To buy or not to buy.....

[Peace.love.mickey]

I know, I know...I have read and read and still feel dumb about DVC...

Here's my deal, lay it on me.... what are your thoughts...

• I go to DL about 4-5 times a year for 2-3 days at a time and have been doing this for years and plan to continue forever
  
• Sometimes I book a trip only like 3 months out, I suppose I could plan better
  
• I like to stay on site
  
• I don't need a lot of space, sometimes the whole fam comes out and we get 3 rooms.
  
• I try to get out to WDW every 5 years (planning in November this year), not picky where I stay out there, but onsite for sure.
  
• Resales scare the poop out of me
  
• Have about 5K now
  
• Disney cruise is 3 years
  
• Not really trying to plan for using it other places
  
• I am a bottom line kinda girl...what's my bottom line?
  

I don't want to go listen and then jump without some opinions..going back to DL in 3 weeks, was going to go ont he "tour" then!

THoughts? THANKS!

 

[DMKEDM]

Looks like your primary use of DVC would be at DL, and the DVC at DL is very, very small...it'll take a whole lot of luck to get a villa there on short notice, even once much less 4-5 times per year. So, if you can't plan 11 months in advance you might find yourself w/DVC points you mostly won't be able to use...

You'll read here that using points for a Disney cruise is not as cost-effective as simply paying cash for the cruise...but I've never cruised so don't really have a feel for that...

Once every five years to WDW is probably not often enough to justify (on purely economic grounds) a DVC purchase...

There are rumors that Disney will expand the DVC presence at DL...or you may find you can (even if you don't normally) plan almost a year in advance...

But based on your summary of your DL/WDW travel habits, I think you may find DVC won't work very well for you...

Good luck w/your choice!

 

[DougEMG]

Looks like your primary use of DVC would be at DL, and the DVC at DL is very, very small...it'll take a whole lot of luck to get a villa there on short notice, even once much less 4-5 times per year. So, if you can't plan 11 months in advance you might find yourself w/DVC points you mostly won't be able to use...

You'll read here that using points for a Disney cruise is not as cost-effective as simply paying cash for the cruise...but I've never cruised so don't really have a feel for that...

Once every five years to WDW is probably not often enough to justify (on purely economic grounds) a DVC purchase...

There are rumors that Disney will expand the DVC presence at DL...or you may find you can (even if you don't normally) plan almost a year in advance...

But based on your summary of your DL/WDW travel habits, I think you may find DVC won't work very well for you...

Good luck w/your choice!

I agree, DVC will not work for you.

Your not going to have much luck getting into DL on that short a notice and WDW every 5 years is not frequent enough to make owning there worth while.

You could always try renting out points for DL and see if you end up getting anything just to test out if it is possible to book there in your timeframes.

 

[lodge]

From what I've read, the ONLY DL resort is booked up LONG before short notice, and you do frequent trips.

Even if you plan all those frequent trips in advance, getting into VGC is difficult (having such limited choices for California/West Coast DVC members).

I would have thought they'd put up more resorts at DL, but with your style of vacationing, I don't think it'll work (and I'm not one to say that very often... don't want to dash someone's dreams).

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

I suppose I could book ahead of time...like I ALWAYS go in Feb and Nov!

 

[DMKEDM]

A decision to book ahead of time is, of course, up to you--you have little risk of "losing" if you have to cancel, so long as you do so more than 30 days ahead of time (if within the 30-day window, points go into holding and there are some pretty tight restrictions on using holding points), and/or prior to the end of your banking window (8 months prior to the end of your use year)...you can rent points you're not going to use (even with banking)...

Still, think hard about whether you want to "lock yourself in" that way...from your initial post it appears you'd have some difficulty using points if there's no availability at DL when you want to go...if you don't mind the idea of renting those points, then no problem...but if you do, it's something to think about...

Good luck!

 

[Dean]

I suppose I could book ahead of time...like I ALWAYS go in Feb and Nov!

If you can't book ahead of time around 11 months out for most of your yearly trips, the risk may be too great in your situation. If you can for a significant portion and will ONLY use the points at DVC, it's likely a good choice if you normally stay on property anyway. Just buy what you need for DVC, not to use for DCL. One thing to consider as a risk that the weekend points may increase at some point, assuming you're planning on doing mostly weekends.

 

[lodge]

BUT you also have the option of Aulani, if that fancies you. You could use your points there, too, at the 7 month window (and you have a location advantage with airfare)!

 

[Meggysmum]

I wouldnt have thought DVC is really a cost effective option for you. You will need to plan all of your trips at the 11 month mark to be sure of getting VGC. The cruise option is an expenive use of points too.

I think you may be better just paying for your stays as you go.

 

[sechelt]

Since resales scare you, consider direct. Direct prices are somewhere around $130 per point and a direct purchase will give you more options at DLR. You'll be able to book either the villas or a hotel room whereas resales can only book villas.

