An Amazing Alternative to Purchasing more DVC Points

[MICKIMINI]

Knowledge is power. Not all timeshares are the same. Buying OKW in 1996 turned out to be a great choice, however we were bombarded by friends who were horrified we bought a *timeshare*. In 2022 DVC owners have confidence in the product as others paved the way.

There are great buys out there for different brands, however it takes time and research to find the right fit. I am a newcomer to WBC and it was a challenge to spend two months searching for and reading about pros and cons of various brands but I was willing to do the work. Rather than spending 50K++ for another two weeks at WDW a year, we spent $200 total and will spend less than half in MF's (vs DVC) for those two weeks. Identifying and negotiating a contract was more difficult than the research, however I am not defeated easily and got what I wanted after about 10 offers.

Do the research if you are interested and don't let fear dissuade you from even looking into other timeshare brands. Your only cost is the time you invest researching and you may just find it worth it.

Full disclosure: Closing on 2 AKV's this month. Put a bid in on an SSR yesterday. Two DVC contracts we are selling U/A one ROFR'd by DVC and the other in ROFR. Just closed on a DVC contract (we're the seller) ROFR'd.

 

[CarolynFH]

Knowledge is power. Not all timeshares are the same. Buying OKW in 1996 turned out to be a great choice, however we were bombarded by friends who were horrified we bought a *timeshare*. In 2022 DVC owners have confidence in the product as others paved the way.

There are great buys out there for different brands, however it takes time and research to find the right fit. I am a newcomer to WBC and it was a challenge to spend two months searching for and reading about pros and cons of various brands but I was willing to do the work. Rather than spending 50K++ for another two weeks at WDW a year, we spent $200 total and will spend less than half in MF's (vs DVC) for those two weeks. Identifying and negotiating a contract was more difficult than the research, however I am not defeated easily and got what I wanted after about 10 offers.

Do the research if you are interested and don't let fear dissuade you from even looking into other timeshare brands. Your only cost is the time you invest researching and you may just find it worth it.

Full disclosure: Closing on 2 AKV's this month. Put a bid in on an SSR yesterday. Two DVC contracts we are selling U/A one ROFR'd by DVC and the other in ROFR. Just closed on a DVC contract (we're the seller) ROFR'd.

Great post!

For those considering buying a different TS system, I recommend joining the friendly folks over at the Timeshare Users Group. The Forums are found at https://tugbbs.com/forums/. Lots of help there!

 

[cbyrne1174]

TUG is where I learned everything myself. I originally started looking back in 2017 how to stay in Orlando and learned about DVC resale first. I saw the buy in price on the resale market and since I was still in my 20s, I decided it wasn't for me (yet) because it was too expensive. I then asked the question "does a safe resale market exist for other systems?" I then looked at how expensive Marriott resale points were and noped out of that as well. Then I came across Wyndham resale. I saw how TUG posted annual MF per point at all of their popular locations and learned where the points were deeded didn't matter, just that I needed to find cheap points somewhere if I wanted to have cheap stays!

I learned about all of Wyndham's FL locations (because I live in FL) and realized it has the potential of being a perfect product for my family. I then did one of their WBC promos where you attend a presentation to get a room for ~$40 a night. I fell in love with the resort because I already had priced out how much it would cost me to stay on resale points and how it was even closer to the parks than some of the DVC resorts. I did get a super sleazy sales weasel during the presentation to buy in, but I already knew what to expect because I already did my research.

I love my resale Wyndham ownership. I use it for the FL beaches just as much as Orlando. The Clearwater beach location is just as upscale as the Beach Club is IMO. I get into their 1 bedroom presidential unit for only $220 a night (weeknights). That's just a little more than I would pay for a studio at the Beach Club when you factor in cost per point per year (since deeds expire). It comes with an ocean view and 2 balconies with floor to ceiling views of the bay from your bed. I would stay in this room over a DVC studio anyday, yet they cost the same.

I also recently added on a small Marriott resale ownership (weeks) for more access to upscale beach rooms like this, but in places like Aruba, St Thomas, Maui and Honolulu. It also gives me access to the good Marriott Orlando inventory at Lakeshore Reserve and Sabal Palms (for the pools) for cheap.

