort and while it may not have a savanna, and dining isn't the best (no sig restaurant anymore), I love the amenities and the location is perfect for us. Not on the Monorail to keep the crowds down, but still close enough to get a boat to MK (or CR when the start up again) and access to the Monorail resorts for dining.

It's up there for sure. There may not be signature dining there but Geyser Point elevated the dining there and Artist Point offers something for the kids. I just wish they would reopen the boat service to the Contemporary.

 

[DonMacGregor]

It's up there for sure. There may not be signature dining there but Geyser Point elevated the dining there and Artist Point offers something for the kids. I just wish they would reopen the boat service to the Contemporary.

They will. The docks are still there with all the signage in place. Definitely easier to take the boat to CR to grab the Monorail versus going all the way to MK.

 

[WDW Lover]

I would do a rental through a DVC owner and see if you like the resort. If I was looking to buy right now at Riviera or the additional GF ones, I would not be interested. If I didn't own elsewhere and I was new to buying into DVC, a stay at the place you are looking to buy will tell you if you really want to invest that kind of money into it. I own at several DVC properties and at the prices to buy into the DVC nowadays, I would not do it. I have owned for a very long time, and honestly, you could probably be better off renting points for different vacations from DVC owners and come out way ahead. The price per point to buy into it now is CRAZY! What ever happened to the one over at the campground that was supposed to go in? They did a bunch of land clearing over there and then COVID hit and it's still all blocked off and seems like nothing is happening. That one might be worth a small membership to me... but the new ones DVC currently has for sale, not so much. That's why if you are serious, try a stay first!

 

[McCrae]

It’s pretty easy to arrange a tour to see DVC rooms at resorts. If you haven’t already done this I would recommend it. We found it very helpful in not just deciding where to buy, but also if we would want to stay at a resort in the future.

 

[RichVIII]

I am more like CragInPa and bucking the trend a bit. We had always stayed off-site. My MIL decided to take us on one big trip. Given mobility issues, we decided on BLT since it was a straight scooter ride to MK. Had no idea what DVC was. Not only did we wish we had taken that cash and bought DVC, but we were also sold on BLT. BUT...we added on two contracts at BLT within two years. Fast forward, we started staying at other resorts...each one we wanted points. Since we had not hit the lottery, would we have purchased at BLT if we had stayed or visited other places? Maybe? Would we have purchased all our points at one resort? No. Still regret that. I am with others, I would stay but I would visit those top contenders. I would also consider the difference between a studio and 1 BR. We LOVE poly but have started to really enjoy those 1BRs, so that is out. They joke about not wanting to go back to a moderate, you won't want to go back to a studio once you stay in a 1BR.
But also....we all kick ourselves for not getting in earlier. Even looking at prices a year ago, I wish we had purchased more points. Would you buy a house in a neighborhood without ever visiting the neighborhood to see what it is like beyond the realtor photos and video?

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

With the exception of Copper Creek, our favorite, I have been surprised by each resort we've stayed at, in that I felt the OPPOSITE of how I expected to. Resorts I thought I'd love we left feeling meh. Resorts that were just on our list to try just because... I liked a lot more than I thought I would! So, I would always advise to at least tour the property before purchasing. That 11 month advantage is important.

 

[Orion Nebula]

With the exception of Copper Creek, our favorite, I have been surprised by each resort we've stayed at, in that I felt the OPPOSITE of how I expected to. Resorts I thought I'd love we left feeling meh. Resorts that were just on our list to try just because... I liked a lot more than I thought I would! So, I would always advise to at least tour the property before purchasing. That 11 month advantage is important.

Which ones ended up "meh"?

My wife and I spent hours last night watching tours. But I couldn't find good ones that "seemed" non bias. Everyone we watched just walked around glowing at how awesome the place was. There is no way each is perfect... although I find a lot of the vloggers a bit overly "bubbly". Does anyone have any recommended videos for any of the DVC properties? At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price. OKW seemed the better of the two but the one video we watched made us kind of blah on it.

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

And as far as the decision on direct, I think the idea of buying resale and not being able to use the points at any future resorts (or Riviera) is a deal breaker. Riviera looked really nice.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

 

[Wedgeout]

Don’t want to pay a lot for blah. Might have to watch them on mute because they are all awesome! I’m trying to figure out the bus to take a bus unless the Disney Springs bus when boat wasn’t running…maybe only stopped at the Hospitality House? I can understand take a bus to take a boat when your villa is further away than you want to walk.

