Jawdropping Value...

[Winksst]

So in other words, if you have the money to pay for or subsidize other people's vacations, DVC is for you!

Just messing with you. I'm glad you are happy with the purchase.

That's funny!!! Only points I'm not gonna be using. I'm not giving my points up willy nilly. Like next year...we just purchased (waiting on the closing) and Disney gave us an April use year with points for 2011, which are being banked. So next year we'll have 440 points. There's no way we're going to be able to use all of those. I'm not even sure we're going to be able to use the 220 2011 points. Sooooo next year I'll be able to help my friends out or I might just rent them outright. Who knows. But it's all so fun to think about!!!

 

[psac]

Especially with a resale purchase, I agree with the OP's subject. It's a great value savings, even with 35% discounts. Even though we weren't renting 1BR villas before, we were renting the larger "deluxe" rooms at the deluxe resorts -- e.g., "King Deluxe" at GF, "Boardwalk View Deluxe Room" at BWI, etc. For those, even with the 35-40% room discounts, daily rates were in the $600+/night range(!), partially because those rooms are in the club levels of those resorts. So with our resale purchase, we're getting even larger rooms with a break-even time not too far out in the future. In terms of going to disney regularly, you can see from my sig that this isn't a problem.

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

Perhaps I am mistaken, but I do not think Disney offers free dining or large discounts for stays at peak times like Christmas. This makes DVC a better value for those of us who only travel at that time IMHO!! I realize it costs more points for Premier season, but it is also expensive to stay at deluxe villas at that time as well.

Not only that, but there is no availability at BLT for MK view during our dates. The past two years, when I booked on cash ressies, I booked at this time of year. Now, when I look to try to see how much it would have cost us (or to figure out how much we are ``saving`` being new DVC owners) I only see availability for a lakeview studio THAT`S IT!!

This makes me even happier and adds an extra non monetary value to my DVC ownership

 

[kurlyred]

Song of the South,

Our very first DVC trip was much like that. We took 10 days, 5 at VWL and 5 at AKV. When I did the rack room rate math, it was 60% of what we paid to purchase our DVC points. Now, I totally realize that rarely do people book on rack room rates, and that I have to factor in my maint fees, etc....but still it made me feel REALLY GOOD about my purchase!

-KJ

 

[chainkid]

I think DVC is definitely worth it if you are someone who is not happy cramming into a value or moderate resort. I stayed at a value once and I'm a snob ..never again. i would rather never go to WDW than have that experience again. DVC is perfect for me as I love to bring my whole extended family with me and stay at the boardwalk. i did pay rack rates to stay there before buying in so I'm the kind of family that will save money long term. In fact I could sell my membership today for about what i paid for it in 1998 and have had numerous trips for the cost of maintenance fees only. Ofcourse i paid cash and didn't finance points. I also bought direct from disney. I plan to use my points to spend a couple months in Disney during the winter months when i retire. It is cheaper than trying to maintain a home and much more flexible. DVC is not for everyone and it is not cheap but it does allow my family to take luxury vacations rather than value vacations more than once a year. I have never regretted buying and only wish I had bought sooner.

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

I think DVC is definitely worth it if you are someone who is not happy cramming into a value or moderate resort. I stayed at a value once and I'm a snob ..never again. i would rather never go to WDW than have that experience again. DVC is perfect for me as I love to bring my whole extended family with me and stay at the boardwalk. i did pay rack rates to stay there before buying in so I'm the kind of family that will save money long term. In fact I could sell my membership today for about what i paid for it in 1998 and have had numerous trips for the cost of maintenance fees only. Ofcourse i paid cash and didn't finance points. I also bought direct from disney. I plan to use my points to spend a couple months in Disney during the winter months when i retire. It is cheaper than trying to maintain a home and much more flexible. DVC is not for everyone and it is not cheap but it does allow my family to take luxury vacations rather than value vacations more than once a year. I have never regretted buying and only wish I had bought sooner.

I love this idea!!!!!

