Cheapest Points Worth It?

[crisi]

Well I agree to a certain extent, although I believe if you're park commandos and only sleep at the resort, then DVC probably isn't a very good deal for you. You don't need most of what the deluxe resorts offer then.

I want my kids sleeping in a different room. We book suite hotels usually when we go other places with the kids - at Disney that's DVC.
I like walking to the parks.
I like at least queen beds.

I find even Disney's deluxe resorts sub par, one of the reasons I don't really want to spend time there. (Things like their bedding). And DVC is a downgrade from that. Why would I DOWNGRADE further?

 

[crisi]

For us, WDW is the Disney experience. The resort theming, the view from the room, the parks if you feel like doing an attraction or park. Disney IMO has reduced the park experience with over crowding, a sea of people rushing to stand in a 40 minute line for an 8 minute ride. We pick an choose when and what park to visit based on attendance that day/time.

Nothing like sitting on your balcony on the boardwalk, watching the boats and people while you have a drink and just relax.

Bill

Oh, I get that. Its just a far from universal experience. I like the Boardwalk - its home, but I'd far rather sit on a balcony overlooking the ocean on a beach in Hawaii or Mexico or Thailand while I drink and relax. If I'm going to drink and relax, there is a long list of better places FOR ME to do so than Disneyworld (including Disney's Hilton Head or DCL). I go to Disney to spend time in the parks, if I'm not doing that, I'm wasting my Disneyworld time.

Now, we are different Disney people than most members - we go every other year or so for a whole four or five days. That's enough to get us through the parks.

If someone buying turns out to become a resort relaxer, than the advice is great. I'm just saying its far from universal that you'll go from commando to resort relaxer. It - along with needing more points - seem to be given in these discussions, and both are not actually true for everyone.

 

[disneynutz]

Oh, I get that. Its just a far from universal experience. I like the Boardwalk - its home, but I'd far rather sit on a balcony overlooking the ocean on a beach in Hawaii or Mexico or Thailand while I drink and relax. If I'm going to drink and relax, there is a long list of better places FOR ME to do so than Disneyworld (including Disney's Hilton Head or DCL). I go to Disney to spend time in the parks, if I'm not doing that, I'm wasting my Disneyworld time.

Now, we are different Disney people than most members - we go every other year or so for a whole four or five days. That's enough to get us through the parks.

If someone buying turns out to become a resort relaxer, than the advice is great. I'm just saying its far from universal that you'll go from commando to resort relaxer. It - along with needing more points - seem to be given in these discussions, and both are not actually true for everyone.

Most don't know what they will become. We weren't resort relaxers until DVC and we started taking a yearly WDW/DVC vacation, then twice a year, then more points and another home resort, then 3 times per year. Our addictive obsession became 6 home resorts, 3 WDW vacations per year, sometimes 7 resorts per year for 30 days plus. Now we sold some contracts, have settled on BWV, VGF, and VWL as our favorite resorts and we rotate the resorts for stays once or twice per year.

Bill

 

[crisi]

Most don't know what they will become. We weren't resort relaxers until DVC and we started taking a yearly WDW/DVC vacation, then twice a year, then more points and another home resort, then 3 times per year. Our addictive obsession became 6 home resorts, 3 WDW vacations per year, sometimes 7 resorts per year for 30 days plus. Now we sold some contracts, have settled on BWV, VGF, and VWL as our favorite resorts and we rotate the resorts for stays once or twice per year.

Bill

I guess I give people more credit for knowing themselves than you do - at least more credit for knowing themselves than credit for strangers on the internet knowing them. And I think that people who don't know themselves well enough to know at least whether they are hang around Disney resort people are bad candidates for timeshare ownership. And if they don't know themselves, they should AT LEAST consider that maybe they won't turn out to be hang around the resort people, or need more points people, or might even be "get bored of Disney" people.

We tend to make generalizations here - and some of them are good for going into a purchase. But the assumption of addonitis, that you will need more points; that your vacation habits will change to include hanging around the resort; that you will go more often - those are things people who are making a purchase decision should consider if it rings true for them or not. But they shouldn't accept any of those things as automatic - they lead to overspending on points.

 

[disneynutz]

I guess I give people more credit for knowing themselves than you do - at least more credit for knowing themselves than credit for strangers on the internet knowing them. And I think that people who don't know themselves well enough to know at least whether they are hang around Disney resort people are bad candidates for timeshare ownership. And if they don't know themselves, they should AT LEAST consider that maybe they won't turn out to be hang around the resort people, or need more points people, or might even be "get bored of Disney" people.

We tend to make generalizations here - and some of them are good for going into a purchase. But the assumption of addonitis, that you will need more points; that your vacation habits will change to include hanging around the resort; that you will go more often - those are things people who are making a purchase decision should consider if it rings true for them or not. But they shouldn't accept any of those things as automatic - they lead to overspending on points.

Might be some interesting polls to see what the DISers think, how DVC has changed their vacation habits, time spent in the parks, resorts, if they wished that they had done things differently.

