Is this something that I should think about doing?

[Disneyhenry]

WE (DH, DS age 2 and me) will be going to WDW at least every other year, if not every year. I am really thinking about becoming a DVC member, either at OKW or AKL, I have been reading up on DVC and trying to understand it all. We are going to WDW in September of this year and I am thinking of joining DVC in November or December when I get a bonus check.
If I do join will I be able to use points in Cali or Hawaii? We are also going on DCL in September and thinking of doing a cruise every other year.....
Ideas and opinions please

 

[makotara]

Our home resort is BLT. Unless you are buying a resale, you cannot buy OKW. I don't recommend using points for the cruise, they want an exorbitant number of them, but you can do a partial points/partial cash payment. You can use the points in Disneyland.

The biggest deciding factor is if the economics work for you--if you generally do Disney on a budget, like stay at the value resorts, then DVC is NOT for you. But, if you like to stay at the more expensive places, the cost basis makes sense.

Warning, if you buy it, youWILL go more often! Buy more points than you think you need--80 percent of owners buy additional points.

 

[dbs1228]

You can buy OKW direct actually you can buy any of the resorts direct, they may have limited UY or you may have to wait for DVC to get the property through ROFR but it is certainly doable. When looking at any property always check the resales 1st but note you cannot use resale points for DCL. My best advise is to read, read, read these boards have a wealth of information! The more knowledge you have the better decision you will be able to make. Good luck.

 

[Sandisw]

If you buy your points via the resale market, you will not be able to use them for things like the Disney cruise.

If you buy direct through Disney, at this time, those options are available.

As far as the DVC resorts in Hawaii and in California, yes, you can use AKV or OKW points there and will be able to book at those resorts 7 months out.

Disney will sell you any of the resorts, even ones that are considered 'sold out". However, as mentioned, you may have to wait for points or be limited in what UY you can get.

But, if you want to save money, and can live without using points for the Disney collection like cruises, then definitely check out the resale market.

The price difference is around $30 or more for the two resorts you mention over what Disney is charging for them.

Good luck!

 

[robertdangelo]

Keep in mind, OKW contracts end in 2042, unless you purchase a contract that has the 15 year extension to 2057. AKV contracts end in 2057.
If you plan on going every other year, you could purchase a smaller contract(s) via resale. By banking and borrowing you can use ever other year. Yu could purchase two small contracts, one at OWK and the other at AKV, so you have 11 month booking window at each and alternate where you go.
Good luck!

 

[Buckeye Fan]

Ideas and opinions please

We purchased back in 2007, and have never looked back! It has been a great decision for us, and we've added on three times since. Hopefully you have read about maintenance fees, as there is a cost to purchase points, plus annual maintenance fees range from mid $3.00 range up to almost $7.00 per point.

With that said, one thing you may want to consider is buying small contracts in increments. They fetch a higher price on the resale market, and give you more options if you want sell some, but not all points down the road. Downside of that is paying closing costs multiple times. If you buy resale, you may be able to negotiate having the seller pay closing costs and/or the current year's maintenance fees.

If I were you, and was serious about buying in, I would find out how many points I would need to stay in Sept, and consider buying a small contract for that trip. You can bank and/or borrow, depending on your UY, and use those points for that trip. Then, use the money you would be spending on your trip to pay for some or all of the contract. We took a trip in Dec '06, and purchased in Jan '07. Makes me sick that I could have joined earlier, taken that same trip, and put all that money toward points I could use for a long time versus just throwing it away.

Good luck!

 

[Owishingonastar]

Keep in mind, OKW contracts end in 2042, unless you purchase a contract that has the 15 year extension to 2057. AKV contracts end in 2057.
Good luck!

That means no longer DVC there?

 

[robertdangelo]

That means no longer DVC there?

When The Contracts end, Disney may offer an extension to current owners(done well in advance) or may sell new contracts on the property. Disney may convert units to be rented out for cash as well. Disney may decide to sell off, close or re-build/re-theme properties. In the case of OKW, they offered the extension a couple years ago and they didn't sell as well as planned... partly because it's hard to justify spending money now on something that far down the road. OKW will still be operating, at least part of it till 2057.

 

[jngwright]

Keep in mind, OKW contracts end in 2042, unless you purchase a contract that has the 15 year extension to 2057. AKV contracts end in 2057.
If you plan on going every other year, you could purchase a smaller contract(s) via resale. By banking and borrowing you can use ever other year. Yu could purchase two small contracts, one at OWK and the other at AKV, so you have 11 month booking window at each and alternate where you go.
Good luck!

If you buy OKW direct, you get the 2057 end date.

To the OP-I wish (as everyone always says!) that we had done it sooner. My kids are 8 and we have gone every year since they were little tykes. Good luck with your decision! We chose OKW because we liked the resort and will be happy staying there, good price per point (for a direct sale), and good points value.

