My argument against DVC

[nwhitehead1214]

That was my point all along was that different things (the x factor) works different for each family. We have two kids so we only need one room. And so on. I was chuckling at the memories points as I think it is clear to everyone who loves Disney-- resort stay or dvc the memories are the same. I just can't break from my Poly. I love it! For some, DVC helps people budget.

You know though, if Disney ever opens up a Poly DVC-- I AM IN!!!!

 

[Modeltrf]

I completely agree with you that Disney doesn't own the market on memories. But they do own the market on Disney memories. For me, the accommodations of DVC make those Disney memories better. I have good ones without DVC. It is easier/ better with DVC. IMHO DVC is good for my family.

A few who posted earlier commented I made the argument for DVC by stating DVC memories were better than other Disney memories. Clearly I did not state that.

I did state the memories were better for me at DVC because I have a family of six and I always stay in the 2 bedroom. We have stayed in the family suites at Disney or have gotten multiple moderate rooms. Those vacations were awesome. But it is easier living for us in a 2 bedroom with full kitchen, etc. Being able to have larger accomadations that were all connected while costing about the same as moderate was in the top five reasons why I bought into DVC.

Please, please do not think for one moment I believe DVC memories are better Disney memories for everyone. They simply are for my family.

 

[Tiger926]

Just my two cents...

In this thread, there are those of us who see the financial, physical and emotional value to DVC, and any of those reasons, or a combination of all, are more than likely the reasons why we purchased.

In the rest of the thread are those who doubt the value or who plain don't think DVC is worth it, for a variety of reasons.

As is normal with human nature, people feel a need to justify or protect their decisions. For me, as a proud DVC member, and one who has done the math and can absolutely see the financial value it has and will continue to give us, I might feel as if some other posters are calling me silly or foolish for my decision to purchase DVC. I see it here on the boards constantly - there are huge camps of people who feel DVC is a waste of money or an irresponsible purchase; therefore, if you've purchased, you might be hurt or frustrated by these remarks, as most of us have done an inordinate amount of research before purchasing. As others have said, there are a ton of variables that go into purchasing and making DVC work for your family's needs. So, I can totally see why some posters might feel that their memories are more important - it might be a way of justifying their purchase, which has worked beautifully for their family, I might add, but of which others have called a foolish decision.

The whole financial value argument, as it is in regular life (just check out the Budget Board - yikes!), is a difficult one. For me, when I can vacation for longer at WDW in bigger rooms and get discounts on tix and food, for the same or less than what I was spending before in a moderate room, it's a no brainer for us as to why we purchased DVC. This works for our family, at this time, and until such time that we don't see a value to DVC any longer, as with anything in life, we will make different choices.

I guess the whole argument could go on forever - Is DVC worth it financially? Does it make better memories? What variables go into the total cost of owning DVC? Regardless, for those of us who own, we shouldn't be made to feel foolish for buying, and for those who don't own, they shouldn't be made to feel silly for not purchasing.

I am glad we own DVC, as we use it very responsibly. We don't incur extra expenses by way of paying for cash nights, only go on 1 long trip of 2 weeks per year, and have been able to stay in rooms we wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford.

To all DVC owners, enjoy your home, to all non-DVC owners, enjoy yours, wherever that may be. :

Tiger

 

[Dean]

I guess the whole argument could go on forever - is DVC worth it financially? does it make better memories? what variables go into the total cost of owning DVC? Regardless, for those of us who own, we shouldn't be made to feel foolish for buying, and for those who don't own, they shouldn't be made to feel silly for not purchasing.

