Help me persuade DBF in buying DVC

[heathers4um]

Hi All! Its me again....

I have gone back and forth with my DVC guy (I have a DVC guy ) and I am convinced this is right for us. MY DBF, however, will need some convincing. He's not a planner...and he will neglect to automatically see the benefits of the 'vision' we all share so....

help me explain the idea and why its a good plan?

my big points are this:

~it will force us to save and take a vacation yearly or a big vacation every other year! And all the work but the fun stuff is already done!

~we have SO many options in resorts and themes and family vacas as well as just US and yes...even that cruise you want to take with me

~we have his DD8 who we will want to take with us, and grown boys who will have families of their own soon for us to enjoy bringing...ok well, in a few years! But in the meantime....

~it WILL pay for itself within 5-7 trips...and then its just annual dues so the accomodations are just about FREE!

~discounts on AP's and other stuff we would be buying anyway!

How am I doing so far...?

 

[heathers4um]

Calling all experts in the help of a soon to be fellow DVCer....

apparently I am nervous as I plan on discussing this with DBF tonight.

Anyone?

 

[timandlesley]

I think all of your reasons are quite valid. You CAN deduct the interest on your taxes as well. I was lucky that my DH just LOVED the buy in option as much as me and we enjoy lots of little getaways now that we didn't get to do before. We enjoy the 100 dollars off per annual pass perk as well and this year when we renew we will get our annual passes that are good for 15 months so that is a huge bonus for us!
Good luck, hope it goes well for you and we can welcome you home soon!
Lesley

 

[5forDiz]

AP discounts and any other discounts through DVC are not guaranteed and may be discontinued ( many discounts have disappeared over the years ) so I'd not include that as a selling point and jmho, although it is shared by many members, DVC's true "value" is using your points to stay at a DVC resort not at the other options (which can and have changed over time) so you will want to take a closer look at whether trading is worthwhile for your family. DVC makes sense if your family would normally book deluxe at WDW yearly or every other year and as you noted it is a way to pre-pay accommodations portion of trip but there will still be the other expenses like meals, tickets & transportation to/from. I don't mean to sound as if I'm discouraging you because I'm not and DH & I are happy we bought it because it really does work for our family's vacation habits, but take your time deciding ( maybe not as much time deciding as DH & I took - 10 yrs ) DVC is going to be around for a long time & consider trying it out by staying at some DVC resorts by renting points before pulling the trigger to see if it suits both of you.

Best wishes

 

[crisi]

~it will force us to save and take a vacation yearly or a big vacation every other year! And all the work but the fun stuff is already done!

This is one of our favorite benefits.

~we have SO many options in resorts and themes and family vacas as well as just US and yes...even that cruise you want to take with me

DVC is a sub-par option for trading. We do MUCH better paying cash and looking for deals (other timeshares are better trades for less money). We've taken two Disney cruises (for cash) an ABD trip (for cash), and traveled to Mexico (for cash) all for much much less than the cost of similar vacations using our points.

~we have his DD8 who we will want to take with us, and grown boys who will have families of their own soon for us to enjoy bringing...ok well, in a few years! But in the meantime....

We enjoy this as well, though do pay attention to your kid's wishes. Not everyone's relatives share their love of Disney and a frequent thread here is "my ungrateful relatives." Don't buy a lot of points now believing you will soon have grandchildren who'd rather be at Disney than say skiing (my kids would rather go skiing - Disney is been there done that for them now) - you can always buy more points when you need to.

~it WILL pay for itself within 5-7 trips...and then its just annual dues so the accomodations are just about FREE!

Our DVC has COST us far more than we'd have spent on vacations had we not owned. We get our value out of it - larger rooms, kids sleeping in a different space, the ability to take friends and relatives. But it hasn't been cheaper by any means.

~discounts on AP's and other stuff we would be buying anyway!

Discounts are not guaranteed and more than one owner has been very disappointed when perks are removed. Please review the valet parking thread on the Mousealleous board to get some idea.

I'd encourage you to visit Mousesavers where Mary has a really nice analysis on DVC. If your DBF is financially driven, the case she lays out there might be your best bet. I wouldn't do an emotional appeal based on things that may or may not pan out long term (like an AP discount or your older sons going on vacation with you)

 

[sissy_42]

I agree with PPs for the most part. Just want to add a few things that stood out in my mind

you say

And all the work but the fun stuff is already done!

You still have much more planning to do. You may not get the resort you want or the room type you want/need may not be available. You still need plane tickets or plan on driving. I see you live in Ma. Thats ~24 hours each way. You need to plan for food. May sound simple, but people plan ARDs for weeks and book at exactly 180 day out from their trip. And yes I'm guilty of this.

it WILL pay for itself within 5-7 trips...and then its just annual dues so the accomodations are just about FREE!