I added on DVC because they actually incentivized staying in deluxe accomodations when they added extended evening hours for deluxe only guests. I know it could go away after the 50th, but the parks are so much more enjoyable in the summer time at night. It's actually worth it for me to pay 1 night to stay in a DVC studio to get those extra 2 hours plus 2 full days of amenity access. I personally don't think DVC is worth the price tag compared to Wyndham and Marriott if you are using it for longer stays. Maybe as a "once every 3 years" splurge with bank and borrow, but when you're used to having beautiful accommodations for a fraction of the DVC resale price, it makes it hard to justify the extra cost in your head. The closest analogy would be buying a house for $200,000 more that is 20 minutes closer to the city than the exact same house 20 minutes further.

 

[Paul Stupin]

TUG is where I learned everything myself. I originally started looking back in 2017 how to stay in Orlando and learned about DVC resale first. I saw the buy in price on the resale market and since I was still in my 20s, I decided it wasn't for me (yet) because it was too expensive. I then asked the question "does a safe resale market exist for other systems?" I then looked at how expensive Marriott resale points were and noped out of that as well. Then I came across Wyndham resale. I saw how TUG posted annual MF per point at all of their popular locations and learned where the points were deeded didn't matter, just that I needed to find cheap points somewhere if I wanted to have cheap stays!

I learned about all of Wyndham's FL locations (because I live in FL) and realized it has the potential of being a perfect product for my family. I then did one of their WBC promos where you attend a presentation to get a room for ~$40 a night. I fell in love with the resort because I already had priced out how much it would cost me to stay on resale points and how it was even closer to the parks than some of the DVC resorts. I did get a super sleazy sales weasel during the presentation to buy in, but I already knew what to expect because I already did my research.

I love my resale Wyndham ownership. I use it for the FL beaches just as much as Orlando. The Clearwater beach location is just as upscale as the Beach Club is IMO. I get into their 1 bedroom presidential unit for only $220 a night (weeknights). That's just a little more than I would pay for a studio at the Beach Club when you factor in cost per point per year (since deeds expire). It comes with an ocean view and 2 balconies with floor to ceiling views of the bay from your bed. I would stay in this room over a DVC studio anyday, yet they cost the same.

I also recently added on a small Marriott resale ownership (weeks) for more access to upscale beach rooms like this, but in places like Aruba, St Thomas, Maui and Honolulu. It also gives me access to the good Marriott Orlando inventory at Lakeshore Reserve and Sabal Palms (for the pools) for cheap.

I added on DVC because they actually incentivized staying in deluxe accomodations when they added extended evening hours for deluxe only guests. I know it could go away after the 50th, but the parks are so much more enjoyable in the summer time at night. It's actually worth it for me to pay 1 night to stay in a DVC studio to get those extra 2 hours plus 2 full days of amenity access. I personally don't think DVC is worth the price tag compared to Wyndham and Marriott if you are using it for longer stays. Maybe as a "once every 3 years" splurge with bank and borrow, but when you're used to having beautiful accommodations for a fraction of the DVC resale price, it makes it hard to justify the extra cost in your head. The closest analogy would be buying a house for $200,000 more that is 20 minutes closer to the city than the exact same house 20 minutes further.

But what if that exact same house has no resale value and a mortgage that lasts forever?

 

[cbyrne1174]

But what if that exact same house has no resale value and a mortgage that lasts forever?

Then you don't buy what you can't give back to the developer. AKA avoid the crappy companies like Westgate, Holiday Inn, Vacation Village, Diamond and Bluegreen. Hilton, Marriott and Wyndham take back almost all of their inventory. Hilton and Marriott will excercise ROFR if you try to give the deed away for $1. I honestly don't know where you're hearing that they don't. The only exception I've heard that they won't take it back is the deeds with insanely high maintenance.

 

[CarolynFH]

But what if that exact same house has no resale value and a mortgage that lasts forever?

That’s why buying resale is even more important with other timeshares than with DVC. “Has no resale value” = “buy it for free, no mortgage.”