 

[pyrxtc]

WE (DH, DS age 2 and me) will be going to WDW at least every other year, if not every year. I am really thinking about becoming a DVC member, either at OKW or AKL, I have been reading up on DVC and trying to understand it all. We are going to WDW in September of this year and I am thinking of joining DVC in November or December when I get a bonus check.
If I do join will I be able to use points in Cali or Hawaii? We are also going on DCL in September and thinking of doing a cruise every other year.....
Ideas and opinions please

I think that if I had a family of your size then I would not even be looking at DVC. We bought because DVC was cheaper than renting 2 rooms for my family. We do not fit into a standard Disney room. If we had only 3 people, I would be grabbing onto the free dining deals and all the other discounts they are throwing out there.

 

[FindingFigment]

If we had only 3 people, I would be grabbing onto the free dining deals and all the other discounts they are throwing out there.

How long do you expect those deals to be around? I would think after the economy starts to turn around, those deals will dry up and the price of DVC will begin to rise. So buying DVC now makes more sense over the long haul, especially since the price of dues each year will be cheaper than any deal Disney has on their cash rooms.

I think DVC Studios are better than standard hotel rooms but because they have (except OKW) a sofa to sit on when you're watching TV plus you get a private balcony (not available in the value/mods), a microwave and a refrigerator (not available in the values unless you request and pay extra for it).

And there is always the option of renting or buying points (via transfer from another member) to spring for larger accomodations if/when you want to bring friends or family.

But if the 40% off deals were always going to be around, I would say DVC may not be worth it. But if you believe they may go away or dwindle down to being rare offers that are hard to find, then I think you should give DVC a try.

 

[Disneyhenry]

I really appreciate eveyone's comments here. True on how much $$ will I save with still having to buy tickets and food. With just the 3 of us (our other kids are 25,23,22 & 17) we better not be having anymore LOL. Our older kids pretty much have their own lives and don't really want to go on vacation with us....so yeah just the 3 of us it may not be worth it, I have been going to WDW since 2002 and I have always found some type of discount

 

[crabbie1]

I think that if I had a family of your size then I would not even be looking at DVC. We bought because DVC was cheaper than renting 2 rooms for my family. We do not fit into a standard Disney room. If we had only 3 people, I would be grabbing onto the free dining deals and all the other discounts they are throwing out there.

We are are family of 3 and intend to buy this year.Its not per person its per unit and I mch prefer the deluxe resorts.Also if you like SSR and OKW(I love OKW) those are the only deluxes that UK guests get a big discount on with free DDP.I want to stay at other resorts and for the money I have paid renting points and spending on disney hotels the last 5 years I may as well have bought DVC back then.I know couples that have bought into DVC so saying smaller families or couples shouldnt bother isn't strictly right.We intend to go every year and buy 100 points at AKLV and 100 at another resort. Would like OKW and my rep phoned tonight and said points do become availible as resale as disney buy them back(not quite 100% sure what he meant).He would look to see what will be availible when we meet up with him. Buying this way we can borrow 100 for aklv one year to have 200 points then borrow 100 for the other resort the following year.At least this way we can still book at the 11th month window at both resorts.(hopefully)

 

[taaren]

If I do join will I be able to use points in Cali or Hawaii? We are also going on DCL in September and thinking of doing a cruise every other year.....
Ideas and opinions please

You would be able to use your points at the Villas at the Grand Californian or Aulani, but keep in mind that there's only 50 villas at GC so they do get booked up quickly and you might not be able to get in at 7 months (people have had varied experiences waitlisting so far). Nobody knows how Aulani is going to be for availability yet, but its a larger resort so probably easier.
Cruises are arguably not the best fiscal use of points and if you buy resale you can't use points on cruises (or DLH or PPH for that matter if VGC is booked). If you buy direct you can. If you plan on using your points in the Western U.S. you might want to think about buying VGC or AHV, or even getting smaller contracts on each coast, esp if you're planning on EOY.
DVC is definitely something that is worth thinking about, but its not for everybody since it is a huge financial commitment.

 

[ToddyLu]

DH and I do not have children and we always stayed at value resorts until we purchased DVC. We saw the value in Pop and DVC. We are at a point in life where I want the palm trees around my swimming pool and a refrigerator in which to cool my drinks (not having to walk down a hall just for ice--and then it be out). Our SV studios at AKV paying OOP would be around $3500 for the length of time and month we travel (with no discounts). We have already had two trips, getting two studios each time and will have two trips this year with three studios. 2+2+3=7 x $3500 is of course $24,500....so we are already up to our buy in cost in 3 years of ownership. Of course this is very simplistic math but you can see the point. I wanted the value of my trips to be deluxe regardless of a "discount". My trips to Disney are important to me and DH and this is how we roll now.

