DVC - is it worth it?

[wulfekamp]

DVC downside. 1. you have to learn the secret handshake. 2. You have deal with being told welcome home alot. 3. Only dvc members will really understand you. 4. Everytime you talk about Disney infront of family or friends there eyes will glaze over and they will think something is wrong with you. 5. Your house will soon look like a Disney store exploded in it. 6. You might become addicted to Add on's because you can't have enough points.
PS I was kidding about the handshake the rest is all true.

 

[ssawka]

...
4) can limit Fri-Sat stays since weekend point costs are a little higher
...
4) you prefer stays on weekends as weekend point costs are higher
...

I would argue that these are less important since the 2010 and 2011 point reallocation.

 

[dmband]

Looking at the DVC point chart for BLT (http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/BLT-Points.htm), it would cost to stay a week in July:
- 153 points (studio with a Lake View)
- 139 points (studio with a standard view, equal to a garden wing view?)

At $10/point (the general rate), this equates to a rental cost of:
- $1,530 (Lake View)
- $1,390 (standard view)

In addition, I just ran some very quick numbers.

- Current BLT dues are $3.8943/point (up 3.14% from 2010 of $3.7756/point)
- $ 58,159.03 = Total annual dues over the life of a 160 point contract
(assuming a 3.14% annual increase in dues for 45 years)
- $ 77,359.03 = $19,200 buy in + $58,159.03 total dues

- $ 1,719.09 = Annual cost of ownership ($77k/45 yrs)

Conclusion: If a CR room is currently at $1,728 for 1 week (July 4th weekend), you'll save $9 as a DVC member staying in a Lake View studio for the same week this year. Since this CR room was likely at a discount and prices will likely rise for a CR room over the next 45 years, the discount amount will likely become greater.

This was really quick, so please let me know if I missed something.

- Chris

well i am a family of 5 currently so its is 268 for july 4th week
but i understand how it works a lot better now from reading your breakdown and it does make more sense to be a member
thanks for explaining it and now i am going to look into it closer

edit - side question...
disney can change the points each yr if they like, correct
for example this yrs july 4th might be 15 points, next yr it might be 17 points ???
is there any type of limit to the point change? in other words will my 160 points today get me the same length stay 20 yrs from now or will i need 200 points at that time?
make sense

 

[rmcildw2m]

For me the tipping point came last year after sitting on the fence for some 10 years .We had always stayed in mostly value resorts and some times moderates if the price was discounted enough . But was always looking at the deluxe resorts and wishing, now after joining DVC we stay in a deluxe resort when we go for about the same price as we would have paid for a value resorts . Its a win/win if you are wanting to go to disney every year like me .

 

[dmband]

For me the tipping point came last year after sitting on the fence for some 10 years .We had always stayed in mostly value resorts and some times moderates if the price was discounted enough . But was always looking at the deluxe resorts and wishing, now after joining DVC we stay in a deluxe resort when we go for about the same price as we would have paid for a value resorts . Its a win/win if you are wanting to go to disney every year like me .

can you break down for me how that works?
above a break down was posted showing how you could compare deluxe to deluxe but how can you stay in deluxe for the cost of value?
thanks

Also could one use their points to stay at "normal" resorts instead of DVC resorts?
For someone like me who family size is 5/6 I could poss do a family suite at asm or aoa for a more reasonable rate then a 2 bedroom suite at say blt

 

[Kidanifan08]

What can you tell me about DVC and whether or not it's worth it for a family of 4 who can't seem to plan their annual family vacation anywhere but on Disney property?!!

Since you plan an annual family vacation to Disney, you are already a good candidate for DVC. We have a little one, and see ourselves at the World yearly for the next 20 years. After the first trip in 2008 being cooped up in a room at POR for 8 nights, we are more than happy with our DVC ownership. We purchase on that 2008 trip and financed, with a plan to pay things off in a few years. The overall cost depends on what room type you are looking to have. As a family of 4, I would suggest looking at a 1BR, but you could pull off studios, if you don't need a W/D and the space. Once you know what kind of room you need, then you should think about when you see yourself traveling, since the cost of DVC changes in the various seasons. As you can see from some of the financial layouts from PP's, DVC is a luxury. . . but it probably is a savings if you want a condominium style room for a vacation at one of the most expensive places to travel on an annual basis for the next 20-30 years. Have fun researching the topic!

