Annual Dues question

[Twinca]

We recently went to the new Aulani Resort and are interested in possibly purchasing DVC. One of our big concerns is the annual maintenance fees, and the fact they can go up without any type of cap. For those of you that have been doing DVC for a while, can you please provide some guidance as to how much you were paying in annual fes several years ago, and what you are paying now? We can afford whatever they throw at us, but it is more the principle of it. Also, what other things that you *thought* you were buying have actually changed over time. I thought I read something about a change to RCI, etc. Thanks!

 

[disneynutz]

Prior to this year, a 3% increase was the average. This year some resorts went up 8%.

Many members feel that Disney is now accurately increasing the dues where maybe before they were keeping them low to increase sales. All of this seemed to have happened after several Disney executives were let go for incorrectly setting the dues for Aulani too low.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

Dues history 1991 through 2010:
http://personalpages.tds.net/~rb/DIS/DVC/DVCDuesHistory.htm

One of our big concerns is the annual maintenance fees, and the fact they can go up without any type of cap.

I believe my POS carries a cap of 15% for SSR. Likely Aulani has similar?

 

[YourEveryDayAdam]

I do believe that all DVC resorts have a 15% per year maximum cap on annual dues. 15% is a lot, so it doesn't say much. However, according to law, annual dues must only be used for the maintenance and operation of the resort. Disney can't decide they want to make a bigger profit, simply because. All funds collected via annual dues must be put in to it's own separate account and only expenses associated with the operation and maintenance of the resort can be paid out of that account.

Historically, annual dues have increased with inflation. There have been a few exceptions... typically when a resort is first built and the annual dues are no longer estimated, but generated from more actual figures. The annual dues are audited every year by an independent firm to make sure they are accurate and that there is nothing being paid for by dues that shouldn't be.

This last year, most resorts saw a bigger than typical increase of around 5-8%. This was because Disney changed some of their HR policies requiring some more housekeeping staff to be hired and an increase in employee benefits.

 

[chalee94]

I do believe that all DVC resorts have a 15% per year maximum cap on annual dues.

to clarify this, the 15% cap does not include property taxes. if property taxes jump by 40%, all of that gets passed along. (and hawaii has been more aggressive about taxing timeshares from what i understand...but you'd want to do your own homework.)