Don't see the point of DVC anymore

[ear_poppin]

We have held SSR, BCV and BWV since 2004. When I bought them I thought they were a fabulous idea. However over the last year I have been thinking of selling because with DVC we do not get the great offers that are about - gift cards, extra days free and of course free dining.

In fact it seems that DVC is a rather expensive way of going to Disney now. Anyone able to convince me otherwise ?

Denise

 

[jlewisinsyr]

The free offers and discounts are still available to you on a cash basis. Remember those discounts all come with a catch. Free dining is rack rate for the room, 4 + 3 is similar and you need to pay for 4 days and tickets to get 3 more (adding 3 days to a hopper is low cost). In the end most of the discounts work out to be about 40% off the rack rate.

There are no guarantees though that these discounts will last forever and as the economy moves towards the future and starts to recover, Disney is going to need to use less and less of these discounts to attract visitors. That said I don't think they'll ever be able to get fully away from them because people have become disillusioned with the price point, which is always a risk for any company discounting their product.

Buying DVC offers the opportunity to lock in your price, in the end saving yourself a significant amount of money. It's not a short term strategy though, and it requires a good 7 - 10 years to really feel the benefit. In the end if you keep your contract to end of its life and there are no abnormal changes in the Disney holdings (ie. Disney closes down) you should expect to be pay on average 50% - 70% off the published rack rate, on average.

 

[VAN]

We are frequent visitors to WDW and also have the means to purchase DVC if we chose. We don't, however, stay in the deluxe resorts - nor in the moderate for that matter. We stay in value resorts ... so the DVC has NEVER looked like a good deal for us.

You have to remember that all of these fabulous promotions are because of the current economy. With the exception of the September Free Dining (which was to fill the rooms/restaurants/parks during hurricane season), there were very few discounts other than AP, AAA and an occasional room discount during low season.

I do see your point, however, the promotions are not to reward and/or reduce your costs for your planned vacation but to encourage you to schedule a vacation you weren't planning on. Thus, extra revenue for WDW.

Anyway, yes I agree that you've bought in to the DVC dream and, at this point in time, seem to be getting the short end of the stick. The only thing I can say, is that you should fall in line with the rest of us and schedule an extra vacation taking advantage of the special discounts being offered right now.

 

[Sandisw]

Run the number based on 10 years out. That is what I did. The price I paid for my BLT points, plus dues, would be about the same as if I consistently got a 20% discount or free dining (for the size of my family) every year for the next 10 years from Disney.

In my mind, DVC is not costing me more than if I just went with specials for the next 10 years. And remember, the specials come and go. I hated having to try and hope that they would be there.

Now, I don't have to worry. I have my deal and am very happy. And, once I pass that 10 year mark, I will really be saving since at that point, I will be only comparing MF's to the price of the specials. No discounts Disney offers will beat that.

And, if in 10 years, I decided to sell BLT and got even 1/2 of my purchase price back, I would make out even better.

Of course, we bought so that we could get a lot more than 10 years of Disney trips. My DH and I love it and will be heading there for many years to come, even when our kids are grown.

 

[Crystal_27]

DVC is never supposed to be a way to save money (that's just a bonus). It's a way to pre-pay your vacation to ensure that you won't be paying inflated prices in 10-20-30-40-50 years (so, when the Pop is renting for $300 a night, you'll still be in a Deluxe villa for "free"). The economy is doing poorly right now, and Disney is offering these crazy deals in order to get people in the parks. They aren't going to continue once the economy rebounds, period.

All that said, if you aren't happy and feel like selling your DVC and staying at Disney via these discounted packages, do it. DVC is good for some and not good for others. Perhaps, your vacation style has changed such that DVC is no longer a good fit. Either way, good luck.

 

[Lynne M]

The word 'free' is such an attention-getter. Just because others are getting free things, don't be so sure that you're still not getting a better deal. In order to get free dining, those customers are paying WAY more for the villa than you would as a DVC member.

The key, though, is the room. If you bought DVC because you wanted to stay in villas, or in a deluxe level resort, you're still getting a much better deal. Even with free dining or 4/3, you're coming out way ahead.

If you bought DVC because you thought you'd be getting a cheap way of staying at WDW, and you really don't care about where you stay, and would be just as happy in a value.....well, maybe that was a mistake, because you would be saving more money staying in a value and partaking of the various deals. Lesser accommodations are always going to cost less.

