Best Part of DVC

[dbarndt]

As a perspective buyer I am interested to know what everyone considers the best part of being a DVC owner. Especially if it was something that you wouldn't anticipate before you buy. We are getting ready to pull the trigger on a purchase and love to hear what makes this "club" so special.

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

I'm a recent DVC member, but I would still say I think the best part for us is more relaxing vacations. Knowing we can come back several times leaves us not rushed and able to relax knowing if we miss something we can see it next time.

 

[disneynutz]

As a perspective buyer I am interested to know what everyone considers the best part of being a DVC owner. Especially if it was something that you wouldn't anticipate before you buy. We are getting ready to pull the trigger on a purchase and love to hear what makes this "club" so special.

Getting a discounted room is the best part. The possible downside is that you will now vacation every year at a very expensive location so any cost savings will be wiped out.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

For us, it is the space. We tend to book 1BR units when traveling as a couple; 2BR when we have 1 guest or another couple; 3BR when we have 2 other couples. We would never be able to afford or enjoy this luxury outside of timeshare.

 

[chalee94]

...what makes this "club" so special.

i would not recommend thinking of it as a club, for one.

it's a timeshare. it's partially prepaid accommodations combined with a long-term on-going liability in the form of annual dues (also called maintenance fees). i think it was a pretty good deal for onsite stays at wdw (but i paid less than $100 per pt, so i think buying at direct prices is tough to justify.)

there are perks that come with DVC ownership, but they can come and go. you should make a purchase decision based on accommodation value alone IMO.

 

[RSWA2]

I guess for me, the best thing about DVC, is that we would break even on Deluxe stays in about 4 trips. All of my past WDW trips have been 7+ nights at a Deluxe resort, so now I know that since I've bought into DVC, I will break even in 4 trips and my only cost each time I go, would have been that year's MF. So on my 5th trip, I know my 10 nights would have only cost me about $500-$600, as opposed to a few thousand.

 

[disneynutz]

I guess for me, the best thing about DVC, is that we would break even on Deluxe stays in about 4 trips. All of my past WDW trips have been 7+ nights at a Deluxe resort, so now I know that since I've bought into DVC, I will break even in 4 trips and my only cost each time I go, would have been that year's MF. So on my 5th trip, I know my 10 nights would have only cost me about $500-$600, as opposed to a few thousand.

To be fair, a yearly Disney DVC vacation using 300 points with a 30 year ownership with travel, food, dues, cost of buying a contract, admission media, Disney merchandise, and hard ticket events can cost a family of 2 adults $250,000, a larger family even more.

Bill

 

[bumbershoot]

The possible downside is that you will now vacation every year at a very expensive location so any cost savings will be wiped out.

Most people who buy DVC are already doing, or planning to do, that already. For me they are not to be included in the cost of DVC, but in the list of "expenditures that were already happening".

 

[disneynutz]

Most people who buy DVC are already doing, or planning to do, that already. For me they are not to be included in the cost of DVC, but in the list of "expenditures that were already happening".

I don't know if that is completely true. My guess is that most families vacation at Disney once in a while due to the cost. They attend a DVC sales presentation and are told that they can break even in X amount of years. They don't take the time to think about all of the extra costs and they buy.

There has to be a reason why renting has exploded with several brokers popping up and tons of listings on the DIS and other websites. IMO people are experiencing the true loaded cost and they are spreading out their trips to every other year or more because it's hard to come up with the cash.

Disney knows what a Disney vacation will cost, that's the reason that they offer the DVC. They make money selling the original contracts, managing the DVC, and they have locked families into re-occurring vacations for years to come.

Bill

 

[SpaceMountain77]

I agree with the other poster. Although there is a "C" for club in the title, it is a timeshare.

For me, DVC allows me to go to WDW (and stay in a deluxe resort) more than I would have been able to go without the membership.

Even though I had researched DVC membership for over 2 years, I had thought there would be something "special" with membership. Although there are occasional discounts, one should not view membership as a club with special benefits. It is a timeshare that allows individuals to visit on a yearly basis.

 

[Lynne M]

DVC is simply an alternate way of paying for your vacation lodgings. Owning Disney's timeshare gets you lower costs on villa accommodations than you'd get by paying cash through Disney reservations.