Of course I expect most people love the discounts and so many people plan their trips around discounts so they can afford vacation. We are going to Disney every year come hell, high water or discounts. I am not trying to demean anyone--goodness knows I had wonderful camping trips as a child because that is what my Mama and Daddy could afford. But this October DH and I get to treat them to a savanna view studio at AKV-K in a world class vacation destination---that is PRICELESS !

 

[Kidanifan08]

We are a family of 3, and we love being DVC members. We are "older" parents of an almost 5 yo, and we love having the extra space and luxury amenities. We have done value and moderate resorts, and it is not nearly as relaxing as a 1BR villa. Of course, the 1BR's have King beds in the BR, so we end up sharing with the boy for the week. The only way around this would be to put him on the sofa couch or chair, get a 2BR (which would be a little pricey), or get a Studio, which has a queen and queen sleeper sofa. Once he is older, he will move to one of the other beds in the 1BR.

You should study the points chart closely to see how many points you need for the type of room you want during the year. Once you figure that out, you should add a few points to build in a cushion for the possible point re-allocations that occur from time to time.

Resale could save you thousands. AKV direct current offers:

$120 base price less $6 promotional discount; 100-159 points
$120 base price less $8 promotional discount; 160-219 points
$120 base price less $16 promotional discount; 220-319 points

AKV resales are going for the mid-70's to low 80's. As noted by others, you can no longer use resale for DCL, but it is probably not a wise use of points anyway. Remember, it can take up to 8 weeks to complete a resale transaction, so time your offer accordingly if you know when you want to use your points for the first time.

You will have a chance to meet with DVC representatives on your cruise. Study these pages before your trip and be armed with questions. Buy where you want to stay. You get the 11 month booking advantage with your home resort, which may be critical if you want to take your little one during Christmas or Spring Break. Some of the resale prices per point are very enticing as certain resorts, but if it is not a place where you see yourself staying most of the time, it may not be worth the savings.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[taurus8012]

DH and I do not have children and we always stayed at value resorts until we purchased DVC. We saw the value in Pop and DVC. We are at a point in life where I want the palm trees around my swimming pool and a refrigerator in which to cool my drinks (not having to walk down a hall just for ice--and then it be out). Our SV studios at AKV paying OOP would be around $3500 for the length of time and month we travel (with no discounts). We have already had two trips, getting two studios each time and will have two trips this year with three studios. 2+2+3=7 x $3500 is of course $24,500....so we are already up to our buy in cost in 3 years of ownership. Of course this is very simplistic math but you can see the point. I wanted the value of my trips to be deluxe regardless of a "discount". My trips to Disney are important to me and DH and this is how we roll now.

Of course I expect most people love the discounts and so many people plan their trips around discounts so they can afford vacation. We are going to Disney every year come hell, high water or discounts. I am not trying to demean anyone--goodness knows I had wonderful camping trips as a child because that is what my Mama and Daddy could afford. But this October DH and I get to treat them to a savanna view studio at AKV-K in a world class vacation destination---that is PRICELESS !

Amen ........ I could not have said it any better than that........my exact feelings from start to finish

 

[nunzia]

You would be able to use your points at the Villas at the Grand Californian or Aulani, but keep in mind that there's only 50 villas at GC so they do get booked up quickly and you might not be able to get in at 7 months (people have had varied experiences waitlisting so far). Nobody knows how Aulani is going to be for availability yet, but its a larger resort so probably easier.
Cruises are arguably not the best fiscal use of points and if you buy resale you can't use points on cruises (or DLH or PPH for that matter if VGC is booked). If you buy direct you can. If you plan on using your points in the Western U.S. you might want to think about buying VGC or AHV, or even getting smaller contracts on each coast, esp if you're planning on EOY.
DVC is definitely something that is worth thinking about, but its not for everybody since it is a huge financial commitment.

I agree with this..VGC is sold out, so you'd need to wait for Disney to have some points or..buy resale which limits options a bit. There is a rumor of another DVC at DLR in a 4th tower being talked about at the Disneyland Hotel.
If you just want to take yearly or every other yearly trips and only need studios (though you'd be surprised how often other vacationing scenarios will open up if you have all those different point options) your best solution might be a very small resale contract if Disney has their minimum buy in as 160, although I had heard 100 was happening.
Also..if you really want small increment contracts without the Disney minimum, you can do what I did..I bought a 25 point OKW resale. Then while in Disney system I bought all my other contracts in small increments direct from Disney (I have 60, 65 and 2 50s at VGC), then I sold OKW resale..after all was said and done (I'd used and rented out OKW points) I pretty much broke even. So..I have direct from Disney purchased points on my terms and can use them for all the currently available options. I have also heard that Disney is beginning to charge closing costs on add ons, which they didn't when I did all of mine, so that may need to be taken into consideration for multiple small point contracts.
I notice this year that free dining is only for mods and up..not values..discounts may be slipping away. I go to DLR and they don't have free dining anyway..or even a feasible dining plan, so that has never factored into my decisions.