How Have You Benefitted From DVC?

[Wish Upon A Star]

DH and I were talking about becoming DVC members. We aren't totally sure about how we would benefit from this. We've always walked by all the DVC info at the resorts we've stayed at and never fully understood the concept of it.

We try to go to WDW yearly and people constantly ask us why we don't just get a time-share.

What benefits do DVC members get? Is there any websites I can further get more knowledge from?

Thanks.

 

[BillPA]

Benifits? Well we have had many more, upscale vacations for less money than before we were members. Sure we get discounts on admissions, meals, tours... But not much different than you can get else where with AAA or Annual passes.

You are "prepaying" for your lodging, and taking out the inflation factor. i.e. my 1 br for a week will always cost me xxx points and while the dues (maintance fee) do go up, but so far they have been very minor increases.

Try this link to the DIS FAQs on DVC, and ask away here if you have more questions.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/dvc/faq.shtml

 

[WDWLVR]

A great place to start is the DVC FAQ found right here. DVC FAQ

As for the benefits - we DH and I know that we have prepaid for our vacation home until 2042. Yes we will have the yearly fees but they won't be nearly what we would be paying for a deluxe resort and the rooms are much, much better than even a deluxe resort.

Another benefit - we have been able to use our points to send my in-laws on two separate vacations to Vero Beach. They loved it.

I guess the biggest benefit at all is that I know I will have a great vacation with DH every year.

Good luck in making your decision.

 

[JimC]

Read the FAQ section and spend some time reviewing posts about DVC right here. There are other sites. One you might like is:

http://www.mouseplanet.com/dtp/dvc/1_Forward/forward.htm

We feel we get to stay in one bedroom villas for the price of a moderate. When we have used DVC points at other Disney resorts, it was equal to or better than AP code rates.

While it is a timeshare, it is a right to use until 2042 or 2054 (SSR only). Consider it a prepaid vacation program.

 

[rinkwide]

Before we were members we spent over $800 per night to stay in a 2 bedroom unit at Beach Club Villas in late April 2004 (and we LOVED it). Now that we've pre-paid our accomodations through the Disney Vacation Club we've got the same villa/week booked for 2005 at a net cost well under $300 a night.

I'd say that's a pretty good benefit.

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm such a fan of how much DVC as enriched our lives (OK, that sounds corny, but please let me go on). DH is such a workaholic, with a high stress job, wouldn't take vacations unless I severely threatened him. Well, that was pre-DVC. Now, we both enjoy vacations so much more-we actually spend enjoyable, relaxing vacation time together. So he does golf all day, but in the afternoon/evening, we enjoy time together. We don't rush frantically from one thing to another. DH would be the first to say, "My biggest regret with DVC is that we didn't buy sooner". We're empty-nesters now, so it only benefits the 2 of us (and boy, does it!), but if we'd done it sooner, I'm sure it would benefit the quality of family vacations for many years.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I agree with Simba's Mom that even the workaholic in the family is ready to go to Disney because the room is already paid for! We have enough points for three vacations per year--we thought that we would be sending the kids and their families separately, but it hasn't worked out that way. Instead, the kids prefer to vacation with us so it has become our yearly reunion and has drawn us closer together. Since we can go every year there is no push to run to the parks and we will often do activities such as minigolf, shopping, dinner shows, etc. We begin planning our next vacation at the end of the current one so everyone has knows and can plan accordingly.

 

[AZKathy]

We would never vacation in the high caliber of accomodations without DVC. We also would never vacation as much at WDW without DVC. We also feel we can have something special to give to our children for honeymoons later on down the years.

 

[CarolMN]

The financial benefits were what first enticed us to buy, but time with loved ones was a huge unexpected bonus!

Now that we have such nice roomy accomodations and know that we will be returning often, there is no need to continually tour the parks in the "commando" mode to get our money's worth.

DVC gives us time with family - time to enjoy each other in a much less hectic atmosphere! It gives us the ability to invite extended family on our WDW trips so that we may enjoy time with them as well.

DVC also gives me back time - I no longer have to make multiple (and often frustrating) phone calls to CRO to be sure I haven't missed a discount. That's a big relief and a much appreciated perk of owning DVC!

Good luck with your decision.

Best wishes -

 

[dianeschlicht]

He have benefited from knowing we will have first class accomodations at WDW as often as we want to go. We love taking family and friends down with us and "sharing the magic" with them. It truely is like having a "home away from home" right in the heart of WDW. We have even exchanged to Hawaii once, and will do it again.

The only thing I can caution aginst it is the desire to always have more points! We first thought 230 points would be fine for us, but one trip made us understand the errors of our ways, so we bought an additinal 150.

Disney's version of a timeshare is quite different from other timeshares. Our main regret is that we didn't do it when we first heard about it 12 years ago!

