Is buying worth it if you only go every 3 years?

[kathyg]

This is my stumbling block in buying into DVC. I love Disney...DH prefers the beach. We generally go to Disney once every three years for two weeks in mid August. My preference has always been BC. My DD (20) loves Disney and she and I would go every year if we could. My DS (25) likes it every three years. So my question is: Is it worth it to buy into DVC if we only go once every three years? Thanks.

 

[Doctor P]

Yes. But you need to only buy enough points so that you can do your two weeks using three years of points. 150 points is more than enough to stay in a studio for two weeks at any time of year and have points left over. With larger units, the calculations will be different.

 

[spiceycat]

3 rd is generally iffy....

where do you stay?

at WDW? if you do then at a moderate or deluxe?

then the answer is probably.

However if you stay offsite or in a value - probably not.

you might consider buying a resale - you can get less points with a resale.

I am assuming your two weeks start on Sun (fri/sat are very, very expensive)

Also assuming you will be going in offseason (Sept, oct - most of Nov and Dec - plus Jan)

you can stay in a studio at OKW for 120 points - for 12 days. for 14 days it would be 160 points. (weekends are expensive)

So I would try to get a 50 point resale - then every 3 years you will have enough points.

now if you insist on mid Aug (aug 16-31) it goes up 148 points needed for 12 days, 196 for 14 days.

for your bcv (you need to buy at BCV) then it is 192 points needed for 12 days, 246 for 14 days...

so I would go for a 100 point contract at BCV - these are hard to find!!! very hard to find....and are more expensive resale.

 

[kathyg]

We always stay at a Deluxe...and it's always in late July to August because that's value season. With the four of us plus two significant others, we would be looking at a 2BR villa for two weeks. Does that help?

 

[ClarabelleCow]

okay, you like beach club, so assuming you want to stay there, and since your children are grown, you will want a 2 bedroom unit. You need 685 points for 8/5 for 2 weeks, you would need at minimum a 229 point contract to go every 3 years, thats with banking and borrowing? Now, if you don't need a 2 bedroom, then it would be less. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn't buy. Unles DH is interested in Vero, but even still, would you want the 4 of you in a studio, 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom, and for how long are the kids gonna join you or want to bring friends?

 

[spiceycat]

off season - value season for DVC is different than WDW

It starts in Sept.

it is Sept, Oct, (most of Nov & dec) and Jan.

that is offseaon for DVC.

next is May, June 1-10, Feb 1-15 and Aug 16-31.

then all of summer (not covered above) and spring break - the only time more expensive is Easter, the week before Easter and Christmas thur NY.

I would change my plans (if you can) and start going in the fall - besides the lower points - there is the food/wine festavial!!! not to mention Christmas starts Dec 1 (for WDW)....

 

[MrShiny]

Yes it is! You only need to but 1/3 the points for a stay. Now if you buy from Disney, you'd have to buy 150 points. Going every 3 years, that would be 450 points/trip, which would get a very nice room. That would get you a full week in a two bedroom anywhere at anytime of year, and even a Grand Villa for a week at Old Key West (for example) for most weeks of the year.

If you buy resale, you can buy fewer points.

Here's what to do. Figure out what a trip costs you now. Make a calendar for the next 20 years say and figure out the total for the trips over that period (maybe increasing the cost 5% each trip).

Then figure out how many points you need for the same length of trip via DVC. Figure out the cost of buying, interest (if financing - remember sme may be deductible), and the cost of dues (remember the taxes m,ay be deductible).

 

[Madi100]

You could always use your points at Vero Beach or Hilton Head on the years that you don't go to Disney. Or you could bank them and save them up for a cruise.

 

[browniemtb]

In this situation wouldn't there be a point issue, maybe. If you buy the minimum from Disney, 150 pts. And bank the first year, use the next and borrow the up coming year you would be able to do that first trip.
year 1 - bank points (150)
year 2 - use banked, use current, borrow next. Make a trip (450)
year 3 - no points - depend on how many borrowed
year 4 - new allottemnt then bank these
year 5 - use bank / new / borrow make a trip...
So in actuallity it sounds like it could work if you purchase the correct number of points for the accomodations you would like........
Does this make sense to anyone else......
Brownie

 

[mom2alix]

Actually, I think you might be happy with a 200 pt contract. This would allow you to get a 2 bedroom unit for 14 nights during adventure season ( September, 1st 2 weeks of Dec., and Jan.) every 3 years and still have an extra 60 points every 3 years that you and DD could use for a little extra girls-only trip. That 60 points would get you 5 nights sun-thur during F&W, BTW. This should allow you a Disney fix every 18 months and DH can get his every 3 years. If you aren't completely set on BCV, you could use fewer points for the same times at BWV with a standard view room. Also BWV has GV which might be nice for your family once you have grandkids.

