Question for all you regular WDW goers

[ZerasPride]

To the OP - my husband was dead set against DVC for many of the reasons other posters have mentioned. I was in love with the idea of "having" to take a Disney vacation. What finally convinced my hubby was a cash stay at Hilton Head. We both absolutely love it there! So peaceful, beautiful and quiet. I wanted a bunch of points but compromised and we purchased a little over the minimum. This way we can still go on other trips and not feel like we can "only" go to Disney because all of our money is tied into DVC.

So far we have treated my sister and her family to their own villa this past year and will do so again next year. We're going on the 4 night cruise in November and I am even able to sneak in a 5 day girls only trip to Disney in August.

Maid service - I can't believe I'm saying this but I honestly don't miss it! We've stayed at the Beach Club, Poly and Grand Floridian so I thought I'd really miss having someone in the room everyday but I honestly don't. I love having a washer and dryer in the room and a full kitchen. I am not on vacation to cook and clean necessarily but I can only eat so much take out so it's nice to know I can have a bowl of cereal or bacon and eggs for breakfast if I want or throw a load in the wash and forget about it.

DVC is not for everybody but I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I love having a home resort that is not attached or in close proximity to any of the parks. Our future plan is to do 2 years in a row at Hilton Head and then the third year stay at OKW (fabulous resort and outstanding accommodations).

If push comes to shove and we feel compelled to sell (which I know hubby will do if something ever happens to me) then I'm pretty confident we will break even or make a profit. How many timeshares can you say that about?

Anyway, this is way too long. Just thought I'd share my experience with you. Whatever you and your family decide, I wish you the best!

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by csmommy
That exactly how I feel! Its fun, but work. DVC seems to be less work, & I know the accomodation. Sometimes when you rent a house you do not really know what you are getting.

Each time we would rent a place at the beach I made sure I cleaned it when we arrived & then made sure it was spotless when we left. I think I was cleaning more on vacation than at home!!!

Anyway, as the above poster said, DVC is not for everyone, but for those that have it, they all seem to enjoy it. Good luck with your decision.

 

[susy]

-Being FL residents, we get great disounts and probably would not pay for 7 nights what a yearly maintenance costs, never mind the actual price.

-the costs of weekend points. With DH's job, weekend trips are our only option right now.

-- hotel rates will go up, but so will maintenance fees. All will even out , though, as you will probably make more money

--don't want to see a kitchen on vacation-nevermind cleaning it!!!!
If I want a kitchen I can get a FW cabin-NOT!

-- no maid service??? WHAT?

-I would ony do it, if I were rich. In other words, if I could pay for the timeshare upfront with no payments and the maintenance would be pocket change to me. But, I could never do that anyway since half of my family is starving in Cuba and I would have to help them.....In other words, it's a luxury (with cleaning?) that I can' afford.

 

[csmommy]

Originally posted by ZerasPride
DVC is not for everybody but I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I love having a home resort that is not attached or in close proximity to any of the parks.

Does this mean you home resort is either Vero Beach or Hilton Head? If so is it a problem getting the ressies you want 7 months out at the WDW DVC resorts?

Thanks!

 

[PatriciaH]

The main reason is we are moving to Florida-probably Celebration Another reason- the dues. We usually pay less (with an AP rate) for the hotel for the week than we would for the yearly dues!

 

[palmtreegirl]

We've gone back and forth on joining the Vacation Club.

The main reason is that we love to try different resorts each trip and usually do so with our AP discount.

When the kids get older we'll need 2 rooms and we'd need a lot of points to get a 2 beroom villa with DVC.

I refuse to finance because paying interest on it defeats the whole purpose of joining DVC to save money, I think.

We still may join but if we do we'll only purchase enough points for a week in off season and then if we want to go for another week we'll stay at a resort. And if we do it'll be when we have the extra $$ because we're about to be debt free FINALLY and I never ever want to finance anything besides a house or car ever again. lol

There's tons of pros and cons to consider just get lots of opinions take the tours and then decide.

