July 27, 2008 West Coast Magic - 10 Years of Magical Cruising

[kpros]

OK - time to bump us back to page 1. How's the weather out there? It's cooled down here in Ventura. Just a few more training days left before my San Francisco to LA bicycle ride. I'm looking forward to getting it done.

Have a great week everyone!

Ken

 

["Got Disney"]

Ken, was it HOT???? I musta missed it. LOL

Looks like our DVC guide might be on this cruise with us. Joan Lane, a great DVC guide. Lynn spoke to her the other day when she returned a call of mine telling her to let us know about the CA DVC when it is available. LOL

Thats funny....mine also said that she will most likely be on it

 

[Scott H]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";20856444]Thats funny....mine also said that she will most likely be on it [/QUOTE]

Coincidence, I think not

 

[seaulater]

Ken, was it HOT???? I musta missed it. LOL

Looks like our DVC guide might be on this cruise with us. Joan Lane, a great DVC guide. Lynn spoke to her the other day when she returned a call of mine telling her to let us know about the CA DVC when it is available. LOL

Glad to see you are lining up your next DVC purchase! However, you might have to buy at Contemporary first!

Kay was on the Wonder last weekend and Joan was on. She will be on the DVC member cruise, I'll try to get some info out of her.

 

["Got Disney"]

Ken, was it HOT???? I musta missed it. LOL

Looks like our DVC guide might be on this cruise with us. Joan Lane, a great DVC guide. Lynn spoke to her the other day when she returned a call of mine telling her to let us know about the CA DVC when it is available. LOL

Okay just got a call from my guide and she has said that she is know going in June and that Joan is the one....she laughed when I told her because she just found out herself.

I called her to let her know that I will be intersested in purchasing DVC/GCH pts when they come out so she put me on the list.

she said that they will sell fast and that they are expecting DVC members out here in the west to be the ones to scoop them up.

 

[Scott H]

How can they say it will sell fast if they won't admit it is being built????? LOL

 

[Scott H]

Oops, guess they did a press release today LOL.....

 

["Got Disney"]

Oops, guess they did a press release today LOL.....

 

[seaulater]

Oops, guess they did a press release today LOL.....

Please put link for press release!

Oh, never mind.......I found it in the Disney News, press release section! I emailed DVC and told them to put me on the waiting list (the one that doesn't exist) to possibly add points at GC!

I know Scott, you are already first in line................

 

[Scott H]

Please put link for press release!

Oh, never mind.......I found it in the Disney News, press release section! I emailed DVC and told them to put me on the waiting list (the one that doesn't exist) to possibly add points at GC!

I know Scott, you are already first in line................

It's a tradition, Lynn talked to Joan after we got back from DL and gopt on the list then. LOL

 

["Got Disney"]

It's a tradition, Lynn talked to Joan after we got back from DL and gopt on the list then. LOL

when I called about 3 weeks ago I could not get in touch with my guide because she was on DCL. So I contacted my Senior VCG and he said that 'sorry but we never take names for properties and we will not contact you as one comes available, it is up to you to contact us." I said that there are others being put on a list and he said that they are not and are just saying that.....Well yesterday got back in touch with my Guide and she put me on the list

his name is Tony Heard and he was a jerk. My guide is Anne Middlemiss and she is very nice. I will never bother with him again

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

It sounds like we're cruising with a bunch of DVC experts.

Listening to you all talk about it and now with the (slight) possibility of buying in California, it makes me what to look into "vacation ownership".

However, I keep running the numbers and it just doesn't work out for our family.

Let me go through what I'm thinking and the experts can tell me what I'm missing.

It sounds like the minimum cost is $15,000. Tack on at least an additional $10,000 for interest, cause God knows I don't have that kind of cash sitting around. So, that makes the total spent $25,000. Now, I figure at the very most I have 40 good years to travel left. So that works out to $625 per year.
[Deep breath] Now add to that annual maintenance fees of $700 (?) that gives me a total of $1325 per year. Divide that by the 7 nights per year I get to use the resort and it comes to $189.29 a night!! Now, I know that is a good deal to stay at the Grand Californian, but we normally don't stay there nor do we pay near that much for a motel at Disneyland.

Are my figures close? What have I missed?

 

[Scott H]

It sounds like we're cruising with a bunch of DVC experts.

Listening to you all talk about it and now with the (slight) possibility of buying in California, it makes me what to look into "vacation ownership".

However, I keep running the numbers and it just doesn't work out for our family.

Let me go through what I'm thinking and the experts can tell me what I'm missing.

It sounds like the minimum cost is $15,000. Tack on at least an additional $10,000 for interest, cause God knows I don't have that kind of cash sitting around. So, that makes the total spent $25,000. Now, I figure at the very most I have 40 good years to travel left. So that works out to $625 per year.
[Deep breath] Now add to that annual maintenance fees of $700 (?) that gives me a total of $1325 per year. Divide that by the 7 nights per year I get to use the resort and it comes to $189.29 a night!! Now, I know that is a good deal to stay at the Grand Californian, but we normally don't stay there nor do we pay near that much for a motel at Disneyland.

Are my figures close? What have I missed?

Tom the figures you crunched are right on. Not sure what maint fees would be on the DL DVC.

DVC is not for everone, it works for us as we tend to travel to WDW for a couple of weeks at a time, being able to cook our own meals really saves, and staying in a one bedroom unit is very nice for that klength of tiem. We haev exchanged our point for a trip to Hawaii, Tanzania, and several cruises.

It works for us. I would not purchase if the only place I were going to use my membership was at DL. There are plenty of nice properties close by at a much better rate.


