Decisions to Buy DVC - hesitant spouse

I'm all for staying on site as cheap as possible and this trading in sounds like an interesting option. How easy is it to do? I'm on the west coast and currently have to go during school vacations (spring break, summer and Christmas). To make it worth while we always go for at least 2-3 weeks at a time. Is this easy to do with trading or is it hard to get multiple weeks in a row at very specific times.

When we retire though, the plan is to do longer trips of around 4 weeks at a time, want to escape the winters.

Thanks
It depends on RCI weeks vs points, how flexible you are and what you need. If you can make do with 1 BR and don't need the highest demand times, it's not difficult if you plan ahead and understand the process. It is a moving target however and in 3-5 years, this may all change.
 
I'm all for staying on site as cheap as possible and this trading in sounds like an interesting option. How easy is it to do? I'm on the west coast and currently have to go during school vacations (spring break, summer and Christmas). To make it worth while we always go for at least 2-3 weeks at a time. Is this easy to do with trading or is it hard to get multiple weeks in a row at very specific times.

When we retire though, the plan is to do longer trips of around 4 weeks at a time, want to escape the winters.

Thanks

Spring break and Christmas not as easy to find as during the summer. Getting a week is easy, two to three weeks in a row not as easy but possible.
 
Man, I am so glad I'm not a bean counter, master excel spreadsheet freak, or an analyst. Just a hard working guy that is so glad I bought into DVC and look forward to every trip - especially when my six year old grandson goes along, which he has on five occassions! No, I certainly don't look at is an investment, dollar wise - but it has certainly been an investment in many other forms of return!
 
Man, I am so glad I'm not a bean counter, master excel spreadsheet freak, or an analyst. Just a hard working guy that is so glad I bought into DVC and look forward to every trip - especially when my six year old grandson goes along, which he has on five occassions! No, I certainly don't look at is an investment, dollar wise - but it has certainly been an investment in many other forms of return!

My sentiments exactly. Kind of like that Mastercard commercial: some things are priceless!!!:thumbsup2
 


Man, I am so glad I'm not a bean counter, master excel spreadsheet freak, or an analyst. Just a hard working guy that is so glad I bought into DVC and look forward to every trip - especially when my six year old grandson goes along, which he has on five occassions! No, I certainly don't look at is an investment, dollar wise - but it has certainly been an investment in many other forms of return!
I'm glad it's been good for you but owning DVC has not been a blessing for everyone. I can't speak for all but one of my goals in these type of thread's is to get people to think and act on facts and not emotions.
 
Having just stayed a few nights at the Yacht Club, I find it difficult to now say that DVC is a deluxe stay. DVC is more like a moderate with larger rooms. The Yacht Club rooms were immaculate, the service exceptional, truly a first class experience.

Compare that to our present Club Level stay at AKV. The studio fridge had been turned off and water was leaking across the floor. The kitchenette faucet was loose, a cobweb hanging from the ceiling above the sofa, and cheese crackers on the floor next to the sofa.

:earsboy: Bill
 
Having just stayed a few nights at the Yacht Club, I find it difficult to now say that DVC is a deluxe stay. DVC is more like a moderate with larger rooms. The Yacht Club rooms were immaculate, the service exceptional, truly a first class experience.

Compare that to our present Club Level stay at AKV. The studio fridge had been turned off and water was leaking across the floor. The kitchenette faucet was loose, a cobweb hanging from the ceiling above the sofa, and cheese crackers on the floor next to the sofa.

:earsboy: Bill
Add to that the fact that OKW and SSR are more moderate in location, setup, amenities and feel and that AKV and VWL are less deluxe even for the regular portion than say BWI, YC/BC and GF. I love DVC and the requisite compromises don't bother me at all, but we do need to realize what the compromises are that are built in to DVC and timeshares in general. It's the unnecessary compromises with (at times) poor maint, customer service and housekeeping that I have an issue with. Add to that when I stay in other top timeshares I get better service, more responsiveness and the feeling that how I rate them matters to the employees, on site management and central management. To be clear, we generally don't have a problem with DVC but the comparison between how much better we're treated at other resorts is fairly striking.
 


Man, I am so glad I'm not a bean counter, master excel spreadsheet freak, or an analyst. Just a hard working guy that is so glad I bought into DVC and look forward to every trip - especially when my six year old grandson goes along, which he has on five occassions! No, I certainly don't look at is an investment, dollar wise - but it has certainly been an investment in many other forms of return!

Some of us enjoy these discussions and calculations. Geeking out to financial analysis and risk isn't everyone's idea of a good time.

But as Dean said, DVC hasn't been a blessing for everyone. And as I just said in another thread, right now there is probably someone trying really hard to justify this purchase, that will justify it on people saying how wonderful it is, where it is going to come back and be a regret. I try and remember that there is a young couple out there, that loves Disney, that is planning their lives together with nothing but stars in their eyes, without a lot of financial experience, who can JUST BARELY afford this. And three years from now when they are trying to figure out how to pay for daycare for surprise twins, DVC is going to be a millstone, not a blessing.
 
