put a deposit down and feeling...meh.

[dumbo_buddy]

first off, let me say that i haven't read through many of the posts here in the DVC area but plan to spend all my free time today doing so! i love the dis boards and always get great info from the people on here :)

dh and i went to the doorway to dreams DVC storefront at the roosevelt field mall on long island yesterday. we spoke with several CMs there but mostly Rob was our guide. we spent almost 3 hours with him! we saw the model studio and one bedroom of BLT (by the way, the one bedroom is bigger than my whole house here in the bronx! sad!)

dh and i decided to put the $500 deposit down and will receive the contracts in two days. i was up most of the night (partly due to my 8 month old teething) thinking about dvc. i'm incredibly nervous about it. we really love disney. we plan on going every year. we'd like to go more than once! for now we feel that a studio is plenty big for the two of us and our son. with that, we could basically do a 6 night stay at BLT and another 6 night stay at OKW with the 160 pts we decided on. that's pretty great! (we go during january/sept)

thing is, we've always stayed at moderate resorts and have been able to get deals (buy 4, get 3). so a little part of me still thinks that maybe the dvc isn't worth it. but the long term makes it seem like it is!

well anyway, i guess i'm looking for a little convincing that we're going to be happy with the decision. we're thinking of putting $7k down and financing the rest.

by the way, we walked into the doorway to dreams with dh wearing a mickey shirt and mickey socks and my ds wearing a mickey bib. thing is, we didn't even think about it til the CMs pointed it out. disney is just a part of us i guess :)

[nunzia]

:cheer2::welcome::cheer2:
If you love Disney and think you will travel there often, and you can get past the deals chasing mentality and see DVC as pre paying for nice stays forever, you'll be fine! I bet as you read more on the DVC area on the DIS you will feel much better. Anytime you spend a huge hunk of money you are bound to be nervous.

[RCM]

After you have paid off the purchase you will love going and not worry about lodging. We are going in June with 3 2/bedroom villas.We purchased in 2006 and have now broke even on the purchase at SSR. We are waitting for ROFR on 50 more points through TSS.


Congradulations!

[jesschris]

My wife and I love DVC ever since we bought it. We love staying in the condos and the fact that we have locked in a discount every time we go to Dinsey.

The condos are nice with the extra space and have at least a mini kitchen area.

It is really up to you as if it is worth it. It is nice to know what a Disenytrip will cost you and not have to look for deals.

Also if you decide to buy you should ask you guide to have your contracts broken into as many smaller contracts as possible. That way if you decide to sell later your contracts are worth more.




Good luck with your decision.

[Crystal_27]

thing is, we've always stayed at moderate resorts and have been able to get deals (buy 4, get 3). so a little part of me still thinks that maybe the dvc isn't worth it. but the long term makes it seem like it is!



Well, if you typically stay at Moderates, it will take you longer to hit the "break-even" point than those who routinely stay in Deluxes, *especially* considering the awesome discounts that Disney has been giving these past few years. BUT, there will come a point where you will break even, so just hang in there knowing that. :thumbsup2

One thing that worries me, though, is that you said that you plan on spending a lot of time here (I assume researching DVC???). Please make sure that you are fully informed about what you are actually getting with DVC before your contract is final, so you can back out if you find that DVC really isn't for you. The Guides are salesmen and their job is to sell DVC, making sure to tout the pros and dismiss the cons. There *are* cons about DVC, so please make sure that you know them going in so you can make sure that you are fully comfortable with them. Good luck! :goodvibes

[DizGirl20]

I just wanted to say I know exactly what you are going through. It is a huge financial commitment. After debating DVC for about 2 years, we put in an offer last September on a resale contract. I put the check in the mailbox... and then ran out to the mailbox a few hours later to pull it back out! I got totally freaked out and cancelled the whole deal!

But I could't stop thinking about it. We made reservations for May using a 40% off pin code I had rec'd in the mail. But as time went by I began to realize that Disney is a place that I will want to visit no matter how old we are (even long after the kids have grown). We have been going every year for the past several years. I finally realized if we had bought into DVC "way back when" it would have been long paid off. I know the deals are great now but they won't last forever. So we finally bought direct from Disney in December and I have had zero regrets. I feel happy knowing the thousands of dollars I would have spent in May on Deluxe accommodations are now going towards DVC.

All this being said, don't forget about yearly dues based on how many points you own. Hopefully your guide filled you in on all that. Best of luck with your decision. You will know when the time feels right!:thumbsup2

[dumbo_buddy]

My wife and I love DVC ever since we bought it. We love staying in the condos and the fact that we have locked in a discount every time we go to Dinsey.

The condos are nice with the extra space and have at least a mini kitchen area.

It is really up to you as if it is worth it. It is nice to know what a Disenytrip will cost you and not have to look for deals.

If you decide to still buy you might want to contact your guide and ask to use a member referral and you might get a little extra off. They have done this in the past. If you need a referral feel free to use my name Christopher Lapczynski of Madison, WI.

Also if you decide to buy you should ask you guide to have your contracts broken into as many smaller contracts as possible. That way if you decide to sell later your contracts are worth more.

Lastly, make sure that you get lasy years points as a bonus. Your guide should do that for you, but just in case it is good to ask.

If you have any other questions feel free to contact me through PM or e-mail me at aerotek1234-ts@yahoo.com

Good luck with your decision.

GREAT info!! thank you! i'm sending this to my husband.

our guide did tell us about last year's points...a nice incentive!!

how small should we break down the contracts? we plan on purchasing the smallest pts - 160.

[dumbo_buddy]

After you have paid off the purchase you will love going and not worry about lodging. We are going in June with 3 2/bedroom villas.We purchased in 2006 and have now broke even on the purchase at SSR. We are waitting for ROFR on 50 more points through TSS.


Congradulations!

my husband and i are having a hard time figuring out how you calculate when you break even..how do you know you broke even at SSR? did you just base it on how much you would have paid to book regularly online for the rooms?

also, what is ROFR and TSS?

thanks!

