Is DVC worth it?

[Lynne M]

Speaking of airfare, two of you, (one from King of Prussia and one from SJ) fly out of philly, I would assume. I do to. DO you use USAIR? I know this is off topic.

Thankn you all for your help today.....GOOD STUFF

I loathe flying USAir and avoid it whenever possible. Delayed flights and fees for everything. I fly Southwest.

 

[crisi]

Its a less good deal if you have to finance.

Its a less good deal if you aren't staying at DVC resorts. Using points to cruise or trade out - not as good a deal (and arguably a poor deal).

Its less of a good deal if its a stretch for you - in these tight times a lot of DVCers have sold - some at a loss. While no one knows what the future will bring for any family, some families have a lot more risk in their financial lives than others.

Also, watch not only your travel patterns, but your booking habits. DVC rewards planners with fairly consistent travel patterns. It disappoints people who like to take spur of the moment trips. It disappoints people who love getting 'the deal.' It disappoints people who expect availability outside their home resort to be consistantly available (it often is, but it often isn't and will depend on when and where you are booking).

 

[DVC Mike]

It's worth it to me!

I go to WDW multiple times a year and enjoy deluxe resorts like CR, AKL, WL, BC, BWI.

DVC won't make sense for everyone. It is a luxury purchase and not everyone may be in a place where such a purchase would make sense.

 

[Sandisw]

For us, it is definitely worth it. We love Disney and have been going since the kids were little (DS is now 20, DD 16 and DD 13) and would have bought in to DVC years ago but loved staying at the Contemporary too much to give that up.

Once they announced BLT, we knew it was time. We have gone to Disney about 10 times in the last 15 years and spent over $20,000 in room costs alone. Knowing this and the fact the we plan to visit every year from now on, it was an easy decision for us.

I started out by buying in with a small VWL contract with the plan to add on at BLT next summer. But, only a week after closing, I was so excited about BLT, I added on immediately and now own 130 points!!

Matter of fact, I have even decided to just sell the VWL contract so that I can just get everything I want at BLT. Once you become a member, its so hard not to want more!!

Good luck!!!

 

[rkwier]

I attended a conference at the YC last year. One day while strolling around the Boardwalk, we decided to look at the DVC model just for grins. (DMIL has a timeshare with another company. We have NOT been impressed and were certain that we were not "time share people" ) Anyways, we were impressed with the accomodations and surprised that it was very affordable for the initial buy in. Well, we leave Orlando thinking "I really think this is for us!" One thing that I appreciated was how low pressure the sales presentation was. We were able to take the information home, look it over, research it and decide if it was for us. I am a total researcher and like to have all of the facts before I make a decision. Frankly, I found the DIS to be the best source of information. Because of the experience with DMIL's timeshare, we actually were looking for reasons NOT to buy DVC. I even googled things like "DVC nightmares," etc. We could not find even one reason not to do it! We were completely 100% sure when we made the decision. We took the plunge and have never regretted it even for a second.

I should also say that although we enjoy Disney, we are not what I would consider Disney fanatics. We do not have kiddoes - it is just DH and I. The parks are nice, but we don't need to go every time we are there. We bought into DVC mainly because of the quality that they offer. We liked the point system because it allows for flexibility instead of being locked into a certain week. We really enjoy the "feel" of the resorts and their relaxed atmospheres. We also liked that we could take advantage of ME and although we realize that it is not the best use of points, we liked having the option of trading out if we wished to. We have not been disappointed.

I can also say that owning DVC has changed our vacation habits. If we want a weekend getaway, we can go enjoy a relaxing time at one of the resorts. So, instead of going to WDW once every two years, now we are going three times this year and will probably go at least twice next year.

To finally answer your question, yes, I think that it is worth it IMHO. All that being said, only you know what is the best fit for your family. I would list what your concerns are and then look for answers to address them. You should feel confident in your decision. If you are not, then maybe this is not the time for you right now.

 

[christa112]

I can understand your concerns it is alot of money, but like most of the PP's if you enjoy staying in Deluxe resorts and you go often it is a good deal.

