DVC "Truths"

[BeachClub2014]

In homage to the great DVC "Confessions" thread started by @Spivey378 , what are your DVC "truths"? Here are a few of mine gleaned from years of experience and reading these boards:

• DVC has never saved us a dime. Since purchasing DVC, we have (and continue) to spend far more at WDW than we ever would have without it.
• If you actually use your points at a DVC resort, as opposed to always renting them out, you will likely never "break even" with your out-of-pocket costs. See the first bullet point.
• Riviera is, hands down, the DVC resort with the best rooms and amenities.
• DVC is not an investment. As @Brian Noble so eloquently offers, it's a toy. Enjoy it as such. And I would add for the spreadsheet crowd, nobody cares about the time value of money when it comes to buying a toy, so please stop trying to convince us that it matters when it comes to buying DVC.
• "Walking reservations" is rude and creates even more walking, and mega renters using web bots ruin the DVC experience.
• The skyliner is far superior to the monorail. Full stop.
• The original paper version of Fast Pass was far superior to its current iteration, and I've honestly lost track of how it currently works.
• The Vacation Points Activity Sheets on the member website are impossible to decipher. If I can't understand the time value of money, how am I supposed to understand the activity sheet math?!!
• The Epcot of 2004 was better than the Epcot of 2024.

I could go on and on. What are your "truths"?

Disclaimer: some (many?) of my "truths" may be a bit tongue in cheek.

 

[tom1944]

We really enjoy the monorail.
We have not stayed at a resort where the Skyliner was the transportation but I took it from Epcot to the Riviera on our last vacation and was not impressed.

 

[BeachClub2014]

We really enjoy the monorail.
We have not stayed at a resort where the Skyliner was the transportation but I took it from Epcot to the Riviera on our last vacation and was not impressed.

I am sure that many share this preference. I much prefer the expansive views, quiet solitude, and fresh breezes created by the skyliner gondola swaying in the Florida breeze over the noisy, sardine-can-like monorail cars that typically smell of a high school boys' locker. In the interest of full disclosure, however, I must acknowledge that I did enjoy the monorail in my misguided youth.

 

[vakamalua]

The views from the skyliner aren't all great, dumpsters & parking lots--they take you out of the "magic"

 

[The Jackal]

Riding the Skyliner on a windy day is not enjoyable.

 

[zavandor]

In homage to the great DVC "Confessions" thread started by @Spivey378 , what are your DVC "truths"? Here are a few of mine gleaned from years of experience and reading these boards:

• DVC has never saved us a dime. Since purchasing DVC, we have (and continue) to spend far more at WDW than we ever would have without it.
• If you actually use your points at a DVC resort, as opposed to always renting them out, you will likely never "break even" with your out-of-pocket costs. See the first bullet point.
• Riviera is, hands down, the DVC resort with the best rooms and amenities.
• DVC is not an investment. As @Brian Noble so eloquently offers, it's a toy. Enjoy it as such. And I would add for the spreadsheet crowd, nobody cares about the time value of money when it comes to buying a toy, so please stop trying to convince us that it matters when it comes to buying DVC.
• "Walking reservations" is rude and creates even more walking, and mega renters using web bots ruin the DVC experience.
• The skyliner is far superior to the monorail. Full stop.
• The original paper version of Fast Pass was far superior to its current iteration, and I've honestly lost track of how it currently works.
• The Vacation Points Activity Sheets on the member website are impossible to decipher. If I can't understand the time value of money, how am I supposed to understand the activity sheet math?!!
• The Epcot of 2004 was better than the Epcot of 2024.

I could go on and on. What are your "truths"?

Disclaimer: some (many?) of my "truths" may be a bit tongue in cheek.

I have rented about half of my points and so I more than broke even. Over the years I have rented enough points I didn't use to pay for all my MF. And now I could sell my contract for more than I paid for it. So in the last few years my accommodation was free and I could earn a little profit.

I agree on the Skyliner. I remember the discussions about how many people would die of heat exhaustion while trapped on it.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Trying to get on the Skyliner using an ECV to Epcot from Riviera is very difficult around dinner times. We have given it a second chance, and it was about the same. We have decided Topolinos isn’t worth it because of that.

 

[BeachClub2014]

The views from the skyliner aren't all great, dumpsters & parking lots--they take you out of the "magic"

Well, there is that. However, it could be argued that those are magical dumpsters and parking lots and only add to the experience.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I have rented about half of my points and so I more than broke even. Over the years I have rented enough points I didn't use to pay for all my MF. And now I could sell my contract for more than I paid for it. So in the last few years my accommodation was free and I could earn a little profit.

I agree on the Skyliner. I remember the discussions about how many people would die of heat exhaustion while trapped on it.

Interesting, and that's awesome.

Just so I'm clear, you've rented your points to the extent that the rental income (minus taxes, of course) has covered your original cost of points and ongoing dues, so you're now staying, in essence, for free?

 

[zavandor]

Interesting, and that's awesome.

Just so I'm clear, you've rented your points to the extent that the rental income (minus taxes, of course) has covered your original cost of points and ongoing dues, so you're now staying, in essence, for free?

No, rental income covered the MF. If I sell now, I would get what I've paid back and a bit more.
Of course if I keep using it until expiry I won't get my money back, but I would have had 52 years of (every other year) Disney deluxe rooms.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

We have not saved any money with DVC either.

I am now known as the crazy Disney person among my group of friends.