My annual dues are ~$850. That is NOT just about free. I get about two weeks a year at DVC with my 180 points in studio rooms. $850 is much less than what a two week stay would cost in any season, but by no means close to free.

we have his DD8 who we will want to take with us, and grown boys who will have families of their own soon for us to enjoy bringing...ok well, in a few years! But in the meantime....

How many points are you looking to get? And when are you and you other family members available to travel? And will they and their families be able to or even want to make frequent trips? My trips are just me and DBF so we can do a studio no problem and get longer trips, if we had kids we would need at least a 1Bdr. And remember, the more points, the more the annual dues, the more expensive it gets yearly.

we have SO many options in resorts and themes and family vacas as well as just US and yes...even that cruise you want to take with me

A 6 night Disney cruise for two would use up two years worth of my points. As I can get 12-15 nights a year in a DVC room I do not think the is worth it. If I want to do a cruise or any other vacation outside of DVC I will be sell or banking that years points or doing it in addition to DVC.


All that said, it may or may not be a good thing for you. I bought in on my own, without DBF. I knew it was something I wanted, but he was a little uneasy about it. Since I could do it on my own I did. I know once he gets there he will be thrilled about it. A great option many people do is to rent from an owner to check it out before making a final decision. Maybe once you get there he will understand better. Good luck either way!

 

[tjkraz]

If you do decide to move forward I would highly recommend putting in the name of one individual or another...not both of you since you are not married.

I know this is 2010 and please don't mistake this for any sort of a moral commentary. Reality is we're talking about a real estate purchase and any break-up will be many, many times more difficult to resolve if you have joint ownership of a piece of property like this--particularly if there is financing and annual dues payments involved.

I have first-hand knowledge of a situation where BF/GF bought DVC together. Both names were on the contract and both contributed varying amounts toward the purchase.

Then an ugly break-up occurred. Both had a different take on how the ownership should be resolve, who owed what to whom and so forth.

Separating clothing and a CD collection after a break-up is one thing. Disposing of a timeshare purchase is another matter altogether.

You can certainly hope for the best (in terms of the relationship) but it's always wise to plan for the worst and take precautions beforehand.

Good luck!

 

[crisi]

My annual dues are ~$850. That is NOT just about free. I get about two weeks a year at DVC with my 180 points in studio rooms. $850 is much less than what a two week stay would cost in any season, but by no means close to free.

Although if you were willing to stay out a Pop in a studio during FREE DINING! (and were a dining plan fan) you'd save money

 

[heathers4um]

Thanks Lesely! And thanks for ALL of your help! I hadnt even thought of the interest towards our taxes!

I think all of your reasons are quite valid. You CAN deduct the interest on your taxes as well. I was lucky that my DH just LOVED the buy in option as much as me and we enjoy lots of little getaways now that we didn't get to do before. We enjoy the 100 dollars off per annual pass perk as well and this year when we renew we will get our annual passes that are good for 15 months so that is a huge bonus for us!
Good luck, hope it goes well for you and we can welcome you home soon!
Lesley

 

[heathers4um]

We wouldnt be trading out for anything non-Disney and IF we were to take that cruise we would be happy to do so at the every other year mark to make up for the points we would use. We have typically only stayed at Deluxes in the past - not that we wouldnt be open to doing something different, but since thats all I have ever done I am a bit spoiled. But to be fair...since I have never tried any other accomodation I shouldnt judge I guess. Hmmmm.......DBF and I do enjoy our privacy for sure so I tend to lean towards that. And with the kitchenette its a way to save more money in food was my way of thinking.

AP discounts and any other discounts through DVC are not guaranteed and may be discontinued ( many discounts have disappeared over the years ) so I'd not include that as a selling point and jmho, although it is shared by many members, DVC's true "value" is using your points to stay at a DVC resort not at the other options (which can and have changed over time) so you will want to take a closer look at whether trading is worthwhile for your family. DVC makes sense if your family would normally book deluxe at WDW yearly or every other year and as you noted it is a way to pre-pay accommodations portion of trip but there will still be the other expenses like meals, tickets & transportation to/from. I don't mean to sound as if I'm discouraging you because I'm not and DH & I are happy we bought it because it really does work for our family's vacation habits, but take your time deciding ( maybe not as much time deciding as DH & I took - 10 yrs ) DVC is going to be around for a long time & consider trying it out by staying at some DVC resorts by renting points before pulling the trigger to see if it suits both of you.

