Please share opinions about my DVC purchase concerns

[Trinka]

I have been considering buying DVC for a couple of years now. I cannot make up my mind on one fundamental issue. I want to buy DVC because I do understand that it can be a savings long-term. I also want to feel like I have a "home" at WDW (an emotional aspect, yes.). Here is my biggest question for you- Is DVC really worth it re: that hassle of keeping track of points. It seems to me that it might be more hassle than it is worth? I have to work with xx points this year, bank a bit here, borrow a bit there, etc. vs. just calling and making a regular non-DVC reservation at my favorite resort each time I want to go. I am not a person who enjoys those little financial planning details. If I want to go from September 5-18 one year and May 3-10 next year, that is what I want to do. Not have to worry about banking/borrowing/how- many- points- do- I- have. So- maybe DVC is not for me? Opinions and thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

I'm not much for keeping track of stuff, so I know how you feel, but the point system with DVC is pretty easy and you can check the member website to see where you are on points. I never have to worry about banking points as I am always in a state of borrowing.

IMHO the "requirements" that make DVC a wise purchase are:

1) You have the cash to pay up front.
2) You enjoy Disney enough that you plan on going nearly every year.
3) You prefer Deluxe accommodations and/or more space than a typical Hotel room
4) You have the ability to make vacation plans 10 or 11 months in advance.
5) You like the DVC resorts.

If these statements are true for you, then come on home!

 

[Sandisw]

If you have a favorite DVC resort and want to be sure that you get that resort each and every time, then you need to own there and book a trip 11 months out.

If you like to be able to decide last minute--and to me, for DVC, last minute is anything less than 7 months out--then you may find your choices for DVC resorts limited and will end up somewhere that you are not happy with. If this could be the case, then DVC may not be for you.

I do think that the points system makes traveling at different times of the year easy, but you still need to be able to plan far enough out to make it work and yes, that will require you to keep track of points, at least for banking purposes.

The other option, of course, is to buy a small resale contract to start and see how it works. Even if it covers only a few nights of your trip (and fill in the rest with a typical WDW vacation). At least then you will know how it works and whether or not it meshes with your vacation planning style.

Good luck!!!

 

[5forDiz]

Decide what DVC you'd most like best and rent points from a member to try it out - given the questions you raise jmho it doesn't make sense for you to commit to purchasing without giving it a try. You may find that it doesn't appeal to you as much as staying in regular hotel room. And it might not be for you if you like taking advantage of different package/specials that Disney frequently offers (free dining, etc) with cash bookings. Also staying on points does not come with daily maid service that a cash hotel stay comes with; you'd get fresh towels and trash taken out on your 4th night and if you stay at least 8 nights you'd get a full cleaning then....you can pay for daily housekeeping but imho it is pricey and if you are going to spend that money than just stick with booking hotels for cash.

 

[Trinka]

Thank you for these answers so far. This is exactly what I am looking for. Different and valid points all around. I did consider renting points prior to making a final decision. And yes- I do like staying in a hotel; having the room straightened, fresh towels, etc. so that would be a factor to put in to the pot for me. Still interested in more points of view if anyone wants to add theirs.

 

[tjkraz]

Here is my biggest question for you- Is DVC really worth it re: that hassle of keeping track of points. It seems to me that it might be more hassle than it is worth? I have to work with xx points this year, bank a bit here, borrow a bit there, etc. vs. just calling and making a regular non-DVC reservation at my favorite resort each time I want to go. I am not a person who enjoys those little financial planning details. If I want to go from September 5-18 one year and May 3-10 next year, that is what I want to do. Not have to worry about banking/borrowing/how- many- points- do- I- have. So- maybe DVC is not for me? Opinions and thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

Seems like a small concession to make given the tens-of-thousands one can save in the long run.

 

[5forDiz]

For us it made sense as our family grew & we found we needed to book 2 hotel rooms to fit adequately and these days our eldest 2 are now at an age where they like bringing friends along so multiple room villas make this possible too. We like having one or more balconies. And kitchen for making breakfast & washer-dryer that 1 bedroom and up villa's come with. Also, we enjoy having extended family and friends join us or use points for them to have their own studio or villa too.

 

[lark]

And yes- I do like staying in a hotel; having the room straightened, fresh towels, etc. so that would be a factor to put in to the pot for me. Still interested in more points of view if anyone wants to add theirs.