 

[chalee94]

can you break down for me how that works?
above a break down was posted showing how you could compare deluxe to deluxe but how can you stay in deluxe for the cost of value?

depends on what you pay for your pts and your annual dues.

for one example, i'm calculating my cost of points at a value less than $8 per pt. if i stay in an OKW studio on a weeknight for 10 pts per night, that puts me at less than $80 per night, tax included. some people paid less for their pts upfront than i did and would wind up with better numbers...

don't think BLT would ever work out cheaper than a value, though.

Also could one use their points to stay at "normal" resorts instead of DVC resorts?

you cannot trade DVC for value resorts.

if you buy direct (and pay the higher prices), you can pay $95 to trade into a moderate hotel room for roughly the same price as a BCV studio...

trading out of the DVC system is usually a pretty bad deal.

For someone like me who family size is 5/6 I could poss do a family suite at asm or aoa for a more reasonable rate then a 2 bedroom suite at say blt

honestly if you are happy with the value family suites, DVC will never be a better deal IMO.

 

[Dizneefamily+4]

Thank you everybody for your input! I think we really need to consider DVC. DH is a teacher, so we KNOW we always travel in the the summer and we've been going back to the magic more and more often and I know we'll never get bored. We just love it too much.

We'll be taking everything into consideration and again, thanks!!!

 

[crazybones27]

For us the answer is yes! We are a family of 4 also. Our kids are 3 and almost 2 right now. They have both been to Disney world 4 and 3 times already!

DH and I took the tour back in 2006 before we were married. We were ready to purchase on the spot, but we weren't married nor did we own a home. We were going to have the papers in hand the next morning, but called the guide and told them we were not going to buy in. The finances of planning a wedding, buying a home, and working on children in the near future got to me and we agreed we couldn't do it. Fast forward to 2009 pregnant with our second child. A DVC store was opening in Long Island and they were having a special event out there with great incentives. I 8 months pregnant begged the hubby to drive out to Long Island in August to go to this event. He told me if we go out there we are buying because he didn't want to drive all the way out there for nothing. From that moment on we NEVER regretted our purchase. We just did an add on at Bay Lake at the end of last month.

Each family is different with different needs. We went from going every other year, to every year, to 4 times already since last September! We purchased annual passes last September and by this September we'll have used them on 4 different trips! I think that comes out to 29 days in the parks or something.

The value is really on how you view it. A lot of people have negative feelings towards it, but they value different things on vacation. I have come to realize that with 2 small children I REALLY enjoy having a full fridge/freezer and Washer/Dryer on vacation! They make such a mess of their clothes that being able to have clean clothes without having to use the laundry room in the hotel is WONDERFUL! I just throw the load in while we get ready, throw them in the dryer before we leave and when we get back clean clothes! This comes out to small suit cases and less to bring with us! This means more room in the car for the drive which means more room for all the stuff the kids ask for on vacation coming home lol.

Ok now that I feel like I've strayed from the quesiton a bit... lol. Yes I feel it was worth it for my family. Definitely sit down and crunch the numbers. You may want to speak to a guide even before your August trip to see if there are any incentives happening now and have info sent to you so you're prepared for your tour. Be up front with them though as to what you're looking for right now. Let them know you're not looking to purchase until you do the tour at least, but would like some info before hand.

Good luck with your decision!! We're so happy we bought !

 

[Disneygal27]

Thank you everybody for your input! I think we really need to consider DVC. DH is a teacher, so we KNOW we always travel in the the summer and we've been going back to the magic more and more often and I know we'll never get bored. We just love it too much.

