Purchasing DVC without all of the knowledge

[AmyDek]

If you are on the fence these are the key bullet points to consider.

Where would you normally book? Are you always going to stay at the value or moderate level or do you always book deluxe when you visit right now?


What is your normal length of stay?

What is your normal travel time? Is it during the busy season such as summer, spring break, or winter break?

How do you think your travel plans will change over the length of the contract? Will it change when kids are in school or if your kids end up growing up not liking Disney?

Are you just doing Disney World or do you also have vision of going to Disneyland, Hilton Head, Vero Beach, or Aulani on points?

Finally take what your would spend right now for accommodations at Disney and write that down. Now determine how many points you would need to get the exact same thing. Take those points and find out the full contract price. So that would be contract plus an estimate of dues. Basically I took the current yearly dues and multiplied that by the length of contract. That short changed it because dues go up every year but it gives a good idea. No seriously think about if you are willing to spend that much across the length of your contract and lock yourself into just Disney vacations.

After answering all the questions above my fiance and I determined DVC just isn't for us. We have no clue what our travel is going to look like in 15 years. Yeah we adore Disney but what if our kids don't? What if we end up with a special needs child who can't do Disney? We also didn't want to buy on the idea that you can resell if it doesn't work simply because we don't take those types of risks. We also have cut back from Disney so right now a 4 day Deluxe trip to WDW and a 4 day on property trip to DL every year just wasn't enough for us to bite the bullet on DVC especially because DL is hard to book from what our friends who own Aulani but go to DL have told us.

Just my opinion and advice from someone who almost signed the dotted line then backed away after some serious consideration and discussion with a financial adviser as well.

I agree with a lot of what you've said and have thought about the answers of your questions. All answers bring us to DVC being the best choice for us. We always stay at a deluxe resort or at villas and just our last 2 trips would have paid for half of a membership already! I absolutely see us going to disney for years to come. I have two kids who are 2 and 1 and already are in love with Mickey and princesses etc. I share my love with them so their love grows too! I love the idea of getting to take my kids to Hawaii one year and same with DL and Hilton head- all signs point to absolutely this is right for us! I have also had the discussion with a financial planner as you know most do not agree with any type of timeshare purchase, but for us it's not just a financial decision. At the end of the day it's both a financial and emotional decision for us. Financially it makes sense based on our track record of traveling, and the types of resorts and frequency of trips we'd like to take. Before children my husband and I traveled a ton, went to Europe once a year and we have always joked that disney will have to be the new Europe. But if we buy into DVC it would be possible for us to do both down the line. Without buying into DVC we will not be able to visit as often as we like financially. As for the emotional side, it will make us happy, and add to our quality of life which in some aspects I believe is invaluable! Thanks for the insight!

 

[AmyDek]

Yes. I think that's the most important bit to know; what you are actually getting. And I would bet that the OP knows these things now.

To me there are no "tricks" to learn; just tips. To not pay attention to the tips being given as you go means that at some point there's going to be a preventable disappointment.



Agreed, though I don't remember the OP's other threads.



Well, you're taking time to plan and make new plans...seems that you do have some time in there. So add in the knowledge and you'll make better plans.



So I bet you actually have been reading about it, and know quite a bit.



And then they'd get the true DVC experience rather than the way it is when going though disney.

Thanks for all of the insight! I do feel I know a lot about DVC...but not as much as you all!! I've read about this for years and years but there's always more to learn. In the past I've felt I don't know enough to take the plunge- and that's stopped me from buying in. And looking back it's frustrating how much money we could be saving! I have some time- but I've been up until after midnight reading on these boards and emailing my TA every night for a week and I'm exhausted lol! I can't keep this up and keep up with the kiddos all day long And I have rented points before, twice, but it was over 13 years ago. This time (and the last) we are going through a disney travel agent and pricing just works out better paying rack than renting for these two trips for some reason!

 

[supersnoop]

Thanks! We are paying rack rates... renting points turns out to be $200 more by the time I add in the cancellation insurance, which I just have to do since I have two small kids to be responsible! There's a special at BWV for Disney chase card holders so we're taking advantage of that,but I'm still holding out hope that a deal comes out on BLT but I know it's not likely!

There comes a point when you know enough, but there's always going to be more to learn. But this part about adding the cancellation insurance tells me that you need to fully understand the concept of "use year." Picking the right use year is like getting free insurance if you have to cancel. If you would never cancel the reservation you make 11 months ahead of time, then it doesn't really matter. But, if there's a chance you might have to cancel, you need to pick the right use year.

 

[crisi]

Its unlikely you'll use DVC to visit Europe. And consider if you want Aulani as your Hawaii experience. (Its on my last choice in islands).

The exchange for an ABD trip is a HUGE number of points, and you can do better using cash (although you can "use" your points by renting them to someone else to cover some of the ABD costs). The trade options for Europe aren't great - and aren't a great value. Hawaii exchanges are not a great value and hard to come by.

