So...I want to hear the downside to this

We are very seriously considering this, and we have read everything we can get our hands on, talked to a rep, etc. I can't find a real down side of DVC, other than the investment cost, of course, but even that appears to be well worth it when we figure the cost of multiple vacations over a handful of years.

Does someone want to try and pop my bubble? I want the nitty gritty before we commit. Thanks!

 

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I think it's worth it if you buy resell. I can't imagine paying $150/pt.

Buy just the number of points you need. Be sure that you want to go every other year, indefinitely. Be willing to plan ahead.

 

Very expensive not only the DVC purchase but increasing dues, travel, food, park entrance and hard ticket events. A ownership with yearly vacations at Disney can cost $300,000 during the term of your purchase.

Buying a DVC interest locks you into doing something with your points each year.

DVC points are best used for DVC resort vacations despite what the salesman told you.

Using your points isn't always easy, booking rules, banking rules, borrowing rules, cancelation rules, availability issues, member website issues, Disney website issues, long phone hold times calling member services during certain times of the year, (last weeks wait was 45 min).

Lack of information from the DVC and being open on how our money is spent and how they make decisions on our behalf.

Bill

 

DVC members never get any of the special deals that the general public gets like free dining. DVC members do get some perks, but they are very similar to Annual passholder perks.

And you need to plan your trip, sometimes at least 11 months ahead of time. Some booking categories are booked up solid at 11 months out.

 

Thanks, all, I looked at the resale site, and I was astounded at the savings to be had. Are there any perks to buying direct that make it worth the sticker price?

We have two kiddos (2 and 7), we are very much advance planners. We've talked about the additional costs (travel, food, tickets), and that's not an issue. We've talked about going most years, and then maybe skipping a year, banking points and taking a longer vacation/getting a larger villa so our parents can join us.

This board has been very helpful!

 

If you don't have direct purchase points, you cannot book the Disney Collection or Concierge Collection. Disney Collection includes non-DVC hotels, DCL, ABD. But those all require a whole lot of points. And you can't book the Member Cruise.

 

This sounds pretty minuscule to me...

 

Just remember to include to annual fees attached to the DVC purchase. They vary depending on which resort you purchase from, but average about $5 per point. So if you were to buy 200 points somewhere your annual dues would be about $1000 per year. Also these fees do go up every year about 2-3 percent per year (fairly close to inflation rates). All that being said I am very happy with my DVC purchase and have added on twice now. I would totally look into purchase resale for the better value that it represents. Resale has a few minor drawbacks the biggest of which IMO is that several contracts that are on the market are "stripped" meaning that they do not have points available for 1 year or so. Make sure if you buy resale to look at these boards and get all of the info you can get. Call a broker that deal mostly with DVC's (The Time Share Store is a good one) and get guidance from them as well. Buying from disney directly will get you the point a little faster but at anywhere from a 50-100% premium.

If you are the type of person that knows you will travel to disney at least once a year (skipping every few years and banking is ok) and you like to stay at the deluxe resorts then DVC can be a very good option for you.

 

Very helpful David, thanks!

We hope to get the ball rolling tomorrow (looking at 180 pt resale at BLT, loaded with points), and go back to Disney early December. We love the theme park view from the Contemporary, but don't know if that will be an option in a studio by the time we are able to book. Even if it's not - still so exciting!!!

 

You haven't provided enough info for us to really know if it's a good idea for you so I'll just make some general statements. DVC is a reasonable choice for those who have an established history of going to Disney staying on property moderates or above at least every other year, can plan at least 7 mo out (better 11 esp at BLT), can pay cash, don't have other consumers debt, are OK with the compromises that timeshares bring (no housekeeping, not quite as dlx as dlx hotels) and who value staying on property enough to pay a lot more regardless of owning or not. Please note that it usually takes a few months to get enough info to make these decisions well so you may want to slow down, maybe rent and try out DVC for that trip you have in your sights now. For resorts you can buy at a significant discount, it doesn't make sense to buy direct from Disney in your situation due to the large savings resale and fact that the lost items don't provide true value, just buy the points you'd use at DVC resorts. Do realize it's possible for DVC to make a lot of changes like change the number of points for your trips and add restrictions to resales retroactively though the core options to use at DVC could not be affected legally. Do not buy for exchanges including RCI. Unless you'll stay most trips at BLT you may want to look at a cheaper option, but it should be one you'd be happy at if you can't get anything at 7 months out.

