I just loved my DVC membership a little more

[MissKip]

Our upcoming trip would be $7,680 if it wasnt for the DVC membership

It is crazy to think people pay that!

 

[DebbieB]

That is definitely the beauty of DVC membership. Before I bought, we usually did room only, so that meant the bill for the room came after I got home. Ugh!

It drives me crazy when people on this board complain about the "lack of perks". The whole thing is a huge perk!

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks for your replies.

I see so many negative threads on here. Personally, I'm happy we bought in and try not to take these nice accommodations for granted.

I don't think that anyone will argue that DVC can save you money on equivalent accommodations or that renters can save money on a room compared to booking direct from Disney.

The increasing negativity IMO is due to owners learning that Disney and the DVD/DVC isn't as honest and/or forthright as we expect Disney to be. Unfortunately not going with the flow or offering information contrary to what Disney puts out can be considered as a negative.

Bill

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

Rack rates are what got me to buy in the first place. $3,000 for 5 nights, garden view at the Cont vs. $12,000 for 5 nights for 37 years plus MF at the BW That was a no brainer! (I've added on twice since then)

My Nephew called me 2weeks ago and priced out the Ak SV for 5 nts,$2800 vs 98 Dvc pts. And that was just for the room.

I figure I can stay 28 days including weekend during choice season in a studio std view at the BW for 340 points. Imagine what that would cost at rack rates.

So I guess we shouldn't flip out when our Mf go up! And its only going to get more expensive as the years go by.

This March will be our 9th week long trip with DVC since we bought in.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

Several years ago we were staying at the AKV Jambo House over Christmas and New Years in a 1-bedroom Value. We were there for 11 nights over the most expensive time of the year. I calculated that our room cost if we had paid rack rate would have been $6,615.00, and since there are often no discounts over the holiday period for room rates this is close to true cost.

I remember going to the front desk at the middle of the trip to get new room keys (due to how the trip had been segmented). While I was there a man walked up and asked what was available. I don't know if he booked it, but the only price he was quoted was $800/night for a 1-bedroom at Kidani. Wow !

His first two nights would have covered the our cost of the points for out 11 nights. His third night would have covered that trip's "usage" of out annual passes (Zero , actually, since we reached the break even point on a previous trip.) his fourth and fifth night would have covered EVERYTHING ELSE on that trip - dining, groceries, gas and food to/from WDW. I remember totaling it up in Mint and our out of pocket expenses were just a little over $1,300.

Yep - I'm happy with DVC too !

 

[ABE4DISNEY]

We have also greatly enjoyed our DVC. Those rack rates are unbelievably high and there is no way we would stay there at those prices! However, I just typed in our upcoming early June trip and Disney has a pretty good promotion going on right now. SSR and OKW one bedrooms for $350 a night is not a bad deal...just a heads up for any of you who are out of points.

 

[dbs1228]

Thanks for the thread! I just calculated my 2012 stays at WDW - keep in mind we used
2 years of points but our Feb. stay at THV for 10 nights would have been around 6600.00 our Dec stay 4 ni. THV 3660.00 and 6 nights at BLT GV priced out around 9126.00 all around 19300.00!!!! Our dues is about 2600.00 a year less then what we paid staying at FT. Wilderness cabins once a year - last 2 times we stayed there it came to 3500.00 for a 10 night stay room only! Love DVC!

 

[loveswdw]

We had never stayed Deluxe before DVC. And if we hadn't bought DVC, we still wouldn't be. I am not willing to shell out those prices for a room, much less the cash prices for a villa. It amazes me that people do. Our last vacation in a BCV 1BR for 5 nights would've cost over $3,500 (with whatever discount they were offering at the time). That's room only. That's a lot of dough for a room! Even if its a 1BR with a kitchen, jacuzzi, and washer & dryer!

 

[eandesmom]

I've paid deluxe, with a PIN code prices before and couldn't be happier. Our last trip, plus the next 2 booked would come to $17,949! I definitely look at this, and while that is rack rate, if at peak times as we often travel there may not even be cash discounts available. I will say this though, traveling at peak times sure pays off that initial investment awfully fast!

As with most, I wish I'd have bought earlier but am loving it now.

 

[bababear_50]

I travel peak times due to work

My Spring Break trip at OKW is 2,909.00.(studio)


Glad I have my DVC
I bought resale,paid cash,small point contracts and now just pay
yearly dues-really makes my yearly vacation affordable.

Edited to add:
I have been enough times that I now just enjoy hanging around the resort ,DTD ,
and maybe going to one park if interested.
That 10 day hopper-non expiry is going to last a long time.


Hugs Mel

 

[AirGoofy]

Many people pay that price because they look at WDW as a once in a lifetime vacation. Disney may not get that money from us DVCers on the rooms, but I'm sure we make up for it in all the tickets, merchandise, and food we buy over the multiple trips.

Still wish I found DVC sooner.

 

[Garthilk]

/DVC Member "Wow look at the price of the room if we paid cash, sure am glad I bought in, 3,500 for a 5 day stay in a two bedroom. That's crazy."

/Cash Customer "Wow, look at this room Disney upgraded us too, I just checked it online it goes for like 3,500 for our 5 day stay, that's awesome consideringwe just paid like 2,000".

So anyone care to show me the breakdown on revenue generated from cash pay customers and how those Disney held points are actually generating revenue?

 

[hjgaus]

You want more giggles, take a peak at the rates for a GV!

We've hosted 3 fabulous, 5 - 6 days family reunions at various OKW GV's and let me tell you, were I not sold on DVC when I bought (truly not the case), the 1st GV stay sealed the deal for me! One of the best decisions I made for our family and friends!

DITTO to this!!! We've hosted 3 years in a row (3 - 4 days ) @ VGC & LOVED every MINUTE!! Our last stay in the Grand Villa we finally got the Park View and saw the WOC 6 times (IMO the best view of the show from the rooms) !! My cousin was SO impressed she had to call her boyfriend ASAP to tell him about it & asked me if she could rent it! They are used to staying at places where she can get the best upgrades like @ the Palazzo in Vegas. I said I guess you could but it would cost you WAY MORE for just 1 night than your usual stay in Vegas!! She's not the biggest Disney fan but THIS condo timeshare that WE are allowed to stay in WAS the only Disney related thing she was EVER interested in!! Whenever we would talk about my family vacations she ]would respond "Oh that Disney thing AGAIN?! Aren't you guys tired of staying there?" ...... & NOW she KNOWS why we STAY there!! LOVE OUR DVC!!!

 

[Hollymom1229]

For our 10th anniversary we are staying 8 nights in a AKV-Club Level studio. I we had paid rack rate for it, it would have cost $4015 for just the room. I am so happy that we have DVC as we could not probably afford this room this year without it. That rack rate alone is almost half the cost of our AKV contract.

We are also having my sister and niece stay in a Savannah View studio, which at rack rate for just the regular hotel room is a little over $2,000.

 

[Maddysdaddy]

Just piping in, in support of this thread.

I've priced out our spring break trip to WDW - 16 nts. (7 AKV sav view studio and 9 SSR studio) and it would have cost just under $9,200. Using about a year and a half worth of points/annual dues, the cost to us is about $1,700, so ultimately we're about $7,500 ahead of where we would have been if we booked the same trip otherwise.

The corrollary to this is that we never would have booked this trip if we didn't have DVC points to cover the cost of lodging for us, so it's not like we are 'actually' $7,500 ahead (but then again, I do get another vacation with my family, which is priceless, so........).