Anyone care to convince a Californian that the DVC is a good investment?

[amyah]

My family just returned from a wonderful 9 day stay at the BWV (a one bedroom) and are seriously considering the DVC. We didn't have time to squeeze in the hour long sales pitch (although we would have liked to) and so are now at home trying to decide if being from California and most likely only able to afford one Disney trip per year, if the DVC would be a good investment. We have two small children (ages 4 and 6 months) and would really like to be able to visit Disney at least once per year.

Originally we had thought of buying into SSR, but after reading a few comments on how to choose your home resort, the location, location, location factor seems to sway us either to choose BWV or BCV (and, yes, I'm aware BCV is sold out, but I wasn't sure if it would eventually become available). We would like to travel in the off season, either September or February (understanding that a February stay would require a few more points than a September stay). We would like to stay in a one bedroom so were thinking 200 points would be a sufficient amount to buy. Also, if we were to buy resale for either BWV or BCV, would we be getting the most of our investment with a once per year trip only for 38 years as opposed to the 50 years at SSR?

A lot of questions, I know, and I'm sure I'll be thinking of more, but if there any other DISers from California that have found the DVC a good investment for a once per year trip to Disney, I'd love to hear from you! We would like to alternate visiting Disney World and Disneyland just to save on airfare every other year. So, if there are any other Californians that are members of DVC, I'd be curious to hear how you make it worth the investment.

Thanks!
Amy

 

[dairyou]

Hi Amy,

I'm from Northern California. We are in the process of looking for a DVC resale. We are waiting patiently for resale since we will be going to WDW end of October. We likely will not come back for one year, so it is not rush to buy a resale with tons of points on it.

It was a concern for us also coming from the west coast. We have traveled to Orlando 3 times in the last 3 years, so we figure DVC would be good for us. Also, we love the atmosphere of Disney and probably this will be our main vacationing place. (We went to Jamaica last year and didnt like it that much) With DVC you can also go to other places, so this is good for us also. Our big thing was the airfare, but the're pretty cheap now. I have been ebaying my way around (thanks to one of the threads here) and know this is a way we can take care of our airfare every year. I homeschool so we are very flexible with the time of year we go. It's important to us since we travel so far and only go once a year that we pick a time of the year that is not crowded!

Our decision was based on where we like to vacation... WDW! We have are now spoiled with DCL, and can only cruise with them now. We also thought of how much we would use DVC. I think we will use it more than we think! I do see most DVC'ers are from the East Coast, but I figure we can use it here at Disneyland. Also, I heard a cruise is coming our way here also.

Our equity loan is all ready, money in our account. Just waiting for the right resale to come along...

Deb

 

[DVC California]

Hi Amy -

My family (wife and two daughters 9 & 12) live in the San Francisco Bay area and bought into DVC BWV in 1997. We have never regretted the purchase and have even added on points because we found ourselves visiting for longer than our original 210 points would allow. We now have 260 points and that seems about right for us.

In regards to the "location, location, location" argument, that may also refer to picking a resort that you would be comfortable staying in most of the time if alternatives are already booked up. If you prefer a peaceful community setting and want to drive right up to your vacation home, then Old Key West would be an excellent choice. If the need for more dining/entertainment options nearby is higher, then Boardwalk Villas might fit that bill. If you want the best resort pool of all the resorts, then Beach Club Villas and Stormalong Bay cannot miss. How about a more rustic atmosphere and closer proximity to the Magic Kingdom, then Villas at Wilderness Lodge may be up in your future. Or if you prefer an off site location with the ability to trade back onsite, Vero Beach or Hilton Head may be attractive.

Another thing to consider is that timeshares should not be considered as financial investments. Although DVC's prices have been going up, even on the resale market, that is not the norm. If Disney decides not to option their rights to first refusal, buying back points at a certain price range, then our equity may no longer be insulated from what the market will bear. And in addition to the large upfront investment to buy-in, there are annual maintenance fees that must be paid. In our case, that works out to about $1000.00 per year.

That being said, we have found the real return on our investment is being able to enjoy a high quality vacation in surroundings that meet our families' needs. Having a washer/dryer (in 1-bdrms and above), refrigerator, microwave, separate sleeping areas, all add to the quality level of our vacation.