 

[DVC Mary]

I agree w/ previous posters of workaholic families who wish they would've bought sooner & enjoyed less rushed vacations b/c we'll always be back. I love having a real refrigerator microwave for a place to freeze water bottles for the day , breakfasts in the room before we go, quick snacks/lunches when we come back for a beat the heat break, & microwave popcorm if someone's hungry late at night before bed or milk & cookies or : for the adults before bed or before going back out to the parks at night. I am convinced this has saved me a lot of money on park food. (My kids are still little & will eat Easy Mac night & day.)

I also love that I meet other people through DVC on vacation. On our recent cruise we met & began friendships w/ many other DVC families. We got free lanyards when we boarded to keep our KTTW cards while everyone else had to pay for theirs. DVC had a meeting on the ship for members w/ free hats, mousepads, & door prizes for everyone. We had a blast at the event. We only used points for one person & paid for everyone else at a discounted rate--big bonus. We are going to go all out & get a Grand Villa for a once in a lifetime reunion w/ family from Ireland next year.

I've never met a DVC member who regretted their purchase.

P.S. If you change your mind someday, you can always sell your property & someone will buy your points. We are trying to buy more points at BWV.

 

[spiceycat]

how do you put a value on vacation time with your family?

I have loved my DVC purchase and have used it each and every year. It is great to be able to go when I want and do what I want - when I am solo. I also take friends and family.

My brother, as well as my mother, like to pretend that they are the owners. Well I always say - fine - when will you start paying the fees - that generally puts an end to the conversation.

I have been to WDW some years as many as 7 times - I drive so airplane tickets aren't the problem for me as some of you. THis year it will be the 4th trip in a couple of weeks - with another longer trip planned for Thanksgiving. I generally go 3 to 4 times each year.

Of course most of my trips are studios.....I don't often stay in a 1 or 2 bedroom (I have) and probably will again - but they aren't my first choice - I like to save my points so I can go again.

 

[Toby]

Ownership in the DVC has allowed our family of 4 to take 4 Disney Cruises using points, numerous trips to Disney World, and in a few weeks, we're taking Holland America cruise to Alaska. If we weren't DVC members, we never would have been able to enjoy such wonderful times. We have NO regrets buying into the program - we feel we have recouped our initial investment many times over!!

 

[gracelrm]

If we had not bought DVC, our kids wouldn't walk past a ride with a really long wait and say "O.K., we'll do that next time". Also 13 members of our extended family (ten of who had never been) wouldn't have enjoyed a trip with our family of five this summer all staying right next door to each other, sharing meals, swimming and having loads of fun. Also, we would never have been able to take short trips (four/five days) to Vero or HHI in the middle of the fall - just to get away from it all. Before DVC we took one nice vacation a year. Now we are able to squeeze in one and sometimes two more little vacations with our family. With both of us working and the kids staying so busy, we find the only time we are able to spend four to seven days together is when we schedule a vacation. If our lives were simplier, DVC might not be such a asset, but the way things are it truly is.

 

[Disney Doll]

1. Future vacations paid at current prices.
2. I relax more at a DVC property because there is more room to spread out...you don't feel crammed into a hotel room.
3. One BR or larger gives you a washer/dryer which saves on packing. I find no problem with tossing in some laundry, especially with the w/d right in my unit!
4. One BR or larger gives you a full kitchen which saves on food if you so desire...DH and I do breakfast and snacks/drinks, but no full meals.
5. Have the ability to go more often, as we don't have to come up with the big "chunk of change" to pay for the room. Paying a smaller monthly payment works better in our budget.
6. Studio gives you a kitchenette, which still gives you some flexibility with food...at least breakfast and sandwich makings or light easy snacks, coffee, microwavable stuff.
7. If you go at least every other year, it makes sense.
8. You do get some perks as a DVC member by way of discounts at restaurants etc...these are nothing spectacular, but, hey, if you're a member and you go to that restaurant or to play mini golf or real golf, why not get a discount?
9. Choices of DVC properties...there's something for everyone as far as themeing, location etc.
10. Once the initial loan is paid off, it becomes an even better deal, because then all you are paying is a fairly cheap monthly common charge.

 

[TinksDH]

It's hard to add to what has already been said... but I'll try anyway!

One of the things that I didn't like about taking a vacation was that feeling you get AFTER the vacation is over. Kind of like December 26th... nothing left but the mess. But by having DVC, you are forced to plan - at least if you want to make the most of your points. As soon as we got back from our last trip, we were already planning our next 3. That pulls you out of the post-vacation duldrums fast!

Also, since we purchased DVC we figure we may as well use it. Otherwise, we wouldn't plan as much as we do and have as nice of a vacation as we do. Prior to DVC, we kind of winged it and did a lot of last minute planning. That lead to frustration and wasn't a very good use of vacation funds. Like I said before, now that we plan, we have much more enjoyable vacations.

Finally, the access to a kitchen is a great benefit. That's not particular to DVC, but a nod towards villa-type accomodations.