Need advice

[plasfam04]

DH and I are still flip flopping on whether we think DVC would be right for us. Our hesitation is this- we really love the Polynesian... it is our favorite place to stay. I have heard that you can use your points to stay there- but does it make sense to even do DVC then? We do really like the look and feel of AKV as well... and would definitely stay there but would also want to stay at Poly. Can you DVC pros give me your take on it... do you think it would be worth it for us to buy into DVC? Does anyone know the points for Poly? We generally go to WDW every year so it seems like it would be beneficial to do DVC. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Lynne M]

Sorry, it doesn't make any sense at all to buy DVC to stay at a non-DVC resort like the Poly. That's not what it was designed for; it's only a value if you use it to stay at DVC resorts for the great majority of your trips.

A few reasons:

1. Point values are outrageously high compared to DVC resorts. During the cheapest season, a GV Poly room is 37 points per night for Sunday to Thursday nights, 67 points a night for Friday or Saturday night. It's much higher for the busier seasons, or better room categories. Compare that to 12 points a night for Sun-Thurs for a VWL studio.

2. Unlike the DVC resort point charts, point costs for the non-DVC resorts are NOT fixed. They can and do go up every year. There's no limit to how high they can go, in a few years you could find you no longer have enough points for your stays at the Poly.

3. There's a $95 fee for trading out of DVC.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I agree with Lynne. You will probably be spending more using points consistantly at a non-DVC resort vs a DVC resort. Have you stayed at a DVC resort yet? You may be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Coach81]

If you plan to spend most of your stays at Poly, I would not recommend getting DVC. DVC is best for staying at the DVC resorts.

 

[debbiepump]

I too agree it's a waste of $$ and points to just stay at the Poly. BUT, have you ever stayed in a one bedroom Villa at any DVC? All the room! The whirlpool tub! The washer/dryer (our kids are grown and still love having a washer/dryer)! The kitchen if you just don't want to eat out! My dh was a Disney naysayer until DVC came along in his life.

I'd recommend you check out DVC but don't buy unless you are willing to use the points for them.

 

[ILIKEWDW]

We also like Polynesian´s style, and its location. So, we used to stay at Grand Floridian and Polynesian to be the nearest posible from MK.

You could think about why do you like to stay at Poly, if it is for location, you could think on BLT, this DVC resort just beside the MK. But if you like Poly because its style and natural atmosphere, you could think about AKV or the Tree House Villas, which has a similar style than poly.

We refused to stop staying at those great resorts (Poly and GF), but after doing the math, and considering that now we are able to pay all that money for those expensive resorts, but what about the future, no one can be sure if he can pay for a deluxe vacation in ten years.

But the best thing that make me go with DVC was its size, because in a 1BR you have a full bedroom, a living room and a kitchen, and sleeps 6. Compared to a small hotel room as the GF or Poly, that only sleeps 5.

Of course we choosed the first option!!!

DH and I are still flip flopping on whether we think DVC would be right for us. Our hesitation is this- we really love the Polynesian... it is our favorite place to stay. I have heard that you can use your points to stay there- but does it make sense to even do DVC then? We do really like the look and feel of AKV as well... and would definitely stay there but would also want to stay at Poly. Can you DVC pros give me your take on it... do you think it would be worth it for us to buy into DVC? Does anyone know the points for Poly? We generally go to WDW every year so it seems like it would be beneficial to do DVC. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[HeatherDew]

Your family sounds a lot like mine. We go to Disney World once a year and love the Poly...it's our favorite, too! After 5 trips staying in Deluxe resorts (2 of which were at the Poly), we finally became DVC members.

If you vacation at Disney World every year and are staying in the Deluxe resorts, you should definitely consider DVC. However, like the other posters mentioned, if you love the Poly and ONLY want to stay at the Poly, DVC would not be a good investment. The point costs there are structured so that it would likely cost you more than just paying the Disney hotel rate.

We were spending about $2000 for a week at the Poly (and similar cost for the other Deluxes). When we realized we could buy into DVC and get 50 years of vacations for what it would cost for 5 years at the Poly, we were OK with "sacrificing" our stays at the Poly! We recently bought AKV (we have stayed at AKL before and enjoyed it), and have absolutely no regrets. It's truly not a sacrifice at all, because we still get to stay in the Deluxes, and now we have the option of getting larger accommodations if we need them.

Here is something you might consider if AKV appeals to you, but you are not willing to give up the Poly completely. Figure out how many points it will take to stay at AKV for the season and length of time you vacation. Divide that number in half, and buy a small contract at AKV for that many points. With banking and/or borrowing, you can use your points to stay at AKV (or any DVC resort) every other year, and on the alternate years, you can still stay at the Poly (paying out of pocket, of course).

You may find that you really enjoy the savings and options DVC has to offer, and you can always add on more points in the future.

