DVC Questions

[dobball23]

I am trying to learn more about DVC and have a couple of questions. I haven't spent much time on this board, so I am sure these have been answered, but I hope I am not being a pain...

1. I know the initial cost of entering DVC is in the neighborhood of $16,000...what are the annual dues? And do those vary year to year?

2. If I became part of DVC, would I be locked into staying in a DVC resort? Or could I still stay at "normal" Disney resorts if I wished (AKL, CSR, Poly etc.) and use DVC points? Or are the DVC resorts good enough that I won't want to stay at those resorts?

Thanks!

Todd

 

[dianeschlicht]

I am trying to learn more about DVC and have a couple of questions. I haven't spent much time on this board, so I am sure these have been answered, but I hope I am not being a pain...

1. I know the initial cost of entering DVC is in the neighborhood of $16,000...what are the annual dues? And do those vary year to year?

2. If I became part of DVC, would I be locked into staying in a DVC resort? Or could I still stay at "normal" Disney resorts if I wished (AKL, CSR, Poly etc.) and use DVC points? Or are the DVC resorts good enough that I won't want to stay at those resorts?

Thanks!

Todd

1. Your initial costs are whatever the per/point cost is for the resort you choose, and the number of points you choose to buy. To determin that, it is best to look at the point charts and figure out first WHICH resort you want to own at, and second the number of points you will likely need for the size accommodations you require. We started out looking at it as a week in a 2 bedroom. That didn't last long though, so we added on to get us the number of points that seemed best for us. You pay annual maintenance fees on the points you own (it is considered real estate, so there are taxes etc.), and those can and do change annually. There are dues history charts here on the DIS, and after I post this, I will go back and find them and post them to this thread as well.

2. DVC is a timeshare, so of course it is most cost effective to stay with DVC when you own DVC. FYI, AKL is now a DVC resort also, so the only way you can use points to stay there is in the DVC units. First let me say that DVC 1,2 and 3 bedroom units are beyond the deluxes, so I would have a very hard time going back to a "regular" hotel room at the "regular" resorts. We do get spoiled with DVC. I even find myself longing for DVC when we are out on a road trip and I MUST stay in a regular hotel room.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Here is the dues history I promised:
Dues from 1991 - 2007

Year OKW BWV VB VB(sub) HH VWL BCV SSR
2007 4.40 4.85 5.63 4.39 4.98 4.73 4.63 4.12
2006 4.24 4.69 5.27 4.12 4.34 4.61 4.48 3.98
2005 3.86 4.41 4.87 3.84 4.04 4.35 4.27 3.83
2004 3.68 4.25 4.67 3.67 3.86 4.22 4.18 3.80
2003 3.49 4.11 4.36 3.45 3.70 4.05 3.97
2002 3.22 3.92 4.17 3.33 3.48 3.80 3.77
2001 3.13 3.82 3.97 2.70 3.32 3.63
2000 3.16 3.94 4.08 2.87 3.25 3.62
1999 3.16 4.02 3.99 2.82 3.18
1998 3.17 3.94 2.76 3.20
1997 3.14 3.84 2.90 3.16
1996 2.99 3.70 2.82 3.16
1995 2.84
1994 2.70
1993 2.63
1992 2.56
1991 2.51

Annual Increase 1992 - 2007

Year OKW BWV VB VB(sub) HH VWL BCV SSR
2007 0.16 0.16 0.36 0.27 0.64 0.12 0.15 0.14
2006 0.38 0.28 0.40 0.28 0.30 0.26 0.21 0.15
2005 0.18 0.16 0.20 0.17 0.18 0.13 0.09 0.03
2004 0.19 0.14 0.31 0.22 0.16 0.17 0.21 3.80
2003 0.27 0.19 0.19 0.12 0.22 0.25 0.20
2002 0.09 0.10 0.20 0.63 0.16 0.17 3.77
2001 (0.03) (0.12) (0.11) (0.17) 0.07 0.01
2000 0.00 (0.08) 0.09 0.05 0.07 3.62
1999 (0.01) 0.08 3.99 0.06 (0.02)
1998 0.03 0.10 (0.14) 0.04
1997 0.15 0.14 0.08 0.00
1996 0.15 3.70 2.82 3.16
1995 0.14
1994 0.07
1993 0.07
1992 0.05

