Annual Due Increases

[Girlstar30]

If it weren’t for folks asking questions here and others giving their answers or options in response this site would be nothing more than trip reports and therefore pretty lame and pointless … keep asking away

I know i thought that too like aside from the questions I like continuing the conversation with people and talking about DVC. People have shared pictures with me and given their personal opinions which i take into consideration everything they say... you can't get that from a Google search or book kind of thought that was the point of all this so thank you for being on my side haha

 

[Girlstar30]

I went to check on your behalf, and Annual Dues (and historical info) is literally Chapter 1 of the DVCFieldGuide which a number of people have recommended to you. I think if you get it and just read thru the Chapter Titles you'll see a lot of topics you've not even asked about (sometimes we don't know what we don't know). If you look thru that it might give you a better overview.

If you are just "curious" about buying DVC I'd ask questions here, but spending $15 on something that pulls it all into a practical format would be a ridiculously small investment if you are at all serious. And a lot of what is in there is used by old-timers for every trip they plan long after they've bought contracts.

To put it another way, feel free to ask questions, but I'd be asking the questions I'm confused about, not the basics you can learn from a simple publication. And to clarify, that guide exists because to get the basic info you'd have to ask 100's of questions and visit a number of sites. And you'd still likely get some wrong or outdated info on the web

I get that, but i also like starting conversations and hearing members stories and opinions. I do ask a lot of questions, but often times it turns into people sharing their ideas and what they like and I enjoy hearing different people's sides of things and what they like. Just today I had a negative opinion of Fort Wilderness and because of someone's pictures and experiences I have changed my mind and actually decided I wanted to stay there which i didn't think would ever happen! But I guess people process things differently, reading a whole field guide is a lot more boring to me than chatting haha but I definitely see the value in it

 

[Girlstar30]

Great articles, thank you!

Yeah, AKV w/ its 6+% increase this year was steep (only OKW went up more.) I don’t attribute that to the animals though - we pay less than 50 cents a point for animal programs.
I find dvcnews.com to be a great resource for gaining in depth knowledge about DVC, for example here’s an article giving the annual dues for every DVC resort since DVC started https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-menu/financial/annual-dues-by-resort & here’s an article showing the % increases for each resort this year w/ links showing each resort’s budget. https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...y-vacation-club-annual-dues-released-for-2025

I think a 3x from the 90s is reasonable!

 

[Chili327]

I know i thought that too like aside from the questions I like continuing the conversation with people and talking about DVC. People have shared pictures with me and given their personal opinions which i take into consideration everything they say... you can't get that from a Google search or book kind of thought that was the point of all this so thank you for being on my side haha

No no no.. search here, not Google.!!

 

[Girlstar30]

Ok but dont be surprised if i give up and ask it's too tempting

 

[bumbershoot]

I did the same thing when i first joined... it was like all of a sudden all the questions I was yelling at Y0uTube were actually going to be heard and answered.

Interesting. When I joined, I read. And read and read and read. When DVC came up, I learned from more reading. 2020 sort of killed the fact that I used to live on the dis so maybe I'm misremembering, but I think a search for my actual questions would find very few, and I doubt they were truly basic questions.

I have gotten a ton of info by posting seperate topics every day so that now I am totally confident in this major purchase and not just jumping into something without knowing everything.

You could also use the search field here or "disboards search term" on google, read, then interact on those threads.

Our personal opinions on how much dues have gone up over the years cannot possibly mean anything to anyone other than the people attached to our own bank accounts and emotions.

 

[atthebeachclub]

I also love the DVC Field Guide. There are many resources on the website that you don't have to buy the guide for, but it is also well worth the price to buy the guide. Just this week I went back to my copy to look a few things up.

Same. It is an incredible resource. Very few things are not covered.

 

[Lionezz]

I dont think about the increase. But I noticed that my BCV and AK dues for 160 points are almost the same as my GFV 200 point contract. Thinking that room cost between them are actually quite even.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I never understood how DVC calculates annual dues.

I look at my personal house. I figure everything from refurbishment, electricity, housekeeping, water, toilet paper, taxes, lawn, and you name it. I add it up, then compare it to the dues it takes to maintain a studio for year…
My house is way cheaper.

I just don’t get it.

 

[Brian Noble]

My house is way cheaper.

You aren't paying a full time staff to e.g. sit on the front porch and talk (nicely!) to everyone who shows up thinking they want something. You are probably also not accounting for the value of your time in doing all the things that you do to keep it running.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

You aren't paying a full time staff to e.g. sit on the front porch and talk (nicely!) to everyone who shows up thinking they want something. You are probably also not accounting for the value of your time in doing all the things that you do to keep it running.

Not sure I completely understand the first point you are making.
That said, the second point, I think I am at least for the most part. We have a housekeeper, lawn guy, pool guy, and so on.

 

[McCrae]

Obviously increases in dues are expected but how do you feel about the amount of annual due increases from when you first bought? Is it what you expected and fair, better than you expected or worse? Do you think the percentage is right for the increases every year or did the amount suprise you?

This link will give you the information you are looking for.

https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-menu/financial/annual-dues-by-resort

 

[mort1331]

To answer your question, Not at all suprised about increases. Some years more than others, some less. Its in line where we thought it would be when we bought in a dozen years ago.

