Live close to Disney and have DVC?

[TheNotSoEvilQueen]

So we as a family must make a decision. Do we buy DVC oorrr a Natique wake boat?
Just curious if anyone has DVC that likes driving Distance to Disney? If so do you find DVC to provide significant value? If you had to choose what would you pick?

 

[Douglas Clark]

We live 3 hours from WDW but our biggest reason for buying into DVC is we have a 6 yo daughter, and as she grows, we know we will continue to be at Disney 3-4 times a year for years to come. Nautiques are nice, but are you going to enjoy one for the next 50 years?

 

[bwvBound]

We live ~90 minutes drive from Disneyland, own DVC and other Anaheim timeshare. We visit the Anaheim area ~3 visits/yr but never more than 3 nights per trip. Many trips are just 1 or 2 nights -- to attend some special event for pass holders, D23 members, etc. I love that quick, easy, short visits give me the feeling that I've gotten away from the real world, had a break yet can come home feeling refreshed rather than exhausted by the vacation logistics. Having the timeshares makes it easy to stay late through an event w/out worrying about driving home w/out proper rest. All good.

 

[disneynutz]

With boats and timeshares, people are excited when they buy them and again when they sell them!

WDW is still worth visiting, the savings on owning DVC is pure math that you will have to work out for yourself based on your attended use, resort, Florida discounts, etc.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

If you had to choose what would you pick?

I missed this part of the question in my earlier reply. I'd choose the one that is more difficult to rent, borrow or enjoy apart from ownership.

I enjoy being out on boats, but not sufficiently to think about buying one apart from my dream of replacing my condo with a live-aboard tug boat. ;-) So, for the purposes of discussion, I'm swapping 'horses' for 'boat' and will have to say, if pressed to choose only one, I'd choose the horses and ditch the timeshare, especially DVC.

Hope you have fun with your decision process!

 

[Castillo Mom]

We live 15 minutes away from Disneyland and are AP holders. We've experienced three staycations at DLR over the years, two at VGC and one at the Disneyland Hotel. We had a great time and enjoyed being in the Disney bubble. However, I own at AKV and the majority of our DVC stays have been in WDW which was the main draw when I purchased. My sister-in-law lives in South Carolina, so we had the opportunity to stay at HH resort. Haven't stayed at Aulani yet but have plans to hopefully next year.

Even though we live very close to a Disney Park, we have options on the other side of the country which makes DVC worth it for my family. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Anal Annie]

We love our DVC but don't have a boat. Everybody I know that has a boat loves their boats, although they DO require routine upkeep. I think if we were within driving distance (which to me means could make a day trip or weekend within a couple of hours drive) I would go with the boat. DVC would be nice but the boat would be there year round for all the weekends in-between the WDW trips.

Perhaps you could eventually pick up a smaller inexpensive resale contract big enough to do a couple of weekends a year with DVC AND have the boat?!

 

[Barbydoll8]

I am about 80 miles west of WDW. We have always been campers either via tow camper or tent. DH was considering another camper and then discovered DVC...we bought DVC. 6 years later, we now also have a camper.
I Love my DVC and use it for weekend or one nighter getaways because we are so close. Wish I had bought it sooner.

 

[Cruisin Spartan]

I live in the Chicago area so WDW is NOT close by any stretch. However, DW and I just discussed how living close would affect our DVC ownership. While we didn't come to a solid conclusion, we agree that we would probably take more shorter trips than we do now. Take that for what it's worth as far as input into your decision. We don't have a boat, and don't spend a lot of time on the water so it would still be DVC for us given those two options.

Overall, I tend to agree with the PP that suggested a small resale contract AND a boat (if that's feasible for you). You can always add more points later. Like when you get sick of dealing with the boat and sell it. Lol.

 

[MPS516]

So how close to the lake do you live ? While owning the boat is great for day long trips, quick trips to the lake can be less and less attractive. Our boat stayed in the garage 80- 90 % of the time until we got a cabin on the lake and put the boat on a boat lift. We live 12 1/2 miles from the cabin and can decide on the way home from work the weather is nice enough to run out to the lake, ski, cruise or just go to dinner on the lake. If not for the cabin we would probably sell the boat because we travel so much that it would be difficult to get enough use out of it. By the way, we currently own 4 boats, a day cruiser, a pro bass boat, a jet bike and a canoe, 3 do not get enough use even now to justify owning if not for the fact they are paid for.

What would we do ? Probably buy DVC given the prices seem to continue to increase and if we want to focus on boating rent out my points for a few years while we focus on lake trips. Good luck, either way there are options to include both.

 

[DVC-Don]

We live 20 or so miles south of WDW from October to May. When we bought our house in 2010 we had four DVC contracts and sold three of them. Our points are at OKW and we use them for Hilton Head and Vero with occasional short stays at OKW now.

 

[Sur]

Consider some other factors: Will it cost extra to store your boat or do you have a dock/slip access free? Tie in the cost of insurance, maintenance, and repairs- is the boat still a feasible option? Do you like the resort you are considering enough to go there and have enough enjoyment? Is vacationing in the same climate, and same weather, enticing, or is variety your interest?

 

[com_op_2000]

We live one hour north-east of WDW. We have owned DVC since '93 and still make multiple trips each year. Right now we are averaging @8 vacations to WDW per year any where from 2 - 5 nights; we want to get enough points to go every month for 2 - 5 nights. For us it is our get away place to relax from the day-to-day grind. DW and I several times have been at DTD for the day and decided we wanted to stay the night. Called the resorts directly (back before MS was open on Sundays) or MS and checked in within 15 minutes. So using DVC for last minute stays are possible, if you understand the limitations, and NOT recommended by most everyone on these boards.
As to your question about a boat or DVC, I gave up my boat to buy a house and then DVC back in the 80's/90's.

 

[OKWJan]

Buy DVC and join a boat club . We live 15 min from Disney and still use all our points. We joined a boat club in Vero Beach and use Vero as our "condo at the beach". The boat club is great. Call them up, take the boat out, fill it up, park it and go home. They pay for the marina, insurance and repairs. Much easier than the boat that was our money pit in Illinois that sat in the garage 95% of the time, always needed fixing, and cost $600 for insurance to sit there.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

My sister would say get the boat. LOL But they live on a lake and are on their pontoon boat every evening in the summer. She jokes that she doesn't need to clean her house during the summer except to sleep.

 

[Amw1064]

We live an hour and a half from Disney and own DVC and have bought more points numerous times. We love being able to come all the time for little weekend getaways or for a longer visit when there is no school. Also we like Hilton Head and LOVE Aulani. I would go with the DVC.

 

[ParkHoppers]

This is the DIS so your question is not a fair one.haha. I would pick DVC over a boat all day long but that is just me.
Maybe this will help your decision
Break
Out
Another
Thousand

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Well, we used to be high point owners when we lived in Connecticut. We sold 21 contracts (for various reasons) well before we moved, but we now (coincidentally) live 20 minutes from Disney.
I was toying with the idea of buying a small resale just to spend some nights at F&W without worrying about driving.
It has been pointed out it may be cheaper just to get a cab.

MG

 

[bwvBound]

I was toying with the idea of buying a small resale just to spend some nights at F&W without worrying about driving.
It has been pointed out it may be cheaper just to get a cab.

Just a reminder of something you already know: Life is not always about picking the cheaper option. {wink}