DVC coming to DL

[mommy2allyandaveri]

I just read on Mouseplanets weekly update that DVC is planning to come to DL. Now I am interested, can someone give me more info? Price??? Is it worth it for us? We go to DL once a year but do plan to go to WDW at some point...

Any info would be great. Thanks

 

[M4travels]

I just read on Mouseplanets weekly update that DVC is planning to come to DL. Now I am interested, can someone give me more info? Price??? Is it worth it for us? We go to DL once a year but do plan to go to WDW at some point...

Any info would be great. Thanks

The point price hasn’t been announced as of yet. They are currently only constructing 50 DVC units (2-bedroom equivalents). In speaking with my guide he seemed to think that the presales would go VERY quickly (my thinking too!). It’s also my understanding that the presales won’t start for a bit, say 6 to 8 months down the road, as they cannot offer presales until one year before the units are ready to be booked.

We are definitely looking at adding on at GCV!
Michael

 

[famograham]

Sorry for my silliness....but what's DVC??

Thanks,
Linda

 

[Albort]

Sorry for my silliness....but what's DVC??

Thanks,
Linda

Disney's Vacation Club...

I was told this club is like a job, the people who have the services very early have the first pick at it... so if you try joining now, chances are, you wont be getting the rooms for awhile....

 

[disney-super-mom]

I just read on Mouseplanets weekly update that DVC is planning to come to DL. Now I am interested, can someone give me more info? Price??? Is it worth it for us? We go to DL once a year but do plan to go to WDW at some point...

Any info would be great. Thanks

Unfortunately it'll most likely sell out to current DVC members during presales, so those of us who are DL vets (and not already DVC members) won't have an opportunity to buy in there. Kinda makes you feel sidelined, huh?

Anyway, I did read in the Orange County Business Journal that contracts (160 points) will sell for $16,700 with annual fees around $600.

 

[M4travels]

I really think this will just be the start of DVC here in CA. There really isn't a huge amount of space at the GCH for expansion but I'm sure Disney will be looking at other nearby areas to construct another timeshare village.
Fortunately an add-on doesn't need to be 160 points as that would be a deal killer for us. It will be quite interesting to see what the point per night will work out to.

Michael

 

[disney-super-mom]

I really think this will just be the start of DVC here in CA. There really isn't a huge amount of space at the GCH for expansion but I'm sure Disney will be looking at other nearby areas to construct another timeshare village.
Fortunately an add-on doesn't need to be 160 points as that would be a deal killer for us. It will be quite interesting to see what the point per night will work out to.

Michael

There's plenty of room at the GCH for a DVC expansion. It's just that they choose to make 2/3 of the expansion additional hotel rooms instead of DVC units. Probably because they'll make more money off the outrageously high hotel rates vs. the sale of DVC units and any financing.

Also, since DVC members can add on 25 points at a time, I feel the GCV (or whatever they're going to call it) will sell out fairly quickly to current members. They could always raise the minimum add-on, but would they? And if they did, by how much?

 

[dbanzai]

Anyway, I did read in the Orange County Business Journal that contracts (160 points) will sell for $16,700 with annual fees around $600.

I tend to think, as a DVC member, that the price will be more than that.

160 is apparently the new minimum amount of points you have to buy to join DVC. That's gone up 10 points since I first joined just about a year ago.

The way it works, presuming it follows the regular DVC format, is that you pay per point. I'm not sure what the price is right now for points, but Animal Kingdom Villas points were supposed to be going up from I think $104. That's where the $16,700 came from: About $104 per point times 160 points.

I tend to doubt, considering the value of DVC points, that the GCH points will be cheaper than what the going price is in Florida. The $600 maintenance fees sound about right: That's on par with Florida. A little higher, but by the time it's ready, I'd guess that'll be a good estimate.

To give you more of an idea of what buying points means, you buy your 160 points and you have them to use every year for the length of the contract (I believe every contract is 50 years. Not from purchase, but from release). Depending on the time of year and the size of the rooms, you spend a certain amount of points per year: My trip to FL this month I paid 13 points per night for five nights for a studio. 65 points for a short week in FL!

