Booking trips outside of Disney

[Magic Fanatic]

My wife and I signed up for DVC while on the Disney Cruise last week and we are now waiting for paperwork to be sent to us. While I am waiting, can others out there tell me their experiences in booking vacations to the other resorts listed in the siver book they gave us. In reviewing the list of these great places is seems like this is a great purchase for us, but I would like to hear how easy or difficult it is to make reservations in these other places. Thanks!

 

[moethorne]

This thread asks the same question. Not many replies yet but maybe keep checking.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1789151

 

[Magic08]

I have been trying to find out the answer to this also! I'm starting to think DVC owners don't travel outside of Disney too often, but it is really what is keeping us from buying in. I think when our kids get older we will want to visit some other places, and really want to know how realistic that is with DVC points.

 

[AnnaS]

The only trade we have done so far was for 4 DCL cruises (Eastern, Western, West Coast and 11 N. Med. cruise).

We did put in for an exchange/search (whatever it's called, lol) for one of the Royals in Cancun for next July of 09 (we requested this in Sept. 07). Nothing yet. I consider this our first time really in the almost 8 years we have owned.

Hopefully you will get some replies soon and we will get the exchange .

 

[danv3]

I have been trying to find out the answer to this also! I'm starting to think DVC owners don't travel outside of Disney too often, but it is really what is keeping us from buying in. I think when our kids get older we will want to visit some other places, and really want to know how realistic that is with DVC points.

Yeah, this is a concern for us too. Any more insights would be appreciated!

 

[Dean]

Buying DVC points to use outside DVC resorts is not a reasonable choice. The costs (points) are too high and/or there are no guarantees. Buy just the points you'd use at DVC and look to other means for non DVC trips.

 

[danv3]

What about using DVC to pay for Adventures by Disney tours? Is that also pretty inefficient?

 

[bwvBound]

We travel outside of Disney extensively -- but we don't use DVC in the process. DVC is a "specialty/boutique" timeshare product -- best used for staying at DVC resorts. I have far less expensive options to use for securing other timeshare destinations.

I have been trying to find out the answer to this also! I'm starting to think DVC owners don't travel outside of Disney too often, but it is really what is keeping us from buying in. I think when our kids get older we will want to visit some other places, and really want to know how realistic that is with DVC points.

 

[summergolf]

Well we are only in our second year of ownership and we booked a week stay in Tucson, AZ. It cost us 121 points for 7 days in a one bedroom. We are not staying in a high class resort but our reason for traveling there is to see DW's brother and sister in law. It took all of 5 minutes to do the booking. I guess we were lucky

 

[Dean]

What about using DVC to pay for Adventures by Disney tours? Is that also pretty inefficient?

Disney Cruise lines, non DVC Disney Hotels, Concierge Collection and Adventures by Disney are all over priced. They have to pay cash so they rent out the rooms with CRO taking 50% so it's an inefficient process. The direct timeshare exchanges can be a better deal if you get good resorts at peak times but getting those are long shots so my recommendation above to not buy points to use for non DVC options still stands. Generally the cash type exchanges will return a value between $4.50 and $7 per point, not reasonable in my book. There will be exceptions but mostly for DCL when you missed the early booking discounts and for higher cabins. Given the yearly dues are in the $5-6 per point range, that doesn't seem like a value to me.

 

[rcchello]

The one time I booked out of Disney I really had no problem. It was not a week for week trade, it was for 5 or 6 nights in Salzburg, Austria. We got a nice 1 bedroom and had a great time. Grocery store was just across the street and a wonderful brewery restaurant within a blocks walk.

Disney has an arrangement with the Cordial chain in Austria that they can trade for one or more nights.

 

[SusieBea]

Buying DVC points to use outside DVC resorts is not a reasonable choice. The costs (points) are too high and/or there are no guarantees. Buy just the points you'd use at DVC and look to other means for non DVC trips.

After 15 years of DVC ownership, I totally agree w/ this. We've used our points maybe 5 times w/ the Conceirge Collection, and that's worked out fine although I'm sure it wasn't a good use of our points. It was also not a good use of our points to use them w/ the Disney Collection (both hotels and cruise) which we've done a few times. And, each time I've tried, I've been unable to get an exchange through II. But we have had some great times at 5 of the the different DVC locations.

 

[catlady10]

Hi,

Hope you don't mind me asking as this thread is of interest to me too!

We are hoping to buy DVC this summer, and are from the UK. We intend to mainly use the points to "do" Disney every other year, but occasionally may want to use them to travel either to the other parts of the US or the Caribbean. We received a 'Member Getaway' booklet on our DVC tour in 2006 and there are lots of interest in there which we would be happy to use, mainly from the world passport collection.

