Questions From a Prospective Buyer

[Sy-]

Hi all... I am interested in joining the DVC but I have a few questions.

I was wondering what is the difference in points between propertys? For example I can buy 300 points at Vero beach for the same $ that I can buy 250 points at Boardwalk. If I can use the points at any property why would I not buy more points for the same money? Are 200 points at BWV more valuable than 200 points at OKW? I see Vero Beach for sale at $62.50/point. Why should I spend $87 at Beach club villias?

What is this 2042 stuff? After the year 2042 the program ends? That's only 36 years away... I should still be alive then (knocking on wood). The propertys they are selling all expire in 2042? Are prices cheaper now than they were 8 years ago?

Can I roll over my points for 35 years and live at disneyworld for an entire year?

Oh last question that do the abbreviations DD DH MS DW mean? People always using them in their posts.

Thanks for any help

 

[LisaS]

Hi all... I am interested in joining the DVC but I have a few questions.

Welcome to the DIS boards!

I was wondering what is the difference in points between propertys? For example I can buy 300 points at Vero beach for the same $ that I can buy 250 points at Boardwalk. If I can use the points at any property why would I not buy more points for the same money? Are 200 points at BWV more valuable than 200 points at OKW? I see Vero Beach for sale at $62.50/point. Why should I spend $87 at Beach club villias?

You can book reservations at your home resort 11 months in advance. You can book at other resorts 7 months in advance. If you prefer a particular resort then many people on these boards will advise you to "buy where you plan to stay" because you have a 4-month exclusive booking window at your home resort and there are times when that can make a difference. For example, BWV has a small number of standard-view rooms that cost fewer points and also a small number of guaranteed Boardwalk view rooms. Those are often booked by the 7-month window, so they can be very difficult for owners of other resorts to book. Similarly, at certain times of year it can be difficult to get into certain resorts if you do not own there and have to wait until 7 months out to book: if you are interested in staying at BCV or BWV during the Food and Wine Festival, or VWL during the holidays or you want to book a Beach Cottage at Vero Beach then owning at those resorts may make the difference between getting what you want or going on a waitlist and hoping something becomes available. If you don't expect to book your trips more than 7 months in advance, then it may not matter what your home resort is.

Keep in mind that in addition to the initial purchase of your points you will pay dues every year and your dues will increase an average of 4% per year. Over the contract's lifetime, the dues cost will be more significant than the purchase price. As it happens, resale contracts at Vero Beach cost less than those of other resorts but the dues at Vero Beach are higher so over the long term, your costs may be higher at Vero Beach. Be sure you look at both initial purchase price and dues when deciding what the total costs will be for each resort you are considering.

What is this 2042 stuff? After the year 2042 the program ends? That's only 36 years away... I should still be alive then (knocking on wood). The propertys they are selling all expire in 2042? Are prices cheaper now than they were 8 years ago?

For all resorts except SSR, the contracts end in January 2042 and you no longer own anything after that date. The end date for SSR is January 2054. I'm new to DVC so I'm not familiar with the price history but I'm pretty sure that BCV, BWV and VWL resale prices are higher than what the original owner's paid for them. Don't know about OKW, HHI, VB or SSR.

Can I roll over my points for 35 years and live at disneyworld for an entire year?

Unfortunately no. You can bank points into the next use year but then you have to use them before the end of that next use year or they expire. You can also borrow points from the next use year so the most points you can consolidate into one use year at one time is three times the number of points that you own.

Oh last question that do the abbreviations DD DH MS DW mean? People always using them in their posts.

Thanks for any help

DD = Disney (or darling) daughter, DH = Disney/darling husband, DS = son, DW = wife, etc. For the full list of abbreviations used on this board, check out this link: http://www.wdwinfo.com/abbreviations.htm

 

[Hibernians]

Lisa,

Thanks for posting the acronyms link. I just asked about them on a different thread. Now I know what PAP means.

 

[Caskbill]

Lisa, just wanted to say you did a great job of explaining all that.

The only thing I thought to add was to say that DVC can be thought of as two separate parts, or phases. Phase I includes OKW, BWV, VWL, BCV, VB and HH. The first one was OKW which begain in 1992 which set the beginning and end point for the 50 year contract. Thus ending in 2042 for all those resorts.

SSR is the first resort of Phase II, and begain in 2004, thus the 50 year end date of 2054 for that resort, and most likely any other resorts that may be added in the next several years.

