DVC - Still a good deal for residents who travel at discount times?

[MelissaE1]

We are thinking of checking out DVC on our upcoming May trip to WDW. I know a little bit about pricing, etc. We are a family of 4 (ds8 and dd4) who live on the Panhandle about 7 hours from the parks. We usually make a yearly visit in May and stay at a moderate resort for about 5 nights at resident rates (last year $79/night) with the $99 resident hopper pass.

My question is, while we are still residents of Florida, would DVC really be a good deal for us? Besides the upfront cost, the dues each year would likely be more than we pay for accomodations now. As we are a one income family I have to be budget minded when planning vacations.

Any info would be appreciated!

 

[vbfamily]

You really have to run the numbers. Compare what you usually pay and what DVC would cost you.

Is does get a little tricky, in my opinion, for people who live in Florida because there are so many resident discounts available.

Are you looking at staying in something other than a moderate in the future? The DVC units are pretty nice.

Think about how much money you usually spend, where you want to stay in the future, etc.

Had we lived in Florida, we probably wouldn't have done it. This is just my personal opinion. I know there are a lot of owners who do live in Florida.

We lived in Florida for a while in 96-97 and there were amazing discounts available to Florida residents and they still have them today.

If you really like what DVC gives you as far as size of rooms, kitchen, etc., you feel that you would enjoy it and you can swing it financially, then go for it.

 

[PamOKW]

Is DVC the cheapest way to do Disney? No, it's not.

That said. I still think you should look into it and then decide whether you think it is something of interest to your family. As you know, even the discount rates will continue to go up over time. DVC has been very good about locking in costs. Over time, there is very little increase above inflation.

The second thing to consider is what you get for your money. Take a look at a one bedroom and the DVC resort amenities and compare it to the moderate. I'd even compare the studio to the moderate and see whether that is worth the money to you. Then think about whether the increase in cost is worth the extra space and luxury. You might want to figure in what you could save in meals also. I'm not talking about cooking dinner necessarily (or even turning on the oven) but what you could save in the drinks, light breakfast, etc. Especially being able to drive, you could bring these things from home and then just stock your kitchen for quick bites.

DVC is not a bargain but it may be an economical choice. Also consider that, to date, the price has not come down for DVC....it has only gone up. The longer you wait, the more expensive it becomes (and the fewer great vacations you can enjoy).

 

[Pa@okw95]

No. Stick to what you are doing!!!

 

[d-r]

You should probably stick to what you are doing, but one thing to consider is that DVC is sort of hedge against hotel room inflation; you have the points for the next 40 years, and the price of the rooms will go up, and the discounts may not always be available. Just something to think about.

 

[DemoBri1]

You cannot compare the cost of DVC to what you have been doing in the past. To get a good idea of the cost differences you will need to compare it to a stay at a Deluxe for similar time periods.

My family and I (DW, DD, DS) will be using it exclusively during discount time periods until they get into school. In running the numbers as to what we paid for a Deluxe room, it came out far cheaper in the long run. Keep in mind that you are not going to see a marked savings until you're approximately 7-10 years into your deal. This is due to the up-front costs of buying your points.

Now I agree with one of the earlier posters who said that living in FLA would throw a small wrench into things when you have to try and factor in your in-state discount.

Here is what I would do. Put out an inquiry for a Deluxe water/lagoon view room for the projected time period and length of stay you desire. See what that cost comes out to be. You might want to compare room only rates as opposed to package rates, since DVC does not include passes.

When we bought in last August the price per point was $80. I figured that with the total amount of points we had left to use (over the 40 years left on the contract) it would cost us about $2/point + annual dues for the cost of our room. Last year this worked out to be roughly a little over 1,000 for a week in a one bedroom. Comparing that with the lowest rate I saw for a Deluxe last year ($169/night=1,183+tax) you can see that you will get more for your money on the room at least.

If you are quite comfortable with Moderates for the foreseeable future, I would say that DVC is not going to be for you.