Aussie DVC Thoughts

[Chol]

Hi

Hope everyone is staying safe! I know I'm talking to a very minor group here but I know there are a few Aussie DVC members and have some questions hoping you could answer as I continue to eval DVC.

My someone who does not plan to move to the US, DVC to me sounds better than owning a vacation home due to the distance and turn key nature.

So here goes:

1. How often do you go since purchasing?
2. How long do you go for?
3. For couples only, do you stay 1-bed or studio?
4. Do you cook or always eat out?
5. How did it change your vacationing / planning? Apart from pure number crunching, Is there a 'being an owner' feeling that you find beneficial?
6. Is there anyone who has sold?
7. Did you buy with kids in mind / retirement in mind?

Thanks
Chol

 

[Aussie RJ]

So here goes:

1. How often do you go since purchasing?
2. How long do you go for?
3. For couples only, do you stay 1-bed or studio?
4. Do you cook or always eat out?
5. How did it change your vacationing / planning? Apart from pure number crunching, Is there a 'being an owner' feeling that you find beneficial?
6. Is there anyone who has sold?
7. Did you buy with kids in mind / retirement in mind?

1. We usually spend every Christmas/New Years at WDW and every October school holidays at Hawaii (Aulani). Sometimes swap so an annual pass makes sense.
2. minimum 14 nights at WDW, 10 nights Hawaii.
3. We are a family of 4 and prefer 1 beds. Couple, a studio is fine.
4. we only cook breakfast, occasionally lunch.
5. I wouldn’t say being an owner is beneficial, let’s just say my mates bought a caravan, I prefer Disney. Disney is my escape, it’s the bubble I’m obsessed with. The part where I forget about the rest of life’s pressures. My wife loves the planning.
6. I haven’t sold. Because of FIRPTA, we will lose a bit. Definitely wouldn’t buy at Riviera with a mix of FIRPTA and restrictions, even though I want to own it. I’m not worried about selling if I ever have to.. but it’s a long game. You lose money on the caravan in comparison.
7.Both. The kids love it and we would love to take the future grandchildren. We have enough points for over a month in Florida when we hit retirement age for those cold winter months.

 

[ozliz]

1. Have been twice since purchasing and plan on waiting a couple of years before doing that again (fitting 2 trips into the 12 annual pass window with banking and borrowing)
2. Minimum 2 weeks at WDW less if going to Aulani or Disneyland, may add a few nights on a cruise or at universal but I can’t handle less that 2 weeks with the jet lag
3. single but have been with others - always stay studios and expect that would continue if I had a partner to travel with. Using the laundry room in the resort is pretty easy and not worth the extra points when I can stay for longer instead. I wish there were more options for real separate beds in the smaller rooms for those of us not wanting to share the real bed.
4. Usually have breakfast in room, pack sandwiches and snacks, buy treats (ice cream) in the parks then do one sit down for dinner. I’m pretty good at microwave cooking though so can do a few meals in the room to have something lighter occasionally
5. not getting the Owner feeling as a resale buyer I’m barely an owner but I am a control freak. I rented a couple of times (WDW and Aulani) before buying but I like having control of the reservation and flexibility to change resorts if something hard to get becomes available which requires owning
6. haven’t sold but I didn’t choose a resort with a 2042 expiry as I want it to have some value if I do want to sell closer to that date (ie when my life may have changed)
7. don’t want kids and planning retirement isn’t really on the cards, I’m saving and have good super and hoping to have both the money and health to travel each year when I finish working - but that’s a long way off, expecting I might sell before then but will wait and see where life takes me

 

[Cyberc1978]

Hi

Hope everyone is staying safe! I know I'm talking to a very minor group here but I know there are a few Aussie DVC members and have some questions hoping you could answer as I continue to eval DVC.

My someone who does not plan to move to the US, DVC to me sounds better than owning a vacation home due to the distance and turn key nature.

So here goes:

1. How often do you go since purchasing?
2. How long do you go for?
3. For couples only, do you stay 1-bed or studio?
4. Do you cook or always eat out?
5. How did it change your vacationing / planning? Apart from pure number crunching, Is there a 'being an owner' feeling that you find beneficial?
6. Is there anyone who has sold?
7. Did you buy with kids in mind / retirement in mind?

Thanks
Chol

I’m not from Australia but I’m international.

1. In the beginning of our ownership we went 1 time per year now we go 2-3 times. So expect to go more often as owners.
2. We stay 10 days ish. We also prefer split stays.
3.studios for a family of 3. If our oldest daughters join us we book a studio for them. That’s the most point effective there is.
4. breakfast we eat in, lunch is eaten out if we don’t skip it. Dinner always out. That’s vacation to us.
5. we are blue cards so there is a few benefits there. But we have owned timeshares for years before DVC so we normally travel a lot on vacation.
6. I’ve sold 1 contract it was pretty straightforward.
7. did buy with my kids in mind but when our oldest are old enough for kids I plan on taking them to WDW.

