Just about to buy in and need some advice...

[MISSINWDW]

So we are about to put our hats in the ring for a re-sale DVC. It's 180 points at AKL. We picked that point amount because I am gung-ho but DH is dragging his feet so I want him to see how awesome it is and then we can buy more. We are looking at a resale that has all the points for 2010 and 2011. This is great because we plan on putting those 2 years together and doing a 9 night, 2bedroom stay at AKL in the fall of 2011 and taking my parents to the world for a nice long dream trip. (They have never been)

Here's my issue. The re-sale also comes with 117 2009 points. I want to trade them in with RCI for as many nights as we can get in September.

I KNOW RCI trades suck, and it's not a good use of DVC points and all, I know that so please help me and don't go on an anti-RCI rant.

We live in South Korea right now so we can't take a Disney trip and we just got back from Tokyo Dis. We have a holiday in September and there are a ton of RCI resorts in the Phillipines, South Korea, and China. It doesn't have to be fancy, we just want to lie on the beach for a few days. How do I figure out what those 117 points can get me with RCI and how do I trade them in. I don't want them to be wasted!!

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

RCI for DVC members is run through Member Services. The point trade is different than what you see on the RCI website and the reservations are handled on the Disney end rather than on the RCI end. So, to make an exchange into the RCI resort, you would already have to have access to your DVC member page. From that page, you click on the link for the eligible RCI resorts. Sorry I couldn't give better advice.

Good luck with your DVC purchase!

 

[RobDoc]

Here is the World Passport Collection point chat:

Studio. 106 Low/123 Mid/134 High
1 BR.... 124 Low/144 Mid/160 High
2 BR.....207 Low/252 Mid/270 High
3 BR.....276 Low/317 Mid/349 High

In most cases, I'd assume that the resort will be High season for planning purposes. If they end up being less you can always be pleasantly surprised! The seasons are decided by the individual resorts.

Your 117 points might get you a Studio in low season (if you can find one). Most likely you will need to add some 2010 points to the mix to be able to get a reservation thru RCI.

Here is a link to the DVC/RCI resorts - DVC/RCI Resort Directory

Enjoy!

 

[csharpwv]

You could go one of two ways, you could rent your points so they don't go to waste, or you could rent points from another Owner so you can exchange through RCI. Plus, DVC just announced the ability to do a one time point rental each year for a limited number of points to complete a reservation.

As far as buying on the resale market, you may want to check into what it costs to buy directly through DVC. You could get a free cruise right now on the new DCL ship the Disney Dream. There are several different incentive offers as well.

Plus, you may want to consider buying at BLT instead of AKV. While the price per point (your one time cost) is lower at AKV, the Maint. Fees at BLT are lower, and those are the costs that you will have for the life of contract. Plus, IMHO, you really can't beat BLT's location near the Magic Kingdom, right on Bay Lake, easy access to the Monorail, and it's a much smaller resort which means that being an owner there will give you the time advantage of 11 month booking.

We first bought at AKV, then BLT, and then a small contract at SSR to be able to bank/use/borrow to have access to the Treehouse villas and all that Saratoga has to offer, especially easy access to DTD and Disney Quest.

We have stayed at SSR (using developer points), VWL, BLT, and AKV (Jambo). While each DVC resort has it's pros and cons, BLT will really give you the best value per point over the live of your contract.

Finally, to throw another idea out there, Old Key West has just started a complete renovation - paint, carpets, and even granite countertops- and you can get extended contracts there (2042 or 2057) plus OKW has low maint. fees as well. OKW has the biggest rooms, and the 2br accommodations have jetted tubs in the master bath that seat two adults while others aren't quite that large.

There are a lot of things to consider when buying DVC. DVC for us was buying a piece of mind that our lives would never get too busy to slow down and take in the magic.While many argue that timeshares and vacation clubs are not good investments, but rather they are a liability. I argue that if life is lived only to accumulate wealth, you aren't the type of person that places a high value on the accumulation of memories, magical moments, or unforgettable experiences. On the other hand, I am far more apt to wish upon a star.