GOODBYE DVC

[toaster6.54]

I bought in 1997 and DVC membership truly felt special back then. Now, not so much. I feel we are used more like pawns to shore up slow times or fill under performing restaurants and shops. Or we get the same token discounts AP or Visa card holders get.

I'm not looking to sell my points, but I will be using them just for a place to stay after this AP runs out (don't get me started on the new AP's). Too many great entertainment and dining options right outside the bubble for a LOT less money.

 

[IAmAHiddenMickey]

When staying at Hilton Bonnet Creek, do you have to sit through a Timeshare Sales Presentation?

No (assuming you've bought points and didn't get one of the 3 nights free deals). We've stayed several times. What they try to do is once you've checked in they send you to another desk to get a parking pass and will try to schedule a presentation for you. You don't need this pass to get on the property or to park, your room key opens the gate. We also unplug the phones in the room as apparently they will try to call to setup an appointment. Other than that we never had an issue with being pressured to sit through a presentation.

We love Bonnet Creek although the last time it was booked full so we've stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Villages. We found them very comparable except of course that it's about a 15 minute drive to the Villages from the edge of Disney property.

 

[Dean]

What is the status of a contract that was purchased directly or one that was purchased before these changes if it is inherited by a family member or deeded over to a family member?

All would be "qualified" so gratuitous transfers should retain the same rights, esp if to a family member.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We had a "theme park and outlet mall view" at HGVC Tuscany Village over near the outlet mall and the Publix Regency Square. We could see some higher fireworks from there. Now we'll be staying at Parc Soleil HGVC in a few months and maybe we'll get to see fireworks there, too. Some of the villas there have good views of the fireworks. Then back to OKW in the fall for the sound of the fireworks but no view.

 

[DVCjj]

No (assuming you've bought points and didn't get one of the 3 nights free deals). We've stayed several times. What they try to do is once you've checked in they send you to another desk to get a parking pass and will try to schedule a presentation for you. You don't need this pass to get on the property or to park, your room key opens the gate. We also unplug the phones in the room as apparently they will try to call to setup an appointment. Other than that we never had an issue with being pressured to sit through a presentation.

We love Bonnet Creek although the last time it was booked full so we've stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Villages. We found them very comparable except of course that it's about a 15 minute drive to the Villages from the edge of Disney property.

Thank you so much for the information. Always heard nice things about Bonnet Creek and wondered about the pressure of a timeshare presentation.... so I appreciated knowing.

Re Vistana, I'm an SPG member via Starwood Amex and one time I looked up if I could use my points at Vistana, being in the "Sheraton Family". I couldn't seem to find the answer. Now that Starwood and Marriott are merging (not good for my (very generous) SPG points in my opinion), things will probably change anyway. Sad... as I certainly racked up many Swan & Dolphin free stays (especially until the dreaded Resort Fees came into play).

 

[anonymousegirl]

I bought DVC because I intend to visit WDW every year, (owner BLT since 2008). I didn't buy it for any of the perks. I rarely drive so losing valet park didn't affect me. I go solo and eat like a mouse, so TiW is not a good purchase for me. I get the 6 parks Premier annual pass and there has never been a discount for that, so losing the AP discount doesn't affect me. I wasn't happy when they reduced the merchandise discount to 10% (I still get 20% at DLR), but I don't shop much anyway. For me, it made sense to pre-buy my annual visit for the next 42 years.

 

[JJSWDW]

The resale points are still a good value without the discounts, especially if the prices drop further. For tens of thousands of dollars in savings on a dvc contract it'd be easy to forego the 10% discount and other perks. Especially when discounts can be had through other avenues like the Visa card, TIW or the silver AP. We have been dvc members for a dozen years and noticed there have only been a few significant perks and those we were short term discounts on APs and such.

