40% Discount

[Buzzro]

We have hit what I consider to be our 1st discount milestone. Since joining DVC 12/99 I have been tracking rack rate reservation costs versus actual $ spent. I am referring to the cost of purchasing wich includes Down pymt, loan pymts w/interest, and all maintenance fees. When I look at the numbers it's quit a shock to think of what we've spent, but thankfully when I think of the memories I know its worth it. I know for those who have had to pay considerably more for their points that this value will take much longer to realize but it will become a reality. Next year we should hit 50% and eventually/hopefully 80+%.

OKW - 220, (12/99), $56 or 58 pp
VB - 60 (2002) $65 pp

Actual Cost through all 2008 maintenance fees $28,526.07
Rack Rate Reservations Costs including Tax through 4/2008 $48,207.70

We love our DVC

 

[AKV707]

I love that math! I look forward to seeing that for myself in 8-10 years.

 

[bnlbebes]

Being a mathemetically minded person, but too lazy to crunch the numbers as you have here, I thank you for your hardwork.

Curious though...

Did you buy your points from DVC directly or through resale?

sidenote: This is my 500th post. Not too impressive compared to others here, but an accomplishment all the same. (Of which DW is none too proud. )

 

[Chellymouse]

thank you for this wonderful post! This is what DH and I were looking at when we bought in. This just reaffirms that we made the right decision!

 

[Cap]

Since joining DVC 12/99 I have been tracking rack rate reservation costs versus actual $ spent.

Actual Cost through all 2008 maintenance fees $28,526.07
Rack Rate Reservations Costs including Tax through 4/2008 $48,207.70

We love our DVC

Can you tell me where you get the rack rate information for comparison?

 

[mikeandkarla]

Can you tell me where you get the rack rate information for comparison?

I'm not the OP, but, just go to disneyworld.com, select room only reservations, select the resort your staying and the dates, and teh process engine will give you a total tax included. Make sure you select room only or the engine will include park tickets in your total.

 

[peacefrogdog]

I've read that DVC starts to be financial worthwhile after 7 or so stays.

When that estimate is/has been made, does it matter which room (and rack rate) is being used as the comparison? For example, (without having done the math myself) I would think that comparing DVC costs to what it would cost to stay in a regular room (at Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge etc) would be different than if paying rack rates for a 2-BR villa at those resorts. If so, would the savings be even more (i.e. pay off even sooner) if you had to otherwise stay in a 2-BR suite or book more than one room at a time?

 

[DVC Mike]

I've read that DVC starts to be financial worthwhile after 7 or so stays.

When that estimate is/has been made, does it matter which room (and rack rate) is being used as the comparison? For example, (without having done the math myself) I would think that comparing DVC costs to what it would cost to stay in a regular room (at Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge etc) would be different than if paying rack rates for a 2-BR villa at those resorts. If so, would the savings be even more (i.e. pay off even sooner) if you had to otherwise stay in a 2-BR suite or book more than one room at a time?

I think DVC's statement that you'll start saving money after 7 vacations compares the cost of paying rack rates for a particular DVC accomodation versus booking that same accomodation as a DVC member.

 

[snoopdoug]

This thread reminds me of when my wife tells me she save $20 on a pair of shoes. I have never seen my bank statement show the $20, but I always see the $50 check to the shoe store on the statement. The original poster's bank account has gone down about $28,000 and for that a lot of great vacations have been bought.

 

[joech]

I've read that DVC starts to be financial worthwhile after 7 or so stays.

When that estimate is/has been made, does it matter which room (and rack rate) is being used as the comparison? For example, (without having done the math myself) I would think that comparing DVC costs to what it would cost to stay in a regular room (at Beach Club or Wilderness Lodge etc) would be different than if paying rack rates for a 2-BR villa at those resorts. If so, would the savings be even more (i.e. pay off even sooner) if you had to otherwise stay in a 2-BR suite or book more than one room at a time?

I did some calculation and we will break even after 4 stays visit AKV SV every other year.