We have found ourselves going 3 times in four years, I would have went 4 for 4 but dh said no. Though, we have only stayed at Value & Mod hotels, we are a family of 5 which now will need a bigger room due to my children's ages. At this point if we are going to spend close to $500 a night on room, we might as well join the DVC, which my family can enjoy vacations for the next 50 yrs to come.

We are going to hopefully head down to the WDW in Jan and stay in a AKV Grand Villa and are already thinking about our 2011 vacations we are hoping to try Vero or Hilton Head. We can't wait and the possibilities are endless for where we want to travel and where.

This is Board is a great place for research. Everyone is so nice and don't mind answering the same question a millions. I have been researching the DVC pretty strongly for the past few months, started out a lurker, then posted and just purchased on Tuesday !!!

Good luck in your decision.

 

[redrosesix]

Just wanted to add that DVC can be a good buy even for those who have always stayed in Value resorts, like us, but it really depends on your travel habits. We will be doing a 2 week trip every year around Pres. Day, so we're paying pretty high room rates even with the group discount we receive since DD is attending a competition. Based on 2009 prices, that's $900 per week. Add to that the fact that by week 2, I'm pretty tired of restaurant food and can't wait to barbeque something, so I know I'll also save money on food.

It's a big cost to buy in, and although we can easily afford it I had to do the math. We'll be saving a minimum of $600 per year, so it will technically take us about 15 years to break even. But the truth is, I'm not sure I could have done 2 weeks at a Value (ie. at the same hotel) every year for the next 15 years and I'm also ok with selling it at a bit of a loss 10 years down the road. At the same time, I'm just not the type of person who would pay oop per night the equivalent of what I'll be paying in MF's per year.

We did look at other TS options, but we like the flexibility and security of DVC.

 

[senecabeach]

I have a 7 and an 11 year old and we have been to WDW 4 times in the past 4 years. We stayed at the Grand Floridian 3 times and the Polynesian once. We would like to continue going every 18 months or so but are not sure how long that will last as the kids will be getting older. That and the annual dues are a major concern of mine. Followed closely by the fact that we will have to finance this as we do not have the cash on hand. Maybe I am answering my own question.
Thank you all for your help!

My Experience:I would like to share my experience of buying DVC.....

DVC is affordable, flexible way to "Lock In" future vacations in superior accomodations...

My DH and I have visited WDW each year, sometimes twice, since the MK opened in 71 and always stayed on property...mostly the Poly, which was $42. per night back then!
Yea WOW!!

We just loved the "Magic" and had no problem going to WDW as young adults. We weren't blessed with children but were fortunate to be able to stay @ both deluxe and some moderate resorts.

I think initially..... most of us try to do Disney "commando" style.
We found the older you get..the longer you stayed. We would do a minimum of 10 days. There is soooo much to enjoy. We would visit a park in the AM or PM..spend the mornings/afternoons @ the pool relaxing, nap, resort hop, golf, horseback riding, fish on Bay Lake, take some Disney tours...and plan "wonderful" meals.

With both of us busy with life, family and working, time absolutely flew by and we never had any time to look into owning @ OKW, which was "cheap" back then and also gave "free" park hopper tickets every time you went...nor years later.. did we buy the BWV....

Yes...I'm still kicking myself......

All of a sudden...prices soared ...$200+ for a hotel room @ the POLY?? The GF...which we did a few times...outrageous $$$ !! POR nice...still $150.+ Value resorts...never.

Just for the memories..This past May it cost me $550. per night for the Poly Consierge for a few nights and I have "garden view" @ the GF for a few days scheduled for this October @ $449. per night(...then go to my DVC for 2 weeks !!!)

Prices keep rising for these hotels!!! What will they be in 3-5-10 years??

Then came the light...
..........AH..what IS DVC??

Beautiful resorts..My OWN little condo??, full kitchen, seperate LR, washer/dryer, seperate eating area, jacuzzi, king bed, balcony.....
....OH..sometimes a 2 bdrm or GV for family or friends!!

