DVC resorts other places than WDW?

[NJRA]

We are really thinking about buying into the DVC, but I am curious to know what other options my family will have besides WDW. What if we want to swich it up one year and go to say Tennessee, or Colorado, or even the beach. Are any of these places even an option? How can we find info on what other options DVC has to offer?

 

[puente0629]

We are really thinking about buying into the DVC, but I am curious to know what other options my family will have besides WDW. What if we want to swich it up one year and go to say Tennessee, or Colorado, or even the beach. Are any of these places even an option? How can we find info on what other options DVC has to offer?

Disney has 500 locations for vacationing you can choose from..from Japan all the way to Key West. You should call DVC directly and have them send you a book with point and resort information, it shows you all the countries and states in the US you can visit.

http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/index

Hope this helps...

 

[littlestar]

DVC is best used for staying at DVC resorts. It's an expensive timeshare to buy into and own (dues) and I wouldn't buy into it for anything else besides mostly using it for DVC resorts. Here's some threads that will help you understand more about what I mean:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2278053&highlight=trading+DVC

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2286152&highlight=trading+DVC

 

[stopher1]

Currently there are 2 DVC resorts that are part of the system that are not associated with (physically located at) Disney theme-park based resorts (i.e. WDW & DL). Those are at Hilton Head, SC and Vero Beach, FL. There is also a resort under construction on Oahu in Hawaii. Last week DVC opened the new villas wing at the Grand Californian at Disneyland, thereby officially making DVC bi-coastal. The Hawaii resort is slated to open in 2011 which will further expand the actual DVC resort options.

The rest of the "more than 500 options" are available by exchange with the RCI network of resorts - you would exchange a number of your DVC points for a stay at one of those resorts. You could also exchange your DVC points for many non-DVC Disney resorts through "The Disney Collection" (i.e. the Polynesian, the Grand Floridian, resorts at Disneyland in CA, Toyko, Paris & Hong Kong, etc), or the Disney Cruise Line or Adventures by Disney trips. All of these choices are options for you, but as a pp has said, the best value for your points really comes in staying at an actual DVC resort. Certainly it's your decision to make if you want to transfer out or not, and doing so isn't really a bad thing, but there are plenty of other timeshares out there that cost less than DVC if you are considering exchanging often.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Buy a smaller contract so you can use banking and borrowing to your advantage. Then get another, cheaper timeshare to use for trading out. DVC is too expensive to use on a regular basis to trade out.

Currently the company that DVC trades with is RCI. Until the end of Dec last year, it was II. DVC negotiates the contracts with these locations annually, so what you find this year, may be missing next year. And all RCI timeshares are not always available. You may want to go skiing in Jan, but nothing may be available until May at that location. It's not just "what do I choose"; it's more like "what might be available".

 

[dvcbrad]

We are really thinking about buying into the DVC, but I am curious to know what other options my family will have besides WDW. What if we want to swich it up one year and go to say Tennessee, or Colorado, or even the beach. Are any of these places even an option? How can we find info on what other options DVC has to offer?

Some may disagree, but personally I would not recommend buying DVC with the intent to do much exchanging. Since it appears you have a family, you're going to be subject to the same high-priority times that most others are - spring break, Christmas/New Year's, and summer. I have put in requests over the years (been a member since 98) for exchanges during spring break and summer, bu have never had any success at all. In fact, I called last spring for this coming spring for anything in Florida, Caribbean, or Mexico ... nothing.

DVC has been great for staying at DVC properties - we've stayed at OKW, BW, and BCV at WDW and also at Hilton Head and Vero Beach. I've also used the points for the cruise and rented points to finance the cruise, but as to exchanging ... no luck.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[gpz]

Not to sound like a broken record, but you should buy where you want to stay. I have never been able to get an exchange that i wanted for peak travel dates. My MIL is an RCI owner and many of the RCI properties are not maintained to the standards seen at the DVC home resorts, so why would you want to pay DVC dues and stay at a place with musty carpet and AC that doesn't work.
We own 200 points at VB and get a 6 night Beach Cottage at the end of May every 2 years. It is an experience like no other at DVC and it has nothing to do with theme parks! You can't get that owning points anywhere else, or for cash.
Another 300 points at BWV gets us a variety of great stays which we use even when visiting the Orlando area on business or to go other attractions.
Don't use anything other than the DVC resorts to guide your potential purchase of DVC points.
I would rather rent or transfer my DVC points than use them for anything other than DVC. The value is just not there.

gpz