Looking to buy into DVC

[flyerron]

I got this from another member.
Per day charge:

$25 for Studio
$30 for 1 Bedroom
$40 for 2 Bedroom
$60 for Grand Villa

$10 for for Trash & Towel (all sizes)
$6 for for package of 4 bath, hand, washcloths & 1 bath mat

 

[bwvBound]

I'm considering a non dvc "trader" unit but want to avoid the bad ones. Any suggestions? What are your favorites? I would prefer one with maximum flexibility and hopefully one that allows "less than week" useage, like DVC.

Three of ours are considered "traders" -- but for different reasons:

• Worldmark, The Club. Almost a "must have" for West Coast folks, this points-based club offers 50+ properties scattered across the western states, Canada, Mexico and more beyond. Similar to DVC: book any size unit, any arrival date, and any length of stay(*1). WM is a great trader because:
  • It trades through Interval International (II), RCI Weeks and RCI Points. Each of these are direct "owner to exchange company" relationships allowing the WM owner to take full advantage of II/RCI rental weeks, etc.
  • WM is able to trade into DVC via II.
  • WM dues are less than DVC.
  • "Last Minute" exchanges (<59 days for II; <45 days for RCI Weeks) use only 4000 WM credits regardless of unit size or season!
  • WM owners are permitted to use "search first" through II and RCI. We don't have to give up our credits (points) until the match is made.
• A fixed summer week at a nearby Carlsbad resort. Summer SoCal Coastal weeks tend to trade well in RCI as demand typically exceeds inventory. Reasons this works well for us:
  • The resort is ~20 minute drive from our home and permits year round day-use access to fitness center, pools, spa, etc. This is not just a "timeshare" -- it is our fitness club as well.
  • We own the smallest investment in the property (1BR, every-other-year) and still receive all owner privileges year-round, every year: day use, discounted RCI dues, discounted "internal exchanges", etc.
  • Our unit trades "up" every time booking 2BR and 3BR units during holiday summer weeks. (Pay dues on the 1BR + exchange fee ... stay in larger unit.)
  • Bonus Weeks. RCI gives us a bonus week for every exchange. So our 1BR every-other-year gives us a full week vacation each year.
  • This resort also trades through SFX (with bonus weeks), GPX and ... ?
  • Owning here gets us around RCI's 1-in-4 block on the entire Grand Pacific Resort family in SoCal.
  • Owning here also gives us membership in ResorTime for semi-discounted resort stays. (Some folks use this often -- we've used it only once through a free voucher. Great program ... but a bit pricey in my opinion.)
  Our dues are high on this week ($400 every year or $800 per use year on a 1BR unit) -- but given the bonus weeks, day use and really great trades - I don't mind too much. FWIW, this resort offers WiFi for each guest. (It is free to owners and covered by a mandatory $9/day fee charged to non-owner exchange guests.)
• A week in South Africa, trades through RCI. This has worked well for us -- but I don't know if I would recommend it at this point for new buyers. When we bought, the US Dollar was particularly strong against the Rand and the purchase included 6-10 years of prepaid RCI membership. Simply put: the buy in was dirt cheap with dues running about $225/year for a 2BR unit. We've enjoyed some really great trades and have also been able to convert the week into WM points when needed.

What works best for us may not be best for others. I've very much enjoyed owning timeshare within an easy drive from my home -- especially for short getaways and for day use (where permitted). I've not discussed our last property as it isn't a trader -- but it it also w/in 90-minutes drive, allows us to book weekends at great rates, offers a natural hot-springs pool, golf, equestrian, air ranch, full service spa, etc. Great place -- but only for folks living nearby. (Again, best for me is not likely best for you?)

Hope this helps! Better location for this conversion may be on the Timeshare Users Group (TUG) forum: http://tugbbs.com/forums .

(*1) Mininum of 7-nights when booking high-season more than 90-days from travel. Based on availability, etc.

 

[disneyfanUSA]

I got this from another member.
Per day charge:

$25 for Studio
$30 for 1 Bedroom
$40 for 2 Bedroom
$60 for Grand Villa

$10 for for Trash & Towel (all sizes)
$6 for for package of 4 bath, hand, washcloths & 1 bath mat

Thanks i guess if i do buy dvc i can handle making the beds on vaction i mean i do everyday at home. Say you go to a hotel in dl would you get musekeeping there?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

yes becouse in dl it isnt a dvc resort. just like the other hotels in wdw

 

[CarolA]

Lotion is not provided.

