Expensive budget question

[Camping Griswalds]

We are considering purchasing DVC. I know people here are very budget minded, and just wondering if anyone here (that trys to budget wisely) has purchased DVC?

 

[problemchild718]

I purchased DVC several years ago then added another contract about 4 years ago. It is a great way to prepay your vacation and yes you can trade and go to other places. Don't forget to budget for annual dues and a $75 trade fee if you go somewhere other than WDW. PM me if I can help you any more and check out the DVC sections of DIS

 

[nzdisneymom]

We own at Saratoga Springs and wish we'd joined DVC 8 1/2 yrs ago when we first started going to WDW (but didn't know about DVC then). I agree with the previous poster - check out the DVC boards here at DIS. We figure we were spending all that $$$ going and staying even in value resorts that DVC made sense for us when we bought. PM me if you have any specific questions - I'm always glad to talk about WDW and DVC

 

[sskem96]

You just have to hang out on the budget board to save money on everything else so you can afford DVC!

I have high hopes of buying DVC within the next 5 years. We have to be debt-free otherwise (except mortgage) before I will buy. If we don't have any catastrophies, we should be there in about 2 1/2 years, but you never know when you're going to have to replace a car unexpectedly or something, so I figure 3-5 yrs. is a good goal time.

 

[*Flower*]

We also own at Saratoga Springs, and are kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner.

I will say though, that your 'guide' has a lot to do with what you decide.

Our original guide couldn't really give us a reason to buy- but we did the tour again in December. Our new guide was so much more knowledgible (sp) than our first one.

Of course we just got a call from DVC a couple of nights ago...

We've been given a new guide because ours is no longer with DVC.

He'd been with the company for so long too- and had been part of management until he decided to go back to sales. Oh well.....

 

[all4fun]

I think you'll find lots of threads on this subject on the DVC forum if you haven't already looked there. We are DVC owners and I only think it is cost saving in that we like to stay on property, in deluxe, (actually "semi" deluxe since you don't get every day mousekeeping, fresh towells etc, unless you pay extra for it), and it's a form of pre-paying for your vacation accomodations, and hedging on inflation somewhat too. But if you like to stay at the values or you don't want to go to WDW at least 1x every other year, then IMO there are probably better more "budget minded" ways to spend your vacation dollars. JMO though! We love love love DVC and don't regret buying.

We also found our experience just looking into it to be the most no pressure sales pitch we've ever experienced. So unlike other timeshares, I actually recommend people go see the resort and talk to a guide. Before you go though, check out resales just so you know what all is available. Our first contract was direct thru Disney, our 2nd was resale. They both have advantages.

Oh and one other thing...There have been a couple of times we weren't able to use our points before they expired (even after banking them) but it was so easy to rent the points out so it at least covered our mtnc fees that year. So that is another nice thing about DVC - the points are very easy to rent out if you can't use them and so there's another way your money is at least not going to waste.

hth!

 

[Camping Griswalds]

Oh I like all of the responses! Thanks for the opinions. I have read and re read some of the posts on the DVC froum, and sometimes it gets so confusing!! We do usually stay more value idea, but have made about 12 trips in 9 years, so I think LONG term it is the way for us to go. I just love the idea of "having" to use points every year! Also it would be nice to try a cruise.

 

[Danemom]

I think DVC would be nice to have, but IMO there's nothing "budget" about it. I can take a couple of trips for the price of the annual dues.

Yes, I stay in a value resort, but we're never in the room. I've also been able to take advantage of free dining and other specials, unlike DVC members.
I like the idea of "having" to go to WDW too , but for my family, it is just not the best use of our money. Good luck with your choice!

 

[minnie1928]

We joined about 2 years ago, only 6 months after starting Dave Ramsey! We took the tour (while chanting "we're not going to buy" in the back of our minds!). As a previous poster mentioned, it's very low/no pressure sales tour. Anyway, being the anal retentive accountant that I am we came home and thought about it for a month. I ran the numbers during that time. What I came up with was...for us, it was a good financial move. We tend to go several times/year using annual passes. For several years we were getting great AP discounts on rooms and that started to dry up. With DVC our price is locked, we get the best discounts on APs and food discounts too.

