Newbie Questions - Trying to convince my husband :)

[drdengler]

Hi! I am trying to convince hubby to buy into CCV. Wilderness is a fave resort. Hubby is not a huge Disney fan, but I am. I would probably go every other year with my mom or girls trip, running in races etc.

We are planning to go with my brothers and nieces in 2-4 years and theoretically, I would love to provide the lodging at CCV (ie could save up some of the points x 2 years and then book etc).

My husband is skeptical. Our boys are 6 and 9. My point is we can use the points if anything, at RCI, other hotels, Hawaii, etc. His point is that we have other places we want to go (out west- and no, not as a Disney Adventure trip, Maine, etc).

If you have used DVC in this way, where have you gone?

If you have banked points for every other year, what was your strategy?

If you have rented points, how much did you glean?

Thank you in advance!

(Leaving for WDW in two days for marathon weekend.... fourth trip in about 2.5 years for me, but no future trips planned...yet).

 

[disneynutz]

Select the best UY for your vacation patterns.
Buy where you love to stay.
Book at 11 months.
Buy resale if you can.
If you buy additional contracts, keep the same UY and names on deeds.
If you intend to buy a small direct contract for the perks, buy now before the minimum increases.
DVD/DVC marketing can change the perks at any time.
Perks and policies tend to change when management changes.
Expect to spend more on Disney vacations after you buy DVC.

We just stayed at CCV and to be honest, we didn't care for the design and feel. Love WL and we own at BRV and other resorts.

Bill

 

[drbrjb01]

you mentioned you expect to pay more on Disney vacations after you buy DVC...why do you say that? Curious because we are seriously considering buying in the next few days

 

[frabjous]

My family started off with an every other year setup since we like to travel to other places as well and we didn’t want to be always planning around our disney trip. It turns out though that we ended up going every year and sometimes multiple times a year, since we all love Disney and always have a wonderful time. So we are now in the middle of a resale purchase to get more points to better fits our needs.

It’s pretty easy to go every other year, you just alternate between banking and booking each year. Alternatively you can book every other year and just borrow from the next. In both setups you just buy half of what you need for the accommodation. I preferred the banking approach because it would be slightly easier to sell the contract if I ever wanted to, and it allowed for the possibility to occasionally go over if needed (banked + current + borrowed).

Exchanging points outside of DVC is a poor value proposition. You likely will do better if you just rent them, and pay in cash for another destination. It’s nice that that option is there though if you somehow end up in a bind and risk losing the points altogether.

I have never had to do either, since I am always using the points. However the rental sites all state they have more demand than points on hand, so it’s likely you wouldn’t have much trouble renting (other than the time investment making the booking and emailing the rental agency)

 

[drdengler]

Bill,

Is it just the layout of Boulder Ridge?

Or not being 'inside' the lodge?

Have you rented points to others or traveled elsewhere? (Disneyland, Hawaii, RCI?)

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hi! I am trying to convince hubby to buy into CCV. Wilderness is a fave resort. Hubby is not a huge Disney fan, but I am. I would probably go every other year with my mom or girls trip, running in races etc.

We are planning to go with my brothers and nieces in 2-4 years and theoretically, I would love to provide the lodging at CCV (ie could save up some of the points x 2 years and then book etc).

My husband is skeptical. Our boys are 6 and 9. My point is we can use the points if anything, at RCI, other hotels, Hawaii, etc. His point is that we have other places we want to go (out west- and no, not as a Disney Adventure trip, Maine, etc).

If you have used DVC in this way, where have you gone?

If you have banked points for every other year, what was your strategy?

If you have rented points, how much did you glean?

Thank you in advance!

(Leaving for WDW in two days for marathon weekend.... fourth trip in about 2.5 years for me, but no future trips planned...yet).

DVC's value lies in using it at DVC resorts. The includes VGC at DL (if you can get it booked - it's a very small resort and takes a bit of luck to get it if you don't own there) and Aulani in Hawaii.

I'd rent out points long before I'd use them to trade for any other destination.