Given I'm likely one of those you're referring to, I'll respond. I can't control anyone's emotions, all I can do is give you the factual and honest information as I see it. IF that information causes anyone to have an emotional response because they are on the other side of what I or anyone else thinks is a good choice, I can't control that nor do I care to. In general these issues are discussed either when someone asks for specific information or are considering a purchase or add on. Better to have tough love now than wish you'd had all the info later. Even if an honest airing of both sides of the issues scares someone off from purchasing that likely should have, honesty is still the best approach. IMO it is inappropriate to avoid giving the honest information because you might hit on the wrong side of someone else's decisions and they might therefore take it as an affront. Buying DVC for the wrong reasons and doing so in a way that may actually cost you more money is not the end of the world. You should see when someone pays $20K for something they could have bought for $1K on the resale market and they are past their cancelation period.

 

[dcfromva]

The info I posted is my real costs but it is because of the situation I have put myself in. Most are trading bluegreen time or my RCI points but also include trading Marriott studios through II for up trades and bonus weeks. For example, I am currently sitting in a 2 BR unit at Marriott's Grande Ocean unit I got on exchange. Total cost about $350 for a unit that legitimately rents for over $4000 plus 12% tax. To position yourself as I have requires quite an investment of time and money. However, now is a GREAT time to do it if one is so inclined. One could get in my basic position related to the above for about $20-25K and yearly fees around $3000 a year. That give you a great Marriott to trade as a lockoff that will likely get you a bonus week, 60K bluegreen points that'll give you free cancellations, 3 free weeks to deposit yearly (including to get more RCI points) and a reasonable RCI points contract. Of course there are many variations on this theme including many other timeshare systems to consider. This would give you as many as 30 weeks a year but more realistically about 17-20. Not for everyone of course but the principles are solid.

Dean,
I am really interested in getting timeshare(s) to compliment our DVC ownership. You really seem to be able to squeeze the most value out of your ownerships. From time to time I will read up on a particular timeshare brand, but it is really difficult to make a purchase because I am mostly interested in something that will make a good trade without having really high MFs and ideally it would be a place where we would like to stay about every 3-5 years.
I don't know how to tell if a particular property is going to have good trading value... How does one figure this out?
Thanks,
DC

 

[Tiger926]

Given I'm likely one of those you're referring to, I'll respond. I can't control anyone's emotions, all I can do is give you the factual and honest information as I see it. IF that information causes anyone to have an emotional response because they are on the other side of what I or anyone else thinks is a good choice, I can't control that nor do I care to. In general these issues are discussed either when someone asks for specific information or are considering a purchase or add on. Better to have tough love now than wish you'd had all the info later. Even if an honest airing of both sides of the issues scares someone off from purchasing that likely should have, honesty is still the best approach. IMO it is inappropriate to avoid giving the honest information because you might hit on the wrong side of someone else's decisions and they might therefore take it as an affront. Buying DVC for the wrong reasons and doing so in a way that may actually cost you more money is not the end of the world. You should see when someone pays $20K for something they could have bought for $1K on the resale market and they are past their cancelation period.

Actually, I'm not referring to you at all. In fact, I highly enjoy your posts - you are beyond knowledgeable about vacation club ownership and timeshares. This is what I'm referring to, so please, continue to share your knowledge as that is extremely helpful.

That being said, perhaps you've misunderstood me. Being a teacher, I'm all about research, which is what you are referring to in your post. Everyone, should be knowledgeable and educated on any and all decisions - especially financial and time consuming decisions such as vacation ownership/timeshares. I think this kind of info, such as what you seem to always be able to give in your very well written responses, is extremely helpful. I'm not suggesting that stop at all, in fact, that is what we need more of - with less personal opinion and sarcasm aside.

I am more speaking about the generalizations that constantly permeate the DISboards at times, whether they are on the side of owing or not owning. As you, I, and so many others have said, we must do what is best for our family's needs, while keeping in mind all of the variables that go into that decision. Just making a rash decision to purchase based on "Disney magic" is not responsible, IMHO. If after careful thought and consideration, Disney magic is part of your decision, then that's great. My point is that at times, during these types of discussion, and others, those of us who own, are sometimes made to feel like we didn't make a good decision because we probably only based it on Disney magic... Making people feel foolish just because you don't agree with their decision to purchase, or not purchase, is not necessary, IMHO. There are people who seem to fight to the death that DVC is financially not responsible - there is someone who constantly uses this line of thinking whatever board she frequents. That generalization is not helpful, nor is it correct. It may not be financially responsible for her situation, but it sure is for thousands of other families. My DH and I believe that owning DVC is financially responsible for us, as we know our situation best, so for someone else to fight us on this is plain silly. This is what I'm referring to. Sharing positive and negative concerns about DVC is imperative in helping people making sound decisions - it helped us greatly in making our decision. We need to continue to share that type of info as that is what is most helpful.

