honest truth for a possible DVC buyer

[micki7337]

Wow! A lot of great responses! We, too, had all the same questions when we decided to buy in June 2001. I think the deciding factor was what we felt a "vacation" was/should be. I've been to WDW 15+ times in my life. I've done it the $29 Days Inn method and I've stayed on DVC points at OKW 3-bedroom villa. Which do I prefer? DVC everytime! With 3 kids, the ability to "put them to bed" after a long day at a park, is priceless! Also, as I age, I find myself on a different pace. I no longer run from attraction to attraction, park to park. If we stay "home" one day, even better! Try staying "home" at the Days Inn with 3 kids!

Another deciding factor was my desire to have my family join us on our trips. We were able to save/borrow enough points to treat my entire family to a week last October at OKW. With 2- two bedroom villas, 18 of us were able to vacation together for the first time since we were little kids! I could have never pulled it off without the DVC - and I would have never had enough cash to pay for it. The monthly payment is the money I would have put aside for vacation anyway and with 5 in our family, a studio room usually doesn't work. Financially, it just made more sense to buy. I just made certain to purchase enough points to provide us with a 2-bedroom during a non-peak period.

I feel we have been spoiled by the DVC experience and I sometimes think as DVC members, we walk with a bit of a swagger....after all, we own the place!

I was reluctant at first but I am thrilled we are DVC members!

Good Luck making your decision!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Micki7337,
I just had to mention that you're about 10 minutes down the road from me !

Another deciding factor was my desire to have my family join us on our trips.

I'll add, same here. We have often taken my in-laws. It's a good feeling to be able to treat family to such wonderful accomodations from time to time.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by micki7337
I was reluctant at first but I am thrilled we are DVC members!

micki7337

"Excellent 1st post"....and "WELCOME HOME and to the DIS"!!

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by chirona

Originally posted by altogethernow
Need your collective wisdom and experience please.

.

Bottomline question to you: Is it worth it?

Why, however, should I play $10-20,000 and then about $900 a year in maintenance fees for 50 years, when I can, using the internet, get great deals at hotels and spend about $6-700 per trip at most to DW???

You're not going to get the quality of a DVC resort for $600-$700 a week. I bought in 1999 and have had 8 stays at DVC resorts, 4 at OKW and 4 at BWV. Each was 6 nights in a 1 bedroom. The rack rate of those rooms would be around $2,400 per trip (~$400 per night incl tax). I keep a spreadsheet with the rack rates and I am well over my purchase price ($14,750 in 1999 for 250 points after magical beginnings). Even with discounts, you probably will not get a 1 bedroom on site under $300 per night. I bought DVC for the room & luxury of a 1 bedroom, which I will admit was an emotional decision, not financial. No way would I trade it for All Stars even saving lots of money. I'm fortunate to be able to afford it but it's good to know that if the day comes that I can't, DVC has held it's resale value.

 

[Kick it up a notch!]

The honest opinion - DVC is expensive.

That being said, if you are looking at it from a purely financial aspect you may not be happy with your purchase. I do not save any money with my DVC membership. I actually spend a little more, but what I get in return more than makes up for the increased cost.

First, if I didn't belong, I wouldn't go every year. Pure plain and simple. I don't like hotel rooms and that is what I would be staying in if I didn't own DVC. I stay in accomodations that I otherwise would not spend the money on.

If you plan on going every year to WDW and you want to stay in a room that is nicer than a regular hotel room, buy without hesitation.

I think the saving money thing happens when you start comparing apples to apples. If you will go to WDW every year and stay in the same accomodations you will save in the long run, but this is your vacation we are talking about. Priceless memories that you want to enjoy stress free. That figures in for me and does not have a cost associated with it. When I stay in the grand villa for a week and can take my parents or friends with us on vacation, and not worry about paying the $1200+ a night for it, life is good.

I can go back to my room at the Boardwalk in the middle of the day and have the kids nap in the second bedroom while I watch TV and relax in the living room while my wife goes in the bedroom and calls her mother and we don't interrupt what each other is doing, life is good.

When I can sit on the balcony at the Boardwalk, turn on my laptop and post on the DIS while watching others walk along enjoying themselves listening to the boats toot their horns as they dock, life is good.

When I can leave my room and can walk or catch a boat to wind up in one of two theme parks in 15 minutes, life is good.

When I can afford to use my points to stay for 10 days, because I have them, instead of worring about whether I want to spend the money on the room for an extra three days, life is good.

You have to say to yourself, do I want to live the good life while I am on vacation, or do I want to worry about how much it will cost me every year. I know how much it will cost me before I leave my house and if I spend a couple of hundred extra dollars while I am on vacation because I wanted to buy something nice, or create an extra memory or two and that is the biggest decision I have to make about my vacation, life is good!

For all those living the good life being DVC members I salute you, you have figured out what life is all about. Everyone else just needs to figure it out.

P.S. It took me a while to make the decision to buy for the same reasons everyone mentioned in the previous posts. Now I look at it much differently, and live the good life.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by Kick it up a notch!
The honest opinion - DVC is expensive.

That being said, if you are looking at it from a purely financial aspect you may not be happy with your purchase. I do not save any money with my DVC membership. I actually spend a little more, but what I get in return more than makes up for the increased cost.

First, if I didn't belong, I wouldn't go every year. Pure plain and simple. I don't like hotel rooms and that is what I would be staying in if I didn't own DVC. I stay in accomodations that I otherwise would not spend the money on.

If you plan on going every year to WDW and you want to stay in a room that is nicer than a regular hotel room, buy without hesitation.

I think the saving money thing happens when you start comparing apples to apples. If you will go to WDW every year and stay in the same accomodations you will save in the long run, but this is your vacation we are talking about. Priceless memories that you want to enjoy stress free. That figures in for me and does not have a cost associated with it. When I stay in the grand villa for a week and can take my parents or friends with us on vacation, and not worry about paying the $1200+ a night for it, life is good.

I can go back to my room at the Boardwalk in the middle of the day and have the kids nap in the second bedroom while I watch TV and relax in the living room while my wife goes in the bedroom and calls her mother and we don't interrupt what each other is doing, life is good.

When I can sit on the balcony at the Boardwalk, turn on my laptop and post on the DIS while watching others walk along enjoying themselves listening to the boats toot their horns as they dock, life is good.

When I can leave my room and can walk or catch a boat to wind up in one of two theme parks in 15 minutes, life is good.

When I can afford to use my points to stay for 10 days, because I have them, instead of worring about whether I want to spend the money on the room for an extra three days, life is good.

You have to say to yourself, do I want to live the good life while I am on vacation, or do I want to worry about how much it will cost me every year. I know how much it will cost me before I leave my house and if I spend a couple of hundred extra dollars while I am on vacation because I wanted to buy something nice, or create an extra memory or two and that is the biggest decision I have to make about my vacation, life is good!

For all those living the good life being DVC members I salute you, you have figured out what life is all about. Everyone else just needs to figure it out.

P.S. It took me a while to make the decision to buy for the same reasons everyone mentioned in the previous posts. Now I look at it much differently, and live the good life.

Kick it up a notch!

DVC should use your above post in there marketing material.