Percentage Increase 1992 - 2007

Year OKW BWV VB VB(sub) HH VWL BCV SSR
2007 3.8% 3.4% 6.8% 6.6% 14.7% 2.6% 3.3% 3.5%
2006 9.8% 6.3% 8.2% 7.3% 7.4% 6.0% 4.9% 3.9%
2005 4.9% 3.8% 4.3% 4.6% 4.7% 3.1% 2.2% 0.8%
2004 5.4% 3.4% 7.1% 6.4% 4.3% 4.2% 5.3%
2003 8.4% 4.8% 4.6% 3.6% 6.3% 6.6% 5.3%
2002 2.9% 2.6% 5.0% 23.3% 4.8% 4.7%
2001 -0.9% -3.0% -2.7% -5.9% 2.2% 0.3%
2000 0.0% -2.0% 2.3% 1.8% 2.2%
1999 -0.3% 2.0% 2.2% -0.6%
1998 1.0% 2.6% -4.8% 1.3%
1997 5.0% 3.8% 2.8% 0.0%
1996 5.3%
1995 5.2%
1994 2.7%
1993 2.7%
1992 2.0%

AKV $4.62 for 2007

 

[ScottakaMickey]

Annual dues are currently ranging in the mid $4 range depending on resort. Annual Maintenance Fee's (MF) can change from year to year based on maintenance support. There are some charts that show how they've changed over the life of each resort. HH and VB are your highest, OKW is your lowest and the others are in between. So, if you buy 200 points, you multiply the resorts MF times 200 and that is what you have to pay annually.

You can stay at other Disney resort using DVC points, but general opinion is that its not the best use of your points. You can NOT stay at a resort that has a DVC, so you can't stay at BW, WL, BC, and now AKL. So, GF, POLY are currently eligible. My personal opinion that the current DVC resorts offer a wide range of resort options that there isn't a huge need to stay elsewhere, but that is a personal preference.

 

[dobball23]

1. Your initial costs are whatever the per/point cost is for the resort you choose, and the number of points you choose to buy. To determin that, it is best to look at the point charts and figure out first WHICH resort you want to own at, and second the number of points you will likely need for the size accommodations you require. We started out looking at it as a week in a 2 bedroom. That didn't last long though, so we added on to get us the number of points that seemed best for us. You pay annual maintenance fees on the points you own (it is considered real estate, so there are taxes etc.), and those can and do change annually. There are dues history charts here on the DIS, and after I post this, I will go back and find them and post them to this thread as well.

2. DVC is a timeshare, so of course it is most cost effective to stay with DVC when you own DVC. FYI, AKL is now a DVC resort also, so the only way you can use points to stay there is in the DVC units. First let me say that DVC 1,2 and 3 bedroom units are beyond the deluxes, so I would have a very hard time going back to a "regular" hotel room at the "regular" resorts. We do get spoiled with DVC. I even find myself longing for DVC when we are out on a road trip and I MUST stay in a regular hotel room.

Thanks for that chart! That is helpful!

I thought there was some sort of initial cost, almost like closing costs? Am I mistaken? Instead, let's say I want to buy 150 points per year, then all it costs me is $600-$700 and change per year and that's it? (150 X $4.XX)

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for that chart! That is helpful!

I thought there was some sort of initial cost, almost like closing costs? Am I mistaken? Instead, let's say I want to buy 150 points per year, then all it costs me is $600-$700 and change per year and that's it? (150 X $4.XX)

No, as I said, you have your initial buy in of per point cost (currently in the $98-104 range. The maintenance fees are the annual costs beyond your initial buy in. There are also minimal closing costs for a first contract now from DVC. FYI, you can't just buy 150 points. The minimum from Disney is 160 points. You might also look at the resale market from the Timeshare Store advertised at the top of this page.

 

[boettj]

My DW and I purchased our points from The Timeshare Store. We were able to get the cost per point below the going rate that DVC has. The process was seamless, and I would recommend it. If you buy from them or another reseller of DVC, you are treated no differnt by DVC.

There are boards here that go over what people have paid per point. I believe our's was 84/point.

Also, we own another time share outside of WDW. It's a mile from Downtown Disney. We like, but it is not the same as staying on site. One of the draws to DVC is that you can rent the points. Other times shares are difficult at best to rent them out.


Just my 2 cents.