All of a sudden we have absolutely no interest in WDW (gasp)!!

[Sammie]

While Bill might be correct about it being less expensive to pay cash for non DVC trips, I do not agree with his assessment of DVC in general. The problems he has, we have never experienced. So either we are very lucky or Bill is extremely unlucky.

If I experienced even half the problems Bill reports, I would have sold ages ago.

 

[luckylady131]

I agree with Bill's advice -- rescind for now and take your time studying the materials and options.

Sample ABD options when using DVC points:

• ALASKA: Denali National Park, Anchorage & Kenai Peninsula
  8 Days / 7 Nights
  DVC Points per adult: 667
  DVC Points per child: 634
• FRANCE: Paris, Versailles & Normandy
  8 Days / 7 Nights
  DVC Points per adult: 853
  DVC Points per child: 811
• AUSTRALIA: Sydney, Ayers Rock, Tasmania & Great Barrier Reef
  12 Days / 11 Nights
  DVC Points per adult: 1053
  DVC Points per child: 1001

River Cruises:

• DANUBE RIVER CRUISE
  Ship: AMAVIOLA
  7 nights
  Least costly cabin (E), Adult: 551 ; Child 525
  Most costly non-suite cabin (A), Adult: 870 ; Child: 827
  Suite, Adult: 1062; Child: 1009

Plus, of course, the $95 transaction fee on all the above.

Thanks for the point quotes. We looked into the types of places and trips we enjoy taking and bought points accordingly. We banked for this year, as my husband doesn't have a lot of vacation time left in this calendar year (just did a 12 night Norwegian fjords cruise). Because of the cruise incentives when we bought, next year we will have a total of 1500 points at our disposal to use. That could pay for my Husband and I to go on a river cruise and just have to pay for the kids, and still have points left over to bank or use.

I understand points are not well spent on cruises and ABD trips. And I will never use points to pay for my kids. But living in Europe at the moment...these are our most convenient disney options for the next couple of years, so points will most likely go towards those, or be rented out and cash towards those type of trips.

When we return to the states in a couple of years, I know we will use the points for DVC locations mostly.

 

[disneynutz]

What matters most is that you are happy and that you made an informed decision when you bought. Many, including my family assumed that Disney was different and that the DVC would be a 4 star experience. While we love our memories of the old Disney, the new Disney is all about making money often cutting the experience while collecting billions in profit yearly.

The problems that we have had are well documented by others so it isn't just my bad luck. Until last year refurbishing the DVC rooms didn't happen often, the rooms were really worn, broken furniture, worn carpet, appliance problems, it was really a crap shoot when you checked into a room and they do not like moving a DVC guest so often you stay in the room while they do repairs. Starting last year something happened, could be the new DVC management, (we have switched 3 times in the last few years), almost every DVC resort received major refurbishments at the same time, not great for people with reservations. Now the rooms are all taking on the same appearance with unique theming, jetted tubs, ceiling fans, and DVD players being removed.

Bill

 

[Murron]

I agree with Bill's advice -- rescind for now and take your time studying the materials and options.

Sample ABD options when using DVC points:

• ALASKA: Denali National Park, Anchorage & Kenai Peninsula
  8 Days / 7 Nights
  DVC Points per adult: 667
  DVC Points per child: 634
• FRANCE: Paris, Versailles & Normandy
  8 Days / 7 Nights
  DVC Points per adult: 853
  DVC Points per child: 811
• AUSTRALIA: Sydney, Ayers Rock, Tasmania & Great Barrier Reef
  12 Days / 11 Nights
  DVC Points per adult: 1053
  DVC Points per child: 1001

River Cruises:

• DANUBE RIVER CRUISE
  Ship: AMAVIOLA
  7 nights
  Least costly cabin (E), Adult: 551 ; Child 525
  Most costly non-suite cabin (A), Adult: 870 ; Child: 827
  Suite, Adult: 1062; Child: 1009

Plus, of course, the $95 transaction fee on all the above.

I also agree with Bill and bwbound. I also have over 1000 points and using them for ABD and Disney cruises just is not worth it. Just look at the example above. Assume you paid approximately $100 per point for DVC and do the math based on the number of points required above!!! Who would want to pay that in cash per adult??? Heck, I love good vacations and every river cruise through Europe I've been on, was buy one get one free and air fare discounts. For two adults, I don't think we ever paid more than 10-12K for a 13 day river cruise. Ditto for the ocean cruises. Nobody wants to discourage your purchase of DVC....we love ours, but I bought into the home resorts I like best and visit WDW or Vero Beach Fla or Hilton Head SC once per year now. Any other vacation, is separate from DVC.

