DVC members...please help me decide

[TinkABoutIt]

We are considering becoming DVC members. When we went to Disney in 2003, we took the tour at Boardwalk. We weren't sure at the time if we we would get out $'s worth. Well, we are planning another trip back next year and may do the land/sea thing. We have 4 daughters (8,6,3,& 8 months) and they are Disney princesses....not to mention that I am in love with the mouse too. My question is....Is it worth the $ if we plan to go on vacation even every other year? We live in Ohio and would also probably take advantage of going other places with our points. I guess, I need to know from people with experience. Please email me or post on here. Thanks!

 

[TinkABoutIt]

ALso....how many points do I need if I want at least a week every year? How much are points right now? Any good promotions for joining?

 

[bbowers]

You really need an additional choice. It may NOT save you money (because you will end up going more often than you would have), but that doesn't mean you'd be better off without DVC!

 

[stacy6552]

With 4 kids? Absolutely! You'll be able to get a 2 bedroom everytime. If you don't plan to go more than once every other year, then you can buy minimal points and share them between years.

My in-laws have been members for 10 years. They have taken 10 years worth of vacations and could sell their points now at a profit. We've been members for not quite 2 years, by the end of the year we will have taken 4 trips and can get all of our money back that we originally spent.

Don't be like us. We looked into it in 2000 and thought "how much would we really use it?" In the next 3 years we went 4 times and the price went up up up on points....

 

[JohnNJ]

It used to be better or at least a break even between using points or getting an annual passholder discount for cash. We're moving in to a period where the points are a better buy. The AP discounts are not as generous and are hard to come by. So, yes, I think you'll save money at DVC resorts.

Here's something to TINK about - with four daughters you will need to book a two bedroom villa or, at a minimum, two studios. It's not about the amount of space you need for six people. It's about the bathrooms. With girls there is no compromise on bathroom time. So when you're trying to figure out how many points you'll need, keep the bathrooms in mind.

Good luck.
John-NJ

 

[CharlesTD]

If you break it down to accomodation costs of 2 standard rooms at even a moderate for a week over a 2 bedroom on points for a week it will soon shine through that the 2 bedroom is the way to go. Plus with the 2 bdrm you can cook your own meals etc and save on eating out all the time.

 

[TinkABoutIt]

Thanks so much for all your help...I thought this would save me $....just needed some expert advice.....Have a Magical Day

 

[dianeschlicht]

To figure out how many points you will need, go to the point charts on this site and look at the resort you are interested in owning and at the time of year you are most likely to vacation. Be advised that Easter holiday week changes annually, so the dates of high point usage during that season will change as well. That will give you an idea of how many points to purchase. If you are like us, you will find you want to "share the magic", and will end up adding on at some point in the future.

 

[Granny]

It's not guaranteed to last, but don't forget the discount on AP's would save your family $600 a year on the cost of admission if AP's work for you! That is a big perk (hope it lasts) and a very real money saver.

And with the AP, we now qualify for the DDE 20% discount dining program. For a family of six, again, the $50 investment there could return big savings.

 

[tjkraz]

All things being equal, if you normally pay cash to stay in a Value resort or off-site you will NOT save any money.

If you normally pay cash to stay in a Moderate resort, you'll probably break even in the long run.

If you normally pay cash to stay in a Disney Deluxe resort, you will save money.

If you plan to frequently use points for non-DVC options like cruises or other Disney resorts, you probably will NOT save any money.

 

[Maribel]

I did some math the other day to see how much I was saving and you will save money even in a weekend stay. I know many people would rather pay cash than use points for weekend stays, but when you do your math, you are better off getting enough points so that you can stay the whole week on points than paying cash for those nights.
For example, a weekend night in July in a 2bd in SSR will cost 54 points. At an average of $6 cost per point (in my case it's actually less than that) it will cost you $324/night. The same room has a rack rate of $575+tax ($641), which with the DVC discount will go to $480, still more a $150 above the point cost.
Also, If you use your points to stay on non-dvc resorts you will save money, even though you will end up using more points than if you stay at DVC.
In other words, with the cost of rack rate rooms as it is right now, there is no better way, economically speaking, to enjoy the magic than go into DVC.
I haven't done any calculations on the cruise part, but I would suggest you to get a quote from disneycruise.com and compare that to the point cost.

