I Must Be Missing Something

[manning]

Factor in all savings. One of them easily overlooked is breakfast each morning. Disney isn't a cheap place to eat out at. Also when you do eat out you can bring back left overs. Like pop used to say "a nickel here, a nickel there adds up".

 

[crisi]

But be realistic in your savings. We seldom bought breakfast out before DVC - pop tarts, juice and cereal bars in the room - our DVC breakfasts are much nicer, but we aren't saving any money. We spend more on groceries than ever before - because we have a kitchen to stock and we'll save money by throwing in a pizza and its nice to have some popcorn around - but waste most of it. We never did laundry on vacation pre DVC, so we aren't saving anything there (although its a non-savings I love! I would have never thought it was so wonderful to throw laundry in on vacation!)

Its quite probable that disciplined use of DVC and the kitchen and laundry ends up saving money. There is some probability that any individual will be less disciplined and end up spending more.

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by crisi
But be realistic in your savings. We seldom bought breakfast out before DVC - pop tarts, juice and cereal bars in the room - our DVC breakfasts are much nicer, but we aren't saving any money. We spend more on groceries than ever before - because we have a kitchen to stock and we'll save money by throwing in a pizza and its nice to have some popcorn around - but waste most of it. We never did laundry on vacation pre DVC, so we aren't saving anything there (although its a non-savings I love! I would have never thought it was so wonderful to throw laundry in on vacation!)

Its quite probable that disciplined use of DVC and the kitchen and laundry ends up saving money. There is some probability that any individual will be less disciplined and end up spending more.

For us, we would stay at the FW cabins & we would stock the kitchen with what we wanted for breakfasts, any lunches & some frozen pizza, maybe spaghetti for dinner. So, we are spending about the same on food for the room.

As far as laundry, we enjoy staying for between 8-15 days so with a family of 5 I always need to do laundry at least once. Having a washer/dryer saves us money because I don't have to pay to do it now. Plus...........we pack much lighter also!

I can't say DVC will actually save us money because we have taken additional trips we probably wouldn't have, however, it has given us the opportunity to spend time alone with our DD's & not share them with friends or anyone else & also spend time with my parents & siblings on vacations & make lasting memories. It does cut down on the amount we need to save for accommodations because they are prepaid & that is a real plus.

 

[mickeymouse710]

It is always so interesting to read these threads and see all the different prospectives and experiences that make up our small segment of DVC members, here on the dis.
We probably spend the same, if not more on WDW vacations since becoming DVC members. Although we no longer have to pay for nightly accomondations, on a regular basis, we now instead have yearly DVC dues to pay. Since becoming DVC members, we also go on many more trips per year. So our actual vacation spending has not decreased at all; and has most likely increased.
One ironic thing that has occurred for our family, is that we cook LESS sonce becoming DVC members; than when we stayed at FW in the trailers! But that is purely due to the fact that our family make up and needs had changed over the years. Pre DVC, we usually stayed at a trailer in FW and cooked the majority of our meals in the trailer. At that time the kids were young and this was what worked for us. As the kids got older, we began to really enjoy eating out at the many wonderful WDW restaurants. Ironically this was also about the time that we bacame DVC members! So we are definitely members that do not take advantage of the kitchen in DVC villas; nor do we want to. Been there, done that!
We do take advantage of all other DVC villa amenities like the washer/dryer, hot tub, refrigerator, etc.
Great thread!

 

[manning]

Look at this way cris - Your getting more bang for your buck. Not spending less ................. but getting more, as your statement "our DVC breakfasts are much nicer" indicates.

 

[crisi]

Oh yes, I completely agree. We couldn't be happier. We love staying in two rooms over one, love having the kitchen, love having the laundry. Both using the kitchen and the laundry were a surprise to me, I didn't think I was the type - but now am convinced that for us those are two of the nicer things about the room (the tub, something I would have thought we'd use, we used to bathe the kids). We spend more at Disney, but have been able to share it affordably and have had much nicer vacations. And we are quick to talk up DVC to anyone who enjoys regular WDW vacations - particularly if they stay onsite in Moderate or Deluxe resorts.

