Can you trade DVC points for Moderate Resorts?

[DBROOKSINDY]

I am still learning the DVC system and was wondering if we can trade DVC points for stays at other Disney Resorts. We also like the Caribbean Beach Resort, POR, etc. and would like to be able to use DVC points for those stays?

 

[DebbieB]

Yes, but the points requirements are high and there is a $95 reservation fee.

 

[DBROOKSINDY]

Thanks. Looking at the annual DVC maintenance fees of up to $1,000, how many years does it take to break even after buying an AKV verses just renting at the AKL?

 

[Lynne M]

You can exchange DVC points for stays at the moderates and those deluxes that are not associated with a DVC resort. It's a very, very poor value, though. For instance, one night at a moderate can be double the number of points it takes for a night in an OKW studio, and at OKW you get queen beds, a larger room and a kitchenette. And, as DebbieB mentioned, there's a $95 fee for booking outside of the DVC system.

 

[DBROOKSINDY]

Thank you both. Since my kids like the pool and activities at CBR, what DVC villa would be just as appealing for kids?

 

[chalee94]

Thanks. Looking at the annual DVC maintenance fees of up to $1,000, how many years does it take to break even after buying an AKV verses just renting at the AKL?

first, maintenance fees depend entirely on how many points you buy. i have a small contract and currently pay less than $16 per month...others have over 1000 pts and would pay over $4500 annually...

since you are comparing to renting at the AKL, i assume you have little interest in AKV's multi-room villas and instead want to compare the studio rooms to the hotel rooms. the studios are a little different in that they have one queen bed and one pullout sofa bed...works better for some and worse for others...they also come with a kitchenette.

a weeknight at AKV in a studio can cost as few as 9 or 10 pts per night...weekend nights cost considerably more. studios with a guaranteed savanna view or concierge rooms also cost more.

here is the points chart for the next couple of years at the AKV. it's best to do an individual comparison, based on how you want to travel.

if you decide you only want a week (7 nights) in nov or dec, and wouldn't need a savanna view every year, you could look for a resale contract for 100 pts or so. it would cost you around $9000 upfront (a onetime cost to buy the contract) plus around $487 in maintenance fees for 2009 (estimate increases of about 3-4% going forward).

for most people, it takes an estimated 7-8 trips to break even and start vacationing on maintenance fees alone. if you skip weekends it can take less time...or if you routinely find great discounts for AKL, it might take more time.

 

[chalee94]

Thank you both. Since my kids like the pool and activities at CBR, what DVC villa would be just as appealing for kids?

AKV has lots of fun activities, a great pool and giraffes and zebras right outside your balcony in many cases.

BCV has stormalong bay and is only a short walk from epcot. (not sure about activities.)

SSR has a fairly nice pool and activities available but i don't know specifics about what they offer...

 

[DBROOKSINDY]

Thanks alot Charles for both of your replys. It helps me alot.
Dave

 

[Tara]

Thank you both. Since my kids like the pool and activities at CBR, what DVC villa would be just as appealing for kids?

I'd look into the resale market (the sponsor of this board, link at the top of the page, would be a good place to start) for a contract at Beach Club Villas. We've stayed at the BC (the hotel, not the villas) and they have by far the best pool and TONS of activities. They have fun games for kids of all ages, music, dancing, crafts (like sponge painting t-shirts) and even contests, like "hit the target and a water balloon drops on your parent's head" (sort of like a dunking booth, but there's no dunking). In the afternoons they have pool beach ball volleyball. Each night they have a movie on the beach with a marshmallow roast. The pool area is like a mini water park - I love it, and I'm not even much of a pool person!

The pool at the new Kidani Village at Animal Kingdom is supposed to be great, but little is known about it - more details should be available soon because it's opening soon. If that resort appeals to you, the purchase incentives right now are particularly good - and the contract would extend far longer than that at Beach Club (2057 vs 2042).

Using DVC points for moderate resorts is a very bad deal, though (my opinion). If you are buying to then spend your points on moderates, you might as well not buy - the value isn't there.