 

[RumpleMom]

IMHO the kitchen, extra bathroom in a 2 bedroom and washer/dryer make a big positive difference in the quality of our vacation. Also as the kids get older, and stay up later than you , you will have your own bedroom.

 

[wtpclc]

Don't forget. You really only need half of the points you come up with from the charts if you only plan on going every other year. You can bank and borrow to get the whole amount.

 

[Y-ASK]

Just to give you an example concerning Pts. Let's say you want to stay in a 2 Bdr for 7 nights and let's pick a week right in the middle as far as points are concerned say Checking in May 14th (Sunday) - Checking out May 21st (Sunday):

OKW = 263 Pts
SSR = 285 Pts
VWL = 314 Pts
BCV = 314 Pts
BWV Std View = 286 Pts
BWV Prf View = 314 Pts
HH = 280 Pts
VB = 289 Pts (Had to change the dates to Jun 5th - Jun 12th)

Changing the dates to Least popular time (9/18/05 -9/25/05) works out like this:

OKW = 218 Pts
SSR = 243 Pts
VWL = 270 Pts
BCV = 270 Pts
BWV Std View = 222 Pts
BWV Prf View = 270 Pts
HH = 133 Pts (Changed Dates to 12/4/05 - 12/11/05)
VB = 240 Pts

Changing the dates to the Most popular time (4/9/06 -4/16/06) works out like this:

OKW = 405 Pts
SSR = 415 Pts
VWL = 462 Pts
BCV = 462 Pts
BWV Std View = 426 Pts
BWV Prf View = 462 Pts
HH = 330 Pts (Changed Dates to 6/12/05 - 16/19/05)
VB = 447 Pts


Y-ASK

 

[OneMoreTry]

It's cheaper to stay at the budget resorts. If you want higher quality accomodations it's a good buy. If in doubt I would wait.

 

[TinkABoutIt]

You all went above and beyond what I was asking...thanks so much for responding in such helpful detail!

 

[TinkABoutIt]

ok....so the points currently are somewhere around $80 a point? How does that work again? I can't remember. I know they said you must put a certain amount down and then pay so much a month.....
Also, the ones for sale on here....are they to buy out the points and that becomes for example, mine if I purchase it or is that for just one time rentals....or is there both on here? Is it going to save me $ if I purchase on here rather than directly through Disney?

 

[tjkraz]

ok....so the points currently are somewhere around $80 a point? How does that work again? I can't remember.

The current price for Saratoga Springs is $98 per point. Promotional discounts should take you down to about $90.

I know they said you must put a certain amount down and then pay so much a month.....

If you buy direct from DVC and can put down 20%, you can then finance over 10 years at 9.75% interest. You can get by with just 10% down, but the interest rate is higher.

Remember to include maintenance in your calculations. It is currently $3.84 per point at SSR. You can pay that in equal monthly installments, meaning you'd pay about $.32 per point per month for maintenance. That's about $48 per month on 150 points.

Also, the ones for sale on here....are they to buy out the points and that becomes for example, mine if I purchase it or is that for just one time rentals....or is there both on here? Is it going to save me $ if I purchase on here rather than directly through Disney?

If you're referring to the rent/trade board, those are for one-time rentals only. The amount is between you and the renter--usually $10-12 per point. This is a one-time use ONLY.

If you're talking about The Timeshare Store, they help sell contracts on the secondary market. Buying on the resale market gives you ownership of the contract until it expires (or you sell it, etc.) You can usually save a bit of money buying on the resale market over going direct through DVC, but it will take more time and energy and you'll need to finance the purchase yourself or pay cash.

 

[TinkABoutIt]

GOt it...you've been so helpful