Completely confused on DVC

[tzuhouse]

We went to WDW in 12/05 for 11 days. Stayed offsite for $60 a night. It was great! Free washer and dryer, kitchenette, etc.

Now we are staying 9/7-9/18 at POR. Have good discount, but I'm wondering if we are going to keep going back to WDW, if DVC wouldn't be a better idea?

I see posts where people talk about home resort? What is that? Do you have to pick a certain resort when you buy? We can save almost $400.00 on APs if we buy DVC right now, which we had discussed upgrading to APs at the end of this next trip, as we were also thinking of going back in May 08 for a week or so.

We don't have a lot of money and these vacations are paid for out of the income tax refund we get each year. Is this even a logical thing for me to think about? Our boys are 7.5 and 5. We do homeschool, so the boys and I can go more often than DH can.

Thanks for any advice. We are currently paying $3188.00 for dining plan, room at POR for 11 nights and 10 days Park Hoppers. If I'm figuring it correctly, we would pay about $2880.00 per year ($240 a month) plus the cost of the APs. That is doing the minimum of $15,150.00 for 10 years. Why am I coming up with $2880.00 for a year instead of $1515. Is that all the interest and maintenance fees?

So this year the trip would cost a lot more, but next year it wouldn't since we would already have APs.

I haven't received any of the materials yet, on this.

Thanks
Mary

 

[BroganMc]

DVC has two costs: upfront purchase price and annual maintenance fees.

Your purchase price would be a minimum of $15,150 for 150 points. Your annual dues would be around $660.

The confusing thing for me with DVC is using the points based system. You use your 150 points to book rooms in each of the 5 onsite resorts. There are different amounts of points required for weeknights (Sun-Thurs), weekends (Fri-Sat), studios (efficiencies without a laundry, sleep 4), 1 bedrooms (with a full kitchen and laundry), 2 bedrooms and 3 bedroom (called Grand Villas) units. As well as different points needed during the 5 DVC seasons of the year.

For instance, getting a 2 bedroom unit in September (the lowest season) for 7 days at Saratoga Springs Resort (by Downtown Disney) would be 243 points. The same unit at Old Key West (down the river from POFQ) is 218 points. At Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge or Boardwalk it'll be 270 points.

150 points would comfortably get you 5 nights in a 2 bedroom at OKW in September.

Your home resort is simply the resort you own points at. It gives you the ability to book a reservation 11 months in advance. (Needed if you're going popular times of the year.) Everything else can be booked at 7 months in advance.

If you were staying at OKW during your September stay this year, your costs would be 11 nights in 2 bedroom = 306 pts. Resale contract $75/pt = $22,950. Annual MF roughly $1346.40 More upfront costs if you're financing.

In general, DVC won't save you lots of money if you're booking moderate or value hotel stays. It'll give you better accommodations.

 

[Granny]

We went to WDW in 12/05 for 11 days. Stayed offsite for $60 a night. It was great! Free washer and dryer, kitchenette, etc.

Mary,

You will never beat the off-site costs of accommodations, and will be able to get much more for your money if staying on-site is not critical to you.

I think that DVC needs to be viewed as a luxury purchase. It is not cheap, and while the accommodations are great and on-site at WDW, it is not the right path for everyone.

In your case, and based on your comments, I would have a hard time recommending DVC for you. The large upfront payment for points sounds like you'd have to finance and fit that into your budget. Then you'd have the annual maintenance fees.

I'd keep looking for great deals off-site like you got, or purchase just one AP so you can get the good on-site resort discounts and benefits of the AP. Then maybe somewhere down the road your finances will allow you to purchase DVC without stretching yourself too far.

Good luck to you!

 

[tzuhouse]

Thanks. I think we stay with our POR ressie and be a DVC Wannabe for a while.

Mary

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks. I think we stay with our POR ressie and be a DVC Wannabe for a while.

Mary

One way to tell would be to rent from a DVC member for one trip and see what you think. If, however, you are mostly going to stick to the studios, I don't think it's a significant enough upgrade from a hotel room. If you plan to use the convenience of the in room laundry, full kitchens etc, of a 1,2 or 3 bedroom villa, then it makes perfect sense.

 

[JWG]

Thanks. I think we stay with our POR ressie and be a DVC Wannabe for a while.

Mary

Don't worry about it, there's a lot of us who look up starry eyed at DVC members like they're equal to the Mouse

It makes it more special when the day comes you can take the plunge. I've been looking at it since 1998 and am waiting for the right situation. My recommendation is to have the purchase money upfront vs. financing (or at least a good portion of it).

 

[tzuhouse]

One way to tell would be to rent from a DVC member for one trip and see what you think. If, however, you are mostly going to stick to the studios, I don't think it's a significant enough upgrade from a hotel room. If you plan to use the convenience of the in room laundry, full kitchens etc, of a 1,2 or 3 bedroom villa, then it makes perfect sense.

I was looking at doing the 1 bedroom villa at OKW and definitely would have been using the laundry room, but I don't know that we'll be there more than 7 days when we go in 08 and probably would do another moderate or value. I could never pay what they charge for deluxe resorts, although I would love to spend time at the Grand Floridian. Love the ambiance of that resort.

Thanks for all the information. This will make my life a little easier, working on scout stuff instead of crunching numbers for DVC.

Mary

 

[rahrah]

Thanks. I think we stay with our POR ressie and be a DVC Wannabe for a while.

Mary

Good move. My wife and I were DVC wannabes for over 10 years before we felt financially comforable enough to buy. We have no regrets.

 

[PottersMom]

The answer for us was to buy a smaller contract. (its just two of us) so we will bank and borrow our points as needed (until we buy more points). Sounds like you go to WDW a lot though! Every year for almost 2 weeks! We go about once a year for 5 nights- but we are going to have to start making trips to Czech Republic soon, so we'll only make it to Disney once every other year. At least thats the plan. If we do decide to make an extra trip though, DH gets a great discount on hotels at work- so we have that too if we dont have our points to use. I am looking forward to it! Put a deposit down today so send me some pixie dust!