The Skyliner is far superior to the monorail, but I don’t like either as a mode of transportation when I need to go somewhere. I ride the Skyliner for fun. I prefer to walk to the parks.

AKL has the best food and amenities. But if you remind me of Primo Piatto I’m willing to concede that it’s the best QS. (Does seem to be getting worse though, compared to when it first opened.)

Every trip, I like Epcot more and more. Still my last favourite park though.

 

[BeachClub2014]

We have not saved any money with DVC either.

Right!?! Owning DVC does NOT allow for spending less money overall.

I am now known as the crazy Disney person among my group of friends.

Me too! A well-earned and deserved nickname. Wear it with pride!

The Skyliner is far superior to the monorail, but I don’t like either as a mode of transportation when I need to go somewhere. I ride the Skyliner for fun. I prefer to walk to the parks.

Totally agree. I cannot wait for the footbridge from Riviera to Epcot. It's gonna happen!

AKL has the best food and amenities. But if you remind me of Primo Piatto I’m willing to concede that it’s the best QS. (Does seem to be getting worse though, compared to when it first opened.)

Bar Riva. Hands down the best pool bar on property.

 

[CraigInPA]

Addon-itis is real.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Addon-itis is real.

Yep, and buying an annual pass is a gateway…

 

[J-Dog]

• DVC is not an investment. As @Brian Noble so eloquently offers, it's a toy. Enjoy it as such. And I would add for the spreadsheet crowd, nobody cares about the time value of money when it comes to buying a toy, so please stop trying to convince us that it matters when it comes to buying DVC.

I totally agree with this one. And the Riviera one.

 

[MartyParty]

DVC truths for us:

• We visit DL and WDW far more frequently having DVC than not (and we’re ok with that).
• As we visit once or twice a year we’re less rushed …leisurely enjoy our time walking around, rides, dining, characters, etc.
• DVC is for adults. I think DW enjoys going just as much if not more without the kids (they’re in university now). I’m thinking of you wine festival!
• We like having a kitchen for cooking breakfast even if it’s mathematically not the optimal use of points for 1 bedroom accommodation.
• We don’t talk to any non DVC adults anymore about DVC because they don’t understand or think it’s silly AND we don’t care that don’t understand.

 

[MICKIMINI]

I've been known as a crazy Disney person since the 1970's. I am the one everyone goes to with their WDW questions and I have helped many, many people plan fun trips (for free) with realistic expectations. I figure I have spent 400-500 days at WDW in my life. That IS crazy!

I turned DH into a crazy Disney person shortly after we married 40+ years ago. DH and I raised a crazy Disney boy. He married a crazy Disney girl. Two weeks from now all four crazy Disney people will be at WDW, though we do have separate DVC accommodations so the young crazies can stay out late and the old crazies can go to bed early.

Crazy DIL thanks crazy old folks for "having" crazy Disney son. I guess we did okay! He is in medicine and she is an engineer so they are both educated AND crazy! Actually, I was a VIP at WDW in the early 1990's being a featured artist. Being "back stage" and being treated to all that is VIP in the 1990's (I can only imagine what it is now) was crazy awesome.

We bought DVC in 1996 during a stay at a value. We just couldn't stay in that small or dark a room. It changed our crazy lives! We've bought and sold more than a dozen (probably two) contracts in that time. Save money, no! WDW is our happy place, warts and all. We were able to share it with family and learned our lesson there. Now it is just the son and DIL and us and we can be as crazy as we want! Character breakfasts! Story Book Dinners! Afternoon naps!

Gotta love it!

EDIT: My brain is gone today...I was a VIP in 1993 when they spent money on entertainment!

 

[Swaggerwagon]

Sure, the deluxe resorts and fancy pools are great, but the ability to cook my kids blue box Mac&cheese in my suite and do laundry is what ultimately sold me on DVC Plus the
Stove had a hidden Mickey #magicalmac&cheeee

 

[Sandisw]

My big truth is that I like what I like and when I can’t stay at RIv, it’s a bummer

But, DVC has been the best decision for us, especially me because I just find peace there.

Agree that addonitis has been real and we haven’t saved anything but plenty of my family and friends have because my favorite thing to do is take them with me..or let them go on my points…so I get to share my joy with them.

 

[davidhr]

• DVC has never saved us a dime. Since purchasing DVC, we have (and continue) to spend far more at WDW than we ever would have without it.

Definitely. Never tried to calculate it because honestly don't want to know, but I travel more frequently now and spend much more in food, tickets, air travel, etc.

• Riviera is, hands down, the DVC resort with the best rooms and amenities.

Yes. I understand why some people don't like it, but personally I think it's the best.

• "Walking reservations" is rude and creates even more walking, and mega renters using web bots ruin the DVC experience.

I personally don't care about it. If you don't have flexibility and have to walk a room, go for it. I won't judge. It's easy to say it's wrong when you have lots of points and have more options. When I was point poor the flexibility was very limited.

• The skyliner is far superior to the monorail. Full stop.

The monorail is very inefficient, considering it's a mass transportation system. It's also very annoying if you have to transfer to go to Epcot. It's a little better if you can walk to the TTC.

• The original paper version of Fast Pass was far superior to its current iteration, and I've honestly lost track of how it currently works.

I actually love the current system.

• The Vacation Points Activity Sheets on the member website are impossible to decipher. If I can't understand the time value of money, how am I supposed to understand the activity sheet math?!!

Agreed. It's horrible.