Is it still worth it?

[PiperMickey]

Do you think DVC membership is still worth it if someone likes to stay at the hotels instead of their home resort. I am considering membership but with a DD10 and DS8 I am more inclined to stay at some more kid friendly hotels(Poly,CSR etc) than at SSR where the memberships are being sold right now.

Or is the exchange rate on points too steep that it makes it not a good value?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Absolutely NOT a good value if all you want to stay in is a standard hotel room. Not sure why you think the other resorts are more kid friendly than any of the DVC resorts. All DVC resorts have numerous pools, kids programs, activities, etc, etc, just like any other WDW resort does. All DVC onsite resorts, including SSR, BWV, BCV, VWL, and OKW have slides at the main pool as well as community rooms. Add on to that the fact that they can have their own bedroom, you get a full kitchen and laundry room inside your unit and a King size bed in the master plus a Jacuzzi in the master bath, and I don't think ANY of the none DVC rooms can hold a candle to a DVC accommodation. Since all of them are also WDW resorts in their own right, I guess I question what you think is lacking.

 

[starbox]

Do you think DVC membership is still worth it if someone likes to stay at the hotels instead of their home resort. I am considering membership but with a DD10 and DS8 I am more inclined to stay at some more kid friendly hotels(Poly,CSR etc) than at SSR where the memberships are being sold right now.

Or is the exchange rate on points too steep that it makes it not a good value?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

What makes you think that CS is more "kid-friendly" than SSR. SSR has many family-friendly ameneties CSR does not have:
walking/stroller access to DTD
zero-depth entry pool
water play area
community hall with activities
option of suites and multi-bedroom units with full ktchens and laundry
carriage rides
ferry boat to DTD

And everything CSR has that I consider "kid-friendly" is also at SSR:
themed playground
good indoor CS restaurant
walking paths
surry bike rentals

We like CSR, but it can't compare to any of the DVC resorts in terms of ameneties and "bang" for your buck.

 

[Starr W.]

It's kid friendly at SSR, just for the fact they get their own tv in a suite!

 

[PiperMickey]

I should clarify. My 'kid friendly' comment was referring to the bigger kid type slides at the Poly and CSR. I agree about the rooms and related amenities. That is why I am considering membership. I haven't stayed at the WL and would like to but I could do that in the Villas as that is in the DVC.

I also would like to try the GF and CR and Poly again for the monorail aspect, so over the next 10 years it would probably be a mix between DVC resorts and the others.

 

[Lynne M]

The point of owning DVC is getting the DVC resort accommodations (villas, studios, etc.) If you want to stay primarily at non-DVC resorts, it's going to be WAY more expensive for you to own DVC than it would to simply book at the Poly or CSR and pay cash. For example, with 150 points, I get about 10 nights a year in a studio at VWL. Those same points would get me about 3 nights a year in the cheapest room at the Poly.

Another important point to consider is that the points needed to stay per night are fixed at the DVC resorts. They are NOT fixed at the Disney Collection (non-DVC) resorts The number of points per night for the non-DVC resorts have been going up every year, and most likely will continue to do so.

I'm not sure what you mean by the non-DVC resorts being more kid-friendly. The DVC resorts have the same, or more, activities for the little ones than the non-DVC resorts do. Each resort has a community center with organized activities.

Maybe you should look into the hotel-style DVCs as a home resort (BWV, BCV, VWL). There, you'll share the facilities of the deluxe resorts that the villas are attached to, and be very close to theme parks, as well.

 

[starbox]

I should clarify. My 'kid friendly' comment was referring to the bigger kid type slides at the Poly and CSR. I agree about the rooms and related amenities. That is why I am considering membership. I haven't stayed at the WL and would like to but I could do that in the Villas as that is in the DVC.

I also would like to try the GF and CR and Poly again for the monorail aspect, so over the next 10 years it would probably be a mix between DVC resorts and the others.

BCV, BWV, and SSR all have slides just as big (or bigger) than the Poly & CSR. The slides at WL and OKW are similar to the slides at POR/GF. My DS10 and DD8 SSR. Plus, tweens and tend tend to love DTD - so one of the DTD resorts (OKW or SSR) will be something your kids will grow into rather quickly.

It is not a good deal to use points to stay at non-DVC Disney resorts. That said, depending on how often you vacation, it may be a very good deal to purchase a DVC contract smaller than the vacation use you intend and use it to spend some vacations on DVC points and purchase an AP at the DVC discount rate - then you could do other resorts part of the time using the AP discount.

 

[Starr W.]

I think the older they get having their own room will be even more important than a slide. We are spoiled as we get 2br suites for the four of us. The DS's sleep better and so do we. Plus I like having the kitchen, as god knows how much these two will be eating in 5 yrs. Probably have to get a rental car just to run to the grocery store!

 

[Disney MAINEiac]

My kids, 1-teen, 1-preteen love the pools/slides at SSR, BCV and BWV. usually have to drag them away to see the parks we could literally go and not buy park tickets and they would be happy...me thats another story...must do parks!!! after all this purchase was really for me in the first place everyone else is just along for the ride, loving it though

 

[Dean]

Do you think DVC membership is still worth it if someone likes to stay at the hotels instead of their home resort. I am considering membership but with a DD10 and DS8 I am more inclined to stay at some more kid friendly hotels(Poly,CSR etc) than at SSR where the memberships are being sold right now.

