Is the DVC right for us?

[BadgerRob]

This is my first post and I need a little guidance. We just returned from a week on the Magic were we met with the DVC sales staff. Now we are considering joining the DVC but we are not sure if it right for us. The sales staff said our vacation plans were not typical of other DVC members but they assured us that the DVC would fit our needs. We are thinking about purchasing two - 200 point contracts in SSR and possible purchasing one or two additional 100 point contracts later. I guess what I am looking for is feed back and options before we jump in.

A little about us - Our family consists of 3 members, my wife, myself, and our 9 year old son. We like to travel and typical take a 7 to 10 day vacation every year in addition to a couple of long weekend trips. Thinking we will have 9 or 10 more "family" vacations before our son enters college we have created a list of vacations we plan to do. Starting with Disney based vacations we might visit DL twice - once with my side of the family and once with the wife's. We also plan to take the eastern cruise on the magic and possible other cruises that Disney may offer on the west cost. (Yes the Magic hooked us on cruising). Other future vacations include: a week at a dude ranch, an Alaskan cruise, a Hawaiian vacation, and at least 1 trip to Europe. The DVC literature list all of these as options but how difficult is to get a reservation out side of a Disney resort? Are there other timeshares that might work better for our needs? Is there any other DVC members that vacation primarily outside of the Disney resorts?

Thanks

 

[spiceycat]

DVC is very expensive so to use it mostly out of the DVC resorts is not a wise move.

But DVC for the DVC resorts - start with a small contract then add on if necessary.

- cruises - you can generally get a cash discount that would beat using your DVC points - but I don't know I haven't got the cruise bug yet.

for your other places - you might try Marriott (resale) - other like Fairfield (only buy resales) -

there is much cheaper ways of during what you plan than using DVC points.

kept in mind that you will be paying the annual fees every year and you need to get your money's worth out of them - okay I am cheap!!!

please go join
www.tug2.net
before you buy any timeshare - now some of them think that DVC is a waste money - but hey if you love WDW and only want to stay on property - then DVC is it!!!

that is the best use of the DVC points to use on DVC property - this includes HH and VB, too.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

BadgerRob,

Glad to see you're doing your homework.

The one thing I don't see on your list of future trips is WDW!!!

You list DL as your future Disney based trips.

DVC might fit your needs but it would be at a premium without the flexibility of paying cash out right for those varied vacations.

The options offered outside of DVC resorts are varied and great as a supplement to DVC resort vacations. Many find it a convenience to be able to use their points for such a vacation experience even though they might not be getting the best deal out there.

But IMHO, if you are buying DVC points primarily to use OUTSIDE of the DVC resorts, you WILL be paying a premium to cruise or vacation outside of WDW without the flexibility or advantages of paying cash - such as discounts on cruises, dude ranches and other vacations outside of the Disney Collection.

Hope you have many years of wonderful vacations whatever you decide!

 

[DrTomorrow]

BadgerRob,

I agree with those who salute you for investigating before buying.

Now, DW and I just bought into SSR, and won't make our first trip "Home" until next May, but I'll give you my $.02, as one Big10 fan (Go Spartans!) to another.

From all of my research, the DVC might not be the best fit for your situation. As previously noted, you get the most value out of the DVC when you stay at DVC properties - currently only at WDW, Hilton Head and Vero Beach. It's like paying a high price for the right to have a limo drive you around, but deciding one week to drive a VW Beetle, then an SUV, then a Mini Cooper - all interesting to drive, but they cost a lot less than your limo. 400-600 seems like a lot of points for a family of three to take one 7-10 day trip a year - if you're buying more so you can exchange out of DVC, hmmmmm......

I don't know how easy it to do exchanges - those figure to be a very small part of our DVC ownership.

So while the DVC Sales folks didn't lie to you - you can do all you want through DVC - you are paying a premium for the convenience of dealing with them; and for a WDW location you're not going to use much.

