Considering DVC.... but...

[silmarg]

We usually go to WDW once (sometimes twice) a year in generally in the offseason and try to take advantage of deals being offered (like free dining or the buy 4 get 7 deal they are offering now).

I have been looking at DVC resales and deciding if they make sense for us.

If we normally go the week before Labor Day (when free dining is offered) its seems to me it may not make sense to buy DVC.

Do DVC members fell cheated by offers offered to others but not them?

Part of me thinks DVC makes sense for us (since we go often)... but them part of me say it doesn't make sense (as the cost is fixed and you miss out on some deals).

 

[delmar411]

I don't feel cheated through the other deals because DVC was a right fit for us. I've priced out even the best deals and they are pricey because we are a family of 6. So I think you need to just look at the numbers and how you like to vacation.

can you stay at a value in 1 room?

do you enjoy the values and mods?

do you only travel based on what deal you can find and won't travel if there isn't a good deal?

how much does it cost you for the room each trip?

are you willing to give up free dining, ticket promos, room discounts, etc?

and while you can re-sell DVC you should be going into it looking at whether or not you really want to vacation at WDW for the next several decades and whether you will want to continue to pay dues on a vacation that you may or may not take each year.

By running the numbers there should be some sort of break even point where the DVC pays for itself. If that point is too far down the road then it wouldn't make much sense to buy in. Or it might make sense if you don't care what the numbers say! LOL

 

[ChelleinNC]

I've seen some members complain about not getting the "specials" offered to the general public. But I believe most of us know that our deal is even better that any special, especially in the long run. My rate is locked in, you're currently paying rack rate for your room in order to get free dining. Rack rate is higher now than it was a few years ago and it most likely will be even higher a few years from now. What I get jealous of, is the members that bought in years before us that locked in a (much) lower price

 

[mooneyda]

I personally do not regret buying into it yeah I have to pay for dining but the flip side is I am staying In rooms I would never be able to afford

 

[silmarg]

We are a family of 4 and I do foresee going to WDW for years to come (and can see the DW and I to continue going even after the kids fly the coop). So because of this.. I am thinking I should do DVC.

We've stayed at all types of resorts (Contempo, Coronado, All Star, Shades of Green, several of the places in Lake Buena Vista and offsite apts). Are studios in DVC comparable to a moderate room? Or are they nicer?

Do you think I should rent points to "try it out" before buying?

As an alternative was thinking if I should just buy a condo offsite (with Fla housing prices, they seems to be a good deal).

 

[ABCanada]

The seasonal point schedule gives us our deal.

If you like staying in a deluxe resort "free dining" is not a great deal. It is less expensive to stay in DVC studio valuing it at $10 / pnt and add the dining plan it you want it.

With DVC it is great not having to pay the taxes and fees at the resorts which seem to add up. Comparing the room rate alone does not give a fair comparison.

Disadvantages:
It is a long term commitment.
You do need to plan your vacation a long time in advance to get your accommodation choice. Spur of the moment accommodation may be iffy.

 

[DisneyWhirled]

Are studios in DVC comparable to a moderate room? Or are they nicer?

Do you think I should rent points to "try it out" before buying?

Studios are larger than moderates and include the "mini" kitchen. We are a family of 4 and usually book studios, to make our points go further.

If I were you, and you haven't already, take a tour with a guide. If you would like the name of a great guide, PM me and I would be glad to share.

You could always rent points to try it out, but I don't think one stay would necessarily help me make the financial decision. You really have to look at whe you travel, how often, where you want to stay, etc.

Feel free to PM me with any questions. We are glad that we have DVC and do not feel sorry that we don't get the special room discounts.

We are using some of our points for a 4 night cruise on the Wonder, don't know if you had thought about the other ways you can use your points. The best value is staying @ a DVC resort, but we like the flexibility.

