Please help - thinking of buying a DVC!!!

[I~heart~Mickey]

My dh & I have been throwing around the idea of getting a place at DVC.

How did you decide which resort?

Is each resort a different price?

I don't really understand the points.... can someone explain?

How easy is it to change from your home resort to a different resort?

I know this has probably been asked before but this site is so big and I can't find my answers.

What benefits do DVC owners get?

Is it better to buy a DVC or rent the points/ or rent?

TYIA

 

[I~heart~Mickey]

I think this isn't the best place to post. Gonna post in the DVC ops threads.

 

[I~heart~Mickey]

My dh & I have been throwing around the idea of getting a place at DVC.

How did you decide which resort?

Is each resort a different price?

I don't really understand the points.... can someone explain?

How easy is it to change from your home resort to a different resort?

I know this has probably been asked before but this site is so big and I can't find my answers.

What benefits do DVC owners get?

Is it better to buy a DVC or rent the points/ or rent?

TYIA

 

[TLSnell1981]

My dh & I have been throwing around the idea of getting a place at DVC.

How did you decide which resort?

We love the conveniece of BC and BWV. I decided on BWV because it has more rooms....thus more availability.

Is each resort a different price?

Yes. There is a disney vacation link on the wdwinfo site. It has a resale link, point charts, etc

I don't really understand the points.... can someone explain?

There is a point chart for each resort. The points per night vary....depending on the type of room, time of the year and day of the week.

How easy is it to change from your home resort to a different resort?

You are allowed to book rooms, at you home resort,, beginning 11 months from your vacation date. You are allowed to book other resorts beginning 7 months out.

What benefits do DVC owners get?

The site I mentioned above, also has a link for FAQS on DVC benefits.

Is it better to buy a DVC or rent the points/ or rent?

You always take a chance when you rent points or a reservation. If you go to WDW on a regular basis and can afford it....buy.

Hope this helps!

 

[joepest6]

My dh & I have been throwing around the idea of getting a place at DVC.

How did you decide which resort?

Is each resort a different price?

I don't really understand the points.... can someone explain?

How easy is it to change from your home resort to a different resort?

I know this has probably been asked before but this site is so big and I can't find my answers.

What benefits do DVC owners get?

Is it better to buy a DVC or rent the points/ or rent?


Deciding resort is your own personal preferrence they are selling animal kingdom now but you can get other resorts check on price and how many years it is good for. Changing resorts or staying at a different resort can be done it depends on when you travel when you book at your home resort, you can book 11 months in advance and other resorts at 7 month mark so just call right at 7 month mark and see what is availible. If you want to go to Disney every couple of years or more Dvc is the way to go. If you buy dvc you will probably go more our family tends to go 2x a year because of strecthing points out like paying cash for on weekends and added on points over the years. Just look at point chart and figure out what you need buy small & then add points later.
Renting involves some risk because someone else controls the reservation.

 

[robandkelly13]

I am new to this too. What I am finding is that some resorts expire before others. If you now thru DVC it has a 49 year life, if you buy resale some resorts expire up to 39 years, this is what my agent told me and which ever resort you buy stock in, is your home resort and that does not change. We have tossed it around and came to the conclusion it is better to buy thru the DVC with all the percs and we are buying 320 points in the AKV. If you have a refferel and you buy under 320 you get a 500 gift card if you buy 320 or more you get a 1000 gift card, also if you buy resale you have to pay 10% down which can be alot. We did alot of research and I think the rewards will pay off in the end. Good Luck! Rob

 

[CraftyMouse]

My dh & I have been throwing around the idea of getting a place at DVC.

How did you decide which resort?

Is each resort a different price?

I don't really understand the points.... can someone explain?

How easy is it to change from your home resort to a different resort?

I know this has probably been asked before but this site is so big and I can't find my answers.

What benefits do DVC owners get?

Is it better to buy a DVC or rent the points/ or rent?

TYIA

Let's see...

You don't really get "a place". Instead, you purchase points at one of the DVC resorts. Those points can be spent on a unit at that resort, at other DVC resorts and at other travel locations (Disney Cruise Line, Disneyland, non-DVC Disney World resorts, exchanges to other parts of the country/world) although you will get the most value from your points by using them at the DVC properties.

