Potential new DVC member has some questions

[GPLJ]

I am have been seriously considering purchasing at DVC for sometime, and when I heard about BLT about a year ago, I thought to wait. As of October 5it will be open to the public.

For the past 4 years, we have visited Disney every year with our children. Prior to having children, we visited quite often ourselves, though sometimes it was EuroDisney or the Cruise.

My goal is to buy 200 points for BLT now and possibly around 150 in BLT later or possibly another resort, maybe Hawaii when it opens.

I think BLT is the one for us, but these are the questions I have:

1. I understand DVC does not trade well with II, as there are "only" 500 other resorts to choose from. WHAT ARE OTHER MEMBERS PERSPECTIVE ON THIS? Is this because members have a hard time trading for premium times? Or is it simply the cost of DVC and their assoicated maintenance fees, others have shared that it is cheaper to pay cash rather than trade DVC for II resorts. I imagine that may be truer today than in 10 to 15 years, when infation has taken an effect and I still have the same trading power based upon what I have purchased.

I was hoping to have enough points to stay 9 nights in BLK studio, and cash in the additional points for a week trade in Interval. Does this plan make sense. I would do this for about $35,000. The Marriotts I have priced range from $25 in Florida (a new one under contruction) to about $60,000. Though Marriott's MFs are less, they seem quite a bit more expensive up front. It appears to me that I can get more vacation days with the DVC membership.

The way I see it is that my annual cost for the points would be about $2200 over the 52 years of ownership, not including interest expense if I were to finance some. This $2,200 would include the maintenance fees, which are less expensive at BLK than other Disney homes.

2. If we only see ourselves continuing to go to Disney for the next 10 years, and the life is 52 years, is DVC a good choice, as after year 10, we will be primarily trading for other timeshares. If Disney has other choices, like Hawaii, etc. would it even be likely that we could even get in? I would imagine Disney members have preference to outside timeshare owners, like Marriot gives a preference to their members.

4. What are members experience with renting their unit. I would imagine this may not be worth the effort, but I would think the BLK studio would rent well. Thoughts?

I don't see that trading for hotels or Disney Cruises to be valuable, as the value of the points seem to be greater than what the cash price of the hotel or cruise would be. Would members agree?

Thanks for your help and suggestions. I look forward to reading them. This is a 52 year commitment of maintenance fees, I want to be sure I am making a good choice. Thanks

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you really want to trade out, buy fewer points and use the other cash to buy a non-DVC timeshare with better trading power. There are only about 500 places you can trade into, and you may not even like 450 or more of them. We've been members for 11 years and never traded out once, other than a 4 night DCL cruise. We are considering purchasing another timeshare to use for trading. But we'll get a resale and not a direct purchase to save money.

When we first bought, our member fees were about $2.80 a point and have gone to over $4 a point. I'd expect the BLT member fees to increase over time as it gets sold out.

You don't actually own the unit, just enough points to stay in any size accomodation that you can use points for and is available. So you wouldn't be renting your "unit". You'd be making a reservation for another person using your points. Some find it easy to do; I see it as a lot of work. Plus with point rentals going for about $12-13 a point now, you may not recover much of your actual cost of the new points since they are $112 a point, plus the annual fee per point. Once in a while, maybe; regularly, too much work and competition from other member renting out their points.

 

[MDonley]

We've been members since 1994. If you look at the II website, you'll notice that there are a lot more than 500 member locations .... however, Disney is extremely picky and feels that only 500 meet up to their standards ... hence the discrepancy. We've used our points for a Holand America Alaska Inside Passage Cruise, the Grand Hotel in Michigan (no longer offered), a trip to the UK, sending DS and BIL on DCL for wedding present, and most recently Disneyland Paris. When we first joined DVC, they participated with RCI then changed to II. We once belonged to Hilton Grand Vacation Club, but hated the extra charges to use our points, and we sold it. I also remember that they had a strange point system where if you had a 3BR, you got hit with bigger tax and maint. fees -- even if you only stayed in studios.
If you don't think you can handle the full contract for BLT, consider buying resale (much cheaper) at another resort (OKW) and then just trying for BLT at the 7 month window. Search the DIS for cost/point comparrison. You might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[JW9DVC]

If you can do and love Disney and much as most other posters here, buy Disney. If you really like BLT, buy BLT. If you just want to stay at BLT sometimes, you may not be able to get a room if you buy at another dvc property. This property will be very hot!

To save money, you could purchase 200 or whatever points you think you will want to start. Then by resale at another resort. MF will change with time, so like the PP, beware of that. Hope this helps. Just my couple of pennies. JW

 

[5forDiz]

Just wanted to note BLT is 50 year term not 52 years. Anticipated expiration will be in 2060 for BLT. Expirations on other DVC's are 2057 AKV, 2057 OKW extended contracts or 2042 on unextended OKW contracts. For SSR 2054, and 2042 for BWV, BCV, VWL and off-sites HHI and VB.
Your Home Resort gives you 11 month booking priority.
Take a look at this link to thread giving detailed info on maintenance fees:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1966427

Since you mention 10 years most likely being when you are most interested in staying at DVC resorts at WDW, and as mentioned by pp, imho as well, a smaller resale is better option & purchase something other than DVC to cover other travel. If you purchase via resale you can do that for less points than 160 pt minimum required when doing a direct purchase with Disney.

Shop around & you may find an great price on a dvc resale contract and after purchase you then can do an add-on contract at BLT (or any other DVC resort) directly through Disney (25 pt minimum add-on purchase) in order to gain 11 month booking advantage at BLT based on number of nights & type of unit/view those points would cover. At 7 months all points become 'equal' regardless of what Home Resort they are tied to and you can try for reservation at DVC's that are not your HR.

We've never traded out and although we have looked at that option it just doesn't seem to measure up to the value we feel we get out of using our points at DVC resorts.

We don't rent out our points primarily because we always use them and strictly speaking for ourselves would not do that unless dealing with another DVC member, family or friend.

Best wishes on your planning