Talk me out of DVC

[Coach81]

You really don't need it?

 

[katied]

My view is that DVC is a luxary purchase. We bought because we were in the same position - paid cash upfront for purchase (and then the add on). Have savings, have retirement, have college account for DS (had it set aside before he even came, as we bought before DS was here). We can plan 11 months out for our vacations.

We bought at BWV - it was more expensive than SSR, but I wanted to book at 11 months and know I could walk to 2 of 4 resorts, and only take the bus to the other 2. For the same reason, we also added on at BLT for walking to MK.

We didn't buy to save money on our trips really. We bought because we want to stay onsite, and I want the convenience of a 1 or 2 bedroom, with washer/dryer and kitchen.

We are very happy with our purchase, and will continue to go every year. However, it is also not our only trip. We will go to Greece every year to visit DH's family, we will take at least 1 - 2 other shorter trips every year. So, we don't expect to get burnt out on Disney (DH may, but then DS and I take trips without him to Disney - he only comes along every other year). Maybe we'll even venture out west and try DL one year.

So, if it works for you financially, you can plan ahead, and also do Disney plus other trips, go for it.

 

[zorro77]

We are DVC members since 93. I would say for us it was one of best invest we have ever done. We usually go down 2 times and year and i can not count how many friends and family have joined us. We also like to travel. Have been to Europe, Asia and Mexico areas. Loved those trips and have great memories but Disney is different. When we bought kids were small our parents were still young and it was great. Now 17 years later we are still doing it and each time can not wait to go back. We may do different things but enjoy the time and all that their is to offer their. We had bought the basic contract at the time when they opened and now have 755 pts. I just hope we can be in good health to keep it up for many more years. Also we have used the pts in Europe so you do have many options to exchange for different areas of world or enjoy the Florida weather and what there is to offer.

 

[Dean]

It sounds like it might be a good choice for you. IF you'll go to WDW and use the points at DVC, it likely is a good choice. Previously I would have added and not go mostly weekends but the recent changes have altered that recommendation.

 

[crisi]

in reference to the people that fear they are or will get "burnt out" by Disney, I was wondering if you take advantage of all the other non-Disney Places to go. We just bought this month and have our first Disney vacation scheduled for June. I think our plan of action for the most park will be one year do something non Disney with the points, then the next do Disney. With the 500 different locations worldwide, I see trips to other countries and even different places in America for a lot of trips as well.

Its a really expensive timeshare for trading and we can do much better with cash - or if we wanted to travel via timeshare, with a timeshare from a different system. Plus, a lot of the places we want to visit aren't really timeshare sorts of places. More travel and staying in B&Bs or long weekends than the traditional "week long stay timeshare" plan goes for.

 

[Dean]

Well I guess it depends where you stay. I look at it as the price I am paying for a hotel outside of WDW is the cash I'm paying throughout the year for DVC. I can use 66 points to stay in Las Vegas for 3 nights during New Years Eve for a 1 bedroom. Or when I plan to travel to Europe and other countries where the American dollar is far less. I guess everyone see's it for what the need it for.

To me it depends on the costs and other risks and aggravations involved. I can stay at any RCI property more easily and much more cheaply using other timeshares over DVC, pennies on the dollar in many cases. I'm currently in Cabo for 2 weeks which would have cost 1500 DVC points, my actual cost for the exchanges about $600 or so including direct and indirect costs.

 

[nyisles84]

To me it depends on the costs and other risks and aggravations involved. I can stay at any RCI property more easily and much more cheaply using other timeshares over DVC, pennies on the dollar in many cases. I'm currently in Cabo for 2 weeks which would have cost 1500 DVC points, my actual cost for the exchanges about $600 or so including direct and indirect costs.

so you'd say, atleast in the 1st 10 years or so, I could potentially rent out points I would have used for a trip, and then use that cash to pay off a room for cheaper?

 

[dmoore22]

To me it depends . . .

That really says it in a nutshell -- "It depends . . ." I have friends that own other timeshares eg. RCI which, for them, has been a frustrating experience for them in working on the logistics of their travels. I share with them info about DVC and their impressed. I have other friends that use their RCI specifically for exchanges and have never, ever stayed in their timeshare. It all boils down to what your vacation routine is and what you want to get out of it. What will work for you. Just because DVC works for us and I can sing its praises ad nauseum doesn't mean its the right decision for everyone.