 

[gonga]

We do not like being tied to anything. We travel often and to all different destinations. Even though we go to WDW every year we love the monorail resorts. I do not like doing dishes or cleaning. I don't even do any laundry on vacation - I call housekeeping! if they offered Butler service to pack and un pack iwould use that as well

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by csmommy
I am curious as to why WDW regulars have chosen not to become DVC members. My DH & I are considering it, & we wanted some opinions in case there was something we hadn't thought of. I have been reading up on the DVC board, but wanted to get some non-DVC member input.

Thanks!

I prefer a hotel instead of a condo type place. I do not want to see a kitchen while on vacation except Minnie's in Toontown. I want a maid to come in every day and make my bed, straighten up, and give me fresh towels. If I want all that extra room then I will stay home in my own house. I love the hotel feel as opposed of "going home" to my DVC resort. I like to go when I want and at the place I chose to stay. I would rather spend more then to buy DVC and save some money if it means getting the vacation I wanteach and every time. I guess DVC is great for those trying to save some money but I'd rather spend more money and get exactly what I want.

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by skiwee1
I like to go when I want and at the place I chose to stay. I would rather spend more then to buy DVC and save some money if it means getting the vacation I wanteach and every time. I guess DVC is great for those trying to save some money but I'd rather spend more money and get exactly what I want.

I don't want to start a debate but DVC is not a regular time share. You are not assigned a certain week like some other timeshares.

Also, you can get all types of accommodations, from a studio, which is the same as a hotel room but it has a kitchenette, which some hotel rooms offer, up to a grand villa, which can sleep 12 if you are bringing a large family/party.

I guess my point is that you can get exactly what you want. Plus, you can use your points at regular WDW resorts. Also, you can get maid service daily for a fee.

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by MELSMICE
I don't want to start a debate but DVC is not a regular time share. You are not assigned a certain week like some other timeshares.

Also, you can get all types of accommodations, from a studio, which is the same as a hotel room but it has a kitchenette, which some hotel rooms offer, up to a grand villa, which can sleep 12 if you are bringing a large family/party.

I guess my point is that you can get exactly what you want. Plus, you can use your points at regular WDW resorts. Also, you can get maid service daily for a fee.

I realize it isn't a regular timeshare and that you don't get an assigned week. I meant that it can be a problem to try to book when you want as I've read about being on a waiting list if it's not available. And yes you can get a maid for a fee but you don't have to go through that if you are in a hotel. That just adds to the stuff I do not care for. Everything just seems to be a pain. It is so easy for me to call CRO, tell them I want the Polynesian and presto I've got the Polynesian, with maid service and for my dates. I really prefer the whole deluxe hotel thing over any condo, anytime. Condos do nothing for me. It doesn't matter if the condo is huge. I live in a big house so that is not a treat. It is still a condo and not a hotel. To me, a vacation is in a deluxe hotel, not a condo. I like to have room service at my fingertips! LOL! We go to the ocean every year for two weeks. Well, last year DH's company gave us a 3 bedroom oceanfront townhouse to use for FREE. Sounds great but it was not fun for me. I was surrounded by kitchens, dining rooms, dishes, washers and dryers, and every thing else associated with work. I open a closet and a vaccum is staring at me. I hated it! So this year DH has talked me into going there once again but I still booked one week in an oceanfront hotel so that I could go on, what I percieve to be, a real vacation. I've also read about needing more points for weekends and some hotels not being included. On every trip we stay over 2 weekends and at the Poly. I plan it that way as we like the weekends. As I said before I'd much rather pay the price and get the hotel I want, when I want and not have to worry about those things. I know there are those that love being DVCers but it is not for me.

 

[ZerasPride]

CSMommy - yes, we own at Hilton Head. It's wonderful there. As I said before, it's nice having a vacation destination that's within driving distance (about 12) hours so we don't always have to buy plane tickets and it's nice too not having to worry about park tickets every year or every other year. This was the perfect compromise for me and my hubby who is not a Disney fan. So far, I have not had any problems booking at my non-home resort when I wanted.