Bill

 

[DisneyFirstTimer10]

It isn't a given though. I go to Disney to go to the parks, there are better hotels and locations to relax in for far less money if what I want to do is hang by the pool or in a resort room. If I'm at Disney and not spending most of every day in the parks, I wonder why I bothered to go to Disney when I could be on a beach in Mexico.

Not a given for sure- other families vacation differently and some members are still commandos which is awesome if thats what they like! I think for us it was knowing that we can spend mornings at the parks riding rides, taking in the attractions, meeting a character here or there- and when we and the kids both want to go swim and have a blast at the pool parties- we dont hesitate to leave because we know we will be back in 6 months, then 6 months after that. I used to cram as much into our disney vacations attraction-wise as possible- and now realize that the resorts themselves are another attraction for us. Why Disney and not Mexico? For us- the resort activities that we enjoy typically involve the whole family (kids and adults)- a lot of other non-disney resorts have programming for kids sure, but those dont include the whole family for the most part- the kids go off on their own while adults relax- and thats just not how we like to vacation currently. This year we have APs and will spend 25 days at WDW which helps too. If we were only going one week a year- I bet we would try to spend a little bit more time in the parks, but who knows. As the kids get older, and during cooler times of the year I absolutely could see us spending more time in the parks (and visiting other places around the world).

 

[crisi]

Might be some interesting polls to see what the DISers think, how DVC has changed their vacation habits, time spent in the parks, resorts, if they wished that they had done things differently.

Bill

It doesn't make any difference if 99 out of 100 people become resort fans, if the person you are making the recommendation to stays a commando, you have done them a disservice by telling them they'll spend more time at the resorts.

 

[mort1331]

Lol. We need to walk to and from the resort. Our kids are awful sleepers, although the older is better now that he's 5. Still wakes up at the crack of dawn (5:30am).

We also like space. One bed minimum. The washer/dryer is so nice. Load a wash in while at park. Dryer at night. Breakfast is made in room. Not a big bfast. Easy stuff like eggs or even boxed Mac n cheese. But ever so convenient and nice.

And no, we don't like the moderates. I tried that Caribbean resort once, pre kids. It felt like motel 6 to me. I don't even want to imagine a value...

walking to parks is key for us. And waking back for an afternoon break or Naptime is priceless

Mac n Cheese for breakfast now your talking

 

[mort1331]

It isn't a given though. I go to Disney to go to the parks, there are better hotels and locations to relax in for far less money if what I want to do is hang by the pool or in a resort room. If I'm at Disney and not spending most of every day in the parks, I wonder why I bothered to go to Disney when I could be on a beach in Mexico.

Im the one looking at those beach people and saying, your on vacation and just sleeping on a beach, I can do that in my backyard.

 

[crisi]

Im the one looking at those beach people and saying, your on vacation and just sleeping on a beach, I can do that in my backyard.

That's how I feel about sitting on my balcony at the Boardwalk drinking. I can sit at home and drink, and there are plenty of places close to home where the people watching is as good. For me, there isn't anything magical about the air at WDW. If I'm going to be at Disney, I'll spend my time in the parks. If I'm going to have a vacation to relax, I'll do it somewhere other than WDW - where the food is mediocre, the crowds are overwhelming, and the thread count on the sheets and the condition of the room only acceptable. And being a Minnesotan, I like my tropics to have more ocean breezes than WDW offers. However, only Disney has The Haunted Mansion or Soarin' - so when I'm there, that's what I'll spend my time doing.

But it isn't about me, or you, or Bill - its about what someone considering a purchase will do in the future. And none of us know that person. To say "you won't commando so pick a resort you want to spend time in" is looking at a crystal ball for a complete stranger and then making a recommendation based of what you or I or Bill does.

 

[disneynutz]

It doesn't make any difference if 99 out of 100 people become resort fans, if the person you are making the recommendation to stays a commando, you have done them a disservice by telling them they'll spend more time at the resorts.

Or if 99 out of 100 end up spending more time at their resort wishing that they had picked a different home resort now that they have gained experience.

Expressing different perspectives will help readers consider all possibilities.

Bill

 

[JimC]

Buy based on what is most important to you. It could be price, location, theming, style or something else. Buy contracts in easy to sell sizes to maintain flexibility. Try out or at least spend time at all of the resorts to gain a better appreciation to what suits you best.

Our vacation patterns have evolved as we aged - such as kids grown up, health changes, new resorts. We expect new grandson will alter those patterns further.

 

[crisi]

Or if 99 out of 100 end up spending more time at their resort wishing that they had picked a different home resort now that they have gained experience.

Expressing different perspectives will help readers consider all possibilities.

Bill

Yep, and I'm just making sure they have different perspectives - not only "you WILL spend more time at the resort"

 

[freediverdude]

I want my kids sleeping in a different room. We book suite hotels usually when we go other places with the kids - at Disney that's DVC.
I like walking to the parks.
I like at least queen beds.

