Newbie looking to buy in - few questions

[doconeill]

My family are WDW addicts, and it looks to be time to buy in to the DVC. I've read up on a variety of information, most off all the information here which has answered a lot of questions that couldn't even be answered at the DVC web site. (I asked for their free DVD twice and still haven't received it.

I first started to get the DVC bug when the guys started talking about it on the podcast.

I do still have a few questions, so if anyone can help out a newbie here, I'd be much obliged...

• We plan on actually going down to WDW to discuss purchasing DVC (and in part a 10th anniversary for me and my wife). We originally thought that we'd go down at the end of the year (for our actual anniversary) but realize it might be wiser to buy sooner as I heard that point costs may be going up. Does WDW offer any special stay packages to prospective DVC owners? It dosn't need to even be at one of the DVC places...I'm just wondering if I can save a few extra bucks during our stay.
• Stays at non-DVC Disney resorts - I undrestand you can do this, but I haven't seen anything on cost. Our last stay was at the Polynesian (I know some don't particularly like it, but we loved it - in part, because we got a free upgrade to a concierge room during renovations), and I like being on the monorail for the quick late trip to MK for the extra hours). Any idea how the points translate? I also know of the "rumors" of the DVC at the Contemporary - I may hold some money in reserve to add on there...
• Use Year - I know this confuses a lot of people, and I don't think I'm one of them, but a lot of posts place great emphasis on it. Is it just that it makes sense to have a Use Year for the month in which you are most likely to want to stay so you have the maximum points available?
• Banking and borrowing - is there a limit to how many points you can bank and for how long? How for an advance can you borrow?
• Expiration - from the FAQ, I'm guessing that regardless of when you buy the points, they all disappear on a certain date which depends on the resort, with SSR (and I'm guessing AKV) lasting the longest, and therefore the most bang for the buck I guess. Anything else to know here?

Thanks for your indulgence. I hope to be joining you all this year.

 

[barlitz]

If you are seriously considering DVC I would put the money you plan on spending towards your trip towards DVC, You'll start saving on your first trip right away! Thats basically what we did it would have cost us $1100 to stay at our resort and I knew we would have bought anyway, so rather than spend the $1100 on the trip we just put it towards our purchase.And now we know we have many years of WDW-DVC ahead of us.
But definately spend the time and do your research and call and talk to a guide, there's a thread on guides somewhere on this board about guides.

I think this post makes me a mouskateer

PS: To answer your question do they offer any incentive off your stay for a prospective dvc owner, I asked the same question and was told no but you could always ask!

 

[DMKEDM]

Q:...I heard that point costs may be going up. Does WDW offer any special stay packages to prospective DVC owners? ...

A: Our guide told us the per point cost is going up on March 4 (he didn't specify an amount, but I've read here on Disboards that it's going from $101/point to $104/point)...And I'm not aware of any "free stay" type incentives...the only incentives I know about are point discounts (currently around $8/point, I think, but your guide will be able to tell you), and free ice cream (it's really good) at the end of the presentation...and a Disney gift card (it was $50 when we did the tour last June)...

Q: Stays at non-DVC Disney resorts - I undrestand you can do this, but I haven't seen anything on cost. Our last stay was at the Polynesian (I know some don't particularly like it, but we loved it - ... Any idea how the points translate? I also know of the "rumors" of the DVC at the Contemporary - ...

A: You can use points to stay at the Poly (and the other moderate and deluxe resorts, except for those attached to a DVC resort (WL, BC, YC)...but the "point costs" are very high by comparison to the "cost" in points of staying at a DVC resort...there are no DVC resorts on the monorail (altho as you know, there are rumors there may be a DVC at the CR sometime in the future)...the points chart is complicated, but to give you an idea, at the Poly in 2007, a lagoon view room in January is 46 points per night Sun-Thurs; Fri-Sat it's 83 points per night. Over Christmas (12/20-31), a lagoon view Sun-Thurs is 67 points per night and on Fri & Sat it's 121 points per night.

Q: Use Year - I know this confuses a lot of people, and I don't think I'm one of them, but a lot of posts place great emphasis on it. Is it just that it makes sense to have a Use Year for the month in which you are most likely to want to stay so you have the maximum points available?

A: Use year determines when you get each year's allotment of points...the points will expire at the end of the year, unless you've banked them -- for the first six months you can bank all your points; after six months the percentages drop as the year progresses...sorry I don't remember the exact times when the bankable percentage drops to 50% and then to 25% and then to 0...when your points can be used for reservations depends totally on when the reservation is for...you can use "next year's points" for a reservation for a stay that will occur "next year"...you don't have to wait til you get the points to make the reservation. ALso, if you need more points than you have in a given year, you can borrow from the next year's points allotment. So you'll never have access to more than 3 years' worth of points at one time (and 3 years' worth will require you to do some advance planning.) Once you've banked or borrowed points, you can't "undo it"...those points become points in the year into which you banked or borrowed...

