Offsite is tempting me! (But I plan to stay strong!)

[JudyS]

As I posted on another thread, there is a DVC resale contract I'm planning to buy. However, it's hard to justify the price of the DVC when offsite timeshares are *so* inexpensive!

Skyauction (www.skyauction.com) is renting very nice 2 bedroom Orlando timeshares in the offseason for $250 a week, no purchase of a timeshare required. Currently, for when I plan to go to WDW next (October 2004), both Fairfield and Sunterra are available at that price, plus a host of lesser names.

Since I just bought another timeshare (in New Mexico) I have even more options by going through RCI. I know that Cypress Pointe Grandvillas has some "spacebanked" weeks that they are selling very cheaply for use with RCI. We're talking less than $200 a week for a two or three bedroom! Help me stay strong, guys! I need to resist the allure of offsite!

 

[crisi]

It really depends on what you value.

DVC IS expensive. But its the only Timeshare you'll find where Mickey Mouse does your wakeup call. Maybe that is worth it to you, maybe it isn't.

Its the only timeshare where walking to two parks is possible. Maybe that's worth it to you, maybe it isn't. Maybe you are planning on never staying at one of the Epcot area DVC resorts where this access is even available.

Its the only timeshare where you will have Disney transportation available to you. Maybe you drive everywhere anyway and this doesn't add value.

Its the only timeshare that has Disney behind it. There are other good timeshare companies - and fly by night ones. A good name is worth something - is the Disney name worth that much more.

(I'm not helping am I).

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Hi, Judy. Have you ever seen Cypress Pointe? My wife and I looked at it last week, and we would not stay there even if it were free.
I am not trying to offend those who like Cypress Pointe, but it just wasn't our cup of tea.
That being said, I am sure opinions will vary and some will like it.

Good luck, and stay strong!

MG

 

[mikesmom]

It's a little hard to tell from your post whether you are thinking of buying into one of those attractive timeshares or whether just renting seems like the thing to do. Here are the reasons we think DVC was the right way to go (from a family that NEVER stayed onsite before DVC):
- DVC holds the line on the cost of our vacation. Yes, renting offsite is less expensive NOW, will it be in 5 or 10 years? Rentals will be up, our DVC will not. Yes our dues will be up, but history shows the increase is minimal compared to the rise in hotel costs.
- thinking of buying a different timeshare? DVC has held the line on value. I could sell my points now for more than I bought them. An offsite timeshare bought at the same time will have depreciated drastically
- the value of being onsite. Frankly I don't care at all if Mickey wakes me up. However, being able to take a break mid-day, go back to the room for a rest or a swim has hugely improved the quality of our vacations. Could I take a break if I stayed offsite? Sure, but the routine of getting the car, getting out of WDW, getting thru the traffic to the hotel pretty much discouraged us from reversing the process to go back later in the day. When we stayed offsite, every time we took a break we never headed back.
- if you stay onsite you have more flexibility as a family. If DS wants to ride RnR for 4 hours or stay at the park until the last person is kicked out, we don't have to hang around. I know Disney transport will get him back to the hotel, or if he's at MGM or Epcot, he'll just walk back home. The bigger your group, the bigger your issue. When one person leaves for an offsite hotel, everyone has to leave.

 

[chainkid]

You have to ask yourselves are you the kind of person who loves traffic jams going to and from the theme parks.? Yes then offsite is for you. Do you like doing the parks commando style with no midday rest than offsite is for you. To me its no contest so its hard for me to understand the attraction of offsite.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

I'm not sure why you want to stay strong. For one thing I think rental prices have actually come down since I bought my offsite timeshare (truly annoying).

Offsite timeshares are quite handy for non-Disney vacations...there is a heck of a lot to do in Orlando metro without setting foot in daWorld.

I'm assuming you are considering renting versus buying a DVC timeshare as opposed to buying an offsite timeshare...you've got your New Mexico one, you can trade it. I love my DVC but if I were buying NOW as opposed to when I bought my VWL I'd go with renting offsite until such time I wanted to stay onsite. Stash the difference between that $250 (plus a car rental if you have to do that) and a week in a moderate in a DVC purchase account. When the time comes that you want to stay onsite so badly it hurts THEN buy a DVC.

 

[sunan]

Snap out of it!!

 

[Lisa P.]

You have to ask yourselves are you the kind of person who loves traffic jams going to and from the theme parks.? Yes then offsite is for you.