I planned my August trip just a few weeks ago and had no problem getting into OKW which is my favorite on-site resort. We stayed at OKW over Thanksgiving week and had little problem booking about 6 months ahead. The previous poster mentioned weekends and the waitlist and yes they can be a factor. Because I booked days over a holiday period, I did have to waitlist for Thanksgiving night but I received confirmation in less than two weeks that I got the one night. I know if I would have booked exactly at the 7 month window I would have probably gotten the night with no problem and I did have an alternative in mind if it came down to that.

I will tell you what others have said to me. If you decide to purchase DVC, buy where you plan to stay the most and where you won't be disappointed. I already had Hilton Head booked for the week and would have just stayed there if my waitlist had not come through. As far as the weekends are concerned, yes the points are higher on Friday and Saturday. Some DVCers move out of their accommodations to save points, some buy enough so that it's not a problem. What I love about the Disney timeshare most is the flexibility. You are not tied down to a certain week every year or a certain type of accommodation.

I've done the hotel stays and I've done DVC. Give me my spacious one or two bedroom accommodation with my jacuzzi tub so me and my family can spread out over a cramped room with 4 or 5 people on top of each other anyday! I've also stayed at some of the nicer Disney hotels (Poly, Grand and Beach Club) and when I think of Disney I think of the white picket fences, and lovely tranquility of OKW not those other resorts, so I know DVC is right for me.

P.S. If they make a DVC resort adjacent to the Poly, DH would be in big trouble because I'd want loads of extra points!

 

[MELSMICE]

Originally posted by skiwee1
I really prefer the whole deluxe hotel thing over any condo, anytime. Condos do nothing for me. It doesn't matter if the condo is huge. I live in a big house so that is not a treat

Funny how everyone is so different.

We live in a large home also & one of the reasons we bought DVC is because we didn't want to feel like we were living in our bedroom all week. Plus, DH doesn't enjoy sharing the bathroom with our 3 DD's - it's too much of a hassle. So for us, getting the 2BR DVC resort is much more comfortable.

We recently came home from a 2 week stay at the Contemporary & all I did was pick up clothes, bags, shoes, snacks, etc. because there just wasn't enough room for all our stuff.

For us DVC was the right thing to do, but it is not for everyone. Different families like to vacation in different ways.

 

[chrissyk]

Originally posted by PatriciaH
The main reason is we are moving to Florida-probably Celebration Another reason- the dues. We usually pay less (with an AP rate) for the hotel for the week than we would for the yearly dues!

So are we We're looking for a house in Celebration now, and we hope to be moved in by next summer. We're also from MA. This past winter was enough for us We're outta here!! Oh, and we own 200 points at the BWV that we bought through resale last year. It was an economical choice for us, since we know we'll keep going to WDW every year and we always stayed in deluxes anyways

 

[Jen D]

There are definitely things about DVC that appeal to me--- and the kitchen is actually one of them! Eating out every meal makes me a little cranky by the end of the week... many of the meals are great but there are always a few stinkers. I'd love to have a kitchen, and the space. But if I was going to bother with dvc at all, I'd want a full kitchen, so I'd want enough points to get a one-bedroom every time, and that is definitely a higher buy-in amount if you're looking at one 8-9 night vacation a year.

I have thought about buying in at the minimum or a little more-- the studios are certainly pretty-- but to be honest, I can't get overly excited about the resorts. I'm kind of new to WDW addiction, and I have a list of resorts I want to try, and the next two are definitely AKL, Polynesian. Then GF, with WL a distant fourth. I have stayed at the villas at the Boardwalk-- they were beautiful, but I'm not sure I'm ready to say that would be my HOME. BCV has the great pool, but SAB gets so crowded. OKW I feel pretty ambivalent about-- I prefer the hotel feel. VWL seems the most appealing, although it is kind of isolated, and I don't know that I'd want to be tied to it for 40 years (yes, I know you can get other stuff at 7 months-- but don't count on it.) I'm not dissing these resorts-- again, my stay at the BWV was fabulous-- but I'm not in love with any of them enough to say-- YES, that is what I'm willing to plunk down 12,000-20,000 for! Maybe after a few more years of Disney resort hopping I might feel differently, but for now I prefer to play the field.