 

[december14disney]

The benefit to DVC is you dont have to spend hours agonizing over codes, pins, etc. Plus you are getting a deluxe accomodation. If you are happy with a value/mod and dont mind sitting and waiting for the codes...maybe its not a great idea. We used to do that---I am over it! With the DVC discount on AP and the TIW you get from that...I am still saving alot on dining!

 

[ChelleinNC]

We are a family of 4 and I do foresee going to WDW for years to come (and can see the DW and I to continue going even after the kids fly the coop). So because of this.. I am thinking I should do DVC.

We've stayed at all types of resorts (Contempo, Coronado, All Star, Shades of Green, several of the places in Lake Buena Vista and offsite apts). Are studios in DVC comparable to a moderate room? Or are they nicer?

Do you think I should rent points to "try it out" before buying?

As an alternative was thinking if I should just buy a condo offsite (with Fla housing prices, they seems to be a good deal).

We're also a family of 4. DD is 15, DS is almost 12. When they were younger, it was easier to do the smaller room. Now we tend to get 2BR's so they each have their own (real) bed and more important with a teenage daughter, the 2nd bathroom!!!!! I will warn you, once you stay in a 2BR you'll never want to go back Even after the kids are gone, DH & I will stay in 1 BR's for long trips and studios only for quick trips. We enjoy having the living room as we spend a lot of time at the resort. I don't use the kitchen for cooking, but we do bring our leftovers back to the room & have breakfast/snack items there.

DVC studios are comparable to a regular Deluxe room except that you don't have the 2nd real bed (OKW being the exception). DVC studios have a queen bed and a full size sofa sleeper and a mini kitchen. We've stayed in a studio once (our DVC trial on rented points) and it worked. It was nice to have the sofa, to sit around and easy to pull it out & put it away. The issue for us was a girl/boy that won't share a bed (eww ) so we had to have an aerobed as well and that took up space.

Would you be happy staying offsite? You may get a better/cheaper deal that way. Personally, I won't stay off site (admitted resort snob ). I like to pull up to Disney and not leave the magic all week. I don't want to drive, I don't want to see the real world. So an offsite timeshare/condo wouldn't work for me, but it might for you.

DVC is great, but it's not the right answer for everyone. You'll need to look at what's most important to you now & in the future, will you want/need larger villas, are you willing to drive to & from the parks, will you continue to go to Disney every year/other year, what about after the kids are gone? Even if your kids are small now, they'll be out of the house long before your DVC contract is up. We only have 6 more years till the "baby" is out DH & I can't wait till we can do more trips per year; Food & Wine here we come! Flower & Garden, can't wait! Winter golf trips We'll use & enjoy our membership as much if not more once the kids are gone, will you? It's a lot to think about and took us several years to decide that it was right for us. Our last cash trip was on rented points at SSR, we did the tour (again) on the 1st day and signed the contract 2 days later. After doing the math over & over & over again and then seeing DVC in action, we had our answer

 

[girlsx2]

We are "renting" points for our March stay. I am so looking forward to it. We will be staying at SSR. On our very first trip (staying on site) we stayed at the WL and LOVED IT!! On our next trip we stayed at POP and liked it very well, but missed the WL terribly. I am seriously considering buying resale later this summer for DVC. I don't think I will be dissapointed with SSR and will take a tour while I am there to see a 1 and 2 br unit.

 

[Sandisw]

I think that DVC is an individual purchase and does not always break down only in dollars and cents.

We have been going to Disney for years and love it. My DH and I figure we will continue to go every year, even though our children have gotten older (DS20, DD16, DD13) and will not always be coming with us. Knowing this, we decided to start small and buy resale, 50 VWL points.

Since we most often stay Deluxe, we figured that the upfront cost ($4400) and the yearly maintance fees of $260, will still cost us less for the 3 nights in a studio those points will get us, than what we have currently been paying to the Contemporary for those same 3 nights.

Of course, we also hope to buy into BLT later this year, since this is the resort I really want to be at (but am fine with VWL right now).