Over the long haul, if you look at the cost of staying in a villa through DVC or on a cash reservation, with freebies or not, you'll still do much better through DVC.

 

[chalee94]

In fact it seems that DVC is a rather expensive way of going to Disney now. Anyone able to convince me otherwise ?

i would agree that if the recovery continues, the other deals will start to dry up. (unless you love going in september anyway.)

remember in march when stocks were going down every day and it looked like they were a terrible investment and some people panicked and sold their stocks to buy CDs earning 3%? now that stocks have generally recovered 40-100% or more in some cases, how do you think those people feel after selling near the bottom based on their feelings at that moment?

IMO, that's kinda how you could be feeling in a couple of years when the 40% off deals are scarce. (but maybe not...only you know yourself.)

 

[tomandrobin]

Promotions come and go.

If you do not mind staying in a studio, then DVC may not be for you anymore. The real savings is having the larger rooms. We always get a two bedroom when we take the kids. If paying cash, we would need two rooms (that's what we use to do before DVC) that were connected.

If you continue to go to WDW for the next 10-20 years, it will pay for it self. There are better deals, if you are willing to stay off-site. Here are some sample rentals for Wyndham Bonnet Creek Resort.....cheap. These are posted on redweek and I am sure there are many more on other sites.

10/27/09 - 12/31/09 7 nights $525 ($75/nt) Varies 2/ 2
10/27/09 - 12/31/11 7 nights $497 ($71/nt) Varies 2/ 2 8
10/27/09 - 12/31/10 7 nights $999 ($143/nt) Varies 2/ 2
10/27/09 - 09/30/10 7 nights $1,195 ($171/nt) Varies 2/ 2
10/16/09 - 10/23/09 7 nights $700 ($100/nt) Varies 2/ 2 8

But you are not on site. No Magical Express. No Disney transportation. No extra magic hours.

We own some Starwood timeshares and could very easily trade into Vistana Resort across from DTD. But we have never done this, and its doubtful we ever will. We prefer on site and all the amenities that come with staying in WDW. We have booked rooms for friends at the Vistana. All of the liked the resort, but all of them preferred to be on property after their stay.

 

[dr&momto2boys]

I've done the math when I had "free" dining envy. It's only a good deal if you don't mind staying at value resorts. (I don't like that--that's why we bought DVC!) If you do the math for free dining staying at a mod or deluxe, DVC comes out better!

 

[DeeCee735]

I understand how you feel and sort of see your point. However, it really depends on when you bought, how many you bought, what you paid and how you paid.
For those of us who paid up front at the earlier point prices, it's more of a savings than for those who are financing at $100+ a point. Even with our add-on's over the last few recent years, our average price per point is $76.00.

For us, it wasn't really about savings. It was about taking forced vacations (DH is a workaholic and doesn't take off easy, really rarely at all before DVC), and taking those vacations in our favorite vacation destination.

I also consider the fact that in the last couple of years we've been getting about 18 nights in a 12 month period. With taking into account my maintenance fees, that's much less than $100 a night and in one and two bedrooms!

Now our children are starting to use the points for a few nights a year for themselves and their friends, so to look into the future and see that this is something they look forward to is all the more reason why we are happy we bought in.

 

[toniosmom]

Sure....all of those freebie offers are very attractive. However, they are usually at value resorts only. If the only thing you do in your room is sleep there, then a value is fine.

However, when we vacation, we use the resort as part of our vacation. We don't need to go to the parks every single day. We truly enjoy the resort itself.

Personally, I hate the value rooms if you have more than 2 people in them. It's just too crowded. After I experienced a 1BR, there is no way I want to ever go back to a value room. The freebie offers are just not worth it to our family as we vacation now. Perhaps as my son gets older, it might, but for now, this is the best option for us.

 

[DebbieB]

I've done the math when I had "free" dining envy. It's only a good deal if you don't mind staying at value resorts. (I don't like that--that's why we bought DVC!) If you do the math for free dining staying at a mod or deluxe, DVC comes out better!

Exactly. I am staying at BWV for 6 nights in a 1 bedroom in early Dec. It is 155 points. Cash rate would be around $3,000. So I could pay $3,000 and get "free" dining. Doesn't seem like a great deal. Sure,if I wanted to stay value it would be alot less, but that isn't what I bought DVC for. I bought DVC for the luxury of the 1 bedroom and the prime location.