We got a lot of use out of our DVC when our kids were young. They are now teens, and we have always only had enough points for every other year trips - because we've also taken them to Europe and Hawaii and Mexico and the Caribbean and Washington, DC and San Francisco and NYC and Boston (as well as really exciting places for a Minnesotan - Madison Wisconsin, Des Moines) - on cash.

If you buy resale, using points for Adventures by Disney and Cruises will be closed to you - you'll still be able to do RCI trades.

 

[AmyDek]

Its unlikely you'll use DVC to visit Europe. And consider if you want Aulani as your Hawaii experience. (Its on my last choice in islands).

The exchange for an ABD trip is a HUGE number of points, and you can do better using cash (although you can "use" your points by renting them to someone else to cover some of the ABD costs). The trade options for Europe aren't great - and aren't a great value. Hawaii exchanges are not a great value and hard to come by.

We got a lot of use out of our DVC when our kids were young. They are now teens, and we have always only had enough points for every other year trips - because we've also taken them to Europe and Hawaii and Mexico and the Caribbean and Washington, DC and San Francisco and NYC and Boston (as well as really exciting places for a Minnesotan - Madison Wisconsin, Des Moines) - on cash.

If you buy resale, using points for Adventures by Disney and Cruises will be closed to you - you'll still be able to do RCI trades.

I meant both meaning DVC will pay for WDW and we will have money freed up to spend on Europe once we hit the break even point and only pay dues! We stay at teeny little off the beaten path places when we travel to Europe so never planned on using time shares for that. We also go to Mexico once a year for the past 10 yearr travel hars so buying DVC would make our travel habits more doable!

 

[disneynutz]

If you understand that DVC is best used for DVC stays, that your home resort allows you to book at 11 months, that you need X amount of points to book and that different resorts offer different amenities and room sizes, then you have a great start.

We still meet DVC owners who tell us that they never book anywhere but their home resort either because they didn't know that they could or because they feel that it's to complicated.

Bill

 

[crisi]

I meant both meaning DVC will pay for WDW and we will have money freed up to spend on Europe once we hit the break even point and only pay dues! We stay at teeny little off the beaten path places when we travel to Europe so never planned on using time shares for that. We also go to Mexico once a year for the past 10 yearr travel hars so buying DVC would make our travel habits more doable!

Good, that's how we've used it. Make sure you don't overbuy points - for a few years you'll probably want more points than you have because Disney is such an easy trip with young children. But if you intend to travel extensively with your kids, you'll find that you soon don't have time to use your points AND travel. We actually have too many points - at 150 - now that our kids are teenagers and Disney is a low interest trip for them. (Face it, for teens who have traveled extensively and have parents who like to travel - Mexico or Disney? London or Disney? - yeah....)

Also don't forget to factor in how expensive kids are - both when you travel and just being expensive. Travel for us is four airfares instead of two, four adult theme park tickets, feeding a seventeen year old boy at restaurants.....and just expensive - baseball, drama, braces, college (!). It will happen fast.

 

[AmyDek]

Good, that's how we've used it. Make sure you don't overbuy points - for a few years you'll probably want more points than you have because Disney is such an easy trip with young children. But if you intend to travel extensively with your kids, you'll find that you soon don't have time to use your points AND travel. We actually have too many points - at 150 - now that our kids are teenagers and Disney is a low interest trip for them. (Face it, for teens who have traveled extensively and have parents who like to travel - Mexico or Disney? London or Disney? - yeah....)

Also don't forget to factor in how expensive kids are - both when you travel and just being expensive. Travel for us is four airfares instead of two, four adult theme park tickets, feeding a seventeen year old boy at restaurants.....and just expensive - baseball, drama, braces, college (!). It will happen fast.

Yes! Your points are all well taken! We are planning on just buying 100 points to start and reevaluating later, even if we want more we want to keep small contracts so we can divide and sell if our needs change. Also I totally agree about how expensive kids are- we were just saying that we can afford to spend $6K on Disney every other year now but that price will only go up and will get harder to come up with that money as our kids get older and we're paying for sports etc! That's a big reason we want to buy now- to make traveling easier down the line when money is tighter!

 

[AmyDek]

There comes a point when you know enough, but there's always going to be more to learn. But this part about adding the cancellation insurance tells me that you need to fully understand the concept of "use year." Picking the right use year is like getting free insurance if you have to cancel. If you would never cancel the reservation you make 11 months ahead of time, then it doesn't really matter. But, if there's a chance you might have to cancel, you need to pick the right use year.

I couldn't really predict canceling! It's more for illness etc. can you choose your use year or is it predetermined with resale?

 

[Deb & Bill]

And how can you know when some knowledge is enough?

