DVC outside of WDW and other questions.....

[Cindie-rella]

I am considering buying DVC and would like to know some information on a few things. My DH does not want to do WDW every year. I know that Disney has a list of properties all over the world that we can choose to vacation. One of our next vacations will be Montana/Yellowstone. Has anyone ever used the places listed in Montana? How about anywhere else? I'm just not quite sure how that would work. We are also interested in travel to Italy in the next few years. Any experiences in using DVC in other countries?
Basically, I'm really wondering if it will be worth buying into if we aren't doing WDW every year. I will definitely use it for WDW with our granddaughter, but perhaps every 2 or 3 years.
Also, if I end up buying at one resort does it matter that I never use my "home" resort? Is the only benefit of one's "home" resort being able to book that certain resort at 11 mo.'s out? Why I ask this is b/c I've been looking at the Timeshare Store here on the DIS and found it to be substantially cheaper buying into places like Vero Beach. I realize you only have 42 years of ownership remaining but that would be fine. Any input on going this route? Has anyone here purchased from the Timeshare Store or any other source outside of Disney? If so, I'd love to here your experiences.
I'm just trying to find out all I can before I make a decision. All your help will be greatly appreciated! Thanks, Cindi

 

[chalee94]

I am considering buying DVC and would like to know some information on a few things. My DH does not want to do WDW every year. I know that Disney has a list of properties all over the world that we can choose to vacation. One of our next vacations will be Montana/Yellowstone. Has anyone ever used the places listed in Montana? How about anywhere else? I'm just not quite sure how that would work. We are also interested in travel to Italy in the next few years. Any experiences in using DVC in other countries?
Basically, I'm really wondering if it will be worth buying into if we aren't doing WDW every year. I will definitely use it for WDW with our granddaughter, but perhaps every 2 or 3 years.

generally speaking, DVC is a better deal financially if it is used at wdw (or VB/HH or possibly including hawaii or CA when those DVCs are up and running.) if you trade out, i believe you pay an additional fee and point costs can (and often do) go up each year...while point costs at DVC resorts are - for the most part - fixed for the duration of the contract. DVC's maintenance fees are also relatively high as timeshares go.

trading out can be done, but if you really want to go to montana/italy/etc., you're probably better off buying 1/2 to 1/3 of the points you'd need to go to wdw and using DVC to go every other (or every third) year. you could buy a much cheaper timeshare if you plan to do a lot of trading.

Also, if I end up buying at one resort does it matter that I never use my "home" resort? Is the only benefit of one's "home" resort being able to book that certain resort at 11 mo.'s out? Why I ask this is b/c I've been looking at the Timeshare Store here on the DIS and found it to be substantially cheaper buying into places like Vero Beach. I realize you only have 42 years of ownership remaining but that would be fine. Any input on going this route?

the 11 month advantage of the home resort is an important one, and seems to be getting more important, so long as you can plan far enough in advance to take advantage of it. buying at VB to stay at wdw may not always be a sure thing...

another factor to consider is that maintenance fees can vary substantially. maintenance fees at VB are almost $2 per point per year higher than SSR. if you buy 200 pts, see how long it takes that $400ish extra per year to eat away at the initial savings...

(BTW, VB only has 34 years or so left, by my calculations - it expires in 2042.)

Has anyone here purchased from the Timeshare Store or any other source outside of Disney? If so, I'd love to here your experiences.

i used jason at TTS and had a great experience.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you don't plan to do Disney that often, you may want to get just enough points for every two or three years. DVC is a rather expensive timeshare to use mostly for trading. There are a lot of others out there that might be better for your trades outside of Disney and you won't spend as much on dues and initial buy in.

 

[Cindie-rella]

Thanks for the replies. It sure helped me understand a little better.
My cousin owns between 3 & 5 timeshares now, none of which are DVC but she has stayed at Bonnet Creek and absolutely loves it there. She travels all over. She doesn't know anything about DVc but she says her ownership lasts a lifetime. She can pass them on down to her children. Her annual dues however are about $300./month for the rest of her lifetime of ownership.
If I do buy DVC I'm going to choose AKL or OKW. I haven't stayed at OKW but took a boat ride by and seen pics on allearsnet and I think it's really pretty. We have stayed at AKL and just love that resort too. I guess I'll just have to try to convince my DH to agree with a DVC plan. I was hoping it would be easier to be able to vacation at other destinations from time to time. I know he would be more interested if that were the case. When we took the DVC tour they made it sound like travel to other places was as easy as just picking a place.
Again, thanks for the help.
Here's to lots of great times at WDW!

 

[Deb & Bill]

... I was hoping it would be easier to be able to vacation at other destinations from time to time. I know he would be more interested if that were the case. When we took the DVC tour they made it sound like travel to other places was as easy as just picking a place.
Again, thanks for the help.
Here's to lots of great times at WDW!

Of course they did. That's a big selling point. And we get it thrown at us at all member gatherings. But with new DVC management, they are looking at building DVCs all over the world from miscellaneous press releases that have been posted here and there. Hawaii should be opening in 2011 or 2012. But nothing else will be completed before then away from Disney locales (AKV, GCV are both Disney locations). And when they open the ski resort, beach resort, mountain resort, etc, many, many of the new members will want to go to WDW for Christmas. The competition at 7 months out will be horrible.