Revisiting the idea of DVC ownership

[SpacemanSpiff]

Seriously thought about buying into DVC about three years ago - however living on the west coast and not building up flier miles quick enough to get 2 free tickets annually did not justify the cost of ownership at the time.

My wife and I are now revisiting the idea of buying in but purchasing fewer points for biannual visits to WDW. I have yet to work out the bottom-line details but have toyed with buying 50 points initially to use 100 every other year for ~6-7 day visit in a studio at SSR or AKV or maybe a 5 day visit every third year for a larger room (as our little family will be expanding from 2 to 3....4....5.... in the very near future).

With that in mind, does 50pts sound like a good initial purchase?

 

[bwvBound]

While I like the bi-annual idea ... I'm not sure 50 points is the right number. In my book, a DVC studio really isn't any better than a hotel room. Look for sufficient points to cover a 1BR unit for your intended travel periods. (Yes, the king bed, jetted tub, separate bedroom/living room arrangement and in-room laundry are worth it.)

Many resale accounts are stripped of current points and may offer nothing to bank for awhile. Best wishes finding the perfect resale contract!

 

[Chic]

SpacemanSpiff- I think buying into DVC is a wonderful idea for your growing family. We bought in during a Disney Cruise in July 2007 and have created many family memories since joining. Our daughter is 20 months old and has been to see Mickey Mouse 9 times now and will also be returning this December. Although my daughter is only 20 months old, she recognizes the parks and screams with joy every time she sees the monorail and/or the Main Street train station. She knows both Mickey and Minnie by their names and absolutely loves the character dining experiences. We originally bought in at 160 points but have already done "add ons" with a current total of 360 points. We visit about 6 times a year and usually stay in a Studio type room. The largest DVC rooms are at Old Key West and require less points per night than the other resorts. We own at Saratoga Springs but usually stay at all of the resorts. It's nice to add variety to your vacations. Our only regret we have about joining DVC is we wish we would have done it sooner. We love being DVC members.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If you are planning ahead for that family to be, I definitely would buy a minimum contract as Disney sells it. The 160 point minimum is a good start, and will get you a stay in a 1 bedroom for a reasonable length of time every other year. Once you get past that first child, the studios are not terribly convenient. You still have to worry about what everyone else is going to do while "baby" wants to sleep. Generally the rest of the family isn't ready to adopt the babie's schedule. A 1 bedroom gives you options so that the baby can sleep and everyone else can still enjoy other things in the villa.

 

[Raivyn]

Since you're on the West Coast, you could visit the models at Disneyland. I didn't see in your OP that you had seen them in person yet. They are models for the villas being built next to the Grand Californian Hotel.

We're on the West Coast, too, and were not certain if it made sense to purchase for a resort so far away, but after seeing the models, we decided it was better to purchase enough points so we would always have the option of a 1 or 2 bedroom, even if we don't always use it.

You will be able to use your points at the Disney hotels, too.

 

[debbiepump]

I too live on the West coast (Seattle) and love DVC! What a treat to get out of our wet, cold weather and go to Florida.With California so much closer, have yet even considered going to Disneyland, my heart's at WDW. I go at least once a year, if not twice. Somehow always find the time and with the direct flights Alaska has, it's a breeze to get there!

 

[nunzia]

I think it's a good idea to start small then build up if you wish. Right now we only have enough to go to WDW for 6 days every third year, and that's fine. Now, I plan to buy more when GCV comes on line and I was really tempted by BLT but common sense won.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I too live on the west coast and I am considering DVC. Since I usually fly internationally the trip to FL seems quick and cheap I went in July and have a December, January, and March trip planned. And yet I haven't been to DLR for 10 years!

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

thanks for all your perspectives and tips - they are much appreciated. We hopefully will be ready to make our purchase in December. I will let you all know what happens.

Thanks again for all the help

 

[Mollie Bell]

I like your original idea of starting with 50 points. You can always add on if you find that you are running out of points.

Good luck !!

 

[Raivyn]

OP, from your sig, it looks like you go to WDW about every year. Would 50 points be adequate for the kind of lodging you want and your typical length of stay?

You can't really get a week in a studio at any of the resorts w/o borrowing/banking with only 50 points, in which case you would have to skip years.

Being on the west coast myself, we only plan to go to WDW if we can stay at least 6 days. The airfare costs about the same if you're staying for 2 days or 10 days, and since there are three of us, it is more cost effective for us to have longer stays at WDW.