But the more time I spend here, the more convinced I become that most (not all) people who make a purely financial decision to join DVC (the exercise the OP is going through) will end up disappointed - or perhaps more accurately - evolve the reason that they are satisfied from "save money" to "good value", there are simply too many cheaper alternatives, from offsite timeshares to value resorts, and too much temptation to spend even more with DVC - as will some folks who aren't looking to save money, but do expect the level of service and attention to detail that should come from the GF concierge. I think the decision has to be based on a combination of wanting value plus an understanding that they will be in a timeshare (albeit a very nice, expensive timeshare owned by Disney, with many of the same amenities), not a Deluxe WDW resort.

 

[manning]

One big rule is never consider a timeshare as an investment, but as a prepaid vacation cost.

 

[helenabear]

Originally posted by crisi
there are simply too many cheaper alternatives, from offsite timeshares to value resorts

Just to add to that... I am one who says it *will* save me money. Yes I know there are cheaper alternatives, but there is *no* way I would stay off site and honestly the value resorts do not appeal to me in the least. So from a perspective of someone who stays in deluxe accomidations more often than not, you'd be surprised where the numbers fall.

I am the first to say DVC is not for everyone, but the reality of it is when I did the numbers and saw I was paying less per year for the same level of rooms, there was no way I could avoid joining in.

I know some don't save money on this, but the reality is, some will and do save.

 

[mikesmom]

We also feel it saves us money. We were going 2 out of 3 years and staying offsite in 2 rooms or a suite. Traveling with a teenage boy, DH didn't feel it was a vacation if we were all living in one room for a week. Those offsite rooms went up each year (not to mention the Florida room tax, which is quite high).

Once we bought into DVC, our costs were locked in. Also, we were pleasantly surprised to see how much we saved on food. The constant input of food necessary for teenage boys was much more reasonable when you could keep water, soda, fruit, chips ice cream, pizza and sandwiches in the room. That is not an extra expense. We would be buying those groceries at home. You also get to keep your leftovers from those big Disney servings when you do eat out.

The quality of life for a mom really improves with DVC, just having a laundry and kitchen in the room.

Just as an aside, people occasionally quote the discount prices on various hotel rooms in WDW as an example of what you can get without DVC (saying rack rate is not a valid comparison). Those of us with longer memories realize that discounts rarely if ever happened at Disney before 9/11. Rack rate rooms were full, particularly when school was out, and Disney had no reason to have to offer discounts. Tourism dropped badly after 9/11 and all hotels were cutting rates. That trend is reversing - discounts less often, smaller, and not during popular times. I bekieve that trend will continue.

 

[poohj80]

Originally posted by mikesmom
Those of us with longer memories realize that discounts rarely if ever happened at Disney before 9/11. Rack rate rooms were full, particularly when school was out, and Disney had no reason to have to offer discounts.

I have to disagree with this statement. We have traveled to WDW for years before 9/11 and always had some kind of discount - Magic Kingdom Club, AP, AAA, etc. We never paid rack rate even before 9/11.

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by poohj80
I have to disagree with this statement. We have traveled to WDW for years before 9/11 and always had some kind of discount - Magic Kingdom Club, AP, AAA, etc. We never paid rack rate even before 9/11.

Yes, there are those discounts, but I rarely remember just "code" discounts like they offer now. Magic Kingdom Club is obsolete, AP rates are only for those of us that have these passes and AAA rates are only for those people that belong to AAA.

I have also noticed that the "Code" discounts have been smaller. Obviously, I hope they continue with AP rates and other discounts, but if tourism continues to rise then I don't see a reason for the discounts to continue.

It's all about supply & demand. If people are coming without a discount, why offer one. If they're staying away then offer a discount for them to get there and spend money.

With DVC I'm going regardless now!!!!!

