Is DVC worth the money, does it give you what you deserve?

[keishashadow]

Is DVC worth the money YES, does it give you what you deserve? NO, I'm a princess and deserve to sleep in the castle

I do appreciate that special perks are offered to members, especially the discounted APs & ticket offers.

 

[DisMomme]

We are happy with our membership. We get to travel to Disney and stay in deluxe accommodations that we otherwise would never be able to afford. We went for 12 nights last summer in 2 studios with our kids, I went for 4 nights with my girlfriends in April and we are planning an adults only trip for 4 nights in December. I just bought our airfare with miles and booked our DVC, it cost us a total of $17.30 (not including spending money of course). When we first bought and those fees started coming out of our vacation fund each month I was a little unsure we had made the right decision. We used to stay at value resorts and took advantage of bounce-back rates and free dining but when I figured out the costs it still cost us more than our DVC dues. I pay $1002/year in dues and take about 3 trips per year. 1002/20=$50.10 per night. Would I be able to stay in 1 or 2 bedrooms that many nights? No, but the studios we stay in are much nicer than the values we used to stay in. Values now cost around $90/night so even during free dining we can stay and pay for food for around the same price.

I still haven't figured out all the ins and outs of timeshare membership and I probably could get more value out of our membership if I tried but I am happy with the way we use it for now. Do I think we deserve more perks? NO, I bought what I bought and appreciate any extra perks that come and go but I don't expect them.

 

[fishermouse]

happy to see 98% are happy or very happy, those 2% sure make a lot of noise!

 

[ParrotBill]

I voted "very happy". We did not impulse buy - We bought into Boardwalk 2 years after we toured OKW. DVC is a real estate interest and we are entitled to no more - but I expect Disney to treat us well for investing and making DVC a success. We get a great array of dining and activity discounts and that's appropriate.

It's nice to get some ticket discounts but not expected always. It's nice to get preview events and other member events.

The DVC and free dining debate needs to end! That is in lieu of a hotel discount for when Disney neeeds to offer discounts to fill their rooms. I wish they stop and just discount the rooms/package totals again, or offer a higher discount when booking a package that includes dining. I don't like visiting WDW during free dining periods and finding I have to pre-plan my meals months ahead of time or be shut out.

 

[freediverdude]

I voted "very happy". We did not impulse buy - We bought into Boardwalk 2 years after we toured OKW. DVC is a real estate interest and we are entitled to no more - but I expect Disney to treat us well for investing and making DVC a success. We get a great array of dining and activity discounts and that's appropriate.

It's nice to get some ticket discounts but not expected always. It's nice to get preview events and other member events.

The DVC and free dining debate needs to end! That is in lieu of a hotel discount for when Disney neeeds to offer discounts to fill their rooms. I wish they stop and just discount the rooms/package totals again, or offer a higher discount when booking a package that includes dining. I don't like visiting WDW during free dining periods and finding I have to pre-plan my meals months ahead of time or be shut out.

I agree, the "free" dining is just lumped into the cost for the full price hotel rooms and tickets, so it's just a package discount. Which, in most cases by the way, is still much less of a discount than we DVC people get on our accomodations, when you average out our costs over our contracts. We're getting much more than a 30% discount on the rooms, or "free" dining if we pay rack rate plus required tickets. I wish people would realize that. Free dining if you're not ever going to purchase DVC and just an occasional WDW visitor might end up being the best deal they can get (sometimes it's not though, it depends), but I wish people would step back and think about if they really would eat that many meals and use that many credits if they were paying cash for all the food and getting a room discount. It really only benefits a certain type of travel group.

 

[bom_noite]

You will find many here that try and do the financial calculations..............

Here is my calculation:

12K originally invested (13 years ago)
+ 10K in dues (a guess) over the years.
13 years of fun, and, I just got done staying 5 days in an OKW GV which comes with a 10K Rack Rate. I would imagine we have stayed in rooms valued at way over 100K since we became members.
​

I think it really comes down to: Is this a place I want to go every year or every other year? If it is - then I think the answer is the numbers will work.

You also have to consider what I call the DVC life-cycle:

1) We loved taking the kids and my MIL for years. Everyone loved it.
2) Both my kids - now in college - have taken a dozen different friends down.
3) Last year my kids and their college friends went down solo for a long weekend trip.
4) Eventually Grand-kids will come and I will be the best Grandpa in the world.
5) My kid's will inherit our bounty.
6) I can sell my membership tomorrow and get back my original investment PLUS a few grand.
7) If we run in to financial hardship - we can rent our yearly points to pay for dues PLUS some a grand.​

Both my kids, based on the DVC experience, looked in to the College Program and both were admitted and loved it. As did 8 of their friends - after my kids experience. Three of those kids are now working for WDW Permanently. Both my kids made lifetime friendships and we paid for dinner for 5 friends and ex-roomies (now full timers) last week.

My son told me last week: "Dad, we have gotten more out of DVC then you possibly could have paid!". I agree!

 

[minnie-apple-mouse]

PS...
We now rent out about 900 to 1000 points and it pays for all of our DVC MX fees so now we get to use a little over 1,000 points for 0 cash flow.

Not counting our purchase price. Paid off long ago. So our current DVC cash flow is basically zero to our monthly budget.

Staying Disney Deluxe for free, can be studios, 1-2 or 3BR's, can be XMAS or Sept. Seems hard to argue with that "IS DVC worth it" scenario. Love it.