I assumed after the tour that you just booked a property as if booking a hotel room, just through member services, but having read a few of your posts I am now not so sure!! Are you saying you have to request a property for a certain time, and then hope someone from that timeshare complex wants a trip to Disney during that time and is willing to swap??

Is this correct or I am I totally confused (not difficult!) I know everyone says the points are not well spent outside Disney, but the fact that these properties are 1/2 beds is perfect for us, and with the expense of getting over to the US the major cost, to know we have points to use sort of already paid for might mean the differnce between going on vacation or not going.

Many thanks
Kate

 

[RedSonya]

In December we spent a week at Westgate Park City in a 1 bedroom. I felt it was a great exchange. The room was beautiful and the location at the Canyons ski resort was terrific. The indoor/outdoor pool was great and the kids had fun with the resort activities. I think I made the exchange in mid summer.

Based on my experience I will use the exchange system again.

Enjoy your DVC membership!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Hi,

Hope you don't mind me asking as this thread is of interest to me too!

We are hoping to buy DVC this summer, and are from the UK. We intend to mainly use the points to "do" Disney every other year, but occasionally may want to use them to travel either to the other parts of the US or the Caribbean. We received a 'Member Getaway' booklet on our DVC tour in 2006 and there are lots of interest in there which we would be happy to use, mainly from the world passport collection.

I assumed after the tour that you just booked a property as if booking a hotel room, just through member services, but having read a few of your posts I am now not so sure!! Are you saying you have to request a property for a certain time, and then hope someone from that timeshare complex wants a trip to Disney during that time and is willing to swap??

Is this correct or I am I totally confused (not difficult!) I know everyone says the points are not well spent outside Disney, but the fact that these properties are 1/2 beds is perfect for us, and with the expense of getting over to the US the major cost, to know we have points to use sort of already paid for might mean the differnce between going on vacation or not going.

Many thanks
Kate

You are right. You have to request an II exchange and hope someone from that resort is also exchanging. That's why it's best to give a range of dates if you have specific resort in mind, or a range or resorts if you have a spcific time and location in mind.

 

[bwvBound]

Are you saying you have to request a property for a certain time, and then hope someone from that timeshare complex wants a trip to Disney during that time and is willing to swap??

Not exactly. Yes, you are waiting for an owner at your destination resort to give up a week -- but it doesn't matter where that other owner wants to travel. They might want to go to Disney World or San Francisco or Spain -- it doesn't matter. You are not "swapping" weeks/points/time directly with the other timeshare owner.

 

[Dean]

I assumed after the tour that you just booked a property as if booking a hotel room, just through member services, but having read a few of your posts I am now not so sure!! Are you saying you have to request a property for a certain time, and then hope someone from that timeshare complex wants a trip to Disney during that time and is willing to swap??

Is this correct or I am I totally confused (not difficult!) I know everyone says the points are not well spent outside Disney, but the fact that these properties are 1/2 beds is perfect for us, and with the expense of getting over to the US the major cost, to know we have points to use sort of already paid for might mean the differnce between going on vacation or not going.

Many thanks
Kate

The way it works is you put in a request and hope for the best. Rarely is it available when you call and if it is, you could likely have gotten it easier and cheaper by other means.

The problems in this are that those with the best things (top resort/peak times) rarely give them up for exchange. They use them or rent them as a rule. If they do give them to II, there are likely to be others in line ahead of you as DVC only has Good, but not great, trade power. The fact that someone got an exchange and enjoyed it really has little impact on the decision or the reasonableness of the cost or system. The questions include are you likely to get what you want at resorts you'll be happy with and feel are a good value and as importantly, could you get those choices easier and/or cheaper other ways. The truth is the answer will ALWAYS be negative to these questions because there are too many variables and no guarantees.

Those buying in have the unique opportunity to make this decision up front and it is a different decision that one who has 300 points they don't plan to use and must decide what to do with them.

That's not to say there aren't special situations where it does work out in your favor, there are, but it requires a degree of effort, knowledge and persistence regarding the exchange process that most DVC members lack.

 

[abdmom]

I was sure I posted a reply to this thread earlier today, but it's disappeared! Hmm.

There are other locations on the internet where many savvy timesharers hang out. Google timeshare board.

Using your DVC points to go to a different resort is called exchanging. It does not work like booking a hotel or booking your DVC stay. There is a steep learning curve. Using DVC points to do so is a poor value of your DVC points. Other timeshares with purchase prices of 1-10% of that of DVC can be used to get you where you want to go more efficiently.