 

[Cyberc1978]

1. We usually spend every Christmas/New Years at WDW and every October school holidays at Hawaii (Aulani). Sometimes swap so an annual pass makes sense.
2. minimum 14 nights at WDW, 10 nights Hawaii.
3. We are a family of 4 and prefer 1 beds. Couple, a studio is fine.
4. we only cook breakfast, occasionally lunch.
5. I wouldn’t say being an owner is beneficial, let’s just say my mates bought a caravan, I prefer Disney. Disney is my escape, it’s the bubble I’m obsessed with. The part where I forget about the rest of life’s pressures. My wife loves the planning.
6. I haven’t sold. Because of FIRPTA, we will lose a bit. Definitely wouldn’t buy at Riviera with a mix of FIRPTA and restrictions, even though I want to own it. I’m not worried about selling if I ever have to.. but it’s a long game. You lose money on the caravan in comparison.
7.Both. The kids love it and we would love to take the future grandchildren. We have enough points for over a month in Florida when we hit retirement age for those cold winter months.

just to clarify you won’t lose money due to the FIRPTA tax. The tax Is only 15% of your gains. If you have no profits you will get it all back. Getting them back normally takes up to 3 months but due to the corona it takes longer.

when you sell they withhold 15% of the sales price and that you will get back if you have no profits.

 

[Kylie_1504]

I’m from Australia but haven’t brought yet. Just doing lots and lots of research.
I’m really interested to see the responses to this thread.

I’m looking at buying 140points direct and plan on going 2/3 years using 1 annual pass and banking/borrowing the year we don’t go.

I have been to WDW twice and would never go there less than 2 weeks so that’s what I’m planing when I’m analyzing my decision.

 

[macman123]

1. I am from the UK. I go every other year.
2. 3 weeks
3. FI stay 1BR
4. Breakfast and sometimes lunch
5. Nice to feel an owner!
6. No
7. No

 

[Cyberc1978]

I’m from Australia but haven’t brought yet. Just doing lots and lots of research.
I’m really interested to see the responses to this thread.

I’m looking at buying 140points direct and plan on going 2/3 years using 1 annual pass and banking/borrowing the year we don’t go.

I have been to WDW twice and would never go there less than 2 weeks so that’s what I’m planing when I’m analyzing my decision.

Curious why buy direct? I know you get to buy the gold card and save some money.

however buying resale will save you so much more and you can still buy an AP but not a gold but a platinum instead.

 

[Kylie_1504]

Curious why buy direct? I know you get to buy the gold card and save some money.

however buying resale will save you so much more and you can still buy an AP but not a gold but a platinum instead.

From my understanding and from crunching the numbers with the gold pass for 4 of us we will come out in front after 4 trips v’s buying annual passes or taking advantage of the UK 14 day pass each trip.

 

[Cyberc1978]

From my understanding and from crunching the numbers with the gold pass for 4 of us we will come out in front after 4 trips v’s buying annual passes or taking advantage of the UK 14 day pass each trip.

Just reread your first post. Do you plan to go 2-3 per year or do you plan to go 1 time every 2nd or 3rd year?

 

[Kylie_1504]

Just reread your first post. Do you plan to go 2-3 per year or do you plan to go 1 time every 2nd or 3rd year?

I plan to go 2 times every 3 years and use 1 annual pass for both trips.

so example below:

2021 go
2022 go
2023 bank
2024 go
2025 go
2026 bank
2027 go
2028 go
2029 bank

The years I’m banking I’m basically splitting into half and will borrow and bank them so if I buy 140 points I would essentially have 210 points per trip.

 

[Cyberc1978]

I plan to go 2 times every 3 years and use 1 annual pass for both trips.

so example below:

2021 go
2022 go
2023 bank
2024 go
2025 go
2026 bank
2027 go
2028 go
2029 bank

The years I’m banking I’m basically splitting into half and will borrow and bank them so if I buy 140 points I would essentially have 210 points per trip.

Aaarh now I understand. To get the perks you only need 100 points direct so you could buy 100 direct and then maybe another 50(40 is rare) resale. Heck you could buy another 100 resale for the same as 40-50 direct.

 

[Aussie RJ]

I plan to go 2 times every 3 years and use 1 annual pass for both trips.

A word of warning, addonitis is real. I bought points direct and promised myself that was it. Then I wanted two weeks in a one bedroom at Christmas, then I told myself I can’t use direct points at Aulani when they could be had for $92 a point. Still I wouldn’t change a thing..

 

[Cyberc1978]

A word of warning, addonitis is real. I bought points direct and promised myself that was it. Then I wanted two weeks in a one bedroom at Christmas, then I told myself I can’t use direct points at Aulani when they could be had for $92 a point. Still I wouldn’t change a thing..