Hummmmm ...DVC ...VS...a "hotel room"?

Yea..OK the initial output is hard $$ to put out...but now its done... and "Biting the Bullet" now..( In 2003 for $72. per pt.) has certainly saved me $$ for my future Disney fixes AND in "superior" accomodations!!

 

[stopher1]

It's worth it to us, but I can see how DVC can be and is questioned by many, many people. We were never "timeshare" people before DVC thanks to my FIL and his multiple non-DVC weeks. My DW actually turned to me after one experience with him in a resort I can't even remember where now and said "I don't ever want to own a timeshare, so don't even bring it up."

I first received literature from DVC just after OKW originally opened and was fascinated by it, but being on the west coast didn't see myself getting to WDW often enough. We both grew up in So Cal and were Disneyland people (still are). We honeymooned at WDW in '94 but didn't take the tour. I started going down to FL on business in 2000, and then after our 2nd move to the midwest we started going as a family at least once per year in 2003. We've stayed in all levels of accomodations. We have good friends that have been DVC members since '98 who started talking it up with us in '05 so we took the tour in '06. DW was intrigued, but not yet ready to commit. (It was in '05 that she made the comment above)... so the wheels in her own head started turning. She saw the difference between the two, and realized we were going to WDW anyway, and we are the type of people that will go long after the kids are grown and gone - so it was a good fit for us. Our kids love it, but we recognize that their time with us is not ever-lasting, and they will move on to their own lives soon enough. We are the type of people that like to cook on vacation - at least part of the time, so having the kitchens is really good for us. (We just CAN'T go out to eat every single meal for 8-10 days straight...ugh). We also enjoying going to the parks, but are already talking about non-parks types of trips as well.

Do we vacation at WDW exclusively? Absolutely not, but since we DO go at least once-twice annually, and we can see that happening for dozens of years to come ...for us it's worth it. BUt it might not be for someone else.

 

[Dean]

DVC is a good value for those staying moderates or above, not heavy on weekends (though this issue has shifted some recently), will go at least every 2 years and can afford to purchase. It may or may not save you money but it can give value. It is also a poor choice IMO to finance a luxury purchase. One might consider renting from a member to try it out and see if it is for you.

 

[mlayton14]

Before you pull the trigger you also need to know of some of the concessions you will have to make vs a being hotel cash-buying guest .. important to consider before plunking down thousands of dollars ..
DVC is designed as a discount program .. and the money saved certainly can be substantial depending on your vacation habits. If you are looking for "exclusive" benefits over a regular cash-paying guest.. there isnt much there, the program is designed to save on lodging over the course of many years .. thats should be your mindset.

1) Visit the DVC resorts!! Try paying cash or renting for a stay before you pull the trigger. I noticed you have been staying at the Poly and GF .. there is no DVC at these properties .. so if your heart is at these places (Poly is still my fav place on property) keep in mind that DVC will get you no benefit here. If you want to continue to stay at either of these 2 properties, maybe buy a few less DVC points and put into your budget some extra cash for staying at Poly/GF every so often.

2) Flexibility - Need to plan ahead. Unlike cash paying guests, if you have resort preferences you must be willing to plan atleast 7 months in advance for the more popular resorts and times of year.. or you run the risk of not getting the resort/room type you want. If your used to planning on less notice especially during busy times, you might be disappointed. Cant stress this enough.

3) Buy where you want to stay .. per bullet #2 above, you can almost always get one of the condo style resorts (SSR and OKW) no matter the time of year, but if you like the smaller hotel-resort type of lodging near the theme parks..definitely buy at one of those resorts. This, plus the fact if you decide DVC isnt for you down the road, the condo resorts generally will get you less money back and take longer to sell.

4) No daily housekeeping - you get your room cleaned on average 1x per week .. most have no problem with this. You can, for a charge, have housekeeping clean your room more often.