As a fellow Cah-luh-forn-yun (as our future Governor pronounces), we were also concerned that airfare would be too prohibitive to make it worthwhile. But we have since signed up for "fare alerts" from a number of different online travel pages (Travelocity, Expedia, etc) and get email notification when fares are reduced. We have also found that flights to Orlando are actually very affordable when compared to other vacation destinations (Hawaii, Cancun, etc).

Please remember that unless you homeschool like Deb is doing, traveling in offseason (Sept and Febuary) may not be possible once your four year old is going to primary school. (But enjoy it while you can...those are great times to visit!)

We no longer visit Disneyland because we find it too "small" when compared to the Magic Kingdom. (Plus since the park layout is different, I always get lost trying to find Pirates of the Carribean and Haunted Mansion!)

I'm not sure if this helps in your decision. If you have anything specific you would like to know, just post and I will try to answer.

Steve

 

[rsschneck]

I won't try to convince you to buy into DVC, everyone's travel plans are very different.

We bought an OKW resale almost a year ago. We stayed in HHI in July and loved the 2 bedroom. We leave shortly for a 3 night DCL cruise (on points) and 5 nights at our home in a 2 bedroom again. We have Spring break booked for HHI again in a 2 bedroom.

We originally purchased 300 points and have an appointment on the 19th with our guide to look at the SSR models. We are finding we like to share with family and friends and have only been booking 2 bedrooms. We are West Coasters as well and think we might try to stay longer to get the most of our airfare costs.

We have been to Disneyland MANY times and knew we had outgrown DL, so WDW was our next travel destination. We purchased sight unseen and have not been to WDW in 12 years. We jumped in feet first and haven't regretted our purchase once.

We are very excited to explore WDW and ALL that the Orlando area has to offer.

Good luck on your decision!

 

[trishy]

We LOVE the DVC - we bought it with the intention of doing 1 trip per year also. However, we've now discovered that we can't get enough trips to Orlando. In 3 years we've taken 5 trips now and have 2 more scheduled at this time through 12/04. Like DVC Cal..., compared to DL, the Magic Kingdom is the crown jewel. We own at BWV (love it) and VWL (love it) - have stayed at OKW (love it) - really you canNOT go wrong. I'm not sure what the school system is like where you live, but here we have a year round schedule. My dd's "track" will be out November, March, and July. This schedule works great for vacationing to WDW. The investment is worth it. I have to add for the sake of venting that I'm so disgusted with the Honey Pot ride at DL compared to the Magic Kingdom. DL shortchanged us out here. The ride is shorter, doesn't include the Tigger bounce, and has a cramped feel about it. I'm hoping the TOT doesn't get shortchanged also... We only buy DL AP's every other year, but our WDW AP's are yearly - there's so much more to do (AK is my personal favorite). Don't let the contract scare you

We have not second-guessed our purchase one bit. In fact, we started with 450 at BWV, loved it so much we bought 450 more at VWL and are considering purchasing more at SSR.

Just can't get enough!

Oh Yeah, Vote for Arnold

 

[dairyou]

I'm so glad there are other Californians here! I knew I was not the only one, but it is good to see you all here!

We, also, are spoiled by WDW. DL is so small. I know with WDW there is sooooo much to see. It is also ever changing. Now, especially with Misssion Space and Mickey's Philharmagic!

We have decided to buy resale at OKW. I think thats our "final decision". They seem all wonderful, but after a long day at the park, OKW seems like a nice quiet retreat. Of course, that is the greatest part of DVC, you can try them all!

Steve, you're not to far from us here in Sacramento. I grew up in the Bay Area and miss those nice cool days!

Deb

 

[carriep1657]

I just wanted to jump in and say, "Hello." We are new to DVC. We haven't made our first trip home yet. We have 150 pts and plan to use our points for vacations every other year. Good luck with your decision.

 

[rhinodad]

When our family made it's first trip to WDW in December of 2000, little did we know how hard we would get bit by the DVC bug!!

We are also from the Bay Area (Santa Clara), and I get asked all the time, "Why do you guys go all the way to Florida!!". Why? Because it's a place where we can be immersed in our vacation! Even with kids, it's worth the trip. We have two little ones as well, (now 6 and 3), and on that first trip we decided right then and there that WDW was our vacation destination.