Well, if you typically stay at Moderates, it will take you longer to hit the "break-even" point than those who routinely stay in Deluxes, *especially* considering the awesome discounts that Disney has been giving these past few years. BUT, there will come a point where you will break even, so just hang in there knowing that. :thumbsup2

One thing that worries me, though, is that you said that you plan on spending a lot of time here (I assume researching DVC???). Please make sure that you are fully informed about what you are actually getting with DVC before your contract is final, so you can back out if you find that DVC really isn't for you. The Guides are salesmen and their job is to sell DVC, making sure to tout the pros and dismiss the cons. There *are* cons about DVC, so please make sure that you know them going in so you can make sure that you are fully comfortable with them. Good luck! :goodvibes

you're right - our guide wasn't sitting there talking about the cons! that's why we still are researching! the contract is not final and the deposit is refundable. i think i got nervous after reading the thread "are you disappointed?" - there definitely are people who are unhappy!

also, not sure if he is right but our guide told us that disney won't be offering free dining or buy 4/get 3 in the future...hmmm...

I just wanted to say I know exactly what you are going through. It is a huge financial commitment. After debating DVC for about 2 years, we put in an offer last September on a resale contract. I put the check in the mailbox... and then ran out to the mailbox a few hours later to pull it back out! I got totally freaked out and cancelled the whole deal!

But I could't stop thinking about it. We made reservations for May using a 40% off pin code I had rec'd in the mail. But as time went by I began to realize that Disney is a place that I will want to visit no matter how old we are (even long after the kids have grown). We have been going every year for the past several years. I finally realized if we had bought into DVC "way back when" it would have been long paid off. I know the deals are great now but they won't last forever. So we finally bought direct from Disney in December and I have had zero regrets. I feel happy knowing the thousands of dollars I would have spent in May on Deluxe accommodations are now going towards DVC.

All this being said, don't forget about yearly dues based on how many points you own. Hopefully your guide filled you in on all that. Best of luck with your decision. You will know when the time feels right!:thumbsup2

ah, good to know i'm not the only one!

thing is, we probably wouldn't stay deluxe if it weren't for dvc. that's really where we're still thinking about the pros/cons.

that being said, we have no doubts that we will go to disney at least every year, maybe twice, so why wouldn't we pre-pay for the vacations?

i guess everyone buys APs?

[mgroshans]

TSS: The Timeshare Store
ROFR: Right of first refusal

[dumbo_buddy]

TSS: The Timeshare Store
ROFR: Right of first refusal

ah, gotcha! thanks!

[zalansky]

We originally bought back in 2004 and I panicked and came home and cancelled right away. But like another poster said, DVC was always on my mind. In the meantime, we were also continuing to go to Disney a few times a year and staying on-site at a moderate or Wilderness Lodge. DH got a nice bonus in early 2006 and a good deal was offered so we finally did it again and got 200 points. Since then we added on twice. Our first trip as DVC members was a one bedroom at BWV with a boardwalk view and as soon as we walked in I said buying in was the best thing we'd ever done! We're lucky to live close to go many times a year.

We also financed all of our 3 contracts, and 2 are paid off now.

One thing to consider is with having a baby, a studio might seem ok for now - but wouldn't it be nice to have a one bedroom to put the baby to sleep in the bedroom while you and your DH watch TV and stay up for a little bit? That was one of the main reasons we finally bought. We rarely stay in a studio. And, think ahead, you might have another child and outgrow that studio faster than you thought.

I would seriously consider a resale if I were in your shoes. You can get more points for a lot less money and have stays in bigger accomodations. Just something to think about. Have fun deciding!

[iwrbnd]

You sound just like me when we first bought! I finally canceled it too. But, then whenever I would plan a Disney trip and I would think how much of that money could go towards owning DVC! We ended up buying this year and so far no regrets. I will miss that free dining, though! Good luck!

My only regret right now is not buying sooner. My kids are getting older. If they were young, like yours, I wouldn't have hesitated as much. Like you, I want to keep going even when the kids are grown so that helps.

[twinklebug]

I felt the same way after signing my contract for AKV even though I had been renting points, staying DVC and planning out my purchase for years.

You'll get over the feeling the moment you walk into the door, in your case at BLT, and say "I own this & we can come back over and over and over... " :goodvibes

BTW - years ago I had figured out the cost of DVC ownership to staying at a moderate with discounts & it was almost a break-even for the way we travel. I by far prefer the Deluxe resorts & accommodations, having a balcony, kitchen/ette available and in a few resorts covered walkways all the way from my room out to the bus stop (we traveled in August a lot) After I fell in love with the Villas at Wilderness Lodge it only made sense to join ;)

Welcome Home! :wizard:

[Disneypirate85]

I WISH I had purchased my DVC in 1997! Now after numerous trips at Moderates I could have paid off my DVC few years ago. We love our DVC and went resell to save a little money and will add on eventually.
Welcome Home.....Shawnpirate:

[bastraker]

We are purchasing DVC this year BLT, 100 points, and like you we have always stayed at the moderates, Caribbean Beach to be exact. We've been going twice a year for the last three years now, using the various deals, 4/3, 40%, and free dining.

The way my numbers played out with DVC we will be paying the same, even with the discounts, for the deluxe now that we did with the moderate. Same studio mind you, those 1 bedrooms are nice but point heavy!! Also after looking at the whole deal we realize going with the Annual Pass also makes sense as long as you do two trips. Hopefully we'll try to squeeze in three trips May 2010, Oct 2010, and Apr 2011. The only real loss we see with DVC deal wise is the free dining, but since we only have points for one trip a year we can always do the other cash. Also now that we'll have APs we'll get the Tables in Wonderland card as well.

If you have the cash available and know you will be making the trek to Disney I think DVC is a sound idea, I just wish we wouldv'e pulled the trigger sooner.

[thelionqueen]

I spent 2 years renting points and another 2 with DVC on my mind. Every trip we used an incentive (free dining, pin codes, etc) and thought we were getting a heckuva deal. When I look back at the thousands (almost tens of thousands) of dollars I spent that could have went to my DVC membership, it makes me cringe :headache:
That said, I am incredibly happy that I bought BLT when I did and don't regreat a second of it!!
I'd also like to point out what others already have, is that your travel patterns will change along with your preferred room accommodations.

