For DVC members...

[rbthntschl]

Hi all,

I'm giving serious thought to buying into the DVC. I'm interested in hearing people's experience in owning either multiple use years, multiple properties or both. I'm also curious how many points other people own just to gauge how many to buy. Also, if you have any experience purchasing a resale, I'd like to hear from you too. Thanks in advance.

Luv 'n' Stuff,
Bob of

 

[Tony-NJ]

Hi! I purchased 2 separate contracts from the timeshare store - I highly recommend them. We own 190 points and that seems to be plenty, most of the time ... We used 2 years worth of points in March to stay in a 5 star resport in Charleston - we would NEVER have been able to afford this without DVC. Anyway we have been very happy owners since 1999. A great investment.

 

[MaleficentFan]

We purchased 230 pts from Disney. We generally do more than one trip a year. We weren't interested in multiple homes because we are so in love with AKL we knew we'd want to stay there every time anyway! Plus, we're pretty flexible... if we decide to book at 7 months elsewhere we really aren't picky about which resort we end up in. As long as there is the type of room somewhere on property we're happy to take it! It is Disney after all!

 

[MikeSquared]

DVC is a great deal if you go there allot. We had 300 points, a 100 & 200 point contract at BCV for a few years. That was enough to stay in a one bedroom twice a year, in June for Gay Days and in October for the Food & Wine Festival. We sold our points a few years ago when the DVC check in policy changed to "room ready" and our view requests were ignored on our last three trips there. We spent allot of time relaxing in the room, so where we were in the resort was very important to us. We sold through the Timeshare Store and pretty much made enough to cover the maintenance fees over the years we owned, so we kinda vacationed free for the years we owned them.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

We bought into DVC at OKW in 96. (AHA! Now you've figured out my name)! LOL.

We were living in the northeast at the time, and when we moved down here (to the southwest coast, originally) we discussed it briefly and decided to keep it. Then when circumstances saw us needing to move to Central FL (essentially right on top of Disney) we again discussed; again decided to keep.

We have 310 points, and tend to use them all up each year. We've given them for gifts before (arranged a vacation using our points is what I mean).

We bought directly from WDW, so can't comment on the resale.

We recently discussed (well, I talked - she said NO!) selling again. Economic times and all that...

Our use year is February. Makes it nice.

We like the many options that are possible with the use of points.

 

[Peepster]

We've purchased four small contracts (we're not exactly wealthy) and have about 300 points at VWL. We looked for contracts in the same two months so it didn't get too confusing for us. This was all done through the Timeshare Store and we've been very pleased and feel we saved a bit rather than buying through Disney.

 

[rbthntschl]

We sold our points a few years ago when the DVC check in policy changed to "room ready"

What is the "room ready" policy?

And thanks for the replies thus far.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Hi, Bob & Bruce!

We just own one contract for 160 pts. at AKV. I wish we would have bought more, but plenty of time to add more points in the future.

In the end we bought directly from Disney, but I spoke with agents at the Timeshare Store and found them incredibly helpful! We were going to go resale, but after they sent all the documents we chickened out. We thought about it some more and then called and bought our points from the guide we toured with last summer.

Our August trip was our first DVC stay and we really enjoyed it! Good luck with your purchase!

 

[Chuck S]

What is the "room ready" policy?

And thanks for the replies thus far.

Room ready is a policy implemented a few years ago, and is used, mor eor less, at all Disney and DVC resorts.

Rather than pre-assigning a room, they look at any "ready" room inventory when you check-in, if there is a room ready for occupancy in your booking size/class, you get that room. This probably happens more at smaller DVC resorts.

At OKW, when they check, they generally give us a choice of two or three locations. If no rooms are ready for occupancy, you'll be assigned a room, and will have to wait unil housekeeping has finished servicing it before you are given the room number.

Special requests, like "rooms near each other" if traveling with a large party are often pre-assigned when possible, but general view requests are usually a matter of luck, unless your resort offers special booking categories...like Boardwalk (BW view, preferred, standard) and Old Key West (near Hospitality House).

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Bought in at AKV recently and it was a great decision. We are probably going to move to FL in 5 - 6 years, but we'll still keep it for trading out of DVC (or to other DVC properties like HI) or as gifts by then, but considering what we've paid to stay at the GF and Poly over the years, it was worth it in the long run.

 

[MikeSquared]

Chuck S explained it for ya' before I could. BCV was and still is our favorite place, but our room location and the ability to make requests was a very important part of our DVC experience. We might buy back in at some point, but it will probably be the new BLT at the Contemporary or we'll just get OKW points cause I don't think it's hard to get a 2nd floor room there with a relaxing view. If you're not picky about what's out the window like us you will enjoy DVC.

 

[Disney_Villain]

Multiple home resorts are just fine, but you really don't want multiple Use Years. DVC will not sell you add-on contacts with different UY's (unless you push them). For resale add-ons, you want to avoid buying UY's that don't match what you already have.

We bought resale initially and then direct from DVC for 2 add-ons. Although our resale experience was good (through The TimeShare Store), we found it quicker and easier to just buy our add-ons through DVC directly. However, should we be hunting down another add-on for a hard-to-get resort, we would definitely consider resale again.

