Best DVC Bang For Your Buck?

[Disdreaming479]

That is partially true. They're comparing a regular resort room to a Studio, but they're also comparing a 2BR at Grand Floridian on points with the cash price of staying in a 2BR at Grand Floridian.


That's how I always though about it, but the recent flap about the "Resort Studios" at VGF exposed a third group, whom I think are nuts. These people book studios and they think that the studios are "something different" than a regular resort room. They attach weird monetary value to a countertop with a toaster on it and a mini fridge.

I also think you're making a miscalculation on the space. side of things. My family doesn't fit into a single hotel room, so when we book a 1BR Villa, it's not because we want more space than a standard room. We're actually getting roughly the same amount of space as our alternative, which would be two standard hotel rooms.

This is how we travel also. I just booked two studios at swan for Dec 31- jan 3. $3500! In 2019 we stayed at swan with two studios for 5 night (1st week of January) and the rooms were 250/night each. Swan has definitely increased in price.
I’m hoping to cancel if there is availability after I have access to my SSR points. Closing on one contract this week.

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Compare that to the Saratoga refurbed rooms, which IMO are excellent. I've started just staying at wherever has been refurbed most recently.

Same here.

 

[Brian Noble]

This whole idea that a "DVC studio" and a regular hotel room have EVER been meaningfully different is silly.

I think I can make the case---or, at least, I can try.

For an individual or a paired couple, most of the studios* offer one important advantage over a hotel room, namely: the pull-out is sometimes a couch, not always a bed. If my partner and I have a choice between a room with two beds, and the same sq. ft. with one bed plus a couch, it's a pretty easy call. It's significantly more functional for us to have a comfortable** sitting space for both of us that isn't just the table and chairs.

-----------
*: It's odd that OKW, which is the one "normal" timeshare DVC has built in Orlando, didn't do this.

**: Yes, I know they are not comfortable.

 

[DVCsloth]

I think I can make the case---or, at least, I can try.

For an individual or a paired couple, most of the studios* offer one important advantage over a hotel room, namely: the pull-out is sometimes a couch, not always a bed. If my partner and I have a choice between a room with two beds, and the same sq. ft. with one bed plus a couch, it's a pretty easy call. It's significantly more functional for us to have a comfortable** sitting space for both of us that isn't just the table and chairs.

-----------
*: It's odd that OKW, which is the one "normal" timeshare DVC has built in Orlando, didn't do this.

**: Yes, I know they are not comfortable.

VGF Deluxe Studio also has IMO a nicer bathroom set up, a small table with 2 chairs and a couch facing the television. It also has a sink to rinse glasses or whatever and a refrigerator.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think I can make the case---or, at least, I can try.

For an individual or a paired couple, most of the studios* offer one important advantage over a hotel room, namely: the pull-out is sometimes a couch, not always a bed. If my partner and I have a choice between a room with two beds, and the same sq. ft. with one bed plus a couch, it's a pretty easy call. It's significantly more functional for us to have a comfortable** sitting space for both of us that isn't just the table and chairs.

-----------
*: It's odd that OKW, which is the one "normal" timeshare DVC has built in Orlando, didn't do this.

**: Yes, I know they are not comfortable.

I suppose I could see it. But if my wife and I are traveling alone, we're not sleeping in a single Queen bed when we have a King at home. And I don't think it's ever occurred to me to use a couch on vacation for anything more than pulling my shoes on. I lounge around plenty, but always outdoors or in a hotel lobby.

 

[tjkraz]

Some of my worst hotel experiences in recent memory have been DVC, in rooms I paid a lot for.

You should try Riviera sometime

 

[MICKIMINI]

You may be right. Though, AirBnBs certainly aren't as nice or affordable as they were a few years back either.

When I was pricing out renting, it didn't seem like the value was really that great. David's charges $23/point for 11 month booking. Disney's rack rates I found could vary from like $25-$38/point. So, yes sometimes renting was a pretty decent savings (at the cost of the stricter cancellation policies), but sometimes you're talking about a very small savings. I also wonder as Disney prices people out, if the rental rates will outpace inflation.



Yeah, I guess my main concern would just be could you get out from under those other timeshares if you really wanted to? I know people who have had trouble. At least DVC I feel somewhat confident people will buy it if I want to get rid of it. Also, like all things DVC, you're paying for the bubble and convenience.

We own both. DVC since 1996. We own OKWE direct, OKWE, OKW, SSR, AKV, HHI and VBR. We've done very well with DVC.

This year we picked up a Wyndham contract with free points for 2022. Net $200 all in. In fact, Wyndham offered to bank our extra 2022 points which is not the norm when you buy a resale. The cost of MF's are about $1200/yr for about two weeks in a 1 BR next to RIV and across the way from OKW. If we don't want it anymore, we'll list it with the broker we bought it from for $200 and pay her commission and move on. Win-win.

 

[Brian Noble]

But if my wife and I are traveling alone, we're not sleeping in a single Queen bed when we have a King at home

Well, that's yet another reason I Don't Do Studios.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Almost every owner says "buy where you want to stay."

Almost every owner says "I like several of the resorts and want to stay at different places."

