Mini-rant: People who dont' "get" DVC!!!!

[jodifla]

A disclaimer before I start ranting: I completely get that DVC isn't for everyone. You really have to want to spend a lot of time at Disney for the next 50 or so years to make it worthwhile. And you have to be in financial shape to do it. And you can't think that staying in a value resort is like living in paradise.

That being said....

What IS it with folks and the whole anti-timeshare views, and why can't they see THAT DVC IS DIFFERENT!!! There's a whole long thread on the resorts board about why folks didn't buy in. A lot of it has to do with the endless crunching of numbers. And that somehow DVCers are suckers because they bought into the whole timeshare scam.

It's NOT ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS...(Even though our numbers have added up quite nicely. We could sell our DVC for more than we paid for it 12 years ago. And even though we financed, we broke even a long time ago....That trip in the GV with our family really put us over the top! Ever priced out a GV to see how much the cash rate would be?)

IT IS ABOUT:

King size beds
Hot tubs
Balconies
Full sized kitchens
Separate rooms for the kiddies
(and all of the above, while available at off-site condos, comes in the heart of the DISNEY MAGIC and SERVICE!)

And for anyone who's struggled to get a spouse to sign on? I say....just ask that spouse..."Do you want to sleep in the same room as your kids on vacation, or do you want your OWN room?"

end of rant. you know, for the moment.

 

[gkrykewy]

IT IS ABOUT:

King size beds
Hot tubs
Balconies
Full sized kitchens
Separate rooms for the kiddies
(and all of the above, while available at off-site condos, comes in the heart of the DISNEY MAGIC and SERVICE!)

Actually, my wife and I won't benefit from most of those things, as we intend to use studios most often (no kids for awhile), and DVC still makes sense for us because we typically have gone every year and only stay in moderates or deluxes.

 

[browniemtb]

Most people hear about the horror stories of other timeshares. You know the ones that you buy for $8000, get a red week and as a bonus you get free airline tickets and a DVD player. Three years later you find out that the week doesn't work for you and you can't trade it, ever. So you eventually have to pay some one to take the timeshare from you. I am guilty of this timeshare thinking.

But then I researched DVC and read these boards...asked lots of questions on DIS and my guide. DVC is different, there is no doubt about it. Maybe we should keep that a secret though..............

 

[DVC Jen]

We stay in studios as well - AND financed and for us - we have more than broke even and still have 3 years left to pay our contract off.

Maybe they are just trying to justify to themselves why they are forking money over year after year after year and we are paying MUCH less than they are and staying in nicer accomodations.

I guess it is like Disney period - some get it - and some poor people - just don't. Makes ya wonder if DVC REALLY IS Disney's best kept secret.

 

[ZekeKelso]

For me, it was never about the numbers. It's all about being able to share with my family.

PS - Let the folks over there rant. If folks come on our board with questions, I'm happy to explain why DVC is (or isn't) good. But I never want to proselytize. The fewer folks who want to buy DVC, the cheaper I'll be able to buy more points!

 

[DVC Jen]

For me, it was never about the numbers. It's all about being able to share with my family.

PS - Let the folks over there rant. If folks come on our board with questions, I'm happy to explain why DVC is (or isn't) good. But I never want to proselytize. The fewer folks who want to buy DVC, the cheaper I'll be able to buy more points!

 

[podsnel]

For me, it was never about the numbers. It's all about being able to share with my family.

PS - Let the folks over there rant. If folks come on our board with questions, I'm happy to explain why DVC is (or isn't) good. But I never want to proselytize. The fewer folks who want to buy DVC, the cheaper I'll be able to buy more points!

Yep! It's just more for us!!

Nothing is for everyone- so let them go off on why staying at Pop Century is so much better than a Grand Villa at SSR- WE know what we've got!!

 

[Jaaron2]

My wife and I say without hesistation every time we talk about DVC what a great idea it was to buy in

We looked at actually purchasing a beach house before buying into DVC. When you look at the initial cost, flood insurance, upkeep, condo fees etc it is a small fortune. DVC offers the feeling of home without all those costs and headaches. Are there costs associated with DVC....sure. Most people dont compare it to the alternative though!