Currently DH and I have 460 points (230 at OKW, 230 at SSR) - but we are going to slow down a bit and maybe only buy another 100 at the upcoming Disneyland and Hawaiian DVC resorts.

 

[wendy darling]

We've purchased four small contracts (we're not exactly wealthy) and have about 300 points at VWL. We looked for contracts in the same two months so it didn't get too confusing for us. This was all done through the Timeshare Store and we've been very pleased and feel we saved a bit rather than buying through Disney.

Hello,

when you say you bought 4 small contracts does that mean then amount of years is condensed? how can I find smaller contracts? and can you use the 300 points at one time, or do you have to use each one seperatley?

(i hope it's okay that I posted on this board)

thanks...

 

[Mackey Mouse]

I need to say this.. make sure if you do buy you buy where you prefer to be.. which side you prefer to be on. MK side, Epcot side.. or near downtown Disney. This is important.

Please do not buy into the hype of buying into DVC's latest and newest unless you are sure that is where you want to be. The reason I say this is truly I wanted to be on the Boardwalk side, but we got caught up in the sale at Saratoga and bought 300 points there with the incentives they gave us. They told us we could stay elsewhere on property, but I am here to tell you with the booking window that the other properties have that you do not have access to, you will not get into another property.. unless by chance or it is a less desirable time to go..

So.. I am saying.. we should have stuck to our guns and bought in at Boardwalk or Beach Club.....when they became available. Recently we added 150 points at Boardwalk (we waited on a waitlist) so that we can occasionally stay there.....providing we can get in.

I think it is getting more and more difficult to stay in a DVC property unless you book way out.....and sometimes I do not know when we can go, it all depends on how my DH is feeling.

 

[Saxton]

I have 3 different contracts, 2 were bought through resale and 1 was direct from Disney. I started out with 420 points at OKW through resale - I can't post the name of the company because it will get edited out but she was wonderful to deal with. I bought at OKW because you can park directly outside the building and since my Mom has two bad knees that was important for me. Before I even closed on that contract I saw a resale for 104 points at BWV so I bought it! I use the BWV contract for my Food & Wine trip every year. At that point I thought I was done ... until AKV went on sale. I purchased 150 points at AKV direct from Disney. The first two contracts had the same use year so when I bought the last one they matched it up for me. Mackey Mouse is right - try to buy where you want to stay since it can be difficult to book at other resorts during popular times. If you have any questions about resale pm me and I can give you some info.

 

[padalyn]

I understand why the questions - this is confusing to say the least!

I have 3 contract all purchased from Disney. I have never really had trouble booking BWV or BCV at the 7 month window. F&W does make it interesting, however!

I have HHI, BCV & SSR. I have used the points to do an ABD trip and done a swap out with Holland America Cruise for an Alaska cruise.

I personally find that booking a room is not really a problem, I also never even noticed the room ready thing. I actually like that the first room available is given to me, since I usually arrive at the resort around 3pm.

This trip (3 weeks long!!!) I have used 4 different reservations - 5 day studio, 5 day 1 BR, 4 day studio (all at BCV) then 6 days at SSR (couldn't get BCV....sold out!)

I found that with each room change, the room being ready at 8am was a blessing! I was able to shift rooms, get my guests checked in easily (the 1br was with a couple I know from Calif) then we were off to play in the parks, all by 10am!

The early window is nice - but remember...ALL the points used have to be at that resort! So, when I booked the first 3 reservations at BCV I had to 2008 points and 2009 points - I ended up banking some 2007 points from HHI...go figure - I have fewer points in 2009 because I needed 282 points at BCV for the reservations. I have 210 a year at BCV.

Another note - you can book 11 months before the date of check out! Not check in...so, for a long trip, the book date is later. I made the BCV reservations on 2/1/08 nine months before the check out date.

Keep asking questions - once you have the answers you will make the choice you are comfortable with. I tell people that buying at a specific resort is not really important UNLESS that booking window is needed for some reason. If you have a specific resort you love - buy your points there. That way you have that window if you need it.

F&W season seems to be the only real trouble spot - BCV & BWV book up fast because of proximity to Epcot.

Good luck!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I thought they changed the booking policy?
I am pretty sure you can call 11 months from check IN and book for up to 7 nights. I am almost certain that's what I did when I booked our August 2009 trip. I called on 9/6/08 and booked 8/6 - 8/12/09, then I called back on 9/13/08 and added 8/13 - 8/16/09.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I thought they changed the booking policy?
I am pretty sure you can call 11 months from check IN and book for up to 7 nights. I am almost certain that's what I did when I booked our August 2009 trip. I called on 9/6/08 and booked 8/6 - 8/12/09, then I called back on 9/13/08 and added 8/13 - 8/16/09.

That's correct for your home resort.

 

[padalyn]

That's correct for your home resort.

When did that change?

When I first tried to book 10/19 - 10/24 in Dec - I was told to wait until 11 mo after the check out date. I am glad it changed, thanks for the update!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

We bought our points in May, and at that time it was still the old policy. It changed, oh, maybe June or so? There was a huge outcry on the DVC forums because people were worried that they wouldn't be able to call day by day to secure the reservations, but it seems to be working OK so far.