Anyone else wonder...............

[fishermouse]

I guess I didn't make myself clear ; the folks I wonder about are those who spend $10,000-15,000 per year or two, stay mostly in Deluxes ( not Concierge), usually buy AP's, and definitely intend to return on a regular basis.
Most are married, so it can't be "commitment phobia" !

For those that can afford to spend $15,000. a year I'm not sure DVC is the right choice, for that kind of money one would expect FULL SERVICE. Many people don't like the idea of making thier bed or cooking, plus cleaning up after yourself etc. while on vacation. Thats partly why we exchange points for concierge collection or go on cruise every few years. (Always pay for the cruise it's no bargain using points.) We love the condo feel of DVC, but it's nice to get pampered now and then.
If you figure we spent less than $30,000. for our points even with dues it's no where near the $10-15,000. mark. These are just my thoughts about an interesting question. think I saw this guy in ns room
ps: don't smoke just thought he was cool looking!

 

[Boston5602]

I toured BWV first back in 1997, I passed papers with Disney in May of 2006. Why...I have been to Disney 1-3 times a year since 1996 and I never paid rack rate. With the ability to get GOOD AP rates when I felt like booking and not haveing rules and regulations to bog you down I didn't think buying was right for me. I also thought the Dues made the price unattractive. With less/no Discounts and having a better understanding how DVC works and not wanting to STAY in values ever again(imho) I bought and only wish I had done so earlier, like most people

 

[Sammie]

think I saw this guy in ns room
ps: don't smoke just thought he was cool looking

!

Fishermouse, watch out with that cool smokin' guy, he was on the not approved, need to get banned list recently.

 

[NMW]

I guess I didn't make myself clear ; the folks I wonder about are those who spend $10,000-15,000 per year or two, stay mostly in Deluxes ( not Concierge), usually buy AP's, and definitely intend to return on a regular basis.
Most are married, so it can't be "commitment phobia" !

We did it several times-stayed Deluxe before buying. We never bought Ap's though, we always booked a package through Disney with tickets and a meal plan. We even let them book our airfare and arrange the limo from the airport. I had read in guide books that there were cheaper ways to do Disney-codes and things like that, but that's just not us. We thought DVC WAS OKW and we don't like condo-type vacations. We also were not thrilled with the lack of daily maid service and the inability to add the meal plans we had come to love. And no, the current meal plan is not a good as the old ones, it's just cheaper.

However, I think the big reason we didn't jump right away was that it seemed like a huge commitment...and we ARE married. We thought, what if we want to go somewhere else that year? Also, we both grew up hearing that timeshares were a rip-off and that scared us a little. It took 2 trips before we even called Disney for DVC info. It was really friends of ours that owned at the BCV that kept telling us that DVC was "made for" people like us. It was 2 more trips before we listened to them!

We realized that it was a good deal for us and that we really wanted to go to Disney every year. Also, we found out that we could buy a resale of a sold-out DVC resort attached to a deluxe hotel (we decided it was close enough for us) Once we figured those thngs out, it was a no-brainer!

 

[3DisneyKids]

Many great points already mentioned.

I, like most here, spent a long time "running the numbers" before taking the plunge. And here is what stops people (many of my friends are in this boat).

Let's take a 200-point contract, which is quite modest by DVC-standards. Thw initial payment on that contract would be at least 16,000, looking at some avg. resale prices. Now, just put that aside for a sec.

The MFs on that contract are going to run approx. $800/year (and will of course increase...but let's just look at the current year). Remembering that DVC only covers the cost of your lodging...that $800 can easily buy you one week onsite at a variety of resorts (using Disney promotions, discount codes, etc.). So, for the same $800, you can get your Disney lodging, without having to pay out the whopping 16K. When you look at it this way, DVC does not make sense to the average on-looker.

(NOTE: Yes, I know I did not factor in the inflation rates, the fact that resort rates will also increase, etc....but I don't think the type of person the OP is talking about does either...they are just looking at the "top level" information.)

Now, the big difference comes in, of course, when you start talking about the type of room. The 200-point DVC owners can have a 1-BR Villa, while those just paying the $800 for a week onsite will likely end up at POR (which is a lovely resort--not bashing at all). And for many people, this is a-wash. "Sure, it's a bigger space and having your own w/d is a bonus...but I can buy a lot of washers and dryers for 16,000....". OR "Well, yes, the extra space would be great, but we spend all day in the parks anyway, so the resort room is not that important...just as long as we are on site..." And you have heard all of the other arguements.

BUT, this is what tipped the scales for me and DH. Part of our criteria for travelling anywhere for any length of time (even just a quick week-end trip close to home) is that we have a suite...we must have a separate "living room" type of space so that we can put the kids down to bed and he and I can stay up and have some adult time. So, we DVC is definitely for us.

And for me personally, I loved the idea of a pre-paid vacation. Yup, the initial price tag is hard for everyone to swallow, but I knew that it would guarantee us a vacation every year--something we dearly need with the amount we work and the age of our children. So, I was happy to pre-pay for many years worth of vacations, as I knew that would be the only way we would take vacations regularly.

 

[Pa@okw95]

When people go on a vacation they want service, you do not get service at DVC and the rooms you get can have problems, this would not be the case paying cash. Standards are lower at DVC especially in recent years. People know these things, when you stay in a room that goes for $450 per day or higher and you have to put up with the non-sense that we put up with at DVC most would say no thank you. I consider myself lucky when I get a room that does not have some problem-this should not be the case but is. They got right where they want us with a cash customer it is the other way around. I bought into DVC thinking it was a high end situation not what it is now. I check in and hold my breath as to what is going to be in store for me, I never thought that would be the case but it is, very poor service.

 

[fishermouse]

When people go on a vacation they want service, you do not get service at DVC and the rooms you get can have problems, this would not be the case paying cash. Standards are lower at DVC especially in recent years. People know these things, when you stay in a room that goes for $450 per day or higher and you have to put up with the non-sense that we put up with at DVC most would say no thank you. I consider myself lucky when I get a room that does not have some problem-this should not be the case but is. They got right where they want us with a cash customer it is the other way around. I bought into DVC thinking it was a high end situation not what it is now. I check in and hold my breath as to what is going to be in store for me, I never thought that would be the case but it is, very poor service.

WOW Glade I don't travel with you! You must be cursed .
We've only been DVC owners since SSr opened (bought in the first week they went on sale) but I can honestly say I have never been disapointed or met any one that at the resorts that was not everything I expected. DID have a crabby bus driver once but I'll let that slide. My sister and BIL bought in when OKW was new then they bought BWV and just recently SSR and I have never heard her complain, not that I ask after every trip but I'm sure she would mention any thing since we talk a lot about our trips. Maybe it's just the good ole Luck of the Irish. Don't get me wrong I don't doubt your experiences I'm just darn glad all mine have been GREAT! "doin fiiine on cloud 9"

 

[bzzelady]

I decided to purchase DVC when I was taking my second large trip to a deluxe resort in less than a year. I started running the numbers about four months before that planned vacation. I realized that with a 7 year old daughter who loved Disney as much as I did, that we would be returning frequently for the next several years. I called the guide that I had previously toured with, applied the money designated for that vacation's accomodations to the down payment, and I consider the montly payment that I will be paying for the next several years the same as the vacation club account at the credit union.

Used my points for the first time in June-my husband had been grumbling about the purchase until about day #2 in a villa and then the light bulb went on for him. He now thanks me on a regular basis for taking the plunge.
Taking my mother for her first villa stay in December-shall we take bets on how long it will take her to thank me or go see my guide for her own purchase???