Considering VWL but have concerns

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

Hello,

I have been reviewing this board for about 5 years now! We are getting ready to go on our 8, 9, 10 trips this year as we bought APs. We have stayed at GF, WL, Poly, POR, SSR, BC and this trip AK. We feel our "home" is WL beyond a doubt as we have stayed there 5 times so we feel the WLV is our best choice followed by BCV. DH would like GFV but that is out of our range. I wish we could have bought in when the prices were low several years ago, then it was hard to get a DVC 1-2 years ago due to Disney ROFRing many and then we built a house. Now, It appears I am going to inherit some money and I am considering getting a DVC. With the news about the cabins at WLV I am concerned about more DVC owners making it tough to get 7-11 month out reservations. I am also concerned if I do not buy soon that the price point will increase a great deal once the DVC is open again for purchase.

Any advice? Will the expansion increase the "value" of the DVC? Should we consider out second choice BCV instead? I am also concerned about the increasing pricing of deluxe resorts that we have been shortening our trips more and more and getting less and DH is concerned about the increasing number of people in the parks making it more challenging each year. We are considering a 150-200 point contract. I wish I could get one at both resorts!

Another question. I have so many friends that are going to Disney I had thought about buying a slightly larger contract and renting points to help pay for the maintenance fees every year. I would like my maintenance fees to be under $800 per ear but if I could rent points that would help pay for the higher maintenance fees of a slightly larger contract.

disneynutz · May 28, 2015

Until Disney finishes what are going to do at VWL, I would hold off buying there. Are they going to create a separate resort called cabins, extend the VWL contracts, remove all of the trees?

For me there are just to many unknowns at this point.

:earsboy:

Bill

CarolMN · May 28, 2015

I have to agree with Bill.

If it were me, I'd hold off until the official plans are known and make my decision based on that. Until then, I'd rent points and wait to buy anything until I know if VWL is still a viable option for my family.

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

When do you think plans would likely be known? It would be another month or two before I could seriously look to purchase anyway or would it likely be many months away?

nalajms · May 28, 2015

Why not split and have 2 home resorts? Start looking for BCV now and later once things settle then decide on VWL.

Price-wise it's a bit more per point but you're not shelling out a big chunk of money now with lots of "what-ifs".

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

nalajms said:
Why not split and have 2 home resorts? Start looking for BCV now and later once things settle then decide on VWL.

Price-wise it's a bit more per point but you're not shelling out a big chunk of money now with lots of "what-ifs".

That is a good point. I guess I was worried that the point values would increase a lot when the WLV are selling again. I was not sure if my window was narrowing.

nalajms · May 28, 2015

pmaurer74 said:
That is a good point. I guess I was worried that the point values would increase a lot when the WLV are selling again. I was not sure if my window was narrowing.

IMO the only way I see VWL resale going up is if Disney forced every contract to extend. In that case, you'd have 20 extra years added on to the contract. Theoretically price should go up, but I don't see it going up to VGF resale prices. Perhaps BLT prices? If you bought now and Disney forces the extension, you'd have to pay the extra as well.

I'm guessing it's not going to be dollar for dollar (with respect to resale). Kind of like if you re-did you kitchen and spent $30k you'll only be able to increase the value of your house for $20k.

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

nalajms said:
IMO the only way I see VWL resale going up is if Disney forced every contract to extend. In that case, you'd have 20 extra years added on to the contract. Theoretically price should go up, but I don't see it going up to VGF resale prices. Perhaps BLT prices? If you bought now and Disney forces the extension, you'd have to pay the extra as well.

I'm guessing it's not going to be dollar for dollar (with respect to resale). Kind of like if you re-did you kitchen and spent $30k you'll only be able to increase the value of your house for $20k.

How could they force you to buy an extension if you already had a DVC? Or do you mean for all new DVC ownerships?

nalajms · May 28, 2015

pmaurer74 said:
How could they force you to buy an extension if you already had a DVC? Or do you mean for all new DVC ownerships?

There was a discussion of a potential bill going through FL, with Disney as a backer. I'll see if I can find the thread. It would solve the issue they had with the OKW extensions.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/new-timeshare-legislation.3409173/

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

nalajms said:
There was a discussion of a potential bill going through FL, with Disney as a backer. I'll see if I can find the thread. It would solve the issue they had with the OKW extensions.

http://www.disboards.com/threads/new-timeshare-legislation.3409173/

Thank you, very interesting...

disneynutz · May 28, 2015

pmaurer74 said:
Thank you, very interesting...

