How many trips to WDW in a year?

[who's ur daddy?]

This is an interesting thread in the DVC section. I wonder how many times the Canadians go down per year.

We just bought a DVC contract and got developer points. So we're going August, then perhaps a studio stint in early December 2007 and then a trip in March 2008. That'd be 3 one-week trips in a 365 day period! But after that, it goes back to once a year I guess...

Hope the Buffalo airflight thing works out...

 

[MikeyNS]

This is an interesting thread in the DVC section. I wonder how many times the Canadians go down per year.

We just bought a DVC contract and got developer points. So we're going August, then perhaps a studio stint in early December 2007 and then a trip in March 2008. That'd be 3 one-week trips in a 365 day period! But after that, it goes back to once a year I guess...

Hope the Buffalo airflight thing works out...

We'll be down for our third one week trip in a year this September, just want to get the most use out of our annual pass. We'll probably throttle it back to approximately once a year. Love going in the off-season!

 

[fan1080]

Our next trip is in 16 days, and next trip after that is Feb 2008.

So, we are going twice within a 7 month period.

That is not typical for us, our last trip was Feb 2006.

I looked into DVC, but unless I have the facts wrong, it's way over-priced for us. DVC seems to be directed to the higher end moderate and deluxe resorts. We are happy staying in the lower end moderate resorts such as POR. I haven't been able to find any info about how many points I would need to stay at a lower end moderate, or even if those are available through DVC points. I do know, that for a family of 5, POR is only about $1200/week during low season. That would give us about 240 points based on a yearly maintenance of $5/point (1200/5). 240 points would be about $25K to purchase, and if we go every year for 180 points each trip, we would have an extra trip every 3 years. So for a 50 year contract, that would mean 50/3=16 extra trips at $1200 savings each for a total of $20K. So it's cost us an extra $5k to have DVC. And this of course assumes 180 points is good for a 1 week trip, and 240points is enough for a family of 5, but from the charts I've seen we would probably need more than 240 points per weekly trip.

So, unless I have my info wrong, DVC really seems to be geared to the higher end resorts.

 

[tmli]

I do not own DVC but I average 4 trips a year. Usually one or two longer trips and then a couple of long weekend trips.

 

[MikeyNS]

Absolutely. It doesn't make financial sense to buy into DVC and spend the huge points on non-DVC resorts. In the long run with DVC you pay value resort prices for deluxe accomodations.

Our next trip is in 16 days, and next trip after that is Feb 2008.

So, we are going twice within a 7 month period.

That is not typical for us, our last trip was Feb 2006.

I looked into DVC, but unless I have the facts wrong, it's way over-priced for us. DVC seems to be directed to the higher end moderate and deluxe resorts. We are happy staying in the lower end moderate resorts such as POR. I haven't been able to find any info about how many points I would need to stay at a lower end moderate, or even if those are available through DVC points. I do know, that for a family of 5, POR is only about $1200/week during low season. That would give us about 240 points based on a yearly maintenance of $5/point (1200/5). 240 points would be about $25K to purchase, and if we go every year for 180 points each trip, we would have an extra trip every 3 years. So for a 50 year contract, that would mean 50/3=16 extra trips at $1200 savings each for a total of $20K. So it's cost us an extra $5k to have DVC. And this of course assumes 180 points is good for a 1 week trip, and 240points is enough for a family of 5, but from the charts I've seen we would probably need more than 240 points per weekly trip.

So, unless I have my info wrong, DVC really seems to be geared to the higher end resorts.

 

[luvdiz2]

DVCer's here. Twice a year for three weeks each.

 

[BitsnBearsMom]

We have a DVC AP this year and at the end of August we will have done 3 trips in one year - 2 strait weeks in October at DVC resorts on our points, May long weekend tacking on the Friday and Tuesday and we paid for a Value (will never do a value again though!) and a week at the end of August after our non-Disney cruise at WLV on our points again.

I never though it would be possible but I think I'm Disney'd out for a while - plus as of August we will have used 4 yrs worth of points over the 1 year so we'll save up points again and do different vacations until December of 2009 then we'll get an AP again and do several trips that year. Unless of course they open up a Disney LAND DVC then I might be tempted to try it out. Might hit disney land between now and then anyway - I know I'm disney'd out now but come next summer/fall I'll be ready again and it will be tough to get through to Dec of '09 with no Disney!!

 

[dsneygirl]

We'll have got 4 trips out of our APs this year.Dec, May, Aug and Dec again. Plus we went last Aug. Our son is 1 and has already been 3 times. With 2 more trips on deck. But this year was an exception. I was on mat leave so didn't have to worry about using vacation time

I think when I go back to work it will be more like 2 trips per year. Maybe a third quick one.

 

[bababear_50]

Soon to be a DVC er but I will only be going once a year --well so I think right ,,

Hmmmm maybe a short ,,,Hmmmm oh well you never know ,
Hugs Mel

 

[who's ur daddy?]

Our next trip is in 16 days, and next trip after that is Feb 2008.

So, we are going twice within a 7 month period.

That is not typical for us, our last trip was Feb 2006.

I looked into DVC, but unless I have the facts wrong, it's way over-priced for us. DVC seems to be directed to the higher end moderate and deluxe resorts. We are happy staying in the lower end moderate resorts such as POR. I haven't been able to find any info about how many points I would need to stay at a lower end moderate, or even if those are available through DVC points. I do know, that for a family of 5, POR is only about $1200/week during low season. That would give us about 240 points based on a yearly maintenance of $5/point (1200/5). 240 points would be about $25K to purchase, and if we go every year for 180 points each trip, we would have an extra trip every 3 years. So for a 50 year contract, that would mean 50/3=16 extra trips at $1200 savings each for a total of $20K. So it's cost us an extra $5k to have DVC. And this of course assumes 180 points is good for a 1 week trip, and 240points is enough for a family of 5, but from the charts I've seen we would probably need more than 240 points per weekly trip.

So, unless I have my info wrong, DVC really seems to be geared to the higher end resorts.

What kind of room do you stay at? I liken the Studios at DVC to be akin to most of the regular hotel rooms I've stayed in (although I haven't been inside any of the Studios yet...).

In any event, in low season, a studio can be had for under 100 pts a week. The cost of 100 points is about US$9400 (you'd buy resale I guess because the minimum point contract is 160 from Disney). 100 pts cost US$412 per year at Saratoga. Assume carrying costs on the $9400 of say US$564. Total is about $975 per week.

But you still have a valuable asset you can sell when you're done with it. Historically, DVC timeshares haven't lost much of their value (as compared to say other developer timeshares), whether because of Disney's Right of First Refusal or demand... I don't know. Some have made money on their contracts, but don't count on it. In the end, I'm confident that I will be able to get back a good chunk of my money when the kids grow up and don't want to do Disney anymore.

If I am wrong in my analysis, please don't tell me since I've already bought...

 

[I Run Long]

Oh you east coasters are so lucky. The questions should be how many times you go down in a decade. The airfare alone is over $3000 for us - of course there are 4 of us. Now if I could just sell the kids to those gypsies that used to be around when I was little . . . .