DVC worth it for a couple w/o kids?

[d-r]

One thing is, times change, things change. You buy dvc for a long time.

When we bought, we didn't have children or any immediate plans for children. We thought we'd mostly be studio stays, maybe sometimes bring extended family. We brought friends on several trips.

Then, poof, there's a baby. Wow, having dvc was the best thing ever. We were all set and ready with the dishwasher, washer and drier, fridge, big tub, etc. I really don't know how people with kids go to non-dvc resorts.

My point is, even if you don't have kids now or even plan to, you are buying it for years. It will grow with you, and it is flexible for whatever may happen in your life. You don't buy a certain week or a certain size room, and you may find yourself using it in ways that you never planned, or have new ideas to use them that you haven't thought of yet.

It worked for us for a few years without a child just wonderfully. But thank heavans for the flexibility of dvc, because you are buying it for the long term, and things happen in all sorts of ways to all sorts of families that change how you might use them in the next 40-50 years. It can fit you now, it can fit you later.

 

[Greg K.]

We first visited WDW in '96, for our 10th wedding anniversary. Thought that would be it -- one big trip, no big whoop. Wrong! We went back almost every year, and after spending thousands on vacations, realized we should just buy into DVC and be done with it. Best decision we ever made (besides the one to get married, of course).

Really, if you just buy the "starter kit," of 150 pts, that will give you about 10 nights per year in a studio, which is great for a kid-less couple. And that's a great way to get your feet wet. In time, it really does pay for itself. And you'll find yourself soon wanting to make more trips, and longer ones, and before you know it, you've started adding on, and well...so it goes.

If you make yearly trips, and see no reason for that pattern to change, go for it.

 

[tiffany123]

We purchased about 5 years ago and have added on twice. We are in our mid 50's and have been empty nesters for 10 years. Prior to purchasing we hadn't been to WDW since 1991----bought sight unseen and haven't looked back since. We've been to all the DVC resorts and will use some of our points later this summer for a week at Marriott's Ford Colony in Williamsburg. We're having a great time and have yet to take the daughters, sons-in-law or grandkids to WDW. Took everyone to HH last summer and will go to WDW with the entire group (5 grandkids under 6) in June 2006. If you can afford it and it makes sense, go for it. You won't regret it.

 

[rocketriter]

Do you mean that we have to take our children with us to Disney? My wife and I have just been hanging them up on coat hangers until we get back.

Aw, seriously, we went to WDW many times before we had our first child. Don't make your decision in terms of kids. Figure out what you're spending, what DVC will cost, and what the upgrade in accomodation quality is worth to you and make your decision (it will be a YES) on that basis.

 

[Paul in CT]

My DW and I joined in '95 when our two kids were teenagers with the idea of going evry two years, but soon found that once a year was better. Now that we are empty nesters and have more points we are finding that twice a year can be better.

If you enjoy Disney and like staying in much better than deluxe accomodations for about the same price, DVC may be for you. I also joined because it "forced me" or, at least, gave me an incentive to plan a yearly vacation.

 

[magicmama]

I have grown kids that can't always come so sometimes I just go solo!!! And it's great!! Lots of stuff to do for just adults. And it's fun just being the kid yourself!!! So enjoy!

 

[reedycreek]

i do not have kids, and travel solo now, and i thinks its well worth it for me. i figured if you go to disney at least once a year, its totally worth it!

 

[vascubaguy]

It's just the 2 of us and I'm working on getting DVC now. For us, we typically spend less on the hotels and spend most of the time in the parks, etc. However, when I was doing some comparisons, I figured in some cases it would be cheaper to go for DVC than it would to stay at Value resorts each year. Our schedules aren't bound to anything specific... so we can easily plan our vacation to be 5 nights (Sun-Thurs) and we definately wouldn't mind a studio sized room... it's bigger than most hotels and has the extra amenities. As I add on more points in the future, we might upgrade our stays some, but I'm not sure at this point because, like I said, we don't spend a ton of time in the rooms.

We are both in our upper 20's.... so we'll have plenty of vacations ahead of us, and if I want to invite the family... up to 4 can stay in the studio and at OKW they have the 2 queen beds... not like the 2 full beds at values (and without the surcharge for more than 2 adults).

I can't wait to start DVCing it! I just hope my contract goes thru......

 

[JimMIA]

I have two adult daughters, four grandkids, and DD3goingon23...so I NEED DVC!

But seriously, I don't think it's a question of money, or how much you will save. I think it is really about the quality of your vacations, and whether or not you can afford it.

When you ask DVCers what they love about DVC, you don't get back, "Man, I saved a ton of money!"

You get back all the mushy stuff about "Wishes," Save A Legacy tiles, champagne in the jacuzzi tub, and the 6 year-old boy on the Illuminations Cruse who told his parents, "THIS is the BEST day of my life!"

DVC almost forces you to take more vacations. Both the amenities of the resorts, and the fact that you are going at least once a year, also encourage you to slow down. You don't have to be a Theme Park Commando anymore. So you end up with more vacations, better memories, and a much more relaxed way of "relaxing."

The quality vacations of empty-nesters and singles are no less important to them than they are to those of us with kids.

 

[Deep-Thots]

Well, beezerdave, DH and I are 38, live in NJ, are childless and will remain that way (as bbowers said, ixnay on the idskay), and we've found that DVC works for us.

But... we're really hotel snobs. No, really. I won't stay in All Stars or Pop because they don't have built in hair dryers.

Seriously, though.... We liked the idea of pre-paid, deluxe accomodations -- accomodations that could be "saved up" or "borrowed" for special times or special places or special people. We liked the flexibility of the DVC system. We liked the variety of the DVC system. We liked the fact that we weren't necessarily tied into the DVC system, and that the World Passport collection doesn't represent a rip-off of points. We liked the fact that DVC seems intent on protecting our investment and its name (at least most of the time).