 

[michelleiada]

I love my DVC membership. My only complaint is that I wish they refurbished rooms more frequently and didn't let them get so run down. I regret not buying sooner and wish I had more points.

 

[DebbieB]

I love my DVC membership. My only complaint is that I wish they refurbished rooms more frequently and didn't let them get so run down. I regret not buying sooner and wish I had more points.

Are you willing to pay higher dues for that? That's what it would take.

 

[michelleiada]

Are you willing to pay higher dues for that? That's what it would take.

im not certain I believe that. There are many other timeshares out there that pay less than what we do and are maintained far better. My recent stay at our home resort at Beach Club Villas, I opened a cabinet door in the kitchen upon arrival and it Literally fell off. The furniture was in very bad shape. The carpets were a mess. The jacuzzi tub wood framing was all caved in on one side. I love it there but I expect my room to be in better shape than this. They should never get this bad.

 

[DebbieB]

im not certain I believe that. There are many other timeshares out there that pay less than what we do and are maintained far better. My recent stay at our home resort at Beach Club Villas, I opened a cabinet door in the kitchen upon arrival and it Literally fell off. The furniture was in very bad shape. The carpets were a mess. The jacuzzi tub wood framing was all caved in on one side. I love it there but I expect my room to be in better shape than this. They should never get this bad.

I agree with you on that, the rooms should be maintained. What I was referring to was renovations just for a new look.

 

[intertile]

I bought at SSR in 2006. Was the last day of a business trip to Orlando, and I went to DTD with my wife for some shopping before our flight. We knew nothing of DVC, and it was a complete impulse buy.

Our whole theory was that we were investing in our future familys' vacations. 9 years later, no complaints. Is it perfect? no, but nothing is. We love going to Disney, and DVC also us to do that more often.

 

[PinkTink63]

I'm very happy with my DVC membership, however I do believe DVC Members Services or the powers that be could do a little more. Every year I write member services to complain about the annual pass discounts offered for DVC members at WDW verses only $20 at DLR. Heck my work offers a $20 discount for annual passes at DLR and obviously I would expect being a DVC member I would receive the equal discount offered for DVC members at WDW.

I have always found this a little odd!! I guess they don't need to because of the overcrowding in that park already!! Talk about prices skyrocketing!!! Yikes!! Those tickets are outrageous IMO!! We used to trade off between DL and DW and always bought AP's. Even though we have family down there we mostly go to DW because we get "more bang for our buck!" Our DVC pts don't go as far and the AP's are more $$ at DL!!

I know my cousins who by live DL make payments for their AP's. I am sure that adds to the crowds by being able to do that!! Do Florida residents have the same payment plan option?

 

[udflyer00]

I voted Very Happy. My wife and I bought into DVC in 2004 before the 1st trip we had to pay for on our own. We used to vacation every other year with my in-laws and the 1st year they weren't going to go we decided to put the 3500-4500 it was going to cost us for a room towards a DVC resale purchase. 11 years late, and 4 kids, and numerous trips to Disney we've had a great experience. I do think they could be better cuts on the AP's and such, but I do think we get a fair deal, I mean we got PAP's for 479ish last year, I think that was the price, but with that we'll end up using 22 days over this past year. We aren't "rich" by any sense, and we're still paying on our DVC "loan", but when we stayed at HHI 2 summers ago and I saw the rack rate for our 2 br was ~600 a night and we were there for 5 nights on points that was when it hit us that DVC has allowed us to take vacations much nicer than we could just pay out for. And since we are a family of 6 we are always in 2 bedrooms, which I've never looked into the rack rates, but I assume it's not a "cheap" room by any sense. So for our family it's been great. Sure free dining would be nice, or maybe a bit more of discount on merchandise, but as far as room accommodations we've had nothing but a great experience in our 11 years where we've had at least 1 stay at OKW, BWV, AKL, HHI, and Treehouses last summer for 8 nights! It's nice because it forces us in a sense to at least take a vacation each year to have that family time!

YMMV, but we've loved it and I try to get all my Disney friends to buy in if even for only 50 points...

Mark

 

[TheDisneyFour]

You will find many here that try and do the financial calculations..............

Here is my calculation:

12K originally invested (13 years ago)
+ 10K in dues (a guess) over the years.
13 years of fun, and, I just got done staying 5 days in an OKW GV which comes with a 10K Rack Rate. I would imagine we have stayed in rooms valued at way over 100K since we became members.
​

I think it really comes down to: Is this a place I want to go every year or every other year? If it is - then I think the answer is the numbers will work.

You also have to consider what I call the DVC life-cycle:

1) We loved taking the kids and my MIL for years. Everyone loved it.
2) Both my kids - now in college - have taken a dozen different friends down.
3) Last year my kids and their college friends went down solo for a long weekend trip.
4) Eventually Grand-kids will come and I will be the best Grandpa in the world.
5) My kid's will inherit our bounty.
6) I can sell my membership tomorrow and get back my original investment PLUS a few grand.
7) If we run in to financial hardship - we can rent our yearly points to pay for dues PLUS some a grand.​

Both my kids, based on the DVC experience, looked in to the College Program and both were admitted and loved it. As did 8 of their friends - after my kids experience. Three of those kids are now working for WDW Permanently. Both my kids made lifetime friendships and we paid for dinner for 5 friends and ex-roomies (now full timers) last week.


My son told me last week: "Dad, we have gotten more out of DVC then you possibly could have paid!". I agree!

YES!