How often do you use your points for non-Disney properties?

[mowog]

We bought with the intention of only using the points at the DVC resorts. We had a Disney cruise booked, and rented some points to help pay for it. We have an estimated value of each point, which is purchase price/year and the Annual Dues. (no time value of money). We use this figure to value any other options and find the DVC resorts as excellent values and most other exchanges not.

 

[CPTJAK]

A nice thing about DVC is that it is easy to rent for $10 or more per point. Therefore if you want to go outside DVC and you want to use points, you can rent them and use the cash to rent somewhere else.

There are several good sites to rent timeshares from owners. redweek.com, TUG, etc..

Check out TUG for experiences on trading/exchanging timeshares etc.. if you are interested in buying a second complementary timeshare to go with DVC.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Check out TUG for experiences on trading/exchanging timeshares etc.. if you are interested in buying a second complementary timeshare to go with DVC.

When I go to the TUG website, it makes you have to subscribe before you can view the info. Is there another site that is free?

 

[SanDeeKath]

When I go to the TUG website, it makes you have to subscribe before you can view the info. Is there another site that is free?

TUG should be free unless it's for the resort database reviews. Otherwise it's the best $15/yr ever spent. The info there is tremendously helpful and up to date. Katherine

 

[BWV Dreamin]

TUG should be free unless it's for the resort database reviews. Otherwise it's the best $15/yr ever spent. The info there is tremendously helpful and up to date. Katherine

Well thats what I would be wanting from the website, opinions on different resorts, like in II. Tried to look up Captain Morgan's, wouldn't let me get to any of that info. So what else on TUG would I want to see for free if I can't get to the resorts?

 

[phyllisnnj]

While we never have, my BIL/SIL have many times. They have been very pleased with their accommodations, and from what I understand, you can tour (or see pics) of many of the timeshares on-line. They have gone to Spain, Portugal, Paris, Aruba, Hawaii, Germany, Cancun, etc. They also go to Dis over Spring Break almost every year. In fact, the place they stayed at in Spain was like a mini-house (she said it was closer to a GV at Disney) and it had a small private pool of its own!!!

They own around 450 points and here's how they spend them:
* Spring Break (premier season) - spend roughly 200 at OKW for a 2-BR and usually pay cash for the 2 weekend nights. If they didn't, adding the two weekend nights would cost them another 200 points.
* If they trade out, they spend 270 points (at most) on a 2-BR through II. If you look at a 1 week reservation at OKW during July, a 2-BR runs 30 points per week night and 73 points for Friday and Saturday. If you assumed 73 points for a Friday/Saturday stay through II, your week days would run you about 25 points per night.

My BIL/SIL have loved trading out and have really felt their DVC membership has allowed them this opportunity. While another timeshare may have been a better value, they already owned the points through DVC. Rather than selling off some of their points and purchasing a different timeshare, they have opted to use what they have to meet their travel needs.

Thanks for sharing.

I'm curious about DVC's trading power compared to other timeshares.
Do they generally travel off season with their II exchanges?
Sounds like they've had wonderful trips. Can you tell me which resorts they traded into?

Thanks

 

[CPTJAK]

Well thats what I would be wanting from the website, opinions on different resorts, like in II. Tried to look up Captain Morgan's, wouldn't let me get to any of that info. So what else on TUG would I want to see for free if I can't get to the resorts?

On TUG the forums are free go to TUGBBS (TUG Bulletin Board) and double click, there is tons of information from experienced TS owners, not just DVC.

Resort reviews are for members only ($15).

 

[purpliequeen]

I think this is a great way of traveling if you ALREADY have the points. But to buy points to do this would not make much sense. Just my thoughts.

K

I totally agree here. You have the points in your account already. We tend to travel internationally versus domestically, and thus prefer to do our own research on international hotels (convenience is a huge factor). Therefore, whether it is worth it to use the points or not is out of the question. I'd rather use the points somewhere than not use them at all.

 

[PEANUT1]

We are hoping to use 160 points to stay at the Westin in Maui next year for 7nights ...to me that is a good deal. The Westin would cost at least 300$ if not more a night which would mean 2100$ cash. If I use 160 points for a one bedroom that seems like a fair deal if my points go for 10-12$ a point to rent.

I would never use my points for a disney cruise or to stay at one of the other disney resorts (other than dvc)...it doesn't seem cost effective bc costs so many points.

 

[Tiggerlover48]

We are thinking of using our DVC for vacations in and around our home - like in NH, MA or ME. I figured we are already paying for it, so why pay more money to go on vacation. It would "save" us money, since we can drive and don't have to pay for airfare and park tickets!!!! We were thinking it would be a good idea. But now you are making me think twice. HELP

 

[crisi]

Do you already own points? Would you be buying more points than you would need to take these trips? Would these trips be occational or regular use for your points? Do you need to look for value in your vacations (i.e. will you stay in a $250 a night hotel room in Maine?) Are your local vacations spots currently on DVCs list, or do you have interest in resorts/locations/hotels not available from DVC? Will traveling on points add non-monetary value to you (for instance, a lot of DVC owners talk about it enforcing vacation time for them).

 

[luvindisneyworld]

If your purpose for buying DVC is to not use it most of the time at Disney it is not worth it.There are other timehsares out there that is less that you could do.But if you are using it most of the time for Disney with the occasional somewhere else then you should still be fine.

