I've booked!

[dcfromva]

I'm not for sure whether we will go back to WDW over New Years again this year, but I thought if there was a chance we'd like to--I'd better book! (I am thinking either WDW or Santa Fe or Phoenix--Where did I get Santa Fe? )

I booked a 2BR at BCV 29,30 Dec and 1Jan and I'm on the waiting list for Dec31st....how different it was from last year when I made my ressie!

I also made ressies for a 2BR at BCV on 2-4Nov. I am hopeful we will get to go Oct31st-Nov4th. I would like to stay at either the Contemp or Polynesian the first 2 nights --to take advantage of MNSSHP and then BCV the last two nights (to take advantage of Food and Wine festival). Now, I just have to find airfare and sell this to the troops (ie DH and DS)!

Looks like if this comes together, we will bank a few odd points for next year.

Has anyone else decided how they are going to use their points this year?


-DC :ears:

[Johnie]

If you can't sell the troops, I will be more than happy to step up for you :D you just let me know....

[OKWTink]

Not nearly as nicely planned as yours DC, but I am addicted to Vero Beach in turtle egg laying season, so will be using some points to stay there this summer.

May use points to stay for the Food and Wine Festival. It is much more relaxing to have Disney transport me back to a villa then be concerned about driving home. (Intereferes with wine sampling ;) ).

Other than that, just catch as catch can. Much like Esmerelda, I like to book spur of the moment and have surprisingly good luck doing so. It's those weekends that eat up the points! :(

[dcfromva]

johnie
If you can't sell the troops, I will be more than happy to step up for you you just let me know....


Hee hee hee--I'll put you number 1 on the standby list!


-DC :ears:

OKWTink,
I am addicted to Vero Beach in turtle egg laying season, so will be using some points to stay there this summer.


How cool! I think I have read about this before. Don't they have volunteers to guards the nests--to prevent people from disturbing them (or shining light on them)? I have heard that Vero has the coolest beach cottages. Sometime, I would like to check them out. (I probably need more points:) )

-DC :ears:

[Mickeymac]

Hey, can I be on standby too?

I'm suddenly so sold on DVC it isn't funny... found an OKW property with extra points going for dirt cheap. Can't get the Mr. to make up his mind though, and I'm sure we don't have much time.

And NO, I'm not going to tell you preDVC'ers where I found it! :D

[Alexander]

MM, keep in mind that DVC has the first rights to purchase that property. If it's going too cheap, they may deny you the purchase. I've heard that anything much less than $70/point has been getting scooped up by DVC. You may be okay with OKW however, as they tend to go a little bit cheaper than the rest.

I scan the resales all of the time just hoping that we will be able to jump in too! We'll likely buy at OKW since you can use your points at the others, with the 7 month window however. We never plan that far ahead anyways! Heck, I booked 7 days ahead last time!

[OKWTink]

Feel free to call me biased, but you will get the most for your money at OKW. I'll try very hard to shut up now! :)

Good for you Mickeymac in finding a great resale. Try to move quickly!

DC, the turtle season is pretty wonderful. There is a lottery system at VB, whereby you are selected to go out on the dark (very dark, lights are prohibited by law during the entire season) beach in the evening and look for a female turtle coming ashore to lay the eggs.

All nests are marked with type of turtle (leatherback, logger head, green and others) date of laying (so they can determine roughly when they will hatch) and closely guarded by beach patrol.

When the eggs hatch (hopefully in the evening; it at least gives the TINY turtles a fighting chance) the hatchlings head for the light, which on a properly controlled beach, will be the sea. They start their swim for the huge floating island of seaweed (believe it or not!) where they will live in relative safety until they reach maturity and the females return to the same beach to lay their cache of eggs. Incredible. The baby turtles are so very, very small. It's amazing that any make it at all.

[Mickeymac]

Yeah, don't think we are going to move that quick any more... got the surgeon's bill (and the non-covered portion!)

'Tink, I love your description of the turtles... that is so amazing. I would love to see little ones heading for the water. I love the Crocodile Hunter episode where he finds a nest hatching. You just want to help them over each little (miniscule) object, and point the strayers to the ocean (but know that you can't) I would so love to stay at Vero Beach.

Heck, I'd take any place warm right now...

[dcfromva]

Mickeymac
I'm suddenly so sold on DVC it isn't funny... found an OKW property with extra points going for dirt cheap. Can't get the Mr. to make up his mind though, and I'm sure we don't have much time.
And NO, I'm not going to tell you preDVC'ers where I found it!

(hee hee hee --what about us post DVC'ers who think they need more points?) I mean, Tell me, your secret would be safe with me. :)

OKW is great--In fact my own DH couldn't believe it cost LESS points to stay at OKW than BCV. He was just going by the fact that the accomodations are more spacious over at OKW (and he really likes to park right out in front of his vacation home). Plus they have 3 BR grand villas of which I have only seen pictures and floor plans --but they look really dreamy. The Grand Villas are hard to book if your home resort is not OKW. (BWV also has the Grand Villas, too, but BCV does not).


-DC :ears:

[OKWTink]

Oh my G-d! You've GOT to see the grand villas at OKW (and the ones at Vero)!

They are incredible! The sweeping staircase for starters is so neat. The upstairs is fully appointed, and the downstairs is wonderful. It's larger than many (Florida) homes! Ask, the next time you are at OKW, and if they have one vacant I'm sure they'll show you. (Same with VB).

The grand villa at the BW is nice, too, but doesn't have the majesty of OKW.

OKW has a bit of an unfair advantage in that it was the first Vacation Club (originally called the Vacation Club) and no expense was spared on land use, or on building the units. I know many folks prefer other DVCs, but I'll always prefer OKW simply for the size of the units and the expanse of the grounds.

Not saying that I don't like the others mind! Just that OKW is my favorite.

[BigThunder]

as far as OKW resale goes, a friend of mine just sold hers on a resale site & DVC ended up using their first refusal & buying them instead of the person who thought they had gotten them. Does that make any sense? I guess if you come to a deal with someone for say, $50 a point & agree on that, Disney can step in & say No, we have first refusal for that price & snatch it up. then they get the good deal. I may be wrong about how it works but I do know my friend ended up having DVC buy her OKW points for the same price as the person had originally bought them for. It's smart for DVC to do this I think. They can sell it for the going rate & make money on it twice. I always wondered why they didn't do that before.

[OKWTink]

DVC has always had first right of refusal. To my knowledge they always purchase to protect the price of points. It's just that the prices of the new sales have never been this high, so the resales can be priced by some sellers at the point price that they originally paid and DVC will snap them up. Works out well for those wishing to sell who bought into DVC at a point price less than $70.

[BigThunder]

I know before we bought ours in summer of '02 I was directed by numerous friends to check out the online resale sites. Many had bought personally & some had family & friends do it. None had any interferrence from DVC. I knew then they had the right of first refusal & wondered why in the world they weren't using it. At the time we bought at, what was it, $80 a point, you could get OKW for around $60 on some of these websites. Substantial savings. I for one am to paranoid to do a major transaction over the internet & we really wanted the Beach Club as our home resort so we declined to do it that way. My friend who sold was surprised when they stepped in & did the buy. It's a smart move on there part I think.