I think this is a huge consideration. We started renting timeshares from owners several years ago, and now I would find it very hard to go back to regular hotel rooms. But I've recommended timeshare renting to friends, and while some of them love it, others do not enjoy the lack of daily housekeeping notwithstanding the extra space. Some people feel as though they are not really on vacation if they are making a bed or cooking something. To me, this is a very very significant factor. If you haven't tried timesharing yet, you should definitely rent first somewhere -- anywhere, it doesn't have to be disney. If turndown service, and coming back to a cleaned room is what makes you feel as though it's vacation, this is something to take into account. Everyone is different on this. It's a no brainer to us, but I know that others feel very strongly the other way.

 

[Grumpygrandpa]

I think this is a huge consideration. We started renting timeshares from owners several years ago, and now I would find it very hard to go back to regular hotel rooms. But I've recommended timeshare renting to friends, and while some of them love it, others do not enjoy the lack of daily housekeeping notwithstanding the extra space. Some people feel as though they are not really on vacation if they are making a bed or cooking something. To me, this is a very very significant factor. If you haven't tried timesharing yet, you should definitely rent first somewhere -- anywhere, it doesn't have to be disney. If turndown service, and coming back to a cleaned room is what makes you feel as though it's vacation, this is something to take into account. Everyone is different on this. It's a no brainer to us, but I know that others feel very strongly the other way.

Some very good advice. My DW is a neat freak and when we stay in a regular hotel ours is the type of room that the maid service just love! Nothing to do! Once for a birthday present I gave her coupons for a professional cleaning service. Each time before they came over she had to "straighten up" first. Can't have strangers seeing the house in a mess. So for us Mouse keeping isn't really missed.

Once you get used to the "home" feel of a bigger space you may find yourself hanging out at the resort more and doing the parks at a more leisurely pace. I know that's how we do it.

 

[Dean]

I have been considering buying DVC for a couple of years now. I cannot make up my mind on one fundamental issue. I want to buy DVC because I do understand that it can be a savings long-term. I also want to feel like I have a "home" at WDW (an emotional aspect, yes.). Here is my biggest question for you- Is DVC really worth it re: that hassle of keeping track of points. It seems to me that it might be more hassle than it is worth? I have to work with xx points this year, bank a bit here, borrow a bit there, etc. vs. just calling and making a regular non-DVC reservation at my favorite resort each time I want to go. I am not a person who enjoys those little financial planning details. If I want to go from September 5-18 one year and May 3-10 next year, that is what I want to do. Not have to worry about banking/borrowing/how- many- points- do- I- have. So- maybe DVC is not for me? Opinions and thoughts on this would be appreciated. Thanks.

Rent or pay cash for a DVC stay. IMO, DVC would be a great value for you for a studio or 2 BR depending on family size. A 1 BR not as much but still a good luxury for a decent price. The details are fairly simple to keep up with. You'd need to do some banking and borrowing. I suspect you'd be really happy with DVC but ultimately only you can decide it you're comfortable with the things you'd be giving up and the minimal details you'd have to pay attention to.

 

[marynvince]

it's really not that big of a deal. If you can balance a check book it's not that different. There are also planning spreadsheets available that make it even easier. Good luck. I was never a timeshare guy, as a matter of fact i was always against them...but if you want to join the cult and make disney a regular vacation, you can't beat dvc for the quality of accomodations at the price.

 

[ACDSNY]

I was never interested in timeshares, but we traveled to Disney each year so it eventually became a no brainer for us. Our most difficult decision was whether to buy in at WDW since we live on the West coast and go to DL more often. We started looking at DVC in the early 2000s and finally took the plunge in 2005. The DVC point system finally won us over. I love that you don't have to commit to a full week and can change the size of your unit for each stay. Our kids were grown by the time we purchased so my only regret is we didn't do it sooner. Good luck with your decision and if you decide to purchase make sure you have an existing member referral as it may get you some additional incentives or discounts.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

We plan our trips according to the number of points we still have available. We had 80 points left between '09 and '10 -- so booked a trip for 65 points. We now have 15 - 2010 points left.

We can either plan another trip in 2010 with my 15 points and borrow my 2011 points, OR I can bank my 2010 points and take a trip in 2011.

