i agree with n2mm: i never experienced any pressure whatsoever (unlike regular timeshares, DVC reps are selling a wanted commodity). for each of my 3 contracts, i contacted them, not visa-versa.
The folks to whom we talked were definitely out to SELL -- every step of the presentation from the snacks to the walk-through was orchestrated towards the goal of putting our name on the bottom line! The little chit-chat was all oriented towards gaining information about us, then the presentation was directed towards getting us to believe that the purchase could be made with money we'd spend anyway, etc., etc., etc. When you attend multiple sessions, you notice the similarities -- the same phrases, the same probing questions, which at first can appear to be just friendliness -- in fact, it's comical.
Other timeshares are also wanted commodities -- perhaps just not what YOU want! No one's taken into a presentation against their will!
I'm a DVC member, we stayed in Deluxes, and DVC COSTS us a LOT of money over what we'd spend without it. We go to Disney more often. We stay in one or two bedroom units over studios. We treat friends to accomodations. And we are not alone. We are happy with our DVC purchase - but its a little like heroin for a lot of people. One minute you are buying a 75 point resale contract to stay in an OKW studio during low season, you turn around and own 500 points because you just HAD to take your family down for a stay in a Grand Villa.
This is called the "goldfish syndrome". A goldfish grows to fit the size of its bowl. With timeshares, you get more space, then you bring more people, so you need more space . . . this isn't good or bad, but it is a trend with timeshares!
Yet, you can get a skyaction home for under $200 for the week. If you treat that as an inclusive or (offsite or values) it is ALWAYS possible to find something near Disney cheaper than DVC. Sometimes its a value resort on property, sometimes its a hotel off Priceline, sometimes its a skyaction home.
Yep, you can always find accomodations for less than DVC. The pros and cons of those places will vary widely, and different people may consider them acceptable or non-acceptable. The question is whether you think searching for these bargains is fun, or whether it's stressful to you. A lady in my Sunday School class was saying last week that they always rent the same lake house every summer -- she says she doesn't like searching for new restaurants, new things for the kids to do. I don't quite "get it", but that's her idea of a vacation. Some people are happy knowing that they'll be in the same DVC spots year after year -- others want more variety.
I agree!
We are DVC owners. This poster ( MrsPete ) has not done their homework. No pressure, over 500 locations worldwide you can use your points including
DCL. Yes you can always stay cheaper at the value resorts. DVC is not a value resort. It is not even a comparsion. This is not a financial investment this is a family investment and worth every penny imo.
If by "not having done homework" you mean that I researched the facts and came to a different conclusion than you did, then you're right! Few things are "right" for all families.
We toured several offers, read everything we could get our hands on, and we decided that a Marriott resale was a better fit for our family. Some of our reasons (which may or may not make any sense to your family):
- When we do go to Disney, we go for the parks! We do not care to pay for living spaces and kitchens (we like to eat at the unique restaurants). Obviously, that isn't true for everyone, but WE don't want to pay for amenities we wouldn't use. On the other hand, when we spend a week at the beach, we
do enjoy a nice condo instead of a standard room.
- Most of our vacations are non-Disney, and Marriott offers more trades world-wide. Yes, Disney CAN trade for non-Disney properties, but why buy the expensive item and trade for a
less expensive item?
-Marriott trades are available closer to home; we may not always want to drive all the way to Florida for our vacation, especially if gas prices increase or if our health decreases.
- Marriott is widely available on the re-sell market for a budget price; the initial buy-in is considerably less expensive. No one should ever buy a timeshare assuming that they will ever get back their initial investment, but by purchasing re-sale, the chances are much better! It's hard to compare the yearly dues since I don't know how many points we would've bought if we'd gone DVC.
- Marriott is deeded property, and as long as the yearly maintenance fee is paid, it can be used indefinitely. You could leave it to your grandchildren, and they could vacation without an additional initial pay-in.
- This is the big one for us: some Marriott properties offer a "two bedroom lock out" option, which means that for a $99 fee we can "split" the one-week in a two-bedroom condo into
two one-week stays in a one-bedroom condo. Right now while our kids are still young, the two-bedroom is perfect, but in less than a decade we'll be empty nesters, and then we'll appreciate the flexibility of being able to have
two weeks without an additional buy-in. By choosing the right properties, we can even split our one week into
two weeks in a two-bedroom condo (though that does limit the choices).
Should these things influence you? Maybe, maybe not. My mom has Hilton, and she loves it because she can "buy" a partial week with her points; that doesn't appeal to us. Every program has its benefits. These are the things that make sense for our family and our circumstances -- but don't assume that I don't know what I'm talking about.
One last thing: Regardless of what you're considering buying, I recommend the book Timeshares for Dummies (I think that's the name). Unlike the salespeople who tout the benefits of THEIR program and poo-poo everyone else, this book provides a non-biased view of timeshares. It discusses the pros and cons of point-systems vs. week purchases, it goes into details about how to trade your time, and it discusses the re-sell market in depth. Before spending this kind of money, you owe it to yourself to know all the angles and be SURE that you're getting the right thing for your family.
, we did not enjoy staying offsite.
For us it's not always the cheapest, but the best *value* and dvc was the best value for us...
I didn't think we'd enjoy staying offsite -- but we did! It's a
different type of vacation, but we enjoyed it just as much! I agree that the cheapest item isn't always the best, but neither is the most expensive always necessary for your family's enjoyment! The right fit is often somewhere in the middle.
is look into the resale market. 
And I know that I will be back so I don't have to do everything or feel pressured.
staying at BCV and being just a walk away from his favorite beer stand at the UK in Epcot.