If you're able to plan more than 7 months ahead, often you'll get what you're wanting. Popular times, like D23, half marathon, Xmas, etc., you'll need to book earlier, however I just checked and both Christmas and New Years are still wide open.

If you decide on a last minute trip, and the villas aren't available, direct points can be used for a hotel room at any of the three DLR hotels. The cost, however, is quite high. A studio on a Saturday night in early Feb at VGC is 22 points compared to 31 at PP in a standard room. DLH and GC are more. I'm not saying don't do it, like many will, just that you need to be aware and factor that in.

Space may or may not be an issue. You'll need a lot of points to accomodate the extra family and even the studios are expensive. The charts are available on the internet to give you an idea of how many you'd need at various times of year and for the different villa sizes.

A Disney cruise is very expensive, point wise, and a small contract won't be enough. As an example, the repositioning cruise (Alaska) in September requires 91-105 points per person. I wouldn't buy just to get this option imo.

5K won't buy you a lot of points so consider all your options and requirements before taking the tour. Disney does offer a financing option which some take advantage of. Others feel it's the worst decision in the world. Only you can make that decision.

If you decide to purchase, don't let them bully you into a different resort. VGC is technically sold out and lots of people are on waiting lists but if you buy one of their other resorts, you're less likely to get into the VGC at 7 months. I mean, it's really, really difficult. Hang in for what you want.

Don't be afraid to walk away if your gut tells you to. I took the tour in 2008 but wasn't ready to buy, plus VGC wasn't available yet. I came home, did more research, and bought a resale the following year.

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

BUT you also have the option of Aulani, if that fancies you. You could use your points there, too, at the 7 month window (and you have a location advantage with airfare)!

Nope, my dad lives across the street I can go any time!!! !

 

[Meggysmum]

What exactly is it about Resale that scares you?

I didn't consider it on my first contract because I wanted BLT and there was virtually no resale at the time.

When I wanted to add-on financial sense made me look at resale more closely. I found very few tales of woe and most people, if the picked a reputable compnay, found the whole proces amazingly easy. In the end the saving of $6000 made me decide to give it a go. From the first enquiry to the points in my account was 7 weeks. It was so simple and painless I am itching to do it again! I live in the UK and the most complicated thing was money transfer from Sterling to Dollars which you wouldn't have to deal with.

Not saying that Resale is the answer for you but find out more and you may be pleasantly surprised!

 

[Peace.love.mickey]

I guess I am worried if/when they change the rules, etc.!

 

[fmer55]

you don't have to worry about change IMO, you should be buying VGC and you will always be able to use your points there. Buy where you want to stay, they say.

 

[lodge]

Nope, my dad lives across the street I can go any time!!! !

Awwww mannnn!

 

[Lynne M]

I guess I am worried if/when they change the rules, etc.!

If you're thinking that buying direct would be total protection against them changing the rules.....that's not really the case.

The DVC contract gives us the right to stay at our home resort, with our points, subject to availability, for the life of the contract. Everything else is subject to change.....whether you buy direct or resale.

All of the things they took away from resale buyers could just as easily be taken from direct buyers. There's absolutely nothing in the contract that prevents them from ending our access to DCL, or the non-DVC resorts, or ABD, or the Concierge Collection, just like they did with resale buyers.

And in reality, lots of things change for all members, all the time. Hotels come and go from the Concierge Collection. Booking fees for non-DVC stays suddenly appear. Booking rules change overnight. AP discounts appear. Free valet parking is taken away.

There are endless debates here on the DIS on what things they might be likely to change, and what things they probably wouldn't ever change, and what things might change for resale buyers and what might change for direct buyers. It's all speculation, none of us knows for sure what DVC's future plans are.

But my point is (see, I did have one ), if it's fear of changes that's preventing you from looking at resales....it shouldn't be. There are going to be continuing changes in DVC over the years for all of us, not just resale buyers. Some of the changes you'll like, some you won't.

 

[Dean]

I guess I am worried if/when they change the rules, etc.!

As Lynne noted, they can change many of the rules and processes if they chose and affect all. Since it's only reasonable to buy for DVC stays and it is my opinion they can't differentiate between qualified and unqualified points on that front, I don't see any real risk related to using DVC points at current DVC resorts resale compared to retail. There certainly are risks with the process of buying resale as well as time compromises but I think they are controllable and minimal.

Things we could anticipate might change, I'll only list negatives ones but there are changes that could be positive as well.

• Any and all perks could be removed.
• There could be further reallocations, weekends may go backup.
• The dues could go up and the STRUCTURE could change including such that it's more pp for smaller contracts than larger ones.
• New perks could be for qualified members only.
• A VIP program could come into being and exclude resale buyers.
• Transfers, banking and borrowing could all be changed or eliminated.
• New fees could be added including banking, borrowing, canceling, multiple reservations.
• A minimum stay could be instituted.
• New resorts might not be accessible.

I'm sure we could come up with many more. IMO, if you look at any of this and DVC no longer makes sense, it's likely not a good choice now anyway.