IMO DVC is much different than the Disney that you think you know. DVC controls and managers all aspects of your ownership, they will change the rules, policies, and they decide on how long to make you wait on phone hold, when to upgrade or fix the website, what perks to offer, if contract extensions will be offered and what new resorts or rooms will be built. They set the new point sales price, how many points are required to stay there, they reallocate the existing point requirements and the occupancy of the rooms and they ROFR resales. They choose when and how they refurb the existing rooms and they are the middle man between you and the resorts.

The majority of their decisions are based on what is good for Disney with a little of what's good for owners thrown in.

:earsboy:

Bill

ParkHoppers · May 28, 2015

Too late for us to think it over as we just bought a new VWL contract about a month and a half ago. Truth be known I probably would have bought at VWL anyway because I really love WL. Only thing about waiting is I think it is very possible that that resale contracts could go up considerably in price after construction is done. Just something to think about.

ParkHoppers · May 28, 2015

disneynutz said:
IMO DVC is much different than the Disney that you think you know. DVC controls and managers all aspects of your ownership, they will change the rules, policies, and they decide on how long to make you wait on phone hold, when to upgrade or fix the website, what perks to offer, if contract extensions will be offered and what new resorts or rooms will be built. They set the new point sales price, how many points are required to stay there, they reallocate the existing point requirements and the occupancy of the rooms and they ROFR resales. They choose when and how they refurb the existing rooms and they are the middle man between you and the resorts.

The majority of their decisions are based on what is good for Disney with a little of what's good for owners thrown in.

Bill

Agreed. I am just crossing my fingers they take care of existing VWL members on the contract extension and not messing with the points chart.

disneynutz · May 28, 2015

ParkHoppers said:
Too late for us to think it over as we just bought a new VWL contract about a month and a half ago. Truth be known I probably would have bought at VWL anyway because I really love WL. Only thing about waiting is I think it is very possible that that resale contracts could go up considerably in price after construction is done. Just something to think about.

Disney could also build at VWL as a new home resort and the resale prices and popularity for the existing VWL could crash.

:earsboy:

Bill

ParkHoppers · May 28, 2015

disneynutz said:
Disney could also build at VWL as a new home resort and the resale prices and popularity for the existing VWL could crash.

Bill

I don,t think it will be a stand alone resort. Here's why. At Poly they only have studios and bungalows. But that is all it ever had. At VWL there are already one and two bedrooms to go along with studios and now cabins. The people buying into the so called new resort would not be happy not to have the option to use the one and two bedrooms that are already there. In that way this situation is quite different from the Poly. Not to mention the existing rooms were just refurbed and will blend in pretty good with the other new rooms to come.I would be shocked if the new wasn,t combined with the old but you never know.

deedisneydream97 · May 28, 2015

nalajms said:
Why not split and have 2 home resorts? Start looking for BCV now and later once things settle then decide on VWL.

Price-wise it's a bit more per point but you're not shelling out a big chunk of money now with lots of "what-ifs".

I was going to suggest the same thing. Unless you want VWL during Christmas time, it is usually easy to get in at 7 months.

I have a small contract at VWL. I'm not really worried about the "what ifs" and all that. I'm thinking the value will increase with the planned expansion. And who knows if the "plan" with come to fruition.

DVC is just like any other timeshare....they do what they can to make money, but they need to keep people happy at the same time. Of course they make the rules and policies and all of that. I wish I could remember the details about the SSR resort and when they added the treehouse villas. They did some point allocation shifting over a couple of years....I still have my 130 point contract that I bought for full price. Anything they do to make a resort nicer is okay with me. Dues increases are expected with ANY timeshare, just as real estate taxes increase on my home every year. And I can't say that I feel I have been shafted by DVC or DVC management. If I was so unhappy, I would sell my contracts (at a nice profit, too, except for my SSR contract....but then again I've used those points for years and years for great vacations NOT at SSR....so no complaints from me).

People complain about worn looking furnishings, but then complain if their dues go up or if they are inconvenienced by construction noise when rooms are being refurbished.

