Dues at AKV vs VWL...

[88golf88]

We are deciding on whether to buy in at AKV or VWL. We are relatively new to this, so can it be expected to see a jump in dues down the road due to the animals on the resort at AKV? Obviously VWL is about $.18/point higher now, but we are thinking long term. It just seems like there is greater likelyhood of spike in dues at AKV or are we way off base???

Thanks

 

[BWV Dreamin]

This is a concern mentioned by many potential buyers. Do you know that DVC does not guarantee animals to be a part of AKV? Who knows if the cost to maintaining them drives up the dues DVC always has the option of getting rid of the animals.

 

[disneynutz]

No one knows what the dues will be in the future. One thing to consider is that as members, we pay for everything at the resorts.

Take transportation as an example. VWL pays for the boats and the bus, as does BWV, BCV, SSR, and OKW. BLT pays for the monorail, bus, and boat. AKV only the bus.

IMHO DVD works to keep the dues low at the resorts that are actively selling. Once sold out, I would expect them to increase.

Bill

 

[88golf88]

Thanks for your input. I know that we dont have that "crystal ball", it just seems that the likely hood of AKV raising the dues due to the animals made sense, but thats why I asked. Still on the fence on which property to buy into...

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

No one knows what the dues will be in the future. One thing to consider is that as members, we pay for everything at the resorts.

Take transportation as an example. VWL pays for the boats and the bus, as does BWV, BCV, SSR, and OKW. BLT pays for the monorail, bus, and boat. AKV only the bus.

IMHO DVD works to keep the dues low at the resorts that are actively selling. Once sold out, I would expect them to increase.
Bill

I have not seen evidence that this happens, or at least not consistently. The resorts tend to increase 2-4% period. I believe the exception to this has been at VB and HHI, but for pretty obvious reasons.

 

[Good Ol Gal]

If you're thinking long term, don't forget AK has many more years than VWL

 

[NewDCLGuy]

Although there is no way to know for sure, DVC has a 18-year track record of dues that gives up some clues as to what to expect. Or what not to expect.

With one exception, dues increases have been fairly flat across the boards. We haven't seen bigger increases once a resort is sold old, or large differences between old vs new resorts. That's not to say all resorts have the same increase every year. But if a resort has a slightly larger/small than normal increase on year, it tends to even out of the next few.

So I honestly think your best expectation is that if one resort has dues that are slightly higher than another now, it will continue to have slightly higher dues in the future.

Oh - that one exception has bee the beach resorts, which have seen larger increases than at WDW. Which would make me hesitant to speculate on future dues in California or Hawaii.

 

[disneynutz]

Based upon the changes at Disney during this last year, I wouldn't count on anything based on prior history.

You just never know what they might do. In fact Disney could sell off the DVC or get bought out by a beer company from Germany.

Bill

 

[drusba]

Should you expect to see dues increases? Yes, for all resorts, averaging probably 3% a year, although some years it has been lower and some higher. What is usually the biggest driver of dues increases? Cost of labor (all the workers in all the categories of dues) which is probably 70% of all costs. An animal/savanna cost is already in the AKV dues and thus there is not likely to be a huge, surprise increase. Also, as noted above, dues do not suddenly substantially increase once resorts are sold out. They simply follow pattern they have already been following.

 

[disneynutz]

I think that it's important to realize that dues could increase 15% if Disney felt like it. IMO BLT will need a adjustment. This is DVD's first high raise and I expect that there will be maintenance expenses that weren't anticipated. Bird problems for one thing. They have already pooped all over the windows.

Another item is the quality of the furnishings, carpet, and cabinets. After only being open a few months, all of these items are showing excessive wear. This will cause a dues adjustment to repair/replace.

Bill

 

[hakepb]

I do not think BLT is "out of wack" in comparison to other DVC resorts. When you look at the total $ spent on BLT dues to stay 1 week at BLT vs total $ spent on AKV dues for 1 week at AKV, AKV actually has lower dues because BLT requires so many more points. (Generalized statement about most rooms, the "value" categories at AKV and BLT Standard may somewhat skew that arguement, but I think the overall allocaion of rooms suggest BLT owners actually and already pay more in dues for their stays than AKV owners)

In terms of animals, Jambo has 3 savannahs. DVC added a huge Kidani expansion and only added 1 more savannah (Jambo and most of Kidani share the Sunset Savannah). There is certainly a risk of animals becoming more expensive, but as long as Disney is running DAK many of the larger potential costs like Vets, nutrition and breeding programs are mostly subsidized. There are many small zoos with small budgets around the country that manage to keep African animals we see in the AKV savannahs breeding and alive, DVC is not taking on a mostly proven process and not an almost impossible task like panda bear breeding at our expense...

AKV is quite large, so I think there should be enough economies of scale to help help dues.

There are enough arguements on both sides to always keep this discussion going. It all comes back to the "buy where you want to stay" because you do not want to pay more for a place you do not fully enjoy.

 

[disneynutz]

We were told during our safari tour last month that the animal operations at AK and AKL/AKV are separate. Resorts and DVC pay a fee for animal support and the animals are not shared. The Animal Keepers at AKL/AKV are also not shared with AK.

Bill