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

[DVC Jen]

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. )

that was all said tongue in cheek - aka the -

if they don't want to buy dvc - if it is not the right choice for them - they they are doing the correct thing with NOT buying. Perhaps I am not quite as judgemental as you were judging me to be.

 

[hellerjw]

It isn't for everyone, but for us and the foreseeable future it was the right choice. Nobody knows what will happen in 20, 30 or 50 years, but I did know that I wanted to force myself to take yearly vacations with my family.

I knew I would have to be drug kicking and screaming into taking any time off (Hi, my name is Jim and I'm a workaholic) and would need some serious motivation to do it. DVC offered that motivation, both in a monetary sense and as a constant reminder of my promise to spend more time with my kids while they are young.

It is a big investment and that may scare a lot of people away. That doesn't mean its not a good choice for those of us who do get it. Its not just about the money, its also about the long term commitment to vacation regularly with Disney. If you are happy with doing that you can find a way to tackle the monetary piece. Its all about priorities and what's important to you.

I personally find it ridiculous when people spend $40-50K on a really nice bass boat, but for somebody who is really into fishing the money isn't the only factor. They find a way to pay for it. They want to spend as much time on the lake as they can and would rather do it with top-of-the-line equipment than a little john boat. You can catch fish in both of them, but being able to catch them in comfort and style is more important to them. I just prefer to take that money and stay at Disney in style, its all about what is important to you.

 

[jodifla]

that was all said tongue in cheek - aka the -

if they don't want to buy dvc - if it is not the right choice for them - they they are doing the correct thing with NOT buying. Perhaps I am not quite as judgemental as you were judging me to be.

Yeah, the whole thread is a bit tongue in cheek.

Also, I feel somewhere between exasperated and sorry for people who really want to join, but keep beating themselves up, crunching numbers and putting it off, when it only gets more and more expensive to join.

We often overthink purchases in my household, or try to do things too cheaply, and things end up half done or not done at all. This is one time where we COMPLETELY got it right.

 

[jodifla]

It isn't for everyone, but for us and the foreseeable future it was the right choice. Nobody knows what will happen in 20, 30 or 50 years, but I did know that I wanted to force myself to take yearly vacations with my family.

I knew I would have to be drug kicking and screaming into taking any time off (Hi, my name is Jim and I'm a workaholic) and would need some serious motivation to do it. DVC offered that motivation, both in a monetary sense and as a constant reminder of my promise to spend more time with my kids while they are young.

It is a big investment and that may scare a lot of people away. That doesn't mean its not a good choice for those of us who do get it. Its not just about the money, its also about the long term commitment to vacation regularly with Disney. If you are happy with doing that you can find a way to tackle the monetary piece. Its all about priorities and what's important to you.

I personally find it ridiculous when people spend $40-50K on a really nice bass boat, but for somebody who is really into fishing the money isn't the only factor. They find a way to pay for it. They want to spend as much time on the lake as they can and would rather do it with top-of-the-line equipment than a little john boat. You can catch fish in both of them, but being able to catch them in comfort and style is more important to them. I just prefer to take that money and stay at Disney in style, its all about what is important to you.

Boy, isn't this the truth!

It IS good to have to take vacations. I don't have this problem....I'm always ready for the next trip...but I come from a family of non-vacation takers.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

...I personally find it ridiculous when people spend $40-50K on a really nice bass boat, but for somebody who is really into fishing the money isn't the only factor. They find a way to pay for it. They want to spend as much time on the lake as they can and would rather do it with top-of-the-line equipment than a little john boat. You can catch fish in both of them, but being able to catch them in comfort and style is more important to them. I just prefer to take that money and stay at Disney in style, its all about what is important to you.

That's a perfect example of justifying the value of large-scale purchases...the value is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[dnoyes]

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"

This is the reason we are buying DVC right now. We already have a vacation home in the mountains (cabin in snow country) and the cost just isn't worth the reward. It's a great location for us (about two hours away) but half our weekends are spent moving snow in the winter or making repairs in the spring and summer. Not much time left to enjoy it before we head home tired. We decided to let Disney look after these chores while we go out and play like kids. lol. as far as timeshares go, Disney is the ONLY one I would trust for the next 49 years to still be there.

 

[jodifla]

This is the reason we are buying DVC right now. We already have a vacation home in the mountains (cabin in snow country) and the cost just isn't worth the reward. It's a great location for us (about two hours away) but half our weekends are spent moving snow in the winter or making repairs in the spring and summer. Not much time left to enjoy it before we head home tired. We decided to let Disney look after these chores while we go out and play like kids. lol. as far as timeshares go, Disney is the ONLY one I would trust for the next 49 years to still be there.

Yes, when you have a second property, it's always a worry. And a bunch of work/responsibility!