 

[Dean]

so you'd say, atleast in the 1st 10 years or so, I could potentially rent out points I would have used for a trip, and then use that cash to pay off a room for cheaper?

As a rule you will do better renting out the points and using other means for non DVC trips. The example I cited is an extreme one but it is a real one that I am currently experiencing, I could give you many more similar examples. IMO, anyone can do the same or similar for very small costs currently. However, everyone's situation is different and one should look at their situation to decide. One who wants to exchange rarely, say once every 5-6 years, likely will not want to own other timeshares though using DVC is still not likely to be a good choice for their trips. I'd say once you get to about once every 3 years, owning none DVC starts to become a good option for many. The ONLY time when using DVC for exchange options is a good value is if you shoot for the moon with high cost, high quality options that are unlikely to be available but if they are, they are difficult to pass up. The truth is there are few of those in RCI outside DVC.

That really says it in a nutshell -- "It depends . . ." I have friends that own other timeshares eg. RCI which, for them, has been a frustrating experience for them in working on the logistics of their travels. I share with them info about DVC and their impressed. I have other friends that use their RCI specifically for exchanges and have never, ever stayed in their timeshare. It all boils down to what your vacation routine is and what you want to get out of it. What will work for you. Just because DVC works for us and I can sing its praises ad nauseum doesn't mean its the right decision for everyone.

Actually I think it depends on positioning yourself appropriately, learning the systems involved and using it to your advantage. The reference I made was to exchanging DVC vs using other options for the same or similar trips. DVC is about the worst choice imaginable for the exchange options because it's high cost with limited options, that is an absolute IMO. It's also possible to use some of those none DVC timeshares to trade into DVC depening on specifics of course. I realize there are those that paid tens of thousands of $$$ for something that may not be worth the paper the deed is written on, that fact is not a knock on the options I've laid out but rather on their lack of understanding what they were getting for their money, or lack of. Still, most people who own a timeshare that is not performing for them are simply not putting the effort into learning how to use the system and are not planning enough ahead to get value in return.

IMO, DVC combined with at least one other timesahre options is FAR more ideal than owning more DVC points to trade part of the time. For others, owning DVC and paying cash for non DVC trips is the best. There is NO time when buying in to DVC to trade out is a good plan that I can think of. If you own, have the points and don't want to fool with renting, that's one's choice but it's still making the most of a poor situation. Just realize what you're giving up and what benefits you are and are not getting to do so.

 

[kdepot]

Talk me out of buying a 120 pt SSR resale contract. I have a wife and one 4yo daughter, so I would think we would be going to WDW several times in the next 10 years or so, at least. I can sell an investment to pay for the purchase up front with no financing, and the 600/year in dues sounds doable.

Why not purchase it? Retirement is funded, money to pay bills is fine, left over money every month, emergency fund is funded...

ok if you wait a year from now you say like we did about the last 8 years.


" Why did we wait so long" IMHO DO IT!!!!!!!!

 

[crisi]

IMO, DVC combined with at least one other timesahre options is FAR more ideal than owning more DVC points to trade part of the time. For others, owning DVC and paying cash for non DVC trips is the best. There is NO time when buying in to DVC to trade out is a good plan that I can think of. If you own, have the points and don't want to fool with renting, that's one's choice but it's still making the most of a poor situation. Just realize what you're giving up and what benefits you are and are not getting to do so.

We are the second group - paying cash for non-DVC trips is best. I've watched you and some other "timeshare folks" here work the system and explain the system - and its a system you need to be willing to work to really make it work for you. I'd rather pick up the phone and call a travel agent and say "Jamaica please, the week of Feb 22nd."

 

[quentina]

What took you so long????

 

[Dean]

We are the second group - paying cash for non-DVC trips is best. I've watched you and some other "timeshare folks" here work the system and explain the system - and its a system you need to be willing to work to really make it work for you. I'd rather pick up the phone and call a travel agent and say "Jamaica please, the week of Feb 22nd."

It's not as much work as some would like to think. As an example, went to HI in 2008 high season for around $2500 for 2 weeks including first class air, top timeshare 1 BR units, rental car, eating out most meals and a few activities. That included indirect timeshare expenses. IF people just want to make one phone call and forget about it, that's reasonable, but likely an expensive approach. However, it seems that a lot of people spend substantially more time and effort chasing the best cash deal when had they spent that amount of time and effort (or less) on timeshares they would have had more for less in many cases.

