DVC membership vs staying at Disney Resorts

[Stevegriswold]

I was on another Disney forum and looking under Disney Resort Deals and saw this:

"Travel dates: 6/3/07-8/4/07 for select Deluxe and DVC resorts only: Yacht Club, Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resort. Note that this date range includes both Regular and Value Season at these resorts, so prices will vary depending on the dates you choose. Discounts are $90-$126 off per night at the Epcot resorts; $115-$145 at the DVC resorts (see below for specific prices). Book by 8/4/07. Use code FDK for Deluxe and DVC resorts.

DVC Resorts
Regular season rates $164 plus tax Studio / $275 plus tax 1 Bedroom / $465 plus tax 2 Bedroom
Value season rates $164 plus tax Studio / $239 plus tax 1 Bedroom / $400 plus tax 2 Bedroom"

So can you just call CRO and book a studio or 1/2 bedroom at a DVC resort without being a DVC member? Or are these cash prices if you are a DVC member and do not have enough points?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[fwong]

This comparison does not calculate any interest income for the "hotel" senario.

It does. The income being spent on the "hotel" scenario is the cash pile you have that wasn't spent on DVC in the first year.

It also doesn't not calculate the net present value of the DVC purchase or factor in any other calculation of the time value of money.

It doesn't need to (or it doesn't make a significant difference). The DVC cash out-lay is re-computed every year as if it has some predicted annual return. Plus, the money spent on an dvc fees on an annual basis is compared equally with a hotel stay in the same year. And annual increases are being applied to both values (DVC vs. hotel) annually.

Inflation is something in the 2-4% range -- about the same range as the annual increases we are seeing.

 

[DVCLiz]

I was on another Disney forum and looking under Disney Resort Deals and saw this:

"Travel dates: 6/3/07-8/4/07 for select Deluxe and DVC resorts only: Yacht Club, Beach Club, BoardWalk Inn, Old Key West and Saratoga Springs Resort. Note that this date range includes both Regular and Value Season at these resorts, so prices will vary depending on the dates you choose. Discounts are $90-$126 off per night at the Epcot resorts; $115-$145 at the DVC resorts (see below for specific prices). Book by 8/4/07. Use code FDK for Deluxe and DVC resorts.

DVC Resorts
Regular season rates $164 plus tax Studio / $275 plus tax 1 Bedroom / $465 plus tax 2 Bedroom
Value season rates $164 plus tax Studio / $239 plus tax 1 Bedroom / $400 plus tax 2 Bedroom"

So can you just call CRO and book a studio or 1/2 bedroom at a DVC resort without being a DVC member? Or are these cash prices if you are a DVC member and do not have enough points?

Thanks,
Steve

Yes, you can call CRO and book a DVC villa without being an owner.

 

[Stevegriswold]

Yes, you can call CRO and book a DVC villa without being an owner.

WOW that kind of sucks.

So I would have $15k - $17k invested and be paying about $700 a year in dues for about 150 points and get to book 11 or only 7 months out if I am a DVC member.

Or

I can just call and make a reservation at any DVC resort for $164 for the same studio my 150 points would get me, not invest $15k - $17k or dues.

So anyone can book today a DVC studio or 1-2 bedroom.

Non DVC member - Studio $164 + $22 about for tax at 13% so I can book a studio at any DVC for about $186 a night total.

$186 x 7 nights = $1302 total

So I guess I am still saving some money if my dues are $700 vs $1302.

So I guess this also means it could be difficult to book a room at my home resort or exchange because anyone can book there with no 7 month or 11 month out restrictions.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[DVCLiz]

WOW that kind of sucks.

So I would have $15k - $17k invested and be paying about $700 a year in dues for about 150 points and get to book 11 or only 7 months out if I am a DVC member.

Or

I can just call and make a reservation at any DVC resort for $164 for the same studio my 150 points would get me, not invest $15k - $17k or dues.

So anyone can book today a DVC studio or 1-2 bedroom.

Non DVC member - Studio $164 + $22 about for tax at 13% so I can book a studio at any DVC for about $186 a night total.

$186 x 7 nights = $1302 total

So I guess I am still saving some money if my dues are $700 vs $1302.