I mentioned DR above. Once we purchased DVC we just worked the contracts into our DR debt payment plan. We are on target to have our DVC points paid off in about 6 months from now.

 

[ILoveDisney&Cruising]

We also own at Saratoga Springs, and are kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner.

Ditto and DITTO!!!!

 

[CheapMom]

I am very budget conscious. (see screenname) After years of guffawing at the idea of timeshare ownership, I finally decided to look at DVC with an open mind. We got the literature and we bought in about 6-8 weeks later. It is not a money saver for us in any way (used to stay mostly at the values) but it has vastly improved the quality of our vacations. We vacation differently now. We relax more and go at a reasonable pace. Also we are able to treat our family members which is a dream come true for us. DVC is expensive but when it comes down to it- we are really maximizing our vacation dollars through the program.

We own at SSR and love it there. Let me know if you have any questions, happy to help.

 

[Camping Griswalds]

I think DVC would be nice to have, but IMO there's nothing "budget" about it. I can take a couple of trips for the price of the annual dues.

Yes, I stay in a value resort, but we're never in the room. I've also been able to take advantage of free dining and other specials, unlike DVC members.
I like the idea of "having" to go to WDW too , but for my family, it is just not the best use of our money. Good luck with your choice!

I have thought of this as well, but to be honest, we have gone so much in January or August, and we due to school schedules and work schedules can not take advantage of the "freebie" times. When my oldest got to a certain age, we started to enjoy the amenities of different resort more. The lobby, activities, the pool. The parks have turned into half day adventures for us. Now with a little one (she is 3) again, I can only believe that the cycle will repeat itself. I think it also matters that there are 5 in my family, so even staying at a value, we can only do 2 rooms, so the DVC of a one bedroom, might be more economical.

We are staying offsite this trip, so that may be the breaker either way. I just am leaning towards, if i go every year, with DVC I will have something to show for it, and eventually only have the annual fees. With the rising room prices, it seems like this might be a good long term goal. I like the idea of my grandchildren being able to use it too.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I am so glad you started this thread. We are a family of 6 so we are seriously considering it. Especially for when the kids get older and we will only be able to vacation during off times from school. Keep the info coming everyone! I wanted to ask (not to hijack) but is Disney the only place you can stay with your points? Can I stay in Italy for example?

 

[Camping Griswalds]

I am so glad you started this thread. We are a family of 6 so we are seriously considering it. Especially for when the kids get older and we will only be able to vacation during off times from school. Keep the info coming everyone! I wanted to ask (not to hijack) but is Disney the only place you can stay with your points? Can I stay in Italy for example?

Not sure about Italy, but I know I have heard of Hawaii?? You can also do the Disney cruise (with and without the parks) and there is Hilton Head and Vero Beach. I think also their new "Adventures" which are kinda neat too. But I don't know specifics.

I think if your family is over the Disney standard of 4, it becomes a better deal!

 

[*Flower*]

They do list Venice and Tuscany as destinations....

 

[mel&me]

I am so glad you started this thread. We are a family of 6 so we are seriously considering it. Especially for when the kids get older and we will only be able to vacation during off times from school. Keep the info coming everyone! I wanted to ask (not to hijack) but is Disney the only place you can stay with your points? Can I stay in Italy for example?

DVC has affiliates at places all over the world. Keep in mind if you have a family of 6, most of the time you will need a 2 bedroom villa. Uses a lot of points if you stay on weekends.

 

[mel&me]

Mouse House Mama
don't let my comment scare you off, It can be great if you pay attention to how it works. We own at SSR

 

[CheapMom]

...due to school schedules and work schedules can not take advantage of the "freebie" times. ...
I think it also matters that there are 5 in my family, so even staying at a value, we can only do 2 rooms, so the DVC of a one bedroom, might be more economical.

These were the exact 2 factors that pushed us over the edge too. When we decided we couldn't pull th ekids out of school anymore and when the baby (our 3rd child) turned 3 and became a "real person" in the eyes of disney. That was when suddenly, DVC became very attractive to us.