If we move to Orlando area, should we sell/keep DVC?

[HeatherPage]

Hello all! I need some opinions here. My husband and I are kicking around the idea of moving down to central Florida in maybe 3 years. My husband thinks we should sell our DVC if we move down there. I say we've been paying on it for 3 years and will continue to for at least 3 more or so until we decide to move or not. (We financed it for ten years). I say we keep it since we'd only have another 4 years or so to pay on it after (if) we moved and then only dues after that and even though I'd be near my mecca (WDW) you still need to actually get away from your own home every now or then. Any opinions?

THanks in advance!

-Heather

 

[Disney Doll]

Well, it depends on how close to Orlando you'll be.

I mean, if you're going to be like 10 minutes away from WDW, then I'd probably sell. But if you're going to be an hour or more, then I'd probably keep it. I have gone an hour away from my home and stayed overnight for a little break and had a lovely vacation!!!!!!!

 

[HeatherPage]

I'm thinking of the St. Cloud/Kissimmee area. Or on the other spectrum the Deltona area (the price of houses I've seen in that area look great) but I'll be doing alot of research between now and then including real estate prices, job salaries, etc.

 

[Richyams]

I guess my situation isn't really anagolous since I am far from Orlando. We are in Weston, right next to Ft Lauderdale, about 3 1/2 hrs from WDW. We never for a moment considered selling when moving down here. But day trips are still out of the question from this far away.

Are you going to be ten minutes from WDW? Are you going to live there for the rest of your lives with no real possibility of moving? Is there anyhting you wouold rather do than be in WDW?

if two or more of those questions are 'yes', selling may be an option. I am not sure, if I was ten minutes from the gate and planned to live forever there....I would have to think about it.

1/2 hour from the gate, the chance that I may only live there ten years, and not needing the money, no way I would sell.

 

[HeatherPage]

That's what I'm thinking Rich, who knows how long we'll be there, I doubt will be only 10 minutes away and being that a) I love WDW and b) I have this (possible irrational) fear of flying as we always drive to WDW, I see us visiting for quite some time (until I get over my fear of flying or they can guarantee planes won't crash and we can go to Hawaii/Tahiti or Australia - hey if you're going to dream, dream big!)

I'm obviously leaning towards keeping it. Even if we live right near there, I love the theming of the hotels and love staying onsite. NOW the only thing that I might possibly sell it for is if instead of staying onsite for a week once or twice a year on points is selling the DVC and going for long weekends at the Poly (my favorite resort) say every other month on cash. I can afford it that way by cash - I just can't afford a 7 night stay there on cash right now. Of course in 5 years they could be charging $600 per night for a regular Garden View room and I'd be SOL.

 

[Marisa'sMom]

HeatherPage,

Think about using your points at Vero or Hilton Head. We use to live in Orlando and Hilton Head a GREAT mid way stop between O'town and Raliegh (we live in Greensboro) and you can have time with your family there.

We met you all the the Raleigh Dis meets. We can certainly understand where you're coming from, as Brian would pick up and move back to Florida in a second!

I say keep those points!

 

[HeatherPage]

Hey Marisa'sMom! I was just thinking the other day that we need to have another meet, heard from DVCajun lately? I'm definitely leaning towards keeping them, I guess I'm jumping the gun a little bit being that we are still only in the talking stages of thinking about whether we want to move or not. I guess we'll just see how it goes

 

[Snowgod]

I think you should donate your points to needy Northeastern DVC members. After a long hard winter we all need to be at a DVC resort.

 

[mrsdon]

On the AOL DVC borads there are many members that live in Orlando and have kept their DVC. They go for long weekends. or treat the families and use the points for cruising also.

 

[HeatherPage]

I think I know what my final decision will be (sorry hubby). Snowgod, I'll keep you in mind though

 

[KyBill]

Assuming that you can handle the $$$ part of DVC, I would keep the points. I have a nephew and his DW who live in Melbourne(about an hour away). They love calling on short notice and picking up studios for a couple nights. They like the W& F festival and the Christmas season with CP at Epcot. Their points are at HH but they have no problem since they are very flexible. Just jump in the car and in a short time they are at DVC.
Also don't forget you would be eligible for the Florida Resident Annual pass or the Seasonal Pass. The last is a realy good deal just for bopping into DVC for a couple days and doing your favorite parks or restaurants.
Also they like inviting their parents or other siblings and getting 2 BR's on short notice.