We were quite happy staying @ POP with 4 of us, but quickly realized, as my boys got older, that it was NOWHERE near enough room. We have now "matured" to a 2br and cannot imagine anything smaller than a 1BR.
Enjoy your purchase and wlecome home!!

[Crystal_27]

We are purchasing DVC this year BLT, 100 points,

Just FYI, the minimum buy-in at BLT through Disney for new members (not add-ons) is 160 points. If you want AKV, you can get a 100 point minimum, but BLT is still 160.

[Dizny Dad]

Don't look back . . . go DVC! It will prove to be a major memory maker in your family's life!

Have Fun, and Welcome Home!

[Coach81]

We were just a bit nervous too... at first.. but after our first visit.. we have been sold and completely happy and satisfied ever since....

Now we are looking to add on within the next year or so!!!

[bastraker]

Thanx for the heads up Crystal but we are buying resale through the Timeshare Store. Really I don't get why anyone would go direct, unless maybe for financing or dead set on a specific UY.

[RCM]

my husband and i are having a hard time figuring out how you calculate when you break even..how do you know you broke even at SSR? did you just base it on how much you would have paid to book regularly online for the rooms?

also, what is ROFR and TSS?

thanks!



you're right - our guide wasn't sitting there talking about the cons! that's why we still are researching! the contract is not final and the deposit is refundable. i think i got nervous after reading the thread "are you disappointed?" - there definitely are people who are unhappy!

also, not sure if he is right but our guide told us that disney won't be offering free dining or buy 4/get 3 in the future...hmmm...



ah, good to know i'm not the only one!

thing is, we probably wouldn't stay deluxe if it weren't for dvc. that's really where we're still thinking about the pros/cons.

that being said, we have no doubts that we will go to disney at least every year, maybe twice, so why wouldn't we pre-pay for the vacations?

i guess everyone buys APs?





Well this June with the 3/2bdrm condos for 6 nights would have cost me $9,000 if I had to pay cash. We could never do that realisticly. The Moderate hotels(1 room ) will cost over $1000.00 for a week. The prices of moderate rooms will only go up and our points will not cost us except for our fees that are nowhere near the cost of a vacation.

TTS......is The Timeshare Store that is advertised here. Maybe you should look at the list of resales. They are less expensive then going directly through Disney but does take longer and Disney has the right to buy the contract back before you (ROFR) so you would loose out and have to look for another contract.

[kenny]

thing is, we've always stayed at moderate resorts and have been able to get deals (buy 4, get 3). so a little part of me still thinks that maybe the dvc isn't worth it. but the long term makes it seem like it is!


We were similar. We have stayed deluxe (Poly, CR) but generally stayed at CBR.

From a break even stand point, pp's are correct that it will take us "longer" to break even (although we still will). However, I look at it from the stand point of what I now get for my money.

An example I have posted in other threads is that we are staying at BLT 1BR MKV in 2 weeks. The rack rate for our trip is approx 5K. Yes with specials/deals we could save some but you can't count on them. As Disney stated a few months back, they are going to start cutting back the discounts (I think next year, but may not remember article correctly).

If I calculate what it cost us is dues for our 300pts (SSR/BLT) and what the cost of the points were (divided by the lenght of the contract), the money DVC cost me in 2010 would be equivalent to a 10 night stay at CBR. We are staying in March 10 nights and Nov 7 nights both at BLT.

So for the same $$ I get 17 nights instead of 10 and at BLT in a 1BR as opposed to CBR.

We loved CBR but realized as the kids got older we would be more cramped. After staying in a DVC 1 BR it is no comparision. The space and amenities at DVC resorts let's you vacation in a completely different manner.

[newyorkmike]

how small should we break down the contracts? we plan on purchasing the smallest pts - 160.

Hi fellow NYer! My wife and I live in Mineola and shop at Roosevelt field all the time!

We just bought 250 points on February 6. Our salesman advised that we could split the points between two equal contracts of 125 points. When we received our package in the mail, it was for a single contract for 250 points. When I called the quality assurance customer service number indicated on the contract, I was advised by the customer service rep that for a DVC member's initial contract, the minimum contract amount had to be 160 points and could not be split below that. So, we could split our contract into a 160 and a 90, but not two 125s (We ultimately decided to split it 175 and 75). We were told that the 160 minimum does not apply to any subsequent add-on contracts.

So in your case, since you are buying in at 160, I do not believe that you will be able to split that contract.

We had similar reservations about whether this was the right time to buy in, particularly with the 4/3 offers and 35-40% off PIN codes that have been out there for the past two years. However, when we looked at the long-term cost benefit analysis and savings in 10, 20 or 30 years, it is a completely reasonable time, particularly with the current incentives. The 4/3 and PIN code promotions will not be around forever, and when they are gone, so might the great DVC incentives!

[ToddyLu]

:) We purchased 210 points at AKV in a financed deal last year direct from Disney. We had already booked a trip at Pop on a pin code but when the guide said he could get us 2 SV studios...well heck how could we pass it up. We bought our points for $93 with Disney's Discount and a member referral. It was easy to finance and we do Disney every year so we knew we were going back. We had a spectacular trip, the room, the animals, we didn't mind actually relaxing at the resort. In the past we have kinda hated having to trek back to the room at Pop...stuck in there, amenities a mile away and nothing to really see. DVC changed that whole experience.:thumbsup2

[ToddyLu]

:) Also people mean well here on the boards, but they can sometimes seem negative. You have to decide for yourself how your experience affects you...don't put too much on others opinions. I come here for clarification on rules and policies mostly and sometimes to pass along a word or two about what we have experienced. So take others opinions here with a grain of salt, including mine.:cloud9:

[dumbo_buddy]

thank you ALL for your input. i can't tell you how much i appreciate you taking the time to respond to me. it's nice "hearing" everyone's experience.

i still think 160 pts for us is fine for the time being. like most of you said though, the way we vacation may change once our son gets older (and if dh has his way, we have another baby ;) ). in that case, perhaps we may take only one vacation per year and do a one bedroom. or, maybe we'll buy more points.

i feel like the bottom line is really the fact that we KNOW we will be going to disney AT LEAST once a year. with the points, we could most likely be able to go twice a year (studio during value times) which is great. since we know we want to go every year, why not pre pay for our rooms?