Except during an Easter week visit once, we haven't experienced traffic jams (except at DTD, where the Disney buses sat in the same traffic on Buena Vista Blvd as our car). We have disliked standing in long lines at the end of the night, waiting on Disney transport. So, this claim makes no sense to me. We don't love traffic jams yet we have thoroughly enjoyed our offsite vacations.

Do you like doing the parks commando style with no midday rest than offsite is for you.

This doesn't make sense to me either. We've waited longer for Disney transport to pick us up midday at the parks than it's taken for us to drive back to the door of our nearby, offsite condo for a midday rest. We're not commando park guests and we do enjoy a resort break sometimes. Everyone's different.

JudyS, if you love the onsite DVC resorts, then the only reasonably priced ways to plan on staying in them are probably to rent points from a member or own there yourself. That's the only reason to buy. Do you love 'em or not?

If you do and if you would be paying to stay onsite in a Disney hotel anyway (for years to come), then don't second-guess yourself. If you really cannot afford it (no sin in that), then choose the more cost-effective route. They're lovely resorts. So are many offsites. Doesn't hurt to try out an offsite and see if the onsite experience was really worth it to you or not - especially if you plan to visit offsite restaurants or attractions on this trip. You'll know. JMHO.

 

[chainkid]

I always stay onsite and rarely use the buses just my car when not using boats or monorail but we avoid the main roads and park free everywhere. You must be lucky not to have hit traffic jams...as we have many times when venturing offsite during peak periods. We never wait for anything onsite using our own car...take the monorail to one of the resorts for lunch and then back to car . So for me its a no brainer

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Originally posted by chainkid
. You must be lucky not to have hit traffic jams...as we have many times when venturing offsite during peak periods.

The key words here are peak periods. When I go it isn't peak so there is no need to do any park commando style for the most part. Go to the parks later...no traffic jams. Leave the parks at dinner...no traffic jams. We used to leave and then come back to parks for dinner and fireworks...it was great...you got really close parking spots and if you mosey on out of the park slowly there is again...no traffic jam.

Don't get me wrong I love my DVC but I also love the flexibility the offsite timeshare gives me as well. They are literally two different vacation styles that I enjoy equally.

 

[jmatias]

Hi Judy,

We struggled with the same dilemna for 2 years every since we stayed at OKW via an II trade in 2002.

Our first timeshares are Marriotts ( we own 2 right now). We love that Marriott has over 50 resorts. What's really great for us is that Marriott has resorts on Oahu, Maui, & Kauai since we live on Oahu these are easy last minute vacations for us.

During our OKW stay we did the DVC tour and at that time decided not to buy in mainly for the same reasons you stated....lots of other timeshares in Orlando and the cost of DVC.

Well....for 2 years, all I've been thinking about is DVC....the feeling you get when you stay on site is just magical

So....we now own at BWV and its a perfect compliment to our Marriotts.

For our upcoming June trip with DH's family, we will be staying at Marriott Grande Vista in a 3 bedroom for the first 2 weeks. Then just our family continues on to WDW with a stay at BWV.

Though I rather stay onsite the entire time, the Marriott makes it affordable for us to treat DH's family.

So for us Marriott and DVC is the way to go

 

[Cris]

Originally posted by Maistre Gracey
Hi, Judy. Have you ever seen Cypress Pointe? My wife and I looked at it last week, and we would not stay there even if it were free.
I am not trying to offend those who like Cypress Pointe, but it just wasn't our cup of tea.
That being said, I am sure opinions will vary and some will like it.

Good luck, and stay strong!

MG

I agree Eeeeep!!!

 

[Cruelladeville]

You don't run into crowds leaving the parks?? I must have been very unlucky when I was there --we left the Magic Kingdom 45 minutes after the parade and fireworks, and there was a HUGE mass of people! The monorail was backed up to the entrance gates, so I took the boats. After
1 1/2 hours I was still waiting for the boats, when the resort buses were empty and they were already power washing the cement. The cheap hotel wasn't so cheap after 3 nights of staying there. I couldn't wait to get to BWV.

 

[Lisa P.]

We don't normally go during spring break and summer primetime, as your countdown tickers suggest that you do, Cruella. So we don't have any more difficulty in leaving the parks than those waiting on Disney transport - both are pretty simple. The OP was describing a planned October trip, which is not during typical school vacation primetime. I cannot imagine she would encounter major traffic jams in October (we haven't).