DVC beginner's question

[pxlbarrel]

I'm not new to timeshares but I'm not exactly an expert either. I'm in the hunt for a new timeshare at the moment.

What's the difference between DVC and other timeshares? Here's the vague question of the day.... How does DVC work and how does being in Canada affect how DVC works? Is there a website that explains the entire process? (I guess I should have stopped by one of their carts last week but I was too busy buzzing from one attraction to the other!! )

I had a timeshare that I used RCI to trade for places in Orlando and Vegas. That's all I seemed to use it for. It didn't seem to trade very well for other places.

I apologize if this has been asked before and I'm too lazy to search (I've got a killer headache probably brought on by Disney withdrawal).

 

[dvcdisney]

First of all, my first suggestion would be to check out the DVC Section on this board. It is full of information. And many of the members are so fluent with the ins and out of the membership that there is barely any question you can think of that someone cannot answer. If they don't know, a lot of insider connections. It is truly a wealth of info. Since you are home, this would be my first stop.


My second stop would be to speak to a guide, preferrably in person and with a tour. Some of the guides are wonderful and will answer all your questions.

Now in terms of a comparison between other timeshares and DVC. Since I don't have a lot of experience with other timeshares, I don't think it's appropriate for me to do a comparison. However, DVC is the only timeshare that gives you the opportunity to stay onsite Disney's property at the most deluxe resorts without having to do an exchange. I have heard that exchanging into a DVC resort from another timeshare is very difficult. Also, DVC is also one of the more expensive timeshares, it's main premise is flexibility. It is based on points. You can stay at any type of room (studio, 1 bedroom, 2 bedroom or grand villas) at any time of the year for how ever long you want. You are limited by the amount of points you have, so that is a consideration. I think that if you vacation at least once every other year, you will be fine with the points since the points system is given every year and you can borrow or bank these points (of course based on restrictions). It's difficult to explain all, but if you have any specific questions, I can try to answer them. Also, like I said, there is a DVC section which has many info in it with members who have been there a lot longer than I have.

As a Canadian, since you are in Ontario, there is not much difference in your membership since Ontario allows DVC to sell to the residents. However, many other provinces does not allow and must purchase at Disney. There are many Canadian DVC owners.

It's seems overwhelming, but once you get the hang of it, it's fairly straightforward. Good luck and if you have any questions, there's many info around. And don't be afraid to ask even if you think the questions are silly. We were all new members once.

 

[MikeyNS]

As a DVC member I couldn't be happier. Bought when it was cheaper too.. can sell for what I purchased it for, but DO NOT BUY it as an investment.

Basics are this. You buy a certain number of points. Initial buy in through Disney is, I believe, 100 pts. Every year for ~50 years you get 100pts. Each room (studio/1BR/2BR/3BR) is worth so many points per night. Add up the nights and that's how many points you need to stay.

So for (just making it easy mather) 110 pts @ $100/pt ($11,000) you stay in a standard studio at the villas at the animal kingdom for a week during march break. Every year. For 50 years.

You pay a maintenance fee of ~$5/pt per year which goes up a few % each year.

Cons? You keep wanting to add points. Once you go 1BR or 2BR and walk out of a resort owing nothing for a room you never go back.

That was a simplistic explanation. There are banking and borrowing of points to think about, etc etc.

 

[dvcdisney]

Basics are this. You buy a certain number of points. Initial buy in through Disney is, I believe, 100 pts. Every year for ~50 years you get 100pts. Each room (studio/1BR/2BR/3BR) is worth so many points per night. Add up the nights and that's how many points you need to stay.

Cons? You keep wanting to add points. Once you go 1BR or 2BR and walk out of a resort owing nothing for a room you never go back.

If you purchase directly through Disney and you are a new member, the minimum is 160pts. (It used to be 150pts...well at least when we joined in 2002). But, according to a few posts about resale, you can be a new member without going through DVC. Not sure how the process would be in that case, but I'm sure many have done it and DVC is very familiar with it.

I agree with your con...however, I don't know if it's a con....we had the same experience with the 1 bedroom....however, we started using a one bedroom from the beginning and once or twice we stayed at a studio and it was really not the same. But we decided that if we want to go for longer periods and more often (twice a year), then we have to get used to the studio once in a while. We're fine with that.

 

[mommylo]

I agree with the OPs. Do a lot of research. Being in Ontario means you can buy direct or resale. www.allearsnet.com also has info on how DVC works. They also have pictures of all the different DVC locations by clicking on "accomodation". I bought points on 4 different clubs, total 620 points, 460 through resale and 160 directly from Disney on their Animal Kingdom Villas. Believe me, once you stay at DVC and enjoy the convenience of staying onsite, you won't want to stay offsite again (some people might disagree with that but that's ok). You can also use your points at all other disney resorts, disney resorts around the world and disney cruises. Good Luck in your decision.

 

[yxe dad]

There is a sticky at the top of the Canadian Boards for the Canadian DVC thread. I just updated the 1st post with info from the Mousesavers website with a lot of info on how the program works. I hope it helps!

If you enjoy staying on-site in a mod or deluxe then DVC is for you. If you don't mind Disney's value's or off-site then there are better options for you. For me it's all about not leaving the Disney magic and I enjoy the deluxe resorts, so DVC was a perfect fit.