[dumbo_buddy]

Hi fellow NYer! My wife and I live in Mineola and shop at Roosevelt field all the time!

We just bought 250 points on February 6. Our salesman advised that we could split the points between two equal contracts of 125 points. When we received our package in the mail, it was for a single contract for 250 points. When I called the quality assurance customer service number indicated on the contract, I was advised by the customer service rep that for a DVC member's initial contract, the minimum contract amount had to be 160 points and could not be split below that. So, we could split our contract into a 160 and a 90, but not two 125s (We ultimately decided to split it 175 and 75). We were told that the 160 minimum does not apply to any subsequent add-on contracts.

So in your case, since you are buying in at 160, I do not believe that you will be able to split that contract.

We had similar reservations about whether this was the right time to buy in, particularly with the 4/3 offers and 35-40% off PIN codes that have been out there for the past two years. However, when we looked at the long-term cost benefit analysis and savings in 10, 20 or 30 years, it is a completely reasonable time, particularly with the current incentives. The 4/3 and PIN code promotions will not be around forever, and when they are gone, so might the great DVC incentives!

hi neighbor! we actually live right next to the throgs neck bridge on the water there so it is so easy to get to the RF mall. dh is from queens so he had been there tons of times. it is HUGE! have you been to the doorway to dreams that disney has there? it's really something else. i wonder how many other places they have like that in the country.

our guide told us that the deals would not be around long and most likely not even next year.

[realfam]

We purchased our first DVC contract in 2007 on DCL (sight unseen). We waited 10 months until our first visit (10 months of questioning ourselves to whether or not we did the right thing). After our first visit (which was an SSR and AKV stay) we couldn't have been happier with our choice. Since then we have done an add on because we didn't buy enough points the first time. We now have plenty and have able to take my inlaws with us.

I promise you that after you have finshed your first stay as a member you will not regret your purchase. You'll be counting down the days until the next visit just like the rest of us. And think of what a great thing your giving your kids.:thumbsup2



We are purchasing DVC this year BLT, 100 points, and like you we have always stayed at the moderates, Caribbean Beach to be exact. We've been going twice a year for the last three years now, using the various deals, 4/3, 40%, and free dining.

The way my numbers played out with DVC we will be paying the same, even with the discounts, for the deluxe now that we did with the moderate. Same studio mind you, those 1 bedrooms are nice but point heavy!! Also after looking at the whole deal we realize going with the Annual Pass also makes sense as long as you do two trips. Hopefully we'll try to squeeze in three trips May 2010, Oct 2010, and Apr 2011. The only real loss we see with DVC deal wise is the free dining, but since we only have points for one trip a year we can always do the other cash. Also now that we'll have APs we'll get the Tables in Wonderland card as well.

If you have the cash available and know you will be making the trek to Disney I think DVC is a sound idea, I just wish we wouldv'e pulled the trigger sooner.

[cpdwiz]

first off, let me say that i haven't read through many of the posts here in the DVC area but plan to spend all my free time today doing so! i love the dis boards and always get great info from the people on here :)

dh and i went to the doorway to dreams DVC storefront at the roosevelt field mall on long island yesterday. we spoke with several CMs there but mostly Rob was our guide. we spent almost 3 hours with him! we saw the model studio and one bedroom of BLT (by the way, the one bedroom is bigger than my whole house here in the bronx! sad!)

dh and i decided to put the $500 deposit down and will receive the contracts in two days. i was up most of the night (partly due to my 8 month old teething) thinking about dvc. i'm incredibly nervous about it. we really love disney. we plan on going every year. we'd like to go more than once! for now we feel that a studio is plenty big for the two of us and our son. with that, we could basically do a 6 night stay at BLT and another 6 night stay at OKW with the 160 pts we decided on. that's pretty great! (we go during january/sept)

thing is, we've always stayed at moderate resorts and have been able to get deals (buy 4, get 3). so a little part of me still thinks that maybe the dvc isn't worth it. but the long term makes it seem like it is!

well anyway, i guess i'm looking for a little convincing that we're going to be happy with the decision. we're thinking of putting $7k down and financing the rest.

by the way, we walked into the doorway to dreams with dh wearing a mickey shirt and mickey socks and my ds wearing a mickey bib. thing is, we didn't even think about it til the CMs pointed it out. disney is just a part of us i guess :)

When we first went together in 2007, we were HOOKED. We stayed at Pop Century and loved it...We listened to DVC stuff, and realized we probably could not afford it, so our mentality was, who needs bigger rooms...WELL, since winning, I can honestly say, ITS WORTH IT..Even buying into it is worth EVERY PENNY if you can afford it!!! DVC is amazing to us! The way we stay NOW is awesome...To take a hot jacuzzi in your own room, then sleep in a huge, comfortable bed is great...To get up, and want a snack, and walk to a real size fridge in the night and get something is awesome!! To know the kids are safe in their own bedroom is a great feeling..

SO, if you love Disney and you can swing it, its worth EVERY SINGLE CENT in my opinion!!

[CarolynMink]

Just wanted to add a little extra twist.

I loved Disney long before DVC. When I had to travel to Orlando for business with a one year old and a three year old, I insisted on a 1B at OKW. (This was a long time ago and years before I joined DVC.) The full kitchen and a washing machine in the room simply were heaven. I still often waver between the studio and the 1B just because of the washer & dryer.

