Only $901 a night!

[casper]

The formula is pretty easy. Take a look at "alldiz" and her price list. She paid approximately $19,750 which includes bought points and maitenance fees. Take that number and divide it by the amount of nights she have stayed at a DVC resort so far. In "alldiz" case it was 20 nights. So, in reality, she has paid $987.50 for each night so far. But over the years, as she spends more nights, her first DVC trip will continue to get cheaper as the price per night falls.

The price falls rather quickly at first. For me it was: First trip - $3,219.54/night, Second trip - $1,361.85/night, Third trip - $885.19, and the Forth trip not yet taken - $635.31. So by the end of this year, my first trip will have only cost me $635.31 per night. Understand? But the figure doesn't seem to drop as quick as time goes by.

Here is the important part of this: I figure that for me I will be paying less than CRO rates at the moderates in the next 10 years. That is current (today's) CRO rates. So my frist stay on DVC will have (on average) cost me less than today's CRO for a moderate/night.

 

[ldo]

some of us who own other timeshares use a straight-line 10 year amortization for most timeshares and 15-20 years for higher end timeshares---it's a very conservative approach that assumes you get nothing after 20 years for your timeshare. And, yes, you can do equations that also present value money, add for inflation, etc., but this is a simple way to see what your "value" is.
For DVC, you could easily use 20 years.

So, let's take 200 points at $20K purchase price.
Divide $20K by 20 years = $1K.
Add 1 years maintenance fees = $1K
Total vacation cost for 200 points per year is $2K.

That is a VERY conservative figure--b/c a new contract with 20 years of usage would likely still have a very high (if not 100%) resale value. Even if you use only a 50% resale residual value, it bring your yearly cost to $1.5K for 200 points. That's a pretty good bang for the buck! Elaine

 

[sajetto]

I think I will remain blissfully ignorant on how much we are paying a night

Same here, I'm much happier NOT knowing!

 

[WEDway2002]

Hi Gang!

Love this thread!
Well, my DW and I did some math ... always a challenge for me!

We have been members since '94 and have never stayed in anything smaller than a 1 bedroom ... almost always at OKW (LOVE the size! )

Well ... figuring initial purchase, an add on, annual dues and deducting park admission from '94 through '00 AND figuring 16 trips {drum roll}
the average is at $148 a night!

And there's just no stoppin' us!

Dave

 

[mamatojon]

Initial purchase 150 pt contract - 12750
Initial purchase 120 pt contract - 9960
Dues 05 - 199 (4 mo 150 pt) + 119 (3 mo 120 pt)
Dues 06 - ~1110 (can't remember dues/pt so estimating)
Dues 07 - ~1117
Dues 08 - so far I've paid 279

Total paid as of today - 25534

Total nights - 34 (mainly 1 and 2 BR units)

690/nt

BUT - I am selling both contracts now , one is in escrow as I type this. I will receive 19197 total after commission is subtracted - so if you figure that in my net price per night will be 186/nt. I feel great about that, because there is no way on earth I could have stayed in 1 and 2BR accommodations for that price. I was paying almost 200/nt for a Ft Wilderness Cabin after AP discounts before DVC, and I really do like the DVC rooms so much more. I also didn't take into account the numerous discounts we got with DVC, the biggie being AP's for $100 off.

In a few years we will buy back in, but for now this makes the most sense.

 

[mommacat56]

How many of you are totally thankful that you are DVC owners?

Have been an owner since '92 and have absolutely LOVED everything about DVC (yes, even the tote bags and MF's). DVC is the best vacation decision we made. So glad we did it way back then, as my kids say, "when the Earth's crust was still warm!"

 

[DukeBombay]

I am loving this thread. Makes me feel good about the decision.

Alldiz, did your room price per night include the 12.5% resort tax? If not, then you would have spent even more and will be closer to spending your investment.

 

[Jaaron2]

How many of you are totally thankful that you are DVC owners?

That would be us

Owners for almost a year, already have 2 add on's points now at 325 and always on the hunt for more!

 

[drakethib]

I am not even going to try to this but I think a good way to calculate this is to use what Cro would have charged for the same nights

 

[macosx]

The formula is pretty easy.

The calculation discussed may be easy, but it's only one way at looking at the real costs. Having DVC completely changes ones outlook and in all likelyhood increases the members visits to the park, and may actually increase costs if you take into account other major expenses, mainly tickets, transportation, and food. Depending on number of people and how far you travel, I estimate room cost to be 1/4 to 1/3 total costs. What we might save in DVC versus hotel is spent on the other expenses of those extra trips, which is Disney's true motivation for expanding DVC. Make us happier, save us money on room and keep us coming back so that we can spend it on tickets and food, hence DDP, DDE, etc.

Complicating matters is the season and 1/2BR "upgrade" that members consume. Also, avoiding higher point weekends stretches points further. One could use 160 points in a 1BR (OKW adventure season) for a week or stretch it out to about 12 days in a studio (OKW dream/magic season), leading to a vastly different number.

