DVC Bashing

[RayMusicCityUSA]

Well, to call it 'bashing', I'd have to see comments like 'anyone who buys DVC is stupid', or 'DVC is a scam'.

Simply showing how the math does or doesn't work out....that's not bashing. For many people, depending on how they vacation, or what they're looking to get out of DVC, the math doesn't work out.

I agree wholeheartidly. Alot of the enjoyment of DVC requires that you 'blindfold your wallet'. It's a little bit like someone asking what kind of mileage does a Rolls Royce get?

We've vacationed before near Downtown Disney and were perfectly happy to throw a sleeping bag on the floor for that one extra in the room.

Now we own at BLT and haven't looked back. You can crunch numbers, but, that really takes the joy out of any vacation.

 

[DougEMG]

From a numbers standpoint, on property will almost never work out compared to other timeshare options. Generally the ONLY way to make the numbers work is to compare to a skewed option, that of other on property choices. One has to say to be willing to spend more for less to stay on property. MANY actually prefer staying off property or don't care one way or another. DVC is by definition, an expensive luxury which is a specialty option.

Very true. When we first started going to Disney back in the early 90's we stayed off site to save money. My preference though is to stay on site and once we could afford to we've stayed onsite ever since.


When I'm doing the number crunching it is comparing onsite Disney hotel stays (moderate) to onsite DVC stays. Off site locations don't enter into the equation because that is not where I want to stay.

So my requirements have always been:
(1) Stay within budget
(2) Stay onsite if possible

DVC allows me to satisfy my requirements. Over the long run when looking at the numbers (resale) I can stay in a DVC studio for cheaper than I can stay in a Disney moderate hotel room.

A cheaper alternative way to stay on site at DVC would be trading in with from another timeshare resort. From what I've read here, some people can make that work realy well for them. I have to admit that buying a timeshare resort via eBay makes me a little nervous so I've never really looked into it, but it does sound tempting.

 

[Norm1]

I was out surfing the web a few nights back and came accross a web site about Disney stuff and started looking around. Then I found their forum and could not believe the DVC bashing going on. They had charts and were crunching the numbers saying how stupid it is to buy DVC. It just amazes me how many people just don't get it. It's like if they can't be DVC they don't want anyone else to.

I'm so glad to have been stupid these last 16 years. My memories with family and friends have been priceless.

 

[Chellymouse]

IMHO, we were "stupid" for 9 years BEFORE we bought our DVC!! That's where we go and if we went to the beach, we'd probably have bought something on the beach. People don't even ask where we're going anymore....they just know. We've been able to invite friends to join us and in 21 days, we're taking the family for their first trip. We stayed offsite once and said never again and have been staying onsite since 2000. We've certainly gotten our $$ worth and will continue to do so. It's nice being in a 1BR villa for DH and I and not cramped into a hotel room anymore!

 

[Dean]

Very true. When we first started going to Disney back in the early 90's we stayed off site to save money. My preference though is to stay on site and once we could afford to we've stayed onsite ever since.


When I'm doing the number crunching it is comparing onsite Disney hotel stays (moderate) to onsite DVC stays. Off site locations don't enter into the equation because that is not where I want to stay.

So my requirements have always been:
(1) Stay within budget
(2) Stay onsite if possible

DVC allows me to satisfy my requirements. Over the long run when looking at the numbers (resale) I can stay in a DVC studio for cheaper than I can stay in a Disney moderate hotel room.

A cheaper alternative way to stay on site at DVC would be trading in with from another timeshare resort. From what I've read here, some people can make that work realy well for them. I have to admit that buying a timeshare resort via eBay makes me a little nervous so I've never really looked into it, but it does sound tempting.

For the last 10 years or so, most of our trips have been on exchanges. My usual cost for those on site trips (all 1 & 2 BR) have been around $400 total for the week including direct and indirect expenses, underlying prorated purchase price, underlying maint fees, exchange fee and extra $95 fee that DVC charges. It's a high risk/high reward option but it doesn't take many DVC trips to provide a high rate of return comparatively speaking. I would further suggest that many members don't know there are comparable to better off property options, they think of places like comfort inn or similar when this comes up. Ignoring theming (which Disney does better than anyone), there are at least 10 resorts in the area that are as good or better than DVC in many ways and quite a few more that are fairly close.

