getting cold feet...

[snoopy5386]

So the paperwork is signed and in the envelope on the kitchen table, all I have to do now is send it in and call DVC to give them my final payment (we are paying in full). But I have cold feet all of a sudden....It is a LOT of money, the only thing we ever bought that cost this much was our car! We are lucky to have housing provided through DH's job so this is our first ever real estate purchase....and I am freaked! I KNOW we will get great use out of DVC. Our daughter is only 2 and has already been to WDW 3 times, and we have been at least 10 times since 2000, but still 10,000 is a lot of $$$.
help throw me over the ledge please!

 

[chunkygal]

I can only speak for myself, but of all the money I have spent on things I later thought were stupid tax..this was not one. We think this is about the best money we have ever spent.

 

[Mick West]

It sounds as if you will use your membership for years to come and that's a good thing! I've read so much on here from folks saying, "I'm gonna buy now" to those "accountants" doing a dollar cost average, five year projections etc - etc. All I can say is I bought years ago and consider it one of my best investments. Not from a "I will make money on it" point of view and not to sound like an old tearjerk guy - but I reap my investment every time I take my grandson, or take friends who have never been or went 20 years ago and think it's the same.

 

[MickeyMom2Boys]

I'm feeling the same way, so I'm interested in the responses. I'm about to pull the trigger and have my agent send the paperwork and start the process, but I'm afraid I'm missing something really big. I think I have it all figured out and can't think of anything else to ask, but I'm wondering if there are any negatives that I'm not aware of. It will be interesting to see the responses. Good luck on your purchase!!

 

[cogero]

We paid our in full too and we did agonize over that a bit but know we will get our money out of it. We actually tallied how much we spent since DD's first trip and we spent more than our DVC so we now it was right for us.

 

[twinklebug]

You'll get at least five times the number of usable years from DVC than your car (and no oil to change!). Think of it as an investment in your family memories for decades to come. Children and even grandchildren will enjoy it, share in your love for Disney, and love you & your husband for it!

 

[janni518]

I'll help. Our biggest regret about buying into DVC is that we weren't willing/able to do it when our kids now teens, were younger. I wanted to, they offered us the WLV when we we there but noooo we didn't do it, AND later we figured out that we had more than spent that money on other things that weren't necessary and wouldn't give us as much pleasure. We actually just took our first WDW trip in 8, yes EIGHT years and I'm so mad that we can never get that time back with our kids.

 

[disneylvrnMS]

We have never had any regrets with our purchase of DVC. We actually purchased DVC before we purchased our first home.

If you love Disney it is a great investment that you too will never regret.

 

[Coach81]

If you are planning on going to WDW over the next several years, and if you can afford the payment without hurting your finances, you should do it! We did it last year, and we feel great about it. It is a fantastic feeling to know that all of our vacation accomidations are secured for the next 47 or so years! We have gone 3 times since buying, and we are scheduled to go 2 more times next year! My family loves Disney, and we have the most fun there!!!

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Disney Spaz]

We are just like you except I have a teenage sons too! We have a 2 year old DD and she has been 3 times since she was born, 4 if you count when I was pregnant with her. We have also been 10 times since 2000 and finally this past Easter DH talked me into doing the tour. Now here is what pushed me over the edge;

In the three trips with my daughter I spent $4500 on rooms alone.
That was with AAA or AP discounts on all of the trips. I stayed at ASSports, ASMo, POFQ, CSR, AKL and 2 nights at GF.

All I had to do was seen that and realize that if I wanted to keep visiting the way we were it was DVC or bank robbery

Either way try adding up how much you have spent on accomodations since 2000. I bet you would be suprised how much you have spent. I also bet it would be more or at least close to what you are spending for DVC and DVC gets you 50 years of trips not just 8 years.

Either way I too regret not purchasing sooner. I love the look of BCV and DH tried to get me to do the tour back when it was selling but I said no we didn't need that type of commitment and now I am trying to talk him into looking at BCV resale.