I just love not going home to mounds of laundry -what can I say.:rotfl:

I do not regret purchasing DVC. I just wish there was a cure for addonitis. I am always trying to figure out a way to add on.;)

[TIGGERmetoo]

We didn't purchase until Sept. 2008 but I sure wish we had purchased long before that. Our kids are 24 and 27 now. I keep thinking about how much money we spent just on accomodations. I don't think you will regret it and 160 points should be fine for now - you can always add on more later.

[Jaaron2]

Buy in with what you are comfortable with now. We stayed our first two trips at Port Orleans resort and really liked it (we have three boys) and it was a little tight even when they were younger. Since we have bought into DVC we have taken in-laws, aunts, kids friends and have just loved EVERY minute. We started with 200 points and now have 500:cool1:

Our only regret is not doing it sooner. My wife and I also go alone (we are going for 7 days in three weeks!) DVC is an individual decision, if you love going to Disney you will love DVC! There is no real downside, we dont even look at the numbers. We took two 10 day trips last yoear to BCV and the Boardwalk and one trip alone for a two bedroom was going to cost us over $13,000 just for the room. Our DVC has become our home away from home!

[lisaviolet]

first off, let me say that i haven't read through many of the posts here in the DVC area but plan to spend all my free time today doing so! i love the dis boards and always get great info from the people on here :)

dh and i went to the doorway to dreams DVC storefront at the roosevelt field mall on long island yesterday. we spoke with several CMs there but mostly Rob was our guide. we spent almost 3 hours with him! we saw the model studio and one bedroom of BLT (by the way, the one bedroom is bigger than my whole house here in the bronx! sad!)

dh and i decided to put the $500 deposit down and will receive the contracts in two days. i was up most of the night (partly due to my 8 month old teething) thinking about dvc. i'm incredibly nervous about it. we really love disney. we plan on going every year. we'd like to go more than once! for now we feel that a studio is plenty big for the two of us and our son. with that, we could basically do a 6 night stay at BLT and another 6 night stay at OKW with the 160 pts we decided on. that's pretty great! (we go during january/sept)

thing is, we've always stayed at moderate resorts and have been able to get deals (buy 4, get 3). so a little part of me still thinks that maybe the dvc isn't worth it. but the long term makes it seem like it is!

well anyway, i guess i'm looking for a little convincing that we're going to be happy with the decision. we're thinking of putting $7k down and financing the rest.

by the way, we walked into the doorway to dreams with dh wearing a mickey shirt and mickey socks and my ds wearing a mickey bib. thing is, we didn't even think about it til the CMs pointed it out. disney is just a part of us i guess :)

I haven't read any of the responses but I laughed at your house comment. I used to walk into an OKW one bedroom on vacation and say "Wow! I've just doubled my living space!!". :lmao: I so got that. (Downtown 440 sq foot condo)

Anyway I also want to tell you that I stayed at MODs and Values before DVC and I've stayed in both after as well. And you will notice the difference between a studio and a regular room. It's unreal. I "looked" for my private balcony. I "looked" for my couch. I "looked" for my kitchenette. I never thought I would notice the differences because I'm pretty low maintenance but I did.

Now I'm going to go back and read how you're doing with it all. :goodvibes

[lisaviolet]

And we waited for ten years and went and dreamt on the BW porch and WL sign year after year and snuck in the OKW workout room :rolleyes1 just to dream of course . And dreamt and dreamt. Then we had the money together - all of it - and I still had issues pulling the trigger. After ten years of visualizing. :lmao:

You are not alone.

And I know there are a lot of awful family posts here. But a lot of the joy of the last five years has been "feeling rich" by sharing it with family and friends. Lovely part of it for us.

And to the PP - loved the washer/dryer comment. Understand completely.

[KAT4DISNEY]

thing is, we've always stayed at moderate resorts and have been able to get deals (buy 4, get 3). so a little part of me still thinks that maybe the dvc isn't worth it. but the long term makes it seem like it is!

well anyway, i guess i'm looking for a little convincing that we're going to be happy with the decision. we're thinking of putting $7k down and financing the rest.


If you are really questioning the value of buying in you really should take a look at resales. You can purchase SSR points thru resale for several thousand $$$$$'s less. And the timeshare store also has some sort of financing available. With 7K down you'd have well more than 1/2 of the points paid for to start with, save on interest as well as the purchase price, and will most likely be able to get a room at BLT - certainly every now and then. SSR resale is kind of like the 4/3 deal of DVC! :thumbsup2

[Reginak]

We love DVC! It is unbelievable how much we have saved on lodging costs. (Then again, we have spent more because of the extra trips.)


I was nervous too, but we have absolutely NO regrets - other than the wish that we had purchased much sooner and more points.

If you research the boards for regrets you will find that about the only regrets anyone has are:
1. Those who wished that they had purchased sooner.
2. Those who wished that they had purchased more points.
3. Those who regret having to sell because of economic reasons.

I haven't seen anyone who truly regretted their purchase; although, I am sure that there are a few.

Trust me, when I say that you don't have to worry about this.

Regina

[dumbo_buddy]

hi all,

thank you so much for your kind words. we are so close to purchasing but are now seriously looking at resales. OKW is going for really cheap! i also found a BCV for $13.9k for the 160pts that we were looking at along with an extra 160 pts that they banked.

i'm still confused on the use year thing and really what the significance of it is. still, the resales just seem so much cheaper now and i'm not really sure how the ROFR will be that big of a problem. then again, what do i know?

anyone know of a good thread listing pros/cons of resale? i mean, so we don't get the tote bag, right? who cares?

[Dee77]

Hello! I just sent you a personal message just in case you want some additional advice from a fellow New Yorker.

[nunzia]

hi all,

thank you so much for your kind words. we are so close to purchasing but are now seriously looking at resales. OKW is going for really cheap! i also found a BCV for $13.9k for the 160pts that we were looking at along with an extra 160 pts that they banked.

i'm still confused on the use year thing and really what the significance of it is. still, the resales just seem so much cheaper now and i'm not really sure how the ROFR will be that big of a problem. then again, what do i know?

anyone know of a good thread listing pros/cons of resale? i mean, so we don't get the tote bag, right? who cares?

