Please Help/Comment

[H20DogsNDisney]

Please give some feedback on your reasons for joining the Disney Vacation Club. It seems that unless one typically stays at the Deluxe Resorts. The combination of the inital outlay and monthly dues far exceeds that which would be spent at the moderate resorts for many years to come. Please comment on this and anyother positive or negative experiences you had with the club. Thank You

 

[mjfox]

We own 270 pts and can stay for 15 nights during the summer at BCV and one other resort for fewer points. Our annual maintenance is $1200. You could stay at a value resort for that, but not a mod. or deluxe resort. If all you do is stay at value resorts than DVC may not be for you.

For us we like the deluxe resorts and it makes since to us. Deluxe average night stay with an AAA discount + tax is $490 / night or $7350 for 15 nights. We couldn't afford that each year but the maintenance is only $1200 / year.

 

[rentayenta]

In no particular order:

• With a growing family of 5 we need larger accommodations
• Love the amenities- full kitchen/washer dryer, jetted tub, home like feel
• We vacation to Disney at least every other year
• Buying at SSR was a slam dunk no brainer for us: love the condo style vs hotel style, grounds are amazing, golf course, pool area, $$
• Can exchange out which we are doing next March in Mexico
• Invisible loan
• Vacationing with friends is so much easier

 

[Opie100]

The combination of the inital outlay and monthly dues far exceeds that which would be spent at the moderate resorts for many years to come.

It usually pays off after something between 7-10 years. But by then the value of the experiences usually exceed the cost. I agree with other posters tho - if value resorts provide what you are seeking from a vacation, DVC is not worth it for you.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Please give some feedback on your reasons for joining the Disney Vacation Club. It seems that unless one typically stays at the Deluxe Resorts. The combination of the inital outlay and monthly dues far exceeds that which would be spent at the moderate resorts for many years to come. Please comment on this and anyother positive or negative experiences you had with the club. Thank You

If you are satisfied with moderates, DVC will be expensive and not a good match.

 

[vicki_c]

Because over the long run, it will be significantly less expensive for our lodging than the deluxe resort stays we would normally do.

 

[Dean]

Please give some feedback on your reasons for joining the Disney Vacation Club. It seems that unless one typically stays at the Deluxe Resorts. The combination of the inital outlay and monthly dues far exceeds that which would be spent at the moderate resorts for many years to come. Please comment on this and anyother positive or negative experiences you had with the club. Thank You

It depends on when you go, how many days and which days you go. A Sunday to Friday stay will be less at DVC in a studio than a moderate but weekends will be significantly more. If you go most years, stay in moderates, value staying on property and don't go heavy on weekends; DVC will be a good choice for you in the long run. 100-120 points will likely be enough unless you're looking at Xmas, Easter or mid Summer for most trips. So for roughly $7-10K and yearly fees in the $500 range, you get a deluxe type of room with a partial kitchen. You give up daily housekeeping and a few other minor issues. If you compare to code discounts, you may or may not break even but you certainly get a LOT more for your money. IMO that's the worst case scenario so most people in your situation should seriously consider buying then make the decision based on their own finances, the specifics of their trips and whether they plan to continue trips at least EOY. Don't buy for trade options though.

 

[Deb & Bill]

It depends on when you go, how many days and which days you go. A Sunday to Friday stay will be less at DVC in a studio than a moderate but weekends will be significantly more. If you go most years, stay in moderates, value staying on property and don't go heavy on weekends; DVC will be a good choice for you in the long run. 100-120 points will likely be enough unless you're looking at Xmas, Easter or mid Summer for most trips. So for roughly $7-10K and yearly fees in the $500 range, you get a deluxe type of room with a partial kitchen. You give up daily housekeeping and a few other minor issues. If you compare to code discounts, you may or may not break even but you certainly get a LOT more for your money. IMO that's the worst case scenario so most people in your situation should seriously consider buying then make the decision based on their own finances, the specifics of their trips and whether they plan to continue trips at least EOY. Don't buy for trade options though.

