Question about DVC

[officer tigger]

I have been thinking of joining the DVC for some time now. However, I still have some questions about it.

1. How much does it cost for the fee each year?

2. Does the cost of staying each year go up? For example, if it costs 30 points a night at a certain resort this year, will it require more points next year?

3. We do visit WDW every year. If you onl;y go once a year is it worth it?

Any comments and or help would be helpful in our decision.

 

[jel0511]

I'll try to answer what I can.....

1. Generally maintenance fees range from $3-4 a point, I currently own 175 points and pay approx $600 a year. I also own at VWL.

2. Well most likely not. The point charts can't change in total number of points, so if it costs 30 points a night in Dream season, and it goes up to 33 points, they must lower another season rates by 3 points.

3. I have to tell you YES. When we bought, we bought with the intentions of only going every other year, thus we bought 175 points, enough for a 2 bedroom every other year. Of course we're rethinking that logic now, and want to add on more points!!

 

[mooses41]

1. Each year you pay annual dues ($3-4 per point)

2. Not really (someone else can elaborate on this)

3. Yes its defidently worth it if you go once a year.

 

[bres@westernMA]

IMHO the DVC is appropriate for a family or person who wants to go to WDW every year (or every other year). There are also alternatives should you choose not to make the pilgrimage to WDW on a given year. You can take a cruise or swap for another resort. You might want to call DVC or sit down with a guide and determine how many points are right for you and your family. When we got our points, we decided we wanted a full week in a two-bed room with our kids and a short week in a studio for my wife and myself.
Maintenance fees vary slightly from year to year. You basically pay your portion (depending on points) of maintenance expenses and property taxes.
The number of points per room by period can change on a yearly basis by Disney can't change the total number of DVC points required to rent a DVC resort for a full year. They can't up the number of points charged for OKW for a full year. What I'm trying to say is: should OKW studios become very busy during some period, the DVC could up the number of points required for studios but would be required to reduce the number of point rental requirements for a one bedroom. They have the right to move points around to promote year round use for all styles of rooms.
Call the DVC, get the video and marketing info. Stop bye on your next trip and take the tour - then you can decide if a DVC purchase or resale is right for you.

 

[JonHM]

On your question about whether the rates can go up, a) as everyone has said, the overall points schedule for a given resort can't go up, it can only be re-arranged, but b) the annual dues can go up as maintenance expenses rise over the years.

And oh yeah, it is *definitely* worth it!!!!

 

[The4OfUs]

Originally posted by officer tigger

3. We do visit WDW every year. If you onl;y go once a year is it worth it?

We only have 150 points, and since the kids were born, we only go every other year. But when we do, it's a family affair, and even with the minimum points we can "treat" family members to a place to stay if they want to join us, yet still get a BEAUTIFUL and spacious villa for ourselves. We think it's the best thing we ever spent our "entertainment" money on.

15 days till our next trip...not that we're counting or anything

 

[PamOKW]

Just to clarify. The points at DVC resorts are a set pool. There might be adjustments but the overall total won't change. Basically, the answer is yes. The points remain the same.

However, the points for staying at non-DVC resorts are re-negotiated every year and are subject to change.

 

[Scott5150]

Couple of comments:

1) The price to use your points to go on the Disney Cruise has steadily gone up each year. Sometime in the future it will not be feasible to do this.

2) Maint fees will continue to rise every year. Kinda like the stock market. Sometimes up, sometimes down, but over the long haul it will trend up.

3) You points will always have the same buying power at your home resort. Probably at the other DVC resorts too. So if you can afford a week in the fall now, you should be able to do the same in 2042.

Scott

 

[officer tigger]

I thank you all for your input. We still have some thinking to do on this purchase.

If I have any more questions i'll ask again.

Thanks again.

 

[Caskbill]

Just for clarification, while maintenance fees have gone up slightly over the years, It is nothing compared to the room rates for the traditional Disney resorts.

If you owned 200 points, and the annual fees went up 3%, for example from 3.50/point to 3.61/point, that's equivalent to an increase of $21 for your 200 points. If 200 points got you a week, that's only $3.00/day increase. Disney hotels, on the other hand, have gone up traditionally 8 - 10% per year. So a room at $150/night this year would be about $165/night next year, or $105 more for the week, + 11% tax, for a total increase of $116.50.

As this same scenario happens year after year, you can easily see how much the difference can be after 10 years and more.

(3.50 * 1.03^10 = $4.70/point, or $1.20 /point increase, or $240 more per year for 200 points, after 10 years)

($150 (+16.50 tax)*1.08^10 = 359.50/night = $193 more/night after 10 years, or = $1,350 more per week) (compared to DVC being only $240 more for the week).

That's just the 10 th year. There was a difference EACH year, so the cumulative difference between the two over the full 10 years would probably be about $10,000 or more.

Note that this difference increases exponentially as you get more and more years out.

These are probably low-ball figures. Many DVC'ers who have done extensive calculations, including tax advantages, etc, have reported expected payback at about 7-8 years. After that, every stay is pure savings. And that's if you never sell your interest. If you do sell, then that money would come back as additional savings, (or even profit).