Is DVC right for me? What would you do?

[Disney_David]

I have been contemplating DVC ownership for years but have never pulled the trigger. I’m always on the fence about whether it’s worth it for me.

I have a team member who gifts me nights every now and then, so we’ve sampled a few resorts (1BR at SSR, BWV, AKL SV). We know we like it. For example fid AKL last week and threw stuff in a backpack and went. Loved it! Makes you feel like you’re on vacation!

We live 20-25 minutes from the parks. Go 3-4 times a week, don’t have kids, mid and late 40s, so this would be a mini staycation for a night or two several times a year. Or for use by family (if I can get them to come!), But I’d want to buy this for us, not others.

I wouldn’t be booking 11 months or even 7 months out. I’m likely to want to book a couple of weeks or a month out, and of course a Friday or Saturday night are really the only ideal nights for us. Would want a 1BR minimum.

Also, I’m a Marriott guy, and will usually stay at the Swan or Dolphin. I’d see this replacing those stays and coming in handy for D23 and other events.

There aren’t any perks that DVC ownership would give us that we need over what we have. It would be purely for a nice getaway over a weekend.

We like it around the boardwalk, but not necessarily boardwalk villas. Like the idea of CCR. Reminds me of Tahoe. I also like Kidani.

I’m going to sound like a grumpy old man. I like it kinda quiet!! Love kids, but not when they’re screaming at 11PM and again at 7AM. AKL was quiet! Driving between resorts and a park wouldn’t bother me.

I feel like now is a good time if we’re going to do this.

Would you simply rent points? Would I be nuts to buy into DVC? And if not, what would you recommend we look at? Resale? should I be looking at a resort I prefer as a home resort or does it not matter given I’m not booking months out, how many points, 100-150 seems about right to me?

Thanks!!!

 

[Robbie Cottam]

It is really hard to book much of anything a couple weeks out, unless you want to play the wait list game.

If you are flexible and will to take a 1 or two bed room when a studio isn’t available maybe.

Even renting points, IMHO would be difficult.
What I might recommend is all the rental companies have last minute cancelation, or that you can sometimes pick up for a song.

Personally went I’m renting point I tell people as close to 11 month in advances as possible…. Again if you’re flexible that’s not as much of an issue but plan on mostly staying at Saratoga and Old Key West

Good luck

 

[Cfabar1]

If you want total last minute stays, DVC is not right for you. Marriott also says to me you can hang out on the boardwalk area pretty inexpensively already…

So… in terms of resort areas, you’re looking at DS, MK, and AK that are really to your biggest benefit…

Reflections Lodge might have been your best bet… Too bad it has been indefinitely postponed!

If you can commit to a couple days during the year you KNOW you will go to DVC and use it, then maybe, but it sounds like Resale would be right for you, and not direct (since the “extras” don’t benefit you).

Sounds to me like you might also be a “weird” case, who would benefit from buying at VB or maybe HHI… if you know you would take a week long vacation every year, and then use whatever leftover points after booking that to get to stay at DVC now and then…. It could also let you feel like you’re part of the club, if that’s something that matters to you. (I say feel only because you won’t really get any perks like Epcot lounge, etc.)

Short of that, if you have cash to burn, and really like CCV and AKL, maybe try to buy some points there, and just know you’ll need to plan ahead... Yes you’re local and have flexibility, but I would still buy where you want to stay as much as possible. Why? With a little bit of planning you’ll have enhanced availability for 8-11 months.

How many nights a year would you actually want to commit to staying on property? That’s what I think you’d need to decide.

I would not recommend renting points personally in your case. All the drawbacks of renting, but none of the advantages… Plus, you will probably use it every year year after year given your proximity to the parks (and you’re already going 3-4 times a week!)

 

[Sandisw]

To add, rooms not booked by owners at the 60 day mark can be taken by DVC to sell to cash guests to create breakage income.

So, last minute just isn’t an ideal travel pattern for DVC. I don’t think it meets your needs unless you want to consider booking things in advance and canceling at the 31 day mark if you didn’t want to use.

 

[DVCsloth]

Don't think DVC would make sense for you. Probably best to just book hotel reservations.

 

[Her Dotness]

I have a team member who gifts me nights every now and then, so we’ve sampled a few resorts (1BR at SSR, BWV, AKL SV). We know we like it. For example fid AKL last week and threw stuff in a backpack and went. Loved it! Makes you feel like you’re on vacation!

This is why I wouldn't even consider renting points or buying into DVC if I were you, you lucky dog! Sounds like that fits your spontaneous stays pattern perfectly.

I wouldn’t be booking 11 months or even 7 months out. I’m likely to want to book a couple of weeks or a month out, and of course a Friday or Saturday night are really the only ideal nights for us. Would want a 1BR minimum.