Just my thoughts.

 

[kpros]

Shari and I talked a little about the new DVC property at DL. At this point we will probably not be adding points. But you never know.

Ken

 

[Scott H]

It will be interesting to see what the offers are. If we do get points there it may be just a few for the ocassional stay during the DL 1/2.

We are stoked for next year. Please put an order in fro reduced heat. LOL

 

["Got Disney"]

Also take into consideration that DL or any other disney property is going to go up. We look at it this way....it is not for the poor(to expensive) and not for the rich(they can afford the Deluxe) it is for the middle class folks that want to stay in deluxe resorts as the rich do.

We have a great income in the 6 figures and can afford to stay in the deluxe as we always did before DVC but we like that it is something we can own and share.

If you do not carry a AP at DL and like to stay at the GC which is over $400-600 a night than DVC is the way to go. DVC is also good for those that need to be forced to take a vacation every year or so.

We also have 2 kids that we will leave our deeds to since they are good for 50 years my 13 y,0 and 10 y.o will be in there 60's so can also use for his kids and his Grandkids. We plan on not only giving them the deeds but also willing them enough $$$ to pay for there yearly dues

If just me and Dh than we would have not purchased. Being that we can leave a gift of Disney for our kids, grandkids and great grandkids made it worth our $$$$

50 years is a long time and plan on buying more. We want to leave at least 300 pts to each son. We have also financed the pts and are trying to pay off as fast as we can. If it takes 10 years and all that interest so be it.

We pay $416 mo right know for the 400 pts and around $1600 in annual dues. We can afford it but after 10 years we will have 40 years left to enjoy just paying the dues. Also dont forget that you can write off the interest also every year.

 

["Got Disney"]

Shari and I talked a little about the new DVC property at DL. At this point we will probably not be adding points. But you never know.

Ken

Good that means more for me

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";20892777]Also take into consideration that DL or any other disney property is going to go up. We look at it this way....it is not for the poor(to expensive) and not for the rich(they can afford the Deluxe) it is for the middle class folks that want to stay in deluxe resorts as the rich do.

We have a great income in the 6 figures and can afford to stay in the deluxe as we always did before DVC but we like that it is something we can own and share.

If you do not carry a AP at DL and like to stay at the GC which is over $400-600 a night than DVC is the way to go. DVC is also good for those that need to be forced to take a vacation every year or so.

We also have 2 kids that we will leave our deeds to since they are good for 50 years my 13 y,0 and 10 y.o will be in there 60's so can also use for his kids and his Grandkids. We plan on not only giving them the deeds but also willing them enough $$$ to pay for there yearly dues

If just me and Dh than we would have not purchased. Being that we can leave a gift of Disney for our kids, grandkids and great grandkids made it worth our $$$$

50 years is a long time and plan on buying more. We want to leave at least 300 pts to each son. We have also financed the pts and are trying to pay off as fast as we can. If it takes 10 years and all that interest so be it.

We pay $416 mo right know for the 400 pts and around $1600 in annual dues. We can afford it but after 10 years we will have 40 years left to enjoy just paying the dues. Also dont forget that you can write off the interest also every year.[/QUOTE]

Dangit. I forgot to factor in that the rates we currently pay for rooms will go up, while the only the Maintence of the DVC will go up.

Back to the drawing board/excel spreadsheet.

 

[ImTooExcitedToSleep]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";20892777]We also have 2 kids that we will leave our deeds to since they are good for 50 years my 13 y,0 and 10 y.o will be in there 60's so can also use for his kids and his Grandkids. We plan on not only giving them the deeds but also willing them enough $$$ to pay for there yearly dues [/QUOTE]

Will you adopt me????

 

[Scott H]

[QUOTE="Got Disney";20892777]Also take into consideration that DL or any other disney property is going to go up. We look at it this way....it is not for the poor(to expensive) and not for the rich(they can afford the Deluxe) it is for the middle class folks that want to stay in deluxe resorts as the rich do.

We have a great income in the 6 figures and can afford to stay in the deluxe as we always did before DVC but we like that it is something we can own and share.

If you do not carry a AP at DL and like to stay at the GC which is over $400-600 a night than DVC is the way to go. DVC is also good for those that need to be forced to take a vacation every year or so.

We also have 2 kids that we will leave our deeds to since they are good for 50 years my 13 y,0 and 10 y.o will be in there 60's so can also use for his kids and his Grandkids. We plan on not only giving them the deeds but also willing them enough $$$ to pay for there yearly dues

If just me and Dh than we would have not purchased. Being that we can leave a gift of Disney for our kids, grandkids and great grandkids made it worth our $$$$

50 years is a long time and plan on buying more. We want to leave at least 300 pts to each son. We have also financed the pts and are trying to pay off as fast as we can. If it takes 10 years and all that interest so be it.

We pay $416 mo right know for the 400 pts and around $1600 in annual dues. We can afford it but after 10 years we will have 40 years left to enjoy just paying the dues. Also dont forget that you can write off the interest also every year.[/QUOTE]

Robin, most excellent points.

I totally forgot about the rates going up, also the cost of DVC points have gone up. We started as members in 1991.

We are DINKS, and there for no kiddies to leave the points to, might leave to Make a Wish or similar charity.

We have enjoyed many a great vacation that we would not have due to DVC.

One guide made mention of purchasing several smaller contracts as they would be easier to leave for family members. i.e. get two 150 contracts instead of one 300 contract.

We love our DVC.

Would have loved a DVC unit with a kitchen for the DL 1/2.

Historically dues have not skyrocketed. This is a good thing.