LOL..no tote bag on resale. I think buying OKW would be fine as long as you are fine staying there if nothing else is available at the 7 month mark. Also look into your maintainence fees as that is where your real money goes over time. You can get VB or HH cheap but they aren't on property so you may be locked out and their MFs are high. My focus is staying at DLR and since there is only 1 game in town there I feel like I need VGC points, but if I was going to WDW and didn't mind where I stayed I'd load up on OKW. Their fees aren't so much higher to make a huge difference IMO, and points are pretty cheap to buy as well as low points to stay. If only VGC had that point chart!

[dumbo_buddy]

LOL..no tote bag on resale. I think buying OKW would be fine as long as you are fine staying there if nothing else is available at the 7 month mark. Also look into your maintainence fees as that is where your real money goes over time. You can get VB or HH cheap but they aren't on property so you may be locked out and their MFs are high. My focus is staying at DLR and since there is only 1 game in town there I feel like I need VGC points, but if I was going to WDW and didn't mind where I stayed I'd load up on OKW. Their fees aren't so much higher to make a huge difference IMO, and points are pretty cheap to buy as well as low points to stay. If only VGC had that point chart!

exactly! i already know i'm going to be so stingy with my points. i'd rather go 2x a year at OKW than once at BLT or whatever. with the resale it looks like i could potentially get 200 pts at OKW for about $15k. buying next BLT 160 pts is looking to be $18.5k. i mean, hello! that's a huge difference and i LIKE okw!

[KAT4DISNEY]

anyone know of a good thread listing pros/cons of resale? i mean, so we don't get the tote bag, right? who cares?

There's no difference in your membership whether you buy resale or direct - except the possible tote bag.

And it sounds like you don't care where you stay so that also makes you an excellent candidate for resale. There are several reputable DVC resale brokers including the board sponsor.

What will happen is you make an offer on a property listing. If it's accepted by the seller then it will be submitted to Disney for right of first refusal (ROFR). If Disney thinks the price is too low they may buy it back (and they must respond within 30 days) and then you would have to start over with another contract otherwise it will go to closing. The process take a little more time with resale b/c of the ROFR but it's well worth it IMO. When we've bought resale it's been an avg. or 40 days from the time we made the offer to the time we've had points in our account.

OKW and SSR are the two best WDW resort deals. OKW contracts can have two different expiration dates 2042 or 2057. SSR is 2054. OKW dues are slightly more than SSR $4.873 vs. $4.461.

With resale pay attention to the remaining points available. ie, does it have 2009 points or nothing available until 2011.

Regarding UY - have you read this thread Understanding UY (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1942668&highlight=understanding+uy). It may help answer your questions about the importance.

[dumbo_buddy]

great info!

well, in the course of basically one day we've gone from buying new at BLT to buying resale at SSR! lol!

we spoke with the TSS (notice i know the lingo now ;) ) and have decided to put an offer on a resale at SSR - 200 points. and the nice thing is that there are 198 points banked from 2009 that don't have to be used until june of next year!

the seller is going to let us know tomorrow if he/she accepts our offer. fingers crossed.

and it sounds like i will have to be patient to find out about the ROFR. anyone know how often disney invokes this? i'll go look for threads about this now...

[bobbiwoz]

Will you be as happy owning at SSR as you would at BLT? You mentioned you travel in January and September and you would probably have your pick of resorts if you book right at 7 months, but probably not all types of views or accomodations. When your child enters school, is that when you will still be traveling? I bought where I want to stay so I can book what I want at 11 months. I'm not a good "example" though, I have 6 home resorts. We are also grandparents and take the extended family at different times of the year.

I'm just cautioning you that owning at SSR is not the same as owning at BLT.

Bobbi:goodvibes

[ercrbc]

ITA Resale is the way to go. We rented points last Sept and really enjoyed the DVC accommodations at AKV. I have been researching DVC and resales since. We made had an offer accepted for a 150pt AKV resale but Disney just ROFR'd it (after 23 days) so we are back to finding another.

Look at all the resorts pics and threads and pick the one you want the advantage booking your stay at. Then make an offer and see what happens :goodvibes

[Be1021]

Resale sounds great if you will be happy staying at SSR.
If you have your heart set on staying on the monorail listen to the advise of everyone on the boards of "buy where you want to stay". Also, dues will be a large chunk of change over time, so you need to think about the difference in dues.
Good luck!

[Cee]

That is so wonderful. Congratulations and welcome, welcome HOME. :goodvibes

[dumbo_buddy]

we actually really like SSR! i love the boat to DTD, i love the gorgeous grounds. i don't really have too much of a desire to stat at BLT. in fact, i'd rather stay at a place that "costs" less points so i can stay longer.

we'll see what happens if the seller accepts our offer.

now, how ofter does disney invoke this ROFR??? another thing to stress about!

[Crystal_27]

the seller is going to let us know tomorrow if he/she accepts our offer. fingers crossed.



Good luck!! :goodvibes

[zalansky]

dumbo_buddy - congrats! I think you made a great choice. We own at SSR and AKV, the majority of our points are at SSR. With the addition of the treehouses, SSR is a great contract to have, I think. In the past 4 years we have only stayed at SSR a few times. And we've been a LOT. All it takes is some good planning to get what you want and heck even sometimes you just get lucky. I hope your wait isn't a long one before we can officially welcome you home! :goodvibes

[bastraker]

A good thread to get an idea of what has been ROFR'd lately. I am also waiting on word from the big D, fingers crossed!!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1960185&page=145

[dumbo_buddy]

A good thread to get an idea of what has been ROFR'd lately. I am also waiting on word from the big D, fingers crossed!!

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1960185&page=145

fingers crossed is right!!

DS and i just got home from Mommy & Me and as i put him in the pack-n-play the doorbell rang. it's our contract from DVC. we haven't told our guide yet that we are backing out. i feel bad. BUT i don't feel bad enough to pay extra for BLT for less!

funny story happening now - dh might be going to a convention in orlando on 3/25 so we are thinking about all going together. i'd go to the parks thurs and fri with ds (8 months old) and dh would go with us sat and sun. too bad we aren't DVC members yet. this would be a perfect use of points! if we bought BLT new we'd probably be able to use points to go down. but, i'd rather buy the resale at SSR.

i just love disney! :)

[sweetdana]

CONGRATS! N WELCOME HOME!