 

[Rose&Mike]

I would agree with everyone else. If you can afford it, go for it. Our son is a senior in high school, and we are finally joining DVC this year. In retrospect, we wish we would have done it years ago. When friends ask us why we keep going back to Disney, my DH likes to say--we always have fun, no matter what the weather or how crowded it is, we always have fun.

 

[twinklebug]

So the paperwork is signed and in the envelope on the kitchen table, all I have to do now is send it in and call DVC to give them my final payment (we are paying in full).

So... did you do it? I think we were all pretty convincing. I know I'm buying in when we go down for our trip (I realize they won't let me buy in right there, but we will get some fast passes to enjoy )

 

[bangzoom6877]

DH and I are 90% sure we are buying a DVC resale next Spring. We also have weighed lots of pros and cons, and with the cost of everything going up so much these days, we know that hotels are sure to go up too! Our kids are now 3 and 1, so we have PLENTY of years to use the DVC at WDW. We are hoping to buy a 150-point resale at BWV so we can stay there every other year in a one-bedroom for 10 nights and be guaranteed a nice long vacation every other year. As far as tickets and food, we have a choice on which ticket to purchase, whether or not to do the DDP, and the DDE should we decide to get an AP for a trip. We also have the choice of going every year for 10 days in a studio if we so desire, without having to bank or borrow points. We have looked into all the DVC resorts and BWV is definitely the best one for us. It was a toss-up between BWV and BCV, but we are looking for BWV since you can get a standard room for fewer points than a room the same size at BCV, it is still in the Epcot and DHS area (that was a priority...location), and there is a lot to do by the Boardwalk. Once our little one is over 4 years old we also plan to take advantage of the Sandcastle Kids' Club one evening on our trip and go to Jellyrolls for example (if it is still there...you never know because Disney changes so much! But I am sure there will be something we would want to d just the two of us). The Boardwalk also has a beautiful pool, and there are some really great restaurants in that area, between BW, BC and YC, all of which you could walk to or take a boat.

If you know you will get many years of use out of your DVC membership, take the plunge! We probably will!! And a small part of me still feels "guilty" for spending so much on this, but then I think years into the future when my boys are older and will not share a double size bed (DH and I don't even like to!), so we will not be going to values or mods, only to Deluxes, we wouldn't go to WDW without staying on property, so the DVC is the only way we could afford a larger accommodation at WDW, and we can secure it at today's prices. A studio at BWV is $4,072 for 10 nights! There's no way we would be able to spend that every other year for only a hotel! 150-pt. BWV contracts go for about $12,000, so that is like going three times for today's going rate, but we will get to go a lot more than that!!

 

[happydvcmember]

for my family my wife and i both agree that dvc was by far the best thing we have ever bought for us and the family, we had cold feet also and took us 9 months to decide if we were going to buy and now we are so happy that we did and would never change it.


Good Luck

 

[Robert H]

I would agree with everyone else. If you can afford it, go for it. Our son is a senior in high school, and we are finally joining DVC this year. In retrospect, we wish we would have done it years ago. When friends ask us why we keep going back to Disney, my DH likes to say--we always have fun, no matter what the weather or how crowded it is, we always have fun.

Although we are not yet members, DW and I are convinced that this is the best way to go. (BTW we will become members this weekend once our guide comes off vacation.) We to wish that we had joined sooner. And like Rose&Mike, ours friends always ask us why we go every year--doesn't it get boring. We just tell them that we love WDW and love all the fun we have each year.