Just start with a contract a little smaller than what you think you need, and then just plan your trips with what you've got left.

This method is not a straight jacket if you buy an appropriate amount of points. At worst, you'll find yourself going to Disney more often. Not a bad option.

Owning at resorts with multiple point charts gives you more flexibility in your planning.

 

[permavac]

...I am not a person who enjoys those little financial planning details...

Are you referring to making sure you have enough points for whatever time of year you decide to stay? An easy solution is to buy enough points to cover the most expensive week (or however long you expect to stay per year) in the room category you prefer. That is, of course, if you have the means. If you don't, then yes, you will need to do research into how to bank/borrow with whatever number of points you end up with. For most DVCers, this can be a task performed with relish but if it isn't your cup of tea then you need to decide if the savings is worth the aggravation to you. Also, you get the 11-month booking advantage at your home resort only. Do you have a favorite or do you move around a lot? If you like to try other places other than your home you have to wait until the 7-month mark to book and the offerings may be limited (unless of course you buy up points everywhere - who wouldn't love that?!). Anyway (as others have mentioned) this is something you might run into too if you are one to decide/change your mind at the last minute (a few months out) and want to stay somewhere specific in a specific room category which you might not get. If these scenarios apply to you will you be wishing you hadn't bought DVC and long for the good old days when you just called and reserved a room in 5 minutes and were done with it?

Good luck with your decision!

Terri

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

You can always start out with a small resale--just enough for a couple of nights. That wouldn't be a lot of points to manage. Then you could book the remainder of your vacation on cash, sometimes with a DVC discount. That way you get the best of both worlds!

 

[toniosmom]

IMO, buying into DVC is a very personal decision. It is a luxury and shouldn't be a drain on your finances. It is a large financial commitment up front, but it pays off in the end. I never liked the idea of timeshares where you had to travel a certain week of the year, each and every year. I love the flexibility of points. I'm not good at keep track of things (take a look at my unbalanced checkbook), but keeping track of my points is very easy.

As others posters have stated, you may want to rent some points to see if DVC is for you. I didn't do that and really took a big chance, but bought in knowing that I wanted to come to Disney for many years to come. Yes, I financed some of my points, and I understand now from reading many posts on this topic that financing isn't the most cost-effective way to buy in, but for me, having the ability to create memories with my DS4 is priceless. I am thankful that I am able to provide this for him for many years to come.

Good luck with your decision and I hope that one day soon we can all welcome you home.

 

[VAN]

I am not a DVC member but do have the financial resources to become one if I chose.

The problem for me is that we do not usually stay at deluxe resorts, rather try to economize by staying at value resorts or camping at Ft. Wilderness. I would spend WAY more money with DVC than my usual style of visiting WDW.

Additionally, during this current downturn, you will see that those that don't belong to the DVC are getting some great discounts that don't help a DVC owner in the slightest.

Based on your post, I would say that you probably should pass on the opportunity.

 

[crisi]

I like housekeeping. I miss it. Its worth it for us because we use DVC to spread our family across two or three rooms - but that doesn't mean we SAVE money over putting our family into a standard hotel room.

Managing points isn't hard, its a calendar entry once a year to make sure you've banked for us. The next thing to do is to make sure we've used all our banked points each year. There is some forcing of trips with DVC - probably not a big deal if you go every year - but for us on a two year schedule, we sort of need to make sure our points get used. It still isn't a big deal, but every other year we need to use ALL banked points, ALL current points, and if we dip into next years points, the remaining ones will bank. For us this means having a decent future plan.

 

[toniosmom]

Funny you should mention housekeeping. Housekeeping (or the lack of it) was the aspect that I thought I was going to have a problem with, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much it didn't affect our vacation. I didn't go crazy making the bed -- I just pulled all of the covers up so that the bed looked relatively neat, but not necessarily made. I also threw all used dishes, cups and glasses, including any pots & pans I used to cook into the dishwasher and ran it every day.

 

[ToddyLu]

We had paid for our trip this year for 10 days at Pop. Decided to buy into DVC and relished giving up that reservation for a studio at AKV with a SV. At 40 I am tired of value, value, value. Disney is our yearly get away with an occasional trip elsewhere. Yes, it is a luxury but one I have worked hard for...as I have said on other threads "DVC is my Rolex in life".