 

[Goofy DVC]

People always ask me what kind of Mileage my Yukon XL gets. I look at them and say I have no idea, When it's empty I fill it up. I guess I look at DVC the same way. I enjoy staying at the DVC resorts so the Numbers don't matter.

I like your style!

 

[wulfekamp]

I don't think staying off property would be my cup of tea. I like walking over to epcot any time I want. I'm addicted to mouse gears. But I have seen some really great looking places on the drive from the airport.

 

[DizBub]

Here are some numbers to crunch. My daughter got the pin code for "free dining" for the time that we are booked at BLT in a 2 bedroom in the fall. She was kind of excited about it. I urged her to look into it.

I have to preface this with the fact that she and her husband have 6 kids between them, ranging in age 18 to 5.

Disney will put them in a 2 bedroom villa at SSR for 6 nights, MYW tickets and "free dining" all for the bargain price of $7171.64.

If they come with us it will still be a very expensive trip because they such a large group and will still have to get there, buy tickets and eat but we can provide very nice accomodations free to them.

 

[zavandor]

I have to admit that buying a timeshare resort via eBay makes me a little nervous so I've never really looked into it, but it does sound tempting.

I'm not an expert, but I think that Ebay is used just to "meet" the seller. You can even bid, win the auction and then not buying it (by Ebay rules, a bid on real estate is not a binding offer).
After you win the auction you can contact a title company you trust and let them to make all the paper work, title insurance included. That should be as safe as using a DVC broker.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Dean]

I'm not an expert, but I think that Ebay is used just to "meet" the seller. You can even bid, win the auction and then not buying it (by Ebay rules, a bid on real estate is not a binding offer).
After you win the auction you can contact a title company you trust and let them to make all the paper work, title insurance included. That should be as safe as using a DVC broker.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Yes and no. Legally speaking, you're correct but there will be terms with the auction that must be met. As with any purchase, even retail, one needs to do their due diligence.

I don't think staying off property would be my cup of tea. I like walking over to epcot any time I want. I'm addicted to mouse gears. But I have seen some really great looking places on the drive from the airport.

That's part of my point, if you've never tried it at a top resort, how do you know.

 

[disneynutz]

Here are some numbers to crunch. My daughter got the pin code for "free dining" for the time that we are booked at BLT in a 2 bedroom in the fall. She was kind of excited about it. I urged her to look into it.

I have to preface this with the fact that she and her husband have 6 kids between them, ranging in age 18 to 5.

Disney will put them in a 2 bedroom villa at SSR for 6 nights, MYW tickets and "free dining" all for the bargain price of $7171.64.

If they come with us it will still be a very expensive trip because they such a large group and will still have to get there, buy tickets and eat but we can provide very nice accomodations free to them.

Disney is in the business to make money. They make money with all kinds of deals, pin codes, DDP, DVC, everything that you can think of, if they didn't the "deal" would be gone.

Your daughter may pay $7171.64 but she isn't forced to do something with her points each year, doesn't pay the initial purchase price for a contract, doesn't pay a finance charge, doesn't pay dues, doesn't have a very expensive trip each year because they such a large group, doesn't have to deal with DVC rules, restrictions, and policies, and doesn't have to pay a commission when she decides to sell.

Bill

 

[gojoe]

Not really sure how you crunch numbers. I made a spreed sheet with our expenses the way we vacationed before DVC. I compared it to DVC resale purchase. I estimated it would take us several years to be at a break even point. Here's the thing; we stayed at Value resorts before DVC, this year we are in a 2 Bedroom Villa Boardwalk view.

And I can't assign a value on my spreed sheet for the feeling of being at our vacation home over a hotel room.

PS: We still love the value resorts and have stayed a couple of times on last minute trips.

 

[crisi]

I don't think staying off property would be my cup of tea. I like walking over to epcot any time I want. I'm addicted to mouse gears. But I have seen some really great looking places on the drive from the airport.

I thought so too. Then I had a couple years where either my husband or I were in Orlando a lot on business. And for those years, I had an AP and would end my day over at Disney, then go back to whatever offsite hotel my company had in their travel plan. And, it wasn't bad. The hotel my company booked for me was nicer and cheaper than a Disney deluxe. The drive wasn't as bad as I feared (and I hate driving). And the availability and quality of offsite restaurants was wonderful.