What really clinched it for us, was the availability of the W/D and the full kitchen. We have some special circumstances around one of our daughters that means in later years, going out to eat will be more and more of a challenge. Having the ability to feed ourselves is a convenience and a cost savings we really like!

As far as travel goes... I keep a pretty close eye on the airfares from SJC, and quite often it's cheaper to got to Orlando from here, than if we were living on the East Coast.

All in all, we have never regretted making our decision to buy!!

All the best,

RhinoDad

 

[Buzzro]

Just a word on the economics. We bought into DVC in Dec of 99. A resale @ OKW, 220 pts. for $54 a pt incld closing, financed. We also did an add on in May 03, paid $3900 cash w/ MB for 60 pts. @ VB. Our total $'s spent through 2003 (pymts + dues) is $16,485.84. The cost for the rooms we have reserved would have been $23,509.77 (rack rate). This results in a net savings of about a 30% discount. That is hard to achive even with todays current discounts. Once it is paid off we should start to realize a savings somewhere around 70 to 80%. I know these figure are different for everyone depending on price paid, cash or financed. But the savings are real if you want to stay on WDW property.

 

[amyah]

It's great to hear of everyone else's decision-making process and so far there hasn't been one person to report regretting their decision; that's comforting!

Deb - We have yet to cruise on DCL, but really would like to in the near future, so I fear just as you were, we will be spoiled with DCL and probably wouldn't want to go any other way (which wouldn't be a bad thing with buying into DVC). And I'm just a little further north of you, in Chico. We actually fly out of Sacramento, so I'll have to keep a watchful eye on the airfare prices to Orlando on various different airlines. And both Mission Space and Mickey's Philharmagic were open when we visited. I wasn't brave enough for Mission Space, but my husband, nephew, and brother-in-law really liked it. And Mickey's Philharmagic was really cute. My four year old daughter who isn't much of a fan of loud noises did just fine and really liked the show! I'm glad they were doing sneak previews while we were there.

Steve - I plan to heed your advice and sign up for the fare alerts so that I can try to get the best deal. Do you find you book your room 11 months out at your home resort and then wait last minute to get the airfare? Have you run into any issues doing this? What's the least amount of time you left yourself for booking a flight? And you bring up a good point about taking the young ones out of school. We don't plan to homeschool, so I'll have to look into what is and isn't acceptable. I wonder if most teachers would be flexible if you pulled your children out just once per year for a week's vacation at the beginning of the school year? Are there any thoughts out there from anyone on this subject? And as far as Disneyland goes, now you and others on this thread have my husband wondering…is Disneyland really that much smaller than Magic Kingdom? His memories are based on vacations primarily as a child and he was thinking all along that Disneyland was far superior to Magic Kingdom. Now we just might have to take a visit down South to make that decision for ourselves!

rsschneck - You're right in that the Orlando area has so much to offer! On our return back to the airport this last trip, I kept noticing all the signs for the "other" theme parks and forget that a trip to Orlando doesn't have to be just a trip to Disney World. My husband and I have done Sea World, Universal, and the Kennedy Space Center, but as our children grow older we would like to share these places with them as well. And as far as your long stays go, do you find you try to conserve your points and stay elsewhere on the weekend days? I've seen threads about this and realize it is quite a touchy subject, but I'm just curious what you might do. I think I would want to avoid the hassle of packing up and checking in and out of a different room, let alone have to stress about if the room would even become available at a decent price!

trishy - I'm so disappointed to learn the Disneyland version of Pooh's Hunny Pots doesn't have the Tigger bounce! That's probably my favorite part! I'm not a fan of TOT, but my husband would be most disappointed if they shortchange on that ride as well. And 900 points with more to add!! My goodness, I'm envious of all the vacations you are able to take with that many points! Do you find the rooms at BWV book up at the 11 month window, or have you been able to book what you want at the 7 month window without any problems? I'm just wondering if we bought into SSR and wanted to stay at BWV or BCV while the children are younger if we would be able to get what we want by booking at the 7 month window. Later when the kids are older and there's more appreciation for Downtown Disney and the nightlife, we could then book at the home resort SSR at the 11 month window. Also, do you think it would make sense to buy an AP for either DL or WDW if we only visited the park once per year? I haven't done the math, but is there a discount for DVC members? And I am looking forward to exploring AK more the next time we visit. I loved the park, but with a 4 year old and 6 month old, there was still a lot left to be done when they get a little bit older.

