Has anyone regretted buying into DVC?

[ArRzrbk]

We haven't gone "home" yet, but I am certain of two regrets...

1.) Not buying in sooner, as the cost was significantly higher when we finally took the plunge. I just couldn't convince DH when we first toured about five years ago to do it. And we certainly aren't any more well off now than we were then

2.) Not buying more points - we have 210 now. We are planning our first trip "home," and I can see that we are not interested in staying in a studio, and though Gram is totally fine with sleeping on the couch of a one bedroom, DH and I really would rather give her a proper bedroom for taking care of the boys for us. She doesn't like vacations, but she loves her Grandsons!

A third and fourth regret I can't really be sure of yet, since we haven't been "home," might be...

3.) I think it would have been good to really tour all the resorts or if money and time allowed, stay at them to figure out which resort we really wanted to own at. We are BCV owners, and I think we're gona be really, really happy. But I would probably feel better about our "home" resort choice if we had stayed at even one of the properties. We had only been to DW once as a couple and stayed at PO.

4.) Our Use Year choice. We have April as a Use Year, and I think my logic was too centered on our old life, before kids. We have a chance to take a March trip (over Easter/Spring break), but I am passing because that is at the very end of our Use Year. However, I know our vacationing patterns will change again. Life is never static - and certainly not if you have children.

Well, I think that's it. And of all those "regrets," none of them point to not buying in! I think even though DVC is expensive, and perhaps not as big a money saver as I thought, I agree with several of the other folks that posted replies - this is gona force us to take great vacations as a family for a lifetime. And that makes me super happy

Char

 

[CRSNDSNY]

The only thing I regret is not buying more points from the start. We were going back and forth between 200 and 250, but perhaps 250 or 300 would have been better. For now we have 200.

 

[brivers222]

My only regret is spending the amount of money we did to stay at the Tiny ASMv and Tiny AKL rooms. That was a good chunk of money that could have been put towards the down payment.

We haven't gone home yet but just thinking about our new upgrade in rooms puts a big smile on my face

 

[spiceycat]

accordingly to what you say about your vacations I don't really think DVC would be a good fit for your family.

WDW needs to be your family destinations (or VB or HH) at least every other year - to make DVC a good bargin.

you say you liked to stay at other places too - if you still like to travel around - buy DVC but only buy the minimum -then go buy a much cheaper timeshares in the areas you like to travel for trading.

if you can't afford both - then study DVC hard before you buy it. DVC is wonderful but it is more for us Disney nuts who can't even go 12 months without a trip to WDW. (now there are some DVC members who can go 24 months without a trip to WDW - but they are more exception than rule).

make sure you know what you are buying.

 

[crisi]

Originally posted by spiceycat
accordingly to what you say about your vacations I don't really think DVC would be a good fit for your family.

WDW needs to be your family destinations (or VB or HH) at least every other year - to make DVC a good bargin.

Calling out this second line here - note it isn't "Disney vacations" (cruising, Disneyland, etc). Its specifically DVC resorts, which are at WDW or VB or HH.

You can certainly use your points to cruise or visit Disneyland - but it won't be a great deal (it may be an ok deal, and it may be a bad deal, depending on the cash discounts available and the current point rate on those vacations - it almost certainly won't be a great deal).

 

[Mickeydad]

Our only regret is that we didn't buy in sooner.

Seeing our kid's (DD10 & DS7) faces gleam each and EVERY time we head to Disney is priceless.

Vacations are a big part of our family. We love the resorts and the parks. Don't get me wrong, we don't always go to the parks. Staying and relaxing at the resort is a HUGH plus as well.

Mickeydad

 

[pplasky]

Originally posted by my3kids

We're going for 5 days this winter and spending about $2,000 on room alone. Would the club have picked that up, and more in a typical allotment of points?

5 days in the winter probably would have been covered by DVC, it all depends on what size villa and whether or not those 5 days(4nights?) include a Fri or Sat night stay. There is no typical allotment of points. The minimum to buy SSR is 150.