We'll be taking everything into consideration and again, thanks!!!

this was a big factor in our getting DVC, my mom is a teacher and i'm still at the mercy of college breaks, so we always end up going in peak seasons. we figured that over time (since we've not experienced Disney burnout in the 21 years i've been going, just more relaxed vacations now) it's worth it for us to have DVC. for about the average cost of a moderate (during peak season when we are able to go) we can stay in a studio for a week and a half, or get a 1BR and save $ on the laundry (we like to have fresh clothes twice a day since it's always so hot when we go, so laundry happens a lot for us haha) plus, the DVC resorts provide more amenities and are often closer to the parks where we want to be. while it may not make sense for everyone, for our family it makes sense. plus, if we take a shorter, value season trip, we are able to trade the points to stay at the Poly for 9 nights (just an example......THAT I'M SUPER EXCITED FOR ) like my dad says, we know we're going to go regardless, so why not prepay for a higher quality vacation for the next 40+ years?

 

[bpp0417]

I think you could slice and dice the numbers many many different ways. And yes...I believe that depending on discounts, time of year, type of resort, etc., you could take yearly trips to Disney cheaper than buying into DVC. For our family it's fairly simple. We look at DVC as a pre-payment on vacations to Disney for the next 30-40 years....Staying in condominuim-type accomodations in the Disney deluxe properties. We don't look at it as a financial investment...or to trade for other vacations etc. Basically we're staying at the best accomodations at Disney's best resorts. Our family loves Disney...we bought when our kids were very young, knowing we were going to travel there at least every other year...and we've never had any regrets (other than we should have bought more points!!).

 

[ToddyLu]

Since becomming members in 2009 we have used our points for 4-SV studios at AKV-K and 1 standard view studio. These rooms would have been between $3000-$3500 since we go for ususally 9 nights. So at this point we have roughly stayed in $15,000 worth of rooms. This Oct we will stay in 2 SV studios--DH and I get one, may parents the other. So that would be another $6000 worth of rooms. So the cash out of pocket costs for those rooms would have never been purchased by us on a nurse/firman salary. DVC allows us to stay in Deluxe rooms with all the ammenities WDW has--We love it and DH just looks at me when I ask if he wants to save points for a year and just go to Pop for a week. He has become a resort snob.

We only did Values prior to DVC....DVC changes your trip to Disney like a Corvette changes your drive to work. It is a wonderful luxury.

 

[Sammie]

If you want or need a one bedroom or larger then yes it can save you some money.

If you are happy with value or moderate or even deluxe with a discount then no it probably wont save you money.

Things to remember, purchasing is for a very long time, what we enjoy now will we enjoy 30 or 40 years from now when you are still pay dues for it.

The cost to use DVC continues to rise. Tickets, air fare, food, etc. The cost of dues and purchase of DVC is a small part of the cost to use it.

Can you plan and book 11 to 7 months out. If not you will soon see you are very limited in what you can get. This gets worse each year.

Would you be satisfied if DVC changed the policies and you were allowed only to book your home resort or book it with only a one month advantage.

Many bought thinking DVC would never change, we have learned recently that is not true. We will all probably see additional changes in the future.

 

[hakepb]

well i am a family of 5 currently so its is 268 for july 4th week
but i understand how it works a lot better now from reading your breakdown and it does make more sense to be a member
thanks for explaining it and now i am going to look into it closer

edit - side question...
disney can change the points each yr if they like, correct
for example this yrs july 4th might be 15 points, next yr it might be 17 points ???
is there any type of limit to the point change? in other words will my 160 points today get me the same length stay 20 yrs from now or will i need 200 points at that time?
make sense

By law, DVC cannot change the grand sum total of points to use all units in a year.

DVC can reallocate points among days and units if demand is out of whack(as they did in 10 and 11). But to increase a specific unit for a day, another unit and/or day must decrease.

Per contract, Without a vote, they cannot change more than 15% (I think) per year.

So it is possible DVC could make your July 4 too high, but that would give you the opportunity to choose another unit or time for less than the point chart when you bought.