 

[mom of princessx2]

Perhaps I am mistaken, but I do not think Disney offers free dining or large discounts for stays at peak times like Christmas. This makes DVC a better value for those of us who only travel at that time IMHO!! I realize it costs more points for Premier season, but it is also expensive to stay at deluxe villas at that time as well.

That is so true!! My dh is always calling me help co-workers get a better Disney deal. Right now he is out of town and an employee there is looking into going the first wek of April (their springbreak). I was floored at the prices she was quoted for 2 rooms for 7 days, with base tickets and DDP-
GF-12,741
AK-10,469
POR-5,953

2 of those are more than we paid for our points and we are going 3 times in the next 12 months!!

Love the fact that we can travel whenever and do not have to worry if a discount is available!! Gotta love the DVC

 

[lugnut33]

You need to consider the cost over the life of ownership and the fact that you will be forced to vacation and spend thousands of dollars for travel, food, tickets, and other expenses and these costs increase every year. Don't forget the cost of selling your ownership when you get ready to do so and the fact that the resale value may be thousands less than what you paid.

One last thought is that most people book with a AP, Free Dining, Chase, AAA, or other discount so the savings is harder to track.

DVC can save you money on the room but you have to be a family that has been going on vacation every year to WDW or DL.

Bill

I don't really care about costs, I just want to stay in a nice place at Disney once a year for a week. That's all.

 

[disneynutz]

I don't really care about costs, I just want to stay in a nice place at Disney once a year for a week. That's all.

You might consider staying at a deluxe resort concierge. You get daily turn down service and a VIP lounge with food and drink.

Bill

 

[BUDDYBEAR]

Thanks all for the info

 

[kendzee94]

Everytime we almost break even, we add on, so a few more years for us. However, my rack rate THV (no discounts available at Christmas) would be appx $9500, but I'm paying 451 points! Yes, I drink the Kool-aid!

 

[lovin'fl]

If you are happy and willing to "cram" 5 people (including 3 teenagers?) into a regular room, deferring to cost, then DVC was probably never right for you. In general, if cost is the unmitigated, bottom line consideration, then DVC isn't right.

We like to vacation when we go on vacation. With 5 people in a room, I don't know how anybody sleeps? Aren't people getting up during the night to use the bathroom? People wake up at different times of the morning? Climbing over bags, stuff.....yikes.
We work way too hard to come home from vacation having not been able to rest.

I am one of ten children. I remember our first trip to WDW, all 12 of us. My dad had us in 3 rooms at the Royal Plaza. After the first night, he went to the front desk and got a 4th room for he and my mom. I was 6 years old, and always remember asking him why he was moving to a different room? He said, "So I can sleep".

You can analyze the costs six ways to Sunday, but the reality is that if cost is the primary issue then it's probably hard to argue that DVC works. For us it's simple: We like bringing our kids to WDW, and we like having all that room. Therefore, it's worth it for us.

I also come from the other side of the issue here b/c we DID pay "those" rates for 2 years. We spent nearly $10,000 on a 2 Bedroom at BCV over two vacations.

I understand that value is in the eye of the beholder. What works for one might not work for others. This is a luxury expenditure, so there are obviously different opinions as to the relative nature of the "value" of DVC. It works if you go to WDW a lot, and if you really only want to stay in deluxe accommodations. Otherwise it's value is probably negligible.

But I do contend that cramming 5 "full sized" people into one room is not a very relaxing vacation!

I suppose it has been a good buy for us because we do have a hard time staying in a regular hotel room with all 5 of us...even with just 4 of us, yet we would never pay the $5300 for a week in a 2BR at OKW. I guess we look at all the beach trips we've done where we rented a 2BR condo and it's always been for $2000...give or take a couple hundred. And if we rented the 260 points we used for our 2BR at OKW, it would have cost us, what?, $2600. That seems more reasonable to me. I guess, in response to the OP, I don't feel that after 3 or 4 trips and we've broken even...there are more factors than just what the stay would cost for cash paying customers. We've actually used 1400 points to book about 7 trips...some for us, some for our inlaws and some our friends rented from us. And I feel we are about halfway to break even point(1 more year and we'll have gotten what we paid for the membership and then a few more years to make up for the annual dues). Overall, I am glad we have the DVC and even keep looking at adding on. But, the OP's big 'value' calculations aren't quite that simple. Though I guess it can be that simple, if you feel you've gotten your value and I do understand how some folks might feel that even after just 1 DVC vacation.