We are thinking of using our DVC for vacations in and around our home - like in NH, MA or ME. I figured we are already paying for it, so why pay more money to go on vacation. It would "save" us money, since we can drive and don't have to pay for airfare and park tickets!!!! We were thinking it would be a good idea. But now you are making me think twice. HELP

 

[Tiggerlover48]

We don't own any points yet. We are still in the thinking phase. We would love to go to WDW all the time - heck if it wasn't so hot (can't deal with the heat and humidity) I'd be working at AK! But we would still need to come up with the money for airfare, annual passes, food and other goodies!!! So we probably wouldn't go to Disney every year - but probably would go two years in a row and take advantage of the annual pass. The other year we would probably trade and go to someplace where we could drive or maybe someplace near a national park. Still not sure if it's worth it or not, if we do that.

 

[ACDSNY]

We don't own any points yet. We are still in the thinking phase. We would love to go to WDW all the time - heck if it wasn't so hot (can't deal with the heat and humidity) I'd be working at AK! But we would still need to come up with the money for airfare, annual passes, food and other goodies!!! So we probably wouldn't go to Disney every year - but probably would go two years in a row and take advantage of the annual pass. The other year we would probably trade and go to someplace where we could drive or maybe someplace near a national park. Still not sure if it's worth it or not, if we do that.

We're fairly new members on the west coast so we use our points for both DL and WDW. That being said, we plan on using the exchange program every few years so we can see other places. I don't want the hassle of renting my points, so I just compare my actual cost to see if the locatation is worth it. Our kids are grown so we have more flexibility with vacation times now.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We don't own any points yet. We are still in the thinking phase. We would love to go to WDW all the time - heck if it wasn't so hot (can't deal with the heat and humidity) I'd be working at AK! But we would still need to come up with the money for airfare, annual passes, food and other goodies!!! So we probably wouldn't go to Disney every year - but probably would go two years in a row and take advantage of the annual pass. The other year we would probably trade and go to someplace where we could drive or maybe someplace near a national park. Still not sure if it's worth it or not, if we do that.

That sounds like a do-able plan. I think you are smart to use the 2years/AP trick and then take a year off. One suggestion for a plan like that might be to pay OOP for the year off, and bank those points so you have more to use for a longer trip on one of the Disney years. Maybe a trip during the holidays or something like that when it isn't so hot, and when things at Disney are so special. Those trips take more points, so banked points would be a big help.

 

[crisi]

We bank and borrow to do every other year. It doesn't give us the two trips with an AP advantage, but it allows us to easily manage some fairly nice Disney trips with a mere 150 points. Every other year we use around 300 points to stay in a two bedroom for a week, we've been hording points for two two bedrooms for my family this year - its three years worth of points.

In our off years we tend to pay cash for a non WDW vacation - last off year we cruised.

I'm not a big fan of tying up money to do something long term without a pretty specific plan. DVC is a good value to us, but the trades aren't flexible enough for us. Sometimes we want much cheaper vacations than what the trade value works out to be. Sometimes we want vacations that just aren't available for trading. I don't like having my selection as limited as trades are.

I'd buy enough points to go to WDW two out of three years (or every other year) - and see how that works. Add ons are pretty available if you want more points to trade with. Decide if you want to be a timeshare family. DVC is a timeshare, but when you start trading I think you go from "owning a timeshare at Disney" to "being a timeshare family." We are not a timeshare family. If you are thinking that direction, spend some time over on the TUG boards. You may discover that its less expensive to own a smaller number of DVC points and a decent inexpensive "trader" for your local vacations.

 

[Princess Tink]

Tony I just wanted to pipe in and tell you we love DVC....mostly because of the flexibility. We can bank, borrow, or trade. One of the selling pts for DH was the ability to do all. He's not as big a Disney fanatic as DS or myself, so this was my way of selling him. And while we love the option of trading, and don't plan on doing it often....we love having the option. In the 5 years we've been members, we've only traded once....that was to a resort in Cancun (Royal Caribbean), it was one of the best decisions we ever made. We feel this was a GREAT trade value.....in some ways, we felt like RC was a step up from DVC. This was for DH & I's 10th Anniversary....we plan on returning and taking DS(10) within the next couple years. While others don't think it's 'smart' to trade or it doesn't make sense to them....for us, it's perfect. BTW.....we love DVC sooooo much that we added on 160 pt at AKV while we were on the cruise last week. DH has fantisized about the AKL sinc he heard it was being built.....while crusing last week we attended the members meeting on board and he was instantly SOLD! When he asked me if we should ADD ON, it was all I could do to say "I'll leave that decision up to you!" . I really wanted to SCREAM "YES, YES, YES!!!" and sign the papers before he changed his mind.

Good luck in your decision making.
Micaela

 

[Tiggerlover48]

If you are thinking that direction, spend some time over on the TUG boards. You may discover that its less expensive to own a smaller number of DVC points and a decent inexpensive "trader" for your local vacations.

What are the TUG boards?

 

[JimC]

What are the TUG boards?

Timeshare Users Group

 

[Princess Tink]

What are the TUG boards?

www dot tugbbs dot com/forums