newbie - help! (payment of dues)

[argentia]

Thinking of buying into DVC for the first time and looking at VB, mainly due to the cheaper points (although the dues seem higher). Not quite sure how you pay for the dues being based in the UK. Can you use a credit card? Can you pay monthly, or is it a one off payment once a year? Sorry if this has previously been asked/answered. On another payment issue, how do you pay for the points! We have been quoted a $75 fee for incoming money transfers by TSS, which seems a little high. Any UK owners been to VB? What do you reckon?

 

[Miffy2003]

I always use my credit card and I do it once a year

I seem to remember when I asked my bank to transfer the money for my DVC they quoted me something like £100 (??) to move £7,000 so the price you have quoted sounds like a bargain in comparison to that! There may be ways of doing it even cheaper but I don;t know what they would be I am afraid.

Welcome to the Dis

 

[gilld]

We bought our 270 points direct from Disney, sight unseen and paid over the telephone by CC, paying the balance as soon as the bill came in. There was no admin fee but the TSS obviously charges a little - I don't think $75 is much for a money transfer.

We also pay our annual dues using a CC, in the past over the telephone but this year, for the first time, on-line.

I have no experience of VB so can't answer that I'm afraid, but I'm sure someone else will be along soon who can.

 

[argentia]

Thanks for that, sounds like credit card it is Would still be interested in hearing from anybody who has been to VB. Also, as we will be tied to the school hols for at least the next 10 years we have been shocked at the prices of flights. Does anyone have any tips on cheap flights? I have heard various stories about Travel City. Thanks again

 

[gilld]

Your best bet would be an american airline. They don't fly direct but they are a lot cheaper.

 

[Miffy2003]

I agree with Gill's tip

You can save money also by flying midweek. If you are a member of Virgin's Flying Club you can book with "miles plus money" which tend to be very competitive.

I tend to book sceduled flights immediately they get released (11 months before the date of the return flight) so that I know I have secured the earliest price (which can be the best*, though it does vary a lot).

Some people report that charter flights are much cheaper - this has never been my experience personally but I must have been unlucky!


*except for last minute deals

 

[Hilary]

I agree with the ease of paying by CC - both for dues and for points.

When we bought our points, our guide let us split the payments over three months so that we didn't have to ask for our cc limit to be changed (we then paid off the cc bill in full each month). It saved any money transfer fees, although obviously we were charged the usual cc exchange fees, etc.

We went to VB for the first time this year and really liked it as a resort. We plan to visit again sometime soon to explore more of the area, but I don't think it's somewhere we'd want to visit every trip, or for more than a few nights at a time. Personally, I'd like it even more if it was on the Gulf Coast rather than the Atlantic!

 

[susieh]

Been to VB - did not like it.

It was too quiet - we have been to many US cities and also some quieter US places but just found VD too quiet and not enough to do. We visited there for 5 nights after 2 weeks at WDW and looked forward to a few days gentle exploring the area and chilling on the beach but we got bored.

We've also done HH and that is better but I much prefer going to places like San Francisco, San Diego, Washington, New York, Breckenridge (Colorado) if we are not doing Orlando.

I guess it depends what you are looking for in a holiday. We dont like sitting by the pool all day, we like to explore the area and see new things.

 

[TheFram4]

We love VB it will be our third visit in Oct. VB was one of the resorts that swung the purchase for us - we took a trip down to VB for breakfast one day after we had done the DVC tour at WDW. We were made to feel sooo welcome and even though the weather was lousy the resort looked great.
Yes it is on the quiet side but that is what we enjoy after 10 days at wdw, there are lots of activities for kids of all ages, lot of nice food and reasonable shopping.

As for flights join the virgin flying club and get the virgin credit card - for every £1 spent you get 1 flying club point. at 2000 points you can get great discounts on flights. eg our flights in Oct £370 per adult £260 per child although you must book them at 11 month window to get chosen availability.

 

[TinkTatoo]

We love VB and it is now a firm part of our holiday plans although the maximum time we would probably spend there is 4-5 nights. We are also tied to school holidays and find the flight prices high so we fly indirect and book the flights as soon as they are released at 11 months.

 

[mikki.young]

I used to use International Money Orders (about £8 cost) to pay the dues. I then opened a citibank dollar account in the UK and can pay with a debit card - no charges and I get a great exchange rate when I want to change money.

 

[mattnkatsmum]

I bought directly from Disney, simply because of the additional costs in transferring money. When I enquired, TSS did not accept payment by cc. The $75 or so was the fee for receiving money at their end, rather than the cost of sending it. There is an additional cost of sending money from this end (another £50 or so).

I calculated that to factor in money transfer and closing costs, you need to add on about $5 per point for a contract of 150 points. As I bought at SSR, it was not worth buying re-sale as contracts are going re-sale at $85-$86, whereas with the current DVC promotion (having sold my points back, which I didn't need this year) I paid $88.

 

[argentia]

Well....decided to go for it. Deposit sent, now in the disney system for ror. Feels like a long wait, only been in 3 days!!

 

[gilld]

Well....decided to go for it. Deposit sent, now in the disney system for ror. Feels like a long wait, only been in 3 days!!

Good luck.

 

[kacale]

We own at VB. It was an off the cuff visit there back in 2001 which led to our decision to buy DVC.

We obviously love the resort but never spend more than 3-4 days there. We have mainly used our points to stay at OKW with a short visit to VB if we can fit it in!

Enjoy

Karen

 

[argentia]

success- notification we have got through okay . Still wont believe it until the paperwork arrives saying we own the points

 

[argentia]

We're in. Now own at VBR. Hoe pto book some time for next summer. Can't wait