Considering DVC and will be in WDW in 25 days. Help!!

[Roveer]

We are a family of 6 and this will be our last trip with a 2yo so the door is closing on many of our favorites. Poly, GF, BC, YC among them.

I've considered DVC over the years but could always stay cheaper in a single room but now that this will no longer be possible want to re-consider ownership.

We stayed 2 nights BCV (2 bedroom) a few years ago and really liked it. A whole different experience from the whole gang jammed into 1 room. Could really get used to those accomodations.

So my question is this:

When we visit WDW in 25 days (staying 5 nights at GF), is there anything I should do with DVC? I've never done their pitch. Pretty much everything I know about DVC I've either read or learned here on DIS. I know the basics, I know about the points, use year, home resort, dues, how reservations works. Is there anything you can think of that would help benefit us in our decision making process? I've learned so much and this will end up being a very large investment for us if we do it so I want to cover all the bases here.

I've done a few spreadsheets over the years and they always came up better to rent points rather than buy DVC. Anyone have any feelings about that? I can't seem to get my act together to go through the rent process. You really have to schedule way out in advance. It always seems like the DVC rooms are booked super fast. My biggest problem is that I initially figured I'd need somewhere around 250-260 points. I'm now refining that downward thinking about sun-thurs stays I think that put me closer to 190-205 points. In any event it's still a pricey investment.

I'm always open to different points of view. Look forward to some good discussion on this.

 

[AnimalPrincess]

Just one thing to mention to you, starting 2010 they have reworked the points so weekends don't cost as much now and s-th are not as cheap, bummer but important for you to know.

Right now there are some really good deals on the resale market. We bought with a CM discount and I see contracts selling for the price we paid!

Also you mentioned that you have a hard time booking way in advance when renting, well as I am sure you know that it is best to book at least 7-8 months in advance when you own so if that is hard for your family DVC might not be right for you. From the size of your family I think that DVC would be great you, and it sounds like you like deluxe accomidations so no problem there. The down side to renting is that you have no control really. They are not your points to do with as you wish. I hope some of that helps.

 

[Sandisw]

In addition to buying in to DVC directly through Disney, there is a big resale market out there that can save you money if you are interested in one of the older DVC resorts.

Right now, you can get SSR resale for a great price. If that is a resort that interests you, going resale is going to save you a lot of money over buying this direct. And, if you don't think planning more than 7 months out, to get the home resort booking advantage is something you will do, then home resort is less important.

Even the Ecpcot resorts (BWV, and BCV) will be cheaper this way. However, if BLT is what you are interested in, then Disney is the way to go. Be sure that you have the name of a current member when you go so that you are eligible for all the incentives that are available (you can find the name of members in the referral thread on this board), just in case you decide to buy during the tour.

I just became a new member this winter. We went with BLT because we LOVE the MK and walking there is what we like the most. Especially now that my kids are older, DH and I look forward to those alone trips later at night when the kids have had enough.

Personally, I would never rent because I could not deal with the lack of control (Type A here!). Plus, I like the fact that for the next 50 years, me and my children's vacations to Disney will be covered.


If you see yourself going to Disney with your children for years to come, then becoming a DVC member would be a good thing!

Good luck and have fun on your trip! We will be there in just 14 days!!!!

 

[jguner]

We also had considered buying into DVC about 6 years ago. We have travelled to Disney every year for the last 10 years and sometimes twice a year. We just bought at BLT as well 250points. We love the location and we too are very happy knowing our Disney vacations with our kids (no matter what age) and eventually a few without them are all covered for the next 50 years. We just got back and the next day I already had our Christmas trip is booked. I will be booking in a month or so for next summer with maybe hopes of switching to AKV. Good luck with your decision. Ours seemed to be a no brainer this time around. That is how we knew we made the right decision.

 

[vicki_c]

Did anyone say take the tour while you're there? Definitely do that. You can either call and set it up in advance, or just stop by any of the DVC kiosks on property (you can hardly turn around without seeing one) and tell them you would like the tour.

Make sure to have a referral from a member, since there are some incentives out that are referral only, in case you just get crazy and decide to buy on the spot from Disney. And if not, at least you will have seen the models for AKV and BLT and gotten the info straight from the source. Then if you want to come home and think about it, or buy resale, you will know more going in. (There is a running post with DIS DVC referrals on it in the forums here).

And you might even score some fast passes and they always give ice cream! And there's a child care center for the kids too. The presentation was very low key - not a typical pressure timeshare pitch and it took about an hour, maybe a little more.

 

[Crystal_27]

I'm always open to different points of view. Look forward to some good discussion on this.

DVC *is* a very pricey investment, and you are doing well by researching your options. Obviously, all of us here in the DVC Boards are a little bit biased about DVC but I think that you will get some good advice here nonetheless.

It might make sense for you to make time to attend the DVC presentation during your vacation. Being able to tour the models and have the charts and other information, and, to a lesser extent, a Guide's input, is quite helpful when making a decision about buying into DVC. It sounds like you are already quite informed, but, again, being there and really seeing what a villa consists of might sway you...either way. And, with all of the spreadsheets and other calculations aside, at some point, you will reach a point where your accommodations are cheaper than they would have been without DVC, so don't negate that, even though renting or paying cash is easier to digest on a trip-to-trip basis.

