benefits of being a DVC owner

[JLitfin]

What benefits and advantages does a DVC owner receive verus just renting pts from a member or renting directly from Disney.

Thinking about purchasing.
-Jean

 

[tjkraz]

Some member perks are extended solely to the owner of the contract. The most obvious example is the DVC discount on Annual Passes. That perk is available only to the DVC owner and family members living at the same address.

The main reason to consider buying, IMO, is cost savings. For example, consider a Studio room at Saratoga Springs during Value season:

Cost to reserve direct from Disney: $269 plus tax.
Cost to rent points (weekday): 11pts @ $12 each = $132
*Cost as DVC member (weekday, annual dues only): 11pts @ $3.98 = $43.78

(*That's assuming you've broken-even on the initial investment, which usually takes less than 10 years depending upon how efficiently you use your points.)

We bought into DVC in 2003 and I currently estimate we will break-even on the initial purchase either in 2008. That means it will have taken us about 6 years.

Renting points is still a viable option--particularly if you don't like having the pressure of a forced vacation on a regular basis. Visiting WDW isn't cheap. IMO the vast majority of members should be people who visit at least every-other-year consistently. If you visit any less frequently, change your travel patterns as finances dictate, or are uncertain whether WDW will still hold appeal in another 10+ years, buying into DVC is probably not a wise move.

 

[paults]

What benefits and advantages does a DVC owner receive verus just renting pts from a member or renting directly from Disney.

Well what tjkraz said and the fact that owners can talk to MS and renter can not. Renters have to trust the owner for the rental.

 

[1000th happy haunt]

The big point for me is that prices for rooms will continue to rise. With DVC, however, the points remain the same. And while it's true that DVC can rearrange points, but that's only happened once. And now there's an extra 1% hotel tax that DVC members don't have to pay.

DH and I are treating his adult daughter and her best friend to a two-bedroom unit at Boardwalk this coming fall. When I calculate the "cost" based on maintenance fees only, we're paying about $542 for four nights in a two-bedroom Boardwalk view villa. That same room with an AP discount is $3,000.

 

[Donna]

What benefits and advantages does a DVC owner receive verus just renting pts from a member or renting directly from Disney.

Thinking about purchasing.
-Jean

When you say "renting directly from disney", you mean just booking a DVC room thru CRO, right? You can't actually rent points thru disney, only purchase them.
One advantage of reserving a dvc room through CRO is you'd get daily housekeeping. If you are an owner or rent from an owner, you only get trash and towel service on your 4th day and full cleaning on your 8th unless you pay extra for it to be more frequent.

 

[tjkraz]

One advantage of reserving a dvc room through CRO is you'd get daily housekeeping. If you are an owner or rent from an owner, you only get trash and towel service on your 4th day and full cleaning on your 8th unless you pay extra for it to be more frequent.

Yeah, but paying extra for it as a member is still gonna cost a heck of a lot less than paying $269 per night via CRO!!!

 

[Donna]

Yeah, but paying extra for it as a member is still gonna cost a heck of a lot less than paying $269 per night via CRO!!!

i agree! I should add if you have a 1 or 2 br (or grand villa), you will have a washer and dryer in your room and it's so easy to just take your garbage down to the trash bin so housekeeping really isn't necessary every day in home away from home resorts such as DVC!