Questions for DVC Members.......

[DaveF45150]

Hey gang we got back from our 7th trip to WDW back in Sept. We did the DVC tour and got to see some real neat resorts. I have a couple of questions if anyone doesn't mind answering them;

1.) Is it beneficial for someone to buy into the DVC if they just go to WDW? I mean if I buy into the DVC I will still have to buy tickets and everything else. Our last trip cost us around $1500, if I took a trip every year which we have and I bought into the DVC we'd have paid around $1452 just in yearly payments and the additional $500 or so in taxes and maintenance cost. Not including tickets and dinning plan.

2.) Also I am wondering has anyone bought season passes, and if so did they give you a discount for being a DVC member?

Just wondering the wife and I want to buy into the DVC just looking to see if becoming a member is beneficial for us.

Thanks

 

[Pakey]

DVC points are best used for DVC resorts. If you go frequently and stay deluxe, it may be worth it.

There is currently a discount for annual passes but as a DVC perk, there's no guarantee that it will be there going forward.

 

[Brenle]

If you head to WDW every year, I think it's worth it. We purchased in '06 and have been going to Florida once a year since 2004. Tickets are expensive but we found we save money by using ME from the airport and using Disney buses so we no longer have to rent a car. Also, we stay in a one or two bedroom and order groceries from Garden Grocer, which are delivered to the resort and then bell services brings them to our room. This reduces the cost of eating out every day. and honestly, sometimes we get tired of restaurant food day after day.

Last year we stayed at SSR and never went to a Disney Park. We did, however, take a taxi over to Universal Studios. This November when we had back, we'll be at OKW and won't be going to any parks. Just planning on relaxing and enjoying the resort.

 

[com_op_2000]

1.) Is it beneficial for someone to buy into the DVC if they just go to WDW? I mean if I buy into the DVC I will still have to buy tickets and everything else. Our last trip cost us around $1500, if I took a trip every year which we have and I bought into the DVC we'd have paid around $1452 just in yearly payments and the additional $500 or so in taxes and maintenance cost. Not including tickets and dinning plan.

Most people on the DIS will tell you that the best use of points is at DVC resorts. If that is what you are going to be using them for, please look into purchasing a resell contract, you can save a lot of $. You are going to be paying for tickets and dining anyway so that can be considered a wash.
Understand the differences if purchasing direct vs resell.
Another recommendation of most people, do not finance your purchase.

 

[Disneycouple99]

If you buy an annual pass, take your next vacation a few weeks earlier than last years. You would only have to buy passes ever other year. The current discount is 100 dollars off a regular adult AP.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Hey gang we got back from our 7th trip to WDW back in Sept. We did the DVC tour and got to see some real neat resorts. I have a couple of questions if anyone doesn't mind answering them;

1.) Is it beneficial for someone to buy into the DVC if they just go to WDW? I mean if I buy into the DVC I will still have to buy tickets and everything else. Our last trip cost us around $1500, if I took a trip every year which we have and I bought into the DVC we'd have paid around $1452 just in yearly payments and the additional $500 or so in taxes and maintenance cost. Not including tickets and dinning plan.

2.) Also I am wondering has anyone bought season passes, and if so did they give you a discount for being a DVC member?

Just wondering the wife and I want to buy into the DVC just looking to see if becoming a member is beneficial for us.

Thanks

May I ask, where did you stay? for how long? what time of year? with how many people? How long ago was your last visit? Did the $1500 include room, food, transportation, tickets, and souvenirs?

How often have you visited in the past?

I don't mean to be nosey...I'm just trying to see if you are comparing apples to apples.

We spent 7 days at BWV in a studio using standard points for a total use of 76 points. That is approximately $415 in maintenance fees and $150 towards what we paid for Boardwalk Villas upfront. So...our 7 night stay was basically $565.00.

We pay $640 for 2 annual passes that we use for 2 vacations...so that is the same as paying $320 per trip.

Our regular dining plan for 2 people was $618.00

So, not counting transportation and souvenirs...our costs were:

$565 Standard Studio at BWV for 7 days
320 Tickets (1/2 of Annual pass for 2)
618 Regular Dining Plan for 2
_______
$1503

IF we had stayed 5 days as usual, it would have been much less expensive.


DO consider that if you are considering buying enough points for a 2 bedroom, then you need to compare that to two resort rooms. DVC rooms are considered Deluxe hotels. Generally, DVC works out if you want to stay on property at a moderate or deluxe resort.