So I guess this also means it could be difficult to book a room at my home resort or exchange because anyone can book there with no 7 month or 11 month out restrictions.

Thanks,
Steve

This is a fine point about DVC that took me a while to understand.

But the bottom line is - there are two categories of DVC rooms. One is the category for DVC owners - what I can call and book 11 or 7 months in advance as an owner, or what I can rent from another owner making a reservation for me. The second category is the set of rooms given to CRO. They are in that category for a couple of reasons. First, a small percentage of DVC rooms go into this CRO inventory at each resort. Second, rooms that DVC owners have decided to "trade" in order to go somewhere else go into the CRO inventory. For example, suppose I decide to use my points to stay in a Concierge Collection hotel in NYC. DVC has to raise the money to pay for my hotel stay - and they do it by selling an equal amount of DVC points to someone who isn't a member.

The other thing to remember is that not everyone can do this - because the percentage of rooms available in the CRO inventory at any time is very, very, VERY small compared to what's available for the DVC members. I've never seen actual figures, but I think about 96 or 97% of rooms are DVC only, if that makes you feel any better.

People also ask what happens if DVC rooms are vacant. I don't remember the answer, but I think there are special circumstances when DVC will release rooms to CRO for cash reservations if they are going to stand empty.

DVC is still a better deal if you want to make sure you have access to those villas before anyone else.

 

[CarolA]

I did not read all of this thread so forgive me....

However, IMHO Disney "deluxe" resorts are one of the great rip offs of Disney. Rooms/service/amenitites do not measure up to industry standards. (Most rating services give them 3 stars... The Birmingham Marriott gets 3 stars LOL!) The prices keep GOING UP and the service etc have not kept pace. (Compare the beds at BW to Swan for example, NO COMPARISON. Want service head over to the Orlando Ritz and compare it to the GF..... once again Ritz won hands down!)

Now if the only place you ever stay deluxe is Disney then you are going to trash me. (And sorry I don't buy the "It's Disney" arugument. Shouldn't I expect MORE not less from Disney. What's next? The MK being held to the same standard as your local Six Flags) With Disney you are paying DRAMATICALLY for location. With DVC I have more space and have "limited" the inflation factor for those same locations. That's a trade off I was willing to make.

 

[fwong]

No, but you could (and technically should) calculate the time value of money - I think ideally you should treat your $14000 initial investment as a vacation annuity at a rate of 6-8%. You'll still break even, it will just take longer.

Well - I'll throw it into the spreadsheet - and see what falls out -- but I suspect it will only shift the numbers a few months (into DVCs favor though!).

Maybe I'll even throw up a DVC calculator web-site online so people can try it all out online. Does one exist yet?

 

[Slakk]

WOW that kind of sucks.

So I would have $15k - $17k invested and be paying about $700 a year in dues for about 150 points and get to book 11 or only 7 months out if I am a DVC member.

Or

I can just call and make a reservation at any DVC resort for $164 for the same studio my 150 points would get me, not invest $15k - $17k or dues.

So anyone can book today a DVC studio or 1-2 bedroom.

Non DVC member - Studio $164 + $22 about for tax at 13% so I can book a studio at any DVC for about $186 a night total.

$186 x 7 nights = $1302 total

So I guess I am still saving some money if my dues are $700 vs $1302.

So I guess this also means it could be difficult to book a room at my home resort or exchange because anyone can book there with no 7 month or 11 month out restrictions.

Thanks,
Steve

I needed to add a night (doing 6 nights VWL and 1 night BCV in a week) and had no points so I checked out the AP deals. Only OKW and SSR had any studios left at the special rate and since we had only 1 day at BCV I did not want to switch to SSR to make it 3 resorts. I tried switching the one BC day to SSR to get link the two and get two days but SSR is sold out for members.

I ended up calling MS and getting a room at BCV and taking the 25% member discount which was around 260 dollars.

So the moral to the story is yes, if you watch codes like a hawk and can plan to travel at a moments notice an d don't care where you stay there is a potential that you can stay at a DVC for a pretty cheap rate but if you like to plan a vacation months out and stay at a specific resort you may be dissapointed.