For asking questions,,,go for it,,,, most of us did it when we started and now we hope to give advise to the newer people. Hey I still ask questions,,,,since I am old and search doesnt always work for me.

 

[Girlstar30]

To answer your question, Not at all suprised about increases. Some years more than others, some less. Its in line where we thought it would be when we bought in a dozen years ago.

For asking questions,,,go for it,,,, most of us did it when we started and now we hope to give advise to the newer people. Hey I still ask questions,,,,since I am old and search doesnt always work for me.

Thank you! Most of my questions have been answered, but now and then something pops into my head that I hadn't thought about

 

[Judique]

I never understood how DVC calculates annual dues.

I look at my personal house. I figure everything from refurbishment, electricity, housekeeping, water, toilet paper, taxes, lawn, and you name it. I add it up, then compare it to the dues it takes to maintain a studio for year…
My house is way cheaper.

I just don’t get it.

The big difference to me is that I personally don't maintain a studio for a year. Maybe 2-4 weeks each year depending on size and location of the villa. If I were to purchase a vacation home in the woods by a lake or near the ocean similar to or nicer than my home and paid for it all year, it would probably cost more than my home. And I would be duplicating living space creating unused spaces as I can't see myself renting out my vacation property at the ocean as other people do because I want to keep my stuff there. It's much more costly than DVC.

 

[Girlstar30]

The big difference to me is that I personally don't maintain a studio for a year. Maybe 2-4 weeks each year depending on size and location of the villa. If I were to purchase a vacation home in the woods by a lake or near the ocean similar to or nicer than my home and paid for it all year, it would probably cost more than my home. And I would be duplicating living space creating unused spaces as I can't see myself renting out my vacation property at the ocean as other people do because I want to keep my stuff there. It's much more costly than DVC.

It's just so much cheaper than my property tax and disneyland annual pass payments that I'm like hey this is great lol!

 

[matt_in_nh]

I never understood how DVC calculates annual dues.

I look at my personal house. I figure everything from refurbishment, electricity, housekeeping, water, toilet paper, taxes, lawn, and you name it. I add it up, then compare it to the dues it takes to maintain a studio for year…
My house is way cheaper.

I just don’t get it.

Are you including daily employees? You cannot compare maintenance of your house to a hotel, its apples and crackerjacks.

 

[matt_in_nh]

DVC dues increase slower than rack rates. No guarantee that will be true forever. But for me that is a key factor if you plan to vacation at Disney. Chat got response below



Comparing Disney Vacation Club (DVC) dues increases over time to Disney hotel rack rates over time can provide insight into the cost trends of Disney accommodations. Here’s a breakdown of both:





DVC Dues Increases Over Time





DVC annual dues have steadily increased over the years, typically by 3-7% per year, depending on the resort. These dues cover operating costs, maintenance, and property taxes. Here are some key trends:


• Early 2000s: Dues were relatively low, averaging around $3-4 per point.


• 2010s: Increases continued, reaching an average of $5-7 per point.


• 2020s: Some resorts now exceed $10 per point, with inflation and maintenance costs driving the rise.





For example:


• Old Key West (1991): Started at ~$2.50 per point; now over $9 per point.


• Polynesian (2015): Started at ~$6 per point; now over $8 per point.





Disney Hotel Rack Rates Over Time





Disney hotel rack rates have historically risen faster than DVC dues, often by 5-10% per year, though some years have seen even steeper increases. Major trends:


• Early 2000s: Moderate resorts were ~$100-150 per night, Deluxe around ~$250-350.


• 2010s: Moderate resorts crept to ~$200+, and Deluxe hotels started reaching $400+ per night.


• 2020s: Rack rates have skyrocketed, with:


• Moderate resorts now averaging $300-$400 per night.


• Deluxe resorts often exceeding $700-$1,000 per night.





For example:


• Grand Floridian (1990s): ~$250 per night → Now $800+ per night.


• Pop Century (2000s): ~$80-100 per night → Now $200-300 per night.





Comparison & Analysis


• DVC dues increases have been more stable, with fewer drastic jumps, largely tied to maintenance and inflation.


• Disney hotel rack rates have increased more aggressively, especially in recent years, driven by demand, premium experiences, and fewer discounts.


• DVC ownership can hedge against rising hotel costs since members pay for points upfront and only deal with the slower-rising dues.





Would you like a graph or table illustrating this trend?

 

[New Mouse]

Obviously increases in dues are expected but how do you feel about the amount of annual due increases from when you first bought? Is it what you expected and fair, better than you expected or worse? Do you think the percentage is right for the increases every year or did the amount suprise you?

I'm not shocked by what dues were/are but I do wonder if Disney is caught in a perpetual loop when it comed to deluxe hotel prices. DVC is the golden Goose for Disney, but I can't imagine them ever being able to maintain DVC without also at a minimum increasing hotel prices the same amount as dues.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Are you including daily employees? You cannot compare maintenance of your house to a hotel, its apples and crackerjacks.

What employees other than front desk personnel?
That’s all I can think of that they have that I don’t.

And as a comparison I’m not even using a GV (which is closer to a house), but rather a studio.

To be clear, I have never complained about the cost of dues. I just don’t understand it.