DVC is awesome...but you are right, most people dont "get it"

 

[DisDaydreamer]

A disclaimer before I start ranting: I completely get that DVC isn't for everyone. You really have to want to spend a lot of time at Disney for the next 50 or so years to make it worthwhile. And you have to be in financial shape to do it. And you can't think that staying in a value resort is like living in paradise.

That being said....

What IS it with folks and the whole anti-timeshare views, and why can't they see THAT DVC IS DIFFERENT!!! There's a whole long thread on the resorts board about why folks didn't buy in. A lot of it has to do with the endless crunching of numbers. And that somehow DVCers are suckers because they bought into the whole timeshare scam.

It's NOT ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS...(Even though our numbers have added up quite nicely. We could sell our DVC for more than we paid for it 12 years ago. And even though we financed, we broke even a long time ago....That trip in the GV with our family really put us over the top! Ever priced out a GV to see how much the cash rate would be?)

IT IS ABOUT:

King size beds
Hot tubs
Balconies
Full sized kitchens
Separate rooms for the kiddies
(and all of the above, while available at off-site condos, comes in the heart of the DISNEY MAGIC and SERVICE!)

And for anyone who's struggled to get a spouse to sign on? I say....just ask that spouse..."Do you want to sleep in the same room as your kids on vacation, or do you want your OWN room?"

end of rant. you know, for the moment.

My suggestion to you is that you not visit that thread anymore. I sense that you are in a sensitive state of mind. Just stick to the DVC threads with your fellow suckers.

 

[stopher1]

My DW swore for years that we would NEVER buy a timeshare - til she finally saw that Disney difference.

 

[horselover]

My suggestion to you is that you not visit that thread anymore. I sense that you are in a sensitive state of mind. Just stick to the DVC threads with your fellow suckers.

I agree. I know that thread & I had to stop reading it. It was really annoying me . I agree that DVC is not for everyone for various reasons, but there's no reason to bash those that see the value (monetary & emotional). Even though we haven't bought in yet (waiting for that perfect contract) I like it over here so I'm going to stay awhile.

 

[Brian Noble]

A disclaimer before I start ranting: I completely get that DVC isn't for everyone. You really have to want to spend a lot of time at Disney for the next 50 or so years to make it worthwhile. And you have to be in financial shape to do it. And you can't think that staying in a value resort is like living in paradise.

All true, 100%.

It's NOT ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS...

But, it could be given your disclaimer. Anyone who routinely stays in Moderates or better, onsite, every other year or more often, can at least break-even with DVC, and get a significant upgrade in their lodging in the process. DVC does not work for anyone often willing to stay in Value resorts, or offsite.

And, I'd argue it should be about the numbers, and that's okay---because most DVC Members are getting better lodging than they would have normally rented, and/or paying less than they normally would have renting.

I'm often a big naysayer about whether or not folks should buy DVC, and my analyses are quite conservative. Even so, the numbers are fine. Don't fear the numbers! They are on your side, as well: as long as you would ordinarily stay onsite, in Moderates or better, and plan to visit at least every other year.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

I think some folks are turned off by the up-front number of around $16,000--I know it was a tough number for us to swallow. However, looking at what we plan to get out of what we put in...it works for us, and we can afford it. We financed, and intend to put every spare penny into paying off as soon as possible.

That said...I think the way I justified getting DVC to myself was looking at it like this...

Car = Cost of Points

Gas, Oil Changes, Tires, etc. = Maintenance Fees

Over the next 50 years, I'll probably get a new car every 3-6 years (and of course, cars probably won't get cheaper each year), this is reality for me. Gas continues to increase, which is spiraling all costs associated with life in general.

If I can justify buying a new vehicle and assuming all the associated costs with it...for something that depreciates in value the second I buy it...then I can handle my investment in DVC, where the value (to me) will remain the same for the next 50 years.