 

[Jwaire]

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

Some of the DVC resorts are experiences all on their own and worth the bus ride. I've stayed or visited all of them except OKW and BC. I haven't found a bad one yet (ignoring poor Boulder Ridge at the moment).

Epcot Resort Area
Boardwalk - Skyliner to HS, Walking Path to Epcot and HS, Bus to MK and AK, Friendship Boat to HS
Beach Club - Skyliner to HS, Walking Path to Epcot and HS, Bus to MK and AK, Friendship Boat to HS
Rivera - Skyliner to Epcot HS, Bus to MK and AK

Magic Kingdom Resort Area
Grand Floridian - Monorail to MK and Epcot (via TTC), Walkway to MK, Bus to AK and HS, Boat to MK
Polynesian - Monorail to MK and Epcot (via TTC), Walkway to MK (via Grand Floridian, longer walk), Bus to AK and HS, Boat to MK
Contemporary's Bay Lake Tower - Monorail to MK and Epcot (via TTC), Walkway to MK, Bus to AK and HS, Boat to MK and Wilderness Lodge (Route Not Currently Running)
Copper Creek/Boulder Ridge - Boat to MK, Bus to Epcot, AK and HS

Disney Springs Resort Area
Saratoga Springs - Internal Bus System, Bus to MK, Epcot, AK and HS; boat to Disney Springs (and to French Quarter/Riverside, OKW)
Old Key West - Internal Bus System, Bus to MK, Epcot, AK and HS; boat to Disney Springs (and to French Quarter/Riverside, SS)

Animal Kingdom Resort Area
Animal Kingdom Lodge - Bus to MK, Epcot, AK and HS

 

[McCrae]

Which ones ended up "meh"?

My wife and I spent hours last night watching tours. But I couldn't find good ones that "seemed" non bias. Everyone we watched just walked around glowing at how awesome the place was. There is no way each is perfect... although I find a lot of the vloggers a bit overly "bubbly". Does anyone have any recommended videos for any of the DVC properties? At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price. OKW seemed the better of the two but the one video we watched made us kind of blah on it.

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

And as far as the decision on direct, I think the idea of buying resale and not being able to use the points at any future resorts (or Riviera) is a deal breaker. Riviera looked really nice.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

This is a very difficult question to answer and a lot depends upon your own preferences. For example I am not a fan of the older resorts OKW and Saratoga, but others are big fans. Both these results look good on the presentation videos. Some resorts such as Saratoga tend to be easy to book and the advantages of having this as a home resort is not so clear.

 

[davidl81]

Which ones ended up "meh"?

My wife and I spent hours last night watching tours. But I couldn't find good ones that "seemed" non bias. Everyone we watched just walked around glowing at how awesome the place was. There is no way each is perfect... although I find a lot of the vloggers a bit overly "bubbly". Does anyone have any recommended videos for any of the DVC properties? At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price. OKW seemed the better of the two but the one video we watched made us kind of blah on it.

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

And as far as the decision on direct, I think the idea of buying resale and not being able to use the points at any future resorts (or Riviera) is a deal breaker. Riviera looked really nice.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

I’m sure I’ll get flamed for this, but to me the two WDW resorts that are blah are OKW and SSR. They are IMO a step up from a moderate, but well below a deluxe resort. Nothing wrong with them, but nothing super exciting about the resorts either. They have some pros especially if you are not really going to the parks much, but there are a lot of better places to travel overall than Disney if you are not going to the parks. Just going through the list of WDW resorts here are my basic thoughts.
AKV- Nice theme, the Savanna makes it unique, bus ride everywhere. It’s my preferred fall back resort if I’m left with only OKW, SSR, or AKV
BLT- Location, you walk to MK and can dine at contemporary. The resort itself has a kinda generic vibe but the location makes it special.
BWV/BCV- To us hands down best locations in DVC. Walk to Epcot and HW. BCV pool is amazing. BW at night is great. We try to book all of our trips here if we can.
CCV/BRV- Perfectly fine resorts, kinda wilderness vibe. Since it’s so tied into the wilderness lodge you feel much more like a regular resort than some other DVC properties. Transportation is okay at best, boat ride to MK can be fun.
PBV- great studios, great location for Epcot and MK. Really great vibe to the resort. Down side is only studios, but for some people that’s what they want.
VGF- Great location, has a special feel to the resort because of the flagship effect. Point heavy but feels worth it
RIV- IMO it’s a moderate location that’s a step up from OKW/SSR due to skyliner, but below resorts where you can walk into parks. Nice resort in a nice JW Marriott kinda way. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing exciting about it to me.
SSR/OKW- To me fall back resorts. If you are not doing parks SSR can be okay with Disney Springs and on site golf. Nice pools.