We like all of the DVC resorts so we didn't care which one we bought at. If you really prefer one over another then buy there. You will be able too book reservations at your home resort 11 months in advance and at the other DVC properties 7 months in advance. Depending on the time of year, it can be difficult to get a reservation at resorts that are not your home, so buy someplace you will be happy staying. Prices will vary if your purchase a resale but should be pretty comparable when buying directly through Disney. Most resorts are sold out, but inventory does become available from time to time.

DVC is a major financial commitment. Your membership will last for several decades. If you are not sure if this is for you then do not buy. Rent points first and see if you like it. If, on the other hand, you decide that you'd like to buy in check out resale boards (there's a link to the Timeshare Store at the top of this page) and the current offer through DVC.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[CarolMN]

Note - Merged two threads

 

[CraftyMouse]

I am new to this too. What I am finding is that some resorts expire before others. If you now thru DVC it has a 49 year life, if you buy resale some resorts expire up to 39 years,

DVC began in 1992 with Old Key West and had a 50 year time limit with an end date of 2042. All of the resorts that opened after that maintained the same 2042 end-date until Saratoga Springs. When SSR opened in 2004 DVC decided to give it a new 50-years-out end-date of 2054. Animal Kingdom Villas opened after SSR and also has the 2054 end date (as will, it seems, any properties built in the next several years). DVC recently offered OKW owners the option to extend their memberships for 15 years, to 2057. None of the other properties have yet done this.

2042 End Date Properties

• Old Key West (2057 for those that extended)
• Boardwalk Villas
• Beach Club Villas
• Villas at Wilderness Lodge
• Hilton Head
• Vero Beach

2054 End Date Properties

• Saratoga Springs
• Animal Kingdom Villas

 

[spiceycat]

My dh & I have been throwing around the idea of getting a place at DVC.
How did you decide which resort?
Is each resort a different price?
I don't really understand the points.... can someone explain?
How easy is it to change from your home resort to a different resort?
I know this has probably been asked before but this site is so big and I can't find my answers.
What benefits do DVC owners get?
Is it better to buy a DVC or rent the points/ or rent?
TYIA

what do you like - or which is your favorite WDW park -
epcot or studios then BWV or BCV (the more expensive)
MK - then VWL (for now)
AK - then AKV
DTD - then SSR or OKW

OKW and SSR are cheaper than the others because they are not near a theme park only DTD.

BCV is the more expensive - because it is not only the closest resort to Epcot - it also has the best pool by far on WDW property. Plus love its restuarants!!!

only you can decide what is correct for you.

if you change right at the 7th month time - it is generally easy - exceptions - first two weeks of Dec; Oct/Nov, during the f&W festavial, just about impossible to get an Epcot resort. You can get OKW and SSR during that time.
Thanksgiving - low points for holiday, great weather generally, so again hard to get.

 

[Terese]

My husband & I also went back & forth about whether or not to buy into the DVC. We used to go to WDW every year, but now only go about every other year, so we weren't sure if it would be worth it for us. After much research, we decided to buy points on the secondary market instead of buying points through Disney direct. We did this for a couple of reasons. First, if we bought directly through Disney, we would only be able to purchase points at the AKL, as that's the only resort they're selling right now. It also meant that we were buying points for 50 years, & since we're in our mid 40's & have no children, we didn't see any sense in committing ourselves for that period of time. Since the cost of points & maintenance at each resort is different, we decided that buying points at OKW on the secondary market was going to be the most cost efficient way for us to do this. Plus, the contract expires in 2042 instead of 2057, which works out better for us (& probably is in part, the reason the points were a lot more reasonable). We usually go to WDW during the off season, so I don't see a big problem for us if we decide we want to stay somewhere other than OKW. There are a lot of different options out there...do your homework, & I'm sure you'll make a decision that's right for you. Good luck!

 

[chalee94]

I am new to this too. What I am finding is that some resorts expire before others. If you now thru DVC it has a 49 year life, if you buy resale some resorts expire up to 39 years...

just to clarify, if you buy AKV, it expires in 49 years regardless of whether you buy direct or resale. likewise, the other resorts will expire at the dates craftymouse shows regardless of whether the purchase is direct or resale (and DVC does acquire pts at the "sold out" resorts which they can sell you if you prefer to buy direct.)

