Clueless about DVC - looking for advice

[The Queen Bee]

Do you have to go onsite to buy DVC? Or could I do it from home? How does it work - is it points or a fixed week? Can you trade? What is the approximate cost for the equivalent of 1-week-per-year? Are there extra costs that I need to know about? Can I buy "second-hand" or only new?

DH has always wanted to own at Disney and I am exploring the possibility of buying DVC for him for his 40th birthday.

Thanks! Any advice is appreciated!!

 

[Tigger031266]

Wow.. There are a lot of things to consider before jumping in.

The first question needs to be how much do you love Disney. Buying in means you will be going there regualrly for years.

The next question is do you have the $. If you have about 15K laying around or feel comfortable financing 15K, you can move on.

Do you have to go onsite to buy Or could I do it from home? DVC?

You can buy from home but its like buying a house without seeing it. If you know DVC hotels, it helps.

How does it work - is it points or a fixed week?

It is points. So how many points you need depends on several factors (what kind of accommodations, what times of the year, what days of the week, what hotel...), If your looking for a 1 bedroom for a week at a place like Saratoga Springs, your looking at about 150 - 175 points for the week.

Can you trade? What is the approximate cost for the equivalent of 1-week-per-year?

If I understand this correctly 175 points would run about 17K through Disney or if bought from "The timeshare Store" about 12 - 13K.

Are there extra costs that I need to know about?

Yes there are maintenance fees which depend on your home resort. I don’t want to give you the wrong number but I think fees are in the $6-8 per point range per year.

Can I buy "second-hand" or only new?

You can buy second hand from our board sponsor.

Other questions to ask:
DO you want to stay in premium resorts? DVC is the best
Do you like to go at the last minute? DVC vacations need to be planned
What hotel should I buy at? Look at maintenance fees, expirations dates
What kind of accommodations will I like? When you join DVC, the answer will be 1 or 2 BR.



First thing I would do is order a CD from Disney. I would read these boards. DVC is wonderful for our family. It gives us something to look foreword to. It is owning a piece of the magic. It is a lifetime of memories at wonderful Disney resorts. It is not for everyone though.

 

[The Queen Bee]

Thanks for the information.
We have sat through a DVC presentation ..... many many years ago and we're somewhat familiar with most of the resorts .... we go to WDW pretty much every year (maybe 4 years out of 5) and we're familiar with the concept of timeshares in general.

 

[chalee94]

Do you have to go onsite to buy DVC? Or could I do it from home?

i bought from the comfort of my own home without taking a tour. i knew what i was looking for, though.

also, i bought a resale to save a little money.

How does it work - is it points or a fixed week? What is the approximate cost for the equivalent of 1-week-per-year?

the point charts for the different DVC resorts are in the top right hand corner of your screen. (for 2010 - they did move around a little for 2011.)

there is currently no minimum stay.

Can you trade?

you can but it's not a good deal financially. there is also a $95 fee for most trades out.

Are there extra costs that I need to know about?

here is a link to historical annual dues per point for the different DVC resorts.

Can I buy "second-hand" or only new?

you can only buy "second hand." all of the current DVC resorts have already been used by guests for several months already...

but yes, you can buy resales or direct from DVC. buying direct might be a better deal for newer resorts like BLT and it is quicker...but resale is often cheaper.

DH has always wanted to own at Disney and I am exploring the possibility of buying DVC for him for his 40th birthday.

here is some general information you might find interesting:

here is a post answering: is DVC for you?

here is a thread for more info about choosing a home resort.

 

[Dee77]

Just adding a few extra thoughts that may be helpful. The points you purchase are for your "home resort", the fees that you pay annually are for the specific resort you buy in to. We bought at BLT and quickly added on since the point chart for that resort is higher than some of the others, our feeling was we'd rather have enough to stay for one longer trip each year. Surprisingly, our first DVC trip was with extended family so we stayed at Old Key West (less points) for a 2 bedroom than what we would have needed to stay at BLT. You can book at the other resorts at 7 months out while your home resort is 11 months booking window.

If you are not travelling to Disney in a given year you can "bank" your points for that year. If you need extra in a year, you can borrow what is needed from your following year's points.

Our trip this year is with less family members so we are staying at BLT 1 bedroom and while I can't wait to see it up close, it is amazing how many points it is eating up. My advice is to check out allears.net and look at the DVC resorts photo galleries. It gives you an idea (as good as pictures can) of the differences between the resorts that have a larger lay out and lots of property to roam around and the others that are hotel style but are closer to the parks or monorail etc. Plus it gives you a good idea of the decor that each resort room has.

After that I would look at the point charts and guesstimate how much you think you would need on a yearly basis for most of your trips.

Good luck with your decision!