DVC Points for Curise and/or AbD

[CharacterFan]

I'm looking at buying into DVC, but was wondering about fees. Not the annual fees, but if there are fees to use my points to go on a cruise or adventures by Disney. Using my points at Disney World makes little sense to me since I normally stay at Pop and am in the parks from open to close everyday I'm there. Also on average how many points is it for a 4-night cruise or an AbD.

Thanks.

 

[disneynutz]

Most will agree that the best financial use of your points is staying at the DVC resorts. There is a $95 dollar fee to use your points outside of the DVC resorts.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You will use a whole lot of points to use them solely for the DCL and ABD. It's cheaper to just pay cash for those trips. And if you are happy with Pop Century, it's cheaper for you to just continue to stay there.

 

[Disney_Villain]

Sounds like DVC really isn't for you. You'd be better paying cash for DCL and ABD, or you'll pay almost the same in annual dues on your points for these trips.

Honestly, the best value in use of DVC points is in staying at a DVC resort - and 2nd to that would be using reservation points for DL, DLP as well as Interval International exchanges.

A good rule of thumb: If you aren't planning on staying at DVC resorts (for most or all of your vacations), then DVC is not a good choice.

 

[disneystick]

Agreed with everything that every one has said. However, here is my experience. We were happy staying at the value resorts for many years before buying into DVC in 2003. Ever since then, OMG what Great, Awesome Vacations we have had by using our DVC pts!!!!

I bought my DVC because it did offer me other options instead of just staying at DW only.

I have used our DVC pts, to stay at BCV in a 2Bedroom for 10 days in the summer. We have gone on the Holland America cruise to Alaska. Stayed at GrandCal and DLand hotel in DLand California. We've stayed in the Fairmont on top of Nob Hill in San Fran and had a room with a balcony over the Pacific ocean in Monterey, CA as we watched the otters and seals play.

If it was not for my DVC, to be honest even if I have saved up thousands for each vacation...I would still be staying at a value hotel and would never even considered staying in the luxury hotels. I bought my DVC knowing that I am prepaying for my vacation but never knew that the quality of my vacation went from a 1-2 stars to 4-5 stars by joining DVC.

 

[Lynne M]

If you're not planning on staying at DVC resorts most of the time, then there's really no point in buying into DVC. The trading options are best looked at as perks, to be used occasionally, but they're not the primary reason to own DVC.

Two things that would be showstoppers for me in your situation:

1. The point cost for the non-DVC options like ABD and the cruises are NOT fixed; they can (and do) go up every year, and there's no cap. IMO, they're already extremely high. So, over the life of your contract, there's nothing to stop those point costs from rising dramatically, and you'll end up having to buy more points just to have the same vacation.

2. The ability to use points for non-DVC options like ABD and the cruises is not guaranteed. Trading options through the Concierge and II change regularly, and there's nothing to prevent DVC from saying tomorrow that points can no longer be used for ABD, or that they can only be used for certain cruises, or none at all.

DVC can be a great value when you use it to stay at DVC resorts. That's what it's for, IMO, and that's how the majority of members use it.

 

[JasonDVC]

I disagree with the responses posted.

If you use only 1 years worth of points then yes, it is not good value. But if you use the banking option, you can use 2 years worth of points to go on a great DCL or ABD trip every other year for zero cash or close to it. DCL and ABD are VERY expensive to pay for in cash. A family of 4 is looking at $10,000or more, in cash, for either (depending on which trip you choose). If you bank points you will cover the cost of your membership in no time in few trips. And if you want to use the points to stay at DVC resort then you can do that instead. So, you have tons of options!

It is the fact that you can use the DVC points on things other than WDW that makes it all the more appealing. Be smart about how you use the program and you will be very happy with joining

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I disagree with the responses posted.

If you use only 1 years worth of points then yes, it is not good value. But if you use the banking option, you can use 2 years worth of points to go on a great DCL or ABD trip every other year for zero cash or close to it. DCL and ABD are VERY expensive to pay for in cash. A family of 4 is looking at $10,000or more, in cash, for either (depending on which trip you choose). If you bank points you will cover the cost of your membership in no time in few trips. And if you want to use the points to stay at DVC resort then you can do that instead. So, you have tons of options!

It is the fact that you can use the DVC points on things other than WDW that makes it all the more appealing. Be smart about how you use the program and you will be very happy with joining

It's not just the point cost, its the dues that will make it not worth it if the primary reason was to exchange out. You'd need so many points (and even with banking/borrowing you still have annual dues), it would be better to pay cash.

Example:
Adventures by Disney - For 2009, the MINIMUM is 304 points, per person (early booking). So you would need 608 points for two people.

With banking one year you'd need to purchase 304 points. At $96 a point it would be $29,184 just in initial purchase price. Then you have dues of approximately $1,431.84 per year, so for two years, you'd need to pay $2,863.68.

Then you need to factor in the points go up and that this is the minimum required. The average, with early booking is 480 points/person (price would be $46,080 with current dues at $2,260.80/year).

Although I think its great Disney offers these, buying DVC just for the access to this, is really not worth it as others stated.

 

[Coach Rick]

I disagree with the responses posted.

DCL and ABD are VERY expensive to pay for in cash. A family of 4 is looking at $10,000or more, in cash, for either (depending on which trip you choose).

Jason, as a fellow RI'er, I respectfully disagree. I am doing a 4 night cruise in a Cat 3, Concierge, for 5 in August and have come nowhere near $10K. I am not even sure you could do a cat 3 on points. Same cruise in a cat 4 is $5200. Points cost: 774 points for the same cruise. If I were to use my points for that maint fees alone would cost me $3783. That's providing they do not go up for next year. Then take into account what I paid originally for those points and average that over the length of the contract and you come up with another $2k, which means the cost of that cruise using points is $5700 roughly. I grant you these numbers are rather vague, but still appear higher, and now those points are no longer available. If ever there is a year or two that you have absolutely no other use for your points, then by all means it's better than loosing them, but I think a far better deal would be to rent them even at $8 per point that is still $6192. You are then ahead of the game by almost $1K. JMHO...