DVC vs. other timeshares in the area. Somebody HELP me!!

[downontheBW]

We bought BWV last year. Our 2 boys are in college now so most of our trips (for a few years) will be just the two of us. We didn't need a two bedroom and we like to travel a couple of times a year with shorter than 1 week vacations. We also wanted a reputable company. And besides we didn't want a timeshare, we wanted Disney. It's just a different feeling. I know I'll always (at least for the next 41 years) have a place to stay at WDW.

When I talk about it with other people, I don't say we own a timeshare, I say we're members of the DVC. Like I said before, it's just different!

You sound like you know what you really want and you're already convinced. Good luck in making your decision.

Dixie Landings '94, '96 / Wilderness Lodge, Yacht Club '98
Off site (never again) '99 / BWV '00 / HHI '01

Heidii

 

[Dean]

Let me know how it goes, I guess DVC has spoiled me. We are not very flexible and tend to be demanding in our standards. For that reason I own DVC, Paradise Village in MX and Marriott Grande Ocean for usage. Those I rent when I won't use them. My trade units are Marriott Harbour Pointe week 35 for Marriott internal trading and two Aruba One BR red weeks. All are 5* II resorts that I wouldn't mind staying in if I decided to. I have avoided RCI mostly because I'm more comfortable with II and owning the Marriott weeks, I 'm committed to a membership with them. I didn't want to have to deal with two memberships and the fees involved. I must admit that having access to a wider array of resorts and playing with their on line system intrigue's me.

For someone with a lot of flexibility and the ability to travel off time, there are some tremendous deals out there. SA weeks, Marriott HH off season and the like. One could build a portfolio to cover many of the resorts and gain internal trading status for very few dollars. For example, the Marriott HP week, two Aruba weeks and the PV week cost together less than my smallest DVC contract. For about $3000, one could build a timeshare trading portfolio that would get them Orlando, Caribbean and MX summer, HH spring and fall and possibly summer at times, HI occasionally, Branson and Williamsburg consistently, etc. One would likely not very often get DVC, top Marriott's, warm areas Christmas to Easter, Ski weeks, New Orleans, Key West and the like with these type of weeks but for the savings, one could rent those weeks occasionally. The variations and possiblities are endless.

Disclaimer, I normally recommend buying something you will use at least part of the time unless you are very flexible. My fall back is that I can consistently rent every one of the resorts I own and all but DVC and PV have an internal rental program as a further backup.

Dean

 

[Lisa P.]

What's best for one is not best for all. And so I would caution you about making up your mind after only reading the opinions and postings from happy DVC owners. Read some of the vacation excitement people share about their non-DVC vacation homes too. DVC is really great. You are just not likely to get both sides of the issue equally represented on a DVC board.

Consider reading the bulletin boards at Timeshare Users Group (TUG). There are several DVC'ers who post there, as do many, many other timeshare owners. I wouldn't even think of buying a timeshare anywhere without reading the reviews on TUG first.

http://www.tug2.net
Access to the bulletin boards is available to everyone with a free registration. Access to the resort ratings and reviews is for members only ($15 first year includes one free online ad in the classifieds section). Feel free to use my name as a referral (adds 6 months to my membership) or write me for more info.

You wrote:
>>> Understand that in our case we lived in the area for several years, that we're open to visiting other parks occasionally, we drive our own vehicle, etc.

Like you, we also visit other attractions and we also drive our own car. My DH's & children's favorite WDW vacations have been at Fort Wilderness Campground (in a pop-up), BWV, Vistana and MOWC, in that order. They've also stayed at the Contemp, OKW, DxL, FWH, and several offsite resorts but we prefer those 4. For some people here, the DVC is really the only game in town. You may be one of them. For others, the alternatives can be be just as good or better.

Only you know whether the onsite vs. offsite thing makes enough of a difference to YOU to justify the added price in both purchase and yearly maint fees. We've really enjoyed offsite timeshare exchanges into the area's Marriotts and Vistana. We sometimes add a few days onsite to the end of our trip too. It doesn't have to be either/or. We don't feel that we miss anything, especially after so many Disney trips.

You also wrote:
I'm afraid I'd regret it forever if I didn't do Disney.

If it's what you want, what makes sense for you and it's worth the added cost to YOU, go for it! Just look at all of your options. DVC is best for some, offsite for others, renting as needed for others. We've bought and sold DVC points and a good resale price on either DVC or an offsite resort will limit your risk of making the "wrong" move. We've bought and are selling some of our other timeshare weeks (using more vacation time with our pop-up camper) and it's not a big deal. Hope this helped.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

This isn't a ploy to get bumped to the top, but you folks have just affirmed what I believed all along. Stay tuned!