 

[Marisa'sMom]

Heather,

Great minds think alike....in all aspects!

First, I glad you're keeping those points! Second, we do need to have another meet! Brian is on the boards more than I, so I'm not sure if we've heard from DVCajun. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help get it started. Although it would probably have to be the in August, we have so much going on, with our trip to VWL starting on the 6th! I can't wait!! Well, since this about weather you should keep your points if you move to Orlando, I'll go for now!

 

[laceemouse]

We have talked about this at our house. My DH family lives in the Orlando area but we can not stay with any of them due to limited space, smoking, etc.. DH applies for jobs all over the south all the time as we are trying to get back to WARM weather, we would love to live in central Florida but nothing much in his field ever really comes up. Most jobs pay less down there too. At any rate, I think I would always want to keep our DVC. When we lived in Jacksonville we knew several people who would bop down there for short get-aways, sometimes just to enjoy the resorts and not even DO the parks.

 

[ncligs]

Heather,

We are considering this exact move in 4 years(retiring ). We plan on keeping our pts(300- VB 300- OKW). We are fortunate enough to only have the dues payment. We also love to go to VB and HH.

The way we look at it is, we will no longer have the expense of airline tx,rental cars,etc. We like to have family and friends come down, and what better place to entertain then on property in a 2BR or GV at OKW or VB.

. We will also have the option to cruise

if we want.

Here is a gated community we are considering called "Bellalago". It is about 45 minutes south east of WDW. Click on the link below to give you an idea of the location and home prices below. The homes start at $150,000.

http://www.mybellalago.com/web/index.shtml

 

[TDC Nala]

Personally, I would keep them. If I make the move I will use them to spend some nights where I can take a bus home from PI. Or, I could bring down friends and family members to stay for awhile and they wouldn't have to stay with me.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

--Just my opinion...
I have been BEGGING my wife to move south for many years now. Personally, I don't want to move to central Florida simply because I am afraid it will spoil the vacation experience.

Wish me luck, as I am still pushing the wife for the Carolinas.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

ncligs,
Bellalago is beautiful, thank you for sharing. It looks like you could have a boat dock there and go out on the lake. Couldn't tell if the houses had pools. Not a far drive from WDW, maybe DVC wouldn't be needed is living in this location. Very impressive, thanks for sharing.

 

[Lisa F]

Friends of ours moved to orlando a few years ago (2-3?) and are DVC members. At first, they were at the parks all the time (they rented). Then they built a house. The process was so time consuming that they had no time for WDW. Now they are IN the house and find that they still don't have much time for WDW (too much to do on the weekends). Just because you are so close doesn't mean that you will suddenly have oodles of free time to play without taking an actual vacation. The first few years they used their points for the random night here and there when it corresponded to a disney dining experience event. They went on both member cruises using points. They get a night here and there when they don't want to have to drive home from WDW (about 45 mins or so, still in the metro orlando area though). One time they got a grand villa at OKW and hosted a dinner party there (they were still in their apartment) because it was larger and nicer.

Now they are thinking they might just want to have a week vacation just to do WDW and be "tourists" again. We all bought into DVC because we LIKE staying onsite and somehow driving back to your house every night is different than staying onsite. They even added on some points at Vero!

Lisa

 

[CaptainMidnight]

You could always rent your points out for a couple of years while you decide whether to keep them and you'd use them. Weekends only might not make them a good deal. It would seem to me that would be a huge lifestyle change moving to Orlando. Best wishes.

 

[chrissyk]

I'm voting for keeping the points, but only because that's what we're doing. We're moving next year...there is a good chance that we will be moving to Central FL (we are seriously considering Celebration). We're keeping our 200 BWV points and possibly adding 100 more at Vero or HH sometime in the future Just because you live near Disney doesn't mean that you're going to be there every minute, KWIM? It's still a vacation, and we still want our points for that vacation.

Can I ask you another question, though? The other place that we are considering moving to is the RTP area of NC (we're going to look at "Cary Park" and some other areas in August). Can I ask why you're considering moving from the Raleigh area to Central FL? My DH and I are really researching this move, and we both want to know the negative things about each area that we should take into consideration.