Picking a home base...

[ldmohnke]

Ok...so I'm still doing my research and I hear more and more that you should buy where you want to stay. Seriously, though, I believe that if/when we purchase this I want to stay somewhere different each year. We want to hit Disney, but we want to go to some of the RCI resorts also and even one year go on a cruise. I just want my kids to be able to experience difference places. Given this, should we just go for the lowest price per point out there (which looks to be Hilton Head)???? We're in TN and SC is actually closer than FL. Don't get me wrong, we'll definately hit Disney (we love it!), I just don't know what is the best way to go. HELP!

 

[ImagineerM]

I think the best advice I ever received was BUY WHERE YOU WANT TO STAY!

That way you will always be happy where you are, even if you can't switch at 7 months.

 

[spiceycat]

go with SSR. it is not quite as cheap as HH or VB - but the maintence fees are lower.

but only buy enough points for every other year.

then you can go to WDW every other year and go to other places. then with the money you saved buy a RCI resort that will trade to the places you want.

DVC is to expensive to trade.

go visit
www.tug2.net - for information on other timeshares - some you can get for less than $1,000 or even lower

 

[ldmohnke]

I don't quite understand about the "trading" thing you're talking about. Don't you just contact someone and make reservations for an RCI resort or is it more complicated??

 

[spiceycat]

rci is an exchange company - nothing more.

they can only exchange what they have. they will give first choice to their most indemand resorts.

dvc is an Orlando timeshare. Orlando is over stocked with timeshares. So it does not always get the best.

so kept your DVC for WDW - and get another timeshare (one that is in more demand or at least a better area) to trade with using RCI.

 

[disneynutz]

Disney makes membership seem better then it really is. You can use your points for stays at locations other than WDW but most Members will tell you that is like putting premium gas in your car.

The car will still work but for most cars it's a waste of money.

A DVC membership is best used at a DVC resort where you get the most bang for your buck.

Bill

 

[crisi]

Don't buy DVC at all if you aren't going to use it AT A DVC RESORT at least every third year, and better every other year (every third year is tough).

There are cheaper RCI resorts to trade with that are better traders.

Its often better to pay cash to cruise.

Watch the dues. HHI has a cheaper buy in, but you'll quickly make up the difference in dues.

I think you need to understand timeshares a lot better before you buy DVC if you are interested in staying anywhere other than DVC.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Disney makes membership seem better then it really is. You can use your points for stays at locations other than WDW but most Members will tell you that is like putting premium gas in your car.

The car will still work but for most cars it's a waste of money.

A DVC membership is best used at a DVC resort where you get the most bang for your buck.

Bill

Great analogy, Bill.

OP, look at the resorts you really like. Look at the special times or special types of villas that you want. For example, if you think you want to stay in a GV occasionally (with family members perhaps), you'll want to own at a resort that has GVs. VWL and BCV don't have GVs. If you want to stay at an Epcot resort during Food & Wine Festival, you'll want to own at BCV or BWV. If you want to stay at VWL during Christmas season, you'll want to own at VWL. If the savanna view at the AKV is your idea of great fun, you'll want to own there. If the MK view is your piece of cake OR you want to stay at BLT and use the fewest points, own at BLT. If you want to visit DL on a regular basis, own at GCV. If you want to regularly use the fewest number of points and want a GV, buy at OKW. If you will need a two bedroom villa and want a dedicated two bedroom most of the time, don't buy BWV because they have zero dedicated two bedroom villas.

If you can't make a reservation any further out than 7 months out, it won't matter where you own because all points are equal. And if you can't plan a vacation at all and prefer to go on the spur of the moment, forget about DVC altogether.

 

[ldmohnke]

Ok -- yeah, it's getting a bit confusing. So it's not as easy as calling up an RCI resort and saying I want to use my DVC points to stay 5 nights? Does this also take months in advance to plan? My husband wasn't too keen on getting the DVC because he wants to be able to go other places besides Disney. But by the sounds of it, it may not be worth it if you plan to go other places??? Has anyone out there used their points to stay other places? What was the process like in doing it? Thanks for your help and input!

 

[ldmohnke]

Thanks for the input! I want to stay at all of those places! I want to try and experience all of the resorts at different times of the year with my family. I am definitely a planner and have no problems planning vacations well in advance. As I stated in another reply though, I would like to try and go other places as well. Have you ever used your points for an RCI vacation??