carriep1657 - Your situation sounds very similar to ours. I'm glad to hear others are doing the same as what we are considering. I noticed you were on your honeymoon at POFQ in 1996. My husband and I also honeymooned in June of 1996 at the Beach Club! That was the first time either one of us had visited Disney World. We even got one of the bricks in the Walk Around the World with our names and marriage date on that trip, and I am happy to report that our brick is still there and looks great after 7 years! We'll see if they pull it out after the 10 year mark…

RhinoDad - I'm glad to hear you have been able to find airfare that is actually cheaper than if you flew from the East Coast! Sorry East Coasters…but it's nice to know that the miles separating us West Coasters from Florida may not be that big of a factor! Anyways, we loved having the washer and dryer and being able to have some meals in our room. I'm not one for cooking much on vacation, but it sure was nice to just "brown bag" it a couple of days and have a light morning snack.

Buzzro - Thanks for sharing your numbers! I would like to do that as well, and hopefully I'll find just as much savings! Sounds like you got a great deal on the resale at OKW! And enjoy your vacation; I see you'll be leaving in just 11 days. I'm so ready to start planning our next vacation!

Thanks again to everyone for all your wonderful stories, experiences, and advice. I really do appreciate it!

Take care,
Amy

 

[dairyou]

Amy,

When my youngest was in Kindergarten, we did pull him out of school for a week. It was totally fine. We did alot of "school" work on the plane. After we returned home, we made a ABC book out of the pictures we took and he shared them with his class. I also pulled my second grader out. He made up his work before we even left. I don't think I would pull my kids out after 3rd grade. I guess you guys are on a traditional school schedule out there. We have "tracks" so there are some off season months out of every school year here in Sacramento.

The airfares have been great! For our vacation in October we paid 180.00 per person. When I checked last, it was still low at 200.00 per person. I also have the fare alerts from most airlines and I do get an email quite often. Im interested to see Steve answer your question about booking 11 months off and how to work the airfare in.

Thanks for starting this thread! Its great to see other Californians! Are we ready to vote tomorrow?!

Deb

 

[DVC California]

Hi Amy -

Let me see if I can answer some of your questions for me:

Do you find you book your room 11 months out at your home resort and then wait last minute to get the airfare?

We have booked at the 11 month window to guarantee a studio or standard view (@BWV) because they seem to go the fastest. But we've also been able to get what we needed when booking as close to 3-4 months out (with the help of a wait-list). This has been true not only at OKW (which has the most rooms), but also at BWVs and Vero Beach. (We've also stayed at BCV and made ressies when they first opened, but that shouldn't count).

I think the real measure of value for the 11 month window will be 1) The time of year you want to travel and 2) The size of the accommodation. If you plan on visiting during the "peak" weeks (Xmas, Easter, July 4th, etc), then the 11 month window comes in handy. And if you prefer a Grand Villa (limited number of units) or Standard View (lower points), then you may need to call at the 11th month window also.

What's the least amount of time you left yourself for booking a flight?

When it comes to airfare, we generally wait for the sale fares to come out. We have found that this can happen anytime from 8 months out down to as little as 3 months. We have set $200-230 as "good" prices for SJC/MCO roundtrip. We have paid as little as $139.00 rt on United and as much as $268 rt on American.

We generally base when we buy on how many seats are left, or rather, how many seats "together" we can get. As a family of four with two preteen daughters, it's important that we're not spread out all over the plane or stuck in the back by the lav and next to the engine.

I wonder if most teachers would be flexible if you pulled your children out just once per year for a week's vacation at the beginning of the school year? Are there any thoughts out there from anyone on this subject?

This is another of those touchy subjects that have been hot topics at the debate boards. Personally, I think that it is okay to take the kids out of school up until the 2nd or 3rd grade. The subject matter is not that intense nor difficult for the kids to feel that they have "catching up" to do when they get back. And most teachers will assign extra lessons to do while on vacation. We had our kids do the extra homework while on the plane and it made the time go by faster for all of us.