 

[JudyS]

We have hit what I consider to be our 1st discount milestone. Since joining DVC 12/99 I have been tracking rack rate reservation costs versus actual $ spent....

Do you do mostly mid-week stays, full weeks, or weekends? Also, what size unit do you stay in?

The amount of discount off rack rate on a lot of variables. For mid-week studio stays, the discounts are much larger than for week-ends and one-bedrooms.

 

[pixie08]

Wonderful post! As a brand new DVC member I love seeing that!

 

[byoung]

Ido the same bought 200 BWV points in 6/05, and only have under 2,000 to pay back now will be in the + next year.

 

[DVCRob]

This thread reminds me of when my wife tells me she save $20 on a pair of shoes. I have never seen my bank statement show the $20, but I always see the $50 check to the shoe store on the statement. The original poster's bank account has gone down about $28,000 and for that a lot of great vacations have been bought.

LOL - Here's my thought. My wife would have spent the $70 on shoes anyway. Throw in the 9% tax to boot. Seeing as how the money was as good as spent, the savings are real. Our Disney trips are the same way. We're going, savings or not. To save the $$$ is a real life benefit for us. Plus we get to stay at the wonderful DVC resorts!

 

[walter]

My wife has been tracking this since we purchased in 1997 (250 points OKW, 50 points VB 1998). Calculating the rack rate and other fees after each visit, the following are her calculations:
Actual costs: $27,338.00 - Rack rate + applicable taxes, etc. $40,204.

I guess it appears that it has cost us approx. $2,733.00/yr of ownership.

We have taken 27 trips (of various lengths of 3 to 4 nights & 10-14 nights) to OKW,VB & HH which would average out to I guess a little over $1000/trip. Does this make sense?

Our next trip is in a month for a couple of days at Saratoga Springs after visiting family on Florida's East Coast.

 

[walter]

As usual I should leave calculated info to my wife. I forgot to add an additional spreadsheet of trips, so the total rack rate & taxes for all of our trips should be $56,468 not $40,204 as previously stated.

 

[Buzzro]

Our stays are almost always but not exclusively Sun - Thur. Majority are in 2 bdrms but have stayed in all accommodations. We have also stayed at every DVC resort except WL.
Point values per reservation has varied from as little as $8.82 per pt. (1 bdrm HH) to as much as $31.20 per pt. (GV OKW). The best $ per pt. seems to be achived on studios. (avg. about $28 per pt.). Studios on Fri/Sat avg. $12 to 13 per pt.
We purchased our 1st contract (220 @ OKW) through resale. VB (60) we bought through Disney since they paid closing which with this small a contract would have made a resale more expensive.

 

[mom2aredhead]

I've been going back and forth about buying DVC so those calculations are very helpful. Are you comparing today's rack rate or do you a listing of what rack rate was for the years since 1999 when you purchased? And are you using rack rate for the actual season you traveled or an average.
(Sorry - I have a "math brain" and like to compare apples to apples)

We've been averaging 2x/year at a deluxe, so continuing that trend, we should be buing DVC yesterday. But I see this going down to 1x/year as my son gets older and it becomes more difficult to pull him out of school for off-peak times. I also anticipate working in the school system, which doubles the problem.

For most of our trips, the cost of airfare, tickets and dining has been the the bulk of the expense, even staying deluxe, and that won't really change with DVC, right? What am I missing?

So if we're only going to make it once a year, generally at a more crowded time (Spring Break, Presidents week or in the summer), it takes so many points I just can't see it happening for us. Unless I can use your numbers to convince my husband what a great deal it is!

 

[Buzzro]

I used the rack rate for the season we went in and the rates were for the year we went. We typically travel May and Oct/Nov. We have traveled a couple times durring spring break but that still fell in the Magic season for points. This year we are going to OKW 4/6 - 4/12. Sun - Thur in a 2 bdrm and Fri when there is only 4 of us in a Studio. Reservation $3735.15,
Pts. 177. That equates to $21.10 per pt. in value.

 

[walter]

My wife kept track of the rack rate each time we went and compiled all the info on a spreadsheet updating it upon each return .