Dvc

[maleficent_man]

Hey

Could someone explain this to me in simple terms? What is the deal, how much, how long etc...

Thanks

Nick

 

[KayleeUK]

Here is a LINK to the DVC FAQ

Then pop over to the UK DVC Board and ask any questions

I love my DVC!

 

[Miffy2003]

Nick,

I love mine too! If you have any questions at all, ask away!

 

[vernon]

Hi Nick,
As you read through the FAQ area you should quickly work out that the "how much, how long" is almost impossible to answer. The points system that Disney has put into place offers great flexibility. I'll try to explain it VERY briefly.

There are 4 different unit sizes they are studio (4 people) , one bedroom (4 people), 2 bedroom (8 people) and 3 bedroom (12 people). Basically the bigger the room, the more points.

There are 5 (I think) different "seasons" obviously the more popular a "season" the more points a unit cost.

Finally what can make a huge difference to the economics of the deal. Sunday to Thursday points are much cheaper than Friday and Saturday, if you're able to avoid or minimise your weekend points usage it can make a huge difference. A decent rule of thumb is that weekends costs about 2.5 times as much as a weekday.

Disney is currently selling points for Saratoga Springs resort and Spa, these have a "shelf life" of 50 years, the other DVC resorts (only available through resale) revert back to Disney in 2042.

Part of the beauty, IMHO, of the points system and the different unit sizes is that as your family's size and needs change you can adjust your bookings to fit.
Say at the moment you have one kid aged 4. You'll probably find a studio for 2.5 weeks, would be more than adiquate for your needs.
10 years time you have 2 kids age 14 and 8, you might prefer to go with the one bedroom unit for 9 days (separate bedroom for mom and dad, kids get the pull out sofa in the living/dining room to share , or buy an airmatress and let them camp out)
15 years time and oldest kid wants to bring a friend/partner you can get a 2 bedroom 5 days and rent a house/condo for the rest of the time.
20 years time kid #1 doesn't come away with you anymore so you're back to a one bed.
25 years time neither come with you, you and DW enjoy a long stay in a studio. 30 years time you take child #1, their partner and your grandkids away in a 2 bedroom.
35 years time save up a couple of years points and take both of your childrens families and stay in a 3 bedroom unit all together, or maybe alternate one family group one year, one the next, then the next a holiday with just 2 of you.

I don't think many Brits use DVC as their total accommodation requirements for every year. Many people use it as a quality treat mixed in with other choices. That way you can make the best use of the cheaper weekday costs.

 

[maleficent_man]

Thanks - I'll pop over to the board and check it out!

 

[jjpenguin]

I bought site unseen at OKW and I love it! Just last year I was able to do a impromptu solo trip, cause I had DVC points and didn't have to spend cash on accomodation.

We've stayed at almost all the on site properties, and they're all wonderful.
The great thing for us is that we now have pre-paid our holiday, it makes it so much easier to treat ourselves to luxury accomodations.

See you on the DVC page!

 

[Tiggery]

WARNING DVC is evil. It causes you do go to disney more than you ever thought you would. You spend evenings discussing use of points and convenience of use. You stay in rooms twice as big as normal rooms. You have balconies and whirlbaths and hot drinks the way YOU like them in the morning. You start to think ahh life is good.
THEN IT STRIKES, add-on-itis
we were bit once
and it looks like a second bout is on the way

 

[paulh]

and dont forget the time working out when you can book at 11 + 7 month windows and day by day booking takes over your life at times

 

[Frances999]

I hope you don't mind me hijacking your thread for a question!

Is DVC "workable" if you wanted to stay at the Deluxe resorts rather than the home-away-from-home resorts? As much as the h-a-f-h resorts look nice, for me, The Polynesian and other deluxe resorts are where we want to stay for the next few trips.

I have briefly "read-up" about it but I don't understand how it would be used for regular WDW resorts. I have a feeling it will not be worth the money if we want to stay in deluxe resorts and not the DVC resorts -- is this right? Also, with the amount of Annual Pass discounts and codes, I can't seem to justify the outlay..maybe I am adding it all up wrong?

If somebody could help with this it would be appreciated....Thanks!

 

[vernon]

Fraces, no problem, more than happy to try and answer DVC related questions.

If you want to stay exclusively at the GF,AKL or the Poly , then the answer is probably no, DVC is not for you. HOWEVER, the DVC resorts include Beach Club, Wilderness Lodge and Boardwalk Inn all of which are top class resorts. You're assumption that HAFH resorts are not delux resorts isn't really correct. IMHO The Beach club is a match for any of the resorts on site (the only possibily exception to that is the GF because of it's exceptional "quality restaurant" offerings, but even then the pool at the Y+B pulls back a lot of distance on the GF if you like pool time). Disney has been moving down the route of adding DVC areas to it's existing delux resorts. While SSR is an exception to this, DVC has been a huge success for Disney and there are many rumours that there are plans to continue adding DVC units to existing hotels. The Contemporary is the most regular rumour that is put around. While I'm far from convinced about it's viability, the garden wing to the Contemp has been the 2nd biggest thorn in Disney's side for many years, just behind the Disney Institute/treehouse villas. Now that SSR seems to have turned what was a huge headache for Disney into a money spinner I think it is possible that someone at Disney decides that DVC may also be the way to turn the garden wing at the Contemp from a sow's ear into a silk purse.

You can use your DVC points to stay at WDW resort hotels, you just call member services and say " I'd like to use my points at X hotel for these dates" it is, however, not a very economical use of DVC points. It would, for example, cost about 25 points to stay at a moderate resort, whereas you could stay at any of the, superior, DVC resorts from as little as 10 points per night. You get the best value for your DVC points at DVC resorts.

Also, with the amount of Annual Pass discounts and codes, I can't seem to justify the outlay..maybe I am adding it all up wrong?

Due to 9/11 ALL hotels have had to discount to get business, Disney is no exception. However it does seem the market has bounced back and with the 50 year celebrations going on this year it looks like a VERY busy year at the themeparks. Disney may feel it doesn't have to discount at aggressively as it previously has, or at all.

Like any long term purchase, DVC requires "a leap of faith" at some point. If there are large discounts and codes about, it needs a slightly bigger leap, if those codes decrease or disapear, the economic argument for DVC is easier to calculate. If you're doing a long term calculation for a "fair value" of DVC over it's 40-50 year lifetime, one has to include inflation into the equation. Hotel "rack rate" inflation has run at about 8% over the length of WDW operations. If you figure this in, most people come out with a "breakeven" figure of their outlay for DVC to be about 15-25 years. In my case it was MUCH less, but at that time Disney offered 7 years worth of free park passes to sweeten the deal, I'd guess about 5 years to break even for me. Since 1998 I have had available to me, if used carefully, up to 28 days worth of accommodation in a studio (hotel room) at OKW. The lowest this has cost me is about $750 per year, currently it's about $1,000. It means, if I'm careful my holidays cost me about $35 a night (or GBP 20) for a room on Disney. Obviously that cost will rise in line with the dues inflation. But that, historically has been lower than the rate at which hotel rates have risen, and I'm starting at $35 a night instead of $200+ or so for the best room rate available for the GF.

DVC is increadably flexible, it needs each individual to take the time to work out how (or if) they can best use the system in order to provide top class accommodation for their family at the lowest price. Often DVC doesn't provide all of a family's hotel needs, but it can certainly blunt the edge of future price rises and provide a longterm solution for a family wishing to cover some of their future needs.