Is buying into DVC right for me?

[DVCSunDevil]

Thanks yes will have to weigh up all my options and costs.

I would probably still go for standard rooms I’m not bothered about the deluxe fancy rooms like alot like about DVC. I’m out in the parks too much!

As robinb said above, if nicer rooms/resorts don't matter to you then DVC probably isn't the way to go. It would be cheaper to just keep staying in those value resorts.

 

[Her Dotness]

As robinb said above, if nicer rooms/resorts don't matter to you then DVC probably isn't the way to go. It would be cheaper to just keep staying in those value resorts.

Especially since the initial buy-in for DVC isn't a one-and-done.

You pay dues which can amount to several hundred dollars or more per year, too, depending on how many points you buy, in case you hadn't thought of or aren't aware of those.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Especially since the initial buy-in for DVC isn't a one-and-done.

You pay dues which can amount to several hundred dollars or more per year, too, depending on how many points you buy, in case you hadn't thought of or aren't aware of those.

100%. I have a spreadsheet that combines total buy-in (spread out by point over the life of the contract) with yearly dues. Taking that into consideration, my cost per night for my trip two weeks ago (Beach Club and Polynesian) was $250/night. That is a HUGE savings over cash rates and even cheaper than moderates. However, $250/night is still more expensive than value resorts (depending on the time of year). Which is why DVC makes sense if you routinely stay at moderate or deluxe, but doesn’t make sense if you are perfectly happy staying in value resorts.

 

[Brian Noble]

price per point per year

Straight division, or amortized? If the latter, at what rate?

 

[Wendysofftoneverland]

Straight division, or amortized? If the latter, at what rate?

Just straight division, like how it's done for the "most economical DVC resorts" list on one of the resale brokers' sites, but I use actual price per point of contracts I am looking at instead of average cost per point.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Do folks who mainly do Disney cruises not have DVC membership?

To use points on a cruise you must by direct. That said, the exchange you get to use those points is a TERRIBLE value! If anything you would want to rent out your points and use what you get from renting the points to go on the cruise paying cash.

My best advice is to go on YouTube and search for Jen Lefforge. She has several videos on buying DVC that I found very useful. If you are still "in" after watching those videos, write a spreadsheet comparing the cost of DVC vs. the cost of where you would typically stay. If that's a Moderate or Value resort, that's the comparison you want to make, NOT a Deluxe if you wouldn't ordinarily stay there. Figure in a regular rate of inflation for the DVC maintenance fees and a higher "Disney Inflation Rate" for the rack rate on the room you are comparing it to. You should be able to calculate a guess on a "break even" that way, then decide if you are comfortable with that.

In the mean time, also peruse the many threads here about DVC so you understand the 7 vs 11 month booking windows, banking vs. borrowing points, the differences between the resorts, use year, renting points, blue card "perks" you only get buying direct, etc, etc, etc. If you cannot answer questions at length about these many DVC nuances, you have not researched it enough. The last thing you want to do is make the leap, then be caught with points you can't use, muttering, "but I didn't know..."

Best tool I've found is the "DVC Calculator" phone app - excellent for answering those "what if" questions about how many points you need.

And so much more. Is it right for you? I wouldn't know until you do.

 

[DVCSunDevil]

Straight division, or amortized? If the latter, at what rate?

Straight division. I paid cash for my resale, so there was no Ioan.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Owning DVC is as much an emotional as a fiscal investment. If you are really happy in value-type accommodations and you won't necessarily derive a lot of satisfaction from knowing that you own DVC points then it probably isn't for you. Also life circumstances change...are you SURE you'll want to go year after year (or year on/year off after year on/year off)? There are other things that you could do with the $30k buy-in. Eg. what if you invest it and then use the earnings and whatever you budget for ongoing maintenance to travel?

Having said all that, we LOVE our memberships. We have been members since my childhood, and I'm already planning what purchases I'll make to pass on to my own children if/when they become available. There are probably years where we didn't maximize the value of our membership - we don't rent points out and have definitely had some "terrible use of points" trips - but I don't regret it, and on the whole it has been extremely positive for our family.