Did you overthink your DVC purchase?

[robinb]

No, we didn't overthink it. We bought into DVC via resale a couple months after our first trip to WDW. We stayed at All Star Music and toured Boardwalk and OKW and basically fell in love with Disney and DVC. We bought into OKW because the price was right and then later into BWV because we wanted to stay within walking distance of Epcot. We paid cash for both purchases. We eventually sold our 230 points at OKW for a profit and bought 100 points at AKV instead. I don't regret that either as we have stayed concierge level many times.

 

[Disneyfan1983]

We tossed the idea around for ages and during the lockdowns of covid things really ramped up. We concluded that it just didn't stack up financially for us and that we'd rent points going forward.

We then took a trip this year that combined BLT, BCV, OKW and AKL and we knew that it was something that would bring us joy.

We received our closing documents for a 190 point contract at OKW 2 days ago and I've never wanted to spend so much money so quickly

 

[smileyanna]

I guess you could say that we “overthought it,” if you consider that for many years we were going multiple times a year and DVC would have saved us money had I bought in 2011.

But we didn’t know that we would take lots of short WDW trips per year at that time, since we’d never been parents to young children, didn’t know that Disney would be a good repeat vacation, and didn’t realize we would start naturally taking advantage of Great Recession hotel and annual pass discounts.

We just closed on a small contract and I’m honestly not sure it will save us money. (It’s more of a fun hobby for me that my partner tolerates.). We dont know that we will want to vacation at Disney as much in the future and we don’t want to make any major outlay of cash that would make us cut down - even a little- on our other vacation priorities. DVC leans us IN to Disney at a time when we might want to start leaning OUT.

Anyway, I guess I’m still overthinking it.

 

[CarolynFH]

There’s other travel (cruises, National Park, etc) that we enjoy as well.

Yes, I think that to be fair I need to add that we always traveled to other destinations in addition to WDW. My family traveled a lot while I was growing up, and by the time I had a family of my own, my parents were still traveling a lot and owned other timeshares. We generally had two weeks’ vacation time a year, so we usually spent a week at WDW and a week with my parents somewhere else. So our kids weren’t limited to WDW - they also visited many other places.

 

[RoseGold]

I didn't grow up going to WDW, so I rented points several times before I bought. This worked well for me because I eliminated WL entirely and found that I could handle what I now consider my "backup" rooms, like AKL. I also learned availability and the booking system, just with someone else's points, using tools that don't work anymore.

I don't think there's any rush to buy DVC. It will be there next year and five years from now. If anything, I think people on these board undervalue the flexibility of keeping your cash making money and just renting or staying Swolphin. Even 2020 didn't seem to teach that lesson. Heck, the Waldorf was under $200 for my August dates.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

I took 3 years from deciding that I was probably going to buy and buying. Part of that was waiting for prices to fall until that math worked as well as I wanted it to, which thankfully they did, part of that was making sure I had confidence in the UY I wanted to buy, and part of that was making absolutely sure I was not going need the cash I was going to spend on it for something else.

We did 3 Disney trips in the interim, staying at AoA, WL, and Hyatt House Anaheim (on points). AoA reinforced for me that that wasn’t going to work well enough for us, and WL reinforced that I NEEDED the 1BR space because Disney rooms are too damn small. Which in turn reinforced how much I needed prices to fall to make the math work, because 1BR math was upside down last year.

On that trip we also saw Saratoga Springs in person, taking a tour and generally getting a feel for the place. That gave me the confidence to be happy to stay there if I needed to.

We ended up buying a loaded SSR contract at $83/point, probably a little less than I would have gotten it for in spring 2020 when I first seriously considered buying, and far less than I would have paid the year prior. We more than paid for the AoA and WL stays with the savings vs 2022 prices.

In the mean time I fully educated myself and got myself into a way better position to buy. Happy as hell that I waited 3 years.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

I took 3 years from deciding that I was probably going to buy and buying. Part of that was waiting for prices to fall until that math worked as well as I wanted it to, which thankfully they did, part of that was making sure I had confidence in the UY I wanted to buy, and part of that was making absolutely sure I was not going need the cash I was going to spend on it for something else.