The real issues with the schools is that their funding is based upon the student attendence. So if we take a child or two out of school, for a week or so of family vacation, multiplied by 50 families...it eventually adds up. If your brave enough (I'm not), post that question on the debate board and stand back. You will be amazed at the variety and tenacity of some of our DIS'ers.

HTH, Steve

 

[brumley5]

Great to see all the CA DVC'ers here! My husband and I live in Concord (east of SFO) and have a son 19, public schooled, and 2 girls ages 10 & 13 that I homeschool.
We bought our DVC ownership while on our 1st and only cruise in Dec 2001.
We also worried about how often we would go to Florida as well as airfare since we always go to Disneyland or Hawaii. But there really isn't a problem!
Airfare, as others have attested, isn't that scary after all. Usually depends upon the time of year. We went on SWA and they have fares that can be $99.oo one way.
I would never compare Disneyland and the Magic Kingdom to each other. Each are unique to people's liking. One could say the DL is too small, and one could say that MK is too big. It's whatever you like. (Personally, I grew up going to Disneyland so will always have a special place in my heart for it, the original place where it all started.) What my kids and I enjoyed was seeing the different architecture of the locations (The Haunted Mansion & The Pirates of the carribean for example). We really enjoyed seeing how different the 2 places are.

A side note on school: since we hs, when we go isn't a problem but when my son was in school, we had a variety of experiences, teachers who hated us taking him out for a vacation so they piled on the vacation work and did it to aggravate us into not taking him out again, Some gave us 'fluff' stuff, nothing too hard, just busy work.
Just keep that in mind that it will depend upon the teacher.

I would just make sure that you buy enough points to be able to cover a standard stay for about a week. Of course where will be up to you!
I do caution about using your cruise points for a DL trip or a Disney cruise. Yes, Dsiney cruises are the best and you will get spoiled! But when using points........
We have 200 pts per year and even with banking borrowing and using current use year points for a total of 600 we still NEED more points for a cruise for just the 4 of us! That is awful as we bought on that particular point while on our cruise. (The points needed for a cruise then was 464). The points needed for a cruise have gone up!!! Discussion on this board suggest that your points are only worth about $4 - $6. per point when using them for a cruise then using them at WDW (about $10. a point).

Whew, I hope I've helped here, any questions just email me!
Good luck!
Tammy

 

[carriep1657]

amyah, we also purchased a brick with our wedding date on it. It was my wedding gift to my DH. We meant to visit it last November but we never did. I wanted to take a picture of our kids sitting next to it. I'll have to do it next time.

I hope they don't tear them out at the 10 year mark. I remember being so disappointed when I read that.

 

[trishy]

Do you find the rooms at BWV book up at the 11 month window, or have you been able to book what you want at the 7 month window without any problems?

If you are interested in a preferred view, such as Boardwalk view, then the 11 month window is extremely important; also if you want to book during a holiday, I've heard it's pretty difficult and they may waitlist you; otherwise, the 7 month window is fine.

Also, do you think it would make sense to buy an AP for either DL or WDW if we only visited the park once per year? I haven't done the math, but is there a discount for DVC members?

No discount to DVC

The AP at WDW would depend on how long your stay at WDW is - if it's just a week and you plan to do the parks for, say, 4 out of the 7 days, then an AP wouldn't be a wise investment. Also check out Mousesavers for discounted park hoppers and AP information. We only do the AP at DL every other year so the kids won't get tired of the park - we alternate between Sea World (because it's only 50 minutes away the other direction) and DL to give them variety. Now I have to agree with the post'r who said DL is very enjoyable. The thing I most enjoy about DL is the overall atmosphere - you really feel the Disney spirit there - I don't feel the same way at Magic Kingdom. However, I really enjoy them both-just in different ways.

Hope this helps...

 

[trishy]

Dairyou,

Yep, I just got back from voting Can't divulge who, though. That's top secret...

 

[poj7]

Hi.

Just wanted to add that as a family of four grows you may want to consider a 2 bedroom vs. a 1 bedroom. You may want to purchase more points so you can "afford" the 2 bedroom unit on a regular basis.

 

[dairyou]

I just got from voting too... not to see what happens!

Deb