Faint of heart...keep your reasons not to join DVC...I have deluxe Disney accomodations paid for the next 50 years without having to use a credit card to guarantee the room if I choose, I can take my family and save them $$$, I can send my kids on their senior trips, Disneymoons, and family trips with our grandchildren...definitely worth every penny I will fork out to pay for it...just like every WDW trip I have ever taken.

Okay, someone else can have the soapbox now!

 

[jodifla]

My suggestion to you is that you not visit that thread anymore. I sense that you are in a sensitive state of mind. Just stick to the DVC threads with your fellow suckers.

You are right, of course.

But I have this whole "moth to the flame" thing going on! I can't help myself!

 

[beccasmom]

I read that thread too - could not help myself either! - and got a little annoyed. But I think there is some lack of understanding about DVC. I know it took us awhile to "get it". But we have been members since 1992 and still love it! We paid for our membership in cash - we were fortunate in that, I know - and probably would have waited a bit longer if we'd had to finance. But staying in the moderates and luxury hotels was becoming so expensive we decided to give the DVC program a hard look and it just made sense for us. It has given us such joy. Going back to a hotel now is really tough!

I constantly hear 'oh, you're going to WDW again??'. But we did a lot of traveling to other places - Europe, Hawaii, cruises, Costa Rica, Caribbean, etc. - before we purchased DVC and we really enjoy our trips to WDW. And we can still go to other places if we wish; we are not limited to WDW. We so enjoy sharing DVC with our extended family. It is not for everyone, but it works very well for us!

 

[Greg K.]

Virtually every person I've met who bought into DVC has said the same seven words:

"I wish I'd done this years ago."

How many other timeshare owners say that?

 

[MrsNick]

Eh, I figure the less they "get it," the easier it will be for me to get a reservation, lol. I say, let 'em consider us as suckers!

 

[crisi]

I guess it is like Disney period - some get it - and some poor people - just don't. Makes ya wonder if DVC REALLY IS Disney's best kept secret.

If they've made a different decision than you and have had accurate information to make it, no reason to make a judgment or feel sorry for them - any more than there is a reason for them to make a judgment about or feel sorry for you.

To get a positive ROI on DVC, certain assumptions have to be made - you'll get a different answer with different assumptions.

(You know who I feel sorry for, the people who say Le Cellier is "the best steak they have ever had" - either these people have never had an excellent steak in their lives, or they just have really lousy taste. )

 

[jodifla]

If they've made a different decision than you and have had accurate information to make it, no reason to make a judgment or feel sorry for them - any more than there is a reason for them to make a judgment about or feel sorry for you.

To get a positive ROI on DVC, certain assumptions have to be made - you'll get a different answer with different assumptions.

(You know who I feel sorry for, the people who say Le Cellier is "the best steak they have ever had" - either these people have never had an excellent steak in their lives, or they just have really lousy taste. )

I don't have a problem with people who evaluate the situation and say, well, it's not for us. We don't go enough. THAT makes sense.

But just the refusal to look at why it might be a good decision for others just irks me.

Oh, that, and saying a VALUE is just like a DVC accommodation. ARGH!

Having stayed one night at POP, it's like saying Mad Dog 20/20 is like Dom Perignon....or at least a really nice bottle of Cabernet.

 

[HolidayRoad]

People don't get DVC, people don't get Disney. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this but I don't get going someplace to lay around at a beach for a week. I know it's nice. They bring you nice drinks and stuff. O.K. so after the first four hours then what do I do. Some people look at Disney as Magic Kingdom and that you bought a timeshare just off Magic Kingdom and that's Disney. They don't get it because they don't know. Others talk poorly about DVC because they are jealous and maybe can't afford it themselves so they bash it. I honestly stopped caring if other people do or don't get this whole thing. I did not buy into DVC for a financial investment I bought into it as a family investment. I plan on "losing" money because I plan on keeping it until it expires so it will be worth nothing then. As I'm sitting around drooling on myself in a nursing home somewhere many years from now I'm pretty sure I look back at all the years spent at BWV's as a pretty good investment.