 

[KristiKelly]

Dh & I are currently thinking of buying into SSR, we did the same thing the OP did & had the same thoughts UNTIL - our tour guide Gib, explained that when the Contemporary opened, rooms went for $29 nt., that's $203 week - today, I don't know if you could get a wing room any cheaper than that per night. The cost of rooms will always be going up. We will be purchasing probably within the next month.

 

[skoi]

First, I agree DVC isn't for everyone. For us, I don't know if it made financial sense, but we bought at BCV last year and hope to add on another small contract. Everyone has done a great job at outlining all the benefits, here's one that we found for us.

We paid for our contract out right (the only way dh would do it). Recently, dh who is in the Naval Reserve was thinking of going active duty-- which would result in a pay cut of nearly half his salary! The first thing he said was, "Well I'm glad we got the DVC because we can still afford to go on a nice vacation every year." The yearly fees don't come close to the money it'd cost for us to have a comparable vacation.

So if you have a major life change, and the DVC is all paid up, you still have a place to vacation, or a little extra $$ if you rent your points.

Just a different spin. Don't know if it's financially sound, but it's the way we looked at it.
Julie

 

[crisi]

It is, and if vacations are a priority to you, its a good way to look at it. But I'll continue to play devils advocate.

If you income gets cut in half, you will have a committment to Disney vacations, which aren't cheap. In addition to dues, you have park tickets and food. For some of us (I live in Minnesota) airfare or other transportation costs are significant (even if I drive its something like $300 in gas). DVC makes it possible to take some relatively cheap Disney vacations, and if you are happy sitting by the pool and eating in your room, some really reasonable Disney vacations.

Now, its easy enough currently (and I'd guess for the foreseeable future) to rent out those points and break pretty even - particularly if you initial investment was pre-SSR price hike.

 

[FLYNZ4]

Originally posted by poohj80
I have to disagree with this statement. We have traveled to WDW for years before 9/11 and always had some kind of discount - Magic Kingdom Club, AP, AAA, etc. We never paid rack rate even before 9/11.

I completely agree with poohj80. We have been to WDW time and time again... and we have always been able to get steep discounts. IMHO, AP discounts are no longer as good as were before 9/11. I don't think that I've ever paid more than $99/night + tax for a room (usually deluxe accomodations, lagoon view room) until the past few years. I'ce used all of the discounts listed above... plus on occasion... Disney stockholders discounts and Disney Convention discounts. Usually AP had the steapest discounts... but they are not as good anymore.

For us, staying in a 1BR or 2BR condo is FAR superior than staying in a luxury hotel room in WDW. Count us as folks who bought DVC to have a better WDW experience... not to save money.

/Jim

 

[jodifla]

We've found Skoi's points to hold true for us. We've dropped to 1.5 incomes, and vacations would have been the first thing to go. But with the accommodations already paid for, we enjoy really nice vacations for a fraction of the cost we'd pay if we were shelling out money for hotel rooms. By the time you add tax to pretty much any hotel room, you're pushing $100 a night.

Also, with a small child, regular hotel rooms just don't cut it any more for feeling like a "vacation."

 

[mickeymouse710]

Originally posted by FLYNZ4
I completely agree with poohj80. We have been to WDW time and time again... and we have always been able to get steep discounts. IMHO, AP discounts are no longer as good as were before 9/11. I don't think that I've ever paid more than $99/night + tax for a room (usually deluxe accomodations, lagoon view room) until the past few years. I'ce used all of the discounts listed above... plus on occasion... Disney stockholders discounts and Disney Convention discounts. Usually AP had the steapest discounts... but they are not as good anymore.

For us, staying in a 1BR or 2BR condo is FAR superior than staying in a luxury hotel room in WDW. Count us as folks who bought DVC to have a better WDW experience... not to save money.

/Jim

ITA!! We have been going to WDW since the late '70's on a very regular basis and we have always gotten very good discounts on rooms, way before 9/11. We still enjoy staying at non DVC resorts for a few days every so often and still get very good discounts that are room only, and although they are good discounts, they were even better pre 9/11.