By buying 1/2 the points you would need for your normal stay you can use banking or borrowing to go every other year but don't buy to trade out of the DVC system. It's not been a great value over the years but with the current prices it would be worse.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We've owned DVC points for 20 years. We booked the DCL once about 16 years ago, early in the era when DVC points could be used for DCL. Other than that, we have used our points solely for DVC stays. If we vacationed anywhere else, we used our other non-DVC timeshare for the beach or we paid cash for trips to Yellowstone, Glacier, Maine, etc. RCI trades are usually not as nice as DVC resorts or difficult to get. I would not buy DVC to trade out for other vacations. Plus, you need to buy a DVC resort that you don't mind staying at if you can't get anything else at seven months out. So using DVC for Disneyland is going to be hard. Getting a non-home resort studio can also be hard. Sept through early January (until after the marathon) is also tough at seven months out.

 

[disneynutz]

The pattern that most buyers seem to follow including us is that once you buy you increase your Disney vacations for a period of time, more days, more often buy other resorts as you experience other resorts and then after several stays you find out which resorts you really like. Buying your contract is just the first expense, yearly increasing dues, travel, food, Disney stuff, admission, extra events, it all adds up. Disney is smarter than we are and they know that DVC makes them a ton of money, more than leaving the rooms as cash reservation rooms. I did a study on our 200 point BCV contract, keeping it full term and taking yearly vacations at WDW, our total cost will be almost $300,000 for our Disney vacations.

During our CCV stay we found that the rooms just didn't have enough of a lodge feel. Seemed a bit plan with weird use of different wood grains and a room layout that also wasn't our favorite. Being in the lodge was nice. BRV has more of a lodge feel but the rooms still need more of a fresh up and some detail work.

IMO DVD/DVC puts more effort in the new resorts as they sell, then cut back after they sell out. When they do a refurb, they strip some of the detail and make the rooms more generic and easier to clean.

Bill

 

[CarolMN]

you mentioned you expect to pay more on Disney vacations after you buy DVC...why do you say that? Curious because we are seriously considering buying in the next few days

With a zero bill for lodging, it's easy to buy more souvenirs, book a few tours and eat at more expensive places - after all, the room is "paid for".

Many, many members end up going more often and booking larger accommodations than they originally thought they would. They also start inviting friends and family to go with them (and provide the lodging). Annual passes start to be a "good value".

DVC changes the way you vacation. Very few of us stick to the pre-DVC vacation schedule. The spreadsheets some use to "justify" the cost of DVC usually make me smile. I know that the initial assumptions are unlikely to end up correct.

Love my DVC - I know a lot more of our vacation money has gone to the Mouse than I ever could have imagined. We go to Disney far more often than we ever would have consdiered without it. But I am OK with that. Don't buy unless you will be, too.

 

[CraigInPA]

If you have rented points, how much did you glean?

I just rented a year of points at $15 per point. After the IRS gets their piece, I'll net enough to pay for a little over 2 years of maintenance fees. Here's the math: $3000 income less this year's maintenance fees ($1200*) yields $1800 gross profit. 30% taxes (state and federal) on the gross profit is $540. So, I'm netting $1260 in my pocket after taxes plus I've paid the maintenance fees for the current year.

* For the nattering nabobs, I've rounded all these numbers to make it easier to understand.

Going every other year is a solid plan, just remember that you need to bank your points by the deadline to carry them over until the next year.

 

[kboo]

...

Many, many members end up going more often and booking larger accommodations than they originally thought they would. They also start inviting friends and family to go with them (and provide the lodging). Annual passes start to be a "good value".

DVC changes the way you vacation. Very few of us stick to the pre-DVC vacation schedule. The spreadsheets some use to "justify" the cost of DVC usually make me smile. I know that the initial assumptions are unlikely to end up correct.

Love my DVC - I know a lot more of our vacation money has gone to the Mouse than I ever could have imagined. We go to Disney far more often than we ever would have consdiered without it. But I am OK with that. Don't buy unless you will be, too.