Also, I only see us going every 18 months-2 years, and as much as I love Disney, I don't know how I'll feel about it in 20 years. Its just more of a commitment than I need. Maybe if I had a hunk of cash handy, I'd do it, but I think financing is a bad bet for someone like me.

 

[PatriciaH]

Originally posted by chrissyk
So are we We're looking for a house in Celebration now, and we hope to be moved in by next summer. We're also from MA. This past winter was enough for us We're outta here!!

Chrissy-how are you going about the move/home purchase? We were all set to go this past March, but with the war and economy we figured it was not the best time to be looking for a job and gave it until next spring. We will probably rent in Celebration (we had found a nice apartment in Centergate) while we look for a job/home. Sometimes I wonder if we should just get a home first while we have jobs here though. We have no debt and a lot of savings, but I would hate to have to take a job I did not like knowing I had to pay a mortgage. It also seems like it would be hard to interview for an out of state job.

 

[susy]

What it really boils down to is $$$$$$$$.

What I want:

To stay in a deluxe hotel in a 2 or 3 bedroom suite . It must have a full kitchen and dining room, which I will having nothing to do with becasue of the butler that will attend to my every whim....


Reality:

we can easily afford the AS with a code, the mods and occasonally the WL or AKL with a discount. After my vacation I come home to my 2 bedroom condo(with outside corridors).

Every family's situation is different. DVC does save money, but so do may other things I can't afford.
For example: my step-mom says, "I bought this chair at a thrift store for $300 and had it recovered for $300, so I saved a$1000!!!!!" It would not save me $1000 if I can't afford the initial $300.

 

[minster22]

I have stayed at the BWV several times now, rented points a couple of times, rack rate (OUCH!!!)before I found out about the Dis, and an AP rate. Now I would love to buy DVC but my husband sells timeshare and not in a point program which DVC is, so the concept is in direct competition with his livihood. It is an expensive program compared to other timeshare and my feeling is you are getting what you pay for with DVC but since we already have a couple of timeshares another is not really in our budget. When we win the lottery we will buy a resale at BWV!!!

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by MELSMICE
Funny how everyone is so different.

We live in a large home also & one of the reasons we bought DVC is because we didn't want to feel like we were living in our bedroom all week. Plus, DH doesn't enjoy sharing the bathroom with our 3 DD's - it's too much of a hassle. So for us, getting the 2BR DVC resort is much more comfortable.

We recently came home from a 2 week stay at the Contemporary & all I did was pick up clothes, bags, shoes, snacks, etc. because there just wasn't enough room for all our stuff.

For us DVC was the right thing to do, but it is not for everyone. Different families like to vacation in different ways.

There lies the difference. When I go to WDW it is only myself, mother, and 4 y/o so it isn't any problem sharing a room. When I go on vacation with DH and DS too then we get two rooms. That way he brings a friend. We did this at our Universal trip last October. We got two rooms at the Hard Rock and it was great. Even when we go skiing for a week each winter we could easily stay at a luxurius 3 level condo with 3-4 bedrooms, private jacuzzi, spacious kitchen and so on for about half the price of two rooms. But we don't. We still get two rooms in the lodge as I prefer the hotel atmosphere and what it offers. Just different but by the looks of some other posters I'm not alone for once! LOL!

 

[Ziggie]

I have to agree with what others have said here.. we are just not fans of timeshares.

And, as much as I love Disney (ck out my sig line), I can't help but feel that a DVC membership is probably over-priced. To me, just about everything at Disney is over-priced though. Food, lodging, and park passes cost a small fortune. Yes, we use discounts (we're Florida residents), but when you stop and think about how much you're spending, it really turns out to be somewhat expensive.

For instance, one thing that bothers the heck out of me is the lack of a toll-free, 800 # for reservations. Even if they only gave it out to AP holders, it would be nice. Disney can't even give us a free phone call.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by chrissyk
So are we We're looking for a house in Celebration now, and we hope to be moved in by next summer. We're also from MA. This past winter was enough for us We're outta here!! Oh, and we own 200 points at the BWV that we bought through resale last year. It was an economical choice for us, since we know we'll keep going to WDW every year and we always stayed in deluxes anyways

But if you live in Celebration, why would you need to stay "on site"?