Buying DVC for retirement

[DVCconvert]

IMHO...you also need to consider "rule changes" .

It's recently been decided you can't smoke on your balcony...in a few years you can't rule out the possibility that you can't cook beef in your DVC unit...that could also become against the rules (or anything else)...To preserve all possible options, you may wish to consider buying a vacation home near the parks so as to escape any future possible rule alertations that might negatively effect your lifestlye now or in the future.

 

[Starr W.]

My DH and I have often talked about 'snow birding' using our points once we kick the kids out. Too bad we can't do that now.

Okay I don't feel so bad, as I had the same thoughts as you!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

WOW! The "Dean" actually replied to my thread! I must say " I am not worthy" As you stated Dean, we also looked into buying a second home, and after all the calculations, a timeshare was the most practical choice.

 

[DVCconvert]

WOW! The "Dean" actually replied to my thread!

Those of us who have been here since 1492....refer to this as...."The Dean Factor"

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

We are seriously considering timeshares (not just DVC) as an alternative to a retirement home. We are from PA and alot of people from our area purchase winter homes in FL. We decided to go the timeshare route for the following reasons:

1. we won't be tied to one location. Can decide to spend time in Orlando, Vero Beach, Hilton Head or any other locations that our timeshares are located (we also own Fairfield points in addition to DVC). I have also already told my children they can move as far away from us as they would like as long as there is a Fairfield or DVC timeshare nearby.

2. Not tied into maintaining a home especially through natural disasters like hurricanes. Light bulb goes out, sink gets blocked, etc. call maintenance.

3. I like the idea of the housekeeping at least weekly.

4. plus all of the other amenities available at timeshare locations

Timeshares may not be the most cost effective use of retirement funds, but they do offer some degree of flexibility.

One thing we tried out last August was combining stays at FF and DVC for an extended trip to Orlando using them similiar to a "summer home". I am self employed and am lucky that I can do my work off season from my laptop. the trip went so well, we are doing it again this upcoming June. The biggest inconveniece last August was that I was unfamiliar with most of the Orlando resorts so instead of holing up at one (and risk possibly getting stuck the whole time at a bad one) we changed resorts each week. But even then we got into a routine on checkin/check out days that helped those days. This upcoming trip, we are the same resort for more than one week. Hopefully, we won't have to change rooms.

 

[Dean]

We are seriously considering timeshares (not just DVC) as an alternative to a retirement home. We are from PA and alot of people from our area purchase winter homes in FL. We decided to go the timeshare route for the following reasons:

1. we won't be tied to one location. Can decide to spend time in Orlando, Vero Beach, Hilton Head or any other locations that our timeshares are located (we also own Fairfield points in addition to DVC). I have also already told my children they can move as far away from us as they would like as long as there is a Fairfield or DVC timeshare nearby.

2. Not tied into maintaining a home especially through natural disasters like hurricanes. Light bulb goes out, sink gets blocked, etc. call maintenance.

3. I like the idea of the housekeeping at least weekly.

4. plus all of the other amenities available at timeshare locations

Timeshares may not be the most cost effective use of retirement funds, but they do offer some degree of flexibility.

One thing we tried out last August was combining stays at FF and DVC for an extended trip to Orlando using them similiar to a "summer home". I am self employed and am lucky that I can do my work off season from my laptop. the trip went so well, we are doing it again this upcoming June. The biggest inconveniece last August was that I was unfamiliar with most of the Orlando resorts so instead of holing up at one (and risk possibly getting stuck the whole time at a bad one) we changed resorts each week. But even then we got into a routine on checkin/check out days that helped those days. This upcoming trip, we are the same resort for more than one week. Hopefully, we won't have to change rooms.

Lisa, we figure we can vacation in top notch places for great weeks for somewhere around $3K per month or less on average. No water, phone, electricity, gas, pool membership, water, etc. I can tell you that some of the places we've looked at had taxes and association fees that high, more in some cases. OF course it's an apples to oranges comparison in many ways but not in others. We'd lose the possible appreciation factor but gain a lot of flexibility and have much less risk. And given there's no one place we want to spend all our time and will stay in our current home or at least location as a main base, it seems to be our best option.

Our current plan is to travel about 3-4 weeks on and about the same off. We'll likely try to stay in one or no more than 2 resorts in most situations other than those farther away we might try to do incremental stays. Say Orlando one week, VB or West Palm the next, the Keys then the gulf coast on the way back.

 

[sssteele]

Wife and I bought 5 years ago this Fall, on a whim, after our first WDW visit in 20 years. We never thought too much about how we'd use our points, but we knew we wanted to return again and again. First purchase was 200 points at BCV in 2002. Then a 100 point BCV add-on, and finally 200 points at VWL two years ago. My darling wife is retiring this summer: , and I have one year left to teach before I become a substitute (as in I'm not available to sub the next two weeks - we're headed to Disney). We look forward to many retirement trips as a couple and with son, DIL, grandaughter and grandson in some combination. We'll be 92 when contracts expire, but we'll give it our best to use every point every year until we just can't continue anymore.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I had no idea there were so many that are going to or have bought for use during retirement. I thought there would be more negative comments about purchase for this purpose. We just bought in March of this year primarily for our use. Really looking forward to vacationing with my husband, with the kids coming on occasion!

