Is DVC for us???

[rljslo]

hi all... We have been looking at DVC for a while - and having run the numbers feel that it could be a good thing for us - but I am wondering what current members may think... Here are our stats:

1) Family of 5 - too big to squeeze into a room in Port Orleans anymore. We will need a 2 bedroom for at least 5 more years (after that, the kids one by one start heading to college).

2) we plan ongoing at least once every 2 years for at least a week.

3) once the kids are older and in college, I envision letting them use some points to go during Spring Break, etc..

4) We envision going with grandkids some day.

5) If we purchase DVC, we should be able to do it outright rather than financing.

6) looking at getting around 180 points to start.

7) probably thru resale (BWV, BCV, WLV, or OKW)

8) we live in the northeast and will need to fly each time we go.

9) For the next 12 years or so, we will need to vacation during summer months or holidays (My wife is a teacher).

10) We just rented points for the first time (going in July). Assuming we don't get scammed, we were able to rent for significantly below the regular cost of a 2 room Villa and still below the cost of the discounted Villa rate.

11) we love going to Disney.

Ok - that is the bulk of the info... so - from current members point of view... Are we good candidates for DVC? Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

 

[hakepb]

..about the only thing you have not covered is can you book 11 months out? (To take full advantage of your home resort booking priority) You seemed to answer most everything else as a positive for DVC. You may want to consider 2 smaller contracts (because contracts cannot be divided), but you might get better deals on 1 larger contract

Regarding home resort, OKW would probably be easiest to book at 7 months, so you may get a larger booking advantage buying elsewhere. (But will be getting a sleeper chair to officially sleep 5 in a 1BR, if you wanted to squeeze in for point savings) BCV would be most difficult in the summer at 7 months (because Storm Along Bay is the most desirable pool) VWL is really difficult to get around Christmas time, but may be more workable in the summer...

 

[iwrbnd]

Sounds like you're a perfect match!

Having a bigger family is what made us decide!

 

[cseca]

I think you are a good candidate definitely.
Like hakepb said the newer resorts allow up to 5 people in a 1br. Didn't know that OKW is getting a sleeper chair tho, that's news to me.
And also they have longer life (other than extended contract OKW of course).

Just to give you something to think about.

 

[cropman]

Seemed like deja vu reading your post. I think 9 of the 11 points were exactly the same as our family. As far as I can see DVC was made for your family. I can see only one problem with your thinking.........you're not buying enough points!! We started with 150 and are now over 700. Addonitis will unfortunately strike you soon I'm afraid.

 

[bookwormde]

Quite honestly if you have been fitting into 1 room at port orleans, you will be fine with a 1br (only AKV values do no allow 5) when booked on points.

bookwormde

 

[n2mm]

Sounds like you thought it through pretty well. Like us, we like the flexibility to go from a studio to a 2 bedroom depending who is traveling with us. Sometimes the big kids with grandkids, sometimes just the 2 of us. Now that I'm planning to retire this year, it's nice knowing that no matter what, I always have a place to visit and only have to deal with the HOA cost for the rest of my life. We like the flexibility of having the 1 bedroom that sleeps 5 at the new resorts. We are actually using that this upcoming trip. My DD and her DH will sleep on the pull out, 5 yo GD will sleep on the chair bed, and the 2 yo will climb into bed with either her parents or us in the king bed. I always offer to get my daughter a studio or we can both share a 1 bedroom and she always chooses the 1 bedroom for the kitchen and wash/dry over the privacy of her own studio. Having that second bathroom will be great! Keep in mind that buying into an older resort will not have the same length of time left on the contract then buying into one of the newer resorts, something you might want to consider (OKW--recently added some time on some contracts, so watch that option).

 

[daddey]

"11) we love going to Disney"

Ok, so what did you want to know again. Buy the points you will love DVC. We have 6 family members and it works out great for us.

 

[Crystal_27]

Yes - it looks like you guys are certainly ideal candidates for DVC. Hopefully, we'll be able to welcome you home in no time!

 

[Sandisw]

Yes, I would say that you are. We are also a family of 5 who just bought in last year. We have been visiting Disney almost every year since the mid 90's.

Our oldest is already in college, and our middle daughter heads there next year, so we have already begun the shift to needing less space (although we are still going with a 1 bedroom next summer for DH, me, and DD14).

We also go in the summer ( I teach) and bought in at BLT with 180 points. We started out with a small 50 point resale contract at VWL, so we could then add on at Disney at BLT (our first choice) for less points. We then sold the VWL contract so we could own everything at BLT.

We are so happy with our decision as we love WDW and saw us continuing to go for many, many years.

Good luck!!!