Remembering when ... we were on hand for the opening of Star Tours (seeing Eisner, Mark Hamill, etc.)

 

[jcodespoti]

If you are looking for a time share in the Orlando area I can see no other choice other than DVC.
1) You can stay at fine resorts and then go to the parks if you want, or just stay at the resorts and relax. (I enjoy at BWV).
2)You are an hour from Busch gardens (if you want to go there)
3) 10 to 20 minutes from US
4)you could go to Vero Beach then hit WDW (or vice versa) all on points
and of course resale value, if we decided to sell we could get more then what we paid for


Joe in CT

 

[mickeyc]

I agree with most of the other post! Also, as a TUG member it is worth the $15 to join. This year the BWVs were rated the #1 timeshare and I think OKW is rated between #5 to #7. The information you will get is invaluable.

Mariott is an excellent company. Prior to purchasing my DVC timeshare I met a DVC member while I was waiting to go on the tour. He advised me he had purchased a 210 point contract at DVC and was planning to add 50 more. In addition he purchased at Mariott in Orlando for trading purposes. He was retired and had plenty of time to take trips. It sounded like a good idea to me. However, I would caution that the Orlando area is saturated with timeshares and it is not always that easy to trade. If the timeshare is going to be used for trading I would consider another locations such as HH or Hawaii. The demand in those areas are much higher.

Moreover, the flexibilty of DVC is great which always leaves DVC members with options. However, if going to Disney there is something to staying on property with the mouse--you don't get the same feel off property. As a DVC member I don't plan to stay off property, which is the primary reason we purchased. Good luck! Enjoy!

 

[robsmom]

First, let me say that i don't own at DVC, i am reading these boards because I am a curious and thinking maybe someday...That said, my in-laws own at Vistana so I can give you some info. They have owned for 25 years and there unit is now on the older side but still in nice condition. Vistana is right outside the resort and that's the plus but also the downside. Even right outside is still outside!!! The grounds are o.k, and there are several pools, but nothing spectacular like DVC.
Being older, they have a layout more like the 70's. For example the kitchen is a separate closed off area like you would have found in a house built at that time.The DVC kitchens would be open to the living space. The bathrooms are functional but not the monsterous bathrooms with whirpool tubs that are being built these days. (Personally, I think that is fine.) They have a two bedroom unit with two baths. The bedrooms were smaller than the DVC layouts.

One thing that seems nice is that they have a full dining table (chairs for 6) in living space of the 2 bedroom, from the layouts i have seen the DVC have several smaller tables. From a re-sale perspective they clearly are not as valuable as DVC because they are not as nice/new and don't have the advantage of being on site.

That said they have a lifetime ownership interest. I may be wrong, but as I read the DVC info, you only have an interest until 2042. To be honest, I don't know what this means financially. While that may not be important now, I am wondering if it will be in 40 years. Assuming that all properties are maintained (and with the maintenance fees i assume they will be), are DVC people walking away with no equity interest in 40 years? Does Disney re-sell at that point, tear down and build new?
Anyway, hope this gives you some useful info.

offsite Feb, 1975
offsite Feb, 1976
Disney Vacation Villas, 1992 (now the institute?)
Marriott, 1994
Vistana Timeshare 1997
Hilton Grand Vac. (3/01)
Vistana Timeshare 12/01

 

[rsinj]

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[Dean]

You must seperate out the sales process that the developer goes through and the quality of ownership at a given resort. Don't avoid something just because the horror stories are there for developer sales, you want to buy resale anyway for anything except when you're set on a specific resort/week and know what you're getting in to. DVC and Marriott are the only ones I'd even think about it. Well, maybe the Ritz, IF I WIN THE LOTTERY.

I can't speak to Vistana from personal experience but Marriott, Vistana and Orange Lake are usually the ones that are recommended outside DVC. There are so many nice timeshares in Orlando though. One situation that would push me to think about off property ownership is if I consistently needed a 3 BR.

I don't see the Right To Use vs Deeded a problem. How many 50 y/o structures made of wood will I want to own in FL, not many, besides, I'll be 83.

Dean

 

[BobH]

My theory on other timeshares vs DVC is that DVC is so good it sells itself. The Disney reps don't need to be high pressure. The other timeshares are "high pressure" simply because they know if you are given time to analyze the whole package you will probably never buy. DVC is low pressure and stands up as superior even when you take your time analyzing it.