Is DVC worth it?

[BAYSIDE MOM]

I'm sure this has probably been asked a million times, so bear with me! We can purchase points for 83.30 a point, plus 2005 points could be banked (i think thats what the guide said). We are family of 5, 3 children, 6, 4 and 2. We would probably only stay in 2BR Villa. Our home resort would be Saratoga Springs. We love Disney, but don't know if we would go every single year. We love the DCL and I believe you can use points for that and other properties outside Disney. We are thinking about purchasing 200-250 points. I'm just wondering with the maintenance charge if we would be making a sound financial decision. The kids love Disney now, but will they 10 years from now? Any input from new DVC members or anyone with experience with Saratoga Springs, who could share some opinions would be great!

 

[rocketriter]

Buy a couple of hundred points and use them for a nice long stay in a 2-bedroom every other year instead of annually. Consider trading outside of Disney to be an option but not usually a bargain. Your family will always love the place and you'll bring your grandchildren to SSR as the years go by.

 

[unixadm]

Well, you have to evaluate the costs verses the savings for you and your family.

I did the math in THIS Thread

For us, yes it is definitely worth it. We have taken 2 trips to Disney this year (Beach Club in May, Boardwalk in September), went to Hilton Head for 2 nights in October, and a Disney Cruise in January, and another trip to Disney in April, we are getting our money's worth for sure.

Before DVC we had become spoiled with hotels such as Residence Inn. We always stayed at Suite type hotels with separate bedrooms, kitchens or kitchenettes, etc. DVC definitely allows us to do that with much nicer rooms, and on Disney property. We purchased 200 points early this year, then added 120 points in the summer when they ran a deal, so have 320 points.

Basically, with the number of trips we take, and the type of resorts we like, it makes sense. The best value is at DVC resorts. You get slightly less value when you trade in for Disney Cruises (but still a very good value verses cash), and less value for trading to other resorts....and the points can change for non-DVC vacations (while they cannot change for DVC resorts...well, they can move around points within a resort, but never raise the total)

If you want to pre-pay for many years of nice vacations, without having to bargain hunt, and know that you will spend many of the vacations in DVC resorts, then it is worth it. If you are a bargain hunter, always looking for that fantastic price at a resort, then you may think it isn't worth it.

I like not having to shop around for the best bargain....I know I am staying on property, have a separate bedroom, kitchen, TV, DVD player, etc and that it is well kept. That is why it is worth it to me.

 

[BAYSIDE MOM]

Thanks for the replies! Oh, its so nice to hear someone refer to his beautiful wife!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Worth it financially? Depends on how you crunch the numbers. It made sense for us.

Worth it in sheer joy? Absolutely, and I simply can't put a $ value on the experiences we've had.

We purchased listening more to our hearts than our heads, and that can be dangerous, fer sure... but it's the best decision we've made for our family in a long, long time.

My wife's beautiful after 26 years too, btw ... and my kids are not too bad themselves.

My daughter says I'm still cute... "in a teddy bear sorta way." I guess that's a compliment.

 

[rugelus]

When we chose to buy we were staying in a studio costing over two grand for the week.

DVC is a bargan to most who visit Disney regularly. Even if you want other destinations DVC can be a deal. Spend point for Vegas, Europe even Indiana!

Accomodations are great without any surprises at checkout.

 

[Hibernians]

Hi Bayside,

I recently joined, family of 6; 4 kids 6 and under. I too struggled a bit with the cost/value issue. We had just come back from our first trip to WDW w/the kids and we had stayed in Pop Century, booking 2 rooms. My wife and I always loved Disney and of course the kids loved it too, so the decison was easy because I knew that for the next 10 - 15 years we would need either a suite off-site or 2 rooms onsite. There's no way I could afford to pay for a suite or 2 BRs at the moderate or deluxe resorts, so DVC actually made much more sense dollars wise and now we will be able to stay in a beautiful 2 BR villa.

We willgo to WDW once a year for the next 4 or 5 years and then I plan to skip a year, bank some points and go back the following year. Our logic is that when the kids get older we can always take a vacation somewhere else like Colorado, Utah, or even Europe - this is why I think DVC is a great value.

