DVC yearly fees

[TAINJ]

Can anyone give me info on the yearly fees to join the DVC? According to the people at Disney, they can range between $500-$900 per year. Are these costs fixed??? How about if you buy a resale? Do you just inherit their costs??

Thanks for the help....

 

[RobDoc]

After the initial purchase, annual fees differ by resort and range, for this year, from a low of $3.12 per point at OKW to just under $4 per point at VB.

The last few years the annual dues have even decreased at some resorts, but historically have increased an average of about 3% per year.

 

[TroyWDW]

How about if you buy a resale? Do you just inherit their costs??

There is no difference in maintenance fees based upon how you purchase a contract (resale or direct from Disney). We all pay the same fees. Each Resort has its own separate fee structure, but they all range in the $3 to $4 per point range. The maintenance fee is adjusted on an annual basis.

Annual Dues = Number of Contract Points * Annual Maintenance Fee

(e.g. 150 points * $3.50 per point = $525)

Troy

 

[TAINJ]

Please help me understand the real appeal of the DVC. It seems that you need about 200 points to go for 1 week per year (I typically go off season). This is going to cost me about $12,000 up front on a resale and over $600 per year. Then, when I do go to Disney, I get no maid service and minimal discounts on food/admission. Is it really worth it???? Help me understand.

Thanks!

 

[DVCKaren]

The number of points you need depends on your vacationing style. Looks like you have already determined 200 points is what you will need.

Yes, the initial buy in is expensive. However, consider that you are paying in advance for your vacations. Once you initial buy in is paid for, you just have the yearly dues. For us, right now that is $550 a year. We like to go to disney yearly....once the initial buy in is paid for, we will be staying in Deluxe accomodatins for less than Allstar pricing.....all for the next 40 years. That is the appeal.

If you are going to disney every year or even every other year, the cost is worth it down the road.

Think of it this way...when you go on vacation you are *renting* your resort space. With DVC, essentially, you are *buying* your resort space.

 

[Richyams]

I don't know what size room you are looking at, but I feel that the real beauty of DVC can't be experienced in a studio. The studios are larger and better equipped than any others on property, but still, you really need to consider one bedroom and larger units.

I stay in the Grand Villas. I stay in the two lowest point seasons. With 430 points, I can stay 10-12 nights each year. This unit rents for somewhere in the range of $1,000 per night. My dues are less than $1500 per year. I think its pretty easy to see how much savings are involved.

As far as no daily maid service, I really see that as a plus. I really don't like the idea of someone in my room each and every day. You have a full laundry room and throwing a few towels in is pretty easy. We really never missed the housekeeping for a minute.

Even using you example, and I am not sure what size room you used, let's say you could rent that room for $200 per night, $1400 per week....plus room tax....somewhere around $800 per year savings....ok, not alot, but you would still recoup your investment in 15 years. If, If, If room rates don't go up.

If room rates don't go up.

If room rates don't go up.

That is a big part of this whole equation. Dues have lagged WAY, WAY behind room rates in increases. Room rates have seen 10% increases very often. In three years that $1400 room could be %1700 or more pretty easily. Now you yearly savings goes to $1100, chopped a few years off that payback period right there.

If you were looking at a low season one bedroom unit for 200 points, now you are looking at $300-400 per night, maybe $2500 per week.....plus 11% room tax that is costing you dues, so you annual savings is closer to $1700-1800, chopped a few more years off the breakeven.

Now we do the room increases again and we can see $3000+ cost pretty easily while you are still just paying dues that have lagged behind in increases.

It is actually a pretty easy equation, if you intend to go to Disney at least every other year and you don't mind staying in the finest resorts on WDW property, DVC is probably a good idea.

 

[Robert - CO]

The previous post raises a good point. My wife and I are in the process of buying now, because rates always seem to go up 3-4%. It's fair to assume our maintenance fees will increase at about this rate, but remember that the cost of the fees is so much lower than a standard room rate. An example:

1 bedroom, weekday, in May for BWV - 28 points.

You can rent it for about $400/night (plus tax - ouch)

Maintenance fee is about 28 x 4 = $112

So right now, you get in for $288 less per night after you buy the points needed.

However, the cost for maintenance may go up 4%, but that is only a $5 increase from the previous year. The room, however, may go up 4%, or $16 from the previous year. Fees 40 years out may be around $12/point, but I don't even want to consider what the room charge will be that year......

 

[akdisneyfan]

I just wanted to add that you have the option of paying the yearly maintanance costs in equal monthly debits from your checking or savings account. This is easier for me (a $50 debit each month) than one lump sum. I have 230 points which is enough to rent a 2 bedroom for about 8 nights in the off season and a 1 bedroom for almost 2 weeks in the off season. I have been a member since 1993 and figuring up what my vacations would have cost if I had not been a member was 3x as much as I paid for my membership. I have never regretted buying and have never considered selling.
Kim