 

[crisi]

It's not as much work as some would like to think. As an example, went to HI in 2008 high season for around $2500 for 2 weeks including first class air, top timeshare 1 BR units, rental car, eating out most meals and a few activities. That included indirect timeshare expenses. IF people just want to make one phone call and forget about it, that's reasonable, but likely an expensive approach. However, it seems that a lot of people spend substantially more time and effort chasing the best cash deal when had they spent that amount of time and effort (or less) on timeshares they would have had more for less in many cases.

It isn't that expensive - this past eighteen months its been bargain after bargain for travel. Airfare is still expensive for us - there are four of us and we live in a high airfare city that doesn't have a lot of competitive pressure (I can't get one of us to Hawaii first class for $2500). But my husband works a lot, I work full time plus, we raise two kids (with all the scouts, piano lessons, baseball practice that implies). Don't have room in my life for knowing "good trades/bad trades."

 

[Dean]

It isn't that expensive - this past eighteen months its been bargain after bargain for travel. Airfare is still expensive for us - there are four of us and we live in a high airfare city that doesn't have a lot of competitive pressure (I can't get one of us to Hawaii first class for $2500). But my husband works a lot, I work full time plus, we raise two kids (with all the scouts, piano lessons, baseball practice that implies). Don't have room in my life for knowing "good trades/bad trades."

My goal is to let people know there are other options out there compared to using DVC for exchange options and that those are almost always cheaper AND better, it's certainly their choice how they decide to use the info. I'd suggest that as a minimum one makes sure the resort they're going to meets their needs no matter how it's secured and that takes at last a modest amount of time/work/effort.

 

[culli]

It isn't that expensive - this past eighteen months its been bargain after bargain for travel. Airfare is still expensive for us - there are four of us and we live in a high airfare city that doesn't have a lot of competitive pressure (I can't get one of us to Hawaii first class for $2500). But my husband works a lot, I work full time plus, we raise two kids (with all the scouts, piano lessons, baseball practice that implies). Don't have room in my life for knowing "good trades/bad trades."

Totally understand that philosphy. To tell the truth I look at it as a hobby, that I use to relax. I truely enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" so to speak in getting great vacations at a good price. The bottom line is did you and your family have fun.

 

[crisi]

Totally understand that philosphy. To tell the truth I look at it as a hobby, that I use to relax. I truely enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" so to speak in getting great vacations at a good price. The bottom line is did you and your family have fun.

Yep, and for timeshare people, timeshares work great. Not a hobby I'm interested in pursuing, but then, not everyone is interested in Disney as a business as a hobby either - which I find fascinating.

As Dean says, its important that people understand their options and choose the one that works for them. For some, that will be DVC. For some that will by a different timeshare system, for some that will be cash. And some people will combine all or some of the above.

 

[Dean]

Yep, and for timeshare people, timeshares work great. Not a hobby I'm interested in pursuing, but then, not everyone is interested in Disney as a business as a hobby either - which I find fascinating.

As Dean says, its important that people understand their options and choose the one that works for them. For some, that will be DVC. For some that will by a different timeshare system, for some that will be cash. And some people will combine all or some of the above.

DVC is a timeshare, LOL.

 

[crisi]

DVC is a timeshare, LOL.

Yes, but we are thinking of getting rid of it - its at the end of its useful life for how we travel and what we are willing to put into it. And DVC doesn't require hobby levels of time - if you only use it for Disney - which is all we've ever done.

 

[Dean]

Yes, but we are thinking of getting rid of it - its at the end of its useful life for how we travel and what we are willing to put into it. And DVC doesn't require hobby levels of time - if you only use it for Disney - which is all we've ever done.

I don't think others require that amount of time either. Every regularly active member on this BBS spends far more time worrying about DVC than they'd need to do to learn and use another system, however, timeshares in general are not for everyone. I enjoy them, they keep me out of trouble, I too enjoy the chase in getting something for almost nothing or getting the difficult in general and I don't think they have to take that much time to use well. They also force me to vacation more and differently than I could mentally do if having to pay cash. The good deals currently won't last but the timeshares likely will, for good or bad for some. I'm betting there is the perfect timeshare out there for your needs going forward, you just haven't found or realized it yet.