 

[pianomanzano]

TUG is where I learned everything myself. I originally started looking back in 2017 how to stay in Orlando and learned about DVC resale first. I saw the buy in price on the resale market and since I was still in my 20s, I decided it wasn't for me (yet) because it was too expensive. I then asked the question "does a safe resale market exist for other systems?" I then looked at how expensive Marriott resale points were and noped out of that as well. Then I came across Wyndham resale. I saw how TUG posted annual MF per point at all of their popular locations and learned where the points were deeded didn't matter, just that I needed to find cheap points somewhere if I wanted to have cheap stays!

I learned about all of Wyndham's FL locations (because I live in FL) and realized it has the potential of being a perfect product for my family. I then did one of their WBC promos where you attend a presentation to get a room for ~$40 a night. I fell in love with the resort because I already had priced out how much it would cost me to stay on resale points and how it was even closer to the parks than some of the DVC resorts. I did get a super sleazy sales weasel during the presentation to buy in, but I already knew what to expect because I already did my research.

I love my resale Wyndham ownership. I use it for the FL beaches just as much as Orlando. The Clearwater beach location is just as upscale as the Beach Club is IMO. I get into their 1 bedroom presidential unit for only $220 a night (weeknights). That's just a little more than I would pay for a studio at the Beach Club when you factor in cost per point per year (since deeds expire). It comes with an ocean view and 2 balconies with floor to ceiling views of the bay from your bed. I would stay in this room over a DVC studio anyday, yet they cost the same.

I also recently added on a small Marriott resale ownership (weeks) for more access to upscale beach rooms like this, but in places like Aruba, St Thomas, Maui and Honolulu. It also gives me access to the good Marriott Orlando inventory at Lakeshore Reserve and Sabal Palms (for the pools) for cheap.

I added on DVC because they actually incentivized staying in deluxe accomodations when they added extended evening hours for deluxe only guests. I know it could go away after the 50th, but the parks are so much more enjoyable in the summer time at night. It's actually worth it for me to pay 1 night to stay in a DVC studio to get those extra 2 hours plus 2 full days of amenity access. I personally don't think DVC is worth the price tag compared to Wyndham and Marriott if you are using it for longer stays. Maybe as a "once every 3 years" splurge with bank and borrow, but when you're used to having beautiful accommodations for a fraction of the DVC resale price, it makes it hard to justify the extra cost in your head. The closest analogy would be buying a house for $200,000 more that is 20 minutes closer to the city than the exact same house 20 minutes further.

I don’t think anyone doubts how nice the other timeshare rooms and resorts are and how much better value they are over DVC. However, I personally don’t think there’ll be a lot of converts to non-DVC timeshares because of a) love of Disney and immersion in the Disney bubble and b) negative perception of timeshares. I can at least speak for myself, but we’re not locals so the idea of going to somewhere like Clearwater has no appeal to me when I can drive to beaches near me. I fly to Orlando for Disney and not having to worry about much logistics-wise when I’m there and I’ll pay that premium knowing I won’t have to worry about renting a car, figuring out transportation the parks, getting hassled to sit in a presentation every time I leave my room, etc. I know there’s other options out there, like a baller house on Airbnb (and did it with some friends this past December) for a fraction of the cost of room rack rates (or on par with the nightly rate factoring in dues/cost of points). The idea of a cheap week is intriguing at one of these offsite timeshares given how cheap it can be, but once you factor in flexibility, logistics and the need to rent cars, and any hidden fees like accessing pools, it suddenly becomes less appealing.

That being said, I do appreciate all the insight you’ve shared into offsite timeshares, and most especially the getaways on II that we have access to as DVC. Definitely will consider those in the future for trips/reunions with extended family so that we can save our DVC points for my immediate family!

 

[Paul Stupin]

That’s why buying resale is even more important with other timeshares than with DVC. “Has no resale value” = “buy it for free, no mortgage.”

Hmmm. But it does have a mortgage that’s impossible to ever pay off, an annual dues obligation for a product with an almost zero purchase price, which means it’s worthless, no?

