Thinking hard

[kasper13]

we just got back from disney (Caribbean beach) and was talking to a DVC member and was getting more interested,cause here is my deal.I have 2 kids (3,6)and went to DW the last 2 years stayed at the Poly and then CB which were both very nice and plan on going every year so they told me this is the way to go,But i do have Questions(didnt get into there running out of time)


1) do they give you any discounts on park passes or dinnig?


2)i heard the yearly dues are around 600-700 and go up every year(so wouldnt that almost cover your resort anyway) i know not the poly but to stay at the poly you would use aboat load of points


3)can you use this "deed" as a write off

4) what the best deal to buy into now,were more of the tropical theme(seeing were from chicago)

thanks just something iam STILL looking into but cant make my mind up..

 

[hmillerbarilla]

Hey, from Chicago area too, and wanted a "tropical" resort as well!

We had been on the fence about DVC for almost 4 years, and we JUST signed a resale contract on BCV since it was closest to what we wanted for a resort. We were LOYAL CBR people too!

Yes, the dues are about what you'd spend at a moderate I figure, but give you the option of staying at deluxes. We also go each year, so it is about time we bought into DVC.

The discounts on tickets are for Annual Passes, $100 off. I think we will do the APs and plan our trips 11 months from each other. We'll see.

You can't have too many questions--it is a big decision and there are a lot of helpful people here on these boards.

 

[dianeschlicht]

After nearly 12 years of DVC ownership, I can tell you it is NOT a mistake! We started out with 230 points and could probably have "made do" with that, but have added on 219 since then.

The whole point of DVC is staying on site in deluxe accommodations for a moderate price. We were doing the APs prior to joining DVC, so we were thrilled when the $100 DVC AP discount came onboard a couple years ago!

Don't buy for those 'perks' though, becaus they can and do change frequently.

 

[backyardponder]

DVC has a sales office at the Woodfield mall called the Doorway to Dreams. It would be well worth your time to go and talk to them. They can answer a lot of your basic questions. They have been remodeling there, putting in BLT rooms for you to see. They should be open by now, I think.

I would consider buying resale. We did that and saved a lot of money. The sponsor of these boards (The Timeshare Store) is a very popular place to use, but there are others as well.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

1) do they give you any discounts on park passes or dinnig?

Currently, yes, but these are not guaranteed with your contract. As a DVC member you get a $100 off your annual pass. There are no specific discounts on dining, but you can choose to purchase the dining plan (all three as of 2009) without having to purchase any passes (no package required, just a stay in a DVC).

2)i heard the yearly dues are around 600-700 and go up every year(so wouldnt that almost cover your resort anyway) i know not the poly but to stay at the poly you would use aboat load of points

Dues are based per point. Currently in 2008, Animal Kingdom Villas are $4.71 a point. For an example, we purchased 205 points, it would be $965.55 for the yearly dues. This number of points will allow for a one bedroom for a week in January, September and the first half of December or two weeks in a Studio (both sleep 4 - 5).

As for cost, you have to compare Apples to Apples, comparing a DVC to a moderate or a value resort is not a correct comparison. Comparing it to a Deluxe is the correct way.

You can choose to use your points to stay at the Poly (or any of the other non-dvc deluxe resorts), but it would not be the best use of your points. You are much better off to stick with DVC based resorts.

3)can you use this "deed" as a write off

Yes and no. You can write off the interest on your "mortgage" if you finance through Disney (and there may be some others as well) and you can also write off the property tax piece of your dues (the amount of your dues payable for property tax is spelled out in the annual report).

Nothing else is tax deductable (ie. donating a week to a charity, etc.)

4) what the best deal to buy into now,were more of the tropical theme(seeing were from chicago)

There are many resorts to choose from, but there are none that are like Polynesian, sorry to say. Animal Kingdom offers the savannah, Bay Lake Tower offers the contemporary feel, Wilderness Lodge offers a outdoor/camping feel, etc, etc, etc.

There are some other things to consider, pro and con to a DVC. First is you do not get daily housekeeping (unless you pay extra or stay concierge, where applicable). You do not pay sales tax on your resort stay. You may need to plan further out to get premium views or specific DVC resorts - like Beach Club Villas due to the limited capacity.

In the end you are purchasing an interest in a resort, and by doing so, you are bearing the risk of future performance. Inflation is a fact of life, and your dues tend to follow this rate, but so do room rates at resorts, so both will go up, but in the end you are betting (realistically in your favor) that your DVC will pay for itself if you use it and work out to be much cheaper then if you had paid cash every year for your room.

Disney has done a great job in marketing their timeshares and the rate of depreciation is very low compared to some other timeshares in the market.

 

[hsteacher]

From Chicago suburbs and just recently bought resale at BWV. Found resale to be our personal best buy as we love the BW area. Went to Woodfield Doorway to Dreams and talked about BLT and resale but got more points through resale. Thought I wanted BLT but when I realized I'd be paying for a resort that I couldn't use until at least 9/09, I decided I wanted to use it now so went resale.

My "kids" are 17 and 23 and we regret not doing this way back when OKW started. We would have saved soooo much money because we've visited Disney at least every other year -- sometimes each year. We wasted lots of money and finally did it.

We actually did the Home Equity route as then we can take the interest 100% and, if I'm correct, about 12% of the MF are tax deductible as they go towards property taxes. So, since we would have probably spent this money over the next few years anyway -- at least part of it now becomes tax deductible. DVC is really just "paying it forward" at today's dollar for future vacations. The tax part of it is small but at least it's something.

