Question about DVC

[SeattleRedBear]

Why do you call her DVC?

Her name is Deevy See!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1DV6r1Nk54&feature=related

OMG!! Sign her up for RuPaul's next season!!


OK, here's some other considerations.

Even if you're park commandos and generally don't go back to the room during the day, having a kitchen allows you to take care of some meals yourself (for you, I'm thinking primarily getting breakfast out of the way so you can hit the parks running, but it can also be a money saver) as well as having drinks/snacks/whatever (for me, all those screaming kids seem not quite as bad after a gin and tonic poolside). We like to travel with friends (I think I've managed to deflower about a half-dozen Disney virgins...do I get a toaster yet?) and it's just way more enjoyable for us to all be in one space together rather than in separate hotel rooms.

With the construction of GC Villas at DLR, we've really been thinking about purchasing (west coast, we go to DLR more), but I have to get out of some major debt before doing so. I'm hoping to pick up some resale at some point. My understanding is that with resale you have all the same rights and privileges as if purchasing from Disney, and looking at Resale by DVC, prices looks pretty reasonable.

You might consider renting DVC for an upcoming trip and then see whether you think it makes for a better experience or is just the same for you as staying at one of the hotels. You're the only one who can judge what's best for you. Good luck!!

 

[ToddyLu]

Hey! Zeitzeuge I just PM'd you with our purchase info so you could have an idea of how much of an investment it is.

 

[zeitzeuge]

Thanks for all the advice everyone!

I've got a better understanding of what's involved and the cost. I think it might be something we'll look into after one year. This year is about paying off bills and getting into our first home. I think that might take priority. At least I know what to be expecting when we do decided to buy, which I think we will.

 

[TuckandStuiesMom]

OMG!! I think I've managed to deflower about a half-dozen Disney virgins...

WOW, SRB! We just say we're takin' a newbie... your version sounds much more inneresting

My daughter and I are renting points for our Christmas trip and are SO excited. We are staying @ Wilderness Lodge Villas in a studio (I am kicking myself a little bit about not going for a one-bedroom but that's pretty much water under the bridge at this point -- ooooh -- inadvertent Wilderness Lodge pun there).

Anywho -- I'm just hoping I don't like it TOO much. Mr. Chuck (NOT a Disney fan) would probably never forgive me if I bought in...

 

[PghLybrt]

BLT is the new tower next to the Contemporary correct? It seems to be a very reasonably priced DVC especially the yearly dues. Is 100 points enough do you think for a start and if so how many nights stay can you get a year for that many points?

Why I'm having SO much difficult understanding this stuff is beyond me.

Well we already have 320 , I am looking to add on another 100. (I was told that would happen! I just did not believe it.) For us it actually did make sense. We usually stay at the YC. We also go every year and like to take people with us (this year it is mom and the nephews). We looked at animal kingdom but we do not like the bus ride and the annual dues is higher (Because of the animals).

So this year what we did... 3 night in a 1 bedroon at BLT and then 6 nights in a two (Both bay view). I used all of my points for this year and had to borrow around 80 from next year.

The amount of points was the hard part for me too. I sat down with the charts and figured out when we usually go , what type of room we would want and then figured out about how many points that would be.

 

[PghLybrt]

OMG!! (I think I've managed to deflower about a half-dozen Disney virgins...do I get a toaster yet?)

I think with Disney you just get a refillable mug, no toaster!

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Did someone say "refillable mug"? I have PLENTY of those, if someone has missed out.

By my calculations, we should have 15 of those mugs. Unfortunately we only have 13 mugs and 12 lids. But there are only 3 of us, so 13 mugs (12 with lids) ought to be enough. And I might have left one at work. If I did, then we have 14 mugs and 13 lids.

I know this because DH doesn't like to wash the mugs. Or the lids. He also doesn't like to put them in the dishwasher. Ordinarily the kitchen is not my domain, but the mug situation was out of control. ALL of the lids were just sitting in a big bowl of soapy water. I just spent the last 20 minutes scrubbing, rinsing, and drying mug lids.

So now not only am I qualified to answer DVC questions, I am also quite an expert on mugs.

 

[SeattleRedBear]

I think with Disney you just get a refillable mug, no toaster!

Hey, I'd take the refillable mug (never said I wasn't cheap!)

Besides I gave my newbies (more PC than virgins, I suppose) their money's worth. History of the park, facts about each attraction, the disney magic. I make sure they get a dole whip, a monte cristo at blue bayou and an apple pie apple every time. And if they only have three hours, then slam, bang, thank you ma'am, 5 e-tickets with a lecture about the monsanto house of the future and how the audio-animatronic figure and omnimover ride system were brought into production for the 1964 new york world's fair.

Just a gigolo....

 

[jenn&nelsonrego]

BLT is the new tower next to the Contemporary correct? It seems to be a very reasonably priced DVC especially the yearly dues.

I was talking to one of the DVC guides last year and he mentioned that the dues at BLT are lower because they share some of the operating costs with the Contemporary.

I own at Hilton Head, it is scary to hear that the dues are anticipated to go up that much... Maybe I should consider selling those and buying in elsewhere...