And during these corona times the resale prices are going down. How much is the question.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Be careful with your planning on borrowing. Currently, DVC only permits borrowing up to 50% of your next year points. They could go back to up to 100% if you need them in the future, but at this point, who knows?

 

[Chol]

Thank you all for you responses so far!

Here are my current thoughts:
1. We have gone every year now for 4 years and each trip has further cemented the idea that we'd probably like to keep doing it for a long time. We like to be on the go but feel safe and we enjoy the planning.

2. 10 to 14 days for us but I see that increasing as we get older and dont have as many responsibilities. Being 14 hours ahead of Orlando and at least a 22 hour trip is a killer but we have adjusted a bit and can handle it more. Last trip we flew for 23 hours, checked in and went straight to a MNSSHP lol. We found staying up really late (like 1am or even 3am for an event night) and waking up lateish (like 8am) works in our favour. Most people are asleep by then so we don't have to deal with hotel noises (we are respectful and stay as quiet as possible in hotels when its late) and we don't usually do rope drop unless we have to for some reason. We also bought a hand pump coffee machine to make espresso in the room before heading out so we look semi-adjusted and save heaps on coffee.

3. For us as a couple we always stay in studios but looking ahead if I were to stay longer in one hotel I would prefer a 1 bed to really have a comfortable space. Im thinking of buying half the points I need for a 1 bed for a week and pay cash every other year for some variety. That way we not forced to DVC every year and the dues burden is lower. If we want to we can also do a studio each year or 2 weeks of studio every 2nd year. I plan on getting enough points for a slightly upgraded view so I don't battle for the value ones at 11 months, that would just stress me out too much.

4. We also do breakfast and maybe lunch as they are easy, convenient and save a lot if money. We buy oat cups that just need hot water and fruit and yoghurt. We will probably buy some frozen meals as backups for dinners when we tired and don't feel like heading out and more breakfast options if we had a full kitchen.

5. I would stay at least a week at my DVC. I would buy resale as I wouldn't really use the better perks of owning direct. Knowing we going back and owning I think would do it for me. I know I would forget the buy in lump sum shortly after and just think about the annual dues, which are a great rate compared to rack rates.

6. I do worry a little about being caught up in the US tax system if I ever sold. Like I'd be arrested at the airport for doing something wrong lol

7. I am also in the both camp. I see me wanting to stay longer in retirement, having something to look forward to and planning each year would also keep us busy. A month would be great, just taking it slow. I went for a convention last year and 8 nights went really fast taking it slow, didn't feel exhausting at all.

 

[Chol]

1. We usually spend every Christmas/New Years at WDW and every October school holidays at Hawaii (Aulani). Sometimes swap so an annual pass makes sense.
2. minimum 14 nights at WDW, 10 nights Hawaii.
3. We are a family of 4 and prefer 1 beds. Couple, a studio is fine.
4. we only cook breakfast, occasionally lunch.
5. I wouldn’t say being an owner is beneficial, let’s just say my mates bought a caravan, I prefer Disney. Disney is my escape, it’s the bubble I’m obsessed with. The part where I forget about the rest of life’s pressures. My wife loves the planning.
6. I haven’t sold. Because of FIRPTA, we will lose a bit. Definitely wouldn’t buy at Riviera with a mix of FIRPTA and restrictions, even though I want to own it. I’m not worried about selling if I ever have to.. but it’s a long game. You lose money on the caravan in comparison.
7.Both. The kids love it and we would love to take the future grandchildren. We have enough points for over a month in Florida when we hit retirement age for those cold winter months.

Sounds great! How many points and where do you own if I may ask?

 

[Bobby2443]

The biggest thing for me was looking at how much I spent “trying before buying”. I spent $10 grand in December at BC and now have nothing to show for it (except for the memories!) hence I’ve now bought two contracts. You could argue that you don’t need a one bedroom or two bedroom but with young kids I found the kitchen to be really valuable and would probably end up paying the cash price through Disney for a 1 or 2 bedroom instead of a regular hotel room if I didn’t own the contracts. If that’s the case I’d rather pump my money into a contract instead of seeing it fly out the window trip after trip (but having a great time while doing it lol). Even if my BC contracts expire in 2042 with no option for renewal by then my kids will be in their early 20’s and at that point I’m sure I will feel it was worthwhile and then hotel rooms will be fine and I will start staying like a regular guest at that point.

 

[Aussie RJ]

Sounds great! How many points and where do you own if I may ask?

600. CCV, SSR, AUL. I haven’t stayed at SSR though. I’ve used those points elsewhere.

 

[Aussie RJ]

The biggest thing for me was looking at how much I spent “trying before buying”. I spent $10 grand in December at BC and now have nothing to show for it (except for the memories!) hence I’ve now bought two contracts.

I was the same. I Spent over $20k on renting at GCV, AUL and staying in moderates at WDW over 3 years. I finally decided to buy when David’s quoted me $12k for a stay in a 2 bedroom at CCV. I saw that as the right time as now it at least feels like I will break even earlier.