 

[ebenmax]

. We only just "saw the light" about DVC at the same time we received a modest inheritance from my parents' estate (lost both of them in one year :-( We could not justify the cost of buying DVC with financing, and so hadn't paid much attention to the DVC "secret" before. I can't tell you how warm and comforted it makes me feel inside to know that everytime we go to Disney and stay at a DVC resort, I feel like my mom and dad "treated" us to the stay (as they did many, many times while I was growing up from our first visit before the park was even open and there was just a preview center!) I know my mom and dad would have approved of our using their money to ensure we continued to build Disney memories together and with the kids.


This is very similar to my life situation - modest inheritance, lost parents in the same year - and I too feel exactly the same way. My parents would be so pleased that their money went toward family and creating memories together. Some of it is also helping to fund college educations, another situation they would highly approve of!!

It makes me feel so good to know they are smiling down on our Disney DVC vacations!

Ellen

 

[summergolf]

We are and have been empty nesters for awhile. We came to WDW the first time this past January and bought. Our intentions were very simple...enjoy 2-3 vacations a yr while we still work...have enough points to have our kids/grandkids enjoy WDW.. and if things go as planned either get more points or other time shares so we can spend a few months away from cold long Northeastern Ohio winters.

 

[Pootle]

DVC is part of our retirement planning too.

Currently the thinking is 3 or 4 weeks in January/February - maybe 5 nights BWV studio, weekend elsewhere, 5 nights VB (another weekend elsewhere or cash maybe) and 5 - or 12 nights OKW 1 bedroom.

This plan also depends upon the length of life of my much-loved cats (now 14). I could never leave them for so long.

At OKW in February this year, I spoke to a few people in the 50+ age range as we were all waiting for Sunday's Sentinel to arrive at the store, and it was clear that the retirement use of DVC is quite common. Just need to encourage DH to wards early retirement now

 

[MdmMim]

We purchased DVC a few years after I retired, since I was spending so much time there anyway. I go with DH, solo, with friends, or with our kids.

In the winter months, I spend approximately 30 days at the BWV. When DH can get time off, he flies down to visit. We also go for the F&W, and I like to be there the first part of Dec.

Most of the time, I stay in a studio, and it works out fine. I don't cook, so I don't miss the kitchen in a 1-bedrm. I do miss the washer/dryer, though.

DH hopes to retire in the near future, and now we're talking about spending even more time in the winter at WDW. We can stay at BWV, and can move over to FW (with our camper). We're just in the planning stages, but it's looking good!

 

[eliza61]

I know I may be talking to a small percentage of DVC owners, but I would like to say that I think buying DVC after your kids are grown, is a great way to plan for vacationing during retirement. Yes, maintenance fees will increase, but at a slower pace than room rates. IMO, purchasing DVC doesn't always have to be for the kids. Any thoughts or comments?

We purchased our membership when our kids were ~8 & 10 so we knew that the kids would be gone before our membership expired.
Last march we took our first trip without the kiddies (now evil teenagers) and had such a fabulous time that we are constantely looking for times when we can sneak off without them.
I'm planning a girls only trip for my sorority reunion this August.
The longer I have my dvc, the more ways I find to use it.

 

[Starr W.]

Actually we thought about ourselves(DH & me) when making our purchase, then the kids. . They are 6 & 10, but are looking forward to the time when they are older and can stay home with my sister and when they fly the coop!

 

[TEK224]

I bought 2 years ago. Love using the points now, taking friends and family. But I hope to eventually have enough points to stay 2-3 months during the year.

I only have 150 points right now, so there may be a lot of add-ons . I also have another timeshare (non Disney) that I use to go to other places. Plan to keep my current home as a home base, where I can rest in between trips to other places.

 

[jekjones1558]

DH was already retired when we bought our first 220 points. Since then I have also retired and we have continued to add-on points because retirement offers us the flexibility to travel whenever we want. As our friends have begun to retire we enjoy treating them to rooms and we love their company. We do lots of family trips with kids, grandkids, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. I turn 60 in a few days, DH is 74 and I just sent the check 2 days ago for another add-on. Yes, retirement is a great time to own DVC!

 

[dvc at last !]

Much food for thought here.

 

[DVC Grandpa]

I bought in 2001 when BCV was under construction and I was already has been retired for eight years. I guess I bought it for retirement although at the time we were thinking how nice it would be to have a place where all the kids and grandkids could enjoy it with us. When we go alone, it is for a lengthy stay during the colder months, but we try to plan every other Thanksgiving week at WDW with the entire family…so far so good.

 

[Checkers]

My DH & I are both retired and bought DVC in 1999. He was retired at the time and I retired after 9/11, and our daughter was out of college and was a newlywed. Well, it was the best thing we have done as we love WDW and so does our DD and her family. My extended family loves WDW, too, so we always are taking someone with us. However, we do love to go by ourselves. Being retired we can get the most of out of our points by going during value season. We also have a timeshare offsite that we use for trading mostly but do use it about every 3-4 years. We go back and forth about buying more points but have decided to wait until/if they put a DVC resort on the monorail! We have already told our daughter we are spending her inheritence on DVC points.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

I am wondering just how many more points we are going to have to add on for us to visit on some regular visit to WDW. We have only purchased 174 pts. so far with our original contract, so I am open for suggestions for how many add on pts. might be necessary in the future. We would like to spend a week around 4 times a year, staying in combos of studio and 1 bdr. villas, and of course an occasional cruise! But need to watch those maintenance fees during retirement!