 

[Deb & Bill]

Ok -- yeah, it's getting a bit confusing. So it's not as easy as calling up an RCI resort and saying I want to use my DVC points to stay 5 nights? Does this also take months in advance to plan? My husband wasn't too keen on getting the DVC because he wants to be able to go other places besides Disney. But by the sounds of it, it may not be worth it if you plan to go other places??? Has anyone out there used their points to stay other places? What was the process like in doing it? Thanks for your help and input!

You don't call RCI; you call Member Services. And they take your reservation and try to match it. It can take a long time to match and what you want may never be available when you want to go. Or it could be an easy match. You'll never know until it happens. It will cost you $95 to book outside of DVC.

 

[ldmohnke]

I'm sorry if I have all these dumb questions, but this is all so new to me. How far in advance can you book with the RCI places? Does anyone know?

 

[crisi]

Up to two years in advance to book RCI. You should request a trade as far in advance as possible.

 

[Lynne M]

If you're primarily going to be using your DVC membership at DVC resorts, with occasional trades out to other resorts, then DVC may be a good value for you. That's really what the program is designed for - stays at DVC resorts.

If it's the other way around - mostly trading out to other places, with the occasional stay at a DVC resort, then DVC is going to be a frustrating experience, and very, very much overpriced.

There are other, top-notch timeshares that trade to the exact same RCI resorts that DVC does (and more), but cost a fraction of the price of DVC. I mean thousands of dollars less, if you buy them at resale. If you're purchasing DVC to get the ability to trade into RCI resorts, that's like paying Porsche prices for a Honda Accord. Way, way more than you need to.

If you think you want to stay at a DVC resort, say, every three years, with RCI trades on the in-between years, then I'd recommend purchasing only enough DVC points to cover that every-3-year stay, with banking and borrowing. Then, pick up another timeshare on the resale market to cover your RCI trips.

Be sure to do your research first at a site like TUG, to make sure you're getting a timeshare with good trading power, that can get you to the places you want to go.

 

[dbs1228]

When I 1st joined we wanted to use our 2009 "bonus points" for a 7 night stay next June in London. Boy was I disappointed when I called MS and requested this ressie, I had 3 weeks in which we could travel. I was told I had to pick 1 week they would take 349 points from my account, charge me 95.00 and I would be on a waitlist. When I asked how long before I will know (since I had to make all other arrangements) they said until we find a match. The kicker for me was the IF and When factor.

My parents have timeshares and deal with RCI and once a match is made they are contacted asking if they still want this ressie (with speicific details of the resort that matched) MS told me once a match was found it is a done deal booked away we go. I did not like that since there is a lot of planning I have to do on this end.

I opted to look at different options and use my points for dvc vacations. btw my guide made it sound so very easy and told us they had plenty of properties in London. MS said they use 1 property which decreases our chances of getting something.

I am still thrilled with dvc and look forward to using my membership since I know we will go at least once a year!

 

[Jerry@dvcstore]

If you do not plan to book more than 7 months in advance, then it does not matter where you own your points. At 7 months or less, all the DVC resorts are open for reservations. All points are equal and your home resort makes no difference. The only advantage your home resort will give (when booking a reservation) is the ability to book from the 7 to 11 month time frame.

 

[ldmohnke]

How quick do the resorts fill up? Is it hard to get a reservation? I guess it would depend on the time you go, huh?

 

[Deb & Bill]

How quick do the resorts fill up? Is it hard to get a reservation? I guess it would depend on the time you go, huh?

Sometimes it is difficult to get a reservation at your choice at 10 months out. Other times you might get something at two months out. Check out my other response to this thread and you'll find some of the conditions when it might be difficult to get a reservation.

 

[Orsino]

And if you can't plan a vacation at all and prefer to go on the spur of the moment, forget about DVC altogether.

What would you define as "spur of the moment?"

We typically plan 3 months in advance for Disney, though with DVC that might change. On our most recent trip at the end of April we considered DVC and the guide offered to change our AKL SV hotel room to a DVC AKV SV room so we could use our points if we bought over the phone. That seemed kind of last minute to me, but we also travel at low season (no kids).

Thanks

 

[chalee94]

4-5 months in advance is pretty "spur of the moment" for DVC. you will probably find some availability (usually at larger resorts).

also, be aware that low season for DVC is not the same as low season for wdw as a whole. if you wait till 3 months out to try to book early december, you will usually wind up with extremely limited options.