You could always rent points from the rental board!

You will be happy!

[dmoore22]

We can only speak from our own experience. At the risk of sounding like a broken record we bought in around the time the dot-come bubble burst. We had been debating for several years to join, or not to join. We did the tours, read the discussion list and played with the spreadsheets. With our portfolio losing value (our retirement investments) we figured we might as well spend it while it's still worth something. We actually sold some of our shares of our stock in Disney, which had gone through several splits, to make this purchase. We found a very nice resale that included a year's worth of banked points. The seller was an overseas owner that really wanted to unload quickly. Then we found an add-on with a similar scenario. An overseas seller who was willing to cover our 1st years MFs. Since we had been saving our $$$ with the intention of enjoying our retirement we did not look at this purchase as an investment for the purpose of making money at a latter date but an investment in R&R for the present. We did find some unanticipated residual benefits. These may, or may not be relevant, or important, to your situation.

1) We ended up spending about the same per trip as before joining DVC. However, since we have 6 children, we could never get by with anything least than 2 rooms. Having worked our way up from absolutely nothing to a state of extreme poverty the moderates, deluxe, and home-away-from-home units were definitely out of our budget, even with the promos and discounts offered at that time.

2. Even though our costs were about the same per stay we were now staying longer in a two bedroom as opposed to two separate rooms at a value/moderate.

3. My DW and I could now have our space together in the master suite as opposed to being split up since, when staying in the values/moderates, it was required that there be one adult in each room.

4. The jacuzzi

5. Dining costs dropped since we had a full kitchen and could enjoy a full breakfast in the room, or on the balcony, before going to the parks, or returning to the room for lunch, dinner or whatever. We even bar-be-qued with the grills available at the quiet pools.

6. Park admissions dropped because we staggered and alternated the times of our visits to get multiple trips out of our APs. That way we purchased an AP every other year which is cheaper than a renewal every year.

7. Since we itemize our taxes we gained another deduction, albeit, a small one. Part of the MF goes to property taxes. There are other deductions available depending upon how you finance the purchase.

8. My DW is now very happy. When she is happy all is right in the world. Prior to DVC I seldom went on a vacation, much less planned a vacation. With all our kids it made my brain hurt thinking about the logistics and costs and tripping over each other in a motel room. Prior to DVC the trips where spontaneous and on short notice. Now we do have to plan in advance which my DW loves. I can't make excuses anymore that hold any water.

9. Plus that magic feeling when you hear :welcome: HOME! upon your arrival.

As much as we've enjoyed staying in a Value/Moderate we find it would be difficult to go back after staying at DVC. I realize other posters have indicated they have had issues regarding their rooms and maintenance. We have not experienced any of those issues. We've been very happy and feel that we continue to get the bang for the buck. We can vouch for the advantages DVC provides for large families. We actually expected that we would probably sell as the kids moved out and the need for large accomodations diminished. To the contrary. We do stay in smaller accomodations with longer stays and multiple trips. We are a couple of years away from full retirement and the grandchildren coming with us.

As far as the perks, they do come and go. However when we lose one it is replaced with another. It seems to balance out. Now that I think about it they are actually more generous then they were when we first bought into DVC.

Here is a nice link to a DVC Primer that I wish would have been available at the time we were considering whether to purchase or not.

http://www.mouseplanet.com/8739/A_Di...on_Club_Primer

[bastraker]

6. Park admissions dropped because we staggered and alternated the times of our visits to get multiple trips out of our APs. That way we purchased an AP every other year which is cheaper than a renewal every year.

Looking forward to taking advantage of this too, 3 trips in a 12 month period. Although I haven't run the numbers yet to see what makes more sense, waiting a few months until the next round of trips to buy a new AP or renewing at the lower rate, if its still around the 15 month renewal will have to be factored in.

[dumbo_buddy]

Looking forward to taking advantage of this too, 3 trips in a 12 month period. Although I haven't run the numbers yet to see what makes more sense, waiting a few months until the next round of trips to buy a new AP or renewing at the lower rate, if its still around the 15 month renewal will have to be factored in.

i'm confused about that point #6 and also your comment here. can you give me an example of what you mean?

[cpdwiz]

i'm confused about that point #6 and also your comment here. can you give me an example of what you mean?

As a dvc owner u can buy annual passes and if u go a couple times a year u save on admission...plus ap discounts...I hope u get ssr...I replied to u before...we won ours and love ssr...u will really enjoy it...

[dumbo_buddy]

you WON it!?!! that is AMAZING!!! best prize ever!!

[bastraker]

8 day park hopper pass goes for $289
Annual Pass with the DVC discount(-$100) is $389
AP is good for 12 months from the date of activation

As you can see even if you only go twice in 12 month period it makes sense

But if I go May 2010, Oct 2010, and April 2011, now we really start to see some savings!! $389 versus $867, savings of $478 each!!!

My thing is do I renew in May for $344 w/DVC discount even if I'm not visiting again until Nov, probably not, I will most likely buy a new AP then and go Nov 2011, May 2012, Oct 2012.

Granted all this only makes sense if you are DVC since we will no longer be going after 4/3 type deals which require a package(tickets) to be purchased.

Don't foget to look into the Tables in Wonderland (TIW) card, available to AP holders. $75 for 20% off at most table service restaurants, pays for itself once you've spent over $375. Card is also good for 13 months.