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

Jenn, we thought about buying at HH or Vero because the points on resale were so much cheaper. BUT the annual dues are like $2 higher per point. So say you bought 100 points on resale for $60 per point. That's $35ish per point cheaper than buying for Disney. So you saved $3500. Great deal, right?

It's $200 more per year for those dues. So in 17.5 years the dues will overtake what you saved. But that is a tremendously oversimplified example.

We bought 160 points, and the HH points we considered were more than $60 each, so what we paid out in dues would have overtaken what we saved on points in like 5 years. Also, by buying at AKV we got like 49 years on our contract, where the HH contract had more years already used.

 

[PghLybrt]

I have a question that maybe one of you could help me out with?
(My salesperson will not call me back, talk about no pressure!)

Anyway
If i add on 100 points do I

1. have to add onto BLT becasue that is where i originally bought
and
2. If not and I buy elsewhere but want to use them at BLT do i have to book part of my trip 11 months out and then the rest 7 months because of the different places?
oh and
3. Will my use year be the same?

I assume i know the answers to these I just want to be sure.

 

[Saxton]

I have a question that maybe one of you could help me out with?
(My salesperson will not call me back, talk about no pressure!)

Anyway
If i add on 100 points do I

1. have to add onto BLT becasue that is where i originally bought
and
2. If not and I buy elsewhere but want to use them at BLT do i have to book part of my trip 11 months out and then the rest 7 months because of the different places?
oh and
3. Will my use year be the same?

I assume i know the answers to these I just want to be sure.

1. You can own at multiple resorts. I own at BWV, OKW and AKV.
2. The 11 month window is for the resort that you own ... that means if you own 100 points at BWV you can book 11 months in advance there using those 100 points, if you own 200 points at SSR you can book 11 months there with those points. You can combine the points but if you wanted to use all 300 points for BWV you would have a 7 month window to work with.
3. Yes, they should be able to take care of that for you. I had an April use year for OKW and BWV and when I bought AKV they were able to give me the same use year.

It's addicting, isn't it?!

 

[jenn&nelsonrego]

Jenn, we thought about buying at HH or Vero because the points on resale were so much cheaper. BUT the annual dues are like $2 higher per point. So say you bought 100 points on resale for $60 per point. That's $35ish per point cheaper than buying for Disney. So you saved $3500. Great deal, right?

It's $200 more per year for those dues. So in 17.5 years the dues will overtake what you saved. But that is a tremendously oversimplified example.

We bought 160 points, and the HH points we considered were more than $60 each, so what we paid out in dues would have overtaken what we saved on points in like 5 years. Also, by buying at AKV we got like 49 years on our contract, where the HH contract had more years already used.

Makes sense. But we bought in 2001, so we already have some mileage on ours... I dont know how many years we have left but I am sure (I hope) that we will add on as we go, so "losing" those first 150 points wont be a big deal in 40 years... Also, at the time we bought in, we were broker than broke... We just got engaged and were facing a wedding ($25,000 later).... So when Disney offered us $79 a point and $1500.00 off the total cost, we jumped on it.

I have never taken the time to figure it out in the way you have. For me = But we figure that since 2001, we have more than recouped the money we spent on DVC.

It has covered:
2002 a week at the Grand Floridian for our Honeymoon
2004 a 7 day cruise on the Disney Magic and 3 days at OKW
2005 a week at Vero Beach
2006 a week at SSR
2007 a week at Vero Beach
2008 a week at OKW
and now
2009 2 weeks... one at SRR and the other at BCV (of course that is 2010's points too since we have the 14 night TA cruise next year).

Every time it was also a one bedroom room too! So that is some big $$$ savings off of rack rate over the years.

 

[YourEveryDayAdam]

If anyone is questioning whether it's "worth it" or not to buy DVC here is a thread I started with some spreadsheets and math to analyze some specific scenarios:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2137102

It ultimately boils down to this:

If you buy DVC you WILL save money if:
You go every year, every other year, or every third year.
AND you stay at deluxe resorts or you stay at moderate resorts.

If you stay at Value resorts, then you will almost perfectly break-even on the cost, but you will stay in deluxe accommodations at value resort prices.

Some rules on DVC:

• It's not for last minute trips. You may get lucky and can get a long weekend or two once in a while, but you generally need to book 7-11 months in advance, especially for "peak" seasons. You MUST be able to plan, and even be a little flexible on your dates.
• Peak seasons at DVC resorts are not the same as Peak Disney travel seasons. (The first couple weeks of december are the HARDEST times to book.)
• You DO NOT get daily house keeping. You get housekeeping, on average, twice a week.
• You will get all the full benefits of staying on-site: Magic Express, Dining Plan, Extra Magic Hours, etc.
• Bay Lake Tower rooms are the most expensive to stay at "point wise". The points at Bay Lake Towers cost more than other resorts, and it costs more points per night to stay there than other resorts. However, the per-point annual dues is significantly less than any other resort and the annual dues will be the single biggest cost in owning DVC.
• Definitely go for the sales pitch. They will pick you up wherever you want, and they will take you to wherever you want to go after it's done. You will likely get free ice cream, and 2-3 "instant" fast passes each for listening to the pitch. It is entirely "no pressure". They will give you the facts, will not pressure you, and they will not call you unless you ask them to.