And, unless you plan to stay at OKW, you'll only get one queen bed and one double sleeper sofa in the studio. At OKW they have two queen beds in the studio. And you cannot get a studio that will sleep five like POR. In a studio the fifth guest will need to be a child under the age of three.

 

[culli]

For us it is about the larger rooms and kitchen. I don't think it is possible (or at least for our family) to relax in a hotel room and enjoy WDW. We did 14 days at a 2br DVC, imagine doing that in a hotel room or two with 3 young kids. Not to mention what the room would cost the living room and kitchen is the selling point for our family. Not so much a deluxe accomidation thing for us, I thought POR was really nice.

Like I said it is all about relaxing AND enjoying WDW. Hard to explain but I'm sure others know what I'm talking about. There is absolutly cheaper options to include staying offsite. But for our family DVC hits the sweet spot at a cost I consider reasonable - not cheap but for us to enjoy the way WE WANT to enjoy WDW it is the most cost effective. We have other timeshare options that is probably 5-10% the cost of DVC but they don't allow us to do WDW the way we want to, and DVC is our favorite. We use those other timeshare options for non WDW vacations.

 

[Sandisw]

We just bought in to DVC, even though we have been visiting almost yearly since 1994.

We love the CR and bought in because they built BLT. For what we paid, plus the MF's, we will now enjoy the same vacation in a 1 bedroom for less (over the course of the contract) than what we are paying for the hotel room.

That was enough for us. We have stayed at the moderates a few times, and they were nice, but for me, it was not the CR.

Good luck!!!

 

[wdwnut]

It is wonderful to be able to share WDW with friends and family. We've been able to take many different people there over the years. Last October we had 19 people at BWV for the Food & Wine Festival. If we hadn't joined DVC, we'd still be staying in deluxes, but only with a couple of guests. That's one reason we purchased and added on over the years.

 

[toniosmom]

While vacationing in a cramped All Star Movies hotel room with 3 adults and 1 toddler, I took the DVC tour. I was sold as soon as I saw the rooms. Even a studio was a million times better than that dingy ASM room. I didn't commit myself on the spot, but mulled it over for the few days left of my vacation and the flight home. I called within 1 day of returning home. I knew that I could afford it, so it was a no-brainer. I never looked at it like an investment. I realize that I will not outlive the contract but am happy that I can pass this along to my son in the (hopefully very far) future.

Our first trip was to a 1BR at SSR. We LOVED it. It was just me and my 4 year old son. We ate in the room -- nothing beats having a full kitchen.

My advice would be to make sure that you can afford this purchase -- meaning, don't put yourself in a bind where you have to choose whether to pay your DVC monthly fees or eat that month. If you can, I say go for it! If not, wait a bit longer and then buy in when you are in a better position.

Whatever you decide -- good luck!

 

[leanne2255]

This was also a no-brainer for us. We go to WDW at least once a year, if not more, and our vacations are pre-paid. Especially in this tough economy, our next trip will not be to any parks, but to simply relax and enjoy BWV and surrounding areas, while cutting down on the meal expense by preparing most meals in our full kitchen.

As other posters have stated, it all depends on your current financial circumstances and how you like to vacation. Us, we're happy sitting by the pool or on the Boardwalk, drinking our drinks that we made in our room, or drinking our own coffee while enjoying people-watching on the Boardwalk. And oh yes, relaxing in the jetted tub every evening with a glass of wine.

 

[IndyMacAddict]

We have stayed at Pop Century on our previous visits. Though we were not especially unhappy with Pop, the value resort compression reached a near intolerable level this year. I had been considering DVC for a couple years but just couldnt get past the initial investment. After this years trip in June, taking the DVC tour, and spending some time walking around inside and out of my all time favorite resort (Contemporary) we bought BLT and have not given a single second thought. The ability to stay in the deluxe resort I have always dreamed of year after year is something I didnt think possible. The Bay Lake Tower is gorgeous.

Long story short, as others have said, if the value resorts are all you feel is necessary (as we did for a long time), then DVC is not for you.

Good Luck with your decision.