DVC Newbie Question

[Dagny]

Hi Everyone!!

I am trying convince hubby that we need to think about buying some DVC points. We have been to Disney at least once per year for the last 6 years and I think we could have bought a zillion points based on what we have spent in accomodations, LOL!!

Ok, here are some questions....

How long does the DVC tour last?

Are there any benefits to purchasing directly from Disney versus a re-sale?

If purchasing re-sale, how important is it to purchase points that are in or before your month of travel? If I bought points that had an August month, for example, I could bank them for our trip next May, right???


Do DVC members get any other discounts beside the 10% at the Disney Store (any discounts for park passes??).


The hardest part will be deciding on our "home" resort. We are a "Magic Kingdom" family and always stay at a resort on the monorail... it is going to be hard to convince hubby to let go of that convenience, LOL Oh, I might need to win the lottery too

Thanks everyone......

 

[Granny]

Dagny....first of all, if you have gone 6 years in a row to a "monorail resort" (aka Deluxe), you definitely are a candidate for DVC!!

I'll take a stab at your questions:

DVC tour length? I've taken two tours, and each time I just left when I wanted. There is no pressure, and after seeing the accommodations, mostly the tour is about how the points system works, how much dues are and other DVC logistical questions. You don't need an appointment...just show up and tour the models.

Benefits to purchasing from Disney? If you want to buy BCV, then Disney is your only real choice, though we've seen a couple of BCV resales. If you want BWV, OKW or VWL then resale is your only option. Buying through Disney allows you to pick your use month (unless it's sold out), lets you pick the exact number of points you want and allows financing through Disney. Once you have bought, however, Disney treats resale owners exactly the same as those who bought through Disney.

Use year is the month that you get a new allotment of points for a year. So if your use year is August, you can use those points any time from August 1 until July 31 of the following year. You wouldn't need to bank points for a May vacation. Banking would be taking points from the current use year (Aug-July) and assigning them to the next use year (Aug-July of the following year).

Admissions discount: The only DVC admission discount is 10% deduction for Length of Stay passes. (I think it's 10%). You can drop the first or last day of the pass to save some money. This is good if you do intend to spend every day in the parks when you go. But if you plan on going more than about 8 days per year to the parks, you will find an AP to be the better deal.


As to where to buy? They are all great accommodations, and really you should let your tastes decide. If you love convenience, BWV and BCV are within a short walking distance to Epcot and reasonable walking distance to MGM. VWL has great access to MK (and those monorails) via boat. OKW is a little more remote, which makes it a wonderful haven from the hustle and bustle of the parks.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[Richyams]

Everything I am going to say is contrary to the previous poster.....but DVC works very well for us also.

We are a family of three, we would never dream of staying in a studio....its so pedestrian. We bought DVC for the accomodations, the studio is basically the same as any other resort. The three bedroom villa is another story. We bring another couple, often we switch guests during the middle weekend, the commpn kids stay in the third bedroom, we rarely use the pull out, but its there for a stray teenager or something, or for the new couple's first night of the second week..somethimes that Sat can be crowded.

Buying where you intend to stay IS very important. We have only canceled two reservations made 11 months out in the last ten years. They were easily rescheduled. We travel very often during the first two weeks of December, this period can be very difficult to get anything, anywhere at seven months out.

There was never a reason and still is no reason to buy from Disney. The only times you would benefit from buying directly is if the resort you want to own at is new and only available from Disney, or if financing is going to be a problem. As long as you are aware of the value lost with borrowed points and the value added with banked points, and go in educated, run a deal or two past us, resale is the best way to go.

MANY, MANY, MANY people have bought resales with an extra year's worth of banked points.

 

[JimC]

We bought BCV from Disney (Our guide is Byron) and OKW as a resale (Pat Spell from The Timeshare Store). Both were easy and the people we dealt with were very professional.

BCV because we love SAB and the easy walk to Epcot and the Boardwalk, and the boat to MGM. OKW because of the lower points, lower maintenance fees, larger rooms and more relaxed atmosphere.

There are a wide variety of people, interests and priorities represented on the Board. So you will see that DVC can meet lots of needs.

Given your Disney trip history, you should seriously consider DVC. We did many years ago and could not afford it then. It took a decade to revisit DVC (and like you, many many Disney trips in between). We only wish we had bought in sooner.

Good luck!!