We did 3 Disney trips in the interim, staying at AoA, WL, and Hyatt House Anaheim (on points). AoA reinforced for me that that wasn’t going to work well enough for us, and WL reinforced that I NEEDED the 1BR space because Disney rooms are too damn small. Which in turn reinforced how much I needed prices to fall to make the math work, because 1BR math was upside down last year.

On that trip we also saw Saratoga Springs in person, taking a tour and generally getting a feel for the place. That gave me the confidence to be happy to stay there if I needed to.

We ended up buying a loaded SSR contract at $83/point, probably a little less than I would have gotten it for in spring 2020 when I first seriously considered buying, and far less than I would have paid the year prior. We more than paid for the AoA and WL stays with the savings vs 2022 prices.

In the mean time I fully educated myself and got myself into a way better position to buy. Happy as hell that I waited 3 years.

And to add, if prices didn’t fall to where I wanted them too, I was content to never buy, stay at Embassy Suites some trips, etc. It was pure mathematics that led to my purchase.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

If anything, I think people on these board undervalue the flexibility of keeping your cash making money and just renting or staying Swolphin

Amen

 

[jodifla]

I bought at $62 a point. I knew a deal when I saw one.

We found Swolfin underwhelming and not Disney enough for us.

Also we just can't stomach a big hotel bill at the end, with parking fees and resort fees, etc.

Love walking out with our zero balance at checkout.

 

[Genie+]

I am curious what makes it so hard that it takes folks years of looking before purchasing.

It took us years. In the meantime we took advantage of free dining offers and very cheap DVC rentals during covid. It’s a big commitment. Do you really want to go to WDW almost every year for decades? Then it’s on to how much are you willing to compromise vs how much you’re willing to spend?

I don’t regret waiting or starting with a small Resale. It allowed us time to really get the system and confidently decide we wanted at least a week’s worth of yearly points and that Poly or VGF made the most sense for us. So when VGF summer incentives came out it was a no brainer to buy and match our Sept UY. Now we have home priority at BW and relatively cheap VGF points with full perks.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Nope the great thing about buying direct, is the process is smooth and hassle free....

You decide you want to buy 48 maybe 72 hours later you own points, and they are available for booking....

 

[jodifla]

Nope the great thing about buying direct, is the process is smooth and hassle free....

You decide you want to buy 48 maybe 72 hours later you own points, and they are available for booking....

Yes that is awesome!

And I love my blue card!

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Yes that is awesome!

And I love my blue card!

yep I have two
got the second one after I found out they were discontinuing them so I framed it

 

[jodifla]

It took us years. In the meantime we took advantage of free dining offers and very cheap DVC rentals during covid. It’s a big commitment. Do you really want to go to WDW almost every year for decades? Then it’s on to how much are you willing to compromise vs how much you’re willing to spend?

I don’t regret waiting or starting with a small Resale. It allowed us time to really get the system and confidently decide we wanted at least a week’s worth of yearly points and that Poly or VGF made the most sense for us. So when VGF summer incentives came out it was a no brainer to buy and match our Sept UY. Now we have home priority at BW and relatively cheap VGF points with full perks.

Yes if you are unsure if WDW is going to be a regular spot for your family, then I can see it taking a while to be sure.

By the time we bought in 1996, I had already been going to Disney for 25 years straight (yes I am old) so the only question was how many points we would start with.

 

[DVCjj]

Definitely overthought. Deeply regret not purchasing much sooner than my 2014 and more points than my 425, 1/2 direct, 1/2 resale.

Definitely need more but not conducive to my senior age. Very thankful I bought when I did and what I bought.

 

[jodifla]

Definitely overthought. Deeply regret not purchasing much sooner than my 2014 and more points than my 425, 1/2 direct, 1/2 resale.

Definitely need more but not conducive to my senior age. Very thankful I bought when I did and what I bought.

