New member BIG questions!! PLEASE Advise

[Carl Aird]

HEY!
Thinking about joining just got back from WDW yesterday
Looking to purchase and use as follows:
use my points to go to Disney paris one year
the next Disneyland next year disney world again
but it seems on the board Its not used this way? Is this true?

Why are poeple trading? Are you guys trading points?

 

[crisi]

HEY!
Thinking about joining just got back from WDW yesterday
Looking to purchase and use as follows:
use my points to go to Disney paris one year
the next Disneyland next year disney world again
but it seems on the board Its not used this way? Is this true?

Why are poeple trading? Are you guys trading points?

Most of us own DVC to support a "Disneyworld" lifestyle. Trading options change from year to year, in what is available and how many points it costs to do that. The DVC resorts are stable in terms of point costs and predictability. Disneyland is getting some DVC units, and we don't know what will happen to point availability at Disneyland once that happens (at WDW, once you can get DVC units through a sister resort (BWI/BWV) you can't use points at the CRO resort (BWI)) - but there won't be many units at Disneyland, and we expect seven month availability to be difficult to get.

 

[msabol01]

I have thought about Disney Paris as well. I was there back in '99 while I lived in Germany. But as I look at the point requirements, it isn't the most cost effective way to use points. Then again, rack rates are very steep as well.

 

[DeeCee735]

You would be able to use your vacation points for Paris/California, however these resorts are listed under the "Disney Collection" on the DVC member site and state that when your points are used for these resorts they become "reservation points"(as per the points charts for these resorts), incurring a $95.00 transaction fee for the "trade out", and incurring certain restrictions that DO NOT apply to regular "vacation points", which are usable in FL and HH. Points are higher per night as well, but you can do it. You just need to be very clear with your guide that this is how you intend to use your points, making sure you purchase enough to do so and be sure you fully understand the restrictions and rules that apply to reservation points.

Have you considered your options of II trade outs to resorts worldwide? That is another way to look at vacationing in other places with your points.

Good luck with your decision and have fun planning!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Trading outside of the DVC system (or any timeshare group for that matter) is always going to have a hight "cost" than using the points within the system. As the previous posts suggest, Disneyland could be difficult once the DVC portion of the resort opens there. It will mean no more trading for points into that resort EXCEPT for the DVC villas, and those willbe in very short supply. You still should be able to trade into the other Disney resort there, but most consider that to be of far lesser value(again, because it is out of system). The best value of DVC is to use it for DVC. The best scenario is to purchase DVC at the place you are most likely to want to stay most often. For example, we own at both OKW and AKV, because those are our preferences, but yours might be Hilton Head or Vero. Bear in mind that DVC is also coming to Hawaii with promises to open other resorts in locations like the Bahamas, Euro Disney, Tokyo etc, etc. It just could be quite a wait for those to come into the system.

 

[Carl Aird]

This all sounds a lttle KOOKY
Not sure what things mean the abbrevations and terms are unfamiliar
just wanted to know if I purchased the 160 point would I be able to visit those spots.
Its my understanding that if I purchase 160 point in WDW animal Kingdom I can still go to Disney paris this year
then nextyear Disneyland etc etc
Is that wrong?

 

[luvindisneyworld]

You can do that but it is going to be alot more points to use in Paris than using for a DVC resort. It is not the best idea to buy into DVC with the intentions of staying other places besides the DVC resorts Because it takes so may more points to that.

This all sounds a lttle KOOKY
Not sure what things mean the abbrevations and terms are unfamiliar
just wanted to know if I purchased the 160 point would I be able to visit those spots.
Its my understanding that if I purchase 160 point in WDW animal Kingdom I can still go to Disney paris this year
then nextyear Disneyland etc etc
Is that wrong?

 

[Lynne M]

Yes, your membership will allow you to stay at Disneyland and DLP with your points.

BUT, there are some very important things to remember.

1. When you do this, you are trading out of the DVC system. The point cost per night is much higher than it would be to stay at a DVC resort. In fact, it may be so high that it would be cheaper for you to pay cash. And, you will pay $95 dollars for every reservation that you make at a non-DVC resort.

2. The points for the non-DVC resorts, like those at DL and DLP, are NOT fixed. They can and do go up every year. You may well find that in 5 years, you no longer have enough points to stay at DL or DL Paris.

3. The ability to stay at non-DVC resorts is NOT guaranteed in your contract. Disney can change the resorts that are available to you, or simply take away the ability to stay outside of DVC at any time. Probably not likely, but there's nothing to prevent them from doing it.

DVC is really meant to be used at the DVC resorts. That's the way that most of us use it, and most folks here will tell you that using it outside of DVC is a really poor value for your money. If it's something that you do once in awhile, sure, it's no big deal. But it looks like you want to do most of your vacationing outside of the DVC system. It's not going to work out well for you.

You can still buy DVC and use it for your WDW vacations. With banking and borrowing, you can get by with a much smaller number of points, just those that you need for your every-third-year WDW trip. Pay cash for the DL and DLP trips.

 

[Caskbill]

Just to clarify one thing, the $95 fee does NOT apply to using points for reservations at the Disneyland Resorts. You only use points, there are no other fees or charges of any kind. Also at Disneyland, while staying there on points, you are eligible for DVC discounts, most of which are about 10% off at a large number of restaurants.