Hopefully, this has better explained my points, Tiger

 

[Dean]

Dean,
I am really interested in getting timeshare(s) to compliment our DVC ownership. You really seem to be able to squeeze the most value out of your ownerships. From time to time I will read up on a particular timeshare brand, but it is really difficult to make a purchase because I am mostly interested in something that will make a good trade without having really high MFs and ideally it would be a place where we would like to stay about every 3-5 years.
I don't know how to tell if a particular property is going to have good trading value... How does one figure this out?
Thanks,
DC

IMO, the best ways to do this are to look at where you want to go, how flexible you are, realize how good you are at planning ahead, figure what unit size you'll generally need and where you usually, gauge your gambling mentality as for waiting on the match to come through and make a determination as to your expectations. Some people are resort oriented and some are destination oriented with most people in between. My guess is that most DVC members have high expectations on both sides of the equation as I do. Timeshares are not for everyone but they are all different and what is best for one is not best for the next. I generally say to spend 6 months of investigation to determine what is best for you, if anything.

Actually, I'm not referring to you at all. In fact, I highly enjoy your posts - you are beyond knowledgeable about vacation club ownership and timeshares. This is what I'm referring to, so please, continue to share your knowledge as that is extremely helpful.

That being said, perhaps you've misunderstood me. Being a teacher, I'm all about research, which is what you are referring to in your post. Everyone, should be knowledgeable and educated on any and all decisions - especially financial and time consuming decisions such as vacation ownership/timeshares. I think this kind of info, such as what you seem to always be able to give in your very well written responses, is extremely helpful. I'm not suggesting that stop at all, in fact, that is what we need more of - with less personal opinion and sarcasm aside.

I am more speaking about the generalizations that constantly permeate the DISboards at times, whether they are on the side of owing or not owning. As you, I, and so many others have said, we must do what is best for our family's needs, while keeping in mind all of the variables that go into that decision. Just making a rash decision to purchase based on "Disney magic" is not responsible, IMHO. If after careful thought and consideration, Disney magic is part of your decision, then that's great. My point is that at times, during these types of discussion, and others, those of us who own, are sometimes made to feel like we didn't make a good decision because we probably only based it on Disney magic... Making people feel foolish just because you don't agree with their decision to purchase, or not purchase, is not necessary, IMHO. There are people who seem to fight to the death that DVC is financially not responsible - there is someone who constantly uses this line of thinking whatever board she frequents. That generalization is not helpful, nor is it correct. It may not be financially responsible for her situation, but it sure is for thousands of other families. My DH and I believe that owning DVC is financially responsible for us, as we know our situation best, so for someone else to fight us on this is plain silly. This is what I'm referring to. Sharing positive and negative concerns about DVC is imperative in helping people making sound decisions - it helped us greatly in making our decision. We need to continue to share that type of info as that is what is most helpful.

Hopefully, this has better explained my points, Tiger

Thank you for your post. Unfortunately some don't share your views on my evenhandedness, or lack of as some would say, and that is the reason I responded as I did. My goal is always to share without making it personal, I think I'm pretty successful in that goal most of the time. However, there is no way to totally separate the two in every situation. If I say I hate X car and say no one should buy it and you just bought one yesterday, then you see the dilemma. Same with a given DVC resort, if I hate one (or more specifically, think there are better timeshares for a given situation) that you own or is your favorite, you could take it personally if you chose, and many do (again, like insulting their family member). OTOH, I have little patience for the whining, esp for things that are clearly spelled out in the legal documentation. The reallocation and reservation system changes come to mind. Same for the free DDP threads where it's OK to ask but unreasonable to complain about it because it shows a lack of understanding of the system.

