DVC vs OTHER timeshare

[bwvBound]

If buy a timeshare affiliated with RCI, it would be something like this:
Maintenance fee for a decent time at a decent resort $700.
RCI membership I think is about $100
RCI Trading fee I think is about $180

LOL! That is one way to run the numbers. My RCI experience is more like this:
* Resort purchase w/ closing and 6 years of pre-paid of RCI was $700.
* Maint fee on above resort is about $325/year for a 2BR/Red trader.
* RCI trade fee is $164 for domestic exchange
Final cost of the exchange vacation: $490 for the week using Maint+Exch Fee. We've completed 5 really great vacations off that week -- so it owes us nothing at this point if it should *poof* vanish into thin air. (Or be "stolen away" by corrupt politicians.)

Other RCI games ...
* Buy an EOY week in a spot with strong demand (SoCal coastal summer week). Each deposit w/ RCI has earned a free bonus week. I get two vacation weeks for one week of dues + 2 exchange fees.
* Make sure that EOY week comes with additional perks: reduced RCI membership dues ($59/year when my prepaid years expire), reduced exchange fees, day use, the bonus week, etc.
* Tack multiple resorts into the RCI account. Spread the annual membership costs over multiple exchanges or Bonus Vacations (rental weeks) each year.
* Browse RCI's rental inventory for last minute deals.

Plenty of ways to play!

 

[grd]

Wow! $325,

Where is this timeshare? Is the common or did you find a resort with really low fees?

I have been looking mostly in the Orlando area to "buy where I would like to stay" and seem to be looking at much higher fees.

 

[Gr00vyChc]

HHmmmm, I'm not talking about resale value as we actually use our timeshare.

So, let me see if I got this straight. You can only use your DVC points at Disney Resorts or cruises and if you "trade" it in for other vacation getaways other than disney, it's not practical as far as "points" go? Your DVC "ownership" also has a time limit be it 40 or 50 years or so?

Like I said, we're going on our first disney cruise with our DD3 in a couple of months and I just don't want my decision to be an emotional one ('coz I know I will LOVE the cruise).. I just want to have all the facts in and see how practical DVC ownership is. Thanks for all the info you've given so far.

 

[Gr00vyChc]

LOL! That is one way to run the numbers. My RCI experience is more like this:
* Resort purchase w/ closing and 6 years of pre-paid of RCI was $700.
* Maint fee on above resort is about $325/year for a 2BR/Red trader.
* RCI trade fee is $164 for domestic exchange
Final cost of the exchange vacation: $490 for the week using Maint+Exch Fee. We've completed 5 really great vacations off that week -- so it owes us nothing at this point if it should *poof* vanish into thin air. (Or be "stolen away" by corrupt politicians.)

Other RCI games ...
* Buy an EOY week in a spot with strong demand (SoCal coastal summer week). Each deposit w/ RCI has earned a free bonus week. I get two vacation weeks for one week of dues + 2 exchange fees.
* Make sure that EOY week comes with additional perks: reduced RCI membership dues ($59/year when my prepaid years expire), reduced exchange fees, day use, the bonus week, etc.
* Tack multiple resorts into the RCI account. Spread the annual membership costs over multiple exchanges or Bonus Vacations (rental weeks) each year.
* Browse RCI's rental inventory for last minute deals.

Plenty of ways to play!

Wow! Your maintenance fee is only $325? I think ours is about $700? Our experience with Marriott - example, last year. We "locked off" our unit so that we'll have 2 weeks - $75

Maintenance fee - $700 - we own at the Grand Vista, Orlando (10 mins from WDW)
Lock off - $75
1 week exchange fee for Marriott's Marbella, Spain Resort - $75
1 week exchange fee for Royal Resort in Cancun, Mexico - $121
Oops I'm forgetting about the Interval Int'l exchange fee for 1 year - $75

If we decide to use our timeshare in Orlando, we won't have to pay for an exchange fee of course.