 

[Buckeye Fan]

1.) Is it beneficial for someone to buy into the DVC if they just go to WDW? I mean if I buy into the DVC I will still have to buy tickets and everything else. Our last trip cost us around $1500, if I took a trip every year which we have and I bought into the DVC we'd have paid around $1452 just in yearly payments and the additional $500 or so in taxes and maintenance cost. Not including tickets and dinning plan.

First, good luck deciding! I'm a researcher and a numbers cruncher, so it took DH and I a while to decide. After I crunched the numbers multiple times over, we decided to purchase resale, and it's been totally worth it. We joined in 2007, and we've already recouped the buy-in cost. In other words, had we taken the same trips and stayed in the same locations in the same size rooms, we would have paid the same amount as our buy-in price + annual dues. So moving forward, if the total of our annual trips (rack rates minus some discount) exceeds our maintenance fees (and there's no doubt they will), we're actually ahead. To give you an example, we are staying in a 2 bedroom 12/22 - 12/30 at Christmas. If we paid rack rates and tax, that same room would have cost us over $10,500! Even if you could get a 25% discount over the holidays, that's still around $8K. That's almost triple my MFs. If we decide to sell our contracts tomorrow and get anything out of them, it would even be a better deal! If we sell them for nothing, we have at least broken even.

DVC isn't for everyone, but it's worked out really well for us. Do your homework, as if you're planning on using your points for stays at WDW or trades through RCI, resale is a great option (much, much cheaper). If you plan to go on cruises with your points or stay at other Disney hotels (e.g., Poly), you'll want to consider buying direct, as resales do have some limitations.

Lastly, going to WDW isn't cheap, even if you own. You still have tickets, food, etc. One thing buying has allowed us to do is save some money by eating meals in our room. We always get a 1 or 2 bedroom, so we have a full kitchen. We always eat breakfast in, and usually cook a couple of times during our stay. With DVC, we vacation differently, because we know we'll be back. Some trips (generally 7 - 10 days) we don't visit all of the parks, and have several "pool days." We have found we LOVE the resorts, and just enjoy spending some time there. One other thing to consider...we like to resort hop among the DVC resorts. This keeps WDW fresh, and each vacation offers a different experience. Sure, we have our favorites, but my favorites are different from DH's, so it's a good thing we hop! Otherwise, I book the reservations!

2.) Also I am wondering has anyone bought season passes, and if so did they give you a discount for being a DVC member?

Yes, we just purchased them last visit. We bought the theme park APs (not the water park/fun premium APs), and we saved ~ $100 per ticket. As others have said, this is a perk and could go away at any time. The other thing buying an AP currently allows you to do (another perk) is purchase a "Tables in Wonderland" discount card for around $75. With the TIW card, you get 20% off most restaurants on property for a year. The card discount basically covers the tip (20% off, 18% - 20% gratuity).

Here are the prices/savings on the passes:

Ages 10+ - Annual Pass
$419 - new pass ($100 off reg price)
$374 - renewal ($145 off reg price)

Ages 3-9 - Annual Pass
$386 - new pass ($92 off reg price)
$345 - renewal ($133 off reg price)

Ages 10+ - Premium Annual Pass
$524 - new pass ($125 off reg price)
$484 - renewal ($165 off reg price)

Ages 3-9 - Premium Annual Pass
$483 - new pass ($115 off reg price)
$446 - renewal ($152 off reg price)

 

[ssawka]

I noticed from your signature that all of your stays have been off-site or in value resorts or moderates. Not that there is anything wrong with those resorts, but they are not a fair comparison to the DVC resort. DVC resorts are "suppose to be" deluxe. I say "suppose to be", because you will find posts on here with people complaining about the maintenance in some of the resorts. Anyway, my point is that if you are looking at DVC as a way to save money over the trips you have taken, DVC will fall short.

 

[chalee94]

i'd agree, if you are happy staying offsite or at value resorts, DVC will be more expensive. compared to mods, DVC is closer to a draw.

but you are correct to note that DVC will only cover accommodations. food, tickets, travel costs will all still be there.

it's a long-term commitment. definitely take your time and do your homework... feel free to keep asking questions...

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

i'd agree, if you are happy staying offsite or at value resorts, DVC will be more expensive. compared to mods, DVC is closer to a draw.

but you are correct to note that DVC will only cover accommodations. food, tickets, travel costs will all still be there.

it's a long-term commitment. definitely take your time and do your homework... feel free to keep asking questions...

There really is something beautiful to walking to Epcot or Magic Kingdom.

And after 12-14 hours in the parks...that boat back to the Boardwalk is a thing of real joy!