 

[Mary Ellen]

Originally posted by my3kids
No problem planning in advance, but we do like to go a lot of different places. Does it work out well, or not so well to use the points towards resorts across the county.

Most of us would say that it is a better use of points AT DVC property than to trade to the other resorts around the country.

Since you can bank/borrow points, fewer points may be better for you and just use them while at WDW. You could also rent out any unused points if vacationing elsewhere.

Originally posted by my3kids
We love cruising, but again, not exclusivley on Disney. Are the points available to cruise on other lines? Seems like I saw Alaska on the video.

The only other cruise line - and cruise - available is Holland America to Alaska. DH and I LOVE HAL and Alaska cruises (we're going back next May for #5), but your family may prefer another line/location.

Originally posted by my3kids
We're going for 5 days this winter and spending about $2,000 on room alone. Would the club have picked that up, and more in a typical allotment of points?

Not knowing your dates or preferred location, I can't give specifics. It would be best if you checked out the DVC Points Chart or DVC Points Calculator links (also found at the top of the page) to see what points would be required. I imagine it wouldn't be a problem though. However, I wouldn't say that "the club have picked that [the cost?] up". Your annual allotment of points would more than likely be enough to cover a 5 night stay in a 2-br. DVC resort. If you want to use your points to stay at AKL in a concierge room - probably not.

 

[my3kids]

Originally posted by Mary Ellen
If you want to use your points to stay at AKL in a concierge room - probably not.

Too funny...that is exactly where we are staying next!

 

[sleepydog25]

Oddly, one reason my DW and I bought in is because DVC actually does offer us flexibility in scheduling. We're not sold on any one resort--each has its own uniqueness and advantages. My wife's job often doesn't let her plan more than a few months ahead--our trip to VWL in mid-August was scheduled less than three months out. But, since we bought enough points to cover all but the most expensive time for something like 10 days, we don't have the worry of being shut out. We can occasionally book either 7 or 11 months ahead, but it's not an absolute unless we're dead set on getting a particular resort at a particular time. We don't usually travel that way. As for other destinations, concierge collections, and cruises, there are other posters who have had great success and enjoyment using their DVC points for such. The bottom line is the points are yours to use as you wish, and as so many others have pointed out, the best way to decide whether DVC works for you is to determine howyou vacation. In the end, if you're satisfied you'll use the points often enough to make the cost worthwhile, then that's all that matters.

 

[cdy16zz]

Cost of points $$$$$$$$$$

Cost of passes $$$$

Spending Money $$$$

MEMORIES........ PRICELESS!!!!!!!!

Our family will be there until we are Very Old & Drooling!
Then the Kids will take over the points!! They already are counting on getting them!!!



Candy & Bob

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Originally posted by cdy16zz
Cost of points $$$$$$$$$$

Cost of passes $$$$

Spending Money $$$$

MEMORIES........ PRICELESS!!!!!!!!

Our family will be there until we are Very Old & Drooling!
Then the Kids will take over the points!! They already are counting on getting them!!!



Candy & Bob

I just want to say that your enthusiasm is awesome!

 

[nickglover]

some regrets - and thanks, Johnnie, for the realistic post - everyone knows we have many many disney fanatics here, and I mean that in a good way

we mainly joined because we like vero beach - we are not too big on orlando and we have seen all the parks more than once

we hoped there would be a little more flexibility to plan our own vacations, but we knew that would be limited before buying - we would like to see more reasonable concierge property deals which would allow more options in travel

we love vero beach, but we are evaluating whether to continue with dvc or return to a more flexible pay as you go approach.

 

[Luvmyfam3]

I haven't regretted it for a moment. Actually, I am SO thankful for DVC!! If it weren't for the DVC I would not be able to afford a vacation with my 3 beautiful daughters every year! I love the flexibility and the comfort of knowing that when we go we know what we're paying for.