 

[Sy-]

Wow guys (esp Lisa).... You are very through.... Thank you very much for the time yo spend answering my questions. Do you mind if I ask a couple follow up questions:

Does anyone have a map of where these Resorts are in relation to the parks, transportation hubs, Pleasure Island, and other ammenities.

On normal vacations I do not like driving when I don't have to. Do these resorts have the shuttle bus services like the regular hotels do?

How do these resorts (DVC resorts specifically) compare to the other Disney World Hotels? Do they have the food courts/cafeterias, pools, front desks, room service, concierge, bellmen, and valet services?

Are your points based on the calendar year or do they acrew on you purchase date anniversary? If I'm buying a resale will the anniversary be on the initial purchasers(sellers) anniversary?

Is there any status updates on a DVC resort at the Disneyland resorts (Anaheim, Paris, Tokyo or Hong Kong)

I'm sorry for asking so many question. DVC won't send me the info DVD. And I was told that If I want to purchase that I will have to fly to California or Florida to purchase. Sucks living in Hawaii sometimes!

Thanks for your help! ~Sy

 

[Caskbill]

Wow guys (esp Lisa).... You are very through.... Thank you very much for the time yo spend answering my questions. Do you mind if I ask a couple follow up questions:

Does anyone have a map of where these Resorts are in relation to the parks, transportation hubs, Pleasure Island, and other ammenities.

Sorry, don't have a link to a map right now. Maybe someone else will post one. Anyway, SSR is directly across the water from Downtown Disney and Pleasure Island. BCV is attached to the BC resort and is just outside the International Gateway into Epcot. BWV is attached to the BW resort, is directly across the water from the Beach Club/Yacht Club resorts. VWL is attached to the WL resort and is down very near the Contemporary resort. OKW is a stand-alone DVC resort and is located on the golf course. You can kind of think of it as halfway between SSR and the Port Orleans resort. From BCV and BWV you can walk to Epcot or MGM, or take the boat. You would take the bus to Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom. From VWL you take the boat to Magic Kingdom, or else the bus to any other resort. For SSR and OKW, you take bus transportation to all parks.

On normal vacations I do not like driving when I don't have to. Do these resorts have the shuttle bus services like the regular hotels do?

Transportation was explained above. For OKW and SSR, each resort has it's own dedicated busses. So busses from those resorts are direct. The BWV, BCV and VWL resorts use the same bus service as the hotels they're joined to.

How do these resorts (DVC resorts specifically) compare to the other Disney World Hotels? Do they have the food courts/cafeterias, pools, front desks, room service, concierge, bellmen, and valet services?

These are time-share units, and not hotels, so you really can't compare them. Remember, the villas have kitchens so owners staying there probably don't use food courts and restaurants as much as regular hotel guests might. SSR does have a small food court 'type' setup. OKW has a restaurant and some places to get snacks, but no food court as you're thinking. BWV, BCV and VWL do not have any services of their own. Instead you just walk over to the adjoining hotel side for what they have. BWV of course is unique in that the restaurants are all located outside on the regular boardwalk. All resorts have their own private pools. Plus, if staying at VWL, BCV, you may also use the hotel pools. Room service is available at the resorts which are attached to the hotels that have room service. There is no concierge. The 'hotel' resorts do have bellmen. Valet service is available and is free for DVC-members staying on points, at VWL, BCV, and BWV. OKW and SSR are stand-alone resorts with parking right outside your units, and direct outside access to your villas.

Are your points based on the calendar year or do they acrew on you purchase date anniversary? If I'm buying a resale will the anniversary be on the initial purchasers(sellers) anniversary?

Points are based on a Use Year which has a starting month. For example if your use year month was March, your Use Year points go from March 1st to Feb 28th each year. A June use year goes from June 1st to May 31st each year. If you purchase resale, you will get the use year month for the original contract. You cannot change that.

Is there any status updates on a DVC resort at the Disneyland resorts (Anaheim, Paris, Tokyo or Hong Kong)

Only rumors. The addition of a DVC resort at Disneyland is a fairly high probability. Nothing about the other resorts you mention. Keep in mind however, you can use your points to stay at the regular hotels at those locations. Paris is also special in that if you stay there on points, it also includes your tickets into the park for each day of your stay, and also breakfast each day.

I'm sorry for asking so many question. DVC won't send me the info DVD. And I was told that If I want to purchase that I will have to fly to California or Florida to purchase. Sucks living in Hawaii sometimes!

DVC has to get a license for each resort they're selling, in each state they want to sell in. This can cost quite a bit. It appears they didn't get a license for HI, most likely because there aren't that many hawaiians who want to purchase into DVC.