Or is the exchange rate on points too steep that it makes it not a good value?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

It depends on how you'd use it. Certainly using the points to stay at non DVC places is not a good choice nor is using them for long weekends much or at all. And given that the buy in price is much higher now than a few years ago, the paradigm has shifter such that many in the middle would be better off not buying that would have been good candidates a few years ago. If one can do studios and avoid friday/Sat nights, you can make out like a bandit. The other variable is how you will use the kitchen. The value goes down from there and you must decide where to draw the line.

 

[crisi]

You should know that you can buy the "non-SSR" resorts either from Disney or resale - so if WL appeals most to you (or BCV or BWV or OKW) you can buy there.

Expect to pay a premium with a BCV resale.

 

[rwatterson]

We first bought DVC our kids were small and loved every minute of it - even our Mexico exchange and Cruises - Now my boys are 18 & 20 and are even more in love with DVC (they also love that our points will be thier one day)

Everything were have done with DVC has been kid friendly beyond any other Vacation idea we have looked at

IMHO
Bob

 

[Slakk]

Do you think DVC membership is still worth it if someone likes to stay at the hotels instead of their home resort. I am considering membership but with a DD10 and DS8 I am more inclined to stay at some more kid friendly hotels(Poly,CSR etc) than at SSR where the memberships are being sold right now.

Or is the exchange rate on points too steep that it makes it not a good value?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

I think you need to do some more investigation because you do not understand DVC yet. SSR may be your home resort but at the 7 month mark you can make reservations at ANY of the DVC resorts - OKW, BWV, BCV, VWL, HH or VB.

I have stayed at Poly and CSR and to me they are less kid friendly then any DVC hotel and especially SSR which my 9 year old LOVES.

DVC is not for everyone - those of us that it fits love it but for some you like concierge or are happy in a regular hotel room then it is not for you.

You indicated you wanted to do a split, if that is the case you are better off going through CRO for a DVC room then buying.

 

[JRDisneyClan]

Do you think DVC membership is still worth it if someone likes to stay at the hotels instead of their home resort. I am considering membership but with a DD10 and DS8 I am more inclined to stay at some more kid friendly hotels(Poly,CSR etc) than at SSR where the memberships are being sold right now.

Or is the exchange rate on points too steep that it makes it not a good value?

If you're more inclined to stay at the hotels than any DVC resort, then definitely NOT worth it. Agree with other posters, DVC is probably more kid-friendly than not compared to the hotels, but a big reason to consider DVC membership is lifetime (or even mid-term) value for the money if you're making regular WDW trips because with the amount of money you're saving in arguably better accomodations you could spend a month straight at TL or BB paying full price everyday.

One benefit not mentioned yet is pool hopping, subject to capacity restrictions, to all Disney resort pools except for SAB & Uzima. That's practically ANY pool on property. Try one, try 'em all...your choice. That could easily be an entire trip all by itself.

The fact that the membership being sold "right now" is SSR is totally irrelevant. There's no need to stay at your "home" resort & there's 5 (soon to be more) to choose from. Your home resort is only beneficial for the 11 month booking window, so it really doesn't matter where you buy...it just so happens that Disney's "current" property is SSR. They offer contracts for their old resorts, but typically, prices on those are better on the secondary market.

Membership is worth it if you make the annual or bi-annual trip to WDW, but if you're concerned about not being at THE pool you want or money is no object & you'd prefer to stay at different places around the World, then it would probably never be worth it.

 

[dwelty]

I should clarify. My 'kid friendly' comment was referring to the bigger kid type slides at the Poly and CSR. I agree about the rooms and related amenities. That is why I am considering membership. I haven't stayed at the WL and would like to but I could do that in the Villas as that is in the DVC.

I also would like to try the GF and CR and Poly again for the monorail aspect, so over the next 10 years it would probably be a mix between DVC resorts and the others.

I have to disagree with the pool comparison. We just got back from SSR. my 16 year old son and 4 year old daughter LOVED the pool and slide. They both convinced us to take a day off of the parks to spend at the pool. The unofficial WDW guide (Widely considered the best guide to WDW) rates the SSR pool complex one of the top 3 pools in all of WDW.

 

[byoung]

I think the DVC are more kid freindly.

 

[TDC Nala]

Do you think DVC membership is still worth it if someone likes to stay at the hotels instead of their home resort. I am considering membership but with a DD10 and DS8 I am more inclined to stay at some more kid friendly hotels(Poly,CSR etc) than at SSR where the memberships are being sold right now.

Or is the exchange rate on points too steep that it makes it not a good value?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

No. If you'd rather stay at Poly or CSR then don't buy DVC and use the points to stay there. The point requirements are very high for the resorts.

If you buy at SSR you don't have to stay there. You could stay at any of the DVC resorts if you book 7 months out.

Don't know how much you have looked into the DVC resorts, but SSR and OKW both have pool slides comparable to the one at the Polynesian, although maybe not as long as the one at CSR. BWV has the longest pool slide at WDW at Luna Park. BCV has access to Stormalong Bay.

If your main interest is staying on the monorail line, you may have to wait and see what happens with the Contemporary.

 

[Melrosgirl]

No, DVC members need to stay at DVC resort the majority of the time in order for it to be worth it.

 

[NEMO344]

No, DVC members need to stay at DVC resort the majority of the time in order for it to be worth it.

I think staying at a dVC resort is the best. We have stayed at OKW and Boardwalk. We enjoy having two bedrooms,kitchen,washer ect.. We two young adults 17 and 15 that enjoy staying there

 

[milmom6]

When you say it is not worth it to stay in other places, I am confused. I can stay in other countries for 124 points for 8 days. I can stay in Canada for 8 points a night. Isn't that a better value and worth it? Maybe I am missing something? I am brand new, don't even have my paperwork yet and trying to learn.