 

[mecllap]

#5 may be the most important -- can you afford it over time? It's a luxury expensive purchase, with annual increasing costs (not just the MFs, there's the travel costs, food, etc. other costs). DVC resale retains some value better than other timeshares should your circumstances change. (With growing kids, you're looking at exponentially increasing expenses).

Even if you only go every other year, you have to pay MFs every year (you may need fewer points that way). The points you list do make you sound like DVC candidates. Once you stay at a DVC resort -- you might find it hard to stay anywhere else (altho of course, it's still doable and enjoyable).

 

[joksten2000]

If you can afford the intial cost it's well worth it. In ten years we've gotten our money out of our purchase of 1,000 points. We take the family on a cruise as often as possible.

 

[DVClurkerRob]

You will love your DVC membership. In our brief 3 years of ownership we have already forged many family memories that are precious to me.

 

[Reddog1134]

Sounds like a perfect match to me.

 

[dmoore22]

We were a family of 8 (6 kids) when we bought into DVC. We purchased a resale then an add-on resale. What we discovered was the cost of our trips were a little cheaper yet we were staying more days. Since we stayed in a Villa we cooked meals which cut expenses (brought groceries from home or purchased at Publix). Bought APs and staggered out trips so we could get two out of each AP which also cut costs. Also bought the discounted Disney Dining Experience (now Tables in Wonderland) which provided additional dining discounts. Now most of the kids are grown so we've downsized our accommodations allowing us multiple visits per year of 12 nights each. Usually one or two of the kids will come with us. We passed the break-even point in the excel sheet analysis years ago. We calculate our room costs to average out to $62 per night with DVC.

 

[SunnieRN]

As a family of 5, who love Disney, it was a no brainer for us. We bought at Bay Lake and Kidani, for the animals and the monorail. They both sleep 5 in a one bedroom comfortably, except the value 1 bedrooms at Jambo house.

I don't think you could ever truly have too many points. The maint. dues are a consideration also. They are pricier at Kidani Village, but the points are cheaper and the stays are less points than Bay Lake, so it all depends upon what your family would enjoy.

We honestly didn't buy DVC to save money, but we will soon. If you ask, there are spreadsheets that help you figure out your break even point.

Good luck and happy shopping!!

 

[daddey]

You bring up a good point about dues, points for stays at different resort, and break even points. We bought @ SSR for like 16,000 new from DVC. We went on 6 trips to Disney and sold it last year for 12,000. Did we get our money's worth from that contract? I think we did. We loved it so much we bought back into BLT this year. What attracted us to it was lower dues, monorail, and we went on a tour last year. We hated the rooms online but loved them in person, go figure. It is higher points but we can stay at other resorts with lower points but getting into BLT during peak times would be difficult and that is another reason why we bought there. It all boils down to preference on what you really want out of DVC.

 

[D1sneymum]

Hi I'm new this whole point thing sounds confusing! I did a tour at Saratoga in 06 and have been saving since. I want to buy DVC and all these abbreviations now have me more confused! We usually go in Sept. B/c of the free dinning. We also asked about dinning options if you are a DVC member. I love character dinning and always make reservations ASAP! But the sales person didn't even know if you could get DDP or if there was a discount for it. We are a family of 5 and soon for a couple years we'll be a family of 6. I wanted 350 points and wanted to buy them cash or at least half down so I could go any time of year. I also have a friend who said she usually pays 250 a mo. for hers but then the resort did an upgrade and she had to pay 600 for that month! Does that happen often? Is it a good idea to buy through DVC or a resale place? I'm confused and curious! Very interested though! Thanks

 

[crisi]

You seem like a good match, but here are some more things to ask yourself....

Are you happy with what you are contracted to get? Things like annual pass discounts or pool hopping may go away over the life of your contract. Anyone who bought with a dependence of free valet was very disappointed when that was dropped.

Are you happy with the timeshare nature vs. a hotel - i.e. no daily mousekeeping, more wear and tear between room refresh cycles?

 

[andreadoiron]

your family seems like a good fit for dvc. don't forget to compare the yearly taxes/fees for the resorts as well. we own at ssr and i believe that okw, bcv and bwv have higher yearly fees. not sure how much exactly but i would check on that. our fees have gone up a very small amount in the 4 years that we have been members so it shouldn't increase too much year to year at any resort.
also i noticed someone said the okw has a sleeper chair, but we have stayed there twice and not had a sleeper chair on either occasion. possibly you can request that. instead of being concerned w/the sleeper chair, we bring a twin air mattress and pump. i would imagine that at all of the resorts in a 1 bedroom villa, there is room for a twin air mattress either in the bedroom or living room. we've stayed at ssr,okw,bcv and had room in all of them