BTW, last time I was in Hawaii in December, it was about 80 degrees every day. Here in Indiana it's 36 outside right now. And that's not bad considering what everybody North of us gets. Now what were you saying about Hawaii......

Thanks for your help! ~Sy

Anytime....

 

[dvc_john]

Just to add...
You can now also use points for the hotels at Hong Kong and Tokyo also. And at Hong Kong, park tickets are included, just like Paris.

 

[Pa@okw95]

Hi all... I am interested in joining the DVC but I have a few questions.

I was wondering what is the difference in points between propertys? For example I can buy 300 points at Vero beach for the same $ that I can buy 250 points at Boardwalk. If I can use the points at any property why would I not buy more points for the same money? Are 200 points at BWV more valuable than 200 points at OKW? I see Vero Beach for sale at $62.50/point. Why should I spend $87 at Beach club villias?

What is this 2042 stuff? After the year 2042 the program ends? That's only 36 years away... I should still be alive then (knocking on wood). The propertys they are selling all expire in 2042? Are prices cheaper now than they were 8 years ago?

Can I roll over my points for 35 years and live at disneyworld for an entire year?

Oh last question that do the abbreviations DD DH MS DW mean? People always using them in their posts.

Thanks for any help

Regarding 2042 and only 36 years away remark, trust me on this. Your tastes will change in 36 years, WDW once the great place to you now may become big negative to you by then. I once loved WDW back in the 80's now it has become a place I go to in January to get out of the cold. I have alsmost no interest in going to the parks because of all the changes to them and yes changes in me also. Something for everyone to think about.

 

[La2kw]

The 'hotel' resorts do have bellmen.

OKW and SSR do have bellmen as well.

 

[LisaS]

Regarding 2042 and only 36 years away remark, trust me on this. Your tastes will change in 36 years, WDW once the great place to you now may become big negative to you by then. I once loved WDW back in the 80's now it has become a place I go to in January to get out of the cold. I have alsmost no interest in going to the parks because of all the changes to them and yes changes in me also. Something for everyone to think about.

This is something my DH and I thought about when we decided to purchase DVC. We are in our early 50s. I will be 87 when my BWV contract runs out and DH will be 89! DVC offers nice accommodations that we trust Disney will continue to maintain to a high standard. There are lots of good restaurants throughout WDW and a free transportation system to get us wherever we want to go on property. I like knowing we have a place to go for a break from winter and can use Disney transportation to get around.

We currently enjoy the parks and the water parks, but if we ever get to a point where they no longer interested us as much, just being in a clean, safe, family-oriented environment with a nice pools and good restaurants would still make it worthwhile for us. DH jokes (at least I think he's joking!) that he would like to have enough points to spend an entire month at WDW every winter once we retire.

 

[LisaS]

Here is a link to a map of WDW showing the location of all the resorts and parks: http://www.wdwinfo.com/resortmaps/propertymap.htm

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

Don't forget that you can always buy resale...you don't have to buy through Disney. That way you can buy from your home state vs. traveling to FL or CA. The other benefit of resale is the opportunity to buy any DVC resort instead of SSR (or being on a waiting list for the other resorts). Use the "DVC Resales" link at the top of this page (located under the big "The Timeshare Store" banner). The "Frequently Asked Questions" section might help you as well. Good luck -- it's a lot to take in, but you'll be an expert before you know it!

 

[Sy-]

Thanks for all the help everyone!!! I am convinced that I want to buy into SS. I was wondering if any of you have any pointers on how to convince my DW to want this as much as I do?


Also do the Adventure seasons tend to sell out the fastest since you get the most resort for your points? Or is it the other way around? I love Disney parks the first to weeks in December since they have holiday decorations and the parks seem to be less crowded.

~Sy

 

[LisaS]

Thanks for all the help everyone!!! I am convinced that I want to buy into SS. I was wondering if any of you have any pointers on how to convince my DW to want this as much as I do?

Not sure how to help you on that one! In my case it was easy because my DH loves WDW as much as I do. Plus we live on the east coast and can get inexpensive direct flights to Orlando so we figured we could go fairly often including using it as a place to escape to when the winter blues set in. That's a harder case to make in your case since you already live in paradise!

Also do the Adventure seasons tend to sell out the fastest since you get the most resort for your points? Or is it the other way around? I love Disney parks the first to weeks in December since they have holiday decorations and the parks seem to be less crowded.