 

[DVChris]

At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price.

If you're going for best price, then take a look at this list of Best Economical DVC Resorts:
https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/best-economical-dvc-resorts-to-purchase-fall-2021/

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price. OKW seemed the better of the two but the one video we watched made us kind of blah on it.

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

And as far as the decision on direct, I think the idea of buying resale and not being able to use the points at any future resorts (or Riviera) is a deal breaker. Riviera looked really nice.

Ok. If I’m properly understanding these statements, you definitely have zero need to stay on property first. You seem to be buying for sleep-around points, with the lowest cost direct buy-in… which is totally understandable, and your prerogative!

Visiting first is most important when you’re buying where you plan to (usually) stay & home resort matters (you want that11-month advantage!)… even then, I’m of the opinion that virtual tours are just fine. Our home resort did matter a lot to us, and we never stayed on-property first. We researched a ton, and felt confident enough to move forward. For us, it worked out very well & saved us the cost of renting first.

All that said, if you’re not “buying where you want to stay” then you should probably buy where you’re “ok staying if you can’t book elsewhere.” (& realize that both of your top 2 resort choices are very bus-dependent!) Remember that you can’t always stay at other resorts unless you’re very flexible both with dates & room type. If you’re super flexible and don’t mind split-stays, then just look at the bottom line (inc dues over the life of the contract), and start enjoying those points!!

 

[DarthDadMan]

Let's face it, all renting is going to do is reaffirm your need for purchasing. I had no intent to purchase when I first rented; 6 months later, I own. Sounds like you guys are pretty sold already.

 

[bwvBound]

Oooooh. This post struck a chord for me (better than striking nerve, to be sure). The answer, curiously, is wildly different for each person!

FWIW, we purchased SSR in early 2004 both pre-opening and sight-unseen. It has been a good membership for us -- but we use the membership as "sleep around points" and didn't even visit the resort until December 2009 after the Treehouse units were added. We bought on "price" and "length of years," a significant factor in 2004. The strategy has worked well for us.

But about that chord you struck ... that goes back to Fall 2002 when we tried to tour a timeshare in the San Diego backcountry. It was a fabled place ... I'd read about it and wanted to check it out.

• We showed up at the gates just to have a peek of the grounds, "Sorry, owners only. Please turn around at the tree ahead and leave."
• We tried to book a weekend, "Must be an owner or booked by an owner."
• We met with the sales team, "Sorry, you wouldn't like it here."

So that "tree up ahead"? It was maybe 200' into the property. I fell head over heels in love with the property in that short drive up and back. The place hit me with the strongest connection of "home" I'd felt since moving to San Diego. The feeling was immediate and certain. We bought a share via eBay and loved that place until is shuttered in 2012. It was my Camelot -- my favorite place ever.

We've been many places. Some are places you travel to or through. Others say, "Plant roots here." The place calls to you ... maybe owns you. You don't know when or where that feeling will strike ... but you will know. Just deeply know.

Next time you are near WDW .. take time to walk around the resorts that interest you. You'll know if it is pleasing to you. Some will be OK ... some will turn you off ... and, perhaps, some will grab you. But it will be different for you than anyone else.

Good luck with your research!

Edited to add: This entire post could be summed up as TL;DR: Some decisions are made with the Head and others with the Heart. Right?

Which ones ended up "meh"?

My wife and I spent hours last night watching tours. But I couldn't find good ones that "seemed" non bias. Everyone we watched just walked around glowing at how awesome the place was. There is no way each is perfect... although I find a lot of the vloggers a bit overly "bubbly". Does anyone have any recommended videos for any of the DVC properties? At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price. OKW seemed the better of the two but the one video we watched made us kind of blah on it.

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

And as far as the decision on direct, I think the idea of buying resale and not being able to use the points at any future resorts (or Riviera) is a deal breaker. Riviera looked really nice.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

 

[RoseGold]

Everyone we watched just walked around glowing at how awesome the place wa

There is some general downside to DVC you get by renting points, like housekeeping knocking at 8:30AM the day of checkout and no cleaning during the stay. The mattresses are better at Marriott, the blankets are pretty sad, even at grand Floridian. To me, transportation is a big one and both of your resorts have challenging transportation.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

Which ones ended up "meh"?

