Please help me with the DVC

[Jo Jo]

We just returned from WDW and while there went on a DVC tour. My husband and I are very interested but would really like to hear from some others who have opinions on it, experiences etc. Please let me know where your thoughts are.

 

[Amy&Dan]

JoJo: To get more responses, post this question on the DVC board on disboards. You will get a lot more responses! I will tell you we joined DVC a year and a half ago and love it. It is not a light decision, if you are unsure or don't think it will work for you then you might want to reconsider! It is best used for staying at WDW but does give you plenty of flexibility to use the World Passport Collection to vacation elsewhere. Also, buy where you want to stay. Right now buying through Disney means buying into Saratoga Springs. We love SSR and are happy with that. But if you think Beach Club is where you will always want to stay, then you should buy a resale with Beach Club being your home resort. Otherwise, you will not be able to book more than seven months out which can mean you might not get to stay where you want. I really recommend you head over to the DVC area of this board, it has tons of good information and lots of long time owners who can really explain all of this way better than me. Good luck with your decision!

 

[GoCards!]

I, too, am a DVC owner. We bought in 2000 at BWV and really love it. I agree with the post that said to buy where you want to stay the most....especially if most of your trips will be during a busy time of year. We have only traveled in May and October and have not had any trouble getting what we want, even when we've only been able to book 7 months out. Personally, I would say that it's a good deal only if you can pay for it without financing. Not sure of what kind of interest rate is charged, but to me, I think making payments on it would be a little crazy. JMO. Good luck with your decision!

 

[Slakk]

We just returned from WDW and while there went on a DVC tour. My husband and I are very interested but would really like to hear from some others who have opinions on it, experiences etc. Please let me know where your thoughts are.

I bought two years ago at SSR and love love LOVE it! We also have done small add ons at BCV and VWL. I like having the option of the 11 month booking at MULTIPLE resorts.

Basically none of the resorts are dogs - they each have their own unique value and I always kind of cringe when I hear buy where you want to stay unless you have stayed at them all - you may find that a resort you thought you would not like you like and one you were sure was the best really is not.

I am glad we bought at SSR first then traveled around a bit and bought add ons at other resorts later. But that is just us - and it fits our style of travel. Each person is different - the thing is whatever you decide as long as it is DVC you really cannot go wrong!

 

[WOW]

We bought at OKW in 1994.....Love it. Added on several times.

 

[GADisneyDVC]

We bought last June at SSR and love it. We only wish we had done it earlier!!

 

[Granny]

We just returned from WDW and while there went on a DVC tour. My husband and I are very interested but would really like to hear from some others who have opinions on it, experiences etc. Please let me know where your thoughts are.

Jo Jo...now that this thread is on the DVC board, I think you will have a hard time finding people that are unhappy with DVC. Otherwise, why would they spend a lot of time on the internet posting on this board? So it's hardly an unbiased opinion.

However, I think that many would generally agree that DVC works best for certain types of people. In general, DVC is a good fit if:

- you plan on visiting WDW (or Hilton Head and Vero Beach) at least every other year for the next few decades.

- you normally stay in moderates or above when staying at a WDW resort

- you don't plan on using most of your DVC points for weekends or extended weekends...points are much higher then than weekdays

- you are able to plan and book your trips in advance. 11 months in advance is ideal, 7 months in advance is important (especially if you have strong feelings about which resort you end up at)



There are other considerations, but I think most would agree with these. I'll add one more:

- you are interested in a vacation upgrade. While many stay in studios which are a slight upgrade from WDW regular resort rooms, the difference with DVC really kicks in with 1BR or larger accommodations. If you like the "suite style" of that kind of room, you probably won't be saving much money with DVC but will be significantly upgrading your vacation accommodations.


For us, DVC isn't saving us money. We go to WDW much more often, and room accommodations is only one part of the cost. We still have to pay travel, dining and ticket costs which have all increased with increased frequency of visits.

That said, it was a great decision for our family. Our vacations are more frequent, higher quality and much less stressful than before. We know we'll be back often, so we never fret that we're not "doing everything" on every trip. It has also allowed us to use the other amenities of WDW and just be on a more leisurely pace. We actually come home from WDW trips refreshed now, rather than frazzled!

DVC is not a great trade-out deal for non-DVC destinations, including other Disney options such as cruises or DL.

We own at VWL and BWV. Our DVC experiences have been....quite frankly....awesome.

 

[dumbo71]

My take may be different for some but here is mine.

DVC is a fine program for those that visit WDW at least every other year, can pay cash for the buy in amount, have flexible travel times (can plan 8 months or more in advance), can avoid most weekend nights and love WDW.

