Continue to rent DVC points or join DVC?

[chris4disney]

DH and I fell in love with WDW in 2004. We have been back every year and love the DVC resorts. We have debated for years now about joining DVC ourselves, but until then have continued to rent DVC points for our annual trips. We were lucky enough to meet a DVC member back in 2007 who has points at many of the DVC resorts and is always willing to rent to us. With proper planning in advance on our part, we usually get the room and dates that we want, and this DVC member is very easy to work with. We've worked with him on several of our trips, he's rented to my parents and to several of our friends. I trust him. So now we're starting to wonder... "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!" We have two kids (DD5, DS8) and live in NE Ohio so we always fly to WDW. Which means we spend about $800-$1000 each trip in plane tickets. Financially right now we know we can only do one week long trip once a year. So can anyone point out the benefits (in our situation) that would make it worth it to buy into DVC ourselves? I know DVC members get a nice discount on annual passes, but if we only visit one week a year and only need base tickets, that doesn't seem like a deal breaker for us.

Are there any other major benefits that I'm overlooking that might sway us to jump the fence... based on our situation? Again, right now we travel only once a year for about 8-9 days. Of course we'd love to go more often, but I don't see that in the cards for us for atleast a few more years. Or atleast until the kids are in college and we're able to travel more freely on our schedules.

Any thoughts?

 

[VrBchJ]

I was in your same position several years ago. I had a wonderful DVC owner that I was renting from. After I'd given him several thousand dollars over a couple of years he told me that while he loved renting to me but he thought it was kind of foolish on my part to keep giving him my money instead of buying my own points. I thought he had a good point so I bought a BWV resale and have never regretted it. It's such a totally personal decision but that's my experience.

 

[chris4disney]

I was in your same position several years ago. I had a wonderful DVC owner that I was renting from. After I'd given him several thousand dollars over a couple of years he told me that while he loved renting to me but he thought it was kind of foolish on my part to keep giving him my money instead of buying my own points. I thought he had a good point so I bought a BWV resale and have never regretted it. It's such a totally personal decision but that's my experience.

I know what you're saying. We only stay in studios so we typically need just 100-120 points a year. So we pay approximately $1,200 to rent the DVC unit. If we were members with a 120 point contract we'd be paying about $600 a year in annual dues with BCV as our home resort. (that's my fav. place!) So I don't feel we're paying that much more to rent. In the long run, I know buying in ourselves would be a better deal. But it's a lot of money up front to invest. As renters we can decide not to go back to WDW without any loss... but I can't see that happening any time soon!!

 

[sweetdana]

Have you considered, buying enough for 1 trip every 3 yrs (with banking and borrowing). IE 1/3rd the amt of points. This will make sure you can go, but certainly wouldn't have to go to often. It also would allow you to transfer in other members points and qualify for the AP discounts.

 

[disneynutz]

It's a numbers game, figure the cost of your contract, increasing dues, food, tickets, travel for every year for the next xx years, the cost of financing if any, and the cost to sell your contract, if you can sell it later on. Also realize that you are committing to a Disney vacation for years to come.

Renting a reservation has many of the same costs but when you want to stop going to WDW, you just stop and you don't have to deal with MS and the management company contracted to run the DVC.

Bill

 

[mdsd8700]

OP you seem to have a pretty sweet situation going on. I am not sure I would buy DVC if it was so easy to rent and had such a good relationship with the person renting. We took a very long time to buy in. Our first trip was 14 years ago but only the last 10 years did we consider purchasing DVC. We have only been members just over a year and our kids are 14 and 17. Although we have always loved Disney and it was by far our favorite place to visit again and again we finally decided a couple years ago that visiting every year or even every other year for the next 50 years was exactly what we wanted. Everything just seemed right and fell into place. However buying DVC seems to make many members spend more even though they are saving on the room portion. We are taking a second short trip this year because we own DVC points, without them we wouldn't be. That means of course we are spending more money because we own. Renting seems to be working for you and if ever you feel it is the perfect time to buy, resale is an excellent option, even with the restrictions and at that time you could look for a contract to suit your needs.

Good Luck.

 

[twinklebug]

From what I'm hearing, the cost sounds pretty equal for you either way, rent or buy. With buying you do have the financial commitment of dues and possible a small loan. All things figured - still pretty much the same.

The BIG advantage to being an owner is in being able to control the reservation yourself. You'd be the the one calling Member services, discussing options available, booking rooms, banking and borrowing points. All so you can plan for a larger unit such as a THV if you so desire even if you only have enough points to reserve a 1br unit for a week.

For me ownership was about control... and... a great sense of accomplishment.
Now I'm just fighting off addonitis... someone here is spreading it.