 

[luckylady131]

I also agree with Bill and bwbound. I also have over 1000 points and using them for ABD and Disney cruises just is not worth it. Just look at the example above. Assume you paid approximately $100 per point for DVC and do the math based on the number of points required above!!! Who would want to pay that in cash per adult??? Heck, I love good vacations and every river cruise through Europe I've been on, was buy one get one free and air fare discounts. For two adults, I don't think we ever paid more than 10-12K for a 13 day river cruise. Ditto for the ocean cruises. Nobody wants to discourage your purchase of DVC....we love ours, but I bought into the home resorts I like best and visit WDW or Vero Beach Fla or Hilton Head SC once per year now. Any other vacation, is separate from DVC.

How do you find buy one get one for river cruises? I would like to do a river cruise, but have a friend who works the Amawaterways river boat tours, and she said they weren't great for kids. But now disney has partnered with them, so that might change this...but then there is the price. Are there other kid friendly River cruise companies? Having just spent a good $25k on this last cruise hurt. And we can't do that all the time, or even often! That was a once in a lifetime cruise for us at those prices. But it only had one sail date, so we didn't have much choice for those particular ports.

At the moment, many of our decisions to go with the disney brand is because we have young children. We've traveled a lot in the last year since living here, and I've always done the itinerary for our trips. But the kids have gotten quite bored with always doing what we want to do! Haha.

I have the Italy ABD booked for next year because I'm tired of coming up with all our itineraries, and wanted a vacation where someone hands ME the schedule! Haha! Plus it hits all the highlights I'd Italy that I want to see in one trip.

 

[Murron]

How do you find buy one get one for river cruises? I would like to do a river cruise, but have a friend who works the Amawaterways river boat tours, and she said they weren't great for kids. But now disney has partnered with them, so that might change this...but then there is the price. Are there other kid friendly River cruise companies? Having just spent a good $25k on this last cruise hurt. And we can't do that all the time, or even often! That was a once in a lifetime cruise for us at those prices. But it only had one sail date, so we didn't have much choice for those particular ports.

At the moment, many of our decisions to go with the disney brand is because we have young children. We've traveled a lot in the last year since living here, and I've always done the itinerary for our trips. But the kids have gotten quite bored with always doing what we want to do! Haha.

I have the Italy ABD booked for next year because I'm tired of coming up with all our itineraries, and wanted a vacation where someone.

OK....honestly...we are now retired and do Viking River Cruises and book at the last possible minute to get these deals. That being said... AMA is what Disney uses, but you can do that independent of the points and probably for a better price. And...just my very humble opinion...I didn't take my kids for children friendly tours. The results were incredible. A small river cruise environment to both adults and kids. Takes effort to plan but so well worth it. But my bottom line point is this....no matter what, it's still cheaper than using your points. Keep your points for the Disney resorts only. Not for the adventures or cruises. Google all the river cruises and get their deals!

 

[Dancind]

Thanks for the advise.

Not to mention Paris is a 4 hour drive from my house, so we plan on staying there some.

At the park or in the city? I was searching for RCI exchanges in France for next year and they are all in remote areas. There may be one in the city, but it is run down and in a poor area.

I would not take children on a river cruise! It's very much an older crowd, and the excursions are very adult oriented.

 

[suebeelin]

How do you find buy one get one for river cruises? I would like to do a river cruise, but have a friend who works the Amawaterways river boat tours, and she said they weren't great for kids. But now disney has partnered with them, so that might change this...but then there is the price. Are there other kid friendly River cruise companies? Having just spent a good $25k on this last cruise hurt. And we can't do that all the time, or even often! That was a once in a lifetime cruise for us at those prices. But it only had one sail date, so we didn't have much choice for those particular ports.

At the moment, many of our decisions to go with the disney brand is because we have young children. We've traveled a lot in the last year since living here, and I've always done the itinerary for our trips. But the kids have gotten quite bored with always doing what we want to do! Haha.

I have the Italy ABD booked for next year because I'm tired of coming up with all our itineraries, and wanted a vacation where someone hands ME the schedule! Haha! Plus it hits all the highlights I'd Italy that I want to see in one trip.

Are you still in your recission period (within 10 days of purchase)? If so, I would reconsider, especially if you live in Europe and won't be using the dvc properties right now. Pricing is so high now ($175pp?) that I do not think it's going to get that much higher. You won't miss anything buying at a later date, IMO.

Just buy when you know you are going to definitely use dvc. They aren't turning you away and the promos aren't anything special right now.

The thing about the point conversion is that each point is, conservatively and realistically, worth $11-15 in the open market. That means if you rent out your points, you'll get that amount for each point.