Congrats on your DVC purchase.

As a side note: Woo-hoo! I've made 5,000 posts! (This is probably a very bad thing for my life and productivity level .... but, oh well!)

 

[rutgers1]

Here is the problem. DVC is a great deal for some, an ok deal for others, and a bad deal for the rest. Depending on your vacation goals and your monetary situation, it could either be the best deal in the planet or the worst. Therein lies the reasoning for the varied opinions. And as we know, when chatting it up on message boards, people tend to take strong positions.

I love the example of the boat above. DVC is a luxury item, just like any other luxury item you might buy. My friend upgraded from a Toyota to a Lexus because he had the money and it made him feel better. Another friend upgraded a perfectly good kitchen, costing him an extra $20,000. Most of us blow money in ways that would make others wince - and we all find ways to justify it. The Lexus guy might point to safety as the reason for the upgrade, or perhaps the need to impress clients at work. The kitchen guy might point to resale of his house in the future. Either way, though, the change wasn't necessary.

I didn't need to buy into DVC. I could have saved the money. I could have blown it on a better car when my lease came due in November. I could have done 1,000 different things with it. But, to me, DVC was worth it. Some people are beach people, prompting them to buy a beach house, but we are Disney people. I don't see me ever not loving Disney, and I see this as something that I can enjoy with my family - and my family's family - for years to come. I see it as part of our identity as a family - we are the local Disney nuts. So, whether it really made financial sense is not a concern at this time. I crunched the numbers and it made sense enough to justify the expense. As to whether it truly made sense, you will have to ask me in 50 years.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Here is the problem. DVC is a great deal for some, an ok deal for others, and a bad deal for the rest. Depending on your vacation goals and your monetary situation, it could either be the best deal in the planet or the worst. Therein lies the reasoning for the varied opinions. And as we know, when chatting it up on message boards, people tend to take strong positions.

I love the example of the boat above. DVC is a luxury item, just like any other luxury item you might buy. My friend upgraded from a Toyota to a Lexus because he had the money and it made him feel better. Another friend upgraded a perfectly good kitchen, costing him an extra $20,000. Most of us blow money in ways that would make others wince - and we all find ways to justify it. The Lexus guy might point to safety as the reason for the upgrade, or perhaps the need to impress clients at work. The kitchen guy might point to resale of his house in the future. Either way, though, the change wasn't necessary.

I didn't need to buy into DVC. I could have saved the money. I could have blown it on a better car when my lease came due in November. I could have done 1,000 different things with it. But, to me, DVC was worth it. Some people are beach people, prompting them to buy a beach house, but we are Disney people. I don't see me ever not loving Disney, and I see this as something that I can enjoy with my family - and my family's family - for years to come. I see it as part of our identity as a family - we are the local Disney nuts. So, whether it really made financial sense is not a concern at this time. I crunched the numbers and it made sense enough to justify the expense. As to whether it truly made sense, you will have to ask me in 50 years.

Very well articulated. I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[WolfpackFan]

Well actually it is about the numbers for us. We're prepaying for our future vacations. We pay now when the costs are lower for trips we'll be taking for the next 20 years and then trips our DD and her family will be taking after that. I could care less if other people don't get it. That's their loss. And if they think we're crazy for having joining DVC, it won't be the first time someone said I was crazy .

 

[Disneypirate85]

Here is the problem. DVC is a great deal for some, an ok deal for others, and a bad deal for the rest. Depending on your vacation goals and your monetary situation, it could either be the best deal in the planet or the worst. Therein lies the reasoning for the varied opinions. And as we know, when chatting it up on message boards, people tend to take strong positions.

I love the example of the boat above. DVC is a luxury item, just like any other luxury item you might buy. My friend upgraded from a Toyota to a Lexus because he had the money and it made him feel better. Another friend upgraded a perfectly good kitchen, costing him an extra $20,000. Most of us blow money in ways that would make others wince - and we all find ways to justify it. The Lexus guy might point to safety as the reason for the upgrade, or perhaps the need to impress clients at work. The kitchen guy might point to resale of his house in the future. Either way, though, the change wasn't necessary.

I didn't need to buy into DVC. I could have saved the money. I could have blown it on a better car when my lease came due in November. I could have done 1,000 different things with it. But, to me, DVC was worth it. Some people are beach people, prompting them to buy a beach house, but we are Disney people. I don't see me ever not loving Disney, and I see this as something that I can enjoy with my family - and my family's family - for years to come. I see it as part of our identity as a family - we are the local Disney nuts. So, whether it really made financial sense is not a concern at this time. I crunched the numbers and it made sense enough to justify the expense. As to whether it truly made sense, you will have to ask me in 50 years.