 

[Brian Noble]

In years past, I would have advised you to continue renting. The total cost was comparable, but owning exposes you to additional risk---namely, the risk that your vacation habits will change.

However, resale prices have fallen far enough that under most reasonable assumptions about inflation/opportunity costs, owning is less expensive than renting. There is still the risk that your vacation habits will change---at 11 and 13, our children have grown out of the "prime Disney demographic" and have other interests---but if you and your husband would still expect to make regular visits well into the future, it could still be a good idea.

 

[dlhvac]

Our friends just bought ssr from disney for 99.00 a point
for 200 points you can purchase the older resorts for less from disney

 

[333disneymom]

We usually go once a year too and own DVC. We buy the annual passes one year and go for a week. Then the following year, we just go one week earlier, so that we get two vacations for one annual pass, which is a savings.

Every person is different and you really have to look at your situation and your vacation habits. You also have to think down the line. You never know if the person who rents will always be able to rent you. With your own points, you'll always be able to go. Good luck with your decision.

 

[DVCconvert]

There will always be good people willing to rent to you.
I guess in my mind is that with the ages of your kids, life's just going to keep getting more expensive for you for awhile - and school schedules will make it harder and harder to get away. I'd personally, proably either continue with what you're doing now or, buy via resale enough points so you make a points stay every 3 years. Best of luck to you in your decision!

 

[JimMIA]

Personally, I would not fix something that's not broken. You have a very good situation now -- one which has worked well and you're very comfortable with.

In addition, if you buy, you will likely buy BCV. I don't think the decline in resale prices is nearly as beneficial compared to renting if you're talking about paying low- to mid-$80's per point resale for BCV. If you pay $45-$55 resale for OKW, BWV or SSR...MAYBE. But that extra $30-$40 per point for BCV makes a big difference in the purchasing math -- and don't forget, the rental prices are the same.

If you buy direct -- which would be nuts, IMHO -- you'd be paying $99 for OKW/SSR or $115 for BCV or BWV. Surely, you'd be better off renting than paying those prices.

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't think the decline in resale prices is nearly as beneficial compared to renting if you're talking about paying low- to mid-$80's per point resale for BCV.

Good point. If you amortize at 6% opportunity, over the life of the contract, you get a per-year/per-pt purchase cost of $5.76. Throw in dues, and you are at about $11/pt---which is competitive with the BCV rental market. Thanks, Jim.

If you were willing to go with BWV, the answer is probably different. But, if you must stay at BCV, I would continue renting.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Our friends just bought ssr from disney for 99.00 a point
for 200 points you can purchase the older resorts for less from disney

YIKES!!! $99 a point for SSR? That's high, very high. Those little palm trees are expensive.

Why bother going direct when you can get it much cheaper through a resale?

OP, I'm with Jim. Keep your sweet deal if you can.

 

[MinnieGi]

We also back our trips so that we can buy and make use of the annual pass discount. For instance we went last Dec. for Christmas week and this year we are going Thanksgiving week - all on one annual pass ticket for each. We then will take a year off and start the cycle again.

I'm not exactly sure what I would do in your situation, you seem to have a good thing going with NO annual dues!! Plus you will probably find as the kids age you may get too busy to go to Disney every year and everyone may want to try out other places. Which is also why we take a break from Disney after a year's cycle of trips b/c our kids now 11 & 7 want to explore many other places.

 

[jekjones1558]

We are at a stage when having to cancel reservations is a fact of life, so renting would be much riskier for us. So, from my perspective, I would buy a small contract and then transfer points in as needed. That gives control of points and reservations and ability to use DVC perks.

 

[dbs1228]

We put off buying in for about 10 years, every year saying "we will take a year off next year" or "the kids will out grow WDW" well 16 years later and DD's 16, 19 and 20 we are still going every year and the older DD's have used some points for their own trip. For us we feel we should have done it sooner. After buying BLT direct we added on at SSR resale and would not buy direct again, just does not make sense.

Let me add that we are fortunate enough to take a non-Disney vacation every year also, if that was not a possibility we probably would not have bought into dvc. It is a personal decision but I do agree with some PP about buying enough points (resale) for every 3rd year 50 - 75 points and instead of renting do point transfers.

 

[Donna M]

You have been going for long enough to know that you love it and will be going for many years to come. Our kids are in their 20s now, so we are planning trips without them, but we seem to always have other people joining us. I'm glad we have the points and flexibility.

You have a good thing going now, but if you have the money to buy it, I'd say go for it. You are probably going to buy in the future and will wonder why it took so long to decide.

Just make sure you can afford it! It's a big commitment. And realize that resales have limitations on them now.