Considering DVC. Help.

[Jazz dude]

Hi,

We are just starting to look at possibly buying into dvc. When my wife called dvc they said our “home” resort would be the wilderness lodge villas. What are yours guys thoughts on dvc? What are the pitfalls we should be aware of if any? We usually go to Disney at least once a year and we are going to Aulani in June. Any information we should know is appreciated

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Research, research, research.

The only "live" resort they are pushing on WDW campus right now is Copper Creek. But if that's not where you want to stay and have 11 month booking priority, you should not buy CCV from Disney. Copper Creek is nice, but it has some disadvantages - in the long term, it may be hard to get studios there, especially in DVC high season (late September through marathon), studio and 1BR both sleep only 4.

To make DVC work, you need to understand how home resort booking and open booking works, understand banking and borrowing, understand the annual costs, and have a fair idea of what resort you want to call home.

Most Disney DVC "guides" will overstate how easily non-home resorts can be booked at 7 months. You may yourself make assumptions based on point charts that are not practicable (like being able to get the least expensive units at Aulani at 7 months). Guides also overstate the value of the "membership extras!!!!" which are not really all that valuable for 98% of buyers.

 

[chalee94]

Take a couple of months and do your homework reading threads and asking questions. DVC will still be there. Most of us won't recommend buying direct unless you are certain that you want CCV (wilderness lodge) as your home resort.

One potential pitfall is that DVC works best if you plan and book well in advance (11 months). But take some time to make sure it seems like a good fit for you before you spend thousands of dollars making a commitment for a long-term real estate contract.

 

[Ben E N]

Don't call a guide or anybody else at DVC until you have read a ton on the DVC boards. Feel free to ask the people on these boards as many questions as you like as you go along the way.
The guides have one purpose - to get you to buy direct from them, regardless of whether that is the right choice for you or not.
The people on these boards have no financial gain from assisting you, and will be more honest in their feedback.

 

[disneynutz]

If you are flush with cash just go for it. If not, take the time to learn about the product and become an educated buyer. You are off to a good start, keep reading, your question is asked and answered a couple of times each week.

Bill

 

[CarolMN]

Lots of info for you to ponder on our

DVC RESOURCE CENTER

 

[pineapplepalms]

Definitely spend a good amount of time doing your research if you can! I spent a solid 6-7 months researching before deciding on our DVC purchase plan, and these boards were invaluable. We bought CCV direct because we'd like to stay there during the holidays and are fine with the 4-person occupancy for studios and 1BRs (plus we value the length of contract), but we are buying most of our points resale at other home resorts. We were able to stay at CCV before buying and it really cemented our decision. Having a good idea of where you would be happy staying (or where you would love staying, or a mix if you decide on multiple home resorts) is important, as well as being able to plan vacations far out enough to take advantage of the home resort booking window (especially if you're paying a premium for a specific home resort).

 

[LAX]

If you are flush with cash just go for it. If not, take the time to learn about the product and become an educated buyer. You are off to a good start, keep reading, your question is asked and answered a couple of times each week.

Bill

DVC is the wrong product for those "flush with cash"! Should be looking at Golden Oak instead.

LAX

 

[pineapplepalms]

DVC is the wrong product for those "flush with cash"! Should be looking at Golden Oak instead.

LAX

Just took a look at the current Golden Oak pricing. You can get a stunning, large home on a large lot for ~$2 million. Sad that what you get for that price is substantially more than what you get for it where we live

 

[Ben E N]

Just took a look at the current Golden Oak pricing. You can get a stunning, large home on a large lot for ~$2 million. Sad that what you get for that price is substantially more than what you get for it where we live

I am pretty sure that is just for the lot. Disney sells the land - you pay for the house.


And, you are then living year round in central Florida.
I think it is meant more for vacation homes for the very well to do.

 

[pineapplepalms]

I am pretty sure that is just for the lot. Disney sells the land - you pay for the house.


