Is DVC right for my family?

[crisi]

-A more relaxed vacation style for our future baby and grandparents.
Disney vacations relaxing? Not always so much with a baby. You may prefer to relax closer to home. Your future child may not like theme parks or traveling. Kids are sometimes like that.
For us, because we haven't really let DVC change the frequency of our visits, our visits are just as busy. We still have a full five days of stuff we want to get through. The way vacations become more relaxing is that if you end up going often enough that you feel that you just have to do your A list, and skip some - even most - of your B list - picking it up next trip. That means going more frequently, that means owning more points, paying more dues. It also likely means more spent on park tickets and time - which is why we don't do it - we could stay for ten days and spend six hours in the parks and have a much more relaxed vacation - but that is a lot more money in park tickets and vacation time. Instead, we go for bigger units, often treat friends or family to accommodations - and continue to commando (we have more points than we need - thus bigger accomodations and friends) You really don't get to both save money, accomplish the same in park activities, AND get a more relaxing stay. Or, in project management terms - time, budget, scope, quality - you are going to have to choose because you aren't going to get it all.


-I have a dream of gifting someone a Disney vacation one day and this would make that easier.
You can gift someone a Disney vacation right now. Nothing is preventing you from fulfilling your dream. You could do it tomorrow. Now, if you say it's because you can't afford it, then can you afford to buy a timeshare?
This is where DVC can get really expensive. If you can't afford Deluxes now, you sure can't afford DVC and guests. A case could be made (that I wouldn't agree with) that if you can afford moderates now, and you keep everything the same - you book studios and only studios, you don't go more frequently or stay more days than you currently do - you'll save money buying DVC (I don't agree with it because I think most members change their vacations in response to DVC - we DO get bigger units, we DO end up going more often, we DO treat family). The moment you start doing something because you have DVC that you wouldn't do if you didn't have DVC, the Mouse is getting more of your money. Which is why Disney keeps building DVC resorts. Most DVC Disboarders are fine with that

 

[TonyCnLV]

I agree. While I respect this is an emotional decision for some, especially when it is inherited, I don't make five figure emotional decisions. Most of the pros could be achieved booking a Little Mermaid room every year, or even renting points.

The problem is that you can't buy for both for a good value for one week hotel rooms AND plan bring grandma and grandpa for two weeks of the year. And who has that much vacation anyway?

This board could talk you through your options and the best choices for you, but right now you have two incompatible scenarios that may or may not happen. This is not something I would make five figures worth of commitment to. I do think buying for your needs right now makes sense, and you can always add more DVC later. Heck, I have four contracts! If you sketched out what you love about WDW, your budget goals, and when you travel, these boards can be very helpful in finding the right fit for you.

Plus, and this will probably be a big oh my gosh i can't believe you said this...but there's no guarantee in the future your kids even want your DVC contract. They may not be in a financial situation to continue paying the MF over whatever length of time is left on your contract. And even more difficult to probably consider, is what if your kids dont even like disney? We purchased based on just the two of us and I left everyone else out of the equation. I have no kids and if my family wants to go along, ill point them in the direction of WDW website. But you should buy based on YOUR travel habits as the things you mentioned in the future are not guarantees.