These are just a few reasons I kick myself for not joining DVC sooner. If ur gonna be making the trek to Disney twice a year there are some decent savings to be had if you plan properly and although I don't see any real savings by buying BLT, I will be staying at a far better resort than CBR for about the same cost. Just my $.02

[dumbo_buddy]

yay! the seller came back with a counter offer. and we countered back and he accepted!

contracts are being drawn up now :) dh called our dvc guide and told him we were going to do resale. needless to say our guide was disappointed.

i feel less...meh...about the resale deal. that's a good thing!

i'm hoping someone can explain something to me though... the notes for our resale say: 398 points coming on 6/1/10 (200 + 198 banked points from 2009) and 200 points coming on 6/1/11.

so does that mean that until 6/1/10 there are no points? if points are banked, does that mean they are not usable? we probably won't be vacationing until 12/10 so it doesn't matter but i'm just trying to "get" this whole thing!

[cpdwiz]

you WON it!?!! that is AMAZING!!! best prize ever!!

We went in 2007 during the Year of a Milliion Dreams...We spoke to the dream squad they said mail in entries, people never do that...We did, and, voila, we won 220 points at SSR till 2054, with everything paid!!

We have stayed at Boardwalk and Animal Kingdom, and we still love SSR the most!! ITs very homey

[cpdwiz]

yay! the seller came back with a counter offer. and we countered back and he accepted!

contracts are being drawn up now :) dh called our dvc guide and told him we were going to do resale. needless to say our guide was disappointed.

i feel less...meh...about the resale deal. that's a good thing!

i'm hoping someone can explain something to me though... the notes for our resale say: 398 points coming on 6/1/10 (200 + 198 banked points from 2009) and 200 points coming on 6/1/11.

so does that mean that until 6/1/10 there are no points? if points are banked, does that mean they are not usable? we probably won't be vacationing until 12/10 so it doesn't matter but i'm just trying to "get" this whole thing!

WOOOHOOO!! Welcome home!!!! You won't be disappointed...May I ask, what did you offer for the 200 points?

I think, what you have right now, is no points....On June 1, you will get the banked 198 plus your first use year of 200...Now, if you do not use all 398, you can bank them for the next use year, 6/1/11....BUT, you have to use 198 before then.....SO, If I were you, book yourself a nice 2 bedroom for December, and live it up!!!!

Again, congrats!!!

[dumbo_buddy]

WOOOHOOO!! .BUT, you have to use 198 before then.....SO, If I were you, book yourself a nice 2 bedroom for December, and live it up!!!!

Again, congrats!!!

that's what i'm thinking! we'll live it up!

i still can't believe you WON DVC! i mean, that is SO awesome! and through a mail-in nonetheless! wow wow wow!!!

[Dee77]

Congratulations and welcome home!

Someone else please correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you will have to wait until June 1st to make a reservation. I believe that the availability to make your first reservation will be when your transaction is complete and you are in the DVC system.

[dmoore22]

i'm confused about that point #6 and also your comment here. can you give me an example of what you mean?

When we first joined DVC we were in a position to only take one trip per year. We staggered our trips so we could get two trips without having to purchase a renewal. For example the first year of the pass we would visit towards the end of July. The following year we would visit in the beginning of July on the same pass. The next year we would get a new pass and visit at the end of June. The following year we would visit at the beginning of June on the same pass. Hence we managed to get 4 years of visits out of 2 annual passes. That cost us less than getting a renewal each year.

[puntagordabob]

Gratz and welcome home neighbor! Bay Lake Tower is our home also!

[nunzia]

Congratulations and welcome home!

Someone else please correct me if I am wrong but I don't think you will have to wait until June 1st to make a reservation. I believe that the availability to make your first reservation will be when your transaction is complete and you are in the DVC system.

Yes, I would think you could borrow the not banked points and use them right away. :) I think you made a good choice! A little research can go a long way..and oh yea......:wizard: Welcome Home! :wizard:

[dumbo_buddy]

thanks everyone! we're so pumped. dh and i signed the contract today and he's going to send it down to the TSS to get the ball rolling! dh said to me this morning, "i'm so excited! i think i'm more excited about this than when we bought the house!" lol!

plus, with the extra banked points we can really enjoy ourselves! we are even thinking about trying to get the treehouse villas at the beginning of december and taking my aunt, uncle and their three kids (ages 10, 8, and almost 7). they would LOVE it! plus, the place is big enough that we can all come and go as we please!

oh, who knows! i just know i get to go to disney soon!!!

when i get my first "welcome home" when we arrived i think i might both cry and pee myself with excitement! :laughing:

[thelionqueen]

thanks everyone! we're so pumped. dh and i signed the contract today and he's going to send it down to the TSS to get the ball rolling! dh said to me this morning, "i'm so excited! i think i'm more excited about this than when we bought the house!" lol!

plus, with the extra banked points we can really enjoy ourselves! we are even thinking about trying to get the treehouse villas at the beginning of december and taking my aunt, uncle and their three kids (ages 10, 8, and almost 7). they would LOVE it! plus, the place is big enough that we can all come and go as we please!

oh, who knows! i just know i get to go to disney soon!!!

when i get my first "welcome home" when we arrived i think i might both cry and pee myself with excitement! :laughing:

CONGRATULATIONS and Welcome Home!!!!
It is incredibly exciting!!
Now all you need is a picture of your home in your signature :goodvibes

[dumbo_buddy]

CONGRATULATIONS and Welcome Home!!!!
It is incredibly exciting!!
Now all you need is a picture of your home in your signature :goodvibes

that's true!!! any idea where i can find the different pictures???i noticed there are a few different ones for SSR. omg so exciting!

[Crystal_27]

when i get my first "welcome home" when we arrived i think i might both cry and pee myself with excitement! :laughing:

Yes, the first "official" welcome home (from a Disney CM, not my DIS peeps) made me very teary too (although I had been welling up since BLT's opening looking at all the wonderful pictures). :lovestruc

[cpdwiz]

that's true!!! any idea where i can find the different pictures???i noticed there are a few different ones for SSR. omg so exciting!

We teared up too at our first welcome home...Ill PM you the link for the SSR picture....

[dmoore22]

when i get my first "welcome home" when we arrived i think i might both cry and pee myself with excitement! :laughing:

I also did that when I got my first "welcome home," -- and my second . . . and my third . . . and my fourth . . . Been doing it for about 10 years. :thumbsup2