 

[Fellowship9798]

This is my stumbling block in buying into DVC. I love Disney...DH prefers the beach. We generally go to Disney once every three years for two weeks in mid August. My preference has always been BC. My DD (20) loves Disney and she and I would go every year if we could. My DS (25) likes it every three years. So my question is: Is it worth it to buy into DVC if we only go once every three years? Thanks.

I asked the same question a few months back. You can see what answers I got here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=944846

 

[SCCaguioa]

Doing 'da World' every 3 years is a good thing...keeps you from 'Disney Burnout' (if there is such an ill). If you're concerned about point overkill and with your kids being 20+, I would plan your points as if you were empty-nesters.

My 'Full House' goal (Family of 4):
- To do 'da World' every 3 yrs with a 14-night / 2-bedroom stay during BCV Premier Season.
- 924 points (308 points / yr)
My 'empty-nester' goal:
- To do 'da World' every 3 yrs with a 14-night / 1-bedroom stay during BCV Premier Season.
- 700 points (234 points / yr)
By establishing this baseline not only can we do a 14-night Spring Break vacation (we're not Spring Breakers but to have the ability is nice); we can also go ANYTIME during the year with the ability to stay a minimum of 14-nights. Of course you can always mix-up your accomodations and number of nights. In fact, with 700pts you can do a 46-night vacation in a BCV Studio from Sept 1 to Oct 16 - Just watch out for the hurricanes

Personally, I prefer one LONG vacation rather than multiple short ones.

Do what is comfortable for your family and adjust your numbers accordingly. With that being said, my only regret is I failed to do a lot of point number crunching prior to buying and only purchased 185 points . I should have asked for 235...Oh well, that's what add-ons are for...eventually!

Good Luck,
Steve

PS: Search the forums for the DVC Planner by Caskbill. He created a great number crunching program.

 

[Daitcher]

No, no and no! It won't feel so good paying the annual dues every year when you only go every 3 years. It is like having car payments on a car you drive once a year. It just doesn't make sense. I wouldn't recommend a timeshare to anyone who only goes every 3 years. Also, 2 weeks is an awful long time. As much as we love WDW I couldn't see spending 2 weeks straight there. If I was in your shoes I'd rent points every three years from a member. I'd also look offsite at house rentals if you truly want the 2 weeks stay. Good luck but IMO DVC is not for you.


DAVE

 

[DisneyPhD]

You could always use your points at Vero Beach or Hilton Head on the years that you don't go to Disney. Or you could bank them and save them up for a cruise.

This is what I was thinking. DVC is very flexible. We planed to go once a year, and have been going more often then that. If your DH likes the beach both Vero and HH would be great for you guys too. I think both beach resorts are unsong heros of DVC and love them.

I say if you want to do it, you might end up going more often then every 3 years though (or at least using your points more often then that.) I would do a small contract at 1st though. If you want something then other then SSR and watned to buy resale you could even do a 100 point contract.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I could see buying a 150 point contract even though (as someone pointed out earlier) you need a 229 point contract to meet your needs through points only. You can rent DVC accomodations for cash. Using a combination of cash and points may give you more flexiblility to meet your needs than actually getting the full amount of points to meet the the need you think you have now. Use the points for the weekdays and the cash for the weekends...using this method for a stay starting 8/5 you only need 200 points for each Sun check out Fri week which yields less than 150 points per year. On the weekends you can either make the cash reservation for the two bedroom and marry the two reservations together or you can stay in a deluxe.

The other thing you didn't say that is important...how many rooms do you get in a deluxe? And as a guesstimate how much does it cost you?

Every three year stays is kind of borderline so the expense of your deluxe vacation would be a big factor in my mind. Trying it out for a couple of nights wouldn't be a bad way to help yourself make the decision.

PS. If you find you want to add on to reach the full 229 one thing you could do is add on at Hilton Head. Since you are in Phila that would be maybe a 10 hour drive...I'm assuming the beach vacation you are talking about is a Jersey shore vacation rather than an Island type vacation.

And...although you shouldn't let this sway you...it is possible to trade points for stays elsewhere. I let my brother use points for a second honeymoon in Vermont. Others have traded for one or two nights stay in NYC.

 

[Dean]

It really depends on how likely you are to actually go every three years as well as whether you'd go about the same time of year. If you told me you'd go every 3 years in August, I'd say buy a small contract, less than 150, and bank and borrow. Use year would be important in this situation and you'd want April to August, preferably August it sounds like.