DVC owners..how satisfied are you?

[KNWVIKING]

One blessing to owning DVC is that it has "forced" me into using my vacation time rather then selling back a couple weeks at the end of the year.

We bought just a couple years before our first DS went to college. Then the second one went. Then the first graduated and decided to get married. The expenses of the last 7 years have been brutal. Had it not been for our DVC investment DW and I would be spending a week in a tent in a state park like we did 20 years ago, (actually, those were great times, but you understand the point I'm trying to make).

While I have no regrets, I do have one "issue".With almost every other reputable timeshare purchase, it's yours forever & ever. It gets left to your kids in your will. I'm a little irked that I have a deeded property that I have to give back in 2042.

 

[danny1649]

We've made other than college for son.We are OKW owners and bought in 1992 and have not had any regrets so far.

 

[WDWLVR]

My DH and I are DINKs (dual income no kids) and have been more than satisfied with our DVC purchase. We own 400 points which gives us lots and lots of flexability. Most of our trips are in one bedrooms because I love having the separate rooms, full kitchen, washer/dryer, and jacuzzi.

We've used our points to cruise on a 7 day, the 2003 Member Cruise and we've used them to book the 2005 Member Cruise.

We've also sent my in-laws to Vero Beach for 5 nights whey they loved. In fact our last 100 points was an add on at Vero just for that reason.

 

[Snow Shoe]

We have been very pleased with both of our DVC purchases, VB & BWV's. We've used points and went to Paris and DLP. There are future plans to visit Washington D.C. and London and stay at the Dorchester. We see DVC as not just being able to visit WDW yearly, but visit places around the U.S. and world. We gave our youngest son a honeymoon to WDW this past year on points at the GF. We're gone many more times since owning DVC to Disney, then if we had to pay big $$$ and stay at a deluxe resort. Like so many others have stated, I wish we had joined DVC much earlier.

 

[snowwhitemom]

My only regret........I should have did it years ago and bought more points.

 

[Merilyn]

We are very happy with our ownership. We wanted a place to have a family vacation that we all enjoyed. We stayed with cash several time, once at OKW. After we arrived, we saw people taking tours and found out about the timeshare. I called in Oct of that same years and had all information sent to me. We signed in Dec after my daughters 21st birthday so she could be an owner too. That was in 1994. We have loved all our family trips and will never regret buying there. My Mother has passed away but we will never forget all the great family trips we had with her there. There is no better place to take the whole family and OKW has been our "HOME" for 12 years now. I have added on from 225 up to 600 points, so I guess that speaks for itself! We have traded to other locations-Washington, CA, NYC and HH. Loved all those trades and the locations that Disney considered the best. Cost wise, it is has been wonderful. We usually stay in a GV at OKW. With cash it would well be over 1000 a night. With the points cost, dues, etc added up, we can stay 10 nights for the cost of 4 or 5. If you consider dues alone, we pay for 2 nights and get 10! You can't beat that for a good deal.

 

[RAD]

As others have said, I wished I had done it sooner. DW and I stayed at deluxe resorts and I was getting tired of paying the ever increasing room rates. Now I have my own little home away from home right in the middle of all the action.

Owning DVC has also allowed us to do things we wouldn't normally do. A couple of years ago we invited a bunch of family and friends to join us a WDW. We ended up with two 2BR's and 3 studios at BWV. Checking the prices on the web site it would have cost us about $15,000 for those rooms, when we checked out our bill was $0.00 for the room. Sure, we had to bank some points from one year and borrow all from the next but it was worth it.

 

[OKW91]

As others have said they wished they had bought sooner! Well we are one of the lucky ones, we purchased in 91, all we had to do was to see the one bedroom unit, we were sold! Have added on 3 more times, can only say that if you love Disney vacations, this is the best deal going! We have never regretted making this purchase!

 

[WithDisneySpirit]

After finally getting to go on our first trip home, I speak from experience! We LOVE our DVC

I cannot wait to go on the next trip. What a great way to go to Disney and Orlando. My DH has agreed to adding on points too. We just need to decide how many....

Lisa

 

[MikeyNS]

From just getting back from SSR for my first trip home I must say I love DVC. We have a 180pt contract and that should do us fine. We had to borrow 20 pts from next year to cover the 2BR, but being able to have 5 family members/friends come with us for their first visit to Disney at no cost to them was priceless (literally!).. I love the fact that all my vacations will be "paid for" in a few years for the next 50 and I can't wait to trade through II.