 

[Dean]

It will cost you more $$$ in the long run to use DVC for the non DVC options. As posted, I'd buy GCV points and something at WDW and pay cash for the Paris trips or use regular timeshares to trade to the Marriott close by there.

 

[Carl Aird]

THANK YOU LYNNE M THAT WAS MOST CLEAR
I am onlly looking to go to Disney Paris once but would like to go to Disneyland.
My agent told me I would be allowed to go to Vegas and other places as well

Why do you guys share? I still dont understand that

 

[Deb & Bill]

THANK YOU LYNNE M THAT WAS MOST CLEAR
I am onlly looking to go to Disney Paris once but would like to go to Disneyland.
My agent told me I would be allowed to go to Vegas and other places as well

Why do you guys share? I still dont understand that

DVC is too expensive to trade out to non-DVC resorts. You pay $95 for each trade out, plus point requirements are negotiated each year. They can and do go up each year. If you want to go to WDW frequently, buy DVC points. If you want to go to VB or HHI, buy DVC points. But if you want to go someplace where DVC isn't, on a regular basis, buy some other timeshare.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

People using the boards to rent, transfer or trade are doing the following:

* Rent - Making a reservation for someone else and then they pay you cash for the points. For example, people do this sometimes if their points are going to expire, and they just can't use them. Or, they want the cash that year instead of the vacation itself.
* Transfer - Sometimes, people are just short a few points to complete a reservation. So, they are looking for another DVC owner to transfer points to them. For example, let's say I need 330 points for a reservation and I only have 300 available. I may pay someone $10 - $12 per point to transfer 30 points to my account. Someone who may have booked a vacation and has 30 points left over may decide to "sell" those points to me and transfer them to my account.
* Trade - A timeshare owner has a reservation and wants to trade their reservation for another timeshare owner's reservation. Some examples: I have a 2 bedroom timeshare in Myrtle Beach June 1 - 8 that I want to trade for any week in Disney. Or, I have a 1 bedroom reservation at Boardwalk Villas (BWV) March 21 - 28 and would like to trade someone for the same week at Beach Club Villas (BCV).

You'll get the hang of the acronyms. It just takes a while. When I first started visiting these boards, I thought the abbreviations and acronyms were worse than at work! Honest to goodness, it takes people about 6 months to understand the "language" once they start with the company! I love the people on these boards, though, and I've learned SO much over the last year. Keep the questions coming and you'll be a DVC pro in no time!!!

 

[Carl Aird]

OK! You said Myrtle beach
thats not a Disney resort correct?
Where can I find the other resorts
still waiting for my book
my agent said they had Vegas and Isreal etc etc
but cant find the point value

 

[Billybob7]

I'm a newbie too, and I see everyone is saying it may be too expensive to go outside of DVC.

However, since one week in a 1 bedroomn at SSR is 182 points in low season and it is 160 points for one week during high season at a non dvc resort, how is that more expensive, other than the $95.00 fee?

We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR.

What am I missing?


Thanks!!

 

[castleri]

I'm a newbie too, and I see everyone is saying it may be too expensive to go outside of DVC.

However, since one week in a 1 bedroomn at SSR is 182 points in low season and it is 160 points for one week during high season at a non dvc resort, how is that more expensive, other than the $95.00 fee?

We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR.

What am I missing?


Thanks!!

In your case it sounds like a good deal - don't know how the resort you are trading to compares to DVC but you are correct in that you are using less points for a week. My daughter got a good trade to Vail for spring skiing a couple of years ago and was happy with the trade although the unit itself was maybe not quite DVC quality. The location and size were perfect for them.


The other aspect of trading out is that it is not always as simple as calling and saying I want to trade to XXXXX. You may be on a waitlist and may not get the resort you want at all. Some areas are easier to get than others. It is not a guarantee that you will be able to get a trade every time you want it.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If it is a "good deal" or not depends on how you look at it. It could be that resort you want to trade into has much lower maintenance fees than your DVC, and that is what would make it a lesser value.

 

[JaxFLBear]

I'm a newbie too, and I see everyone is saying it may be too expensive to go outside of DVC.

However, since one week in a 1 bedroomn at SSR is 182 points in low season and it is 160 points for one week during high season at a non dvc resort, how is that more expensive, other than the $95.00 fee?

We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR.

What am I missing?


Thanks!!

That's really not bad if you compare it to a Friday and Saturday night stay at the Disneyland Hotel at Disneyland Paris. That stay is 148 points for the 2 nights plus you must by length of stay tickets for all registered guests and pay the $95 fee.

 

[kerickson]

Carl
You should call Member Services to get your website login and pin# if you haven't received it in the mail yet. The website has all the point chart information you are looking for (DVC, Interval, Other Disney Hotels...) It's a great resource!

 

[Deb & Bill]

...We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR....

Well, Las Vegas is usually pretty cheap to stay there. So while you are not paying anything other than the $95 fee to stay there, you are losing out on using your points for a week's stay at WDW. We went to DL about two years ago and both times used cash for our stays. We thought we had a better deal using the points at WDW than using them at DL.