Some simple math:

160 points at $100/point = $16,000
Assume $1000 annual dues (average over 10 or 20 years - yeah, not likely the same result for such different timeframes, but to keep numbers simple). In 10 years, we've spent $26,000 (at 12 days in a studio per year, that's $216.67), and in 20 years, $36,000 ($150). Using 7 days in a 1BR yields $371
for 10 years and $257 in 20 years.

Cost wise, studio is roughly comparable to moderate resort prices and 1BR compares to deluxe. In both cases I consider DVC villas superior to their counterpart.

 

[cdmickey]

I know you guys are just having fun with numbers, but what you need to do is divide your initial purchase price by the years of the lease (in our case 40 years), and that gets you your yearly fixed (amortized cost). Then you can add your maintenance costs and divide by the number of days/year.

 

[corpcomp]

I just don't need to know!

Besides, cost of enjoyment versus years of therapy - Priceless!!!!!

 

[mickeymom629]

I like to figure the way alldiz does. I add up the cost of what it would have cost for us to stay through CRO. Granted, we would NEVER have actually stayed there without DVC. Then, I've been adding the numbers through the years. The way I look at it, I have gotten the value of my membership (which was paid in full) for 200 points and now just have to make sure we get our dues-worth each year. Since we always get a 2 bedroom during peak or holiday season for 4 or 5 nights, we definitely have gotten our money's worth.

At least, that's the way I've figured.

I will have to sit down to figure it out the other way, adding the amount I've spent and dividing by the number of nights we used. I'm not sure I'm going to like that way . . .

Nope - I just figured it out that way and guess-timating, I have paid $442 for each of the 52 nights we stayed at a DVC resort. That's so much more than I would ever really pay on a vacation for a place to stay. I like looking at it my original way!

 

[petbren]

2007 was my first year to use DVC. Six nights in a two bedroom at SSR and eight nights in a studio at OKW. I will be at OKW in a few weeks making my nightly cost being $885.19 But how can you really estimate the true value of it all? If it wasn't for DVC my brother and his family wouldn't have joined us last July. My parents and I wouldn't have made the trip in Nov. And I certainly wouldn't be going with my friends in a few weeks. Money isn't always as important as fun and memories.

Over the years my cost per night will continue to go down. But the value of the fun and memories will continue to go up. As many point out, DVC doesn't save money any more than buying something at 30% off "saves" you money. It is still money spent! However, I believe it is money well spent. It has allowed me to do things I could not have done any other way. And I haven't even been traveling on DVC for an entire year yet. I'm so looking forward to many more years.

I love that analogy
People ask me, how much did you pay for DVC, and you have to pay dues every year to go
I think what you said is exactly right.........enjoy what you can, while you can, because you never know what life has in store for you. Enjoy spending memorable times with your family and people you love in a place that you love ...that's what life is about, not how much time you spent in the office, having a perfectly clean fashionable home, or $$$$ in the bank for a retirement you may not be able to enjoy when you reach that age.

 

[WDW LifeLong Fan]

We've been members so long, we are making money!

 

[kdonnel]

I thought I would play along.

I have stayed 46 nights since buying in 2002, an average of just slightly more then a full week a year.

4 in a studio
14 in a 1 bedroom
21 in a 2 bedroom
7 via Interval International exchange

My use year is October so I have not yet dipped into 2008 and in fact have 119 2007 points banked into 2008.

Adding the initial purchase cost and 6 years (2002-2007) of maintenance fees and I am at $532 a night.

If I ignore the initial purchase cost (It was a gift from my wife's parents after all) and only divide by the maintenance costs (Those are our expenses) I am at $140 a night.

 

[luna99]

I added up all my DVC costs thus far (initial purchase, 2 years worth of dues, EVERYTHING) and divided it by the number of nights I've used points to stay at DVC (including the upcoming trip). My stays have averaged $901 a night thus far ... I'm looking forward to watching that number come down each year!

wow! How long have you been a DVC member? I have to admit that reading this scared the heck out of me... I'm not a DVC member yet but I plan to be (i'm saving in order to buy a small resale) and wow! I'm assuming you just signed up not too long ago right? and haven't taken many trips yet?

 

[Claire L]

Bpught August last year and spent about $21000, plus this years dues of $1000. So far have spent 14 nights at DVC so $1571 a night but after 19 nights in May, 11 nights in December and 11 nights in May (for DBIL and DSIL) it will work out at $400 a night in less than 18 months

Claire

 

[alldiz]

Hi Gang!

Love this thread!
Well, my DW and I did some math ... always a challenge for me!

We have been members since '94 and have never stayed in anything smaller than a 1 bedroom ... almost always at OKW (LOVE the size! )

Well ... figuring initial purchase, an add on, annual dues and deducting park admission from '94 through '00 AND figuring 16 trips {drum roll}
the average is at $148 a night!

And there's just no stoppin' us!

Dave

Dave, why are you deducting park admission?...do you mean the 100 discount?
thanks
Kerri

I am loving this thread. Makes me feel good about the decision.

Alldiz, did your room price per night include the 12.5% resort tax? If not, then you would have spent even more and will be closer to spending your investment.

No, I didn't include tax....I like your thinking
Kerri

 

[mickeymom629]

Park admission was included for DVC members up until 2000 We just missed this perk!