 

[dianeschlicht]

This thread reminds me of the "knee jerk" reaction some folks have to investments when the market is down.

Some people choose to sell when the market is down, and then when things start doing better, they buy into their stocks and funds again. That is the exact opposite reaction if you want to get the most value. For those of us who "stay the course" when the market fluctuates down, we end up way ahead in the long run. I think that's exactly how you should look at DVC too.

We purchased DVC back in '97, so our "investment" is low. Ostensibly our "value" is much higher now, but the "real" value is that we basically go to Disney 2-3 times a year for around 30 days a year and stay in 1-3 bedroom deluxe accommodations for the cost of our maintnenance fees (around $2000). To me, that's STEAL! I couldn't hardly stay in a value for that many days a year, much less the deluxe accommodations I do stay in. The old saying "if it's free, you get exactly what you pay for" isn't far off the mark here. In the long range, you are definitely better off to keep at least part of you DVC for as long as you wish to travel to WDW.

 

[MouseMomx2]

You are not looking at the big picture. Over the life of your DVC membership you will pay far less than those who are currently taking advantage of the (temporary) great offers.

We purchased our DVC membership in the late '90s and we've never seen deals like the current ones. Once the economy is back on track the hotel rates will continue to rise and "Free" meal plans and/or "Free" days will no longer be offered.

We've never once considered selling our DVC membership and still think it is as great a value as when we first purchased it.

 

[Mtnman44]

When we go, we stay in a 1 or two bedroom villa for about 10 to 12 nights. Whether you compute that stay's cost based on maintanence fees, the point's rental value, or by the fees and price/ divided by years, I challenge you to find a better deal with regular cash offers or specials. A two bedroom runs in the $600 to $1,100 per night range I believe.

I bought DVC to stay at Villa-type accomodations within Disneyworld. If all I wanted was a standard hotel room, then yes, it MIGHT be not have been a real moneysaver.

 

[disneynutz]

I would have to guess that the DVC isn't for most people.

Why? Because most people do not vacation at WDW every year for 10 years or more. With DVC you must vacation or lose your points and even with owning at the DVC you will still need to come up with thousands of dollars each year. Dues, ticket prices, food, events, transportation, all continue to increase in price and they always will.

The idea of owning a piece of the Mouse and getting a special deal soon fades away for most folks when the reality of the true costs hit.

Resales and rentals are at a all time high and I think that it will take several years for the economy and the timeshare market to recover.

Bill

 

[TDC Nala]

If you're going to sell because you don't get free dining, remember that for you to make out on free dining better than you would buying dining with DVC you will need to book your vacations in a value resort. A DVC room with paid dining is about the same out of pocket expenditure as a value resort with free dining. Move up to a moderate and it gets a little higher. And DVC rooms are bigger than value resort rooms.

Buying a DVC villa for cash so you can get free dining makes no sense in this comparison. If you don't mind staying in a value resort, it does make sense. Be aware that the latest free dining offer included only the quick service dining plan for value resort guests. You could upgrade to basic dining if you paid for it, but that was extra out of pocket cost.

 

[goofy4tink]

Or, you could do what I do.....I stay at BWV on my points all the time, but also book those free dining offers as well and stay at POP. That's what I'm doing in Dec....staying on points at BWV at both ends of my stay, with a 5 night stay at POP and free dining in the middle. It allows me to have a nice long stay and the best of both worlds.
We bought DVC at BWV and BLT simply because my dh is a resort snob..he wants deluxe all the way. I don't care so much...I routinely stay at POP and love it. But, this way, dh gets to have the style he likes when he's at WDW, for a much more reasonable price. I like the few perks we do get...the ability to add dining if we choose and the discount on our APs. Other than that, I don't really care. I get what I am paying for....a nice, large villa, close to a park or two.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Sell half your points like we did, reduce the amount of dues you are paying to Disney and spend that money on your other trips. I'm not going to be around in 50 years to even care about Pop Century. By then the DVC dues are going to be outrageous. It will be cheaper to spend $300 a night at PC.

We'll probably sell off our points in a few years. I've come to realize that I don't own a piece of the mouse. I don't even own control over Jim Lewis; he reports to a higher power that isn't my higher power.

 

[wildernessDad]

With Disney, there is no 'free.'