Hope this helps! If you have any other questions, feel free to post or PM me.

 

[crisi]

I think it depends on how attached you are to the Poly.

We like some of the Deluxe resorts - but if we fly in on Saturday, we can take our Saturday night and stay cash at one of the Deluxes we miss...Saturday night points are high. We enjoy the pool and the atmosphere for the afternoon - go to an onsite restaurant that night, the next morning, we hand our luggage over to bell services to move to our DVC resort, and spend the rest of the vacation at our DVC resort. We get one more night than we can 'afford' on points, revisit a favorite resort (or try a new one).

Not everyone likes moving - but we've done some version of this a few times - and for us its a way to have our cake and eat it too.

Other DVCers might own enough points so every other trip is points based, but the alternate vacations are cash. There is nothing that says you have to pay for every trip with cash once you join DVC.

 

[plasfam04]

Thank you all for the very helpful comments. We will definitely take all of this into consideration. I do think we would love it at Animal Kingdom as well so I'm sure we would be very happy with that... it's just giving up the monorail that I really hate!

One more question- how have you all found the annual fees (or maintenance fee- whatever the technical term for them is) to be. Have they gone up alot over the years? Am I understanding it correctly that they vary by resort as well? I think I heard that AKV are the highest?

 

[chalee94]

One more question- how have you all found the annual fees (or maintenance fee- whatever the technical term for them is) to be. Have they gone up alot over the years? Am I understanding it correctly that they vary by resort as well? I think I heard that AKV are the highest?

i think this is the complete history of dues. they do vary by resort. they go up with inflation, usually around 3% or so. BWV is highest onsite while the beach resorts at HH and VB are even higher.

Year OKW BWV VB HH VWL BCV SSR AKV BLT
2009 4.73 5.21 ---- 5.36 5.04 5.00 4.34 4.86 3.67
2008 4.56 5.04 6.04 5.16 4.87 4.80 4.21 4.71
2007 4.40 4.85 5.63 4.98 4.73 4.63 4.12 4.62
2006 4.24 4.69 5.27 4.34 4.61 4.48 3.98
2005 3.86 4.41 4.87 3.86 4.35 4.27 3.83
2004 3.68 4.25 4.67 3.70 4.22 4.18 3.80
2003 3.49 4.11 4.37 3.69 4.05 3.97
2002 3.22 3.92 4.17 3.49 3.80 3.77
2001 3.13 3.83 3.98 3.32 3.63
2000 3.16 3.94 4.07 3.25 3.62
1999 3.16 4.02 3.99 3.18
1998 3.17 3.94 2.76 3.20
1997 3.14 3.84 2.90 3.16
1996 2.99 3.70 2.82 3.16
1995 2.84
1994 2.70
1993 2.63
1992 2.56
1991 2.51

 

[Lynne M]

I do think we would love it at Animal Kingdom as well so I'm sure we would be very happy with that... it's just giving up the monorail that I really hate!

If you love the monorail (as I do), have you considered Bay Lake Tower? You've got the monorail there, and you're just a short ride from the Poly, so it'll still be convenient to visit the restaurants there.

 

[plasfam04]

Thank you so much for that detailed information. I really appreciate it.

i think this is the complete history of dues. they do vary by resort. they go up with inflation, usually around 3% or so. BWV is highest onsite while the beach resorts at HH and VB are even higher.

Year OKW BWV VB HH VWL BCV SSR AKV BLT
2009 4.73 5.21 ---- 5.36 5.04 5.00 4.34 4.86 3.67
2008 4.56 5.04 6.04 5.16 4.87 4.80 4.21 4.71
2007 4.40 4.85 5.63 4.98 4.73 4.63 4.12 4.62
2006 4.24 4.69 5.27 4.34 4.61 4.48 3.98
2005 3.86 4.41 4.87 3.86 4.35 4.27 3.83
2004 3.68 4.25 4.67 3.70 4.22 4.18 3.80
2003 3.49 4.11 4.37 3.69 4.05 3.97
2002 3.22 3.92 4.17 3.49 3.80 3.77
2001 3.13 3.83 3.98 3.32 3.63
2000 3.16 3.94 4.07 3.25 3.62
1999 3.16 4.02 3.99 3.18
1998 3.17 3.94 2.76 3.20
1997 3.14 3.84 2.90 3.16
1996 2.99 3.70 2.82 3.16
1995 2.84
1994 2.70
1993 2.63
1992 2.56
1991 2.51

 

[plasfam04]

The look of the Contemporary is not really our style. It's a little too modern for us but thanks for the suggestion. Maybe they will build some DVC villas onto the Polynesian in the near future.... then I would be a very happy girl

If you love the monorail (as I do), have you considered Bay Lake Tower? You've got the monorail there, and you're just a short ride from the Poly, so it'll still be convenient to visit the restaurants there.