If you are willing and able to accept the consequences of your actions. It a mistake causes you financial or other upheaval in your life, you need more information.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I couldn't really predict canceling! It's more for illness etc. can you choose your use year or is it predetermined with resale?

The UY stays with the contract so you'll see it noted in the listings.

 

[supersnoop]

I couldn't really predict canceling! It's more for illness etc. can you choose your use year or is it predetermined with resale?

Use year is predetermined whether you go direct or resale. Disney can't move points from one to another, so they can only sell what they have available. They might have some variety, but not necessarily.

What three consecutive months are you least likely to travel? Pick a use year immediately after those. The idea is, if you do have to cancel, you want to have as much time as possible to either use those points within the same use year, or bank the points. If you cancel late in your use year, you may be past your banking deadline, and there may not be any opportunity for you to use your points in short time before they expire.

 

[zavandor]

I don't really think this is the same thing! You can research a car without knowing what every single dial and button does before purchasing and learn the rest as you go. I'm saying I think DVC is a good fit for us, can we learn as we go or do I need to know every detail beforehand. I wouldn't read the owners manual cover to cover before buying a car- but I would know the MPG, fair price etc. Does that make sense?

You can spend your money however you like, no problem about that.
However you asked if it's possible to purchase DVC without all the knowledge that people on this forum have. I answered that it's possible but it's going to be risky. How much do you want to risk? That's up to you. If you spend more time to know DVC better, your probability to be happy about your purchase will be higher.

 

[crisi]

Understand cancellation policies well if that concerns you. An ill child is going to put you in a tight spot with DVC - regardless of use year, because the points will go into holding. Holding points can only be used for a reservation 90 days out - and 90 days out, availability can be very spotty. It can mean a few nights here and a few nights there - and you are likely to end up in the largest resorts furthest from the parks - if what you like about Deluxes is easy park access (walking into Epcot from the Boardwalk) - those rooms are seldom available.

You can get insurance for a points trip, but it will eat into the savings.

 

[supersnoop]

Understand cancellation policies well if that concerns you. An ill child is going to put you in a tight spot with DVC - regardless of use year, because the points will go into holding. Holding points can only be used for a reservation 90 days out - and 90 days out, availability can be very spotty. It can mean a few nights here and a few nights there - and you are likely to end up in the largest resorts furthest from the parks - if what you like about Deluxes is easy park access (walking into Epcot from the Boardwalk) - those rooms are seldom available.

You can get insurance for a points trip, but it will eat into the savings.

Points go into holding if you cancel with less than 31 days notice. Holding points can only be used for reservations within 60 days.

 

[lovin'fl]

DH and I only went to WDW once as kids. Then as our own family, we first went in 2003 and stayed off site. I longed to stay on site and get the DP so in 2005 we did just that, at POR. With having 3 kids it was tough to have all 5 of us in 1 room. We saw the things around the parks for DVC and when we went home DH researched a little. We learned that you could buy resale for cheaper. We learned that you had to pick home resort and could book that at 11 months out while you had to wait until 7 months out to book all other resorts. We learned what annual dues would cost for each resort. We didn't pay any attention to UY. We had a set amount of $$ (from an inheritance) and DH wanted the most points for that money. SSR was selling new, direct from DVC, for almost $100pp so we bought OKW at $76pp. We saw point charts and had an idea of what we could book and when (room type and the different seasons).

But we had never set foot on any DVC resorts to know where we preferred to stay. Gosh, at that point we had hardly set foot on any WDW resorts (just where we ate during that POR trip...Ft Wilderness, Contemp and POR). After buying and researching resorts more, we booked our first DVC stay at BWV (wanted BCV but it was booked). Turns out BCV is our fave. And the Deluxe I longed to stay at back on our first trip (from looking up info on resorts) was AKL and AKV has turned out to be our second fave. So I don't think you know everything but your gut can tell you a lot. We knew we wanted a room that had separate sleeping spaces for us parents (1BR or 2BR). And we knew we'd be doing lots of WDW trips. So DVC was right for us and all other details have fallen into place along the way.

 

[crisi]

Points go into holding if you cancel with less than 31 days notice. Holding points can only be used for reservations within 60 days.

Thanks, I knew I should be looking that up And you can't bank points in holding, right?

 

[DVC Mike]

I think I am a lot like you. And I just purchased my first contract. I didn't do a whole lot of research before buying, well not months, but read pretty much every thread by DVC Mike. Then put in an offer and it was accepted.

I think every prospective DVC member would be better off going in with some basic knowledge about DVC before signing. They don't have to be DVC experts, but just know the basics, as explained in http://*******.com/dvc-information/introduction-to-dvc/

 

[supersnoop]

Thanks, I knew I should be looking that up And you can't bank points in holding, right?

Correct; although there are some reports that you can transfer points in holding.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Correct; although there are some reports that you can transfer points in holding.

As long as they otherwise qualified to be transferred....ie, were current points.