VERY VERY Well put! Have to agree with WilsonFlyer, Put this on a post card and send it out, It sells...

 

[KELLY]

My mom doesn't get it either. They stay at a moderate and used are DVC this year. They only did a studio. I was talking about adding another 100 points so we could do a 1 bedroom plus every year. She said with dues and no housekeeping it doesn't make since. Well to us it does. You can't compare a moderate to a 1 bedroom dvc or a studio. There is so much more offered at a deluxe. Also that other thread people think you can only use it for Disney they really need to do there homework.

 

[Dean]

As noted, DVC isn't for everyone. And to be honest, there are many that love it that are paying more for it than if they simply paid cash and didn't own. Timeshares in general have allowed us to do things we would never have done otherwise or to do them much more cheaply. They have also allowed me to do many things much more cheaply including giving back to family over the years.

But let me throw it back on the DVC members that act the same way with other timeshares without understanding them or what they can (and can't) do for you.

 

[vicki_c]

I'll have to go back and read some more of that thread (or maybe not!). I looked at it early and most of the answers were very well-reasoned for that particular family or else they said "wish I could, but we don't have the money." The thread must have taken a different turn after that!

 

[DIZBOUND]

For us we purchased for reasons others have to have the family vacations and memories. Just yesterday, I was speaking to my husband about where to dine in Epcot when we take my parents and nephew. My DS5 perked up and said the Garden Grill and oh mom they HAVE to see Coral Reef. Later that night my DS almost 2 comes out of his room with his mickey backpack on saying he is already to goto Mickey hotel!. We have only been members now for almost 1year and have already made wonderful memories with our past 2trips home. This is the reason, plus mom loves the atmosphere there.

 

[kikiq]

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

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

Which are the exact words my DH said after the presentation this last summer. We first had the opportunity in 1992 and didn't do it.

It made "cents" when my DH saw the Poly room bill last summer and it makes more "cents" when my dad wanted to take 10 of us to the Poly for a week...he almost had a cardiac arrest when I told him the total price for a week for 3 rooms garden view this summer. He said he might as well pay for half of our DVC<G>

 

[mommylo]

Thank you for all the posters on this thread I got sooo upset over "that other" thread!! To me, I love Disney so purchasing DVC was a no brainer. Did I do research before I purchased? Absolutely. But did I calculate when DVC is going to break even for me, with MF and depreciation, etc. etc. Absolutely not! DVC is for me to indulge in a place where I absolutely love for me and my family (I have an autistic son). That is the most important thing for me. We stayed at All Stars last year and we decided that's not the way we want to travel, so we got DVC. I now have my vacation planned for the next year and a half

 

[Chellymouse]

DVC isn't for everyone and for those who it isn't for shouldn't bash those of us who choose to belong. DH and I looked back in 2003 but couldn't swing it so we waited until we could.
We purchased because DH is not a beach rat and considers Disney the best bang for our buck. He loves going almost as much as I and it just makes sense to us. Are we going to travel to other places? Sure, through DVC. May not be the best use of our points but DVC has given us the opportunity to continue to vacation where we love most as well as traveling to other places it would have taken a couple of years to save for.
DVC is not a timeshare...it's DVC. Our friends who also own at SSR (after their first ever trip to Disney) feel the same way. DVC is different on so many levels. My mother thought is was the dumbest thing we've ever done, however my DFIL (may he rest in peace) thought it was dumb that we waited so long though we waited for the right reasons.
Bottom line: For those who don't believe in DVC, don't bash those of us who do. DVC isn't for everyone and that's ok. I'm happy that I no longer have to pay rack rates, that I don't have mousekeeping in my room everyday and I look forward to finally being able to invite family and friends to join us who otherwise can't afford to go.

 

[Greg K.]

I look forward to finally being able to invite family and friends to join us who otherwise can't afford to go.

You know, that's one of the best things about DVC, imho. I know so many in my family who would love to go to Disney, but get sticker shock when they add up the cost. We are able to alleviate a lot of that with wonderful accomodations just a short walk from two parks.

My wife and I have been to WDW probably a dozen times, so we don't have to run ourselves ragged trying to see everything. We can now enjoy sharing what we love, and planning trips, for those who haven't been there.

 

[TDC Nala]

IT IS about:

King size beds
Hot tubs
Balconies
Full sized kitchens
Separate rooms for the kiddies

I don't use any of this - I stay in studios, am not in the room long enough to use balconies, and don't have kids.

What it's about is prepaid vacations at Disney World (and elsewhere if you want). I go often enough that I like not having to charge a room every time I head down to Florida.

Guests who aren't really INTO Disney World no doubt don't see the value in prepaying for the next 40 years. But I know I am watching the cost of rooms go nowhere but up.