Indecisive

[Jtshawkeye]

Okay, so I've been going back and forth over becoming a dvc member for a few months now and was looking to get input. I am a single dad of a five year old daughter. She loves Disney, and loves going on vacation. We just started traveling in December of '09 and since then we have been to Jamaica, disneyworld and stayed at Blt, Turks and Caicos, and we have a Disney cruise scheduled in April and back to Disney in a 2br villa at baylake again in oct for her birthday. I would be purchasing 360 points bc I take my family everywhere with me on vacation and 360 would allow me to get a 2 br at aulani. I can definitely see myself traveling to either wdw or Hawaii every year and I will be staying in a 2br every time I go. My only reservation is if I wanted to trade how difficult is it, would my family become bored with the same trips every year? We stayed at beaches in negril and Turks and caicos and loved it both times,with the addition of the Hawaii resort I'm hoping that I can keep everyone happy and entertained. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Sammie]

I would not recommend buying DVC for anything other than DVC resorts. You can go other places paying cash, much less expensively than using DVC and with greater flexibility than DVC gives you to trade out.

 

[Jtshawkeye]

I would not recommend buying DVC for anything other than DVC resorts. You can go other places paying cash, much less expensively than using DVC and with greater flexibility than DVC gives you to trade out.

Yea, I realize it's not the most economical way to use them, and I'm not planning on trading out much, if at all, and definitely not for years to come. I will be taking my daughter on at least one additional vacation a year.

 

[Havana]

Buying DVC is a commitment to visiting disney or hawaii every year or two years.
We asked ourselves this when we originally bought, and again now that we are thinking of adding on.

 

[Sandisw]

We visit every year and so far, my children, who have been going since they were little--we started in 1994 and have gone almost every year since--still love it.

They enjoy it for different reasons and now enjoy getting up, going to the parks for a few hours, and then hanging around the resort for much of the afternoon.

You already know that using the points for DVC is the best value and really, no one knows exactly what trading out for cruises or other places could look like years down the road as DVC can change that piece.

I have always said that I won't hesitate to use my points for other vacations if we ever decide to skip Disney, regardless of the value. I bought my points to cover my vacations and not have to output more money (other than MF's).

If you are really concerned, and are going to buy through Disney, I would recommend asking them to break your points up into several contracts. Instead of buying one 360 point contract, break it into smaller ones--ie: 120, 120, 120.

This way, if you find at some point you don't need all those points, you can sell some and still stay a member. If you buy it as all one large contract, it has to be sold that way down the road.

If you buy resale, this can only be achieved by buying multiple contracts from the start as those can not be split.

Good luck!

 

[Deb & Bill]

If it is just you and your daughter, 360 points is a whole lot of points. We have 325 and usually have some to bank every year. We are a family of three.

If you think you are going to buy into DVC, why not buy fewer points and using banking and borrowing each year to go every other year. Then use the rest of the money to buy a different timeshare to do your beach trips, etc.

Don't buy DVC to go cruising. There is no guarantee that you will be able to use points for DCL. And the number of points per stay are not regulated by timeshare rules. It could double each year if they wanted to do so.

 

[ToddyLu]

My question is What is the hang up with DVC? I mean tell us why you have not done it so far. Is there a particular concern you have. You have told us why it is right for you, not really why it is not. For DH and I, we do Disney every year and wanted to stay in the nicer resorts. That will not change, ever. We do not have children so they were not a consideration for us.

Our decision was for us--becasue we love Disney World. I would purchase if you love Disney World, not just to take family, and not for children who are still very young. Do it for you alone. Then if your daughter does not want to contiue the trips when she is older you have lost nothing. We do take family but did not consider them when we decided. If they want to accept the invite fine, if not that is OK too.

I would purchase enough for a one bedroom every other year, then see if you like it, you can always get more points, right. 360 sounds like a lot for someone who has been going back and forth for a while.

I just want to help you--we think DVC is great and would love to have you drink the Koolaid with us.

 

[hugscot]

I would say it is a good value it you plan to go the Disney resorts most of the time but if you trade them out to RCI or cruises etc. then not as good a value.

 

[Deb & Bill]

....I just want to help you--we think DVC is great and would love to have you drink the Koolaid with us.

Avoid the Koolaid at all costs.

 

[Jtshawkeye]

If it is just you and your daughter, 360 points is a whole lot of points. We have 325 and usually have some to bank every year. We are a family of three.

If you think you are going to buy into DVC, why not buy fewer points and using banking and borrowing each year to go every other year. Then use the rest of the money to buy a different timeshare to do your beach trips, etc.

Don't buy DVC to go cruising. There is no guarantee that you will be able to use points for DCL. And the number of points per stay are not regulated by timeshare rules. It could double each year if they wanted to do so.

I pay for my parents and 2 brothers to go on vacation with me everywhere I go. I am currently looking to buy a new house and that is the main reason for my interest in DVC, i am thinking it may be the only way i can afford a new house and continue to take 7 ppl on at least 1 nice vacation a year.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

I'd probably split the purchase between Aulani and Bay Lake Tower (or other WDW property) unless you plan on going to Hawaii every year.

