Best place for Canadians to buy DVC memberships?

[yxe dad]

I agree GRRRRRRR! Men. I've been trying to talk hubby into a DVC and although he has not said no (yet) I'm sure if he does the math he would probably lean that way too. Why tho does it make financial sense when it comes to their "toys"???

I'm a man and the math made sense to me!

Here's my math

160 AKV points @ $96/pt = $15360

160 points x 50 years = 8000 points

Intial purchase of $15360 / 8000 points(all 50 years) = $1.92/point

The $1.92/point does not change but your annual dues will! This year's annual dues were $4.71/point, for a total of $6.63/point this year.

$6.63/point x 12points for a Standard Studio at AKV during Magic Season = $79.56/night for a Sun-Thurs and 25 points or $165.75 for a Fri/Sat night.

During this time of year, rack rates are in $350+tax range to stay in a standard room at the AKL.

Like calgarygary keeps pointing out, you have to pay alot more to stay onsite but DVC has allowed me to stay onsite without paying too much of a premium.

Shayne

 

[calgarygary]

I'm a man and the math made sense to me!

Here's my math

160 AKV points @ $96/pt = $15360

160 points x 50 years = 8000 points

Intial purchase of $15360 / 8000 points(all 50 years) = $1.92/point

The $1.92/point does not change but your annual dues will! This year's annual dues were $4.71/point, for a total of $6.63/point this year.

$6.63/point x 12points for a Standard Studio at AKV during Magic Season = $79.56/night for a Sun-Thurs and 25 points or $165.75 for a Fri/Sat night.

During this time of year, rack rates are in $350+tax range to stay in a standard room at the AKL.

Like calgarygary keeps pointing out, you have to pay alot more to stay onsite but DVC has allowed me to stay onsite without paying too much of a premium.

Shayne

Excellent calculations but you did leave out carrying costs and/or lost opportunity. If staying onsite is mandatory, then DVC does become an excellent choice but with a premium. If staying onsite is nice but not mandatory, then I believe the OP and others can save substantially over DVC. If someone can travel during the off seasons, a DVC trade is easy through II and if patient, DVC trades show during even peak times (Easter, July 4th, etc.). That is why I stress that unless you want to always travel to WDW (DVC is a very expensive trader within II - you almost always trade down in value) and have to stay onsite, then DVC is probably not a good choice.

Shayne, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you are likely staying in a 1 bedroom with your 160 points. One bedrooms in Orlando's best non DVC timeshares can be picked up on the resale market for under $3K. So despite your calculations of showing how reasonable a DVC purchase was for you, you still paid a $12K + carrying costs premium to be onsite - worth it to many but not to all.

 

[yxe dad]

Excellent calculations but you did leave out carrying costs and/or lost opportunity. If staying onsite is mandatory, then DVC does become an excellent choice but with a premium. If staying onsite is nice but not mandatory, then I believe the OP and others can save substantially over DVC. If someone can travel during the off seasons, a DVC trade is easy through II and if patient, DVC trades show during even peak times (Easter, July 4th, etc.). That is why I stress that unless you want to always travel to WDW (DVC is a very expensive trader within II - you almost always trade down in value) and have to stay onsite, then DVC is probably not a good choice.

Shayne, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you are likely staying in a 1 bedroom with your 160 points. One bedrooms in Orlando's best non DVC timeshares can be picked up on the resale market for under $3K. So despite your calculations of showing how reasonable a DVC purchase was for you, you still paid a $12K + carrying costs premium to be onsite - worth it to many but not to all.

I left out carrying costs and/or lost opportunity because like any luxury, you shouldn't have to finance it and there's an emotional attachment to that luxury that makes up for lost opportunity(atleast for me it does).

I stayed off-site once, actually after I bought into DVC and didn't like it at all. We stayed at the Royal Pacific at US to take advantage of express pass and not have to wait in the lines, but found we missed the "Disney Magic". I also think that's why I enjoy the WDW resort more than the DLResort even though I enjoy the DL parks more.

We are very lucky to be in a position not to have to use our DVC points outside the DVC system. Our families have condo's that we can and do use in Banff, Fernie, Vancouver, Ottawa, Palm Springs, and Dublin that sit empty for most of the year.

I have yet to stay in a 1 bedroom, but have stayed in a studio. I also have a 2 bedroom booked for 11 nights for an upcoming trip.

The reason I bought into DVC is because that's where I, and more importantly my family enjoy spending our vacations.

p.s. Historically DVC has held up quite well in the resale market, often if not always gaining value over time. Yes, there is a blip in the system right now with alot of DVC resales out there due to the US meltdown, but if you can sell your DVC membership in 10-15 years for what you paid, or even a little more, it starts looking even more attractive.