:) He bought a brand new Jeep Wrangler the week before and traded in my car to get it---yep, I waited for a weak moment when he kinda had a little guilt. Now he loves the points as much as I do. I like DVC more than I like his Jeep. :cool1:
 
Some of us enjoy these discussions and calculations. Geeking out to financial analysis and risk isn't everyone's idea of a good time.

But as Dean said, DVC hasn't been a blessing for everyone. And as I just said in another thread, right now there is probably someone trying really hard to justify this purchase, that will justify it on people saying how wonderful it is, where it is going to come back and be a regret. I try and remember that there is a young couple out there, that loves Disney, that is planning their lives together with nothing but stars in their eyes, without a lot of financial experience, who can JUST BARELY afford this. And three years from now when they are trying to figure out how to pay for daycare for surprise twins, DVC is going to be a millstone, not a blessing.

I for one am finding this thread very helpful. Our surprise twins are 4 years old ;) and we wouldn't struggle to afford this, but I like to go into things eyes open so I appreciate hearing the good with the bad.
 
Thanks for all the hints, tips and debates on this one. Our family already has RCI and have used in the in WDW area but we prefer staying on-property when we're there. Hubby and I have been discussing it more and more - now it's just more wait and see if this is really what we want to do.
 
I hate to say it, but I am one of the ones who went into my DVC purchase with stars in my eyes and now regret it. I love, love Disney and want to go everytime that I can. I have also really liked every DVC resort that I have stayed in (and we have stayed in all but SSR). Now here is the big BUT, I find it really difficult to plan as far in advance as we need for DVC. I have tried several trips both at DVC and exchanges that I could not take because of no availability. So while DVC may be great for a lot of people, I have discovered that I need more flexibility for vacation planning than DVC affords me.
 
the best dvc valu is at disneyworld itself. I have owned DVCsince 93 at okw.

have used many on property resorts but OKW is by far the best
 
I also appreciate the unbiased views - both pros and cons. After 2 weeks of spreadsheet mania, I can make the numbers come out to support either a buy or no-buy option.

In the end, it comes down to convenience. We go to WDW for two reasons - a family trip where we will pay what we have to for a Deluxe Resort (or Villa), and short trips with just my husband and I, where we take advantage of the Fl Resident rate, but still tend to spend more than we need to ( e.g. Concierge or 1 Bedroom for just 2 people). We've stayed in an OKW 2 bedroom, and AKV GV - both were very nice (better than anticipated).

We'll make a trip before buying to check out BCV and BVW, and that will seal the deal - or not!
 
I also appreciate the unbiased views - both pros and cons. After 2 weeks of spreadsheet mania, I can make the numbers come out to support either a buy or no-buy option.

In the end, it comes down to convenience. We go to WDW for two reasons - a family trip where we will pay what we have to for a Deluxe Resort (or Villa), and short trips with just my husband and I, where we take advantage of the Fl Resident rate, but still tend to spend more than we need to ( e.g. Concierge or 1 Bedroom for just 2 people). We've stayed in an OKW 2 bedroom, and AKV GV - both were very nice (better than anticipated).

We'll make a trip before buying to check out BCV and BVW, and that will seal the deal - or not!
The spread sheet and numbers evaluation is very important as is a hard look at how it fits into your finances. However, as I've tried to point out on several threads lately, there is a psychologic component that's hard to plan for but is certainly real. I've seen far too many people run the numbers on studios and end up staying in 1 & 2 BR units. Those units are great but the economics of them is far different than studios. DVC also tends to promote more and longer trips with more money spent other places.
 
Dean - agree. I probably wasn't clear, but I think I was trying to say pretty much the same thing. Financial analysis is important - More so for some than others. Once that hurdle is passed, it seems like it does come down to the emotional/psychological component of the decision.

(FWIW, I did all my DVC stays for my calcs with at least a 1 bedroom, and with the best view options ;) )
 
The spread sheet and numbers evaluation is very important as is a hard look at how it fits into your finances. However, as I've tried to point out on several threads lately, there is a psychologic component that's hard to plan for but is certainly real. I've seen far too many people run the numbers on studios and end up staying in 1 & 2 BR units. Those units are great but the economics of them is far different than studios. DVC also tends to promote more and longer trips with more money spent other places.

I completely agree. It's so tempting to look at the Grande Villa column and say "Hey...I have enough points for that...maybe I should book it!" What I tend to do in this case is multiply the number of points by 10, realize that's how much money it costs, and have my wife bring the smelling salts to wake me up after I passed out.

Seriously, though, you bring up a very good point. I think it would be helpful for people to write down their assumptions about room size, view and time of year so that they can revisit it when they make their reservations. Personally, I based my numbers on a 2 BR with preferred views, but I can see myself going the other way and going with a 1 BR or a lesser view to try to save points.
 

GET A DISNEY VACATION QUOTE

Dreams Unlimited Travel is committed to providing you with the very best vacation planning experience possible. Our Vacation Planners are experts and will share their honest advice to help you have a magical vacation.

Let us help you with your next Disney Vacation!









Top