 

[Lisa P.]

I am really interested in getting timeshare(s) to compliment our DVC ownership.... I am mostly interested in something that will make a good trade without having really high MFs and ideally it would be a place where we would like to stay about every 3-5 years.
I don't know how to tell if a particular property is going to have good trading value... How does one figure this out?

DC, this is an excellent and well-worded question. I would encourage you to visit one of the "buying/selling" forums at the popular timeshare owners' sites (like TUG - Timeshare Users Group or TS4Ms - Timeshare Forums) and post a similar question there. Owning with DVC, you probably don't need to look in Orlando or Hilton Head. You see the importance of having a strong trader with reasonable fees. But a few more key bits of info needed are:

Where would you like to stay every 3-5 years (choosing a home resort)?

Where would you like to travel when exchanging full weeks (short wish list)?

Are you usually able to plan at least a year out (for exchanging)? How far out?

Is travel time flexible or are you tied to a school calendar or other limiting schedules?

 

[nwhitehead1214]

Thank you for your post. Unfortunately some don't share your views on my evenhandedness, or lack of as some would say, and that is the reason I responded as I did. My goal is always to share without making it personal, I think I'm pretty successful in that goal most of the time. However, there is no way to totally separate the two in every situation. If I say I hate X car and say no one should buy it and you just bought one yesterday, then you see the dilemma. Same with a given DVC resort, if I hate one (or more specifically, think there are better timeshares for a given situation) that you own or is your favorite, you could take it personally if you chose, and many do (again, like insulting their family member). OTOH, I have little patience for the whining, esp for things that are clearly spelled out in the legal documentation. The reallocation and reservation system changes come to mind. Same for the free DDP threads where it's OK to ask but unreasonable to complain about it because it shows a lack of understanding of the system.

Your honest, straightforward answer when I was thinking about purchasing helped me in the long run decide DVC wasn't for me. I did as you suggestedw weighed out the options-- things I didn't know like no housekeeping, studios have pull outs (and one bedroom also have pull outs)- so in order to get what I wanted I needed a two bedroom (then it was too much for a family of four; I hate to cook and love eating out every day on vacation (its just part of the vacation for me). So in adding up what my family needs it was much more expensive than my week at the Poly. You should continue giving honest advice. In a nutshell you gave me great advice. But if where a family over four and needed a two bedroom DVC makes a heck of alot of sense.

 

[lugnut33]

We are new DVC owners. Purchased a 120 point contract so we could stay in a 1 bedroom every other year. We started small, so maybe in the future we can add on if we want. We feel we got a good deal on the contract, but looking at it now, the resale contracts are an even better deal!! Our contract came loaded with 08 points. We paid around $9600 with closing costs and everything

We have already taken one 4 night stay at Kidani last May and had an awesome time!! Just so you know, the room for those nights if you had to pay cash costed $475 per night. So that's $1900 right there.

Then, we have a 5 night stay coming up in August at the Tree House Villas, which go for $525 per night cash. Well, thats almost $2600!! Adding those two up, we have taken $4500 off that $9600 contract. Might not be the right way to look at it, but that's how I look at it.

I predict in the next few years we'll buy another addon contract because so far DVC has been great.

 

[starbox]

I am comparing DVC to a hotel room because that's all I know. When my DH and I have been there in the past, it was just the two of us, then two of us and our 13 month old in a pnp. A hotel room was cramped, but do-able. Next time we go, we will have 2 adults and 2 children. As our family grows, the more our need for space and amenities grows. We are looking at buying 400 points to accommodate a potential 2BR stay eventually.

We own 275 points and pay in annual dues just about what a MYW dining inclusive 7 night package at a moderate cost prior to joining DVC.

