More potential buyer questions

[WLodgeLizard]

Hi all,

After a renting a couple times, we are now leaning towards purchasing our own DVC points. We have a couple questions for existing owners:

-I know that there have been many questions about how many points to buy, but we were wondering if most people completely use up their points or do they have a couple that expire? It seems like it could be tough to completely use up your points before they expire. Is it?

-WLV is our favorite resort (thus the screen name), but we also like BCV, BWV and AKV. It seems like the AKV points is the best deal. The way we look at it, the points cost about $93 and have about 49 years left. That equates to $1.90 per year. The lowest price we see for WLV points is about $80 and have about 34 years left. The equates to $2.35 per year. So the WLV is 24% more than AKV. Am I looking at that correctly?

-Speaking of the end of the contract. If we buy at AKV, what happens after 2042? Can we still stay at the "expired" resorts?

-I know that 2042 and 2057 is a long way off, but it just seems strange that the ownership expires. Was that a concern for anyone else before they bought? It seems like it will be very difficult to get a reservation the last year or so before it expires. Overreacting?

TIA

WLLizard

 

[Deb & Bill]

Nobody really knows what will happen after Jan 31, 2042. They could decide to tear down the resort and start something new. They could extend those until 2057 like OKW. But currently, when in 2053, only AKV and OKW will still exist (since GCV and Hawaii aren't even for sale yet - they could be come Eagle Pines resorts).

In the past we usually borrowed from next year to get our vacations. This year we actually have banked points. We had planned a longer trip this year, then shortened it by about three or four days to add a week at the beach (not DVC).

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

-I know that there have been many questions about how many points to buy, but we were wondering if most people completely use up their points or do they have a couple that expire? It seems like it could be tough to completely use up your points before they expire. Is it?

It's not hard to use the points. From reading many posts over the years it seems like many people not only use their points but borrow from the next use year as well. The nice thing about the system is that you can bank your unused points so even if you don't use them, you don't have to lose them.

-WLV is our favorite resort (thus the screen name), but we also like BCV, BWV and AKV. It seems like the AKV points is the best deal. The way we look at it, the points cost about $93 and have about 49 years left. That equates to $1.90 per year. The lowest price we see for WLV points is about $80 and have about 34 years left. The equates to $2.35 per year. So the WLV is 24% more than AKV. Am I looking at that correctly?

Everyone seems to have a different way of looking at things. Have you figured in maintenance fees? How about interest on a loan if you borrow the money to purchase? How about using your method is having points at your favorite resort worth an additional 45 cents per point per year? For 200 points that's $90.00 per year to be at your favorite. Only you can say if it's worth it.

-Speaking of the end of the contract. If we buy at AKV, what happens after 2042? Can we still stay at the "expired" resorts?

If a resort isn't in the program any more, I'd assume that you wouldn't be able to stay there. But 2042 is a long way off and OKW was just extended. Maybe DVC will do the same with the other 2042 resorts eventually.

-I know that 2042 and 2057 is a long way off, but it just seems strange that the ownership expires. Was that a concern for anyone else before they bought? It seems like it will be very difficult to get a reservation the last year or so before it expires.

Why would it be difficult? There will be the same number of points and if the 11/7 month rule is still the same, why would it be different from now? it actually might be easier in the last year because the number of people who are constantly borrowing all of their points won't have any to use in the last year, thus less competition for rooms.

Overreacting?

IMHO Yes. Who knows what DVC (or anything else for that matter) will look like in 34 years.

Good luck with your decision.

HBC

 

[carlbarry]

Am I missing something? Everybody seems to assume that when the current contracts expire, the resorts will no longer be open to timeshare use. I always assumed that when the current contracts expire, Disney would just re-sell the points, and rake in a load of money again. Am I missing something, that this is NOT the logical thing for Disney to do?

 

[disneynutz]

Am I missing something? Everybody seems to assume that when the current contracts expire, the resorts will no longer be open to timeshare use. I always assumed that when the current contracts expire, Disney would just re-sell the points, and rake in a load of money again. Am I missing something, that this is NOT the logical thing for Disney to do?

Not likely.

It would be much easier to extend to a existing owner base then to find new owners. The properties will be really worn by then. New owners will gravitate towards the new resorts that seem to give you more for your dollar.

 

[carlbarry]

I'm not saying they wouldn't try to sell extensions. However, original owners at that time will be getting fairly on in years, and may not want to "re-enlist." It seems to me that Disney would at that point re-sell the terminated points to new members. Yes, there might be newer resorts, but Disney can't build ad infinitum.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm not saying they wouldn't try to sell extensions. However, original owners at that time will be getting fairly on in years, and may not want to "re-enlist." It seems to me that Disney would at that point re-sell the terminated points to new members. Yes, there might be newer resorts, but Disney can't build ad infinitum.

I think the results of the OKW extension may give Disney some idea of what they do in the future. I'm not so sure the OKW extension was so successful. I know we turned it down.