 

[snoopy5386]

Thanks, everybody. I did mail the papers in today. I been playing phone tag with DVC to make the payment as well. I know we will get our money's worth over the years, but it is still hard to fork over the dough. Our disney trips started off very cheap in the beginning, SIL was a cast member and lived near the parks, so we used to stay at her house for free and get into the parks for free. Then she quit and moved to Tampa and that was when we started staying on site and things got pricey. I will say though, up until now all of our stays in a deluxe have been very short, 1-4 nights and always with either an AP or FL resident discount, courtesy of SIL, so still on the inexpensive side. But after two trips in a mod with double beds and 1 with a 2 year old who refused to go to sleep, I am ready for a DVC 1 bedroom. A king size bed and 2 rooms so DH doesn't have to sit in the bathroom for an hour while I try to get DD to sleep!

 

[eva]

No regrets here. We have been members for 11 years now. We even went through a bit of a financial crunch a couple years after we bought. And the only thing I kept saying during that time was, "I'll never sell DVC! I'll never sell DVC!" Now after many add-ons and our DD's are grown and gone, I am even more in love with WDW and DVC. I treasure so many things that I have experienced since becoming a member. Of course taking our girls and now our grandkids is super special. But the one trip that really hits home why we bought is one that we did a few years ago. We took all the adults, forty and over crowd, from DH's side of the family. We had some that had never been and their reaction to the GV at OKW was priceless. But the words of my BIL who is a truck driver and who had never taken a vacation before in his life still makes me feel good. He said, "I can't believe what I have been missing all my 50+ years by never taking a vacation. This is the best time I have ever had in my entire life." He still talks about that trip all the time. I love being able to share all that magic with so many people in our family. Next year we will be taking our new DSIL and two of our grandkids for the first time. Boy, I better bring plenty of tissues. This granny can get pretty sentimental over her family and Disney!

 

[ckg]

I'll help. Our biggest regret about buying into DVC is that we weren't willing/able to do it when our kids now teens, were younger. I wanted to, they offered us the WLV when we we there but noooo we didn't do it, AND later we figured out that we had more than spent that money on other things that weren't necessary and wouldn't give us as much pleasure. We actually just took our first WDW trip in 8, yes EIGHT years and I'm so mad that we can never get that time back with our kids.

I have a 160 pt contract and recently added another 160 point contract as my kids are 4, 2 and a new one on the way. I did not want to have these regrets. This makes this product an asset (not a balance sheet asset) for our family. Luxury no, but a great way to vacation that fits a families needs like a glove ... totally!

 

[labsrus1]

Hi All,
Been thinking about doing a DVC package for some time now. We are thinking about doing a resale for 125pts. To get our room with the view in Sept it would be 123pts at AKV. We've seen a resale with 125pts to be banked for 08 and 125pts due up on FEB of 09. All our travel to Disney will be in Sept. less people short lines and its not so blasted hot,we're from up north 90 degrees more than a couple of days is way too much for us.We've been 3x in the past 5yrs what kind of discounts do DVC members get on tickets and DDP just trying to cover all the bases. Thank for all your hepl in advance,we are looking at going in Sept of 09 so maybe its time to invest that trip money into the DVC. Again thanks for listening

Chuck

 

[photobob]

Hi All,
Been thinking about doing a DVC package for some time now. We are thinking about doing a resale for 125pts. To get our room with the view in Sept it would be 123pts at AKV. We've seen a resale with 125pts to be banked for 08 and 125pts due up on FEB of 09. All our travel to Disney will be in Sept. less people short lines and its not so blasted hot,we're from up north 90 degrees more than a couple of days is way too much for us.We've been 3x in the past 5yrs what kind of discounts do DVC members get on tickets and DDP just trying to cover all the bases. Thank for all your hepl in advance,we are looking at going in Sept of 09 so maybe its time to invest that trip money into the DVC. Again thanks for listening

Chuck

There is a $100 discount on annual passes, but no discount on DDP and park tickets. There are a few places that you get discounts on meals and such. There are some perks, not huge ones and those change from time to time, so don't base your buy on them. Most perks are 10-20% off on meals from some of the restaurants, free valet parking where available and few other things. Buy though because you feel like the DVC resorts will work for your vacationing, the perks could be gone tomorrow..