 

[Paul Stupin]

I don’t think anyone doubts how nice the other timeshare rooms and resorts are and how much better value they are over DVC. However, I personally don’t think there’ll be a lot of converts to non-DVC timeshares because of a) love of Disney and immersion in the Disney bubble and b) negative perception of timeshares. I can at least speak for myself, but we’re not locals so the idea of going to somewhere like Clearwater has no appeal to me when I can drive to beaches near me. I fly to Orlando for Disney and not having to worry about much logistics-wise when I’m there and I’ll pay that premium knowing I won’t have to worry about renting a car, figuring out transportation the parks, getting hassled to sit in a presentation every time I leave my room, etc. I know there’s other options out there, like a baller house on Airbnb (and did it with some friends this past December) for a fraction of the cost of room rack rates (or on par with the nightly rate factoring in dues/cost of points). The idea of a cheap week is intriguing at one of these offsite timeshares given how cheap it can be, but once you factor in flexibility, logistics and the need to rent cars, and any hidden fees like accessing pools, it suddenly becomes less appealing.

That being said, I do appreciate all the insight you’ve shared into offsite timeshares, and most especially the getaways on II that we have access to as DVC. Definitely will consider those in the future for trips/reunions with extended family so that we can save our DVC points for my immediate family!

All good points. I think if you know how to navigate the ridiculous complexity, that apparently requires watching hours of videos to fully understand, are willing to sacrifice staying on property (a non starter for me), deal with the hidden fees etc, and don’t mind assuming an open ended financial obligation for contracts with an admitted zero worth, it’s an option.

 

[cbyrne1174]

Hmmm. But it does have a mortgage that’s impossible to ever pay off, an annual dues obligation for a product with an almost zero purchase price, which means it’s worthless, no?

I've never gotten a mortgage for a timeshare. That's just dumb. Resales don't even have mortgages. The only people I've ever see buy resale and finance is DVC, which has a stupidly high APR attached.

DVC is just as worthless. You'll only get back what you paid + inflation, which the same can be said for the other luxury companies. Sometimes you fair better when you buy in a recession, but that same amount of capital still performs better in a 401k because you don't have to pay tax on the gains.

I really think you're confusing retail with resale. For resale, you get the deed off a resale seller for the amount it's worth. Some Marriott locations sell for 30k+ resale depending on season/view. When you are done with the deed, you either resell it or give back to developer.


I could argue that DVC is worthless. After 2042, BCV deeds will be worthless. You spend all that money to buy them, then are stuck paying dues on them until eventually it expires. People buy the worthless deeds because they want the cheaper accommodations.

 

[Sandisw]

I've never gotten a mortgage for a timeshare. That's just dumb. Resales don't even have mortgages. The only people I've ever see buy resale and finance is DVC, which has a stupidly high APR attached.

DVC is just as worthless. You'll only get back what you paid + inflation, which the same can be said for the other luxury companies. Sometimes you fair better when you buy in a recession, but that same amount of capital still performs better in a 401k because you don't have to pay tax on the gains.

I really think you're confusing retail with resale. For resale, you get the deed off a resale seller for the amount it's worth. Some Marriott locations sell for 30k+ resale depending on season/view. When you are done with the deed, you either resell it or give back to developer.


I could argue that DVC is worthless. After 2042, BCV deeds will be worthless. You spend all that money to buy them, then are stuck paying dues on them until eventually it expires. People buy the worthless deeds because they want the cheaper accommodations.

All very true, I think it still comes down to whether or not the other timeshares give you what you want for stays at DVC in the way DVC does,

And they don’t...unless you could Care less where to stay. So, if someone can’t pay the cost to buy DVC on the resale market, then this can certainly be a back up plan…

 

[Paul Stupin]

I've never gotten a mortgage for a timeshare. That's just dumb. Resales don't even have mortgages. The only people I've ever see buy resale and finance is DVC, which has a stupidly high APR attached.

DVC is just as worthless. You'll only get back what you paid + inflation, which the same can be said for the other luxury companies. Sometimes you fair better when you buy in a recession, but that same amount of capital still performs better in a 401k because you don't have to pay tax on the gains.