Finally, with the SSR membership you have a deed for the next 49 years. I just know that 25 years from now my children will be thanking me for having the foresight to join DVC way back in 2005 and now we'll be able to take our grandchildren or even have family reunions there.

It may sound corny, but vacation time is so valuable to families; I think its one of the best investments I will ever make. You can't put a price on it.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Financially smart, probably not. I don't think we would go as much as we do if we didn't own(which is really only once a year), so we are actually spending more! But I am a resort snob, I will only vacation with a kitchen, less then 3 nights, I will suck it up in a hotel room or studio, but I need space!!! Our other timeshare is a 3 bedroom penthouse in St. Maarten, it sleeps 8 and we only have 4! Its bigger than my first house! At WDW, we would come home from a trip exhausted, with the villas, we arn't, no stress to find a place to eat, if worse comes to worse, stop in the resort store, grab a frozen pizza and there you have dinner. No more wasting time on breakfast, we eat in the room! No more panicking because I didn't have my morning coffee, we make it! If you think you will only go every 18 months to 2 years, buy 150 - 175 points, and that will get you a nice 2 bedroom villa for a week! But remember, I think it was decied its better to borrow than bank points, you are less likely to loose points that way!

 

[IndianaDVCMember]

There are much cheaper timeshares in the area. For our family, the value is being on site and part of the action without having to mess around with driving and parking lot trams. We get more out of our vacations as a result. If you compare DVC to Deluxe Disney resorts, DVC will compare favorably in cost.

 

[stampinshauna]

One reason we chose to join is that right now DH and I are both working and we can afford it. When we have kids I don't plan to work. It will be nice to have this already paid for (except the annual dues) so we can afford to take our kids and in time our grandkids to disney.

 

[kpk89]

Definitely worth it. We just always know that Disney will be clean, safe, and magical -- and with 3 kids, we'd either have to get 2 rooms, or a suite anyway. A 1br worked for us last year, since the baby was still in a crib. From now on we'll be needing a 2 BR, and I'm so happy we've got the points to do it!

 

[coasterbob]

As I read all the threads about should we buy or not buy DVC, most seem to be younger, upwardly mobile people with 2, 3, 4 + kids. We are "disney fanatics", but are a 50 and 59 year "young" couple who have nobody living with us! We do have 4 older kids, no grandkids.......YET, but absolutly LOVE to vist the MOUSE!

What say ye out there for us to buy ? We don't have to finance, can get the 15% off deal and points for 2005 NOW, plus 2006 points next August. We want to take my in-laws (haven't been to DW since 1972!), next year with us. We have all the paperwork, and have put down a deposit.

Should we take the plunge? I figure we got at least 10-15 more "fun" years with the MOUSE !

Bob and my bride-and-joy, Debbie

 

[Figment2]

CoasterBob - it depends. I hang with a group of people whose kids are either older or have no kids. We go anywhere from 2 to 4 times a year (although this weekend will be #6 trip for me this year). Four of us are DVC and we take turns making reservations (always adult only trips anywhere from a 3-4 day weekend to 10 day stay).

One couple, though, love the value resorts and although they looked into DVC, decided against it for that reason. I, on the otherhand, don't mind staying at a value for a night (we tend to fly in late at night) but look forward to my DVC accomodations for the rest of the trip. And now I've become a one BR snob. Studios are great when I'm by myself but give me a 1BR otherwise.

So I guess I'm saying "go for it" unless you really enjoy the value resorts!

Cyn

 

[coasterbob]

CoasterBob - it depends. I hang with a group of people whose kids are either older or have no kids. We go anywhere from 2 to 4 times a year (although this weekend will be #6 trip for me this year). Four of us are DVC and we take turns making reservations (always adult only trips anywhere from a 3-4 day weekend to 10 day stay).

One couple, though, love the value resorts and although they looked into DVC, decided against it for that reason. I, on the otherhand, don't mind staying at a value for a night (we tend to fly in late at night) but look forward to my DVC accomodations for the rest of the trip. And now I've become a one BR snob. Studios are great when I'm by myself but give me a 1BR otherwise.

