Thinking of buying into DVC some questions

[wdwlovers5]

Please - if anyone could help I would greatly appreciat it.

First - my niece wanted to buy DVC membership for me - paying for it herself then transferring it to me - she is selling her house and wants to give me something - and one thing she thought of was this since I go every year, she thought it was save her and I some tax $$ I told her I was not sure that could be done. Would anyone know the answer?

Second - I am very confused reading on the boards about use year etc. I generally go the day after thanksgiving and say for a week to ten days. I have been staying at the Buena Vista Palace in Downtown Disney because I love the feel of a hotel rather than motel (used to stay at Contemporary). Do I have to pick the same week every year??

Third: - I am not at all concerned about having a kitchen area for cooking or washing machine - I am more interested in what I read people saying about having a room for so many years at today's prices. But would it pay for me if I don't use the full facilities??

Fourth: - It appears from what I am reading that you can buy into one DVC and yet stay at another if it is available - do you then have to pay extra money or is it just taken off your points.

Fifth: - Also I just realized that I would probably be going once a year during spring break or February recess to take my nephew - the points are much higher at that time so I would really only get one use per year from the way I am reading it. Then I am not sure if it would be worth it.

Sorry if these sound stupid but it really is very confusing. I have heard some horror stories about timeshares (not Disney's) and am somewhat apprehensive.

Thank you.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Please - if anyone could help I would greatly appreciat it.

First - my niece wanted to buy DVC membership for me - paying for it herself then transferring it to me - she is selling her house and wants to give me something - and one thing she thought of was this since I go every year, she thought it was save her and I some tax $$ I told her I was not sure that could be done. Would anyone know the answer?

Second - I am very confused reading on the boards about use year etc. I generally go the day after thanksgiving and say for a week to ten days. I have been staying at the Buena Vista Palace in Downtown Disney because I love the feel of a hotel rather than motel (used to stay at Contemporary). Do I have to pick the same week every year??

Third: - I am not at all concerned about having a kitchen area for cooking or washing machine - I am more interested in what I read people saying about having a room for so many years at today's prices. But would it pay for me if I don't use the full facilities??

Fourth: - It appears from what I am reading that you can buy into one DVC and yet stay at another if it is available - do you then have to pay extra money or is it just taken off your points.

Fifth: - Also I just realized that I would probably be going once a year during spring break or February recess to take my nephew - the points are much higher at that time so I would really only get one use per year from the way I am reading it. Then I am not sure if it would be worth it.

Sorry if these sound stupid but it really is very confusing. I have heard some horror stories about timeshares (not Disney's) and am somewhat apprehensive.

Thank you.

1. Yes, she can buy it and put your name on the deed.

2. Use year has nothing to do with WHEN you stay, but only when you get your annual points refreshed. This is not a "buy a week and stay the same time every year" kind of timeshare. The point system means you can stay at ANY DVC resort at ANY time, as long as you have enough points and are booking your stay no more than 11 months from the date of check out at your home resort, and no more than 7 months from the date of check out at the other DVC resorts.

3. As long as you aren't going to need more space for extra people, a studio will likely serve you just fine, and the kitchen will be a minimal kitchenette.

4. Already answered above.

5. Not sure what you are asking here, but you can take as many trips as you like as long as you own enough points to cover them. The best plan is to look at the point charts at the top of this page and determin what size unit, what resort, and what times of the year you are most likely to travel on an annual basis. That will help you determin how many points you should purchase. Another neat feature of DVC is that the points can be banked into the next use year or borrowed from the following use year. That way, if you find you happen to need more for a trip, you can borrow from your next use year to complete that reservation. Of course that means you may be short the next year, so plan carefully on how many points are actually best for you to buy.

 

[Lynne M]

Your niece is a lovely, generous person for wanting to give you DVC as a gift, but you need to be aware that the buy-in price is only part of the cost.

In addition to the initial purchase price, there are maintenance fees that must be paid every year for the remainder of the contract. This could amount to several hundred dollars a year.

 

[byoung]

If you like hotels you will love BWV.

 

[wdwlovers5]

for your replies - they were very helpful to me - I did read about maintenance costs but I would have no problem paying those fees - when I get to Disney this year I am definitely taking a tour and probably from all I have read would buy into BWV which looks like I would have to go on a wait list, but I think it would be well worth it. I am very glad to hear that my niece could buy it and then deed it to me - since she wants to give such a great gift (she knows how much I LOVE Disney) I was hoping she could so that it would save her some money on gift tax (as I think about it I guess that would save me also). I'm sure I will think of many more questions and I certainly know where to come for answers. Oh as I am writing this I did think of another question, can you buy more points? Let's say she buys me 150 points, say in a year or two can I add more to that? Is there also a minimum on the points you can add or how long you have to wait to add? Thank you all again, you are all so very kind to share your knowledge.

 

[dianeschlicht]

can you buy more points? Let's say she buys me 150 points, say in a year or two can I add more to that? Is there also a minimum on the points you can add or how long you have to wait to add?

You can add-on points if you like, and to do so, the minumum add on is 25 points, but there is no maximum until you get to 2000 at any one resort. If you choose to finance add-ons through Disney, you must buy at least 50 points to do financing. You do NOT have to stick to multiples though. You can by 25, 26, 33, whatever. You can do that right away as well. You might want to keep your niece on your contract as an associate member too. That means she could also make reservations.

 

[wdwlovers5]

When you mention to keep my niece on as an associate so she could makes reservations, I guess that would take points off from mine, correct? And actually she really is not a Disney nut. Thanks for your advice.

 

[dianeschlicht]

If she doesn't expect to be an associate, then you wont be required to share. I;m quite sure you wil have to do the contacting etc, and it will just be her money with your signatures on everything.