I'm seriously considering DVC - any tips?

[mattnkatsmum]

On my last trip to WDW we did the DVC tour, more for a nosey than having any intentions of buying and, of course, we were extremely impressed. Anyway, we decided that we'd think about the decision when we got back home rather than being seduced when we were in holiday mode. DVC gave us three days when we got back and we hummed and aahed and crunched some numbers and decided that we needed a bit more time to make such a big decision.

So, we're off again in August, and I'm back to thinking about DVC again. I'm considering buying 160 points initially, with a view to buying more in the fullness of time. (Due to work commitments I can only holiday one week at a time, anyway).

So, I'm wondering if anyone can give me any guidance as to whether to buy from Disney or a broker and any other general tips which might help.

Cheers,

Karen

 

[Hilary]

Buying direct from Disney is very, very easy - you don't have to it over there, as it's just as easy to do at home.

We have never taken the DVC tour. We contacted our guide by phone (she always rang us back, so we didn't even pay for calls), she answered all our questions and we took as long as we wanted to make up our minds. All the paperwork was sent to us and they made it easy to send it back. So don't feel you have to decide when you are there in August

Others here have had very straightforward contract exchanges with brokers, and you will usually get a better price (but do check all the 'extras' ) this way. This way, you can buy at the resort you want, rather than the one being sold by Disney (only Saratoga Springs at the moment) although you will only be able to buy the number of points / use year that's being offered.

Good luck - it's exciting, isn't it?

 

[Pootle]

Karen, we did just what you look like doing; visited one trip, took a few months to think about it, went back and then bought. Have never regretted it for one moment, but then, it's a good fit for the way we take our holidays.

As you are going back again, I'd recommend that you take a tour of all the resorts and visit the US DVC boards too for some of the main issues of ownership. One of the most frequently discussed topics is 'Buy where you want to stay' for the 11th month booking window, versus 'Buy Saratoga because it has 12 extra years' (plus many people think it's wonderful in any case ).

We bought from Disney each time (master contract plus 5 add-ons) because it was so convenient, but others have good stories of the ease of buying resale.

Good luck with it.

 

[gilld]

One thing I would be very careful about is the use year you are offered. We were allocated an October UY and just accepted it without really think about when we tend to holiday.

We like to visit in September, so it turns out that October is the worst UY we could have, as if we need to cancel late, we are most likely to lose our points. I believe you can request a UY, appropriate to your requirements, before your purchase but can't change after!

Just something to consider. Good luck with the purchase.

 

[Hilary]

One of the most frequently discussed topics is 'Buy where you want to stay' for the 11th month booking window,

An excellent point.

If you buy directly from Disney, I'm sure your guide will tell you this is not an issue because the flexibility of the system makes booking at resorts other than your Home Resort is easy. There are many posters on the US DVC board who will say exactly the opposite and that you should only buy where you want to stay!

We bought at VWL because that's what Disney were selling when we bought, but have stayed there only once. In our experience of booking trips over the past 5 years, we've only hit a booking problem twice - firstly when we wanted a Grand Villa at OKW (and I knew that would be very difficult) and managed 5 days out of the 7 we'd hoped for, and secondly when we could get only a studio instead of a 1 bedroom at VB, but I was booking just a few weeks in advance.

It is something you need to consider, although you may decide it's not an issue for you.

Ditto Gill's point about Use Year - a Disney Guide will discuss the options with you, a resale broker may not and, even if they do, you'll have to wait for the right contract to come along at the right price.

 

[Halo]

I am not convinced that use year is much of an issue - especially buying in the resale market.

First and foremost if you want to stay at a particular resort I would agree that you should buy there as you are able to book your "Home Resort" at the 11-month window, which is 4-months earlier than other DVC members.

If price is more important to you than resort choice, check out the respective resale prices of the resorts AND the maintenance charges, as these differ from resort to resort. OKW is the cheapest.

I would always prefer on-site at WDW so would discount Vero Beach or Hilton Head.