And, you are then living year round in central Florida.
I think it is meant more for vacation homes for the very well to do.

Based on their website it looks like it includes the home and the lot. They have some move-in ready ones listed and the only extra cost is a partial furniture package. It would make a fantastic retirement home if you could afford it and love Disney.

 

[Ben E N]

Based on their website it looks like it includes the home and the lot. They have some move-in ready ones listed and the only extra cost is a partial furniture package. It would make a fantastic retirement home if you could afford it and love Disney.

And if you like 95 degree weather with 85% humidity 3 months out of the year. There's a reason why so many people retire to the coasts of Florida as opposed to the middle of the state. If you need it to complete your Disney portfolio it may be worth it, but that's a lot of money to pay for a geographically unpleasant area for a good portion of the year.

 

[Ben E N]

Based on their website it looks like it includes the home and the lot. They have some move-in ready ones listed and the only extra cost is a partial furniture package. It would make a fantastic retirement home if you could afford it and love Disney.

I will admit, though, that seeing a 3000 square foot house for only 2 million did entice me to take a look at its exact location and layout and sat to myself "hunh, not bad." I wonder if that's an indication of demand not being as high as Disney first thought it would be. I never find anything at Disney to be "not bad" in terms of cost.

 

[igrsod]

I will admit, though, that seeing a 3000 square foot house for only 2 million did entice me to take a look at its exact location and layout and sat to myself "hunh, not bad." I wonder if that's an indication of demand not being as high as Disney first thought it would be. I never find anything at Disney to be "not bad" in terms of cost.

That seems expensive to me, but we have a 5000 square foot home on the lakefront for 1 million. I guess I will slum it and just stay here, and travel to WDW in the winters.

 

[pineapplepalms]

I will admit, though, that seeing a 3000 square foot house for only 2 million did entice me to take a look at its exact location and layout and sat to myself "hunh, not bad." I wonder if that's an indication of demand not being as high as Disney first thought it would be. I never find anything at Disney to be "not bad" in terms of cost.

Right? Not as bad as I thought it would be either, although I think housing costs in Orlando aren’t that high in general comparatively. Even the school district is decent. For a decent school district here there is a hefty premium, and for the best school districts it’s exorbitant.

 

[Ben E N]

Right? Not as bad as I thought it would be either, although I think housing costs in Orlando aren’t that high in general comparatively. Even the school district is decent. For a decent school district here there is a hefty premium, and for the best school districts it’s exorbitant.

Florida schools are not highly regarded at all nationally. They have to send recruiters out of state to try to get teachers to come and work in many districts. That, combined with it being central Florida and not the coasts, brings costs down. The nice winter weather and location compared to WDW are obvious plusses compared to a lake front house in Tennessee though.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thing about this. That $2M home was built on a swamp crawling with alligators, snakes and other wild animals.

 

[bumbershoot]

OP, study before buying.




***********

I will admit, though, that seeing a 3000 square foot house for only 2 million

“Only”...

One can tell what sort of real estate market people are from depending on if they say “only” vs “HOW much??!!!”

 

[hayesdvc]

You have taken the first step that most others do not ........................... ask questions. Now the first step in buying DVC is a step back; study and read. Use this site.............. there are threads on 99% of the questions you will have as others have had those same questions. One of the most important question to answer is "Do I buy Direct or Resale and why?" Good Luck !

 

[AtomicFrog]

You have taken the first step that most others do not ........................... ask questions. Now the first step in buying DVC is a step back; study and read. Use this site.............. there are threads on 99% of the questions you will have as others have had those same questions. One of the most important question to answer is "Do I buy Direct or Resale and why?" Good Luck !

Then step back and read again.... a fortuitous slow responding seller gave me the chance to back out, reread some threads, and make a better deal on another resort... and then I made a quick solo trip and rethought that deal. I still went with that deal because it wound up being right for me. But the fact I could have done a little more homework showed me that there is a lot of good, accurate advice here. Don't rush your decision, and don't feel like you have to buy right now.