DVC certainly isn't saving me any money and frankly I don't care. I paid cash and have a slush fund to spend. I bought DVC for the luxury of larger rooms at WDW. DVC was a luxury purchase for us kind of like buying a luxury car. Do you need the luxury car, no,but you choose to buy it anyway.

This saving money thing you hear has not been our experience. DVC saves most nothing and in fact increases there expenditures for things like airfare, rental cars, all WDW purchases (food, souvenirs, park tickets, etc.). We spend far more at WDW now than we ever have even with the pre-paid room.

Hope this helps a little. It is a great program for some but not for all.

 

[Darkside]

I personally don't think that DVC is a money saving option but rather an investment into your leisure time. We stayed at Pop Century this past May and frankly I can't take the cheap Disney resorts anymore. I felt like cattle stuffed in a stall. By the time we made it from our room the bus stops, I needed another vacation. It would be nice to swim in a straight line for more than 10 feet without running into some middle aged man's pot belly! Don't get me wrong I like people, but when 3 busses come all at the same time to take everyone to Magic Kingdom, there are just too many people at the cheapee resorts. YES, SARATOGA SPRINGS HERE WE COME! I mean, look at these rooms, Thomasville furniture, quartz counter tops (my guess is about $3000 worth of counter tops in a 1 bedroom) and one of the most beautiful pools I have ever seen. My work brings me into to many multi million dollar condos and homes and frankly the furnishings at Saratoga Springs are some of the nicest I have seen. Hope this helps?

 

[Chuck S]

I agree with Darkside to a point. While we often stay at POP for a day or two, it would not be my first choice for a longer stay. And with the "actual" cost of DVC studios, once you divide the buy-in cost over the length of the contract and add in annual dues, you get a relaxing stusio for less than a value resort, and a one bedroom for about double that...you really can't compare. But you MUST look at DVC as saving money and adding to your enjoyment in the long-term sense, and vacation at a DVC resort on a regular basis. While using your points to stay at other places makes sense for some people occasionally when you want a "different" style vacation, using them at DVC resorts is where the value remains.

 

[Step]

Ah but think of it this way. Say you pay 15,000 for 150 renewable points at saragota springs, but you choose to vacation only once every 3 years. If you rent out points at $10/pop for the in between years you net $3000 every 3 years. $2000 can be put towards disney food and air fare and $1000 towards recouping the cost of what you paid. In 45 years it will have paid for itself: ($15000/ ($1000/3 years) = 45)

This of course depends on how easy it is to sell points, and how much money you have to spend on vacations if you aren't able to sell the points. I do think it saves you money if you treat it the right way.

Now I only need $15,000

 

[NYMomof4]

My opinion strays a bit from the financial perspective, but the #1 reason that I love DVC is for the planning and the flexibility. It seems that the joy of countdowns and looking forward to the next trip carries us through the year If we need a 2 bdrm for a big family trip, we can choose that. If I want to squeeze in an extra studio trip, I can do that. I wish I had purchased sooner but I also look forward to the many years of vacations that will be basically paid for aside from annual dues. I also believe that Disney provides a certain level of quality that I appreciate.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would agree with those who have posted here.

We have owned since 1997 and purchased more points in 2002.

When we were purchasing, DH figured it out and determined that if you planned on staying in a DVC resort at least every other year, then the DVC was an option to consider.

For us, we knew we'd be going to WDW at least once a year, and more often when possible. We liked the idea of having the flexibility in room size, we like the themeing of all the DVC resorts, we like that the payments are monthly, rather than having to come up with the big chunk of change for the accomodations all at once...it seems less painful to have a small amount deducted every month. We did not buy it as a money-making investment...we bought it to enjoy. We have never rented points...we use all our points every year. It is, as a previous poster said, a luxury purchase of sorts, but one that was not totally financially out of our reach, and one that we truly feel we have gotten our money's worth out of.

I would caution against buying it if you are financially strapped...then it becomes one more bill. But if you have some discretionary income and think you'll be at a DVC resort (whether in WDW or offsite) at least every other year, it might be a good fit for you.

I know we enjoy our WDW vacations more now, because we are more relaxed, don't feel the need to "commando tour" because we know we'll be back. It's nice to be able to have a little happy hour, with snacks and drinks, sitting in a nice livingroom or on a nice balcony, rather than sitting on your bed. We always get a one BR or larger, so we have a separate livingroom and a full laundry. I do like the full laundry as it makes packing much easier...you don't have to take as much since it can be washed. The less I have to schlep on a plane, the happier I am!!!!

We have no regrets about buying. Good luck with your decision.