We were loyal CBR also until we went to a deluxe resort on business and that was the end of CBR. Have wonderful memories of my young children at CBR but I want little to nothing to do with the bus system and do everything I can to stay off of it. I wouldn't even consider a DVC that relied on the bus system. It used to be fantastic -- it has tremendous issues during our past 3 stays. For all the Disney does so well, the bus system has taken a dive and that was before the gas prices. Just my opinion though. Since I can only travel during "peak" times due to my job, it's always crowded when I'm there so I stay away from the busses.

As it's freezing and snowing here today, I can't wait to go to my new "home".

Good luck with your decision. Just know that we regret not doing it earlier.

 

[Tara]

1) do they give you any discounts on park passes or dinnig?

In addition to what others have said, IMO the DVC discount makes an annual pass (AP) very attractive. And being an AP holder allows you to purchase Tables in Wonderland for $60 for a year of 20% off dining (including alcoholic bevs) at most Disney restaurants. This works out to be a better deal for my family than the dining plan.

2)i heard the yearly dues are around 600-700 and go up every year(so wouldnt that almost cover your resort anyway) i know not the poly but to stay at the poly you would use aboat load of points

As others have said, the cost of DVC is best compared to a deluxe resort as you are getting amenities at that level. So if you are always staying at a value or moderate, it's an opportunity to get more for your money or "buy up." For people who already stay at deluxes, it's an opportunity to save some money.

Also - yes, fees go up each year, on the order of about 3%. But hotel rates also go up a comparable amount.

Good luck with your decision - you've come to the right place to get your questions answered!

 

[Dean]

we just got back from disney (Caribbean beach) and was talking to a DVC member and was getting more interested,cause here is my deal.I have 2 kids (3,6)and went to DW the last 2 years stayed at the Poly and then CB which were both very nice and plan on going every year so they told me this is the way to go,But i do have Questions(didnt get into there running out of time)


1) do they give you any discounts on park passes or dinnig?


2)i heard the yearly dues are around 600-700 and go up every year(so wouldnt that almost cover your resort anyway) i know not the poly but to stay at the poly you would use aboat load of points


3)can you use this "deed" as a write off

4) what the best deal to buy into now,were more of the tropical theme(seeing were from chicago)

thanks just something iam STILL looking into but cant make my mind up..

Whether it's worth it depends. Certainly for trips that go light or neutral on weekends and if you stay with a studio, it will not save you money in most cases but will give you more for around the same money. For long weekends it will not be worth it nor will it be a good choice for other exchange options like Cruises.

 

[Coach81]

From Chicago suburbs and just recently bought resale at BWV. Found resale to be our personal best buy as we love the BW area. Went to Woodfield Doorway to Dreams and talked about BLT and resale but got more points through resale. Thought I wanted BLT but when I realized I'd be paying for a resort that I couldn't use until at least 9/09, I decided I wanted to use it now so went resale.

My "kids" are 17 and 23 and we regret not doing this way back when OKW started. We would have saved soooo much money because we've visited Disney at least every other year -- sometimes each year. We wasted lots of money and finally did it.

We actually did the Home Equity route as then we can take the interest 100% and, if I'm correct, about 12% of the MF are tax deductible as they go towards property taxes. So, since we would have probably spent this money over the next few years anyway -- at least part of it now becomes tax deductible. DVC is really just "paying it forward" at today's dollar for future vacations. The tax part of it is small but at least it's something.

We were loyal CBR also until we went to a deluxe resort on business and that was the end of CBR. Have wonderful memories of my young children at CBR but I want little to nothing to do with the bus system and do everything I can to stay off of it. I wouldn't even consider a DVC that relied on the bus system. It used to be fantastic -- it has tremendous issues during our past 3 stays. For all the Disney does so well, the bus system has taken a dive and that was before the gas prices. Just my opinion though. Since I can only travel during "peak" times due to my job, it's always crowded when I'm there so I stay away from the busses.

As it's freezing and snowing here today, I can't wait to go to my new "home".

Good luck with your decision. Just know that we regret not doing it earlier.

Hello fellow teacher! You sound so similar to us.. I am very happy that we were able to join while our kids were relatively young (now 11 & 7), we already have made so many priceless memories with our DVC, and we look forward to many, many more! To the OP.. good luck with your decision, if you can swing it financially, I would highly recommend it!

 

[DeeCee735]

I own 285 points, 50 at AKV and 235 at BWV. My dues this year will be about $1440. To me, and in comparison to other timeshares that is high.....but.....285 points give me more than just 6 or 7 nights a year, depending on what size accommodation, and what time of year. We spent 6 nights last Spring (1 bedroom for part and 1 studio for the reminder of the stay, 3 nights in October (studio), 5 nights this coming January (2 bedroom ), and 3 nights in March (studio OKW). That's 17 nights! (although I think I borrowed a few to pull it off ).

You must also take into consideration that even a studio is a "step up" from a regular room, with the kitchenette area and balcony. The 1 and 2 bedrooms don't compare to even the deluxe resorts (IMHO), because you have the washer and dryer, full kitchen, and jacquzzi tub!

The discount on the AP is great if you want to go more than once a year. It was a great marketing ploy on Disney's part because it intices members to do just that. I won't renew my AP because I don't see me going again for more than a year. We usually go with a regular priced 10 day park hopper with the no expire option on it, giving us about 2 vacations. As DVC members we no longer do the parks every single day - we relax, go see Cirque, dine at different resorts, resort hop, etc.

Good luck with your decision and have fun planning.