 

[disfanforlife]

We analyzed some of the pricing before we purchased, but now that we own DVC I don't think about if we have broken even or not. As long as we can afford the MF, and the rest of the expenses for the trip I really don't care! We made The decision to buy and now I just want to enjoy it for the next 40 or however many years it is enjoyable to us!!!

 

[kurlyred]

I am SOO with you. If I have the means, I will acquire enough points to make DVC hopping my home in my retired years!

Call me crazy, I don't mind...I like the flavor of kool-aid!

I, too, wish I had bought in sooner, and even regret my OTHER (GASP, say it isn't so) non-Disney timeshare purchase because I don't enjoy it as much.

-KJ

 

[nuts]

and the fact that you will be forced to vacation
Bill

And this is a problem?

 

[Pennyguy23]

We would prolly stay in a moderate but wouldn't enjoy it as much. So people can analyze it anyway they want. But now we are moving up to a 1br from now on. We have a one year old now. I have a new job so we can only go once or twice a year. Before we would go atleast 3 times. So more points to use on the other vacations. That is the great thing about DVC, it makes you splurge on the room. ON EVERY TRIP!

 

[Pennyguy23]

I think DVC is definitely worth it if you are someone who is not happy cramming into a value or moderate resort. I stayed at a value once and I'm a snob ..never again. i would rather never go to WDW than have that experience again. DVC is perfect for me as I love to bring my whole extended family with me and stay at the boardwalk. i did pay rack rates to stay there before buying in so I'm the kind of family that will save money long term. In fact I could sell my membership today for about what i paid for it in 1998 and have had numerous trips for the cost of maintenance fees only. Ofcourse i paid cash and didn't finance points. I also bought direct from disney. I plan to use my points to spend a couple months in Disney during the winter months when i retire. It is cheaper than trying to maintain a home and much more flexible. DVC is not for everyone and it is not cheap but it does allow my family to take luxury vacations rather than value vacations more than once a year. I have never regretted buying and only wish I had bought sooner.

Hate to say it but we are snobs also when it comes to our DVC. We stayed in a value two nights last year because our waitlist didn't come through. We have never stayed away from our hotel that long in a day EVER and those bus lines were crazy!!

 

[lugnut33]

You might consider staying at a deluxe resort concierge. You get daily turn down service and a VIP lounge with food and drink.

Bill

I should have been a bit more clear, I don't care about the fees associated with owning DVC as long as I have a nice place to stay at Disney.

We have a comfortable amount of points (170), so it's not like we are over-extended at one vacation place.

 

[BlakeNJ]

Song of the South,

Our very first DVC trip was much like that. We took 10 days, 5 at VWL and 5 at AKV. When I did the rack room rate math, it was 60% of what we paid to purchase our DVC points. Now, I totally realize that rarely do people book on rack room rates, and that I have to factor in my maint fees, etc....but still it made me feel REALLY GOOD about my purchase!

-KJ

Not totally sure about "rarely do people book on rack rates". I often ask friends around town who have a Disney vacation planned where they are staying and did they get a good rate. They look at me like I'm crazy when I follow up asking them if they used a code or other discount. I can't tell you how many times I've e-mail friends about "free dining" or other discounts. If you aren't looking for it, it's not always right in front of you. I booked our first WDW vacation back in 2005 at rack rate. I stumbled on the Dis and the rest if history!

DVC has been a good value for us. I didn't care for the value resorts so a moderate would have been the way to go for us. With 3 kids in our room, vacations were getting stressful for us. We needed more room. DVC is a perfect fit for us.

 

[adminjedi]

DVC has been a good value for us. I didn't care for the value resorts so a moderate would have been the way to go for us. With 3 kids in our room, vacations were getting stressful for us. We needed more room. DVC is a perfect fit for us.

We don't care for the value resorts and we have 5 kids! 2bdrm villas for us!