 

[drag n' fly]

I have had a lot of people ask me about DVC OP. I finally found the perfect link to explain it fully to them without bombarding them with too much info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disney_Vacation_Club

 

[drag n' fly]

If you purchase directly through Disney and you are a new member, the minimum is 160pts. (It used to be 150pts...well at least when we joined in 2002). But, according to a few posts about resale, you can be a new member without going through DVC. Not sure how the process would be in that case, but I'm sure many have done it and DVC is very familiar with it.

I agree with your con...however, I don't know if it's a con....we had the same experience with the 1 bedroom....however, we started using a one bedroom from the beginning and once or twice we stayed at a studio and it was really not the same. But we decided that if we want to go for longer periods and more often (twice a year), then we have to get used to the studio once in a while. We're fine with that.

The minimum has been dropped down to 100 for the time being at AKV. With the announcement of BLT and SSR THV I am sure the minimum will be put up to 160 again....wait and see I guess.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Thank to all for your responses. I will be doing a lot of reading. I'm not in a hurry so I can sit down and see if this is the way to go or if I should just get a regular timeshare somewhere else and trade into the Kissimmee area. I haven't stayed onsite since getting a non-DVC timeshare but I kind of miss staying at the Disney resorts. On the other hand, I can see how DVC can get pretty pricey and maybe more than I'm prepared to pay for the Disney Magic.

Do you guys feel obligated to vacation in Orlando all the time? To me, it would be like owning a cottage up in the Muskokas (which I don't, btw). It costs so much so you almost feel like you need to go there every weekend and vacation to justify the cost.

<sigh> Where's that lottery win that I keep promising myself???

 

[yxe dad]

Do you guys feel obligated to vacation in Orlando all the time? To me, it would be like owning a cottage up in the Muskokas (which I don't, btw). It costs so much so you almost feel like you need to go there every weekend and vacation to justify the cost.

I do not feel obligated to vacation in Orlando but I do love to go there. WDW tend to be 1 of the 2-3 family trips we take in a year. We live in SK so the major cost of the vacation is flights. Flights from Saskatoon to Orlando usually run in the $650-$925/person range. So for our family of four its usually close to $3000 to get there.
First we stayed in the values(and it was great), then when the boys started using the pool's more we decided to try an upgrade to a mod. We really enjoyed the mod's and what they had to offer over the values and continued to stay in them until I got a great AP rate at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. After staying in a deluxe it's really hard to go back to a value or a mod. The pools and the restaurants are just the start of a list of great features that the deluxes offer.
After spending alot of money on Disney resorts in 06/07 I decided to take the DVC tour in March 07. I bought 3 days after the tour and have ejoyed my purchase for 2 trips and have a third trip planned for Feb 09. With soaring WDW resort prices I knew this was the only way for our family to continue staying on-site in a deluxe. I figure that after 5-6 trips I will be at the break even point based on what I was spending on previous trips. That doesn't even factor in the saving on things like DVC discounts on AP's, discounts on WDW dining, and the ability to prepare some meals in the Villa.

 

[dvcdisney]

Do you guys feel obligated to vacation in Orlando all the time? To me, it would be like owning a cottage up in the Muskokas (which I don't, btw). It costs so much so you almost feel like you need to go there every weekend and vacation to justify the cost.

I don't feel obligated to vacation at Disney. We are Disney fanatics! We are those people who everyone has to comment : "You're going to Disney AGAIN, don't you want to vacation somewhere else?"

I guess if you did feel that way during the membership, there is always the exchanges you can do...there are many resorts around the world and even use it for the Disney Cruiseline (we will be doing this once are children are a bit older). Or there is the option to sell it if it is no longer working for you.

 

[mommylo]

I had the same response from my co-workers But I (I do specify I, not we) am crazy about Disney and DVC. My DS9 is warming up to going more than once a year, my DH still not too much . I have started to channel some of my obsessive disney planning energy to helping others with planning their Disney trips...

 

[F4disneyfan]

There is a sticky at the top of the Canadian Boards for the Canadian DVC thread. I just updated the 1st post with info from the Mousesavers website with a lot of info on how the program works. I hope it helps!

If you enjoy staying on-site in a mod or deluxe then DVC is for you. If you don't mind Disney's value's or off-site then there are better options for you. For me it's all about not leaving the Disney magic and I enjoy the deluxe resorts, so DVC was a perfect fit.

We have owned since 01 and we still love the value resorts I think they are still our families favourite resorts problem is a family of 6 need 2 rooms at all the values other than the suites at All Star Music. I hope they turn the unfinnished rooms at POP into the same type of rooms as teh suites at ASMu. We use our points from Sun-Fri then go out to the coast or to a value for the weekend then back to DVC from Sun to Fri again it maximises our point usage and gives us many more options.

 

[pkitty]

Almost bought at Club Interwest for 31000.00 and as attractive as it was I realized that I could add 100 points to my existing DVC and accomplish the same thing. They told me at the presentation that they modelled there product after DVC.....DVC is also an exchange partner with them. DVC is rated the number 1 timeshare product in the world.......I am satisfied and even though I end up at WDW every year it's by choice....I love it there. Have fun shopping!

 

[pxlbarrel]

It all sounds very tempting and I have to admit, I got back from Orlando last Friday and I was already thinking about the next time I would go. Even thought...hey, I've got some credit with Southwest, how hard would it be to do a quick trip down there for a few days (and maybe do a tour of one of the villas, eh? <sigh>

I think I'm a tad concerned about how much the yearly maintenance dues will be. I was spoiled at my last timeshare...cheap dues...but then again, that may be why I don't want that timeshare anymore. The property went downhill so fast, it's no longer a good timeshare to keep.

Still lots of reading to do....