With that you'll have longer windows to make ressies and by banking and borrowing you'd still be able to book the 2BR at Aulani that you'd want.

 

[CarolAnnC]

I pay for my parents and 2 brothers to go on vacation with me everywhere I go. I am currently looking to buy a new house and that is the main reason for my interest in DVC, i am thinking it may be the only way i can afford a new house and continue to take 7 ppl on at least 1 nice vacation a year.

Hi and welcome to the DIS!

I understand your thought on "budgeting" vacation. For many years I had a "Christmas Club" through work. They took weekly pay deductions, and paid little or no interest on the money. But, every November I would get a nice check that would completely cover my holiday expenses. Definitely not the best investment decision, but it worked for me!

That being said, I would caution you that you can take 7 people to very nice WDW trips using the Moderates or Value Resorts. So, examine the costs carefully, especially since you will be purchasing a house soon, too.

Perhaps start with a smaller amount of points (as mentioned above) and add to it as time goes on. Good luck!

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

I am currently looking to buy a new house and that is the main reason for my interest in DVC, i am thinking it may be the only way i can afford a new house and continue to take 7 ppl on at least 1 nice vacation a year.

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate for 2011 already. I wish the best of luck to you and getting the house and the DVC. If you ever have any questions about buying DVC via resale feel free to contact The Timeshare Store, Inc.® (www.dvcstore.com) or email us at sales@dvcstore.com.

I was also trying to figure out if the "Hawkeye" has anything to do with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Go Hawks!!!! 1997 grad here.

Jason

 

[Jtshawkeye]

Sounds like you have a lot on your plate for 2011 already. I wish the best of luck to you and getting the house and the DVC.

I was also trying to figure out if the "Hawkeye" has anything to do with the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Go Hawks!!!! 1997 grad here.

Jason

Yes it does, i just graduated from there in 2008. Have you ever noticed on vacation that if you wear hawkeyes gear, you always have people come up to you and start talking to you about UI? I love it!

 

[Jtshawkeye]

Hi and welcome to the DIS!

I understand your thought on "budgeting" vacation. For many years I had a "Christmas Club" through work. They took weekly pay deductions, and paid little or no interest on the money. But, every November I would get a nice check that would completely cover my holiday expenses. Definitely not the best investment decision, but it worked for me!

That being said, I would caution you that you can take 7 people to very nice WDW trips using the Moderates or Value Resorts. So, examine the costs carefully, especially since you will be purchasing a house soon, too.

Perhaps start with a smaller amount of points (as mentioned above) and add to it as time goes on. Good luck!

I have been considering that as well, however one of the things i enjoy most about vacation is the accommodations that i'm staying in. There is nothing better than a long day at the park, or snorkeling to come back to a beautiful room to relax in. Thank you for the input.

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

Yes it does, i just graduated from there in 2008. Have you ever noticed on vacation that if you wear hawkeyes gear, you always have people come up to you and start talking to you about UI? I love it!

I have noticed and I do that myself. Actually last week I saw a gentlemen at Target wearing a Hawkeye t shirt and I yelled "Go Hawks" and he looked at me with a puzzled look. Then his son told him what I was referring to and he told me the shirt was given to him. Oh well on that one.

Go Hawks!!!!

Jason

 

[dehlers]

I have found it to work out if you plan on traveling to Dvc or if you can just sell them to travel to other places than are not DVC related.
With a bit of planning we have sold our points and stayed at nonDVC related locations and made money for our vacation - just by selling the points.

 

[Winston21]

I think the question here really is can you afford it? If you can, then in the long run, it will be an excellent value whether you go to Disney property every year or every other. If it will be a stretch to pay dash and cover the annual dues, then no...not a good idea.
I am in a similar situation. I usually take either my extended family or my inlays with us on trips, and I pay. I bought vacation club because I want more space and we do Disney at least once per year (usually twice).
I just bought 200 points resale and paid about 14k in cash. I am now booking a 2bd and a studio at akl for my fam, my mom and my brothers family (my unit came with some banked points)
If I were paying cash for this villas, the cost would be over 10,000. We would be taking the trip either way whether I owned dvc or not, so with one more trip, I'll be even on the whole cost.
Then, many years of free accommodations. So that's what I mean...think long term, and if you can't comfortably afford it, you should wait.

 

[ladylinda65]

I hemmed and hawed for years about buying a timeshare and when I found out Disney did not set when I go on vacation and I visited Disney alot with my son I decided to buy my timeshare.

I have owned DVC since 1999, I have 400 points and own at the Boardwalk and NEVER regretted it!!! I have done 3 Disney Cruises and many many vacations to the parks. Now that I live in Orlando it is a great thing to have for when family wants to visit (don't have to put them up in my house!).

While some of the trade values have changed...when you travel with kids a one bedroom is the way to go!! With that said a one bedroom can eat up points real fast depending on when you travel so I don't think 360 points is that much.

Just make sure you break them up into multiple contracts that way if the day comes you don't need that many and you want to sell some you can and still maintain some for yourself.

 

[a742246]

If you can afford it then buy it. As others have said buy smaller contracts.
What is nice is that you have a 5 year old, you cn have a life long tradition at Disney.
Good Luck.