I may be in the minority, but I haven't ever had any difficulties with reservations. But I'm pretty flexible about where I stay.

I know it's considered a prepay of vacations, which is fine by me! I don't expect discounts (although they would be GREAT!!) and I feel that I DEFINITELY get what I pay for and SO much more!!!

Kim

 

[WDWLVR]

No regrets here, but as others have posted know what you are getting into.

If you love the idea of visiting WDW, Hilton Head or Vero Beach every year or every other year in a condo setting than DVC might be good for your family.

if you are buying it to exchange out all the time I think you'll be disappointed.

If you are buying it to cruise all the time, again i think you'll be disappointed.

As for us - we love WDW and were at the point where we were going every year. Now we can go every year and stay in a one bedroom with a full kitchen, jacuzzi tub, and washer/dryer. Love it! It makes our vacation that much better to feel like we are at home and not just in a hotel room.

We do think DVC gives us some great perks already, would always love more, but that shouldn't be your reason for buying DVC.

Only you know if DVC is right for you.

 

[my3kids]

Thank you all so much!

 

[Mary Ellen]

Originally posted by my3kids
Too funny...that is exactly where we are staying next!

There were a couple of reasons I used AKL concierge as an example.
If memory serves me correctly, AKL concierge costs DVC members the most number of points per night of any WDW resort.

AKL concierge also seems to be where members seem willing to spend their points to stay at a non-DVC WDW resort. There have been a number of posts here from members asking about it before commiting the LARGE number of points required. I just haven't noticed that many questions about GF or Poly concierge on the DVC forum.

We have spent an entire years worth of points on a Fri & Saturday nights stay. Yep, an entire years worth for 2 nights. To us it was worth it. Others probably would have rented out their points and paid cash for the room. The hassle wasn't worth it to us and counting the money we paid on the annual dues for those points, it was still less than we would have paid for the room anyway.

Now we only have 150 points because we (2 adults only) do vacation elsewhere - we also love to cruise. We tend to use 1 1/2 yrs to 3 years worth of points per visit. Also we've been grouping our visits to 2 within a 12 mo time frame. That way we get 2 10-14 day stays on 1 annual pass. Since we have to fly most of the way across the county, we don't do a bunch of short vacations. The years we are banking our points we take cruises.

DVC has been great for us. Since we don't have to worry about school vacations, we usually go in early December and early planning is pretty much required then anyway. If we had been locked into going EVERY year, DVC wouldn't have been right for us.

Good luck deciding if it is right for your family.

 

[Snow Shoe]

We've never regreted our first purchase at VB, and can't wait till we go home to our new purchase at BWV this coming summer. I just wish we would have known about DVC so much sooner.

 

[my3kids]

I got my book and now when I look at it, I think, gosh, I'm not so sure about this.....

We take nice vacations every year and usually a couple of them a year and have stayed at places in the book like The Broadmoor....but to me, the DVC seems really expensive. Seems like I could stay a week at places paying cash for less than than even the yearly dues, not even counting the points. Looking at Vero Beach for spring break, it takes 447 points. Figure $10 a point for the week and the weeks accomodations are $4470. We rented a larger home in an exclusive FL area for spring break for a tird of that price. To buy that many points, the cost is astronomical.

I am thinking I got swayed thinking of the great places we could go.....but honestly, we can go to those same places for a lot less.

I'm not ruling it out, but I guess I'm failing to see where the value is........

 

[Mary Ellen]

Originally posted by my3kids
I am thinking I got swayed thinking of the great places we could go.....but honestly, we can go to those same places for a lot less.

I'm not ruling it out, but I guess I'm failing to see where the value is........

As we've said, your points have the best value by staying at DVC resorts. If you mainly want to trade out, IMHO, DVC is not for you. That is why we only have 150 points. We've used 450 on one vacation to stay AT WDW. We pay cash at other resorts. The Broadmoor is in my hometown. I would not stay there on points (others may, but we would pay cash).

The value (to us) is staying at WDW, not in trading out.