One thing to consider with eyes on expanding a family enough to need a 2-bedroom is that eventually, each of those kids will need tickets - and DVC gets no break on week-long tickets (for a discount, you have to get an AP which only saves money if you do 10 days + per year). You're really committing to an annual cost of dues PLUS tickets - and that's easily another 1-2 thousand dollars each year.

 

[Mississippian]

I have wanted DVC for a long time. I tried to talk to DH about it, and he just couldn't see the cost being worth it. Now the tables have turned. He's ready to buy resale, and I'm backing out. The one thing that is holding me up is the fact that the annual dues will cost us as much as a week's stay in a moderate. We are looking to buy roughly 400 points at SSR, and will pay approx $2K a year in annual dues. We typically stay at POR when we visit the World, and we generally pay about that for the room for the week. So, we would be paying the same amount until the lease expires as we would if we just booked a non-DVC resort. Wouldn't we? Could someone help me out? I guess I need someone to convince me that paying annual dues are better than just paying for a reservation.

Thank you!

Why are you buying 400 points to equal a one-week stay at POR? A one-week stay in a studio costs 123 points for the most expensive week save Christmas and Thanksgiving. A stuio is almost exactly equal in size to a moderate room, and has a fridge, sink and microwave.

If you are buying 400 points, you are trading up, big time. May I suggest you buy 150 points, stay in studios and splurge on 1BR units from time to time. If you like the larger space, you can buy more points later. You will find you save a lot of money.

The key to DVC is you can save a lot of money or you can trade up to more luxurious and comfortable vacation for the same price. You can't really do both.

 

[Disneymom2266]

I think if you buy a smaller contract, and then add on later, you will be happier. We have 200 points at HHI, we have been to the world more often than HHI and have never needed more points. If you do not use all your points, you can always rent them out to cover your maintenance fees. Smaller contracts on the resale market will be the best value. Now the BLT points are like $112.p/p. IMO that is insane!! You can buy your points resale and still stay at BLT. Buying 400 right off the bat will cost more in maintenance fees and you will no doubt be banking too many that u dont use. Your kids are small and you dont have to worry about taking them out of school, so you can go during the value times when points are lower. Good luck to you whatever you decide!

 

[Modeltrf]

Thank you for your post. Unfortunately some don't share your views on my evenhandedness, or lack of as some would say, and that is the reason I responded as I did. My goal is always to share without making it personal, I think I'm pretty successful in that goal most of the time. However, there is no way to totally separate the two in every situation. If I say I hate X car and say no one should buy it and you just bought one yesterday, then you see the dilemma. Same with a given DVC resort, if I hate one (or more specifically, think there are better timeshares for a given situation) that you own or is your favorite, you could take it personally if you chose, and many do (again, like insulting their family member). OTOH, I have little patience for the whining, esp for things that are clearly spelled out in the legal documentation. The reallocation and reservation system changes come to mind. Same for the free DDP threads where it's OK to ask but unreasonable to complain about it because it shows a lack of understanding of the system.

I agree with Tiger. Your posts are usually evenhanded. But everyone has a perspective, or a bias. I do. You do. Tiger does.

My perspective is DVC is worth the money for my family. Yes I could buy another quality timeshare with the money I put into DVC. I already own one that is probably (and I say probably because I don't want to be flamed) of higher quality than DVC. But no other timeshare has what DVC has. DVC is Disney and all that goes with it. My family takes more non-Disney trips than Disney trips each year. But when I want to stay on property I prefer DVC for my family.

I recognize DVC is not a timeshare and at the end of the contract I will be left with nothing more than memories. That is 100% ok with me. I didn't buy it for the cost savings. Anyone who buys DVC for the cost savings alone may regret that decision in the future. For that matter, most people who buy timeshares also regret that decision. So I state, with obvious bias, all timeshares are poor purchases if you are looking purely at money. They are horrible investments. If fact, the word timeshare and investment should never be used in the same sentence unless you are stating the one way timeshares are an investment. They are an investment in memories. DVC is simply an investment in Disney memories. They are not the only way to invest in Disney memories. They may not be the cheapest way to invest in Disney memories. But they are a legitimate way to pay for quality Disney accommodations. Yes Disney profits nicely from DVC, but so do I. Disney gets paid in cash. I get paid in the Disney experience for my family.