I like walking over to Epcot any time I want as well. But if I had to do it again...I don't know if I would.

 

[DizBub]

Disney is in the business to make money. They make money with all kinds of deals, pin codes, DDP, DVC, everything that you can think of, if they didn't the "deal" would be gone.

Your daughter may pay $7171.64 but she isn't forced to do something with her points each year, doesn't pay the initial purchase price for a contract, doesn't pay a finance charge, doesn't pay dues, doesn't have a very expensive trip each year because they such a large group, doesn't have to deal with DVC rules, restrictions, and policies, and doesn't have to pay a commission when she decides to sell.

Bill

You are right. She doesn't have to do that. We do all that stuff. Gladly.
Plus, I didn't say they couldn't afford to take this "deal", they just don't have to.

Honestly, we have never had any problems with DVC rules, restrictions and policies so I'm often a little perplexed by these criticisms. Of course, we haven't tried to trade out or sell. We bought DVC when we could afford to, intend to use it only at WDW and don't want to sell it. We actually want more.

 

[nunzia]

People always ask me what kind of Mileage my Yukon XL gets. I look at them and say I have no idea, When it's empty I fill it up. I guess I look at DVC the same way. I enjoy staying at the DVC resorts so the Numbers don't matter.

Yep..I love staying at the Grand Californian and did before they became VGC. I stay off site when it makes sense (for the Expo I don't want to hike back and forth to the VGC..the Jolly Roger is just fine) Going on trips with my family and being able to provide them with a nice room is worth it to me. That said, I talked my SIL OUT of buying since I knew they wouldn't travel to DLR often enough to make it worthwhile.

 

[ccgirl]

Here are some numbers to crunch. My daughter got the pin code for "free dining" for the time that we are booked at BLT in a 2 bedroom in the fall. She was kind of excited about it. I urged her to look into it.

I have to preface this with the fact that she and her husband have 6 kids between them, ranging in age 18 to 5.

Disney will put them in a 2 bedroom villa at SSR for 6 nights, MYW tickets and "free dining" all for the bargain price of $7171.64.

If they come with us it will still be a very expensive trip because they such a large group and will still have to get there, buy tickets and eat but we can provide very nice accomodations free to them.

Did she price renting points? Also, she could get 2 value rooms. As I said, I know the accommodation size is different but.... Free dining is rarely a better deal than a room discount unless it is at a value resort.

How about AoA? I believe they hold 6 but I may be wrong.

Having stayed on site and off site, I prefer the timeshares off site. They seem more luxurious and have great programs for the kids and adults (free wine/beer tasting with cheese etc.).

Some love DVC, for some it is not for them. They prefer something else.

 

[kevmag]

Not to discount the costs but...when we decided to buy DVC, and i knew that we could afford the monthly payments, it simply came down to (1) i own my own business in the northeast and often work 6 days a week, and sometimes 7 (2) WDW is one of the places in our life where we can go to a warm climate and COMPLETELY escape from the outside world for a few weeks and recharge the batteries (3) staying on-site in a DVC villa is what most gives us that needed feeling of escape.

So after the purchase was made, I have NEVER looked back or second guessed our decision.

 

[ELMC]

I think these discussions are great, but at some point we need to stop analyzing life and start living it.

Be fiscally responsible and do what makes you happy. It will work out in the end.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Hey DVC works for us! Beyond that I really don't care who bashes it or if other's get it or don't get it! I'll be there, "getting it", in 16 short days! Bash away!

 

[SamSam]

Hey DVC works for us! Beyond that I really don't care who bashes it or if other's get it or don't get it! I'll be there, "getting it", in 16 short days! Bash away!

Works for us too. When we had kids at home, we went every year, stayed deluxe but DH didn't want to buy DVC because he felt that we wouldn't go after the kids were grown and gone.

Fast forward, kids grown and gone, we started going even more than ever. First bought when BCV was offered, have added on several times, once at BCV, then started with AKV. Couldn't be happier, we love going and just relaxing and chilling around the resorts. We look at it as a retirement investment for us. LOVE IT!!!