 

[calgarygary]

I left out carrying costs and/or lost opportunity because like any luxury, you shouldn't have to finance it and there's an emotional attachment to that luxury that makes up for lost opportunity(atleast for me it does).

I stayed off-site once, actually after I bought into DVC and didn't like it at all. We stayed at the Royal Pacific at US to take advantage of express pass and not have to wait in the lines, but found we missed the "Disney Magic". I also think that's why I enjoy the WDW resort more than the DLResort even though I enjoy the DL parks more.

We are very lucky to be in a position not to have to use our DVC points outside the DVC system. Our families have condo's that we can and do use in Banff, Fernie, Vancouver, Ottawa, Palm Springs, and Dublin that sit empty for most of the year.

I have yet to stay in a 1 bedroom, but have stayed in a studio. I also have a 2 bedroom booked for 11 nights for an upcoming trip.

The reason I bought into DVC is because that's where I, and more importantly my family enjoy spending our vacations.

p.s. Historically DVC has held up quite well in the resale market, often if not always gaining value over time. Yes, there is a blip in the system right now with alot of DVC resales out there due to the US meltdown, but if you can sell your DVC membership in 10-15 years for what you paid, or even a little more, it starts looking even more attractive.

Absolutely agree, it is a no brainer if you are going to buy from a developer, buy DVC as at the minimum, you will not lose vs. developer pricing. Resale however is another question - as a patient resale buyer, can either break even or come out ahead vs. losing 50 - 90% when buying into other systems. For anyone considering buying from a developer in another ts system, visit tug first where the mantra for developer purchases is rescind, rescind, rescind.

Yours is a great example of a good DVC purchase - it is bought outright (ts should not be carried as the interest will often pay for that vacation), staying onsite is important to you and finally you do not plan to use your DVC for exchanging.

 

[daver]

I bought my first set of points through GMAC International. It was a breeze. I got a good price, and the seller paid the closing costs. I used Carolyn who was fantastic. Will buy there again when I get additional points.

 

[OvertheRainbow]

I'm a man and the math made sense to me!

Here's my math

160 AKV points @ $96/pt = $15360

160 points x 50 years = 8000 points

Intial purchase of $15360 / 8000 points(all 50 years) = $1.92/point

The $1.92/point does not change but your annual dues will! This year's annual dues were $4.71/point, for a total of $6.63/point this year.

$6.63/point x 12points for a Standard Studio at AKV during Magic Season = $79.56/night for a Sun-Thurs and 25 points or $165.75 for a Fri/Sat night.

During this time of year, rack rates are in $350+tax range to stay in a standard room at the AKL.

Like calgarygary keeps pointing out, you have to pay alot more to stay onsite but DVC has allowed me to stay onsite without paying too much of a premium.

Shayne

Well if my hubby loved WDW as much as I do he would probably appreciate the calculations you made and see the pros of buying into DVC. Unfortunately he doesn't and will probably look at it as too much money to pay up front (we would not need to finance) and would complain about the maintenance fees. I apologize if I offended any men out there, I was really just referring to my situation I'm sure there are some wives out there that feel the same way as my hubby

I'll use your calculations and see if that helps convince him. We're taking our 3rd trip to WDW next month and he complains about the cost everytime but prefers staying onsite. He has no desire to drive while there so enjoys being chauffered around We also prefer roomier accomodations and enjoy spending time at the resort we are staying at so the villas are a good fit for us. We're not a family that spends all day or even every day at the parks and only uses our room as a place to sleep.

I'm not 100% sold on the idea of buying in either, I keep going back and forth. I know I would make good use of DVC but everytime I think about paying that money..... I tho as opposed to hubby am a little more open minded when it comes to paying that money for a WDW holiday for many years to come

 

[pkitty]

All this math.... ....if you like to vacation in luxury accomodations and have a superior time all the time....buy DVC. I just looked at Club Interwest and paid 31000.00 for 160 points....then I came to my senses.....I am adding onto my DVC for 100 points and will be able to exchange just as well as I would with the other timeshare product....all be it for 50 years only but what the heck....I'll be 88 when it expires and my dh will be in her 60's that alot of vacations for minimal out put and no inflationary or points increases. Took us 4 tours to buy and by that point we had already spent 16000.00.....stupid. We just had our tenth WDW trip at an average of 4000.00/ trip thats 40000.00 worth of vacations so to us it was well worth it. It was worth it to take my parents who are in there 70's to WDW and see the look on my dad's face as he walked up Main St USA for the first time. Put a price on that folks