Disney, however, only "gives" you about $7-8pp if you "convert" your points over for a cruise. RCI is an even worse "conversion" option (if you value your points at $11-15pp). You are "losing" $3-8pp by converting points into RCI, cruises and other Disney non dvc options. That adds up.

In other words, using your points got anything other than a dvc property is an economically disadvantageous use of your points.

However, it's your choice . Just my 2c.

Also, you might start losing that lovin feeling about Disney. It happens.

It's happening to us. We have owned dvc for 5yrs and have a total of 400pts/year (200 at bwv and 200 at BLT). Kids are 3 and 6...

We have started exploring NON Disney options (Kennedy space center, universal, discovery cove) in the Orlando area. After a 13 day dvc trip this upcoming December, we are going back to Orlando in April and NOT staying in a dvc hotel bc we can get a 2bd (1200 sq ft) at Wyndham bonnet creek over Easter for $105/day!!! The 2bd at Wyndham bonnet creek costs the SAME as the maintenance fee on a std studio at boardwalk (high point season over Easter). I couldn't believe it...

So, after 5yrs as an avid proponent of dvc, I'm now looking at other non Disney options bc I refuse to use my points during the point intensive high Easter spring break season.... And a whole non Disney Orlando world is opening up to me. I can't wait to try discovery cove!!!

We have a big trip to Hawaii planned in 2018. We will hit aulani. Kids will be 5 and 8 by then, and we are already talking about selling one of our contracts and half our points (200pts) after this trip. Hopefully nothing happens to drastically reduce the resale market prices between now and 2018/2019!!

Seriously, buy dvc when you definitely will use it for dvc properties. Otherwise, it's really not the most economical choice . Good luck!

 

[CarolynK]

Are you still in your recission period (within 10 days of purchase)? If so, I would reconsider, especially if you live in Europe and won't be using the dvc properties right now. Pricing is so high now ($175pp?) that I do not think it's going to get that much higher. You won't miss anything buying at a later date, IMO.

Just buy when you know you are going to definitely use dvc. They aren't turning you away and the promos aren't anything special right now.

The thing about the point conversion is that each point is, conservatively and realistically, worth $11-15 in the open market. That means if you rent out your points, you'll get that amount for each point.

Disney, however, only "gives" you about $7-8pp if you "convert" your points over for a cruise. RCI is an even worse "conversion" option (if you value your points at $11-15pp). You are "losing" $3-8pp by converting points into RCI, cruises and other Disney non dvc options. That adds up.

In other words, using your points got anything other than a dvc property is an economically disadvantageous use of your points.

However, it's your choice . Just my 2c.

Also, you might start losing that lovin feeling about Disney. It happens.

It's happening to us. We have owned dvc for 5yrs and have a total of 400pts/year (200 at bwv and 200 at BLT). Kids are 3 and 6...

We have started exploring NON Disney options (Kennedy space center, universal, discovery cove) in the Orlando area. After a 13 day dvc trip this upcoming December, we are going back to Orlando in April and NOT staying in a dvc hotel bc we can get a 2bd (1200 sq ft) at Wyndham bonnet creek over Easter for $105/day!!! The 2bd at Wyndham bonnet creek costs the SAME as the maintenance fee on a std studio at boardwalk (high point season over Easter). I couldn't believe it...

So, after 5yrs as an avid proponent of dvc, I'm now looking at other non Disney options bc I refuse to use my points during the point intensive high Easter spring break season.... And a whole non Disney Orlando world is opening up to me. I can't wait to try discovery cove!!!

We have a big trip to Hawaii planned in 2018. We will hit aulani. Kids will be 5 and 8 by then, and we are already talking about selling one of our contracts and half our points (200pts) after this trip. Hopefully nothing happens to drastically reduce the resale market prices between now and 2018/2019!!

Seriously, buy dvc when you definitely will use it for dvc properties. Otherwise, it's really not the most economical choice . Good luck!

I agree with you! The only point I want to make, about you selling your points, is based on my own experience. We also seriously talked about selling half of our points about 5 years ago, because we were losing that special Disney feeling, and up to that point had **always** borrowed points. But, then, we stopped needing to borrow! We have a daughter & a son, who have never slept in the same bed, and all of a sudden we were booking 2-BR's instead of 1-BR's (we'd bring an air mattress for the second kid) and like magic we were back to borrowing.
So, I don't know what size room you book now, but just keep in mind that as your very small kids get older, they'll need more space!