When did you start considering DVC?

 

[KofPLovesMickey]

We have considered DVC since 2005. Bought HGVC instead because it was cheaper, more vacation locations, and we have always been able to get 1 Bedroom at SSR (which we love) through RCI at a great value of points whenever we wanted a Disney trip with good planning.

This worked for us through 2021 which is when Disney changed from RCI back to II. After one trip staying offsite at HGVC, we bought SSR Resale and have a split stay this January at BCV and AKV Savanna. We love Disney more on property (obviously).

We bought when it made sense for us. I think way too many variables exist for each person/family and for as many people that say they wish they bought sooner, I am guessing that at least the same number of people wish they didn’t but it so quickly.

Long story short, buy when you are comfortable and believe it makes sense, which might not be until you make trips over many years at Disney.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

We have considered DVC since 2005. Bought HGVC instead because it was cheaper, more vacation locations, and we have always been able to get 1 Bedroom at SSR (which we love) through RCI at a great value of points whenever we wanted a Disney trip with good planning.

This worked for us through 2021 which is when Disney changed from RCI back to II.

Ouch on the RCI to II swap. I think the same thing happened to a few others here when they made the switch. Given that I basically only ever want to stay in 1BRs and I like SSR, I remember considering it seriously and reading about how to buy into an RCI property to do a DVC swap (I think on TUG) back in 2020 or 2021. I’m SO glad I didn’t do it.

 

[E2ME2]

I know it is a big purchase, but taking years to make a decision really confounds me. Especially if during that time you are spending big bucks at on site Disney hotels.

If you think you will go to Disney every other year, and you can be flexible and you like nice accommodations it feels like a pretty easy choice.

We made our decision within a few months of staying at our first DVC property at Vero Beach. We did the no pressure tour. We loved the setting, so we checked out OKW and BWV as well and did those room tours.

We put off a car purchase and bought DVC instead. We bought the minimum for a direct sale at the time. We took out a loan but paid it off quickly. We added on in cash later.

And never looked back.

If you are already spending your vacation dollars at WDW, it is not that scary of a purchase. 27 years later, I can still sell it for more than I paid for it.

I am happy we bought a smallish contract. That way we have never felt overburdened by it.


I am curious what makes it so hard that it takes folks years of looking before purchasing.

I didn't over-think our initial purchase - and that was Direct in 2011,
(aboard the U.S.Minnow) I say that because the 90-minute DVC presentation turned into a 3-Hour tour, at my insistence on viewing every possible model room, and crunching the numbers in real time. We had already been spending Big$$ at WDW every 2 to 3 years on our family vacations, but were also considering extending the durations of our vacations in retirement. So we made the plunge, not even knowing about the Resale Market, and we have no regrets (We could still sell our initial purchase at a profit, even in today's market)
The "Over-Thinking" didn't hit me until I contracted Add-on-itis here on these DIS-Boards
Now I also suffer tremendously from "Analysis Paralysis" due to "Data Inundation"!
And I have all of you, my fellow enablers, to thank for that !
T

 

[KofPLovesMickey]

Ouch on the RCI to II swap. I think the same thing happened to a few others here when they made the switch. Given that I basically only ever want to stay in 1BRs and I like SSR, I remember considering it seriously and reading about how to buy into an RCI property to do a DVC swap (I think on TUG) back in 2020 or 2021. I’m SO glad I didn’t do it.

Yes. We were lucky, but we knew we had at least 10 years. DVC used to use II, but they switched to RCI for a minimum of 10 year period, so it became a no brainer and we bought HGVC within a year of the switch. We used RCI to DVC (once even at BWV somehow) 5 times over a 9 year period.

We are very happy now to have both and looking forward to staying in all the different DVC resorts going forward. It is funny because DVC always seemed so expensive, but with HGVC having membership fees and per each time you bank and book reservations, it is getting very close. Obviously DVC initial costs are high, but the ongoing is not too bad and way more flexible for sure.