 

[Brian Noble]

There are two quesiton that often get conflated in these discussions:

1: Is staying onsite in Disney resorts worth the money?
2: Is owning DVC the most cost-effective way of regularly vacationing in a Disney resort?

The first question has no obective answer. It can only be answered in the context of someone's particular point of view, and reasonable people can answer it differently, because one can reasonably value the onsite experience more or less than another.

The second question, however, does have an objective answer. And answering it requires a little bit of math, and a little bit of understanding about how money works, but neither beyond what a typical high school graduate should have been exposed to.

There are vacation patterns and financial situations for which the answer to the second question is "no". That's not the same as "DVC is not worth it for anyone" or "Disney is never worth the money."

 

[logan115]

Thank you for your post. Unfortunately some don't share your views on my evenhandedness, or lack of as some would say, and that is the reason I responded as I did. My goal is always to share without making it personal, I think I'm pretty successful in that goal most of the time. However, there is no way to totally separate the two in every situation. If I say I hate X car and say no one should buy it and you just bought one yesterday, then you see the dilemma. Same with a given DVC resort, if I hate one (or more specifically, think there are better timeshares for a given situation) that you own or is your favorite, you could take it personally if you chose, and many do (again, like insulting their family member). OTOH, I have little patience for the whining, esp for things that are clearly spelled out in the legal documentation. The reallocation and reservation system changes come to mind. Same for the free DDP threads where it's OK to ask but unreasonable to complain about it because it shows a lack of understanding of the system.

There are two quesiton that often get conflated in these discussions:

1: Is staying onsite in Disney resorts worth the money?
2: Is owning DVC the most cost-effective way of regularly vacationing in a Disney resort?

The first question has no obective answer. It can only be answered in the context of someone's particular point of view, and reasonable people can answer it differently, because one can reasonably value the onsite experience more or less than another.

The second question, however, does have an objective answer. And answering it requires a little bit of math, and a little bit of understanding about how money works, but neither beyond what a typical high school graduate should have been exposed to.

There are vacation patterns and financial situations for which the answer to the second question is "no". That's not the same as "DVC is not worth it for anyone" or "Disney is never worth the money."

Thanks to both of you for sharing your TS knowledge with the rest of us. As you can see by my signature I highly value both of your opinions and posts.

Keep up the great work ! You both do a great job of stating the facts needed to make the appropriate decisions.

Chris

 

[crisi]

There are two quesiton that often get conflated in these discussions:

1: Is staying onsite in Disney resorts worth the money?
2: Is owning DVC the most cost-effective way of regularly vacationing in a Disney resort?

The first question has no obective answer. It can only be answered in the context of someone's particular point of view, and reasonable people can answer it differently, because one can reasonably value the onsite experience more or less than another.

The second question, however, does have an objective answer. And answering it requires a little bit of math, and a little bit of understanding about how money works, but neither beyond what a typical high school graduate should have been exposed to.

There are vacation patterns and financial situations for which the answer to the second question is "no". That's not the same as "DVC is not worth it for anyone" or "Disney is never worth the money."

The first issue is bigger than just onsite offsite. Its all those emotional, subjective things we get from DVC. For some of us its "owning a piece of the magic." For some of us its that we are getting enforced vacations when we normally wouldn't take time from our busy lives. For some of us its that it makes it easier to get family together. For some of us its just a plain old sentimental attachment to a place. Those things can't be objectively valued - and they can turn DVC from a "ok" financial decision to a great thing for a family. But if you are trying to make a financial decision, I feel strongly that you need to start with the objective parts of the money matters - which is both "is this a good value for us" and "can we afford it." And try and separate out as much as possible the emotional factors. They can come back later.