~Sy

Early December is a very busy time for DVC for exactly the reasons you mention: low points cost, holiday decorations and less crowded parks. We are planning a trip for early Dec 2006 and I will be calling in about a week to make our reservations right at the 11-month mark, as will everyone else on these boards who plan to go at that time!

Good luck convincing your DW. Keep us posted!

 

[Disney Doll]

Hi all... I am interested in joining the DVC but I have a few questions.

I was wondering what is the difference in points between propertys? Location For example I can buy 300 points at Vero beach for the same $ that I can buy 250 points at Boardwalk. If I can use the points at any property why would I not buy more points for the same money? Because points at your home resort give you the ability to book 11 months in advance, as opposed to seven months in advance at a non-home resort. If where you stay doesn't really matter to you, then where you buy points doesn't matter as much. The general rule of thumb is to buy where you want to stay, especially if most of your trips will be taken during busier times. Are 200 points at BWV more valuable than 200 points at OKW? Some people may think so, based on BWV's location. During the Food & Wine Fest at Epcot, poinnts at BCV & BWV are very valuable.I see Vero Beach for sale at $62.50/point. Why should I spend $87 at Beach club villias? To have the ability to book BCV 11 months in advance if it would ruin your vacation not to stay at BCVs.

What is this 2042 stuff? After the year 2042 the program ends? In 2042, points at OKW, BWV, BCV, VB, HH, & VWL expire. Points at SSR don't expire till 2054, so if length of contract is important to you because oyu're relatively young, then consider buying at SSR. That's only 36 years away... I should still be alive then (knocking on wood). The propertys they are selling all expire in 2042? Are prices cheaper now than they were 8 years ago?No

Can I roll over my points for 35 years and live at disneyworld for an entire year?No. You can bank/borrow points one year in either direction.

Oh last question that do the abbreviations DD DH MS DW mean? People always using them in their posts.Dear Daughter, Dear Husband, Member Services, Dear Wife

Thanks for any help

You're welcome

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

Thanks for all the help everyone!!! I am convinced that I want to buy into SS.

If buying SSR isn't about referrals or a current promo going on with Disney direct, remember you can buy SSR resale, too. Most of the contracts I've seen have been "stripped" (meaning the points won't come in until 2007), but they are available.

As for convincing your other half. . . for me it was a matter of convincing DH that this was going to be an investment that paid off in memories, not money. He had a really tough time when he looked at this as an "investment." Spending that chunk of money for something that continues for years is an "investment" to him and should return money. It was a tough thing for him to get his mind around.

That said, when we looked at plunking down this chunk o' change, we also determined that if we buy it now (we purchased right before Thanksgiving 05), use it for a couple of years and decide we don't think it's worth it for our family, we could get most of our money back out in a couple of years. No, we won't MAKE any money, but we won't lose our shirts, either (not true of my stock choices of late, unfortunately! ).

For us, that was a big draw of SSR. In our minds, the extra 12 years on the contract was more about an extra 12 years of "resale-ability" than us expecting we would continue to go to the park in our 80s.

Just my two cents, for what it's worth. Happy planning!

 

[pouncingpluto]

For us, that was a big draw of SSR. In our minds, the extra 12 years on the contract was more about an extra 12 years of "resale-ability" than us expecting we would continue to go to the park in our 80s.

I agree. The 12 years are important to us, since we'll be right around retirement-age (me 64, him 70) when the non-SSR contracts are up, and I don't like the idea of losing our timeshare at the same time we're going to a fixed income. But on top of that, we do understand the point the previous poster made about tastes changing, and if we sell 20 years down the road (or certainly if we sell 36 years down the road), I think those extra 12 years could have a big impact on the resale value.

 

[DVCPAT]

Thanks for all the help everyone!!! I am convinced that I want to buy into SS. I was wondering if any of you have any pointers on how to convince my DW to want this as much as I do?


Also do the Adventure seasons tend to sell out the fastest since you get the most resort for your points? Or is it the other way around? I love Disney parks the first to weeks in December since they have holiday decorations and the parks seem to be less crowded.

~Sy

SSR is a very nice resort. Before deciding which resort to purchase, you might want to visit each DVC resort with your DW just to make sure you enjoy the resort layout and location. SSRs additional 12 years wont mean much if you end up preferring one of the other DVC resorts.

I wouldn’t look at DVC as a financial investment. I think vacations are about enjoying time off with family and friends. Time passes so quickly, especially if you have kids. Pick the resort that gets your family excited as you pass through its entrance. When I reach retirement age, I hope other investments will give me the freedom to make changes for that period in time.