DH and I had been researching DVC for a few years, but since we usually stay at the Poly, we had a difficult time imagining buying into a resort that was not on the monorail. So, we waited. When BLT was announced, we knew that DVC was finally right for us and we bought in. I'm glad that we waited until we knew we would be happy, and it sounds like you need to get to a place where it makes sense for you as well. Continuing to research DVC, taking the tour, posting here will all get you to a point where it's either definitely yes or definitely no.

Either way, enjoy your upcoming trip, and happy DVC shopping!

 

[Roveer]

We are going to find time during our Aug visit to do the DVC thing. It make sense.

I think what is different this time around is that I always compared DVC ownership to our current expenditures where were fitting into a standard room at say Poly or BC or YC. We usually got good rates and the numbers never made sense for DVC. Now that we have "aged" out of standard accomodations I get to compare DVC ownership against either suites or villa rack rate (if you can get them, most of the time you can't even book a villa) so while the numbers are high it is at least an apples to apples comparison. DVC starts to make more sense.

I guess I will talk with my wife and try and determine which properties we would even consider (probably BLT, BCV, BWV) and then make a plan to try and visit or discuss those when we go.

I thought I was on to something a few weeks ago, but now I'm confused. I was thinking of buying points at say SSR (because of their cost) and then using those points to book elsewhere. Is this a valid strategdy? I thought all I was losing was instead of 11 month booking I would only get 7 month booking. Is this true? Although, based on my experiences 7 month may not be enough to get what we want, when we want expecially BCV. I've heard they go fast. I have read that you really should buy at the resort you want to stay at and I'm guessing that is true.

So, we'll go. We'll take the tour, we'll see the offers and promotions DVC wants to give us, I'll go on a referral to unlock more savings. But I'm also well aware of that bird in the circle at the top of the page and have no concernes about buying on the secondary market if I think the deal is better.

This question is a little borderline, but I do have family in FL and my FIL offered to help me get a FL resident card (or some sort of ID that he's always talking about). Are there advantages to this for DVC or WDW (park admission) in general. I don't want to open up a flamewar on this one, but times are not what they used to be. I used to book on the website and not look back. Now if I'm not piling on 2-3 discounts I can't stomach the cost. Times are not what they used to be.

Thanks for the great advise.

 

[AnimalPrincess]

As far as I am aware there is no discount to FL residents on DVC; there is a AP discount, but it is only a dollar more than the DVC discount.

As far as staying in your non home resort, we were able to get BWV for the first week of F&W this year at the 7 month window. I know that the day we want to stay at BCV it will be hard. We own at SSR and we like staying there so it works for us, but if you plan on not wanting to ever stay there I would not buy there. Plus Disney's deals are going to be the best for BLT and AKV so maybe BLT would be best for you. hth

 

[liznboys]

I don't have any new advice.. I just wanted to say, isn't it a bummer when you can no longer fit into the deluxe resorts in one room?! We have 4 kids and our youngest turned 3 earlier this year. Last year we stayed at the Poly "one last time" in one room.

We LOVE DVC, but we LOVE the Poly too and wish we had the option of staying there still. But two rooms there is just way too much.

Good luck with your research and decision!

 

[vicki_c]

This question is a little borderline, but I do have family in FL and my FIL offered to help me get a FL resident card (or some sort of ID that he's always talking about). Are there advantages to this for DVC or WDW (park admission) in general. I don't want to open up a flamewar on this one, but times are not what they used to be. I used to book on the website and not look back. Now if I'm not piling on 2-3 discounts I can't stomach the cost. Times are not what they used to be.

Thanks for the great advise.

You can't get a Florida priced ticket if you're not really a Florida resident. Your FIL's offer is nice, but I'm not sure how you could legitimately get Florida ID if you don't live there at least part time - I think they have some sort of snowbird ID or Florida only driver's license (allowing you to keep licenses from 2 states) thing in Florida, but I don't know much about it.

There are no DVC discounts on Florida resident passes. You can get $100 off an AP by being a DVC member - that is a great discount. No DVC discounts for regular park tickets, though.

 

[Roveer]

I'm glad to hear that I don't have to consider something sketchy just becuase of $$$ Happy that the FL resident thing is off the table. Now I can get back to deciding how I want to make this happen. Time to clear out the closets.

 

[Crystal_27]

I thought I was on to something a few weeks ago, but now I'm confused. I was thinking of buying points at say SSR (because of their cost) and then using those points to book elsewhere. Is this a valid strategdy?

Yes, it is *if* you will be satisfied staying at SSR every time (in the event you aren't able to transfer out to another resort at the 7 month mark). DH and I actually kicked around that very same idea before we bought, but, in the end, we decided that we didn't want to battle every other DVC owner at 7 months in order to stay where we really wanted to be: BLT. And, honestly, in the grand scheme of things, you are really only talking about the difference in about $6,000 for buying 200 points resale at SSR versus buying 200 points at BLT. I'm not discounting the fact that $6,000 is a significant amount of money, but to me, spending the extra $6,000 up front and knowing that I'll be happy staying at my home resort every time is worth the extra money.

Good luck!!