Q: Banking and borrowing - is there a limit to how many points you can bank and for how long? How for an advance can you borrow?

A: Think I answered that one above...although other posters may well be able to answer it better than I did!

Q: Expiration - from the FAQ, I'm guessing that regardless of when you buy the points, they all disappear on a certain date which depends on the resort, with SSR (and I'm guessing AKV) lasting the longest, and therefore the most bang for the buck I guess. Anything else to know here?

A: Your ownership interest will last until 2042 if you buy into any of the DVC resorts except SSR or AKV...SSR ownership ends in 2054, and AKV in 2057...you will get the number of points you buy each year from the time you buy until the expiration date...but you can't "carry them over" except for the one year banking option described above...

Hope this helps...

 

[doconeill]

Yes thanks, that does answer a lot of my questions.

If I understand you correctly, you can't bank a particular year's points for more than one year (really, the next Use Year)? Wow, that makes planning ahead very essential - and getting the right number of points if you want to save up and get a Grand Villa on occassion (or rent additional points).

What if I just can't make the number of points for a reservation work out so that I can use them all? Say, I have 100 points available, and I can't make a reservation for exactly 100 points - it comes out to 95 points, and I can't borrow any from the next year? I just lose the 5 points? Do they offer "padding" points for one-time purchase? I know there may be other avenues, like renting some points from someone...and it's probably not a common occurance.

I expected trading for a regular resort to be at a premium, but WOW!

I'm not sweating the increase to $104 (I won't be purchasing until at least April). Maybe I can just wait for AKV to go on public sale, and get the full 50 years out of it, and save some in reserve for adding on later somewhere else (CR if it really happens).

Are closing costs less if financing is not involved?

 

[Deb & Bill]

The most number of points you can use at any one time is 3 times the annual points. Bank a year, borrow a year and use the current year. If GVs are important to you, make sure you purchase a resort that has GVs.

Closing used to be free for purchasing directly from Disney. Now they charge closing costs for first time purchasers.

DVC requires planning. You won't be able to wait until a few weeks before to get your reservation. Most members make theirs at least 7-11 months out.

If you need more points than you have, borrow. If you don't need as many as you have, bank them (as long as you are within your banking limits). You can also have another member transfer points to you, but technically, there is no payment allowed and you can only transfer once a year (either in or out) of your account. If you need more points, you can always use cash to make that last night. But you can't mix points and cash for a single night.

 

[byoung]

Q:...I heard that point costs may be going up. Does WDW offer any special stay packages to prospective DVC owners? ...

A: Our guide told us the per point cost is going up on March 4 (he didn't specify an amount, but I've read here on Disboards that it's going from $101/point to $104/point)...And I'm not aware of any "free stay" type incentives...the only incentives I know about are point discounts (currently around $8/point, I think, but your guide will be able to tell you), and free ice cream (it's really good) at the end of the presentation...and a Disney gift card (it was $50 when we did the tour last June)...

Q: Stays at non-DVC Disney resorts - I undrestand you can do this, but I haven't seen anything on cost. Our last stay was at the Polynesian (I know some don't particularly like it, but we loved it - ... Any idea how the points translate? I also know of the "rumors" of the DVC at the Contemporary - ...

A: You can use points to stay at the Poly (and the other moderate and deluxe resorts, except for those attached to a DVC resort (WL, BC, YC)...but the "point costs" are very high by comparison to the "cost" in points of staying at a DVC resort...there are no DVC resorts on the monorail (altho as you know, there are rumors there may be a DVC at the CR sometime in the future)...the points chart is complicated, but to give you an idea, at the Poly in 2007, a lagoon view room in January is 46 points per night Sun-Thurs; Fri-Sat it's 83 points per night. Over Christmas (12/20-31), a lagoon view Sun-Thurs is 67 points per night and on Fri & Sat it's 121 points per night.

Q: Use Year - I know this confuses a lot of people, and I don't think I'm one of them, but a lot of posts place great emphasis on it. Is it just that it makes sense to have a Use Year for the month in which you are most likely to want to stay so you have the maximum points available?

A: Use year determines when you get each year's allotment of points...the points will expire at the end of the year, unless you've banked them -- for the first six months you can bank all your points; after six months the percentages drop as the year progresses...sorry I don't remember the exact times when the bankable percentage drops to 50% and then to 25% and then to 0...when your points can be used for reservations depends totally on when the reservation is for...you can use "next year's points" for a reservation for a stay that will occur "next year"...you don't have to wait til you get the points to make the reservation. ALso, if you need more points than you have in a given year, you can borrow from the next year's points allotment. So you'll never have access to more than 3 years' worth of points at one time (and 3 years' worth will require you to do some advance planning.) Once you've banked or borrowed points, you can't "undo it"...those points become points in the year into which you banked or borrowed...

