Before I bring this idea to DH, a few questions...

[goodferry]

I am going to try to convince DH that DVC is a good investment for us since we go to Disney often and we always stay deluxe, hopefully you all can answer a few questions for me and offer up some ammunition I can use to convince him.
I have been perusing the resales available through the board sponsor and it may sound stupid, but does it matter which resort is your "home" resort and why?
What are the approximate annual costs associated, besides the payments, obviously?
Have any of you used your DVC investment to go to any other vacation destination and how did it work out?
Thanks in advance
Linda

 

[bongo59]

First DVC is not an investment............going into thinking that way is sure to lead to dissappointment..........it is a luxury purchase.
Home Resort should be based upon where you enjoy staying the most in WDW........
Annual fees vary by resort...........oldest resort has the cheapest and newer ones tend to cost more.........generally speaking
Any trip we have taken outisde the disney resorts have been very good...............

 

[caverill]

If you go to WDW and stay at the deluxe resorts, DVC would be a good thing to look into. You can think of DVC as a "pre-paid" vacation plan, since your room will be taken care of.

The best way to decide is to use your past visits and compare those room costs to what DVC will cost. This will give you an idea if DVC is a good deal for you.

The recurring maintenance costs are calculated based on the number of points and which resort you own at. Just to estimate, I think $4.50 per point per year is a good number.

It is best to purchase your DVC points at the resort you would like to stay at most of the time. You will have the ability to stay at any resort, but you have the ability to book rooms four months earlier then everyone that doesn't own at that resort.

 

[crisi]

One thing to be cautious of if you are pitching a "cost savings" DVC CAN save you money if you are disciplined to use it "like" i.e. you were staying in a Deluxe in a single room, you now book a DVC Studio. But many DVC members don't use it like - we book a one or two bedroom to spread out, or we invite family/friends along with our "extra "points, or we go more often than we did before DVC.

Don't get me wrong, we love our DVC. But be careful about pitching a strict numbers sell unless you are convinced you will use it that way or you will be able to convince DH to change the way you vacation (and possibly spend MORE).

 

[disworldnum1]

First off a little more info might help us all out. How many days do you visit WDW a year and where do you stay. This would be the most important fact in deciding.I first purchased after staying in a one bedroom at the BWV and the price came out to about 3500. for the stay. I figured out how many stays till we kinda broke even ( not counting mantienence ) and we knew at the very least we could make that. I bought where i loved to stay and started off with just enough points to cover a week stay in a one bedroom . I personnally don't own enough points to this day but we make do by renting a house outside the parks for several weeks a year. This definitely is not an investment even though i could get more money for it now then when i bought it that is always subject to change in the future.

 

[goodferry]

Thank you for all of your responses! I guess I worded my original statement incorrectly, I meant investment in terms of something we would be putting our money into, not something that I expect a financial windfall from!
We normally spend a week a year in Disney, last year we went twice but that is unusual. We have four kids, so we would need a room that sleeps at least six. We normally stay at the Polynesian, although we did stay at the Boardwalk once without the kids and liked it and we are interesed in trying out other resorts. I didn't realize you could reserve earlier at your home resort, and I guess that sort of answers that question, so thanks!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Remember that at DVC you have a choice of accommodations too. Since you will need to have at least a 2 bedroom each trip, you should determine the number of points you want to buy based on the point cost of a 2 bedroom at the resort you intend to buy into. You will also need to look at the time of year you prefer to travel too. For example: If you prefer to travel during the summer, a week in a 2 bedroom at each of the resorts would be:
July---
SSR=316 points
OKW=296 points
BCV=270 points
VWL=270 points
BWV preferred=350 points
BWV standard=306 points

 

[bongo59]

sounds like DVC would be for you but with 4 kids you will need more than 150 points....................just make sure your home resort matches you families needs now and in the future...........for example VWL is close to the magic kingdom but you teenagers may not want to be close to the Magic Kingdom................where as they may like staying at the BCV because it is close to the parks they now enjoy and likely will going forward.................

 

[sssteele]

Since there are six of you, you would have two options for accomodations - two bedroom with full kitchen, or two studios w/ kitchenettes. The two studios would use fewer points.

 

[bobbiwoz]

The problem with taking 2 studios is they may be in different parts of the resort! Fewer points but there are no "connecting" studios.

Bobbi

 

[crisi]

We have 150 points. A two bedroom at BWV/BCV or VWL in October for seven nights is 282 points (from memory). So we have enough points to go every other year for a week in a two bedroom, with some left over.

Now, October isn't an "expensive" DVC time of year. When the kids are a little older, we will switch seasons to the end of August. Then we will have SIX nights instead of seven in the two bedroom, or add on a few points.

I think we can dip our toe into DVC for 150 point over Christmas.

We bought resale several years ago, so got our 150 points for less than $10,000. I think you are looking at around $14k now for that number. We own the BW, which is an expensive dues resort, and dues are around $700 every year. So every other year, we have a trip that has cost us $1400 in dues, plus the original points. PLUS airfare, park tickets, food, etc.

The best use of points is within the DVC system. You can use points to stay at the Poly, but most members don't think its a good value. You can use points to cruise, but again, most members don't think its a good value. Trading out can or cannot be a good value. We prefer to use our DVC points at DVC resorts, and pay cash for our other vacations - which is why we only have enough points for every other year.