 

[Stevegriswold]

Hi,

Thanks again for everyones help.
I made an offer on a DVC resale on Friday and hope to hear back this week from the seller. If I make it past that part I'll let you know how ROFR goes.

Thanks,
Steve
Atlanta GA

 

[Starr W.]

Hi,

Thanks again for everyones help.
I made an offer on a DVC resale on Friday and hope to hear back this week from the seller. If I make it past that part I'll let you know how ROFR goes.

Thanks,
Steve
Atlanta GA

Good Luck!
What resort did you make an offer on?

 

[Stevegriswold]

Good Luck!
What resort did you make an offer on?

Beach Club Villas - 150 Points
I like the pool and that it is close to Epcot and MGM.

Once we become members we might get some additional points at BCV or try a few points at one of the other resorts.

Should be fun, hope it works out, would love to take a short trip to Orlando this year.

Steve

 

[hardingk]

Good Luck!

 

[Stevegriswold]

Good Luck!

Sweet. I don't have the contact to review yet, but heard the seller accepted the offer.

For the ROFR board I will post my results there, but here is the offer for here as well:

Resort: Beach Club Villas
UY: Aug
Points: 150
Asking: $83 a point
Points Avail: 07=79, 08=150
Closing Costs: $670

Offered: $88 a point
Seller to pay closing costs ($670).

Hated to offer $5 over asking price but at $83 a point I figure I can't pass ROFR. From what I can tell most BCV on resale sites are priced at $90-$95 a point.

Does this sound like a good deal?

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Steve- that is still pretty low- if it passes ROFR you got yourself a killer deal! Good Luck!

 

[Mtnman44]

Based on the ROFR thread reported results and the current resale prices, I'd say you are going to get ROFR'd. If the contract has not been submitted to Disney yet, you may want to increase your offer to around $92. Of course, you could just buy direct from disney for $95 I think and get full current year points. Remember, when you buy resale you aren't really negotiating with the seller but with disney's ROFR price.

 

[Anthony1971]

I did not read all of this thread so forgive me....

However, IMHO Disney "deluxe" resorts are one of the great rip offs of Disney. Rooms/service/amenitites do not measure up to industry standards. (Most rating services give them 3 stars... The Birmingham Marriott gets 3 stars LOL!) The prices keep GOING UP and the service etc have not kept pace. (Compare the beds at BW to Swan for example, NO COMPARISON. Want service head over to the Orlando Ritz and compare it to the GF..... once again Ritz won hands down!)

Now if the only place you ever stay deluxe is Disney then you are going to trash me. (And sorry I don't buy the "It's Disney" arugument. Shouldn't I expect MORE not less from Disney. What's next? The MK being held to the same standard as your local Six Flags) With Disney you are paying DRAMATICALLY for location. With DVC I have more space and have "limited" the inflation factor for those same locations. That's a trade off I was willing to make.

I agree with you for the most part Disney does charge a LOT of money for hotels that do not compare... but Disney hotels have a great location -Disney- also they have much nicer grounds than a lot of hotels in this class and the bset of Disney offers views a castle and nightly fireworks. As far as the rooms and other amenities that I would expcet on a more non fantasy vacation well hands down Disney loses and I would not pay half of what they charge in other locations. DVC compared to a deluxe if you are willing to spend the points for a 1BR or better DVC is much nicer room for room but I like the grounds of some of the deluxe resorts more than DVC

 

[SoCalKDG]

I agree with you for the most part Disney does charge a LOT of money for hotels that do not compare... but Disney hotels have a great location -Disney- also they have much nicer grounds than a lot of hotels in this class and the bset of Disney offers views a castle and nightly fireworks. As far as the rooms and other amenities that I would expcet on a more non fantasy vacation well hands down Disney loses and I would not pay half of what they charge in other locations. DVC compared to a deluxe if you are willing to spend the points for a 1BR or better DVC is much nicer room for room but I like the grounds of some of the deluxe resorts more than DVC

I completely agree. Its location, location, location.

I vacation in San Diego and to get a hotel that is on a beach in the Summer it runs you $300 a night and many of these hotels aren't as nice as the ones at WDW. Why, location, location, location.

A monorail or Epcot resort are just like a waterfront hotel. The best possible location for where you are vacationing. Thats the main reason the prices are so high.