Could someone please illustrate a similar situation using DVC points? Thanks so much

 

[kend58]

Could someone please illustrate a similar situation using DVC points? Thanks so much

The lowest 1 week points in a AKV studio for a week is 72 the highest is 124 yu can click on DVC Point charts on the top of the page and you can see the options at all the DVC resorts note how weekends and seasons can make a huge difference in how many points a person needs.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

So, let me see if I got this straight. You can only use your DVC points at Disney Resorts or cruises and if you "trade" it in for other vacation getaways other than disney, it's not practical as far as "points" go? Your DVC "ownership" also has a time limit be it 40 or 50 years or so?

In my opinion, it's not that it's "not practical" to trade for another vacation, I just think there *may* be better alternatives. If I had left over points (and wanted to visit someplace other than WDW), I wouldn't think twice about using those points.

It really depends how far you want to go with this... Some will only vacation during Adventure Season, Sunday thru Thursday, in a studio at OKW. That is the best way to use your points from an economic standpoint.
However, worrying about squeezing every nickel out of my DVC Membership is not my idea of having fun. I feel the best use of your points is doing whatever makes you happy.

You seem to be a bit hesitant. That is good when making a large purchase, as it gives you a chance to think about it.
That said, if you are not totally enamored with Disney and DVC, perhaps it's not for you.

Just my opinion...

MG

 

[dianeschlicht]

HHmmmm, I'm not talking about resale value as we actually use our timeshare.

So, let me see if I got this straight. You can only use your DVC points at Disney Resorts or cruises and if you "trade" it in for other vacation getaways other than disney, it's not practical as far as "points" go? Your DVC "ownership" also has a time limit be it 40 or 50 years or so?

Like I said, we're going on our first disney cruise with our DD3 in a couple of months and I just don't want my decision to be an emotional one ('coz I know I will LOVE the cruise).. I just want to have all the facts in and see how practical DVC ownership is. Thanks for all the info you've given so far.

I feel that unless you plan a Disney vacation EOY or so, DVC isn't worth it's high maintenance. If you DO go to WDW every or every other year and stay mostly in Deluxe accommodations, you will definitely come out ahead.

I also think you DO have to look at resale value. Not many timeshares hold their value in the resale market like DVC does. The ROFR by the company makes that possible. Of course, with an end lease, that WILL decrease as years go by. As for the lease versus the "forever" ownership...I wont be around "forever", so I see no point to that type of prepaid vacation. I have no idea if my now grown kids will want to or be able to afford to pay maintenance on MY vacation dream.

Also, remember that the Disney cruise IS A TRADE!! It is not part of DVC, so when you cruise or go to any of the non/DVC resorts, you are trading out just as you do to use the Interval International trades. If your main purpose is to always trade out to cruise, I'd say it isn't worth it for that.

 

[salmoneous]

Not many timeshares hold their value in the resale market like DVC does. The ROFR by the company makes that possible.

I believe that it is the value provided by resale DVC contracts and market forces that keep the resale price high. ROFR provided a stabilizing force, but does not significantly impact the overall price level.

 

[hellerjw]

As for the lease versus the "forever" ownership...I wont be around "forever", so I see no point to that type of prepaid vacation. I have no idea if my now grown kids will want to or be able to afford to pay maintenance on MY vacation dream.

I agree.

Nobody really knows what DVC will do when the first resort contracts are nearing their end dates in 2042. They may decide to let people rollover their contracts for another 50 years, give them incentives to migrate the contracts over to newer resorts, etc.

I too have no idea if my young children will grow older loving Disney as much as I do now so I can't really factor passing my contract onto them into my thinking. It is nice to know that is an option, but who can say what will happen in 40 or 50 years?

I purchased DVC to take advantage of vacationing with my young family now (and hopefully well into the future), not as a long-term asset that will get handed down from generation to generation.

 

[bwvBound]

I'd agree that $325 is an uncommonly low MF. The property is in South Africa and we are taking advantage of foreign currency exchange rates. The exchange rate is currently 7ZAR to 1USD -- but when we purchased it was even better at 13ZAR. (I think our first year's dues were $125'ish?) The purchase itself was coordinated as a "group buy" through TUG closing in early 2002. I'm thankful for the great use we've made of this week -- but there are issues now that may put an end to the ride. We're in a "wait and see" mode.

Truly our consistently best use of timeshare remains our other point-based program when we book "last minute exchanges" through both RCI and II. These late exchanges require only a small number of points regardless of the resort, unit size or season of the destination. My MF is then ~$190/week plus exchange fees.