I really think you're confusing retail with resale. For resale, you get the deed off a resale seller for the amount it's worth. Some Marriott locations sell for 30k+ resale depending on season/view. When you are done with the deed, you either resell it or give back to developer.


I could argue that DVC is worthless. After 2042, BCV deeds will be worthless. You spend all that money to buy them, then are stuck paying dues on them until eventually it expires. People buy the worthless deeds because they want the cheaper accommodations.

You missed my point. Of course I’m not referring to an actual mortgage, but I’m saying the endless fees are equivalent to a mortgage, except you’re never paying down what you owe on a home, which is an asset, because in this case the actual contract, as I’ve learned on this thread, is basically worthless.

I agree with you that in 20 years the 2042 resorts will indeed have no value. Now, though, they sell for a very healthy price.

One element of DVC contracts that I really value is that they are indeed assets, especially those with later expiration dates.

 

[MICKIMINI]

We buy about the same number of DVC resale contracts we sell in a year. This year we are buying four/selling four.

We picked up two 50 point VBR contracts about five years ago (twins/one closing) for $50 PP and sold for $89 PP in less than a year when we realized the market could bear it. Members since 1996, the light bulb went off. Buy low, rent freebies (loaded contract), use a few years for our enjoyment, strip contract and sell for a profit. It's great to have an asset you can actually make work for you rather than sit on that cash.

We did well with what we bought pre-covid and early covid. Contracts sold this year were at top of market or close to it. Cash will buy DVC contracts in a buyer's market unfolding as we speak. 2042's are being flipped for 2054 and beyond. There is a blue card *keeper* for AP's and discounts.

$200 for a two week a year 1 BR WBC is just a little side hustle $86 night luxury villa where we can watch EPCOT fireworks and see Riviera Resort next door. That leaves $49,800.00 left over to buy DVC low and sell high, rinse and repeat. Not for everyone, but it works for us...

 

[Paul Stupin]

We buy about the same number of DVC resale contracts we sell in a year. This year we are buying four/selling four.

We picked up two 50 point VBR contracts about five years ago (twins/one closing) for $50 PP and sold for $89 PP in less than a year when we realized the market could bear it. Members since 1996, the light bulb went off. Buy low, rent freebies (loaded contract), use a few years for our enjoyment, strip contract and sell for a profit. It's great to have an asset you can actually make work for you rather than sit on that cash.

We did well with what we bought pre-covid and early covid. Contracts sold this year were at top of market or close to it. Cash will buy DVC contracts in a buyer's market unfolding as we speak. 2042's are being flipped for 2054 and beyond. There is a blue card *keeper* for AP's and discounts.

$200 for a two week a year 1 BR WBC is just a little side hustle $86 night luxury villa where we can watch EPCOT fireworks and see Riviera Resort next door. That leaves $49,800.00 left over to buy DVC low and sell high, rinse and repeat. Not for everyone, but it works for us...

Sounds actually kind of fun, definitely worthwhile, and something you could only do with DVC.

 

[cbyrne1174]

And something you can only do with Wyndham is buy a low MF deed for a few hundred bucks, sell half your points every year and use the profit + attend updates to pay for the other half and take free vacations lol.

 

[bumbershoot]

Lol I don't even have a YouTube channel.

I first want to say that I will watch the videos later, because it seems interesting. (I messed up the formatting in this response or this bit would have gone above the quote) But you said the above while also saying the below. You obviously have a youtube channel, because you've posted the links to them. You have 14 subscribers when I look right now.

I made another video for DVC owners

Also it's people like you that are the reason there is a critical teacher shortage.

What does this mean? Paul asked questions; don't teachers answer questions?

I feel like I'm witnessing a typical timeshare sales tactic

Although I see that there was more discussion later, in the first page or two I felt that way, too. Given that I just sat through a really crummy high pressure Wyndham sales session a few weeks ago, it all came right back to me.

#1 Wyndham - Great resale product, horrible retail product.

And horrible sales pressure. Though if you say NO several times they start offering different points packages and a much MUCH lower price/point, IMO. At least at the Legacy in Phoenix!