And everyone will have a different balance of how strongly that financial analysis needs to play against the emotional one. If you have disposable income to make the purchase price and dues not a big deal - who cares if it has good ROI if it makes you happy? On the other hand, if you are stretching to afford it in the first place and motivated to own by the thought you'll save money, you really can't afford to let the emotional factors carry a lot of weight.

 

[Brian Noble]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm getting at. There are the objective dollars-and-cents questions, and then the intangible how-does-that-make-me-feel questions.

Even in answering "how I feel" questions, it's important to have a true accounting of the costs---you need to know what you are really paying for that experience before you can decide if the personal intangible benefits outweigh the costs. Figuring out those costs in the context of DVC (or any front-loaded, long-term purchase) requires that bit of high-school economics and mathematics that I mentioned, plus a couple of assumptions (or a range of assumptions) about how you expect things to change over time.

 

[Modeltrf]

Just my two cents...

In this thread, there are those of us who see the financial, physical and emotional value to DVC, and any of those reasons, or a combination of all, are more than likely the reasons why we purchased.

In the rest of the thread are those who doubt the value or who plain don't think DVC is worth it, for a variety of reasons.

As is normal with human nature, people feel a need to justify or protect their decisions. For me, as a proud DVC member, and one who has done the math and can absolutely see the financial value it has and will continue to give us, I might feel as if some other posters are calling me silly or foolish for my decision to purchase DVC. I see it here on the boards constantly - there are huge camps of people who feel DVC is a waste of money or an irresponsible purchase; therefore, if you've purchased, you might be hurt or frustrated by these remarks, as most of us have done an inordinate amount of research before purchasing. As others have said, there are a ton of variables that go into purchasing and making DVC work for your family's needs. So, I can totally see why some posters might feel that their memories are more important - it might be a way of justifying their purchase, which has worked beautifully for their family, I might add, but of which others have called a foolish decision.

The whole financial value argument, as it is in regular life (just check out the Budget Board - yikes!), is a difficult one. For me, when I can vacation for longer at WDW in bigger rooms and get discounts on tix and food, for the same or less than what I was spending before in a moderate room, it's a no brainer for us as to why we purchased DVC. This works for our family, at this time, and until such time that we don't see a value to DVC any longer, as with anything in life, we will make different choices.

I guess the whole argument could go on forever - Is DVC worth it financially? Does it make better memories? What variables go into the total cost of owning DVC? Regardless, for those of us who own, we shouldn't be made to feel foolish for buying, and for those who don't own, they shouldn't be made to feel silly for not purchasing.

I am glad we own DVC, as we use it very responsibly. We don't incur extra expenses by way of paying for cash nights, only go on 1 long trip of 2 weeks per year, and have been able to stay in rooms we wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford.

To all DVC owners, enjoy your home, to all non-DVC owners, enjoy yours, wherever that may be. :

Tiger

The first issue is bigger than just onsite offsite. Its all those emotional, subjective things we get from DVC. For some of us its "owning a piece of the magic." For some of us its that we are getting enforced vacations when we normally wouldn't take time from our busy lives. For some of us its that it makes it easier to get family together. For some of us its just a plain old sentimental attachment to a place. Those things can't be objectively valued - and they can turn DVC from a "ok" financial decision to a great thing for a family. But if you are trying to make a financial decision, I feel strongly that you need to start with the objective parts of the money matters - which is both "is this a good value for us" and "can we afford it." And try and separate out as much as possible the emotional factors. They can come back later.

And everyone will have a different balance of how strongly that financial analysis needs to play against the emotional one. If you have disposable income to make the purchase price and dues not a big deal - who cares if it has good ROI if it makes you happy? On the other hand, if you are stretching to afford it in the first place and motivated to own by the thought you'll save money, you really can't afford to let the emotional factors carry a lot of weight.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm getting at. There are the objective dollars-and-cents questions, and then the intangible how-does-that-make-me-feel questions.

