Time to sell?

[Steve@BWV]

I have been an owner for over 10 years and have enjoyed 15+ trips to WDW using my points. I feel I have gotten a great value for the money I spent and I am thrilled my points have held their value so well. I paid $62 a point (I think) and could easily get this back today including any fees or commission. I expect to vacation at WDW at the same rate over the next 15 years. The kids, aged 3 and 6, are just getting to the age to enjoy it as much as we do.

These are my thoughts regarding my membership that are leading me to believe it is time to sell.

1. DVC has gotten to big. I used to believe the more choices the better but I have changed my mind on this. But the size of DVC now drives demand for peak times and prime locations way up. I can't get a room at BCV or at BWV inside the 7 month window. The size of SSR and AKV has really done harm to short term bookings.

2. Lease time running low. The lease on BWV is now down to 32 years. I believe we are approaching a point where the values will diminish. Folks are not going to want to spend $20K for a week plus $1K a year in fees.

3. Ability to trade into DVC DVC has been promoting trades. Trading does not appeal to me; the value is just not there. The reason I joined DVC was not to stay in timeshares around the world or around the country but to stay at WDW. But I am sure it does appeal to others. As DVC grows the number of weeks available in RCI will grow as well. Why not by a timeshare for less with lower fees and trade in? I am forced to act early to get a room where I want or settle. Why not settle for cheap?

I am loath to do it as I have enjoyed my membership thoroughly. Is there a flaw in my thinking?

 

[Donald is #1]

If you still plan on going to WDW for the next 15 years, then if you sold, where would you stay?

 

[Dean]

I have been an owner for over 10 years and have enjoyed 15+ trips to WDW using my points. I feel I have gotten a great value for the money I spent and I am thrilled my points have held their value so well. I paid $62 a point (I think) and could easily get this back today including any fees or commission. I expect to vacation at WDW at the same rate over the next 15 years. The kids, aged 3 and 6, are just getting to the age to enjoy it as much as we do.

These are my thoughts regarding my membership that are leading me to believe it is time to sell.

1. DVC has gotten to big. I used to believe the more choices the better but I have changed my mind on this. But the size of DVC now drives demand for peak times and prime locations way up. I can't get a room at BCV or at BWV inside the 7 month window. The size of SSR and AKV has really done harm to short term bookings.

2. Lease time running low. The lease on BWV is now down to 32 years. I believe we are approaching a point where the values will diminish. Folks are not going to want to spend $20K for a week plus $1K a year in fees.

3. Ability to trade into DVC DVC has been promoting trades. Trading does not appeal to me; the value is just not there. The reason I joined DVC was not to stay in timeshares around the world or around the country but to stay at WDW. But I am sure it does appeal to others. As DVC grows the number of weeks available in RCI will grow as well. Why not by a timeshare for less with lower fees and trade in? I am forced to act early to get a room where I want or settle. Why not settle for cheap?

I am loath to do it as I have enjoyed my membership thoroughly. Is there a flaw in my thinking?

IMO it more depends on your personal situation than that DVC has changed. The size is good overall as it gives you more choices. It does become a detriment if you want more in demand resort during peak times and you don't own at that resort. If DVC no longer provide a value for you, you may want to consider selling. From a $$ standpoint, the 2042 resorts are at or near the time when the value will decline specifically due to the RTU time. Generally timeshare start to decline at or just under 30 years though DVC may see SOME insulation since it's Disney. If you want to sell for that reason, you may want to ride a year or 2 and hope things improve economically. While I'm the first to trade in to DVC (have many times) and almost all of my trips the last few years have been on trades, buying with the main intent of doing so ma be a major gamble though one that could pay off big time if it works out. I'm not sure that the number of weeks in RCI will grow proportional to the membership. It may actually grow more from the members but likely less from DVC/DVD themselves. If you go this route you may want to do a smaller add on to keep membership privileges and go the other things first THEN sell if all works out.

 

[disneynutz]

Sadly the DVC has become a cash cow for Disney. As a result, their business model continues to change, and not for the good. I feel that the prices will slowly begin to recover, but it may take a couple of years. We do it to ourselves. Members sell or rent below market and it causes all prices to fall. The only way to to keep ahead of the curve is to buy at the newest resorts.

 

[jguner]

We just purchased at BLT and am in the process of selling my RCi timeshare. We travel to Disney at least once per year and have tried many times to get a trade into Disney with no luck. It just doesn't happen so do not make your decision based on that. If anything I would sell what you have and purchase BLT and then you will have 50 years again. It sounds like you have many more trips to Disney still to come.

 

[Greysword]

My two cents (since you asked )

You will get value out of your DVC membership either way: sell or stay. If you do not have any liens on the property, then you have 32 more years to enjoy the property before you need to surrender it. Regardless of the dollar value, you will be staying in a well maintained deluxe Disney resort in an excellent location for a fraction of what it is going to cost you to pay at another on property hotel. Thats real value, unless your intention all this time was to keep it until the last minute, then sell before the selling point depreciates below purchase price. (All of us paying $90+ per point have already and will continue to see this depreciation).

As for the 7 month window, I can't defend. I think people do use their points at other resorts (my first was SSR to OKW this month), which is encouraged and advertised by DVD. As this is intentional, I'm sorry it affects your ability to get into your home resort, but I hope you knew this would occur but never witnessed it until recently. I do think; however, there is almost always available rooms at SSR and OKW, regardless of time of year, due to their size. I feel this is heartening, since it allows short notice trips and we are almost guaranteed a room on property. I guess it is a double edged sword in this regard.

Personally, the future cost of Disney hotel rooms coupled with still being able to exclusively reserve a room at Boardwalk up to the 7 month window should be viewed as positives that may offset future possible depreciation and non-DVC neighbors.

Good luck, and thanks for listening!

 

[arthur06]

I am wondering if selling my BWV is something I want to do. I have just a small 30 pointer, so I wouldn't have trouble selling. I used it mainly to pay cash for it and get into the system so I could buy less then 160. I really will have a hard time with only 30 points at BWV, so to book 11 months out for any length of time, I will have to use every third year (will give me 90).

 

[d-r]

if you keep it until it runs out it won't be worth anything at all. But you'll get to use it a lot. I'm not selling mine. I'll give my kids what is left.