DVC vs. Timeshare..

[I'mAlittleBitGoofy]

I hope I don't get flamed for this, lol, but we own a timeshare that offers exchanges with DVC properties. For example, our home resort is not a Disney resort, but we can exchange into a Disney resort such as OKW. Has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks...

 

[Caskbill]

You'll get a number of responses. Yes, people have exchanged into DVC, but there are a number of qualifications.

1. It all depends on the 'trading power' of your current timeshare. Disney trades well for those with high trading power, but it will practically be impossible if your resort has low trading power.

2. Often the trade will be a downsize. For example you may have to trade a 2-b/r villa to get a 1-b/r DVC. Or you may have to trade a 1-b/r villa just to get a DVC studio.

3. There will probably be restrictions on the date of the trade. For example it would be very difficult to get DVC during December.

4. Costs: There will be some costs involved with your trade. For example you may have to have an annual II membership, and they will charge you to trade. Then on top of whatever those costs are, Disney will also charge you, $95, just to trade in.

There have been reports here that people have put in requests to trade into DVC for several years running, with no luck ever. Again, the biggest factor is how much trading power your current resort has.

Hope this helps.

 

[I'mAlittleBitGoofy]

You'll get a number of responses. Yes, people have exchanged into DVC, but there are a number of qualifications.

1. It all depends on the 'trading power' of your current timeshare. Disney trades well for those with high trading power, but it will practically be impossible if your resort has low trading power.

2. Often the trade will be a downsize. For example you may have to trade a 2-b/r villa to get a 1-b/r DVC. Or you may have to trade a 1-b/r villa just to get a DVC studio.

3. There will probably be restrictions on the date of the trade. For example it would be very difficult to get DVC during December.

4. Costs: There will be some costs involved with your trade. For example you may have to have an annual II membership, and they will charge you to trade. Then on top of whatever those costs are, Disney will also charge you, $95, just to trade in.

There have been reports here that people have put in requests to trade into DVC for several years running, with no luck ever. Again, the biggest factor is how much trading power your current resort has.

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much for all that information. It helped very much! Thanks...

 

[chicagodisfan]

I hope I don't get flamed for this, lol, but we own a timeshare that offers exchanges with DVC properties. For example, our home resort is not a Disney resort, but we can exchange into a Disney resort such as OKW. Has anyone had any experience with this? Thanks...

We exchanged our Marriott week last year for a two bedroom at Old Key West in mid-September. We put in our request a year ahead of time and it came through right around the eleven month mark. It was through Interval International. I'd be glad to answer any other questions you have.

 

[tubtruck]

We exchanged our Marriott week last year for a two bedroom at Old Key West in mid-September. We put in our request a year ahead of time and it came through right around the eleven month mark. It was through Interval International. I'd be glad to answer any other questions you have.

Thats because its a good quality timeshare, some timeshares are worth less than a weeks rental at Disney to actually BUY!!, These lower quality ones are not going to get anywhere near Disney as DVC owners will not be interested in such cheap accomodations

 

[Dean]

Thats because its a good quality timeshare, some timeshares are worth less than a weeks rental at Disney to actually BUY!!, These lower quality ones are not going to get anywhere near Disney as DVC owners will not be interested in such cheap accomodations

Not necessarily true. There are MANY people who have timeshares that cost as little as $1 who routinely trade into DVC. Many more trades are garnered with a bonus week through II (an extra free week). Certainly it does require a certain amount of resort quality and trade power but it's not nearly as difficult or exclusive as many would like to think.


I'mAlittleBitGoofy, if you can do with a 1 BR or less and travel during times other than Xmas, Easter and mid summer, you'd have an excellent chance of success. If your an II member the easiest way to find out for sure is to search for DVC and see if you indeed can see units that are there. If you do this over time you'll get a definite idea of whether you'll have a change at all. What resort, week and unit size would you be depositing with II?

 

[I'mAlittleBitGoofy]

We exchanged our Marriott week last year for a two bedroom at Old Key West in mid-September. We put in our request a year ahead of time and it came through right around the eleven month mark. It was through Interval International. I'd be glad to answer any other questions you have.

Ours is through Interval as well. Good to know...

 

[Lisa P.]

We own three different weeks which trade easily into DVC resorts. If your week has the trade power to "see" current DVC availability online (WDW resorts) at II's website, it will probably work in the near future with an ongoing search too, as long as you are able to be somewhat flexible and avoid 2BR requests for the more popular times.

Look online at II for a studio exchange into Resort Codes BCV, DBW, DSS, DVO, DWL for "1" traveler, anytime between today and a year from now. You ought to see something. If you do..., you can probably figure on being able to trade into DVC in the future, especially if you're flexible with your search request. If you see no availability, add DVB and DVH (DVC's beach locations). If you look 3-4 mornings in a row (say, by 7AM eastern time) and you don't see a single listing, it's a fair bet that your week doesn't have the trade power to get a DVC trade at any time, even in flexchange.

My solid DVC traders are under $2,000 apiece. With annual dues under $600 (and a bonus week!) each, it's still a good way to stay at DVC resorts, even taking the added II membership, exchange and Disney resort fees into account. Here's the rub...

With DVC, you choose the unit size every time and all sizes are available on the first day of the home resort reservation window. With II trading, you are limited to what's been deposited - and forget about 3BRs, they're so rare.

With DVC, all times of the year are available. With II trading, Premier season is rare and then, only in a studio.

With DVC, you choose your check-in day of the week and length of stay. With II trading, it's a weekly stay, generally starting on Fri, Sat or Sun. Again, limited to what's been deposited.

With DVC, all DVC resorts are available. II does not list the newest DVC resorts, currently waiting on DAK - Villas at Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge.

So, for people who want the full DVC system, and who will use their DVC points for DVC stays, it's great. But for those of us who don't travel during prime holiday (crowded) weeks and who like a weeklong vacation, having DVC is more expensive than we need to pay. And for trading out, a DVCer pays a similar amount in purchase cost and points usage (annual dues) for vacations spent elsewhere as for DVC stays - again more expensive than you need to pay. With II trading (assuming a well-priced resale week with solid trade power like ours), it's much cheaper and worth the trade-off.... to us.

Here's another thread on this topic. And btw, purchase price and II (or RCI) trade power are not necessarily related at all... especially when considering resales.