#3 DVC - Great if you live near Disney

I live in the PNW and feel that DVC is great. And I don't use it for Disneyland, since I dislike the Grand Californian and am perfectly happy offsite in Anaheim.

You have to specifically want access to on site WDW rooms for the math to make sense, which is becoming less and less worth it. I live next to WDW when I go, I keep hearing from others that the buses are sometimes even 45 mins apart.

People have bad times with buses sometimes. My first WDW trip was in late 2010 and my aunt and then-husband decided to take the bus from DHS to OKW rather than go in the car with the rest of us, and it took them ~2 hours (might have been more; a lot has happened since 2010 LOL, and I'm downplaying the length of time it took them). Sometimes things happen. And when they do it's not a recent thing. It's just a thing. Also, people overestimate how long they've been waiting.

It's exactly this for me. People aren't considering their entire lifespan. I'm going mostly for my kid. Before I had a kid, I would make use of those discount 4 day tickets where it was like $100 for all 4 days, park at downtown Disney or boardwalk and take the transportation (this was 2010-2014). I wasn't a passholder. I preferred universal.

I can imagine empty nester middle age me would not care to go to WDW resorts because the theming doesnt compare to the real thing. I'd want to go to an actual lodge in Colorado (Wyndham Avon) over the the Wilderness Lodge.

It's interesting that in 2010+ you would park at DTD etc while now being concerned about waiting for a bus at a resort for 45 minutes. In 2010 we waited (while doing things, of course) for over two hours for one of my cousins and her family to FINALLY make it to meet us at Epcot, since they chose to do that rather than pay a little (compared to now) to just park at Epcot.

Our first WDW trip was in 2010, with a 6.5 year old, and we went to Universal as well, which he preferred.

I'm 52 and at some point soon my son will launch, and I'll still be hitting WDW (and DLR, but offsite) because it's fun. And also going elsewhere. I live near Mt Tahoma (Rainier), but Wilderness Lodge is still nice. Plus there's no possibility of being snowed in at WL.

Having a vehicle and driving to the parks negates some of the value of DVC which is easily getting to the parks without a vehicle and in a variety of resorts avoiding busses for a good portion of your trip.

Ooh I disagree. Onsite transport isn't a reason I stay onsite or bought DVC. I almost always have a car.

The salesmen at Wyndham all hate me. I always get asked to do "updates" for $150, so I go into them with 8 resale contracts. They ask if I ever thought to get developer, I explain why it makes no financial sense using all the "benefits" I don't have. They realize I know more than 99% of owners and I'm done usually in 10-20 minutes. Some salesmen don't even bother with resale owners and you get your gift without even having to sit down and talk to them.

Fascinating that they do "updates" for owners. Feels like the opposite of what they indicated about how they communicate. When I declined to purchase (the roaming sales guy got a bit insulting) they said that they never ever see people again who decline, and no I couldn't have a card for the sales guy. But I did get the $100, which I put on a Starbucks card lol. The two things aren't the same, of course, but it's just interesting.

Also, if you want a stupid-good price on Wyndham, just keep saying no no no. It was astonishing how low their price got just before I said my final no.

Interesting! But when the developer is so sleazy, doesn’t it cast a negative light on the whole product?

Almost all of them are sleazy. Some DVC "guides" are, too. I've sat in on two presentations with my cousin and one of the guides lied her butt off about a few things. Thankfully I was there to clarify. Which the "guide" did not appreciate.

 

[cbyrne1174]

I first want to say that I will watch the videos later, because it seems interesting. (I messed up the formatting in this response or this bit would have gone above the quote) But you said the above while also saying the below. You obviously have a youtube channel, because you've posted the links to them. You have 14 subscribers when I look right now.





What does this mean? Paul asked questions; don't teachers answer questions?


Although I see that there was more discussion later, in the first page or two I felt that way, too. Given that I just sat through a really crummy high pressure Wyndham sales session a few weeks ago, it all came right back to me.


And horrible sales pressure. Though if you say NO several times they start offering different points packages and a much MUCH lower price/point, IMO. At least at the Legacy in Phoenix!


I live in the PNW and feel that DVC is great. And I don't use it for Disneyland, since I dislike the Grand Californian and am perfectly happy offsite in Anaheim.