 

[robandkelly13]

It is all starting to make since, I think my agent is just trying to make a sell, they are discouraging us from buying resale. By telling us we will pay around 3000 or 4000 less then their price, for 10 less years on contract. I am still confused on this whole thing, is it wise to even do this, $600 is a lot to pay a month over 5 years. I am also lost on the acronyms used on this site, for example, HH, DH, Reggies.... I have figured out most of the hotels. I was in Army and was medically retired in 06, so I am no stranger to acronyms. Thanks! Rob

 

[burberryplaid]

My husband & I also went back & forth about whether or not to buy into the DVC. We used to go to WDW every year, but now only go about every other year, so we weren't sure if it would be worth it for us. After much research, we decided to buy points on the secondary market instead of buying points through Disney direct. We did this for a couple of reasons. First, if we bought directly through Disney, we would only be able to purchase points at the AKL, as that's the only resort they're selling right now.

I just wanted to clarify here. Am I wrong in thinking you can buy into other resorts through Disney, you just might have to wait it out a while because the only resort that is readily available right now is AKV? If you wanted say WLV though, you could ask for it and then they would put you on a wait list, right?

 

[Terese]

In our quest for as much information as possible, we did discover that Disney does "resell" points at DVC resorts other than AK, but for what we were looking for, buying through Disney direct was going to be much more expensive than the place we bought our points at. For instance, we bought 100 points at OKW through an independent DVC reseller. For the same amount of points at OKW, Disney was offering it to us for about $20+ more per point. The difference being, that if we had bought the OKW points through Disney direct, it included a 15 year extension...which we didn't need. So we wound up saving at least $2000.00. You just have to figure out what you really need, and how long you need it for. Since I'm not in love with any one DVC resort in particular, I simply tried to find the best deal possible...which turned out to be OKW. I hope I made sense...I'm still kind of new to this whole thing!

 

[chalee94]

I am also lost on the acronyms used on this site, for example, HH, DH, Reggies.... I have figured out most of the hotels. I was in Army and was medically retired in 06, so I am no stranger to acronyms. Thanks! Rob

here you go!

 

[pickles]

I am new to this too. What I am finding is that some resorts expire before others. If you now thru DVC it has a 49 year life, if you buy resale some resorts expire up to 39 years, this is what my agent told me and which ever resort you buy stock in, is your home resort and that does not change. We have tossed it around and came to the conclusion it is better to buy thru the DVC with all the percs and we are buying 320 points in the AKV. If you have a refferel and you buy under 320 you get a 500 gift card if you buy 320 or more you get a 1000 gift card, also if you buy resale you have to pay 10% down which can be alot. We did alot of research and I think the rewards will pay off in the end. Good Luck! Rob

I would suggest 2 160 pt contracts rather than alarge 320 pt, if you ever need to sell it or need less points you may be in a bind, not everyone needs 320pts and those usually bring less per point on the resale market

 

[robandkelly13]

I did not know buying 2 160 pt. contracts was an option, it makes since but the down payment is more. I am lost on this stuff, my agent keeps telling me different months I can use certain points and they will match my points. I don't know if we are jumping the gun, but we have never been to WDW, but we are going to buy some sort of timeshare, just did not know thru who. This one makes the most since as far as vaction needs. I think! But with anything I am worried about the long commitment and if it pay off in the end, we don't live that far from WDW (about 500 miles) and we have a 3 year old girl that is love with all the Princess's as probably most little girls are, so this is more for her. But I have until 9 in the morning that is when I am going to make the down payment. Thanks! Rob

 

[pickles]

If you are buying direct from disney, you can buy 100 pt or 160 or more pt contracts. If you have not signed the deal, be in charge of your deal. Buy it in 2 or more contracts. worse case, just buy 160pts now,. close on that and do a add on if they are dragging their feet on 2 contracts. That may even be better as I understand there are no closing costs if adding on...others here will know if that is correct.

Look at what they are offering at what levels and if that makes it worth it.
they will only try and sell you AKV at this time

If you are buying via resale, then you have to take what is available on the other websites. simply check each resaler out and what they have to offer and find the contract/s that fit your needs best.

 

[I~heart~Mickey]

Thank you all so much!!! We have a lot to think about!!! I am only hesitant because my husband is Military and we can get condo's near Disney for $370 for 7 nights and they are really great!

So he is leaning to no but I just love Disney resorts!!!