DVC Confusion maxed out!

[crisi]

VGF fit 5. That's it. And a lot of the 1BR don't fit 5.

DVC will allow five in any one bedroom - at least they have in the past and as of last I heard still were, but only certain resorts have the sleeper chair - my understanding is that due to space constraints the sleeper chair doesn't fit in all the resorts. Lots of people put five in a one bedroom and bring an air mattress or sleeping bag.

 

[timandjanl]

DVC will allow five in any one bedroom - at least they have in the past and as of last I heard still were, but only certain resorts have the sleeper chair - my understanding is that due to space constraints the sleeper chair doesn't fit in all the resorts. Lots of people put five in a one bedroom and bring an air mattress or sleeping bag.

Good to know. I have been just going off the points charts and what they say about occupancy.

 

[mime4jesus]

Thanks for asking these questions. I've been looking at DVC myself for our family of 5 and could never understand the 'savings' on it. We stayed at POR this year for 4 nights with a 5 day hopper and quick serve dining. It cost us $2800 for everything. If we bought DVC it sounds like it would cost us around the same amount per year just for fees and park tickets. Doesn't sound like it would work for us.

 

[Minniesgal]

Thanks for asking these questions. I've been looking at DVC myself for our family of 5 and could never understand the 'savings' on it. We stayed at POR this year for 4 nights with a 5 day hopper and quick serve dining. It cost us $2800 for everything. If we bought DVC it sounds like it would cost us around the same amount per year just for fees and park tickets. Doesn't sound like it would work for us.

We didn't buy DVC to save money over a hotel room I don't think it works like that for a lot of people. We bought DVC because we really don't want to stay in a hotel room we want a 1 or even a 2 bedroom villa with a kitchen and laundry. We don't want free dining we want to dine in sometimes and only eat out sometimes. For your case if you are happy in a moderate hotel room and prefer to have a dining plan you are right it probably wouldn't save you money.

 

[DisK]

Thanks for asking these questions. I've been looking at DVC myself for our family of 5 and could never understand the 'savings' on it. We stayed at POR this year for 4 nights with a 5 day hopper and quick serve dining. It cost us $2800 for everything. If we bought DVC it sounds like it would cost us around the same amount per year just for fees and park tickets. Doesn't sound like it would work for us.

Also remember that DVC provides deluxe accommodations.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for asking these questions. I've been looking at DVC myself for our family of 5 and could never understand the 'savings' on it. We stayed at POR this year for 4 nights with a 5 day hopper and quick serve dining. It cost us $2800 for everything. If we bought DVC it sounds like it would cost us around the same amount per year just for fees and park tickets. Doesn't sound like it would work for us.

I presume you're doing free dining which means you have to pay full rack rate for POR. To me there are potential savings and potential additional value. One needs to look at both and decide where DVC does or does not fit for them. For many it doesn't but if you're going routinely, it likely is a reasonable choice. For POR you'd be best comporting to OKW or SSR in a studio to get as close to a direct comparison as possible. 75 points will get you a studio at those places and most others for most of the year for the 4 nights. Say $5000 buy in and $375 a year. Add $200 per adult (rounded) QS plan and $300 per adult for a 5 day pass. So for 2 adults you're looking at $1400 a year plus the buy in and time value of money. Of course your party makeup will change the numbers if different. While I think it's reasonable to assume a discount for value and moderate locations, I don't think one can count on FD continuing. Used most years, I think DVC will save you a little money and give you a lot more for your money. This assumes you could pay cash up front, aren't targeting the POR rooms that sleep 5 and will go routinely at least every other year (EOY).

What would actually happen is you'd have more costs up front and less later on. Personally I'd look at a return of the up front costs over 10 years. As I described it, you'd likely pay a little more over the first roughly 10 years but less after that and long term. However, the reality for most is they don't stay with a studio and thus pay more long term but hopefully get even more in return. But the savings is relatively low and there is risk and commitment so whether it's worth it to you depends on your situation and preferences.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks for asking these questions. I've been looking at DVC myself for our family of 5 and could never understand the 'savings' on it. We stayed at POR this year for 4 nights with a 5 day hopper and quick serve dining. It cost us $2800 for everything. If we bought DVC it sounds like it would cost us around the same amount per year just for fees and park tickets. Doesn't sound like it would work for us.

DVC is becoming less and less about saving money and more and more about the accomodations. Sure, once you pay off the initial investment, you only have annual fees to pay. But you still have to pay for transportation, park admission, food costs and incidentals. Those are the things that really add up and make you spend money. And you don't get any of those for free with DVC.

With a family of five, you are limited to one bedroom villas and larger. No studios for you unless someone stays home or one of the five is under the age of three.