I think if the right resale comes up in the next year or two we would like to buy a ~50pt contract at the VWL (or is it WLV) or BWV.. but being able to goto Disney at least once a year from the East Cost of Canada and walking out of the resort without paying a penny. WOW! If I could have only put the money from our previous visits (AKL in 01 and WL in 04) towards it I'd have it 1/4 - 1/3 paid off. OUCH!

'nuff said.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

We are very satisfied.

 

[Forever a Princess]

We are DINKS as well.

I admit that it took us about three years to decide whether or not to purchase.

I was worried about the cash outlay. DH was worried that he would never get to stay at his beloved AKL again.

It's a big step to decide on whether a Disney timeshare is the best decision for you and your family.

I was positively influenced by the "family" of this board. I spent quite a bit of time reading the various posts of this board. On the whole, most of the posts relay how great DVC is.

We took the plunge and bought in Jan 2004 through resale. We had our first trip home to VWL from Oct 17-23.

Our first trip was great!!!! Now I'm wondering why we did not do this sooner.

Good luck with your decision. Many of the more experienced members have said that before making a decision and buying you may want to stay at the DVC resort of your choice by either a "cash" reservation or renting points from a current member.

My advice is don't push on deciding, when you're ready things will flow forward for you.

 

[ashleydoc]

We first heard of DVC in 1993,and bought in 1998 at OKW -300 points and since added on 100 points at OKW in 1999.

It is the best thing we ever did and I wish that we had bought in 1993,we visit once or twice a year and also have cruised on points.

 

[MAC3]

Very Satisfied! We were going every other year to Disney anyway.

So it made sense for us to join. We started with an original purchase of 150 point but did an add on shortly after once I realized we would either be buying extra points off another member or always borrowing from other years.

We are still always borrowing (because we have yet to stay in a studio) but will do so next Thanksgiving.

Dvc is the best!

 

[wtpclc]

PixiePop - Call DVC and tell them you want the package with the details (points for all of the collections, etc.), not just the video. That will give you DCL and exchange info. Everything you want to know and more. Some will say it's worth it to trade out, some will say otherwise. It's based on how you value your points (rental value or actual price paid). You won't find many who don't like DVC here, but it's not a committment to take lightly. I'd start small with points (after you look at the charts that will be in the pkg from DVC). If you need to, you can add on later.

Good Luck!

 

[DVCPAT]

Very satisfied with no negative surprises. All the DVC resorts deliver what’s advertised with HH being the sleeper resort. HH literature doesn’t seem to describe how nice the resort really is. The aerial photos of the red roof don’t do it justice.

Since joining DVC, It seems like were in a perpetual planning mode for vacation. We originally bought into BWV and later added on at VWL.

It’s really nice to turn other family/friends on to DVC. If the day comes when DVC loses its novelty, we can sell the contracts at a profit.

 

[Pa@okw95]

I am from one of the cold states which makes my purchase in 95 at OKW an excellent purchase. We like getting out of the cold here in the winter. Now one big negative for us is WDW, it really is changing. We don't go to the world as much as we used to but still enjoy the accomodations at OKW. Perhaps with the addition of "Soarin" at EPCOT and attractions like that we will change our minds. If you live in a cold state where the winters are brutal. DVC is a great place to escape to.

 

[debaudrn]

Love it, love it, love it! We originally started with 150 points and added another 100. We will eventually add even more. We are a family of 5 (DD 17, 15 & DS 11). We ususally visit the world twice a year. March and August. We have split between WDW and Vero Beach the last few summers. We manage with a studio (with a daybed) if in the World for only a few days and a bigger one or two bedroom at Vero. For our trip next March I just booked two studios. For the same points as a ! BR we all have a bed and two bathrooms. I'll miss the jacuzzi and washer and dryer but with teenage girls....We look forward to different trips to other locales when the kids are older and gone.
Debbie

 

[Disney Doll]

DH and I have no children and own 430 points total on 2 contracts and it is one of the best purchases we have ever made.

 

[JenninVT]

Another vote for escaping winter. I have 200 points that I bought in 2001. Because I'm single I've always stayed in a studio, at almost all the resorts. My trips have been in Feb 02, Oct 02, Mar 03, and Dec 03. I financed through Disney, with no regrets.

Before I bought DVC, I stayed in value resorts and went every 4-5 years. Now I can relax at a REALLY nice resort every winter, even if I don't go to the parks, and I can bring friends along.

My last trip was from Dec 16-24, 2003, I stayed three nights at OKW, 3 nights at VWL and two nights at Universal on the weekend, so that was 10 days for only 60 points!

My next trip will be 9 days and 180 points in Feb 05, but I am "wasting" them on three weekend nights and one night in AKL concierge. (49points! yikes!)

So I think 150 can work, depending on how you use them.