Best wishes

 

[heathers4um]

I will take a look at Mousesavers for sure - thanks!

we wouldnt be doing any trading as there are so many different places to stay IN Disney...we MAY think about the cruise however...but thats still Disney so is there a bunch of side steps to take when doing that?

Disney is my sons fave place ever...he will come with us for sure...and my step-Princess will also. His 2 sons I am not sure if they would every year but they would some times. But he and I will go on our own without them! We will only start out with 160 pts for now.

Thanks for ALL of these great points to ponder!

~it will force us to save and take a vacation yearly or a big vacation every other year! And all the work but the fun stuff is already done!

This is one of our favorite benefits.

~we have SO many options in resorts and themes and family vacas as well as just US and yes...even that cruise you want to take with me

DVC is a sub-par option for trading. We do MUCH better paying cash and looking for deals (other timeshares are better trades for less money). We've taken two Disney cruises (for cash) an ABD trip (for cash), and traveled to Mexico (for cash) all for much much less than the cost of similar vacations using our points.

~we have his DD8 who we will want to take with us, and grown boys who will have families of their own soon for us to enjoy bringing...ok well, in a few years! But in the meantime....

We enjoy this as well, though do pay attention to your kid's wishes. Not everyone's relatives share their love of Disney and a frequent thread here is "my ungrateful relatives." Don't buy a lot of points now believing you will soon have grandchildren who'd rather be at Disney than say skiing (my kids would rather go skiing - Disney is been there done that for them now) - you can always buy more points when you need to.

~it WILL pay for itself within 5-7 trips...and then its just annual dues so the accomodations are just about FREE!

Our DVC has COST us far more than we'd have spent on vacations had we not owned. We get our value out of it - larger rooms, kids sleeping in a different space, the ability to take friends and relatives. But it hasn't been cheaper by any means.

~discounts on AP's and other stuff we would be buying anyway!

Discounts are not guaranteed and more than one owner has been very disappointed when perks are removed. Please review the valet parking thread on the Mousealleous board to get some idea.

I'd encourage you to visit Mousesavers where Mary has a really nice analysis on DVC. If your DBF is financially driven, the case she lays out there might be your best bet. I wouldn't do an emotional appeal based on things that may or may not pan out long term (like an AP discount or your older sons going on vacation with you)

 

[heathers4um]

Yes, MUCH planning but I find that part so fun! Especially when I know that the accomodations are already taken care of as far as cost. We would fly or take a train for the most trips and drive only once in a blue moon. And I LOVE the ADR's...it makes me more excited to go. And you are so correct - the annual dues are so not FREE...but compared to the cost of rack rates its alot less like you said. Plus - for me - its worth it since I will always have something to look forward to. I would only begin with 160 and would be ok with going every other year for bigger trips...and just as happy to go on 2 smaller trips a year, as well as doing M-F there and not use points for the weekends. I would be doing this financially on my own as well...but would only feel completely satisfied doing it with DBF's support.

I agree with PPs for the most part. Just want to add a few things that stood out in my mind

you say

You still have much more planning to do. You may not get the resort you want or the room type you want/need may not be available. You still need plane tickets or plan on driving. I see you live in Ma. Thats ~24 hours each way. You need to plan for food. May sound simple, but people plan ARDs for weeks and book at exactly 180 day out from their trip. And yes I'm guilty of this.


My annual dues are ~$850. That is NOT just about free. I get about two weeks a year at DVC with my 180 points in studio rooms. $850 is much less than what a two week stay would cost in any season, but by no means close to free.

How many points are you looking to get? And when are you and you other family members available to travel? And will they and their families be able to or even want to make frequent trips? My trips are just me and DBF so we can do a studio no problem and get longer trips, if we had kids we would need at least a 1Bdr. And remember, the more points, the more the annual dues, the more expensive it gets yearly.


A 6 night Disney cruise for two would use up two years worth of my points. As I can get 12-15 nights a year in a DVC room I do not think the is worth it. If I want to do a cruise or any other vacation outside of DVC I will be sell or banking that years points or doing it in addition to DVC.


All that said, it may or may not be a good thing for you. I bought in on my own, without DBF. I knew it was something I wanted, but he was a little uneasy about it. Since I could do it on my own I did. I know once he gets there he will be thrilled about it. A great option many people do is to rent from an owner to check it out before making a final decision. Maybe once you get there he will understand better. Good luck either way!

 

[heathers4um]

Oh no....it would be ME and me alone on the contract...once he is fully swept away by the gloriousness of it all, he can get his own and we can share

If you do decide to move forward I would highly recommend putting in the name of one individual or another...not both of you since you are not married.