People have bad times with buses sometimes. My first WDW trip was in late 2010 and my aunt and then-husband decided to take the bus from DHS to OKW rather than go in the car with the rest of us, and it took them ~2 hours (might have been more; a lot has happened since 2010 LOL, and I'm downplaying the length of time it took them). Sometimes things happen. And when they do it's not a recent thing. It's just a thing. Also, people overestimate how long they've been waiting.


It's interesting that in 2010+ you would park at DTD etc while now being concerned about waiting for a bus at a resort for 45 minutes. In 2010 we waited (while doing things, of course) for over two hours for one of my cousins and her family to FINALLY make it to meet us at Epcot, since they chose to do that rather than pay a little (compared to now) to just park at Epcot.

Our first WDW trip was in 2010, with a 6.5 year old, and we went to Universal as well, which he preferred.

I'm 52 and at some point soon my son will launch, and I'll still be hitting WDW (and DLR, but offsite) because it's fun. And also going elsewhere. I live near Mt Tahoma (Rainier), but Wilderness Lodge is still nice. Plus there's no possibility of being snowed in at WL.



Ooh I disagree. Onsite transport isn't a reason I stay onsite or bought DVC. I almost always have a car.



Fascinating that they do "updates" for owners. Feels like the opposite of what they indicated about how they communicate. When I declined to purchase (the roaming sales guy got a bit insulting) they said that they never ever see people again who decline, and no I couldn't have a card for the sales guy. But I did get the $100, which I put on a Starbucks card lol. The two things aren't the same, of course, but it's just interesting.

Also, if you want a stupid-good price on Wyndham, just keep saying no no no. It was astonishing how low their price got just before I said my final no.


Almost all of them are sleazy. Some DVC "guides" are, too. I've sat in on two presentations with my cousin and one of the guides lied her butt off about a few things. Thankfully I was there to clarify. Which the "guide" did not appreciate.

In 2010 I was 20 years old. The cost it took to park in the parking lot was 2 hours of pay. It depends on your age how long you'll wait to save $20.

The owner updates aren't as high pressure. My last one was under 10 minutes because they saw 8 resale contracts and were like NOPE. Easy $150 bucks.

 

[Paul Stupin]

And something you can only do with Wyndham is buy a low MF deed for a few hundred bucks, sell half your points every year and use the profit + attend updates to pay for the other half and take free vacations lol.

It‘s very hard for me to equate buying “a low MF deed for few hundred bucks” to DVC.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I would urge everyone to research these timeshares being discussed thoroughly before even considering buying. Though the tone hear is overwhelmingly positive, there are more unbiased reviews online, and there are a ton of “cons” to go with the “pros.”

That's like any other timeshare product out there. You cannot join or ask a question on the DIS about DVC and expect to hear the cons without the pros heavily outweighing the cons. Very few naysayers of DVC are going to be present on DVC subforums here on the DIS, hard to get many posters to comment on an unbiased level too. People should be researching period..DVC or otherwise which includes going beyond the DIS.

Interesting! But when the developer is so sleazy, doesn’t it cast a negative light on the whole product?

I take it you haven't heard of the stories people have had about questioning "where's your husband?" "ma'am no tour unless your husband is present" and other such DVC tales. DVC isn't untouched in the world of sales tactics, sometimes overt snubs and questionable well questions, etc.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

would not care to go to WDW resorts because the theming doesnt compare to the real thing. I'd want to go to an actual lodge in Colorado (Wyndham Avon) over the the Wilderness Lodge.

I don't think people end up feeling like this generally speaking. If you go to Disney with it being your happy place you already know what you're seeing is theming rather than realism but that theming is done enough to immerse you into that mood. It's not like you're kidding yourself that watching animals in AKL is the same as being on a safari in Africa (which I know a DISer that did that and then stayed at AKL years later).

I do think a good point to be had is discussing the lack of high immersive theming that Disney is adjusting to. More and more of its refurbs in regular and DVC places are getting a toned down feel and that's causing backlash for a good amount of on-site guests and DVC owners. Eventually over time that may just be a con to DVC.