Please note that there are a number of timeshares off site just as nice as DVC if not nicer in some areas and that are much better if looking at non DVC vacations. Good luck with your investigation and decision.

 

Only tip I have for you is to understand the term use year before you buy.

 

Availability is a sticking point with any timeshare system.

Room maintenance and refresh is not on the same hotel schedule that you may be used to - rooms frequently look worn.

At this point, if I were remaking the decision, I'd rent points. When we bought a dozen years ago, there weren't point brokers and there were only three open DVC resorts on property. Now, people who rent points get the maximum flexibility because IF the broker has an owner at the resort they want to stay at, they get a good room at a good price, saving money off rack rates, don't tie up capital, and get maximum flexibility in booking at eleven months - or (and this is a big deal to me) not booking at all and saying "this year is a Universal Studios year" or "this year we are heading to the Grand Canyon."

 

Well, we've been owners for nearly 4 1/2 years now and can honestly say we have not found a real downside yet. We have tried to book fairly last minute and ended up staying at DVC properties that thought we wouldn't enjoy and ended up loving them making DVC even more flexible than we thought. For us.

Be careful, once you get into this there is a tendency to want to add on and to go more often. Studios are nice but once you get a taste of the 1 and 2 bedroom villas the point requirements get much higher. Those MFs can become a real downer (as I sit here and prepare to pay mine).

 

Thanks, Dean! Lots of great points you make here. A little more about our situation: We always stay at the Contemporary, and don't have any desire to stay off-monorail due to the convenience and location with our little ones. We love the idea of being able to go to Disney World every year, or, skip a year, bank points and rent a two bedroom villa so we can invite other family members.

Financially, we have been fortunate. We pay for most large purchases (such as vehicles) with cash, pay our credit card in full each month, and our only debt is a house mortgage which is about one third paid for. We would pay for the DVC in cash.

You mention the housekeeping and wear and tear of the rooms. Is this significantly subpar to what we would expect at a deluxe resort stay?

Again, thanks so much! This is very helpful.

 

Given what you have said about yourself I would give you a bold alternative. No one mentioned the relative ease of renting your points. Davids will pay you $11 a point and rent fast. If bought BLT. for your trips and SSR. for renting you could pay for your membership fees for both with renting SSR. SSR is cheap on resale relative to BLT. Being able to rent points is a major game changer in favor of DVC.

 

I want to add what I perceive to be another cost to the list here...

The cost of wanting more...

We just received our membership # on our first 75 points resale contract at VWL and I'm already trying to figure out when we're going to want to buy another 50-100 somewhere else. Driving me crazy.

 

Early December is the most popular time for DVC members. So many of the resorts get booked up before seven months out. If you close within the next three months, you might still be able to find something available at BLT.

With 95% or greater occupancy, DVC villas can get worn out quickly. And the total refurbishment schedule can be 15 years or greater. Member dues pay for all refurbishments, both soft goods and hard goods. So you might not get the same in the villas as you see in the hotels because hotel guests pay for the renovations just by paying more for their reservation. Disney needs to refurbish? They raise the rates. Can't do that with DVC.

 

BLT has had 6%+ dues increases each year since being considered sold out by Disney. There explanation for this year is that they added a check in desk at BLT and labor costs are high.

Furnishings were not the best quality and there have been reports that management opted for a lessor quality to reduce construction costs.

IMO the TP views aren't that great but if you are happy with the view from the Contemporary, you should like the view from BLT.

Some dislike the pool and use the Contemporary.

The lake views can put you inside the "C" with your view being a room across from you.

Once you buy you probably won't sell if you discover a resort that you like more so make sure that BLT is what you want.

We own at BLT.

Bill

 

And with the Disney Deluxe units they need to provide $400 a night (or whatever they are now) value. People aren't going to be thrilled about $400 a night when you have a slight tear in the curtains, burnt out lightbulbs, a drawer with its rails broken, and a stained carpet. But those are fairly normal DVC room conditions. (I'm 100% on having at least 1 broken drawer/cupboard in every room I've stayed in! Either missing knobs or broken rails, kittywumpus hinges or just off the rails in such a way it won't go back. I'm 50% on the curtains, and somewhere between that on burnt out bulbs. We've never seen the stains or mold others have complained of - and our rooms have always been clean) HOWEVER, you are getting the location for significantly less than the Deluxe hotel room rate.

 

I've stayed at Great Wolf Lodge and had ripped/ torn chairs. Not functional air conditioner. So to say hotels include "upkeep" in costs isn't accurate at all.

Worn/tired rooms..