These two statements are mutually exclusive.

I don't say "buy where you want to stay," I say "buy wherever is cheapest, as long as you don't hate it, and stay away from 2042 expirations."

I bought where I want to stay….. three resorts ….. soon to be four
I like several resorts……
I own a lot of points …..
i rent the ones I don’t want to use on any given year….
it gives me flexibility and cash flow….
Owning DVC IS ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU …. No right or wrong way to do it… if you are doing what you want and enjoy

 

[DVCanadian]

Doesn’t matter where you own, buy as many points as you can afford and stay everywhere.
Upgrade from hotel rooms and only stay at 1 bedroom and above to avoid the booking battles and double your vacation happiness.

 

[sethschroeder]

What do you think is the best bang for your buck right now in the DVC world?

Doesn't exist.

Its like saying what is the best bang for your buck a Maserati or Lamborghini. Ummmmm neither.

You are going to spend a bunch of money and in the end the cheapest vs most expensive over the long term is going to be fairly minimal. Buy where you want to stay and be done with it.

 

[sethschroeder]

Those value rooms can be 55pts for a week,

Ah yes those thousands, I mean hundreds, I mean tens, I mean a dozen..... oh right basically no rooms fall in to that category.

 

[sethschroeder]

ou can get a 2BR at the Wyndham for 1-200$/night between Redweek and TUGS right now. That's using someone else's points. DVC can't compete with that.

They aren't the same product, so depends on what "bang" means to you. Because that's an awfully nice room, just isn't a Disney property.

Its not remotely the same because I might as well find a rental home with a private pool at that point. Nothing against those other timeshares but I think $200/night is overpriced for stay in Orlando off-site from the location you are going.

The premium you pay at Disney, Universal, Legoland is worth it for the ease of access. After that if you dont have ease of access and need to drive then there is so much inventory of places to stay it should be dirt cheap.

 

[sethschroeder]

You should try Riviera sometime

I love it. Although Rose thinks the hallways are narrow. I don't see it but they view the hallways as narrow if I remember correctly. They didn't like their experience there.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Owning DVC IS ABOUT WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU ….

Of course it is, but that doesn't help new buyers make a decision because they don't know what's best for them and most people don't have the financial flexibility to be playing trial-and-error with $50,000 here and there. They need to get it right (for them) the first time.

No right or wrong way to do it… if you are doing what you want and enjoy

There are definitely wrong ways to do it.

 

[RoseGold]

The premium you pay at Disney, Universal, Legoland is worth it for the ease of access.

I mean yea, and I wouldn't stay there. But this post is by someone with frugal in their name, so I was offering a perfectly good, MUCH cheaper option. And there are many, many more in Orlando. Disney is expensive, even DVC.

We took a Whill Ci on the RIV tour, and had to pull over twice at RIV, once for luggage, and once for a double stroller. The Whill is one of the smallest chairs on the market, nowhere near the size of some of those rental scooters. If you don't need accessibility devices or a double stroller, maybe the RIV hallways don't matter to you. They don't matter to me, because I can never stay at RIV. LOL.

 

[arich35]

I think we decided to go with Saratoga with our first resale contract. We stayed there last year and liked the rooms and resort vibe, of course there are other resorts we like better but paying an extra $40/pt it just doesn't make sense financially for us. We like to travel in early December and Early May, maybe September and we are okay with doing some split stays if need be so I feel like we will be able to pick up some nights at resorts we would like to stay at. The only one we would really want to stay at that we can't would be Riviera but figured at worst we can rent points from someone else to stay there and then rent out our points.

 

[The Jackal]

I think we decided to go with Saratoga with our first resale contract. We stayed there last year and liked the rooms and resort vibe, of course there are other resorts we like better but paying an extra $40/pt it just doesn't make sense financially for us. We like to travel in early December and Early May, maybe September and we are okay with doing some split stays if need be so I feel like we will be able to pick up some nights at resorts we would like to stay at. The only one we would really want to stay at that we can't would be Riviera but figured at worst we can rent points from someone else to stay there and then rent out our points.

Sounds like a good plan. We love SSR, the sit down restaurant has gone downhill, but Disney Springs is a very short bus, boat or walk away and it has the best selection of food on property, hands down by far.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Of course it is, but that doesn't help new buyers make a decision because they don't know what's best for them and most people don't have the financial flexibility to be playing trial-and-error with $50,000 here and there. They need to get it right (for them) the first time.


There are definitely wrong ways to do it.

you are just full of good advice

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I think we decided to go with Saratoga with our first resale contract. We stayed there last year and liked the rooms and resort vibe, of course there are other resorts we like better but paying an extra $40/pt it just doesn't make sense financially for us. We like to travel in early December and Early May, maybe September and we are okay with doing some split stays if need be so I feel like we will be able to pick up some nights at resorts we would like to stay at. The only one we would really want to stay at that we can't would be Riviera but figured at worst we can rent points from someone else to stay there and then rent out our points.

Saratoga is a great resort
and big so you don’t have to worry as much about booking….
also if you love to eat, it is pretty awesome walking to the springs

I really enjoy staying there