Also why I agree DVC probably isn't workable for you unless you used it only for whatever-pops-up stays and truly don't care what resort you get. (And some, like BCV or CCV, are much more kid-appealing than others, you've already learned.)

I think you'd really need to choose a home resort and book at 11 or 7 if planning to house family. So, if you were thinking having family for the holidays--any holiday, you'd definitely need to plan well ahead to be assured of getting a stay booked that wasn't OKW/BRV/Poly/Oops! Nothing available.

DVC is very much geared to week-plus blocs, not for overnighters now and then.

Also, I’m a Marriott guy, and will usually stay at the Swan or Dolphin. I’d see this replacing those stays and coming in handy for D23 and other events.

There aren’t any perks that DVC ownership would give us that we need over what we have. It would be purely for a nice getaway over a weekend.

More reasons why the "ya-really-gotta-PLAN-where-you'll-stay-months-in-advance" of DVC renders it not to your advantage.

Would you simply rent points?

No. Because arranging a rental takes more time, effort and processing than you'd want to mess with, I'm guessing. I dunno, I admit, because we've never rented.

Would I be nuts to buy into DVC?

Given what you've told us, yup, I think you would be. (You did ask!)

Have you done the numbers? Calculated what dues would cost for some resorts you might buy into? Figured what you'd do given the risk of medical catastrophe becoming more likely with age? Selling a DVC contract in that event could be a burden you really did not need. It can take 2-3 months even if all goes through smoothly, but if you didn't get any offers right away...?

Particularly if you'd mostly stay Fridays or Saturdays, 100-150 points won't last long. Those two nights are the points-costliest of the week. That's particularly true of a 1br. Compared with studios, they're points hogs.

Check the points chart for various times of year if you haven't already to any extent. (Click on DVC on the toolbar above, then on POINTS CHARTS on the next toolbar and there y'are.)

Having burst all your bubbles, I'm shutting up now...

 

[john7994]

We have almost exact lifestyle and flexibility as you expressed, and thought like you did that last-minute was an option. To what another poster indicated - unless you are ok with the staycations being at Saratoga (and I like the treehouses), or OKW; I would not buy into DVC because you will be disappointed.

At the same time, we still bought into DVC, but find we are now planning more in advance to get resorts beyond the two mentioned along with buying direct where we want to stay. So now, after coming off our annual January trip, I already have October, November, and next January booked. Maybe with the extra points, we will do the pop-ins where available in the coming months but we treat that as "icing" and not as a given.

If you think you can adapt, there is something nice about having things locked in, at the same time, we still want to be spontaneous as well. For that unfortunately, we scan the rentals (already booked), pay cash, or go somewhere else.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

We have almost exact lifestyle and flexibility as you expressed, and thought like you did that last-minute was an option. To what another poster indicated - unless you are ok with the staycations being at Saratoga (and I like the treehouses), or OKW; I would not buy into DVC because you will be disappointed.

At the same time, we still bought into DVC, but find we are now planning more in advance to get resorts beyond the two mentioned along with buying direct where we want to stay. So now, after coming off our annual January trip, I already have October, November, and next January booked. Maybe with the extra points, we will do the pop-ins where available in the coming months but we treat that as "icing" and not as a given.

If you think you can adapt, there is something nice about having things locked in, at the same time, we still want to be spontaneous as well. For that unfortunately, we scan the rentals (already booked), pay cash, or go somewhere else.

when you want something bad enough you do what it takes

 

[john7994]

when you want something bad enough you do what it takes

Exactly, it either works for the individual(s) situation or it doesn't. But, I wish I had been less naïve about the last minute availability - it was a lot to swallow in that oh s*** moment when you realize booking DVC isn't like business travel where last minute is pretty common against large city total hotel inventory -

 

[Robbie Cottam]

Exactly, it either works for the individual(s) situation or it doesn't. But, I wish I had been less naïve about the last minute availability - it was a lot to swallow in that oh s*** moment when you realize booking DVC isn't like business travel where last minute is pretty common against large city total hotel inventory -

Seems like you adapted well, maybe the OP will re evaluate his travel plans?

 

[Disney_David]

Wow!!! A lot of great advice!!! Thank you all so much. I need to digest and think about it all.

We do plan our other vacations out well in advance. This I’d probably want to be somewhat spontaneous. AK was a Sunday stay, BWV was Sat-Mon.

Maybe I have to bribe my teammate she let her AP go, so she doesn’t come as much as she used to.

Here’s where I think it won’t work for me, If I’ve had a long week at work I would like to book a stay, conversely if the weather is really bad - I’d probably cancel and push to the next weekend (which I can typically do last minute with Marriott).

We’re at Epcot now, we walked through BC lobby and I got that “aaaahhhh” feeling of vacation. Which makes me question doubting it.

Ok, much to think about. I really, really appreciate all the advice.

