I haven't a clue how DVC works... Help!!

[OrangeCat04]

For those kind enough to help me... thank you!!

I want to get a general idea of the amount of money i will need to purchase DVC. I would be interested in buying enough points for one week every year. I know that no one can give me an exact #... but anything will help!! After i pay off buyin the initial points... how much are the fees&etc. for each year after?? Thanks!!

 

[chalee94]

there is a link to point charts in the top right hand corner - i'd look at the 2011 charts to get an idea of how many pts you'd need for the resort you prefer at the time of year you tend to travel.

definitely ask any questions you like, but here is some research material to get you started:

for pricing/buying information:

here is a thread for understanding the general differences between buying resale and direct.

here is (usually accurate) current pricing for contracts purchased directly.

there is a link above for resale listings.

to get an idea of annual dues after you have paid off the upfront costs of the contract:

here is a link to historical annual dues per point for the different DVC resorts.

general explanations of the program:

here is a link to a basic DVC FAQ.

here is another FAQ

here are some general information you might find interesting:

is DVC for me?

here is a thread for more info about choosing a home resort.

and if you are ready for slightly more advanced information:

here is a thread for understanding use year.

 

[sleepydog25]

For those kind enough to help me... thank you!!

I want to get a general idea of the amount of money i will need to purchase DVC. I would be interested in buying enough points for one week every year. I know that no one can give me an exact #... but anything will help!! After i pay off buyin the initial points... how much are the fees&etc. for each year after?? Thanks!!

I'm sure someone will post a link to FAQs or the like soon, but instead of sifting through all that info blindly, here's a quick primer:

1) The money you spend depends upon how many points you buy and where you buy. Saratoga Springs Resort's points, for example, are some of the lowest available; Bay Lake Towers perhaps the most expensive. If you plan to go once a week each year, click on the link in the upper right hand corner to see how many points you would need during the time you'd most likely travel. That will give you an idea of how many points you need.
2) The most common logic is to buy where you would most like to stay since you would be able to book 11 months out vs. 7 months out if it's not your home resort. If you have an idea of where that might be, check the average cost per point--Disney actively sells Bay Lake Towers, Saratoga Springs, and Animal Kingdom Lodge currently, the others are mostly done via resale. Going through Disney usually carries some sort of incentive and longer contracts, but they may not have the resort you're looking for.
3) When you figure your costs, keep in mind that each year you will also have to pay maintenance fees, roughly $5 per point depending on the resort--newer resorts have cheaper per point fees vs. older resorts.
4) So, here's an example: I love the Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge (VWL), and you can get a resale contract from any number of sources for, on average, about $75 per point. If you plan to come once a year in a lower value season, 150 points would probably work. If your trip times vary, you might look at 200 points. So, let's take an average of the two and say you find a contract for VWL for 175 points at $75 per: that's
$13,125. Currently, and someone will correct me if I'm wrong, the dues at VWL are something like $5.62 per point (and dues will continue to rise slowly over the life of the contract at all resorts), so that would be almost $1000. Next year, they likely will rise slightly. Keep in mind that you have to pay the maintenance fees (also called dues) each January.
5) So, you're already looking at a $14K+ cost outlay for 175 points at VWL. Other resorts' costs vary, naturally.
6) Also, keep in mind there will be closing costs associated with buying a DVC contract, though those aren't onerous.

I hope this helps you get started. Good luck!

 

[crisi]

One other thing to remember....DVC will cover your room - but you'll still need park tickets, food, transportation, etc. Sometimes people look at it and kind of "forget" how expensive the other stuff is when buying in. Or assume there will be discounts or bargains available to them as a member that will be significant enough to offset the costs.