Even in answering "how I feel" questions, it's important to have a true accounting of the costs---you need to know what you are really paying for that experience before you can decide if the personal intangible benefits outweigh the costs. Figuring out those costs in the context of DVC (or any front-loaded, long-term purchase) requires that bit of high-school economics and mathematics that I mentioned, plus a couple of assumptions (or a range of assumptions) about how you expect things to change over time.

I believe we are in agreement with each other. Also, it is hard for many individuals to recognize the difference between the financial (what can we afford) and the emotional (what we want). This is true with timeshares and so many other things in life. It is also one of the factors that contribute to the difficult financial times we currently live in. And timeshare salesmen, or call them guides it's the same thing, purposely blur the financial with the emotional making it even harder for people to make a good long term decision.

For some a DVC purchase is a significant but somewhat routine purchase. For others it may be a once or twice in a lifetime luxury purchase that is a poor financial decision but an overwhelming positive emotional decision. They may struggle to make it work but are committed to it and it never seems to be a burden. Yet even others make the same decision with the same finances but feel trapped under the burden of payments/ MF.

So even if you are only able to finance your DVC purchase and you struggle to make the monthly payments. DVC may be a worthwhile purchase for you if the emotional value significantly outweighs the financial commitment. But each person should do their due diligence before purchasing.

 

[Dean]

I agree with Tiger. Your posts are usually evenhanded. But everyone has a perspective, or a bias. I do. You do. Tiger does.

My perspective is DVC is worth the money for my family. Yes I could buy another quality timeshare with the money I put into DVC. I already own one that is probably (and I say probably because I don't want to be flamed) of higher quality than DVC. But no other timeshare has what DVC has. DVC is Disney and all that goes with it. My family takes more non-Disney trips than Disney trips each year. But when I want to stay on property I prefer DVC for my family.

I recognize DVC is not a timeshare and at the end of the contract I will be left with nothing more than memories. That is 100% ok with me. I didn't buy it for the cost savings. Anyone who buys DVC for the cost savings alone may regret that decision in the future. For that matter, most people who buy timeshares also regret that decision. So I state, with obvious bias, all timeshares are poor purchases if you are looking purely at money. They are horrible investments. If fact, the word timeshare and investment should never be used in the same sentence unless you are stating the one way timeshares are an investment. They are an investment in memories. DVC is simply an investment in Disney memories. They are not the only way to invest in Disney memories. They may not be the cheapest way to invest in Disney memories. But they are a legitimate way to pay for quality Disney accommodations. Yes Disney profits nicely from DVC, but so do I. Disney gets paid in cash. I get paid in the Disney experience for my family.

I would suggest that not every timeshare is a bad investment even if money is the main issue at hand but every retail purchase likely is. I would also suggest that some people's view and posts are far more biased than others and now where is that true more than here.

There are two quesiton that often get conflated in these discussions:

1: Is staying onsite in Disney resorts worth the money?
2: Is owning DVC the most cost-effective way of regularly vacationing in a Disney resort?

The first question has no obective answer. It can only be answered in the context of someone's particular point of view, and reasonable people can answer it differently, because one can reasonably value the onsite experience more or less than another.

The second question, however, does have an objective answer. And answering it requires a little bit of math, and a little bit of understanding about how money works, but neither beyond what a typical high school graduate should have been exposed to.

There are vacation patterns and financial situations for which the answer to the second question is "no". That's not the same as "DVC is not worth it for anyone" or "Disney is never worth the money."

Brian, in general I would agree with you on both counts, I've made both points myself in the past. I think though if you look at a specific individual's situation, there are objective issues that play into the mix such as financial situation and method of usage. I would also suggest that it's often possible to stay at a DVC resorts and take advantage of many of the benefits of DVC and on property without owning DVC either by exchange (II in the past, RCI, private trades, independents) and by renting from an owner.