Thank you so much

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I wouldn’t be booking 11 months or even 7 months out. I’m likely to want to book a couple of weeks or a month out

DVC is not right for you. You are going to find ownership very difficult and frustrating to use if this is what you want to use it for. DVC is good for a lot of things, but last-minute spontaneous trips are not one of those things.

 

[DVCsloth]

Wow!!! A lot of great advice!!! Thank you all so much. I need to digest and think about it all.

We do plan our other vacations out well in advance. This I’d probably want to be somewhat spontaneous. AK was a Sunday stay, BWV was Sat-Mon.

Maybe I have to bribe my teammate she let her AP go, so she doesn’t come as much as she used to.

Here’s where I think it won’t work for me, If I’ve had a long week at work I would like to book a stay, conversely if the weather is really bad - I’d probably cancel and push to the next weekend (which I can typically do last minute with Marriott).

We’re at Epcot now, and we’re fortunate we can park at the resorts. I typically park at BC for Epcot and as we walked through the lobby and out I got that “aaaahhhh” feeling of vacation. Which makes me question doubting it.

Ok, much to think about. I really, really appreciate all the advice.

Thank you so much

They let you park at BC even if you're not staying there?

 

[Disney_David]

DVC is not right for you. You are going to find ownership very difficult and frustrating to use if this is what you want to use it for. DVC is good for a lot of things, but last-minute spontaneous trips are not one of those things.

Appreciate that, thank you. I think I agree

 

[Disney_David]

Seems like you adapted well, maybe the OP will re evaluate his travel plans?

Too lazy or too stubborn

 

[Disney_David]

Exactly, it either works for the individual(s) situation or it doesn't. But, I wish I had been less naïve about the last minute availability - it was a lot to swallow in that oh s*** moment when you realize booking DVC isn't like business travel where last minute is pretty common against large city total hotel inventory -

Really an appreciate your perspective, this helps. Thank you

 

[john7994]

Really an appreciate your perspective, this helps. Thank you

Glad to weigh-in - I wish I had known about this site resource before I bought my first points. With that said, I ended up creating a hybrid approach - which I have not regretted one bit and multiple contracts (both resale and direct) later!

 

[wnielsen1]

I'm going to offer the contrarian view. The OP needs a single night, maybe 2 nights on occasion. It's not really THAT hard to find a single Friday or Saturday night in a 1 or 2 bedroom with as little as a few days notice (even the day before can be done). All you need to do is be flexible with location and be willing to work for it (check several times per day if necessary). I suspect people have never really tried doing this and are just reiterating what they have always heard. But if you only need a single night, it's not hard at all. Sure, if you are trying to string together a few nights in the same room, that is difficult, but that is not what is in the OP.

 

[Disney_David]

I'm going to offer the contrarian view. The OP needs a single night, maybe 2 nights on occasion. It's not really THAT hard to find a single Friday or Saturday night in a 1 or 2 bedroom with as little as a few days notice (even the day before can be done). All you need to do is be flexible with location and be willing to work for it (check several times per day if necessary). I suspect people have never really tried doing this and are just reiterating what they have always heard. But if you only need a single night, it's not hard at all. Sure, if you are trying to string together a few nights in the same room, that is difficult, but that is not what is in the OP.

Ok, that’s interesting…it will definitely be 1 or 2 days max every time.

I could see us doing longer stays at other properties such as Aulani, but not WDW. Home is too close!

I asked my team member to check and the only thing she found within a 3 week window was a Sunday night at AKL, but of course she wasn’t checking constantly for me. We checked twice. Once at three weeks out, once a few days out. I wasn’t complaining though!

I don’t suppose there’s any way for a non owner to check availability is there? Would love to test this out

 

[john7994]

I'm going to offer the contrarian view. The OP needs a single night, maybe 2 nights on occasion. It's not really THAT hard to find a single Friday or Saturday night in a 1 or 2 bedroom with as little as a few days notice (even the day before can be done). All you need to do is be flexible with location and be willing to work for it (check several times per day if necessary). I suspect people have never really tried doing this and are just reiterating what they have always heard. But if you only need a single night, it's not hard at all. Sure, if you are trying to string together a few nights in the same room, that is difficult, but that is not what is in the OP.

I don't look at it as contrarian at all - If you have the means, flexibility and time to stalk a little for a room - it is always possible. I looked at next Saturday night (Check-in Feb 11th / Checkout for Feb 12th) for availability - and sure enough - there is a 1BR at Riviera Preferred view available and nothing else at least right this moment (for 58 points), So based on the OPs suggestion of a 100-150 points buy-in - they could stay for two to three nights a year at this points cost level.

Obviously, this is Riviera and other resorts points can stretch further - but also worth understanding that what is possible may also be expensive and not always within your control. Again, wish this was information that I had going into it because there are some trade-offs. I would even suggest looking at the points charts online to model best/worst case scenarios - as we often found ourselves with having to add more points as our needs changed.