Should I sell

[Diana1]

Hi everyone from sunny Florida.

We bought a OKW in 1997 when we lived in the cold northeast. We just moved to florida about 90 minutes from WDW. Especially with the recent increases in the monthly maintenance fee we are wondering if we would be better off selling our points and just taking advantage of FL resident deals when we wanted to go to WDW. We are trying to figure out the best way to go.
I would appreciate any ideas or suggestions pro or con

 

[spiceycat]

at 90 minutes away - you don't need a hotel room - unless you don't want to drive home after a long day at the park - if that is the case kept OKW - start just staying in a studio (to save you points) especially since you are considering a hotel room.

then rent the points that you don't use.

see if this works for you - if not then definitely sell.

many fla resident own at DVC - why - some live farther away - but some lived in Orlando - they told me they loved to come for the first two weeks of December and Christmas shop. Also when relative came to visit - they send them to OKW. (I wouldn't - I would think that would encourage the free loaders - but hey every body is different).

 

[Chuck S]

First off, I don't live in Florida or within a one-day drive...but, I'd be inclined to keep my membership for several reasons, although I may sell off some of the small add-on contracts.

1) Even living close to WDW is not the same as staying at WDW, I would still enjoy at least some time at the resort.

2) You are moving TO FLORIDA, expect friends and family to invite themselves - do you think they REALLY want to visit you, or have an inexpensive place to stay? You could always rent them your points, although I wouldn't try to ask more than the dues per point, for family members. Plus, chances are they would want to spend a few days at WDW during their visit...so it saves the daily drive time.

3) Worst case scenario, you could always try renting your points at the going rate...it would cover the dues cost plus a little towards recouping your original membership costs, so you really wouldn't be out any $$$.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Diana1

If you bought in 97 I would guess to say that all you have are the dues payment. If that being the case I would keep them. Unless you have a smaller contract you want to sell.

We are moving in 3-4 years to Florida(from Ohio

) and we plan on keeping all of ours(600).We will like having the option of spur of the moment trips to VB,HH and WDW. We probably even will start cruising more often(renting). And around the holidays we can get a GV at OKW or a Beach Cottage at VB for relatives. We also just have the dues so it isn't that much of a hardship for us

In fact my sister just moved from Pittsburgh,Pa to West Palm Beach

last week because of her job. She plans on keeping her DVC also.Now when we go visit her in WPB we can visit them on friday-Sat and stay at VB Sun-thurs. It is only 1 hr away from VB.

 

[Nanax3]

If you loved Disney from afar you will still love it being close. We go frequently as we too live about 90 minutes away, on the west coast.

If you have to drive both ways in one day there goes three hours. Now you will have the flexibility to go any time you feel like it. I called on a Friday afternoon this past November and got the Boardwalk villas for three nights. I was taking a class in Orlando and didn't care for the Marriott vacation club. (It was nice, clean, roomy but just wasn't Disney).

You may want to wait until you have lived in Florida a while and see how you feel then.

 

[mwstar]

We too live on the west coast of Florida about 90 minutes away and just bought into DVC this year. We have been avid Disney goers for over 10 years. We had looked into DVC two prior times, but we were not at a point in our lives to buy. Now we are and have done two adds ons since our original contract! We love to go over for long weekends and a full week in the summer. I have become spoiled with the extra space of a 1 bedroom as well. We have two children 11 and 2. We are still AP holders and will use
that rate once a year to stay at another on site property. It is very personal, but we love being this close to "going home" often.

 

[dvcfamily41801]

Its kinda a silly comparison, but people who live up here or in New Jersey and pay bookoo bucks to stay at the shore for a week or so in the summer. They live 90 minutes away. I dont know, thats how I look at it sometimes, if I was to ever move to Florida, I know I would definatley keep it.

 

[KellyDVC]

June 2002 - we moved from Stamford CT to Bradenton, FL. In 2003, we actually bought a third contract - so we enjoy the DVC still. With work and being so close to WDW, you will find it hard to avoid those higher point weekend popovers - however the FL specials can help to limit the point cost with cash nights. We have also spent a ten day vacation at OKW while FL residents as well. Hard to get tired of the 'magic'. We do still enjoy the occassional day trip - and have actually ventured to Universal and stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel - can't beat the 'front of the line access' for onsite guests there.

As far as FL goes - love the warm weather vs the frigid NE (especially after last year's loooooong winter - which we avoided). Anyway feel free to send a PM and let us know where you live in Bradenton - who knows maybe we'll have a Bradenton DIS meet.

Good Luck and Happy and Healthy New Year!!!

Brian and Rania

 

[mickeyc]

While visiting WDW last year I met someone who moved to Orlando area from the northeast. He said that he sold his OKW contract and regretted it. Although he lived minutes away he thought it would have been a good idea to keep the DVC membership when had relatives and friends visit him.

We are considerng moving to Florida in several years and have not decided where we would live. We like the Orlando area and Sarosota. At present my son is living in Ft. Lauderdale attending dental school. It is his intention to establish a dental practice in Orlando.

I think Bradenton is a great area to retire and is close to the nicest beaches. I agee with the above comments the Jersey shore has become very expensive.

I would suggest keeping he memership for awhile and if you feel it doesn't work for you sell. Keep in mind if you are not going to use the points you can rent them. Also, you can use DVC around the world. The accomodations outside the DVC resorts seem to be first class. You do have a lot of flexibilty with DVC. Good luck! I am sure you will do whatwever works for you.

 

[jodifla]

We are Florida DVCers who live about 3 hours from Disney. I, too, would take your time before selling your DVC points. We bought in at the 150 point level (and have since added on) but we get great use out of our points even living in Florida.

Don't forget beach trips to Vero and HH, cruises and the other ways to use your points, too. And you'll be able to vacation with family and friends from up North at Disney, too, or at the beach resorts.

Right now I'm trying to make non DVC reservations for an anniversary trip in Februrary. Hotel rooms are wickedly expensive these days, especially when you add the taxes in. . It makes me appreciate my DVC all the more. (Just go over to the resort board where they are all scrambling for discount rates -- and rooms are still hundreds of dollars a night.)

 

[vernon]

Like the last couple of posts, I'd suggest wait and see. I'll be having the same choice in the summer as I plan to move to Fl then and I'll be a lot closer as I plan to live in Orlando. I still plan to use points to visit Vero and HH as I LOVE both resorts and I know I'll get a lot of visits from my daughters as they get a little older. While they are single or a couple putting them up at home will be no problem, but once they start a family the option of giving them a few nights on WDW will be a great gift IMHO.

For the initial time I expect I'll have a few spare points and may bank some to build up enough to go on the cruise. I also think a workable solution is to rent out enough points to pay for the annual dues and make use of the balance. At $10 per point it's not a bad rate of return LOL .

I understand the tempation, but it still comes down to what you think is going to happen in the future, DVC rates (converting points to $$)still are close to the best way to stay on Disney if you do think you'd use them for that. Obviously if you'd prefer to vacation elsewhere then the "cost" through II offers great value in all sorts of non Floridian exotic locations.