Thats my 2 cents .. like I said at the top, if saving money is your biggest motivation, AND you can live with the above concessions, DVC can be a VERY good money saving program

 

[sgtpet]

It is not worth it. There are enough deep discounts out there (2 free nights) that make DVC a terrible deal.

 

[ssawka]

It is not worth it. There are enough deep discounts out there (2 free nights) that make DVC a terrible deal.

For now this may be true, but will it be true when the economy bounces back. Buying into DVC is for the long-term, not the short-term advantage.

 

[crisi]

Another thought - its can save you money if you have the discipline to use it to save money. My guess is that DVC is sold as a discount program - but the majority of members spend MORE at Disney with a DVC purchase than they did before (and most of them are pretty happy with that situation). You start in a studio, but aren't one bedrooms nice? If you borrow you can sneak in a trip for Food and Wine this year - but then you don't have enough points for next year - ADD ON! We can get a two bedroom and take my sister and her family (the proportion of DVC members who 'treat' guests to a room is, IMO, much higher than those who pay out of pocket to take their friends and family). Since the room is paid for, lets go to Cirque.

In some ways DVC is a really efficient way for Disney to take money out of your pocket while you remain quite happy about the situation.

 

[senecabeach]

It is not worth it. There are enough deep discounts out there (2 free nights) that make DVC a terrible deal.

Hummmmm. Pulleeezee don't think your getting something for nothing....Nothing's free!!!
The 2 "free" nights are with a package paying "Full Rack Rates". Also...as time goes the prices will go UP !!

Here's the "Free" 5 night dining/ticket package rates:
$1,390 in a standard room at a Disney Value Resort
$1,764 in a standard room at a Disney Moderate Resort
$2,276 in a standard room at Disney's Wilderness Lodge or Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge

And here is the "Free" 5 night DVC STUDIO stay price....
$2,586 in a studio at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort or Disney's Old Key West Resort.*

Whatever floats your boat !!

 

[CdnKayDee]

I would just like to say we have bought DVC after at least 3 years of having good knowledge of it we just waited until the time was right. Even then we had second thoughts about it however after buying we feel alot better about our decision. I know how you feel but if you are like me the decision breaker was the fact that we are going to go to WDW every year wether we buy or not so
Heres the other thing we just booked 2 studios (SSR) for 2 weeks in Oct. There is no way unless I won the Lottery that I would pay to stay here the price is just to much but I would love to stay there. So DVC has already paid itself off for me in one since. It is giving me the vacations I want now without me feeling like I just spent all this money and now its gone.

 

[CMOORE185]

It is not worth it. There are enough deep discounts out there (2 free nights) that make DVC a terrible deal.

You must not be a DVC member, or a very unhappy one. When I 1st bought I use to run the numbers and in my opinion it is a very good deal to own DVC. I do not think most people could afford to stay in 4 star hotels in 1 or 2 bedroom villas as often as DVC members do.

 

[Sandisw]

It is not worth it. There are enough deep discounts out there (2 free nights) that make DVC a terrible deal.

Well, I had a room at the Contemporary booked with a 40% discount code (pretty deep discount, IMO) for a week in August. It was going to cost me, with tax, $2000.

Now that I own DVC, I can stay those same 7 nights in a BLT studio for an average cost of $800.00 per year, based on what I paid per point, and yearly MF's.

Not really seeing this as such a bad deal.

 

[Jack1234]

We love it and would do it again!!

 

[kim_d]

It is not worth it. There are enough deep discounts out there (2 free nights) that make DVC a terrible deal.

Would you care to elaborate? Not be snarky, just curious. I know that DVC isn't for everyone. I do however think WDW currently being very generous (and somewhat out of character) with the general discounts, I have a feeling that won't last forever.

We have been DVC members since 2002 however we do on occasion stay at other resorts (mostly deluxe) on cash. Most recently I booked a night at the Poly (standard room/garden view) with a PIN at $240/night. Great deal, but honestly no where as good a deal as I think DVC is. We typically stay in one bedrooms and the sheer size of the accomodations make the comparision almost nil in my mind.