So much this!! We bought planning to stay in studios for a 6-7 night trip once a year. We even bought a little cushion, as advised here, so we could stay in a 1BR from time to time in case the studio wasn't available. We closed on our first contract (BLT) 6 months ago and we are staying in a 1BR in February and a 2BR in November this year. And buying an even bigger contract at VGF to use in alternate years. Oh well.

...

Going every other year is a solid plan, just remember that you need to bank your points by the deadline to carry them over until the next year.

And if you are going to use a contract only every other year, that you should try to bank and borrow a tiny bit so as not to end up with leftover points. For example: if you have a 100 point contract and are using 2017 and 2018 points to book a stay in 2018, you are better off booking a 205 point stay (and borrowing 5 points from 2019) than booking a 195 point stay so "save" points. Because those 5 "saved" points from 2018 can only be banked into 2019, and then you'll have to find a way to "use" those points in 2019 or else lose them. Which means taking a trip more often than planned, or putting those points up for rent/transfer or losing them.

 

[frabjous]

And if you are going to use a contract only every other year, that you should try to bank and borrow a tiny bit so as not to end up with leftover points. For example: if you have a 100 point contract and are using 2017 and 2018 points to book a stay in 2018, you are better off booking a 205 point stay (and borrowing 5 points from 2019) than booking a 195 point stay so "save" points. Because those 5 "saved" points from 2018 can only be banked into 2019, and then you'll have to find a way to "use" those points in 2019 or else lose them. Which means taking a trip more often than planned, or putting those points up for rent/transfer or losing them.

This is a great tip! When I originally purchased I bought a few extra points than I needed in case they shifted the point chart values (it turns out this Is rare so I kinda wonder if it was with it, but on the other hand adding on to VGF is a PITA so no regrets!), which immediately lead to this problem. My solution was similar. I just added on to the stay, which temporarily was borrowing, which then recovered etc.

 

[DC to Poly]

I was once your husband. Now we have DVC, APs, the Chase Disney Card, and 7 DCL trips under our belt. All that's left is a tattoo.

But the previous poster is right. It's a downpayment on a lifestyle. I have a hard time looking at it as a wise financial decision. I don't regret it at all, but I stopped kidding myself about it too. Any savings on lodging is quickly spent on more frequent trips.

and it does change how you vacation. We're much more casual in the parks -- because we bought an AP on "discount" that we would never have even considered absent our DVC purchase. Long line and no fastpass? skip it, we'll catch it next time. want to come down for the weekend just the 2 of us. done. halloween party? okay.

 

[CarolynFH]

.... (Leaving for WDW in two days for marathon weekend.... fourth trip in about 2.5 years for me, but no future trips planned...yet).

Check out the Disney Parks Blog. Newest incentive: buy a fixed week at CCV for a specific runDisney race and be guaranteed not just 7 nights accommodations for the race but the right to buy up to 5 bibs for that race!

FYI when you buy a fixed week, you buy 10% more points than it would normally cost for that specific week. But if you decide not to use that week, you can “spend” your total number of points any way you want.

 

[frabjous]

Check out the Disney Parks Blog. Newest incentive: buy a fixed week at CCV for a specific runDisney race and be guaranteed not just 7 nights accommodations for the race but the right to buy up to 5 bibs for that race!

FYI when you buy a fixed week, you buy 10% more points than it would normally cost for that specific week. But if you decide not to use that week, you can “spend” your total number of points any way you want.

Out of curiosity, can you actually cancel the automatic res the system makes and rebook it with less points?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Out of curiosity, can you actually cancel the automatic res the system makes and rebook it with less points?

Yes.

 

[frabjous]

Yes.

Cool. I have to say they really designed the reserved week system well.

 

[dboules]

We bought 18 years ago when our kids were little. We realized quite early on that we loved to go with just ourselves on one trip and then one with the kids. We have done an add-on once when AKL became available. Now days we don't go as often -- Kids are grown, jobs have changed flexibility, and other life changes. I rent out our points to make up the difference and really need to plan a family trip!!
I agree with others that trading DVC to other timeshares is not a great use of your points. It is just too hard to book and the value of the trade is not there.
It is a major investment and both have to be on board!

Good luck!