Anyway, getting back to the original question...nobody knows for sure what will happen at VWL. If you didn't know about the "impending expansion" would you have purchased? Will this "timeshare bill" be passed? Will the sun come up tomorrow? Nobody really knows for sure....you have to do what you think is right for you and your family and your wallet and what will make you happy.

disneynutz · May 28, 2015

deedisneydream97 said:
DVC is just like any other timeshare....they do what they can to make money, but they need to keep people happy at the same time. Of course they make the rules and policies and all of that.

I don't agree, they don't need to keep us happy, all they have to do is convince new buyers that they should buy DVC. They have demonstrated over and over again that they do as little as possible to improve the service after the sale. Websites that don't work and long phone hold times, come on these are business basics.

:earsboy:

Bill

deedisneydream97 · May 28, 2015

pmaurer74 said:
Another question. I have so many friends that are going to Disney I had thought about buying a slightly larger contract and renting points to help pay for the maintenance fees every year. I would like my maintenance fees to be under $800 per year but if I could rent points that would help pay for the higher maintenance fees of a slightly larger contract.

Personally, I would never get involved with renting points to friends or family. A lot of people don't really understand DVC and the costs involved. People are surprised when they find out I don't get "free admission to the parks". And if something comes up with friends or family and they can't take that vacation after all....then things get very complicated from both a DVC standpoint and a friendship standpoint. I would rather go through a middleman like the Time Share Store or Dave's.

I've been a member since 1997 and have added on many times. I've never really rented out any points. All of them are used every year...or banked and borrowed (we've been to Aluani twice now).

Also, dues vary from resort to resort, for example BLT is approx. $5.05 per point and VWL is $6.03. I think the highest is Vero....$8.06.

Also, make sure of the amount of your anticipated inheritance. Tax laws keep changing and vary from state to state. I think DVC is a nice way to spend that. You will enjoy it, no matter what your resort decision will be.

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

deedisneydream97 said:
I was going to suggest the same thing. Unless you want VWL during Christmas time, it is usually easy to get in at 7 months.

I have a small contract at VWL. I'm not really worried about the "what ifs" and all that. I'm thinking the value will increase with the planned expansion. And who knows if the "plan" with come to fruition.

DVC is just like any other timeshare....they do what they can to make money, but they need to keep people happy at the same time. Of course they make the rules and policies and all of that. I wish I could remember the details about the SSR resort and when they added the treehouse villas. They did some point allocation shifting over a couple of years....I still have my 130 point contract that I bought for full price. Anything they do to make a resort nicer is okay with me. Dues increases are expected with ANY timeshare, just as real estate taxes increase on my home every year. And I can't say that I feel I have been shafted by DVC or DVC management. If I was so unhappy, I would sell my contracts (at a nice profit, too, except for my SSR contract....but then again I've used those points for years and years for great vacations NOT at SSR....so no complaints from me).

People complain about worn looking furnishings, but then complain if their dues go up or if they are inconvenienced by construction noise when rooms are being refurbished.

Anyway, getting back to the original question...nobody knows for sure what will happen at VWL. If you didn't know about the "impending expansion" would you have purchased? Will this "timeshare bill" be passed? Will the sun come up tomorrow? Nobody really knows for sure....you have to do what you think is right for you and your family and your wallet and what will make you happy.

WLV at Christmas is exactly why we want to own there. BCV for our summer trips.

pmaurer74 · May 28, 2015

deedisneydream97 said:
Personally, I would never get involved with renting points to friends or family. A lot of people don't really understand DVC and the costs involved. People are surprised when they find out I don't get "free admission to the parks". And if something comes up with friends or family and they can't take that vacation after all....then things get very complicated from both a DVC standpoint and a friendship standpoint. I would rather go through a middleman like the Time Share Store or Dave's.

I've been a member since 1997 and have added on many times. I've never really rented out any points. All of them are used every year...or banked and borrowed (we've been to Aluani twice now).

Also, dues vary from resort to resort, for example BLT is approx. $5.05 per point and VWL is $6.03. I think the highest is Vero....$8.06.

Also, make sure of the amount of your anticipated inheritance. Tax laws keep changing and vary from state to state. I think DVC is a nice way to spend that. You will enjoy it, no matter what your resort decision will be.

point taken.... I will keep that in mind. I would just love my friends to be able to stay at a deluxe resort but I could easily see keeping the points myself for California and Hawaii trips.

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