 

[dmband]

depends on what you pay for your pts and your annual dues.

for one example, i'm calculating my cost of points at a value less than $8 per pt. if i stay in an OKW studio on a weeknight for 10 pts per night, that puts me at less than $80 per night, tax included. some people paid less for their pts upfront than i did and would wind up with better numbers...

don't think BLT would ever work out cheaper than a value, though.



you cannot trade DVC for value resorts.

if you buy direct (and pay the higher prices), you can pay $95 to trade into a moderate hotel room for roughly the same price as a BCV studio...

trading out of the DVC system is usually a pretty bad deal.



honestly if you are happy with the value family suites, DVC will never be a better deal IMO.

thanks

By law, DVC cannot change the grand sum total of points to use all units in a year.

DVC can reallocate points among days and units if demand is out of whack(as they did in 10 and 11). But to increase a specific unit for a day, another unit and/or day must decrease.

Per contract, Without a vote, they cannot change more than 15% (I think) per year.

So it is possible DVC could make your July 4 too high, but that would give you the opportunity to choose another unit or time for less than the point chart when you bought.

ahh ok
i think i got it
that makes me feel better

 

[dmoore22]

Here is a nice DVC primer that maybe helpful. It also provides several links including a spreadsheet that can help you do analysis: http://www.mouseplanet.com/8739/A_Disney_Vacation_Club_Primer

We were a family of eight (my DW, our 5 DDs and our DS) when we finally bought into DVC in 2002. Prior to that we would have to book at least two rooms in a value when we visited WDW, or an off-site at DL. We wasted (that's with a capital "W") several years agonizing and analyzing the pros and cons of this expense. Plus our visits were every two to five years. If we looked at it as an "investment" we probably would never had taken the plunge. What tipped that scales for us, and I hate to be morbid, is when I visited with my aunt and uncle (who was in the midst of Alzheimer's) and my aunt commented "We saved for years so we could travel and enjoy our retirement and now we can't do anything." Then, a couple of days later, we had another shock to our emotional system. Our infant granddaughter died in an unfortunate accident. This was a horrible reality check. Needless to say, within a year we found a resale within our budget. We now visit several times a year, bringing our now grown family and grandchildren with us. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? There is always an excuse not to do something. You cannot put a value on the intangibles. We could not afford to do this otherwise.

 

[photobob]

I think you really have to look at it and decide if it is worth it to you. Many say that they wish they had purchased it sooner, but I look at it another way. I see the several trips before we purchased DVC as the trips the answered the question "is it worth it?" For us it is. We started going to Disney in 1997 and we could barely afford to go every other year. The in between years I saw as the trips I wanted get beyond so we could go back to WDW. My other vacations paled to me in comparison to our Disney trips.

Once we stayed in a deluxe resort we really didn't want to go back to lesser accommodations. DVC just seemed like the right fit for us and has been now since 2006.

 

[dmband]

Here is a nice DVC primer that maybe helpful. It also provides several links including a spreadsheet that can help you do analysis: http://www.mouseplanet.com/8739/A_Disney_Vacation_Club_Primer

We were a family of eight (my DW, our 5 DDs and our DS) when we finally bought into DVC in 2002. Prior to that we would have to book at least two rooms in a value when we visited WDW, or an off-site at DL. We wasted (that's with a capital "W") several years agonizing and analyzing the pros and cons of this expense. Plus our visits were every two to five years. If we looked at it as an "investment" we probably would never had taken the plunge. What tipped that scales for us, and I hate to be morbid, is when I visited with my aunt and uncle (who was in the midst of Alzheimer's) and my aunt commented "We saved for years so we could travel and enjoy our retirement and now we can't do anything." Then, a couple of days later, we had another shock to our emotional system. Our infant granddaughter died in an unfortunate accident. This was a horrible reality check. Needless to say, within a year we found a resale within our budget. We now visit several times a year, bringing our now grown family and grandchildren with us. Who knows what tomorrow will bring? There is always an excuse not to do something. You cannot out a value on the intangibles. We could not afford to do this otherwise.

sorry to hear your story
thanks for the link, i am going to look into it
and i agree that we must do as much as we can now because we never know what tomorrow will bring