Soap, shampoo, TP, one box of laudry deterergent, dishwasher powder and dish soap are provided.

 

[n2mm]

Lotion is not provided.

Soap, shampoo, TP, one box of laudry deterergent, dishwasher powder and dish soap are provided.

Plus coffee starter packs.

 

[n2mm]

We often stay for 12 nights, so during our stay we get two days of a full cleaning and one day of trash and towel service. So we actually get someone coming in about every 3/4 days. This is included on a stay of this length. If you stay 7 days, you get only one visit of trash and towel, but if you're there 8 days you get a full cleaning and one visit of trash and towel. This stuff didn't take us long to get use to. We use to rent a condo at the beach in the summer, and we had no housekeeping included and had to bring everything, to include linens. With DVC you are set up when you arrive and on day 3 someone comes in and gives you fresh towels and restocks you and takes your trash. My hubby likes a made bed so always makes up the bed on vacation like he does at home. So I guess I sort of get housekeeping, I just bring it with me. I do like that I can go back to the room for a nap or to shower and not worry about housekeeping. I thought this might bother me, but it doesn't. I find our DVC visits much more relaxing than our regular resort visits. I don't find any negatives at all staying at DVC. Once I understood the guidelines and rules, I found it easy to understand and use. To me it's a win win plan. Sorry, I do have a negative, and it's the desire to constantly buy more points!! I've never had a problem getting into any resort I want, but that's because we don't visit during holidays or busy times. I do call at the 7 month window for some stays and the 11 month window for my October visit.

 

[Tiffany]

We often stay for 12 nights, so during our stay we get two days of a full cleaning and one day of trash and towel service. So we actually get someone coming in about every 3/4 days. This is included on a stay of this length. If you stay 7 days, you get only one visit of trash and towel, but if you're there 8 days you get a full cleaning and one visit of trash and towel. This stuff didn't take us long to get use to. We use to rent a condo at the beach in the summer, and we had no housekeeping included and had to bring everything, to include linens. With DVC you are set up when you arrive and on day 3 someone comes in and gives you fresh towels and restocks you and takes your trash. My hubby likes a made bed so always makes up the bed on vacation like he does at home. So I guess I sort of get housekeeping, I just bring it with me. I do like that I can go back to the room for a nap or to shower and not worry about housekeeping. I thought this might bother me, but it doesn't. I find our DVC visits much more relaxing than our regular resort visits. I don't find any negatives at all staying at DVC. Once I understood the guidelines and rules, I found it easy to understand and use. To me it's a win win plan. Sorry, I do have a negative, and it's the desire to constantly buy more points!! I've never had a problem getting into any resort I want, but that's because we don't visit during holidays or busy times. I do call at the 7 month window for some stays and the 11 month window for my October visit.

Okay. Sorry for not understanding this process but could someone walk me through what you would get for a Saturday to Saturday stay in a studio? Number of towels you get to start off with and what days they would come in to do TT and full service?

 

[Tink's Tormentor]

I can deal with the soap and shampoo, cause, as i stated, I bring my own... But my question is, are you responsible for your own sheets and pillows or do the beds come made already? I know some timeshares you have to bring your own bed sheets and pillows....

 

[JadeDarkstar]

from what ive been led to belive it comes alread made, and has everything you need

 

[n2mm]

I can deal with the soap and shampoo, cause, as i stated, I bring my own... But my question is, are you responsible for your own sheets and pillows or do the beds come made already? I know some timeshares you have to bring your own bed sheets and pillows....

The rooms are like every resort room. The beds are made and everything you need is there. There are extra blankets/pillows in the closest for the sleep sofas. There are 4 of all towels/wash clothes (but there always seems to be a little more everytime I stay, not sure why). So unlike the timeshares I've stayed at, everything is already there. Even dishtowels and sponges and dish detergent.

When staying at a studio, the only thing I bring is a small paring knife as the studios have only plastic ware and it's not easy cutting an apple with a plastic knife. Of course we pack it in the checked bags.

 

[ebenmax]

Yes, everything should be provided in the bedding dept. However, our sofa bed at SSR was not made when we arrived and there were no blankets for the sofa bed at SSR or BWV. This must have been an oversight, but we had blankets with us and just used those.

HTH

 

[vandy]

Yes, everything should be provided in the bedding dept. However, our sofa bed at SSR was not made when we arrived and there were no blankets for the sofa bed at SSR or BWV. This must have been an oversight, but we had blankets with us and just used those.

HTH

I may be getting my resorts mixed up, but I think the bedding for the sofa bed at SSR was inside the ottoman.