Sparrow624's Perpetual DVC Question Thread

[CRobin]

Originally Posted by Dean

While some have answered this question, I felt there was more info to share. Currently DVC will combine them (usually) if they are titled EXACTLY the same. There is no guarantee this option will continue and this is one of the ares where DVC could delineate qualified vs non qualified points. I'm not saying they will but they could and I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Some other companies that combine contracts are starting to head this direction already.

I would agree on the delineation. I have 2 "identical" (except for point quantities) contracts @ BWV, and when I book online the system brings up each as a separate "contract" (including points banked), and from there you opt from which to use points. DVC appears to be well equipped to make the distinction between qualified and non qualified points, even if the contracts are "identical".

[DougEMG]

Originally Posted by Dean

While some have answered this question, I felt there was more info to share. Currently DVC will combine them (usually) if they are titled EXACTLY the same. There is no guarantee this option will continue and this is one of the ares where DVC could delineate qualified vs non qualified points. I'm not saying they will but they could and I wouldn't be surprised if they did. Some other companies that combine contracts are starting to head this direction already.

Interesting. Why would they do this, what do they gain from this?

Given the ability to link reservations anyway, this is just going to cause more work for member services as owners call up to link their reservations. If they stop linking and make you move then house keeping costs are going to go up as rooms will need to be cleaned more if you have to move more.

[Sparrow624]

Next Question:

- When "free dining" comes out, can it be applied to DVC bookings? Just curious.

- What are some of the "cons" of owning DVC? A lot of people make it seem like it is all so great, and the phone reps obviously will not tell you of any cons. Those that own, what are some drawbacks or issues?

[k3chantal]

No, you can't get 'free dining'.

I think the biggest 'negative' about DVC is that even if you pay outright for your points, you have yearly the maintenance fee to pay.

And even though we all love to go to Disney, buying DVC may encourage you to go more often thus you are spending more on tickets, food, and other travel related costs.

It is a commitment. If you realize that you shouldn't have purchased it, you will lose money.

There is also a learning curve to using DVC. If you frustrate easily or want very specific plans, you may not like trying to use your points.

[Sparrow624]

Struggling to find the mathamatical benefit here of joining DVC? Don't get me wrong, I want to, but it just doesn't seem to make sense financially, at least not for the Wilderness lodge. Is something wrong with my math here?

DVC: Wilderness Lodge (Expires January 31, 2042):

Re-Sale Cost: 150 Points for roughly $9,500.00

About $1050 per year in maintenance fees (rounding and adding up just a bit to encorporate for assumed raises and inflation) ($88 per month)

$9,500 initial buy in
About $32,000 in total maintenance over 30 years

Total: $41,500 not including food or tickets.

*This would get me about 8 nights in a one bedroom studio every 2 years during the summer (that is when we can travel)

Booking a Deluxe, Courtyard view Room at Rack Rate straight through Disney

$2,900.00 for 7 nights every other summer.

Total for 15 trips (every other summer for 30 years): $43,500.00



So, I would only save $2,000 total by choosing to join DVC?

And that is at rack rate...so, conceivably, I could/would save money booking Disney hotels at whatever promotion they have going on instead of DVC?

[kristenrice]

Originally Posted by Sparrow624

Struggling to find the mathamatical benefit here of joining DVC? Don't get me wrong, I want to, but it just doesn't seem to make sense financially, at least not for the Wilderness lodge. Is something wrong with my math here?

DVC: Wilderness Lodge (Expires January 31, 2042):

Re-Sale Cost: 150 Points for roughly $9,500.00

About $1050 per year in maintenance fees (rounding and adding up just a bit to encorporate for assumed raises and inflation) ($88 per month)

$9,500 initial buy in
About $32,000 in total maintenance over 30 years

Total: $41,500 not including food or tickets.

*This would get me about 8 nights in a one bedroom studio every 2 years during the summer (that is when we can travel)

Booking a Deluxe, Courtyard view Room at Rack Rate straight through Disney

$2,900.00 for 7 nights every other summer.

Total for 15 trips (every other summer for 30 years): $43,500.00



So, I would only save $2,000 total by choosing to join DVC?

And that is at rack rate...so, conceivably, I could/would save money booking Disney hotels at whatever promotion they have going on instead of DVC?

The only "flaw" is that you are not comparing apples to apples. You are comparing a single hotel room to a 1BR villa. The 1BR villa will have a full kitchen, washer/dryer, jacuzzi tub and a separate living room. So, yes, you might only "save" $2000, but you are getting a much "nicer" room.

[Sparrow624]

Originally Posted by kristenrice

The only "flaw" is that you are not comparing apples to apples. You are comparing a single hotel room to a 1BR villa. The 1BR villa will have a full kitchen, washer/dryer, jacuzzi tub and a separate living room. So, yes, you might only "save" $2000, but you are getting a much "nicer" room.

I guess what I would be paying for then would be the ability to cook and/or do laundry if needed?

In the DVC one bedroom I get a king bed and a pull out sofa.

In the Regular Deluxe booking, I get a courtyard view and 2 queen beds (no one on a sofa).

I guess it is apples and oranges, but again, I am looking for a great benefit to lock into one resort for the most part and am struggling to find it. Is there another benefit other than the kitchen and washer/dryer?

I am trying to convince my wife, but she is not seeing a value in doing this.