Q: Banking and borrowing - is there a limit to how many points you can bank and for how long? How for an advance can you borrow?

A: Think I answered that one above...although other posters may well be able to answer it better than I did!

Q: Expiration - from the FAQ, I'm guessing that regardless of when you buy the points, they all disappear on a certain date which depends on the resort, with SSR (and I'm guessing AKV) lasting the longest, and therefore the most bang for the buck I guess. Anything else to know here?

A: Your ownership interest will last until 2042 if you buy into any of the DVC resorts except SSR or AKV...SSR ownership ends in 2054, and AKV in 2057...you will get the number of points you buy each year from the time you buy until the expiration date...but you can't "carry them over" except for the one year banking option described above...

Hope this helps...

Good answers.

 

[JimMIA]

Good answers.

Yeah, great job, Dani...and welcome back!

Jim

 

[DMKEDM]

Thanks, Jim...I've not gone anywhere...just as addicted to the DIS as I am to WDW! Added on 115 SSR points the last day of the $86/point promotion and am so happy about my DVC I can hardly speak! We love-love-love our SSR...We've got 3 week-long trips coming this year (and now I have enough points I don't have to think about renting more, and can even share w/Stacey!)...

And for those who wonder what this "private conversation in public" is all about: JimMIA was the source of so much help & support when another DISer (Stacey) & I ran into a scam a few months back...I'm his biggest fan (altho Stacey might want to fight me for that top spot!)...we learned a lot and came out of a bad experience w/new friends and an even greater love for the magic of Disney and the magic of associating with other Disney lovers!

And one last "private communication:" We had our first stay at OKW last month and loved it, too! And being there made me think of you, as I know it's your home...hopefully one of these days we'll be there at the same time you are, and I can buy you & your family Mickey bars to thank you for all your help! Dani

 

[doconeill]

Thanks again Dani and everyone else. Looks like we'll move ahead with buying sooner as soon as all the duckings are lined up.

Dani, I knew your ID looked familiar - from lurking around this boards some time ago, and I read intently the thread on the issues you had. I don't remember if I read the conclusion - I hope everything worked out for you - a lot of people seemed to be stepping up to help. This is a most helpful and friendly community here.

 

[DMKEDM]

Yes, indeed, this is a wonderful cybercommunity! People were just wonderful to me (and to Stacey and to others who posted with stories of difficulties)...we did come out of the situation "better" than we were when we first encountered it...Stacey, w/help from law enforcement, got her money back, and I chose to just let the whole thing go and get on w/being happy about my DVC (and my life in general), and oh so grateful for the many hours of help JimMia provided, and the support from Disboards (thank you again, Doc!), and thrilled to now be able to count Stacey as a "real friend." Posters here were just wonderful...the sympathy and moral support and offers of points and money (which we declined)...it was quite the experience! And as much good as came from it, I'm VERY happy to report it's now completely over and water under the bridge.

We'll look forward to welcoming you home, Doconeill...I hope you enjoy your DVC as much as we enjoy ours!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Dani, so glad you liked our OKW! We love it too.

 

[DMKEDM]

Hi, Diane! Thought of you while we were at OKW, too...and because of the weather--our favorite one-liner around here (DC area) is, "yes, it's COLD--but at least we're not in MN!!!!)...

OKW is a wonderful place...we just loved it. Almost as much as we love our SSR (and we also still retain the love of BC that triggered our decision to buy into DVC in the first place!)...I surely do understand your nickname "Queen of OKW"...I'd be touting its glories if I were you, too! In fact, I will tout its glories here & now...it's like living in a "village"...with nothing but friendly people and convenient services, and beautiful scenery, and interesting things to do...definitely a terrific place. We're VERY happy to have access to it!

Happy day--may the warm winds blow your way soon! Dani

 

[dianeschlicht]

Yes, well the winds are darned cold around here right now! We have had only 2 days with temps above zero in the last 3 weeks, and tomorrow it's going below again!

 

[JWG]

Yes, well the winds are darned cold around here right now! We have had only 2 days with temps above zero in the last 3 weeks, and tomorrow it's going below again!

No doubt. -20 here a week ago (and that's before wind chill). Though when you have to put the "-" in front of a temperature, does the number even matter anymore?

That's why my family is soooo "smart" and we're going to WDW in July

Hey... from -20 to 120, experience it all.

 

[doconeill]

Just thought I'd follow up and just pulled the trigger - 180 points at SSR...

FYI, it sounded like incentives were likely NOT to change next week in terms of discounted points, but "developer" points for AKV were not mentioned.

Now, to start planning...

 

[dianeschlicht]

Thanks for the update, and...
CONGRATULATIONS & WELCOME HOME!