Wow! $325,

Where is this timeshare? Is the common or did you find a resort with really low fees?

I have been looking mostly in the Orlando area to "buy where I would like to stay" and seem to be looking at much higher fees.

Wow! Your maintenance fee is only $325? I think ours is about $700?

 

[Gr00vyChc]

Thanks so much for your responses. I am enlightened by all of the information provided

Gr00vyChc

 

[dwelty]

We visit every year I think the Grand California Hotel is beautiful - but can't justify the cost. New Year's Eve would cost ~$235 for the one night based on 57 points * $4.12 (SSR's current dues rate per point).

Sorry BWVbound, I have to dissagree with you on this one. The GCH consistently runs $350.00 to 400.00 per night, and Holidays can even be higher. Getting the room for $235.00 on New years eve would be a steal! I also have to dissagree about staying off site since we do it often. A stay at the GCH feels more like a vacation in my opinion, and everything is MUCH closer. We stayed there for a few days 2 weeks ago and had a blast.

P.S. Im a neighbor too. Checking in from Temecula.

 

[dwelty]

Duplicate post

 

[Gr00vyChc]

Sorry BWVbound, I have to dissagree with you on this one. The GCH consistently runs $350.00 to 400.00 per night, and Holidays can even be higher. Getting the room for $235.00 on New years eve would be a steal! I also have to dissagree about staying off site since we do it often. A stay at the GCH feels more like a vacation in my opinion, and everything is MUCH closer. We stayed there for a few days 2 weeks ago and had a blast.

P.S. Im a neighbor too. Checking in from Temecula.

Hi neighbor
We looked into GCH for new year's eve last year and it was $329 or $369 I forget.. but about that much. So, you could use your DVC points there? Cool. Is there a minimum # of points that you could buy?
I wonder what the incentives are if we decide to buy on our cruise.

Gr00vyChc

 

[kend58]

regardless of where the points are purchased current minimum from DVD is 160 points

The last reports had all usual discounts being offered onboard (i.e. $10 at SSr and $8 at AKV per pt) plus a $500 onboard credit for purchasing while onboard DCL

 

[JimC]

We own DVC and MVCI. We use DVC for Disney holidays and MVCI for others. Marriott is a floating week system; high quality product and service; and although much less expensive than DVC, still a high priced timeshare. MVCI holds value well, if you buy at first release from the developer or if you buy resale.

 

[Chic]

The incentives offered while onboard the Disney Cruise were $10 off each point at Saratoga Springs, $8 off each point at Animal Kingdom, and an entire year of points free starting immediately even though it's almost August. You can only bank 50% of those free points so it's wise to use at least half of them before December 1, 2007. There was a drawing for $500 onboard credit in which only one person could win. Everyone who attended the DVC presentation onboard had their name put into a hat and only one person won. The $500 was not an incentive for everyone who purchased a DVC timeshare onboard.

 

[Ecjc]

I just wanted to put in my 2 cents because I did a lot of homework on this topic myself before buying into DVC a couple months ago. We went to a timeshare presentation in the Cayman Islands and thought about buying into it. Maint. fees were $900 for 1 fixed week. Then we looked into DVC because that is where we travel to the most and found that we could have maint. fees under $800 and get 3 vacations per year (if we're careful with our points and weekends). So actually trading your points for another destination isn't such a bad deal because you still get at least 1 week vaca and your yearly DVC main. fees are still cheaper than booking the resort for one week with cash. It's just that you get more for your money if you use the points for DVC. I think buyers should buy with the intention of using it mostly for DVC (for the best value) but can trade occassionly if they are willing to give up 1 or 2 addtional trips a year to DVC resort for one trip to another destination.

 

[bnlbebes]

I always remeber what my guide told me before purchasing DVc in 1998...

"Only buy in if you plan on using your points at a DVC resort at least every other year. Otherwise it is not going to be cost beneficial."

I thought this was a wise selling pooint which might steer some of his buyers away, but fo rus it made sense. We have traded out of DVC from time to time (DL, San Francsisco, DCL) but for the most part stick to DVC and have never been disappointed with our decision to buy-in. Only one more year to go and our lona is paid off!

Then we can figure out how we're going to pay for DVC Grand Californian!