Howzat?

 

[vascubaguy]

I have two adult daughters, four grandkids, and DD3goingon23...so I NEED DVC!

But seriously, I don't think it's a question of money, or how much you will save. I think it is really about the quality of your vacations, and whether or not you can afford it.

When you ask DVCers what they love about DVC, you don't get back, "Man, I saved a ton of money!"

You get back all the mushy stuff about "Wishes," Save A Legacy tiles, champagne in the jacuzzi tub, and the 6 year-old boy on the Illuminations Cruse who told his parents, "THIS is the BEST day of my life!"

DVC almost forces you to take more vacations. Both the amenities of the resorts, and the fact that you are going at least once a year, also encourage you to slow down. You don't have to be a Theme Park Commando anymore. So you end up with more vacations, better memories, and a much more relaxed way of "relaxing."

The quality vacations of empty-nesters and singles are no less important to them than they are to those of us with kids.

That is EXACTLY what I'm hoping for! We typically get in a rush to try and do and see everything. I think I'd like to slow it down and take time to go around the boardwalk, visit/tour other resorts, etc... not rush from one ride to get another fast pass, go wait for a "quick" ride, then rush back to use the fastpass and repeat.

 

[CharlesTD]

Without reading the rest of the posts I would have to ask where you usually stay when you go if you stay in the Values it may not be worth it even if you stay in the moderates at specific times of year but it can still be worth it even wothout the kids in the picture. Especially if you go at peak times and tend to stay in deluxe resorts.

 

[dsneygirl]

DH and I have no kids...yet. But as you can see from my ticker we have gone to WDW many times in the past staying in all different types of accomodations. One of the big reasons we decided to buy into DVC was so when we do have young children our parents can come along with us and we can all stay together.

 

[Mary2816]

You should only buy into DVC if you can afford it, and you really love to go to Disney. Years back, after every trip I would say, "that's it no more Disney" and every year I found myself making plans to return to Disney. I'm hooked!! Oh, by the way, you need to be careful. Very very careful. There is an add-on bug at Disney. He bites...hard.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Right now it's only my wife and me. We will visit WDW four times in the next 10 months.
Yes, for us it's more than worth it.

MG

 

[beezerdave]

Without reading the rest of the posts I would have to ask where you usually stay when you go if you stay in the Values it may not be worth it even if you stay in the moderates at specific times of year but it can still be worth it even wothout the kids in the picture. Especially if you go at peak times and tend to stay in deluxe resorts.

We usually go off-peak times and have stayed at value, moderate and deluxe in the past. We do not feel that our rooms have to be spacious as we spend most of our time either in the parks, by the pool or at meals/night life. I can't say that money is not an object and I don't think we'd be going more often than once a year. Perhaps DVC is not the right thing for us at the moment. But thanks again to all the wealth of opinions!

 

[WDWLVR]

DH and I have no children and DVC was one of the best things we ever did.

In fact we usually stay in a one bedroom unit.

It makes our vacation that much nicer that we have the room to relax and don't feel the confines of a hotel room. We can make breakfast in the room, or have a mid-afternoon drink or snacks. If he wants to stay up later and read he can in the other room while I go to sleep. When i wake up before him in the morning i can relax in the other room with the tv on low so as not to wake him. I can soak in the jacuzzi tub after a long day and I can do a load or two of laundry and come home with clean clothes.

I love my DVC!

 

[vascubaguy]

We usually go off-peak times and have stayed at value, moderate and deluxe in the past. We do not feel that our rooms have to be spacious as we spend most of our time either in the parks, by the pool or at meals/night life. I can't say that money is not an object and I don't think we'd be going more often than once a year. Perhaps DVC is not the right thing for us at the moment. But thanks again to all the wealth of opinions!

You could always go for a smaller contract on resale. To go in off-peak times at OKW for Sun-Thurs night stay, it would only be 40 points for a studio. Same thing at BWV would be about 45 points, 55 at SSR.

To rent 40 points would be about $400... for 5 nights at WDW in a DVC resort... We have been going at least once a year and I pay more than that to stay on-site (even at a value resort with AAA discounted rate).

 

[beezerdave]

You could always go for a smaller contract on resale. To go in off-peak times at OKW for Sun-Thurs night stay, it would only be 40 points for a studio. Same thing at BWV would be about 45 points, 55 at SSR.

To rent 40 points would be about $400... for 5 nights at WDW in a DVC resort... We have been going at least once a year and I pay more than that to stay on-site (even at a value resort with AAA discounted rate).

I'm afraid you got me there. What do you mean by 'go for a smaller contract on resale"?

 

[vascubaguy]

I'm afraid you got me there. What do you mean by 'go for a smaller contract on resale"?

Instead of looking at a full 150 point contract from DVC (or 100+ contracts via resale), check out the resale listings for contracts that are 40-60 points. They tend to show up on occassion and would permit you to take those 5 night stays in a studio during the off-season. You could probably get a 50 point contract for around $4100 including closing costs.

I'm currently waiting for ROFR to pass on a 40 point contract at OKW which is enough points for a studio there for Sun-Thurs night stay during an off-season time. If everything goes thru it will be less than $3,400 and then, when I get some more $$$ saved up, I can add-on directly thru DVC in increments of 25 and not have to pay closing.

It's when you start staying over the weekends and/or get 1 bedrooms that it starts to get "expensive". If we go for longer than those 5 nights, we'll probably rent some points or just stay at a value or moderate for the weekend.

Edit: I also plan to add-on so that we can take 2 vacations a year and so that I can rent points to help offset the cost of the maintenance fees.