I find even Disney's deluxe resorts sub par, one of the reasons I don't really want to spend time there. (Things like their bedding). And DVC is a downgrade from that. Why would I DOWNGRADE further?

I dunno then, it sounds like you would be much happier at an off-site suite hotel, or a couple of rooms at the Four Seasons on property, or even one of the Bonnet Creek resorts, if that's the way you feel about DVC. All of those options could probably be nicer than the DVC accomodations.

 

[deedisneydream97]

I dunno then, it sounds like you would be much happier at an off-site suite hotel, or a couple of rooms at the Four Seasons on property, or even one of the Bonnet Creek resorts, if that's the way you feel about DVC. All of those options could probably be nicer than the DVC accomodations.

I was just gifted a time share a few minutes from Disney (person didn't want it any more and can't sell it...nobody wants to "buy"). I am curious as to how it will measure up to my various DVC resorts that I "own". The yearly fees are reasonable. But very curious about what is provided in the room and how clean it is. They have a little store on-site and a fitness center. The pictures were amusing. But it is a large unit and will work for us in conjunction with our annual passes and our DVC.

If "new" DVC owners think it's hard getting their DVC member number....well, I've been trying to "talk" with someone from this place for 3 weeks. I'm going to get the "member's only" phone number from the person who didn't want it any more.

 

[freediverdude]

I was just gifted a time share a few minutes from Disney (person didn't want it any more and can't sell it...nobody wants to "buy"). I am curious as to how it will measure up to my various DVC resorts that I "own". The yearly fees are reasonable. But very curious about what is provided in the room and how clean it is. They have a little store on-site and a fitness center. The pictures were amusing. But it is a large unit and will work for us in conjunction with our annual passes and our DVC.

If "new" DVC owners think it's hard getting their DVC member number....well, I've been trying to "talk" with someone from this place for 3 weeks. I'm going to get the "member's only" phone number from the person who didn't want it any more.

Well you do have a point there- for ease of use and talking to a real person, and being able to see your whole account conveniently online and make online reservations, DVC is probably better than most of the other timeshares out there. And if you buy direct, talk about even easier, just sign the papers and start making reservations, LOL.

 

[crisi]

I dunno then, it sounds like you would be much happier at an off-site suite hotel, or a couple of rooms at the Four Seasons on property, or even one of the Bonnet Creek resorts, if that's the way you feel about DVC. All of those options could probably be nicer than the DVC accomodations.

Actually, we haven't used our points at WDW in five years. I've rented them out and stayed at HHI.

Those resorts weren't available when we bought, if they had been available, no, I wouldn't have bought DVC. It was a good purchase for us when our kids were younger, but now we rent out the points and travel other places.

 

[MrPTato]

Well you do have a point there- for ease of use and talking to a real person, and being able to see your whole account conveniently online and make online reservations, DVC is probably better than most of the other timeshares out there. And if you buy direct, talk about even easier, just sign the papers and start making reservations, LOL.

Or if you do it from home, you can book before you even sign the papers

 

[deedisneydream97]

Actually, we haven't used our points at WDW in five years. I've rented them out and stayed at HHI.

Those resorts weren't available when we bought, if they had been available, no, I wouldn't have bought DVC. It was a good purchase for us when our kids were younger, but now we rent out the points and travel other places.

Sounds great! So, I guess your "investment" back in the day has really paid off? We are not at "that place" yet of not going to Disney, but am happy to know that the option for renting my points and taking that cash and going elsewhere is very real! We bought our first contract in 1997....we added on plenty before the resale changes. Am looking forward to being a globe trotter.

 

[Dean]

I guess I give people more credit for knowing themselves than you do - at least more credit for knowing themselves than credit for strangers on the internet knowing them. And I think that people who don't know themselves well enough to know at least whether they are hang around Disney resort people are bad candidates for timeshare ownership. And if they don't know themselves, they should AT LEAST consider that maybe they won't turn out to be hang around the resort people, or need more points people, or might even be "get bored of Disney" people.

We tend to make generalizations here - and some of them are good for going into a purchase. But the assumption of addonitis, that you will need more points; that your vacation habits will change to include hanging around the resort; that you will go more often - those are things people who are making a purchase decision should consider if it rings true for them or not. But they shouldn't accept any of those things as automatic - they lead to overspending on points.

I agree with Bill that essentially no new members are going to know enough about their long term preferences to know what to expect long term. The only few exceptions will be people who have DVC experience but haven't owned such as family members or second generation buyers. Some will luck out and make the choice accidentally that is right for them but many won't. To a degree that's true even for existing and experiences members because we all change and the system changes as well but that's not a variable we can control. Most simply don't have enough information and experience to make a truly informed choice in that area without fairly extensive Disney and some DVC experience. And that applies to essentially all of us at the time we bought as well. Bill is a good example, I believe he's up to his third resort he thinks is "the one" and that assumes he hasn't change to VGF yet.