My wife and I spent hours last night watching tours. But I couldn't find good ones that "seemed" non bias. Everyone we watched just walked around glowing at how awesome the place was. There is no way each is perfect... although I find a lot of the vloggers a bit overly "bubbly". Does anyone have any recommended videos for any of the DVC properties? At this point I am pretty sure we are going to buy direct at either OKW or Saratoga. But it would be completely due to price. OKW seemed the better of the two but the one video we watched made us kind of blah on it.

Anyhow at this point I don't think I could spend my points at any resort that lacks alternative transportation. The person showing off OKW mentioned in some of the locations you had to take a bus... to take a bus...

And as far as the decision on direct, I think the idea of buying resale and not being able to use the points at any future resorts (or Riviera) is a deal breaker. Riviera looked really nice.

I really appreciate everyone's help!

Disclaimer that this is my own personal opinion, so take it for all it's worth. I'm also willing to say these resorts may have been victims of the times we visited, and some of the issues may not be a usual thing. We'll probably visit them again at some point.

We didn't like transportation at OKW. It's really spread out and we spent lots of time waiting, frustrated. It was just me and my daughter and at times didn't feel comfortable walking around out there by ourselves at night. I also didn't care for the rooms. Saratoga got the better refurb IMO. It had wonderful staff though, those golf cart drivers are the best. Olivia's was ok, but far from the best meal I've had on property.

Our villa at Jambo was really dark and beat up, it looked almost chewed on in places. Love the animals, lobby and restaurants of course, but you don't have to be a guest to get some time in there. We love Wilderness Lodge so we were really surprised as we expected to love it (designed by the same architect).

We haven't stayed at Beach Club, but spent a day there and toured the grounds and rooms. It had a nice villa but the grounds were chaotic and stressful for us. We have a special needs child and he struggled here.

Since you mentioned interest here, we stayed at Saratoga because we needed to tack on a few days to the beginning of a trip, not expecting much. Loved it! We spent time in the community hall and really liked the rooms. We were in Grandstand and had a beautiful, serene view. I found it easy to relax there. Oh! We had a car here and that helped a lot. We didn't at OKW and that might have changed my opinion on the transportation.

Aaalllll that to say, I'm sure one resort out there will really speak to you and I hope you're able to find it! I found vlogs to be almost useless. You find yourself at the mercy of the reviewer and their preferences. We got lucky when looking into DVC and stayed cash at Copper Creek before buying, so we already knew we loved it.

 

[Skywalker3]

We bought in 2011 without ever staying at any DVC resort. We'd only done value/moderate/off site.. One of the main things we appreciate in staying at Disney is convenience. That can certainly change if a place adds something like a skyliner.
We are of the belief to buy where you want to stay, or at least buy where you don't mind staying....we love our home at BWV, and I'm so glad DH had the foresight to know that our interests would change over time, to wanting HS and Epcot more than the other parks. In 2011, we spent half the trip at MK. Now we barely go there.
We've also only stayed at BWV about half of our total stays. I know things are different now on availability, but we've not had any issues getting rooms at most other resorts. We don't necessarily get standard views, but we get a room. We've used our points at Poly, BLT, AKL,BCV, SSR, OKW, RIv. Still hope to try CCV/BRV asap! We also bought enough points to cover non standard views, and 1 bedrooms.
If you're considering SSR/OKW, I'd still go visit those. We have stayed each, and have little intention of staying there again any time soon. Those multiple bus stops were not for us, when we're just trying to rope drop/get to the parks asap. Some LOVE SSR/OKW . Who knows though, one day, we might when we are not so into going to parks every day. We've certainly changed our Disney travel habits over the last 20 years.
I still think I'd recommend going down and walking around the places. My daughter and I did a lot of resort hopping at CHristmas for the decorations, and we got like 7 done by early afternoon, so you could probably visit all of them in a day
Best wishes on the decision!

 

[JLong06]

There are plenty of virtual tours to know the rooms and resort areas that I’m not sure you need to stay there for that reason.

I think it’s most important to know what area (in Disney World) you’d like to stay at. I bought AKL points without staying there thinking I’d be ok being a bit removed from”the action” as I’d call it. I was wrong after I experienced staying at BWV and Poly and I sold my points to buy in at Poly. I’m not sure if that necessarily means you need to rent points just for that, but just some food for thought.