I know this is 2010 and please don't mistake this for any sort of a moral commentary. Reality is we're talking about a real estate purchase and any break-up will be many, many times more difficult to resolve if you have joint ownership of a piece of property like this--particularly if there is financing and annual dues payments involved.

I have first-hand knowledge of a situation where BF/GF bought DVC together. Both names were on the contract and both contributed varying amounts toward the purchase.

Then an ugly break-up occurred. Both had a different take on how the ownership should be resolve, who owed what to whom and so forth.

Separating clothing and a CD collection after a break-up is one thing. Disposing of a timeshare purchase is another matter altogether.

You can certainly hope for the best (in terms of the relationship) but it's always wise to plan for the worst and take precautions beforehand.

Good luck!

 

[Polyluvr]

Don't buy in with a BF. Buy in by yourself. You get it; he doesn't... the rest is gravy-and all yours.

 

[5forDiz]

Thanks Lesely! And thanks for ALL of your help! I hadnt even thought of the interest towards our taxes!

Again, not to discourage you, but just to inform you

~ tax benefit is usually NOT what most people think; consult with a tax professional to understand exactly what you can expect in this regard.

There is alot of 'fine print' to be aware of and understand when using DVC points to book outside of DVC Resorts; including

~ trading out to non-DVC options ( Disney Cruiseline is a non-DVC option & the other onsite WDW resort hotels are non-DVC ) will carry a $95 fee and different cancellation policies than DVC Resort bookings among other possible policies that may apply; ie there will be an additional $95 fee to change reservation dates if booking a non-DVC option whereas booking DVC Resort & then changing your reservation dates will not carry fee(s).

Also, most importantly, you are not permitted to BOTH book and travel for a non-DVC option (exception being Disneyland resort hotels) during the last 4 months of your Use Year so you would need to reserve this travel during first 8 months of your Use Year, I mention this because some people cannot plan vacations until relatively last minute ~AND~ a cancellation of non-DVC travel puts your points into 'reservation status' which means you cannot reuse the points that were committed to that trip to book at a DVC resort and these points need to be used by end of Use Year during which that non-DVC trip was to happen.

It's alot to digest but important to understand all the nuances of how to use points because it is a big investment. You're on the right track asking questions & keep reading these boards & other resources can be helpful as well so you can learn all you can beforehand.

Good luck

 

[crisi]

I will take a look at Mousesavers for sure - thanks!

we wouldnt be doing any trading as there are so many different places to stay IN Disney...we MAY think about the cruise however...but thats still Disney so is there a bunch of side steps to take when doing that?

Disney is my sons fave place ever...he will come with us for sure...and my step-Princess will also. His 2 sons I am not sure if they would every year but they would some times. But he and I will go on our own without them! We will only start out with 160 pts for now.

Thanks for ALL of these great points to ponder!

Yeah, still a bunch of side steps to take. Cruising on points isn't cheap and because of the use year restrictions, the $95 fee, the cancellation policies - you can often do better paying cash. For our FIRST cruise (which we did get a decent deal on), we couldn't have paid the dues on the points we would have used, much less covered the principal for what we paid in cash.

DVC points are best used at DVC resorts. Even there, you need to be aware that while the options look REALLY nice on paper and your guide will likely tell you that booking anywhere will be "no problem" - the situation is somewhat more complex than that. You cannot expect to buy SSR and stay at BWV for Food and Wine every year. You can't buy BCV and expect easy access to the Treehouse Villas for an annual vacation over Christmas. If you dream about watching the New Years Eve fireworks from your balcony at BLT, you'd better own BLT. If you are flexible, you may be pleased and that BLT room might be there for you...if you get your heart set on something, you may be disappointed.

 

[sissy_42]

Although if you were willing to stay out a Pop in a studio during FREE DINING! (and were a dining plan fan) you'd save money

True! But you made me realize my mistake. I meant to say $850 is less than what two weeks in a DVC resort would cost! I stayed at ASMovies last year, and while I think it was great for young kids, had 4yo and 9yo nephews with me, not the kind of vacation I want every year!

 

[heathers4um]

He is on board and I am approved....now we just have to pick our home!!

OKW...SSR.....

We are leaning towards OKW...today anyway.

 

[timandlesley]

He is on board and I am approved....now we just have to pick our home!!

OKW...SSR.....

We are leaning towards OKW...today anyway.

How exciting for you!!!!!

 

[crisi]

He is on board and I am approved....now we just have to pick our home!!

OKW...SSR.....

We are leaning towards OKW...today anyway.

Congrats. Both are lovely resorts. OKW has bigger rooms for those future big family gatherings you are envisioning.