 

[Murron]

How do you find buy one get one for river cruises? I would like to do a river cruise, but have a friend who works the Amawaterways river boat tours, and she said they weren't great for kids. But now disney has partnered with them, so that might change this...but then there is the price. Are there other kid friendly River cruise companies? Having just spent a good $25k on this last cruise hurt. And we can't do that all the time, or even often! That was a once in a lifetime cruise for us at those prices. But it only had one sail date, so we didn't have much choice for those particular ports.

At the moment, many of our decisions to go with the disney brand is because we have young children. We've traveled a lot in the last year since living here, and I've always done the itinerary for our trips. But the kids have gotten quite bored with always doing what we want to do! Haha.

I have the Italy ABD booked for next year because I'm tired of coming up with all our itineraries, and wanted a vacation where someone hands ME the schedule! Haha! Plus it hits all the highlights I'd Italy that I want to see in one trip.

 

[Murron]

At the park or in the city? I was searching for RCI exchanges in France for next year and they are all in remote areas. There may be one in the city, but it is run down and in a poor area.

I would not take children on a river cruise! It's very much an older crowd, and the excursions are very adult oriented.

It really depends on the kids and the group you go with. We went with our adult kids, my sisters son and 2 grandchildren of hers, my brother, sister in law and her 2 grandkids. The kids ranged 8 to 12 had each other for company along with my younger (and cooler) adult kids. Yes it broke the bank...it was a special family trip but those kids loved it. They continue to talk about it a year later and those are memories. We did stick to our own large group dining table and made sure every one of them knew the behavior expected of them with a boat of mostly adults. I think in fact, the experience was great for them. Ps. It took over a year to pay for it! Lol.

 

[Dancind]

It sounds kind of cool for a large family group. You would actually see the family, vs every one off doing their own thing like on an ocean cruise.

 

[PBB]

I thought we were the only ones.....we will be going to WDW the week of Labor Day and that will be it for us. We live in Atlanta and maybe we will go to HHI a few more times but I am so done with WDW. We have been DVC Members since 98.

1. Fastpass+ is too much for me. What's next ? Are we going to have to order sodas and ice cream 180 days in advance?
2. Resort quality and experience- we were shocked at how bad the resorts have become. We stayed at OKW in April for a week. After being at MK til midnight, we were awakened with a pressure washer on the front door at 8 a.m. No one from Management returned a call,even though, they said it would be right away. The room's always seem to have a problem. I had an allergic reaction in HHI because of all the dust on the air filters. I have never seen so much dust on a filter in my 30 years of construction. Anyone heard of legionnaires disease? The sad part was all the units were like that.
3. Rooms are never ready at check in and Housekeeping knocks on door at 8 a.m. The day of check out. This has happened too many times........I printed a sign that says unless the building is on fire Do Not Knock On This Door we are not checking out til 11 am.
4. Food quality and prices......the worse thing that happened at Disney? Disney Dining Plan. It killed the quality of food. We will not eat at a Disney Managed restaurant. We made the mistake of eating at Skippers Canteen and Prime Time Cafe. At Skippers Canteen, I wrote at bottom of check with the exception of the server this was the worse meal ever at WDW and walked out. (They credited the cost of meal less the tip). Prime Time was dirty, the fried chicken was good was good but small servings. I noticed the mashed potatoes looked similar to the rice serving from the previous evening. Both in 1/2 cup servings. Restaurants run by cost accounting isn't the way to go........for me. No more Disney restaurants for us......
5. DVC management- I wish DVC would go back to the operating procedures of the 90's. It was DVC at it's best! It was truly a home away from home. Magazines, fluffy towels, toiletries that filled counters and the rooms were spotless. We have asked ourselves.......Would we pay the cash rate for the rooms we were staying in? There is no way we would pay $300 a night for a studio at OKW to be awakened by a pressure washer.
6. Walt Disney World-I never thought Walt Disney World could ever go down in quality or guest experiences. I was wrong. Disney has killed the magic..........I remember the theme or motto at the turn of century. Do you remember the Magic? Sadly, I do......employees are mostly going through the paces. I became disabled and I have a hard time standing for long periods of time. Be Our Guest had opened and lunch was first come first serve and the line was 90 minutes. I was told I could sit on the bench while my wife stood in line. I asked to speak with a manager.( I was hoping to come back in 90 minutes) I was told I could walk back to City Hall and speak with guest services. We left and I called guest relations. Told them my issue and they told me to email them and they would respond. They responded 4 days later as we were leaving. I knew WDW was done right then. We have had wonderful experiences at WDW over the years and most of them driven by cast members. Now, they are going through the paces......people knocked Eisner but he demanded first and foremost quality. We never had a problem paying top prices because the quality and the experience was there. No more........it was fun while it lasted........