Of the on-site resorts each have their own unique selling points:-
Old Key West is the original DVC resort and has the largest accomodation. It is the cheapest (on-site) to buy, and has the lowest maintenance fees. It has boat access to Downtown Disney.
Board Walk Villas has a great location, walking distance to EPCOT and MGM, plus it has good on-site nightlife bars and restaurants.
Beach Club Villas has the same great location as Board Walk Villas, plus it has the best on-site pool (Stormalong Bay - which has been described as a mini weaterpark).
The Villas at Wilderness Lodge have direct access via ferry boat to Magic Kingdom.
Saratoga Springs Resort is within walking distance of Down Town Disney, and includes a Spa, and lasts 12 years longer.

The use year determines which month your points become due, so if you want to go in say June and your use year is not until July, you would not get your 2006 points until July (although you could borrow them). However if you are buying in the secondary market you find that a lot of contracts come with points, so say a Dec use year whilst you would not get the 2006 points until Dec 2006, already comes with the Dec 2005 points.

Cancelling at short notice prior to your use year date can be an issue but is worst case scenario. If you need to cancel a vacation at short notice you could try simply renting out the accomodation. It might also be possible to insure against this (Disney's own US insurance is not offered to UK members, and is of questionable value as you are better off renting the points yourself anway).

You might also wish to consider as non-Disney options (purely from the secondary market) Marriott Cypress Harbour, or points at say Fairfield Vegas to swap into Fairfield's Bonnet Creek Resort. These do not have the Disney magic but can offer considerable savings over DVC if cost is an issue.

 

[Pootle]

This is a thread which discusses the BWYWTS issue http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1004552&page=2&pp=15&highlight=Excel

I particularly like Crisi's post, no 22. It might not matter to you at all, but better be aware before you make such a big financial commitment.

I also agree with Gill that the Use Year is worth considering. Mine is April and we like to visit in the early months of the year. I lost points because I had to cut short a holiday in March 2004 ago due to a family bereavement - definitely no time to organise any renting out of the points before they expired.

Happy planning

 

[mattnkatsmum]

Oh my...I'm so glad I posted this as there are so many things I have to think about.

When we took the tour, we were offered points at SSR with an October use year. Thinking about it, that wouldn't suit us as we usually holiday in the summer. I didn't think there was any scope for negotiation on the use year - is that not the case?

The choice of resort thing is useless to me as I can only book a couple of months out. It does worry me that I won't be able to get fixed up at all, but I suppose the thing to do is make advance bookings and then cancel them in plenty of time (by reference to my use window!) if I can't travel. I have stayed at WDW several times, though never at a DVC property. I don't think I'd be overly bothered about where we stayed so I don't think buying at SSR would bother me. Conversely, I don't care about the extra use years - I'm not sure I'll be that bothered about WDW when I'm in my eighties!!!

There does seem to be a lot of snobbishness about SSR. Why is that? I'm a little worried that if I ever had to sell then I wouldn't get a good resale value (not that I am buying with a view to re-selling, of course).

Thanks for all your help on this. I'm glad I started thinking this through well in advance of my next trip.

Karen

 

[Hilary]

we usually holiday in the summer. I didn't think there was any scope for negotiation on the use year - is that not the case?

The choice of resort thing is useless to me as I can only book a couple of months out. It does worry me that I won't be able to get fixed up at all,

It sounds to me that you need to do some more research into whether DVC would work for your circumstances in the way you want. Generally, the advice is that DVC suits best those who can plan ahead and book at the 11 month mark, and who travel during DVC less busy periods. Of course, that doesn't mean it doesn't work for anyone else, but it may mean you need to be flexible on your dates, size of accommodation and resort to get a reservation a couple of months out.

If that sounds as though it would work for you, then choice of home resort may not be an issue as you may well end up somewhere different anyway!

 

[paulh]

i have found that the americans tend to book on the last minite and if bad weather is forcast they will cancel,Thats why they dont like it as much as us where we plan our holidays up to a year in advance and go no matter what ( we have flown into huracaines),That being said as for getting availability at short notice ie a studio and any of the WDW dvc`s that would be no problem.Its the grand vilas and the beach resorts in the summer you will find hard to get.I would say there would be no problem gettin in 1 - 3 months out if you are flexable and so far we have never had any problems getting rooms at SSR the 4 or 5 times we have stayed there and we own at BWV
Paulh