[disneynutz]

Many who buy DVC make it work. They change their vacation patterns based on availability and they learn to deal with the rules, restrictions, policies, and system. Many now have to vacation more than they would like because they don't want to forfeit points and the extra vacations don't come cheap. It only takes a couple of these "extra" vacations to wipe out any cost savings.

One area where the DVC is a winner is with the 1 bedroom and larger units. Using points for the larger units are a good buy compared to paying cash for the same units. It's easy to get spoiled with the space, we put 2 in a 1 bedroom and 3 in a 2 bedroom.

You also have to think about all of the available resales. Why are there so many?

Bill

[DougEMG]

Originally Posted by Sparrow624

I guess what I would be paying for then would be the ability to cook and/or do laundry if needed?

In the DVC one bedroom I get a king bed and a pull out sofa.

In the Regular Deluxe booking, I get a courtyard view and 2 queen beds (no one on a sofa).

I guess it is apples and oranges, but again, I am looking for a great benefit to lock into one resort for the most part and am struggling to find it. Is there another benefit other than the kitchen and washer/dryer?

I am trying to convince my wife, but she is not seeing a value in doing this.

If you want to do an apples to apples, compare the costs of the deluxe hotel room with a DVC studio. The DVC studio takes half the points that a 1 bedroom does, so that will suddenly give you a much different set of numbers. So instead of $41,500 for DVC in a 1 bedroom , you are looking at $21,250 for a DVC studio. That suddenly looks a lot better than the $43,500 for the deluxe hotel room.

So you can stay in a DVC 1 bedroom instead of the hotel room for a similar price or you can stay in a DVC studio instead of the hotel room for about half the price.

Disclaimer: I assumed the original numbers you gave are correct.

[MsTessP]

The other factor not considered is the increase of the rate which Disney will charge per night (whether rack or even discount) over the next 20-30 years. I imagine that if we were to research and come up with those rate of 20-30 years ago, then we would see a substantial increase compared to today's rates.

[chalee94]

Originally Posted by Sparrow624

I guess what I would be paying for then would be the ability to cook and/or do laundry if needed?

not to mention the extra space. an OKW 1BR has about 1000 sq ft of space.

In the Regular Deluxe booking, I get a courtyard view and 2 queen beds (no one on a sofa).

some people are timeshare people and some are hotel people (real beds and daily housekeeping). if you are hotel person, that's cool - no need to keep trying to make it work...

[Sparrow624]

Good points.

We still only get the one bed (and a pullout couch which are not exactly comfortable) with the studio. Though, we would get more nights every 2 years or every year, but that is more in ticket and food cost.

Hmmmm

[bwvBound]

Originally Posted by Sparrow624

I guess it is apples and oranges, but again, I am looking for a great benefit to lock into one resort for the most part and am struggling to find it. Is there another benefit other than the kitchen and washer/dryer?

There is a certain je ne sais quoi, intangible, difficult to define, element to 'owning DVC' (which could also be applied to many other timeshare systems). It is the element that makes you dream of future vacations just because you own the points. It is the element that has toying with locations "just because you can." For some, it manifests itself in a need try all the DVC locations: WDW, Vero Beach, Hilton Head, California and Oahu. It keeps a small flicker of that Disney vacation magic glowing in your eyes for years to come. It can't be easily quantified ... but it is there, all the same, for most owners.

It is renewed by small touches:

• A "zero due" bill at checkout.
• A "Welcome Home!" on arrival.
• Unpacking your Owner's Locker and rediscovering familiar personal items.
• Knowing exactly which button to press on the microwave for the nightlight w/out having to look.
• Closing the door between parents and children for some alone time ... even if that is only the door between the King Bed in the Master and the Pull-Out Soft bed in the Living Room.
• Sharing a full-size pot of coffee using real mugs on your patio or balcony.
• Having a place to stash that restaurant doggie bag ... and then retrieving it for a mid-night snack. (Or perhaps cold pizza for breakfast?)
• Borrowing DVDs from the Resort Community Center all throughout your stay.
• Participating in activities at the Community Center. Perhaps in lieu of a park day?
• Increasing the number of non-park days on any given trip. Trying something new in the area ... or simply time relaxing.

[kristenrice]

Originally Posted by Sparrow624

Good points.

We still only get the one bed (and a pullout couch which are not exactly comfortable) with the studio. Though, we would get more nights every 2 years or every year, but that is more in ticket and food cost.

Hmmmm

Don't discount the comfort of the pullout sofas. They are actually quite comfortable. I slept 6 nights on the pullout at AKV with my (then) 2yo DD and I slept like a brick. I had more trouble sleeping on the regular bed at OKW.

One of the reasons we bought DVC is to make sure that we take a vacation every year. We bought our original contract at AKV because if money gets tight, we can easily entertain ourselves at the resort without going to the parks. When you have a full kitchen and laundry, you can very easily "live" in your room. This can save you a substantial amount of money in food costs and still allow you to eat real meals at the table.

I never really grasped the full benefit of the 1BR until I stayed in one. I also figured that a studio would be just fine since it is just the four of us. While I don't mind a studio for a night or two, it just is not the same as the 1BR.

[skirby]

Mousesavers has a pretty good cost analysis here. They even provide you with their spreadsheet that would need a little updating to current numbers. As PP said, make sure you are comparing apples to apples when looking at the room types.