So I guess I'm saying "go for it" unless you really enjoy the value resorts

Cyn

It is nice to see some "experienced" (age-wise) DVCers! We just returned from a stay at the BCV on point rental, and got "hooked"! I don't see us visting 6 times a year like you (wow!), but for sure a yearly vacation with the MOUSE. It looks mor and more like we'll take the plunge! BobnDeb

 

[bobbiwoz]

Coasterbob, we bought as empty nesters, 59 and 56. We did have DGrands, but they are still too young, and at the time the family felt it would be 5 years before the "younger" generation would be joining us. WE bought in '03, in the fall.

We bought primarily for 3 reasons. 1) we found we went to WDW more and more, just the 2 of us. Yes we were taking long weekends, and we decided to change the weekends from Friday to Sunday to now Saturday through Mondays. We were regularly going during the Flower and Garden, we had found out about the fun of MNSSHP and we found out that Christmas was celebrated in Epcot by way of the Candlelight Processional and we always wanted to go there for that. The Osborn lights are fabulous and we've been to 3 MVMCP so far. 2) My DMom was turning 85 last year, and when we asked how she wanted to spend it, there was no hesitation, she wanted a "party" at WDW. 3) We hoped that eventually our DGrands would be joining us. When/ if that would be the case we were prepared to buy more points. On this happy note, the family has asked to join us, and we're still planning, but it looks as if August of '06 will find the 4 generations of our family at VWL! Meanwhile we had been adding on points regularly because we found that we enjoy taking famiy other than our children, and friends to WDW. We are prepared!

We first looked at DVC in '96 and we did listen to our DS's who thought they wouldn't go with us, that we shouldn't buy it because of them. This convinced us that we would be wasting money. We were wrong.

We're happy with our purchase. We're not looking back, we looking forward to as many years and vacations together as we have!

Bobbi

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

We love Disney, but don't know if we would go every single year. We love the DCL and I believe you can use points for that and other properties outside Disney. We are thinking about purchasing 200-250 points. I'm just wondering with the maintenance charge if we would be making a sound financial decision. The kids love Disney now, but will they 10 years from now? Any input from new DVC members or anyone with experience with Saratoga Springs, who could share some opinions would be great!

I'm a little surprised at the thread because the rule of thumb seems to be...buy DVC to stay at DVC. You seem to have an active interest in DCL and alternative vacations to Disney.

That said...assuming you usually stay at moderates or better (and not offsite) I would probably go with enough points to get a 2 bedroom every other year. I think that would run 150, to 175 points depending on whether you would have one or two weekend nights and whether or not you thought you would stay in Premier season.

If you really want to go the timeshare route complete with trading out and staying on property isn't that important to you I would probably buy a popular but scarce timeshare and trade into Orlando and the other locations you want rather than go with DVC. A visit to www.tug2.net can help further your education with regard to timeshares.

As for DCL, cash appears to be the better option unless something has changed that I didn't catch.

 

[MdmMim]

Coasterbob: we empty nesters (no GKids) love our DVC!! I usually spend January at the BWV, solo some of the time, but DH comes to "visit." We both enjoy the F&W Festival in the fall. DVC works very well for us!

Our grown kids also utilize points at times, so I try to set aside a few for them.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

As I read all the threads about should we buy or not buy DVC, most seem to be younger, upwardly mobile people with 2, 3, 4 + kids. We are "disney fanatics", but are a 50 and 59 year "young" couple who have nobody living with us! We do have 4 older kids, no grandkids.......YET, but absolutly LOVE to vist the MOUSE!

What say ye out there for us to buy ? We don't have to finance, can get the 15% off deal and points for 2005 NOW, plus 2006 points next August. We want to take my in-laws (haven't been to DW since 1972!), next year with us. We have all the paperwork, and have put down a deposit.

Should we take the plunge? I figure we got at least 10-15 more "fun" years with the MOUSE !

Bob and my bride-and-joy, Debbie

Just talking out of my hat but maybe the reason you see threads question about whether or not to buy from Full Nesters is because they have to weigh their decisions very carefully. The wrong decision could impact the little chicks college educations or even the ability to hang on to the house. Empty nesters mostly don't need to worry about that so their go/no go decisions are more about whether or not they'll really use it.

As a single empty nester I happily bought when I was just past 40 because it meant no hassle pleasant vacations for just me or me and any family and friends who might want to go.