That's really the only reason to buy - if it suits your vacation style and your finances, and you can book 7-11 months in advance.

Don't look at it as something exclusive, or some sort of club that gets you things no one else can have - that's not what it is. Anyone can book DVC villas. Anything you can do with DVC, you can do without being a member.

Other divisions of Disney and outside companies sometimes offer us discounts, but that's not part of your membership, and comes and goes at the whim of the division or company offering the discount.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Don't look at it as something exclusive, or some sort of club that gets you things no one else can have - that's not what it is.

Agreed

I believe this to be the biggest misconception.

 

[RSWA2]

To be fair, a yearly Disney DVC vacation using 300 points with a 30 year ownership with travel, food, dues, cost of buying a contract, admission media, Disney merchandise, and hard ticket events can cost a family of 2 adults $250,000, a larger family even more.

Bill

Very true, with my point total though and a 5% MF increase (projected), my total cost over the lifetime is about $100k, including the cost of the DVC resale buy in and annual MFs.

If we didn't own DVC, we would still travel there for at least a week every year to somewhere like BC/YC, so I knew we would have travel, food, tickets, merchandise expenses no matter what. DVC helps with the lodging expenses now.

Someone made a post in another thread that said, "The mouse will get your money either way."

Side note: my MF near the end is projected to be $5000+

 

[DizBub]

I know this is going to sound pretty silly but the best part of DVC (for me) is the sofas. Yup, the sofas. I hate sitting on the bed all the time, especially to watch tv. The sofas make me happy. It's a quality of life thing.

 

[Deb & Bill]

i would not recommend thinking of it as a club, for one.

it's a timeshare. it's partially prepaid accommodations combined with a long-term on-going liability in the form of annual dues (also called maintenance fees). i think it was a pretty good deal for onsite stays at wdw (but i paid less than $100 per pt, so i think buying at direct prices is tough to justify.)

there are perks that come with DVC ownership, but they can come and go. you should make a purchase decision based on accommodation value alone IMO.

Totally agree with Charles. It's just an expensive timeshare. And you are pretty much stuck in one spot for vacations.

I know this is going to sound pretty silly but the best part of DVC (for me) is the sofas. Yup, the sofas. I hate sitting on the bed all the time, especially to watch tv. The sofas make me happy. It's a quality of life thing.

But most of the newer sofas are totally uncomfortable for sitting. Either they are short in the seat (too "fluffy" in the back cushions), the fabric is very scratchy or they just are bad for sitting. At BLT, I found the sleeper chair comfortable for sitting, but the sofa and the other chair awful. OKW also has an awful sofa for sitting and scratchy fabric. VWL was good.

 

[disneynutz]

I know this is going to sound pretty silly but the best part of DVC (for me) is the sofas. Yup, the sofas. I hate sitting on the bed all the time, especially to watch tv. The sofas make me happy. It's a quality of life thing.

As long as you get the sofas that don't have the board that hits you at the back of your knee.

Bill

 

[DizBub]

But most of the newer sofas are totally uncomfortable for sitting. Either they are short in the seat (too "fluffy" in the back cushions), the fabric is very scratchy or they just are bad for sitting. At BLT, I found the sleeper chair comfortable for sitting, but the sofa and the other chair awful. OKW also has an awful sofa for sitting and scratchy fabric. VWL was good.

As long as you get the sofas that don't have the board that hits you at the back of your knee.

Bill

I agree that they aren't the most comfortable but they are still better than sitting on a bed. If they were too comfy then they would probably wear out even quicker than they already do. The good outweighs the bad (for me).

Really like the ottomans too.

 

[bwvBound]

And you are pretty much stuck in one spot for vacations.

??? More info, please?

I don't mean to be trouble, but I'm pretty happy using my points from WDW at Vero, California and Hawaii? Maybe someday we'll have a reason to visit HH?

 

[Deb & Bill]

??? More info, please?

I don't mean to be trouble, but I'm pretty happy using my points from WDW at Vero, California and Hawaii? Maybe someday we'll have a reason to visit HH?

Vero, HHI, California (DLR) and Aulani are still all Disney. That's the point I was making.

 

[bwvBound]

Vero, HHI, California (DLR) and Aulani are still all Disney. That's the point I was making.

Ah! Thx!