I also looked at the purchase as something that my children and their families (once they have them) could use if we decide not to. They love WDW as much as we do so I see it as something that will be useful down the road as well.

 

[Cindaddy]

I think that DVC is an individual purchase and does not always break down only in dollars and cents.

We have been going to Disney for years and love it. My DH and I figure we will continue to go every year, even though our children have gotten older (DS20, DD16, DD13) and will not always be coming with us. Knowing this, we decided to start small and buy resale, 50 VWL points.

Since we most often stay Deluxe, we figured that the upfront cost ($4400) and the yearly maintance fees of $260, will still cost us less for the 3 nights in a studio those points will get us, than what we have currently been paying to the Contemporary for those same 3 nights.

Of course, we also hope to buy into BLT later this year, since this is the resort I really want to be at (but am fine with VWL right now).

I also looked at the purchase as something that my children and their families (once they have them) could use if we decide not to. They love WDW as much as we do so I see it as something that will be useful down the road as well.

I think this is the most accurate statement. After spending the weekend pouring over my spreadsheet trying to figure out if it's worth it, I've come to realize that it's not a dollars and cents issue. DVC saves you money on Deluxe accommodations. That's the bottom line. If your happy in Moderate/Value then you can save money there. Heck, with the specials they have running now, it's possible to get two moderate rooms for less than DVC (valued at $10 a point using BLT point chart). It's about the the accommodations. Many people love the extra value of the Deluxe resorts and that's they decision that you (and I) have to make.

 

[CommandoDawg]

We bought DVC after our youngest child had graduated from high school. My wife and I have always loved WDW. We honeymooned there and took our children there every other year. We were looking forward to seeing our grandchildren enjoy WDW and thought we would have a better chance of being able to be included if we invited the grandchildren (and their parents) to join us at our Disney Home instead of trying to leach on to our children's trips for cash stays. When multiple families or multi generation families are staying together a 2BR is much better for enjoying time together than adjacent hotel rooms. My wife is a teacher and with her discount we can stay at the Swan most times when it is just the two of us for less than the annual dues for the points so we plan to save our points for family trips.

 

[silmarg]

does DVC have room service every nite?

 

[silmarg]

when we head down on our next trip i have a late flt out of MCO... maybe will take a dvc tour then

 

[Cmbar]

does DVC have room service every nite?

No room service unless you request it and pay for it. They do a towel change and trash on like day 4 I think. Probably one of the downsides of DVC for us. Not a big deal but it is really nice to come back from a day out and have your bed made and things cleaned up. It feels like vacation to me! I especially love this on the cruise!!! But it is not enough of a reason to not buy into DVC!

 

[carmie3377]

Last year, we began planning our first stay as owner's during late September/early October. Then free dining came out with the last check-in date just one day before our check-in date. I was really upset thinking that if I hadn't bought into DVC, I could move our check-in date up by one day and take advantage of free dining. Then, I decided to run some numbers. To get our "cost" of the 1 BR savannah at AKV, I calculated our per point price based on what we paid plus current annual dues then mulitiplied by the required number of points. Then, I added our tickets and the cost of adding on the DDP. Guess what, I came out $2000 under what it would have cost me to book the same room with Disney for free dining for cash. I couldn't have even booked a non DVC savannah room at AKL for less than it "cost" me using points for a 1 BR. I realized I had made the right decision to buy into DVC since we do tend to go every year. Sure, I could have stayed value or maybe even moderate for less than it "cost" me but not enough to make it worth it. You can't even come close comparing a 1 BR savannah to a value or moderate.

 

[fers31]

I like to think of it this was as I've only stayed once so far on my DVC. I have an upcoming trip for 4 days OVIR at Vero Beach and 4 days in a savannah studio at AKV. Vero beach is $270 per night and Animal Kingdom is $450 per night for a total of around $3000. Would I have splurged and paid $3000 for the hotel portion of my vacation without DVC.....no way!

