I'm Happy I Chose My Camper/Fort Instead of DVC

[breick]

Yes, if you can get into the Fort. If not, you have 2 nights in a DVC resort before or after your trip. If you bank and borrow, you would have 75 points to use every 3 years... The AP discount, as with all perks, is subject to change from year to year.

 

[mikmouse]

We are DVC members and love it.

I lurk on the camping boards sometimes. Dh would NEVER consider camping. He's too much of a city slicker. I'd like to start tent camping at the Alabama State Parks, and the camping boards gives me a good peak.

As for the buy-in...we bought 100 points at BWV for $84/pt. a few years ago through resale. I think its a little less now. We are very frugal with our points and it works out for us. We love going to Disney and its DLX all the way for DH.

I'm actually kind of happy with the point allocation. They didn't change BWV points very much, and I was getting a little tired of only staying Sunday-Thursday. We may eventually buy more points if we find that we need them. We also went into the purchase with our eyes wide open, and was not surprised by the change. I had read the rules and knew it was possible. Otherwise, I would have been pretty steamed.

Thanks for letting me lurk into your world, and for AuburnJen...ROLL TIDE!

We have camped for the last 11 years straight at Fort Wilderness from Thanksgiving through the first two weeks in December...our favorite times. However also have DVC from an estate resale at BWV and we used that for the first time this month. We love it, but I still had to go to the Fort for my fix one afternoon We will use DVC a few more times this year, then again camping at the Fort the 2nd week in Dec. So you see, we have the best of both worlds!

 

[clkelley]

Well, I just crunched the numbers. A small contract may actually make sense for us. I was really not big into DVC at all cause we love the Fort and for most resort stays we are weekend warriors. However, now that Rick is retired, and I get 4 weeks of leave a year and generally get a good amount of comp time here and there, 3 -4 weeknights a year is possible.

There is a 25 point contract at Old Key West available for $2225. (www.dvcbyresale.com) At current rates (I know they'll go up) maintenance fees for the rest of the contract will be $3762 for a total investment of $5987. With 32 years remaining on the contract that is a total of 800 points. If we can manage to get 4 weeknights a year at the Fort with those points at this year's prices during Value Season that adds up to $10,133 worth of Fort stays.

OR we could opt for three weeknights a year in a Studio at Old Key West at this year's prices during Value Season that adds up to $29,500 worth of resort stays.

Also, it is very conceivable that out of the 32 years, we would purchase APs 25 of those years, saving another $5000. (I know not guaranteed.)

A small contract may make sense for us.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Gosh....DVC is just CONFUSING to me!!! I wish my mom wouldnt have dropped me on my head so many times!!

 

[clkelley]

Gosh....DVC is just CONFUSING to me!!! I wish my mom wouldnt have dropped me on my head so many times!!

Me too Rog!! I just crunched some more numbers and have probably talked myself back out of this.

 

[auntie]

Gosh....DVC is just CONFUSING to me!!! I wish my mom wouldnt have dropped me on my head so many times!!

You must be my long lost brother..because my head was spinning too.!

 

[Tigger0624]

We were also debating between getting a camper or buying into the DVC. In the end we decided on getting a pop up. We are a family of 6 with 2 dogs- and I like to keep my 4 legged babies with me when we go away

DVC sounded great at first- till you break it down... it would have been close to 18k (that was just this month too) for 160 points, though to stay in an accomadation large enough for my clan we would ahve needed at least 250-300 points depending on when we go... so it would have ended up running about 550 per month over 10 years with 5k down... yes they said i could use the points at the campground "when they had sites available" for 9-16 points per night... then my DH and I did some math and figured that we could either so the 1 week at Bay Lake per year for 255 points- which would be technically be running us well over 6k throughout the course of the year- or we could use the money for the downpayment and get a camper and even if we camped at the Fort at an average of 300 per trip we could get approx 24 long weekend camping trips in at the Fort (not to mention the option to camp other places as well) for the smae or less!!! And all in all we are camping people- I dont need the bells and whistles that go hand in hand with staying in a Villa- I'd rather have my kids getting more fresh air and playing outside than being cooped up in a fancy resort for a few days a year... just my opinion...

For us it made much more sense to get the pop up and "rough it" complete with all electricity, running water and water heater- even heat and A/C- which is like staying in a 5 star resort when you're used to camping in a tent with none of those nicities

Next month will be our first adventure to the Fort- but we already have 5 more trips booked this year! (We also got Resident Passes to the parks)

Shan-man- if you are interested in any more info about the DVC- I have the full package from this year- it would probably answer any of your ?s...

 

[ilovetheg8rs]

We also bought our motorhome instead of DVC or any other time share! We are early 40's and plan on full time RVing when the kids head off to college(in about 8 years)! So this seemed like the most logical use of our money!

 

[breick]

I had some DVC points to use, so I called MS to see if I could get a reservation at FW in July. Nothing available. But they did give me the choice of full hook-up or preferred. I hadn't heard that before.... Also, the CM checked on FW immediately. I didn't think they had access to FW inventory in their computers. Anybody know?