 

[smjj]

I always did think the discounts and perks(what left) would take many, many years to break even with the dollars we saved by buying resale. We are grandfathered in but still, we used the saving buying resale to buy more points up front, we win....smjj

 

[Dean]

The resale points are still a good value without the discounts, especially if the prices drop further. For tens of thousands of dollars in savings on a dvc contract it'd be easy to forego the 10% discount and other perks. Especially when discounts can be had through other avenues like the Visa card, TIW or the silver AP. We have been dvc members for a dozen years and noticed there have only been a few significant perks and those we were short term discounts on APs and such.

IMO if DVC isn't a good value without ANY perks, one shouldn't buy. The situations where it makes sense to buy mostly for the perks is dramatically unusual. But it'd be nice to have the perks in addition.

 

[pmaurer74]

Your country club example does not work as my experience is that there are several membership levels to a country club? At least the one we belonged to did. We paid for the social membership at a great discount, this gave us access to the pool, dining facility and events. We could not play golf. We had to have a different tiered membership for that. DVC is starting to work the same. Pay less = access to less things. We are still members regardless. I did not feel like less of a member because I could not play golf. I do would however feel like less of a member for some reason with DVC... I will have go now and think of why that is...

 

[bwvBound]

Your country club example does not work as my experience is that there are several membership levels to a country club? At least the one we belonged to did. We paid for the social membership at a great discount, this gave us access to the pool, dining facility and events. We could not play golf. We had to have a different tiered membership for that. DVC is starting to work the same. Pay less = access to less things. We are still members regardless. I did not feel like less of a member because I could not play golf. I do would however feel like less of a member for some reason with DVC... I will have go now and think of why that is...

Yeah, I also had difficulty with the proposed Country Club model. We belonged to a hybrid CC/timeshare for ~12 years that had turned us down entirely at the sales department ("direct"). We picked up our membership on eBay for $1 bid and cherished the account!

Perhaps you feel differently about DVC vs the CC because, while you have no particular interest in the CC Golf amenity, you want to experience all the Disney venues, options, benefits, parks, locations, etc. It isn't like you are going into DVC saying, "Yeah, most Disney guests want parks like most CC guests want golf -- but I don't care about parks, I'd rather the pools." Right?


EDITED TO ADD: Whoops. There have been several different "comparisons" running since 4/4: DVC vs Car buying, Country Club, Condo HOA, etc. I was specifically thinking, at the beginning of this post, of a different Country Club comparison that equated "direct" CC membership vs "second hand" membership with far fewer rights. That was the model that fell short for me ... sorry to confuse/disrupt. Never mind ...

 

[pmaurer74]

Yeah, I also had difficulty with the proposed Country Club model. We belonged to a hybrid CC/timeshare for ~12 years that had turned us down entirely at the sales department ("direct"). We picked up our membership on eBay for $1 bid and cherished the account!

Perhaps you feel differently about DVC vs the CC because, while you have no particular interest in the CC Golf amenity, you want to experience all the Disney venues, options, benefits, parks, locations, etc. It isn't like you are going into DVC saying, "Yeah, most Disney guests want parks like most CC guests want golf -- but I don't care about parks, I'd rather the pools." Right?

perhaps a little. The only perk I might care about is the AP. The other perks I do not care about. I have a Disney Visa card and can get discounts through that and currently an AP too. I would have bought resale regardless and not hesitated but I can see those who buy APs would feel it more than I.

 

[bwvBound]

perhaps a little. The only perk I might care about is the AP. The other perks I do not care about.

Yep, which is why I linked CC Golf to DVC 'parks.' The AP discount, to me, is what adds parks to DVC. (Sure, my thinking might be a little odd/skewed ... I understand that.)

 

[BraveLikeMerida]

And you just joined on Friday too, I guess I should welcome you too if nobody has yet! This resale situation has brought a lot of newcomers or lurkers in I think.

Thanks! All of the title stuff has been processed and sent to Disney. We should be "official" in two weeks or so. For us, the timing was just coincidental and lucky! We submitted our offer in February and it just worked out.