 

[CarolMN]

I presume you're doing free dining which means you have to pay full rack rate for POR. To me there are potential savings and potential additional value. One needs to look at both and decide where DVC does or does not fit for them. For many it doesn't but if you're going routinely, it likely is a reasonable choice. For POR you'd be best comporting to OKW or SSR in a studio to get as close to a direct comparison as possible. 75 points will get you a studio at those places and most others for most of the year for the 4 nights. Say $5000 buy in and $375 a year. Add $200 per adult (rounded) QS plan and $300 per adult for a 5 day pass. So for 2 adults you're looking at $1400 a year plus the buy in and time value of money. Of course your party makeup will change the numbers if different. While I think it's reasonable to assume a discount for value and moderate locations, I don't think one can count on FD continuing. Used most years, I think DVC will save you a little money and give you a lot more for your money. This assumes you could pay cash up front, aren't targeting the POR rooms that sleep 5 and will go routinely at least every other year (EOY).

What would actually happen is you'd have more costs up front and less later on. Personally I'd look at a return of the up front costs over 10 years. As I described it, you'd likely pay a little more over the first roughly 10 years but less after that and long term. However, the reality for most is they don't stay with a studio and thus pay more long term but hopefully get even more in return. But the savings is relatively low and there is risk and commitment so whether it's worth it to you depends on your situation and preferences.

But Dean, mime4jesus said they have a party of 5. I think you missed that. As you know, a studio is not an option for 5 unless one of them is an infant age 2 or younger.

A DVC studio may be the best "apples to apples" comparison to POR, but since this family is a party of 5, I don't think the studio numbers are very relevant for them.

 

[Annielkd22222]

I think there are two sorts of WDW holidays. There are those people who are hotel holidayers who want meals out, room service, housekeeping etc. that is not us we are a totally different type of holiday. We would never stay in a hotel room, we haven't since we became a family of four I want a full kitchen because I hate eating out every night I want a meal out to be a treat not an everyday thing. I want laundry facilities because frankly with two young boys a laundry room is a hassle. We also love having a lounge to hang in and separate bedrooms for separate bedtimes. We also want more than one bedroom. So for us buying DVC was not about saving money as compared to a Disney hotel room it was about being able to find an affordable way to stay in a Disney villa. Because we want to stay in a 2 bedroom for now and a 1 bedroom later DVC makes financial sense to us.

However if you are happy staying In a hotel room even with 5, want the DDP whether paid or not I think it makes the financial case for DVC a lot harder to make.

I hate eating out three times a day. I love having a one bedroom since I can have a full kitchen. So, that's something that I would pay about 500. We did the dining plan and I found I could save considerable money going on my own. I have 220 points and my break even ( according to my own personal sale and needs) was 7 years. That means for 40 or so years I would be saving about 2000 for my vacations. If you know you love Disney and plan to go at least every other year, it's a great financial savings to get DVC.

 

[Dean]

But Dean, mime4jesus said they have a party of 5. I think you missed that. As you know, a studio is not an option for 5 unless one of them is an infant age 2 or younger.

A DVC studio may be the best "apples to apples" comparison to POR, but since this family is a party of 5, I don't think the studio numbers are very relevant for them.

If that will be their routine party, that's true unless one is under 3 (of course they'll age). Even a 1 BR is a potential issue for a party of 5 for all but the newer resorts and thus a 2 BR (or 2 studios in some cases) is also a consideration.

 

[DisK]

If that will be their routine party, that's true unless one is under 3 (of course they'll age). Even a 1 BR is a potential issue for a party of 5 for all but the newer resorts and thus a 2 BR (or 2 studios in some cases) is also a consideration.

Don't VGF studios hold 5?

 

[Dean]

Don't VGF studios hold 5?

They do but the added costs of buying retail would eliminate the savings plus while they technically do, I don't think it's reasonable for most.

 

[Sandisw]

When we bought, it wasn't as much about saving as it was about getting. The 1 bedroom for around the same as what we wee paying for a hotel room. We looked at that as a big plus for our family of 5.

As mentioned, the costs of going are still going to be there, but over the long run, we would have a lot more nights and larger rooms for similar prices, taking into consideration deals like free dining, by owning DVC.

If you are fine with the moderates and would be disappointed or feel like you were missing out when dealis like free dining came along.the DVC might not be the right choice for you.

Good luck!!

 

[DebbieB]

When we bought, it wasn't as much about saving as it was about getting. The 1 bedroom for around the same as what we wee paying for a hotel room. We looked at that as a big plus for our family of 5.

As mentioned, the costs of going are still going to be there, but over the long run, we would have a lot more nights and larger rooms for similar prices, taking into consideration deals like free dining, by owning DVC.

If you are fine with the moderates and would be disappointed or feel like you were missing out when dealis like free dining came along.the DVC might not be the right choice for you.

Good luck!!

Same for me. I wanted a 1 bedroom but didn't want to pay $500 a night (that was back in 1999).

 

[dansamy]

We knew that as our kids grew into teens, POR or any other hotel room that would sleep 5 would start to feel crowded & unfun. We would want a suite or a cabin. We also knew we wanted on Disney property.