Conundrum

Andy Clark

Earning My Ears
Joined
Aug 30, 2016
I’ve a been a long time fan of DVC & have followed the resales for the past few years.
My interest in potentially buying in has always been for the purpose of family, ex: As kids branch out on their own & have kids etc we’d have a place to vacation as a family, under one roof, without my kids having to pay out of pocket as I’d be the one making the investment.
My oldest grad’s today & will be moving to the Orlando area at the end of the month with his new job. So I’ve been thinking it’s only logical to buy into DVC as I’m sure we will be visiting quite a bit.
My hesitation is this....I’m not liking the decline in customer service at the parks over the past years, continuous & non stop price increases & the way the Walt Disney Company continues to flood the market by getting every penny they can out of an IP. Worries me that at some point people will have enough & it will self implode.
I understand it’s a business etc & they’re in it to make money, but customer experience & service has suffered in my opinion. I don’t want to buy in & all the extra cost add on’s continue along with less park hours, crowds and decline in service.
We will be staying at Old Key West end of the month guess I’ll see how that goes, might be the deciding factor.
 
If you are truly disenchanted with Disney, and foresee most of your future Orlando area vacations being spent at Universal, Legoland, or other venues...I would probably advise that a timeshare like DVC, where our dues pays for Disney transportation, and provides some Disney perks (if you purchase direct) may not be for you. You may want to look at some of the nice offsite timeshares in the area. If the majority of your trips will be "to Disney" and at Disney hotels, then DVC is a great option. Good luck with your decision.
 
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Whether to buy or not is a deeply personal decision. I First became aware of DVC in early 1990's when fellow employees bought in. My wife and I debated for some 15 years before we finally pulled the trigger. Now, we rotate taking our 7 grand kids. Each trip is a joy. That does not mean it is not expensive as all get out. For us it came down to did we enjoy going to Disney and enjoying the experience. The answer was yes and we still do. So that is your question, do you enjoy and do you anticipate still enjoying the Disney experience into the future?
 
My interest in potentially buying in has always been for the purpose of family, ex: As kids branch out on their own & have kids etc we’d have a place to vacation as a family, under one roof, without my kids having to pay out of pocket as I’d be the one making the investment.
Could your stated goal be satisfied by an off-site timeshare that you'd plan to visit regularly?

There are many lovely properties surrounding WDW with large units, great amenities, much lower buy-in and without "in-your-face Disney." Such a location might be a great buffer should Disney's service disappoint. Best wishes on your research!
 


My hesitation is this....I’m not liking the decline in customer service at the parks over the past years, continuous & non stop price increases & the way the Walt Disney Company continues to flood the market by getting every penny they can out of an IP. Worries me that at some point people will have enough & it will self implode.

You aren't too happy now, and you aren't an owner. I would suggest not buying. The prices will keep going up and the crowds will be getting insane with Star Wars opening. The Disney Co. is following a direction that many are not happy with, but I doubt it will change any time soon.

It sounds like you are buying in anticipation of what might happen years down the line. You need to want it now since your kids may not even want to go there in ten years. I have a friend who is in that situation. You can rent points for trips or stay in a big house off property to get together. You can also plan trips to National Parks and places like that, and not be tied to WDW.

Think real hard and keep researching. It's a ton of money for something you don't sound too enthusiastic about.
 
The upfront cost of DVC along with annual dues are covered over several years if you and your family want to stay on site at Disney in Deluxe accommodations. It is recommended to at least plan on travel to the World every other year, if not every year. DVC is a huge monetary commitment (not investment) to prepay for a Disney vacation. If you do not think this will be your travel plans, there are much cheaper options as others have mentioned. Good Luck in your decisions.
 
You aren't too happy now, and you aren't an owner. I would suggest not buying. The prices will keep going up and the crowds will be getting insane with Star Wars opening. The Disney Co. is following a direction that many are not happy with, but I doubt it will change any time soon.

It sounds like you are buying in anticipation of what might happen years down the line. You need to want it now since your kids may not even want to go there in ten years. I have a friend who is in that situation. You can rent points for trips or stay in a big house off property to get together. You can also plan trips to National Parks and places like that, and not be tied to WDW.

Think real hard and keep researching. It's a ton of money for something you don't sound too enthusiastic about.
To be honest I was 100% sold on it until a few months ago.
We’ve rented points several times & have always enjoyed DVC resorts.
I’m thinking maybe to continue to rent points or cash pay for the time being & see how things play out of the next few years.
 



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