 

[Cindaddy]

Last year, we began planning our first stay as owner's during late September/early October. Then free dining came out with the last check-in date just one day before our check-in date. I was really upset thinking that if I hadn't bought into DVC, I could move our check-in date up by one day and take advantage of free dining. Then, I decided to run some numbers. To get our "cost" of the 1 BR savannah at AKV, I calculated our per point price based on what we paid plus current annual dues then mulitiplied by the required number of points. Then, I added our tickets and the cost of adding on the DDP. Guess what, I came out $2000 under what it would have cost me to book the same room with Disney for free dining for cash. I couldn't have even booked a non DVC savannah room at AKL for less than it "cost" me using points for a 1 BR. I realized I had made the right decision to buy into DVC since we do tend to go every year. Sure, I could have stayed value or maybe even moderate for less than it "cost" me but not enough to make it worth it. You can't even come close comparing a 1 BR savannah to a value or moderate.

That's a bit misleading. Your statement is true regarding accommodations. From a strictly dollars and cents point-of-view, you can't really do a direct comparison like that. You have to average it out over the whole contract and see what your average price is per year or per night. The lowest dues are at the beginning, so you can't really use current year dues. Points are valued around $10. One week in a 1 BR SV is 205 points for 2009. At $10 a point, that's $2050 or $292/night( great deal for a 1 BR). That's about what it really cost you (It could vary somewhat). Rack rate on the standard room with Savannah view is $305. That's only $2135 for the same stay with rack rates plus the dining was free (not sure how it could possibly be $2000 more). To be fair, you would need to pull, at least, $700 out of that for free dining for a family of 4. So, a week in the standard room during free dining is much cheaper, but that extra $100/day gets you a 1 BR suite. DVC is a good deal in my eyes, if you want what it offers.

 

[Cmbar]

That's a bit misleading. Your statement is true regarding accommodations. From a strictly dollars and cents point-of-view, you can't really do a direct comparison like that. You have to average it out over the whole contract and see what your average price is per year or per night. The lowest dues are at the beginning, so you can't really use current year dues. Points are valued around $10. One week in a 1 BR SV is 205 points for 2009. At $10 a point, that's $2050 or $292/night( great deal for a 1 BR). That's about what it really cost you (It could vary somewhat). Rack rate on the standard room with Savannah view is $305. That's only $2135 for the same stay with rack rates plus the dining was free (not sure how it could possibly be $2000 more). To be fair, you would need to pull, at least, $700 out of that for free dining for a family of 4. So, a week in the standard room during free dining is much cheaper, but that extra $100/day gets you a 1 BR suite. DVC is a good deal in my eyes, if you want what it offers.

I don't really understand the best way to figure all this out (as we are getting ready to purchase ourselves). If you can't use current dues to determine the cost per point, then you really can't use the current cost of Disney's Rack rate as their rooms will go up just as the dues go up right? Wouldn't you have to figure that in to compare the difference between the same resort stay (lets say AKL with a standard room compared to a 1 bedroom). Also you forgot to add in the 12.5% tax on that standard room so that is almost an additional $300 she would have added to the cost of the standard room.

I think in the end we are choosing DVC not for room size but for Resort choice. We like to stay at the Deluxe resorts but really only want to spend Moderate prices. Everyone buys for their own reasons. Being an accountant doesn't help since I tend to break down my investment into numbers. But the truth is that DVC is an EMOTIONAL choice for us. It is about our vacation time with our family. It is our Happy place and I don't know if I can break down into dollars and cents those memories.

Good luck in your decision and I hope that the Disboards has helped you in some way! For us it has be difficult to get to the point where we finally got the money to pay with cash and now we are feeling insecure with all the changes going on by DVC. I love Disney, but I am a little worried about it now. How long before they change rules like staying at other resorts or booking only a minimum stay or changing to the same points for every night. Evidently they can change any of those things legally. I feel that if we buy DVC we can't be sure they won't change everything by the time 2060 approaches. It is a difficult decision!