Maintenance fees

[ILIKEWDW]

As some of you (who have read my other threads) must know I am interested in buy at DVC, but I would like to know more about the maintenance fees, as I am affraid on how much could it be increased year by year. So I would like to know by those experienced DVC owners how that (the annual fees) works?

Thanks

 

[chalee94]

here is the history of all the dues increases.

it's capped at 15% per year (unless property taxes skyrocket, in which case we are still on the hook). they typically go up around 3% a year with inflation, but have gone down on rare occasions in the past.

what else would you like to know?

 

[Y-ASK]

I love my DVC but my biggest complaint I have with Maint. Fees is the lack of options for payment. It's either they get direct access to your checking account for monthly installments or you pay the whole thing off at one time with a Credit Card, check, etc. I would like to have monthly payments to my credit card but they don't have that option, oh well.

Y-ASK

 

[Y-ASK]

Ya know another thread got me thinking. What if I made a monthly payment through the members only site. Do you think they would allow me to carry a positive balance throughout the year?

Y-ASK

 

[ILIKEWDW]

here is the history of all the dues increases.[/URL]

it's capped at 15% per year (unless property taxes skyrocket, in which case we are still on the hook). they typically go up around 3% a year with inflation, but have gone down on rare occasions in the past.

what else would you like to know?

Thanks so much Charles for your information, by now I only would like to know about the II. Are this good and high quality hotels too? are they the best located resorts? and in the best destinations? could they (DVC) change the list of resorts or destinations on the II without previous advice? could they in a future take out the best resorts or the best destinations from the list?

Thanks

 

[chalee94]

Thanks so much Charles for your information, by now I only would like to know about the II. could they (DVC) change the list of resorts or destinations on the II without previous advice? could they in a future take out the best resorts or the best destinations from the list?

i don't know much about trading options. i believe the options you can trade into are subject to change from year to year, though.

 

[LisaS]

I love my DVC but my biggest complaint I have with Maint. Fees is the lack of options for payment. It's either they get direct access to your checking account for monthly installments or you pay the whole thing off at one time with a Credit Card, check, etc. I would like to have monthly payments to my credit card but they don't have that option, oh well.

Y-ASK

I agree it would be nice to spread the payments out and get credit card rewards as well but I can see why they don't do it. With other bills where I have the option to pay in full or spread the payments out, a fee is usually charged if I opt to pay in installments. Disney doesn't do that -- you can pay in full in January or spread the payments out over the year at no additional cost. They lose 2-3% when you pay by credit card. It makes sense to me that if they let you spread the payments out over the year then they want to get the full amount, not just 97% and they want it on time which makes direct debit the way to go.

 

[Y-ASK]

I just checked and it looks like the option to make a payment goes away when you're all paid up so no chance of paying ahead of time. The only possible reason I could think of why they wouldn't want to do this is because credit cards expire and it might cost more money to track down those that have had their credit cards expire and they don't have the current credit card information neccesary to complete the transaction. But on the flip side I have my DirceTV, Verizon, GEICO, and Electric bill all being charged directly to my credit card (Disney Visa ) and they seem to be able to deal with it just fine.

Y-ASK

The only way I would recommend this is if you payoff your entire credit card bill each month. I hate finance charges with a passion....

 

[LisaS]

But on the flip side I have my DirceTV, Verizon, GEICO, and Electric bill all being charged directly to my credit card (Disney Visa ) and they seem to be able to deal with it just fine.

I can see a cable, phone or electric company doing this because you are paying for the charges you just incurred the past month. Bills that are due annually usually don't offer the option to pay monthly without incurring an extra fee, though it's usually not much (1-1.5% maybe?) It's good to know GEICO is an exception. My insurance company is not that generous!

 

[kristenrice]

When we bought our contract, I set up an account with EmigrantDirect. I put enough in it to cover MF's that will be due in January 2009. Then, I have it set up to automatically withdraw $20 from my checking account every 2 weeks (payday) starting in January. This way, I am still making "monthly" payments, but I am paying them to myself and earning 3% interest! Then, when the time comes to pay the dues, I will take the money out and buy the Disney Gift cards from my DD's SCRIP program at school and earn another 1% off their tuition! I was so happy when MS told me that gift cards are an accepted form of payment! This method works better than CC rewards since not too many of them pay more than 3%. Plus, I told DH that our DVC is helping to fund our kids' education!

 

[bwvBound]

... by now I only would like to know about the II. Are this good and high quality hotels too? are they the best located resorts? and in the best destinations? could they (DVC) change the list of resorts or destinations on the II without previous advice? could they in a future take out the best resorts or the best destinations from the list?

Recent thread discussing some of the World Passport destinations, specifically those offered through Interval International (timeshare exchanges): Using Points at non-Disney locations, Nov-08.

Although you ask about II -- your question may be more oriented towards the Concierge Collection of hotels. The hotels are touted to be world class including the likes of Hotel Del Coronado, The Fairmont San Francisco, Loews Regency Hotel NY, The Sagamore Lake George (NY), etc.

II's collection are timeshares which are often in good but not best locations, offer limited housekeeping, may not have on-property restaurants, etc. Yes, in either case (Concierge or II) -- the list of available destinations is subject to change. Threads touching on changes:

• New DVC Vacation Planner -- on its way!, Dec-07; note references to "refining" the Concierge Collection
• What is up with the Concierge Collection?, Jan-08
• "Refinement" of Concierge Collection, Dec-07

I'm glad you are asking questions from so many angles. This vacation style doesn't sound like a "natural fit" for your family at this time ...?

 

[ILIKEWDW]

Thanks for that info bwvBound, by now it maybe fits my family vacation style as kids are young, but as it will last 45 years, I must think on what vacation style we will need........

just thinking about it!!!!