Anyone live all year at DVC?

[Claire L]

So would anyone buy enough points to live at DVC all year. Just thought it may be possible someone would want to! With a 1 bed that would give a good amount of living space.

Claire

 

[wildernessDad]

There is a limit to the number of points that one can own. I believe that number is 7000, not enough for a year's stay.

 

[Claire L]

Ah! Just a crazy thought I had whilst driving home at midnight!!

Claire

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Ah! Just a crazy thought I had whilst driving home at midnight!!

Claire

Assuming that you can cleverly deed your interest into different family member names...

Staying in a 1 bedroom at OKW would require >10,000 points per year.
Currently, those points would set you back somewhere between $750,000 and $850,000.

Assuming maintenance fees of $4.50 point, which is probably a little low for years to come...you are looking at an additional $45,000 per year in maintenance fees.

However, the DDP will only be about $15,000 per person, and here is the real bargain...your premium adult annual pass will only be $483 per person and even less for the renewal.

If you can dare move out for the 2 weeks around Christmas and the 2 weeks around Easter it will save you about 1000 points, $84,000 in purchase price, and $4,500 in maintenance fees.

 

[SamSam]

In my dreams, I'm already there all year.

 

[Caskbill]

Technically no one can stay in the same unit for a year. Something about residency laws and Florida. My understanding is that you would have to move every so often. I think it's every 3-months, but it might be 60 days.

Of course, with 6 on-site resorts, one could 'move' every 60 days...

 

[Buckeye Fan]

While we're dreaming, can DH and I be independently wealthy and not have to work??? Ahhhh...fun thinking about it! I'm with the OP, I'm there all year round in my dreams! We have a trip planned in March and 4 months can't come soon enough.

 

[jennypenny]

Our plan is to spend the winter in a DVC resort. We'll head down every year after the marathon and then stay until easter week. We won't mind moving at all if we have to.

And we still contemplate whether we'll stay in a 1 bedroom or stay in a studio and get the dining plan. Me thinks DH will want the big tub.

We add to our points every couple of years. We're getting pretty close. We'll have to wait another 10-12 years though until DH can retire. But then it's a go.

 

[Dean]

So would anyone buy enough points to live at DVC all year. Just thought it may be possible someone would want to! With a 1 bed that would give a good amount of living space.

Claire

This has come up several times before and I don't recall anyone owning up to it. But I know there are snowbirds that own enough points and come down for 2-3 months at a time. I've never heard what they have to go through or whether they have to change rooms. On a related note, my wife and I have discussed our retirement and semi-retirement options and have made the decision to use timeshares in lieu of buying a condo on or near the beach mostly because we don't want to go to one place all the time. Given the current downturn in the housing market and price reductions, we may somewhat revisit that issue coming up though and make a weekend run to HH.

 

[Poohs Pal]

I would be happy to stay November-March and then head home to Michigan.
Of course I would need a GV to house all the tag-a-longs So here's the plan. I would purchase the points and the tag-a-longs could pay my dues . And yah I still believe in Santa ..... Susan

 

[sjdisneywedding]

I have never heard of any one solid reason why someone couldnt

the residency and point issues can both be worked around with very little trouble if one really wanted to

the expense issue would be a big one, but I am sure there are plenty of people out there who can afford it

however when you combine those issues, then I think thats where you get problems

I wouldnt think there are many people who could afford it who would want to then mess around with worrying about the point and residency issues

but technically i think it can be done

 

[JimC]

There is a limit of 2000 points at one resort and 5000 points overall per member. It would take about 14,000 points to stay in a two bedroom at OKW for a year. The title issues alone with trusts, and other entities would be a nightmare to manage and use. Remember that the exact number will vary each year because of slightly different number of week day and week end nights (also leap years).

At current rates that is $63,900 in annual dues and an investment of over $1 million to acquire. And your ownership (membership) expires. I would prefer to own a two bedroom at Cypress Harbour (MVCI) and spend about 33% of that to buy and about 75% to own. And we would own it forever. If I did that I would put it into a separate entity for a number of reasons that are outside the scope of this thread.

 

[Caskbill]

The total points for the year varies a little year to year. Obviously leap years have an extra day, but they also vary because of the way weekend days fall within the different seasons, year to year.

Here's the total points for a year for each villa type, for 2007 - 2010:

Year---Studio---1-B/R---2-B/R---Grand Villa

2007: .. 5,116 ... 10,315 ... 13,976 ... 23,158
2008: .. 5,129 ... 10,341 ... 14,011 ... 23,219
2009: .. 5,114 ... 10,311 ... 13,971 ... 23,148
2010: .. 5,137 ... 10,358 ... 14,036 ... 23,254

Warning: Mathematical analysis ahead. Proceed at your own risk....

To see how this works, let's look at the points required to book a Grand Villa for the entire month of December. Every year December has the 1st - 14th in Adventure season, the 15th - 23rd are in Choice season, and the 24th - 31st are Premier season.

In 2007, December Adventure season had 10 weekdays and 4 weekend days.
In 2010, December Adventure season has the same.

In 2007, December Choice season has 6 weekdays and 3 weekend days.
In 2010, December Choice season has 7 weekdays and 2 weekend days.

In 2007, December Premier season has 6 weekdays and 2 weekend days.
In 2010, December Premier season has 5 weekdays and 3 weekend days.

For a GV for the month of December, 2007, it would take 1,933 points, but in 2010 it would be 1,976 points, a difference of 43 points. that difference comes from the one single weekend day which changes from Choice season in 2007 to Premier season in 2010.

Choice season, a weekend day is 91 points. Changing to a weekday goes to 38 points. A savings of 53 points.

Premier season, a weekday is 66 points. Changing to a weekend day goes to 162 points. An increase of 96 points.

Net change = 96 - 53 = 43 point increase.

Do the same for the other 11-months, and the total net change is as shown in the chart at the very top.

All point total calculations were done using DVC-Planner by Caskbill (see link below).

 

[DVC Mike]

Even if you wanted to pay for being able to stay all year, wouldn't the most difficult thing being able to book your room? It seems you would have to book day-by-day. I can't imagine calling MS every single day!

 

[mikesmom]

I think there is one member who almost manages it. When we were down to BWV the first time, we took the tour and were thinking about it. A CM overheard us discussing the DVC in the gift shop and introduced us to a man that was also shopping - she said he could probably give us lots of info. The man explained that he owned points at ALL the DVC resorts (at that time just BWV, Vero, OKW and HHI. He proudly told us how wonderful DVC was and that he stayed a few weeks at BWV, the OKW and then times at the other 2 resorts. Occassionally he headed back to a home base somewhere back East. But he really maximized staying at DVC resorts as long as he legally could!

We actually almost got talked out of buying after hearing his story. A little worried that this was somekind of cult

 

[MinMouse]

Our plan is to spend the winter in a DVC resort. We'll head down every year after the marathon and then stay until easter week. We won't mind moving at all if we have to.

And we still contemplate whether we'll stay in a 1 bedroom or stay in a studio and get the dining plan. Me thinks DH will want the big tub.

We add to our points every couple of years. We're getting pretty close. We'll have to wait another 10-12 years though until DH can retire. But then it's a go.

Jenny . . . How many points did you think you'd need for this plan? We were thinking we might like to do the same thing. We might consider breaking up our stay with weekend trips to other parts of Florida which would help us save on points . . . but increase our costs with hotel fees. But then we'd get to enjoy some other Florida attractions, beaches, etc. Of course we're 20+ years from retirement! Ahhh it's nice to dream!