Best of luck with your decision!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have to agree with the others. DVC is pricey from the standpoint of timeshares. That makes it an EASY thing to trade out, but not a good VALUE to trade out. A cheaper timeshare with less costly dues that is only used for trading would be your best bet. Now, if you plan to visit WDW at least everyother year and love to stay on-site, then maybe it would be for you, but I don't hear you saying those are your plans.

 

[BadgerRob]

Thanks for all of the information. I had already found the www.tug2.net but was a little overwhelmed by all of the information available. What we might end up doing is just purchasing one 200 point contract in the DVC and picking up another timeshare to trade. That way we can do Disney World or Euro Disney every 2 to 3 years and go to different locations on the other years. I am going to ask this question on the tug board, but if one has a recommendation where to buy a timeshare to trade I would like to hear it

Thanks again

 

[spiceycat]

I like to go to Orlando so I have a SA that works fine for me - I get to stay at the other timeshares in Orlando and still have my DVC (which is the best - my opinion)

anyplace that has great demand but not alot of timeshares.

where do you like to go on a weekend getaway? that is generally a good choice - but did resort areas like - Orlando, Branson, Williamsburg (and I believe Hilton Head - don't flame me - but the getaway prices on II have dropped awhole lot for this area lately - that could only happen when II has awhole lot of them)

You also need a place where if you find an exchange that you like - you won't mind going there.

You also need to pick which exchange company you like - RCI is definitely the biggest and it likes SA - II is another one - DVC and most of Marriott only exchange through II. some resorts have both - so you can decide for yourself which gives you the better trades.

there are also small exchanges system - that seem to work much better than the big guys.

you can rent a week at a timeshare and see how you like it before you buy it.

 

[Pa@okw95]

DVC is not for you. You plan on vacationing away from DVC that is the reason. You will be a lot better off just paying for those vacations without the use of DVC points. If there was anyone that should not be a DVC member it is you. Sorry but that is the truth.

 

[spiceycat]

one more - DVC salespeople are generally honest - that is why they didn't sell you a DVC when you asked to buy one -

other timeshares salespeople have been to know to promise anything and deliver nothing (my problem with Westgate I was lied too) - this happens alot with timeshares salespeople - the only one timeshares salespeople that I have method who have not lied me are Marriott - Fairfield was almost as bad as Westgate.

Don't believe anything sold to you by timeshares salespeople - go to tug and ask before you buy - they can generally send you to a resalers or a direct buy that will save 70 to 80% from buying directly through the developer. With Marriott you would not be able to trade your timeshare for points if you brought resales - which might do you some good - but do the pricing first. then find out what the points program would save you over the years - before you buy from Marriott - they are generally very helpful....

they and Disney like an informed buyers - other timeshare salespeople do not...

 

[BadgerRob]

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that has responded to my post. After doing more research, and reading your post, we have decided that the DVC would not fit our needs at this point in our lives.

Thanks

 

[poohj80]

Originally posted by BadgerRob
Thanks for all of the information. I had already found the www.tug2.net but was a little overwhelmed by all of the information available.

I have tried to find information on www.tug2.net but everywhere I clicked was a members only site. Is there any information available without becoming a member?

Thanks,
PJ

 

[Lisa P.]

Poohj80, the "Advice" articles are open access to the public. The forums or bulletin boards only require free registration. You may ask questions there even if you are not a member. For general timeshare questions, look through the Advice articles first, beginning with "Timesharing 101." After reading that and any other articles that seem useful to you, feel free to ask specific questions on the forums. HTH!

 

[Pig Pen]

We bought in thinking we would go to those "other places" once in awhile, but after staying in an on-site DVC, we have no plans to trade out for anything else. Why go to Hawaii when you can go to the Poly?

Mountain resort? Try the Wilderness.

Cape Cod? BCV

Jersey shore? BWV.

Golf and tennis? SSR.

And of course, OKW for those margarita nights.

I think we just said we would trade out for other vacation spots to justify to our relatives that we were buying into a Disney property.



Anyway, we figure if we get sick of WDW (no way) we will go to HH or try out our home resort, VB.