I bought my points with the intention of using them mostly at DL. That's what I've done so far. So if you bought now at another DVC location, you still could stay at these rooms. The difference is, when you buy, you buy at that property. The main benefit is you have an 11 month window to book at your base resort. If you join DVC, you still can stay at the DVC rooms, but you have only a seven month window to book. Likewise, you can use your 160 points to go to WDW or the other DVC locations, or some major hotels that are not Disney properties, but are partnered with DVC.

 

[dbanzai]

Also, since DVC members can add on 25 points at a time, I feel the GCV (or whatever they're going to call it) will sell out fairly quickly to current members. They could always raise the minimum add-on, but would they? And if they did, by how much?

I'm curious how fast it will sell out. On the one hand, yes, the 25 point add-on makes it affordable and I think many members, especially on this side of the country, will buy at least some points. On the other hand, it's far less than the 160 to join, and if the prices are similar to the prices in WDW, 25 points may be only worth two nights in a studio.

That's if they have studios. When it's said they are doing 2-br rooms, are they making rooms that are only 2-br, or are they doing the 1-br-studio comination, as is common in FL's DVCs?

 

[M4travels]

That's if they have studios. When it's said they are doing 2-br rooms, are they making rooms that are only 2-br, or are they doing the 1-br-studio comination, as is common in FL's DVCs?

I believe they were calling them two-bedroom equivalents, which makes it sounds like it will be the one-bedroom/studio combo lockoff.

 

[mommy2allyandaveri]

So for example you pay 16,000ish up front, then have an annual fee of say $600, then you still have to pay to stay at the resort??? This seems like a rip off to me, no? I must be missing something.

 

[disney-super-mom]

I bought my points with the intention of using them mostly at DL. That's what I've done so far. So if you bought now at another DVC location, you still could stay at these rooms. The difference is, when you buy, you buy at that property. The main benefit is you have an 11 month window to book at your base resort. If you join DVC, you still can stay at the DVC rooms, but you have only a seven month window to book. Likewise, you can use your 160 points to go to WDW or the other DVC locations, or some major hotels that are not Disney properties, but are partnered with DVC.

That's not the best use of your points (financially) if you're using them to stay at the DL resort hotels. The cheapest is 19 points per night and it can go up as high as 93 points per night. Of course if it saves you from buying airfare to Orlando, then it's not a bad deal.

Also, I wouldn't count on using DVC points at the GCV at the 7 month booking window. It'll be completely booked by then. With only 50 2-bedroom (equivalent) units, you'll have to be an owner there and book 11 months out to have a chance of getting a room. (Which is why it will sell out fast to current DVC members.)

However, as DVC expands at the DLR, you'll have more opportunity to use your points there, but that may be several years down the road.

 

[disney-super-mom]

So for example you pay 16,000ish up front, then have an annual fee of say $600, then you still have to pay to stay at the resort??? This seems like a rip off to me, no? I must be missing something.

You buy in for lets say $17,000 (160 points minimum for new members). You'll have annual fees starting around $600 (these tend to go up a little each year). And that's it. There's nothing more to pay to stay at any DVC resort.

 

[dbanzai]

So for example you pay 16,000ish up front, then have an annual fee of say $600, then you still have to pay to stay at the resort??? This seems like a rip off to me, no? I must be missing something.

You have to pay the for the points and then $600 a year, yes. Then you also have to pay for park passes (not included).

Think of it this way: You pay $100 per point, but that divides out for 50 years: Essentially you are paying $2 per point per year.

For a studio, if you go off-peak (which I always try to anyway), you are paying let's say 13 points a night. So that's $26 a night. Even if I do just one trip to WDW, with the dues that's about $700 for accomodations. That's not too bad, and I still have points to spare.

 

[dbanzai]

That's not the best use of your points (financially) if you're using them to stay at the DL resort hotels. The cheapest is 19 points per night and it can go up as high as 93 points per night. Of course if it saves you from buying airfare to Orlando, then it's not a bad deal.

Also, I wouldn't count on using DVC points at the GCV at the 7 month booking window. It'll be completely booked by then. With only 50 2-bedroom (equivalent) units, you'll have to be an owner there and book 11 months out to have a chance of getting a room. (Which is why it will sell out fast to current DVC members.)

However, as DVC expands at the DLR, you'll have more opportunity to use your points there, but that may be several years down the road.

I guess with so few rooms, you're right... 50 2-br or 100 when you split them up, if you can.

I usually aim for the 19-point nights, and as I have an annual pass and drive a Prius, yes, it works out quite well financially.