To DVC or not to DVC?

[itsreally4mommy]

DH and I are seriously contemplating it and crunching the numbers. Up until now we've felt that a room is no big deal, you're hardly there but to shower and sleep a few hours. And yeah, sort of....but...maybe we're getting old or something, LOL! But we were about to come unglued in the chaos of Pop this week. Not to mention cramped quarters w/two DDs (need I say more?), not so comfy beds, and OMG the lines for the buses! I can't really say for sure if it was truly any worse than when we were at ASM a couple years ago @ Thanksgiving, but DH and I were left feeling very stressed and frazzled. It was such a relief when he started mentioning the DVC and wanted to do the tour. I think we need a bit slower pace and "resort" to feel like we're truly on vacation and not like we're shopping on Black Friday, LOL!

So what made you decide to DVC or not to DVC? Can anyone point me to some sites offering feedback?

 

[LovingtheCastle]

We are in the same boat (sorta).

Thanks for posting, I'll be reading along.

 

[Pooh nut]

You may get better answers on the DVC Miss. board.
We bought for the very reasons you mentioned. Of course we long ago gave up on the busses and started to drive from place to place.
If you go strictly by the numbers the price for DVC vs. value resorts will not look too good. It realy has to be based on something much more important than price. For us it was simply the relaxation of knowing we didn't need to worry about accomodations for years to come.
Best of luck to you.

 

[hansel1]

We bought DVC because we go to disney at least once per year for 10 days. Our room alone was costing us around $2000.

To me a dvc was a no brainer. I bought in with 170 points at the Boardwalk. Location was very important to us and not so much the length of contract. I paid 10% down and financed the rest through disney for 10 years. My monthly payment is $203 for the DVC and 70 per month in dues. So for roughly $3200 a year I will have around 35 years of vacations ( if you purchase SSR or AKL villas you will have around a 50 year contract). After 10 years I will only have the $70 in dues to worry about.

We stayed in moderates in the past and there really is no comparison to the amenities and room types when you look at DVC. All the DVC resorts are deluxe and it shows.

 

[fla4fun]

Why not take it for a test drive on your next trip by renting points from an owner?

When you rent points, you get the same type of service at the resort, such as the reduced housekeeping schedule, so it would give you an idea of what a trip as an owner would feel like. DVC is not for everyone, so I think it's important to educate yourself as much as possible about how the system works, and to try the resorts, before making a financial commitment (and personally, if I had to finance the purchase, I wouldn't do it - not in today's economic climate).

I think the biggest thing you lose by owning DVC is the flexibility to change your plans on a whim. With a room only reservation, I can change resorts (subject to availability of course) as many times as I like, right up to the last minute. There's no penalty if I cancel, so long as it's more than five days from check in. With DVC, to get the resort you want, you have to be willing to commit no later than seven months out, and then it's difficult to change resorts or dates if you need to. You can run into the situation where it's "use it or lose it" - which is one of the reasons owners rent their points. Although I typically don't change my mind regarding resort and dates once I've booked the room, there's a part of me that's really comfortable with the fact that I can if I need to.

The biggest thing you gain with DVC is having a pretty good idea what your vacation expenses will be from year to year. Although the maintenance fees can increase each year, it's typically not as much of an impact as the resort rate increases, plus it's spread out over time so it's not a large amount at one time. For people who plan to make WDW an annual (or more often) trip, being able to plan and budget with little risk of surprises is a big plus.

 

[DIZBOUND]

WE bought DVC one year ago and LOVE it!! As far as the value we stayed in a Deluxe (Contemporary) the first time and bought because we would not stay at anything below that (enjoyed the services and amenities). So we purchased DVC site unseen, since DH wanted to go back to Disney 2 months later! We looked at it over the internet, read everything we could on the DVC boards on the DIS and talked to our guide at lenght on several occassions. We looked at the purchase as prepurchasing our vacations for the next 50 years. Plus owning DVC has enabled us to visit 3 times per year, if I can find great airfare. We definately enjoy it and would not be able to visit as often as we do if we did not own DVC. Good luck in your decision. The extra room is wonderful and we do not rush to see everything, because we KNOW we will be back.

 

[RMulieri]

I think it was because DH likes to go on vacation, to be on vacation( he likes intimate time too) We were not comfortable with connecting rooms .Plus DD4 goes to bed early, and the thought of having to tip toe around to not wake her does not appeal.Finally, since my Dh had his heart set on the BC, and I got a good AAA dicsount on the BCV we went with a 1 bdr.Now all parties are content As for buying into DVC..I am working on that one.

 

[lisa costa]

We bought DVC and I love it, DH still questions whether its worth it or not. I have three children, DD14, DD13, DD12, and our first trip to Disney with our children was actually on points my brother gave me to use because he couldn't use them. From that moment on I was sold. We stayed at BWV and we bought points at BWV. For us, as a family of five we would be locked into deluxe resorts or forced into taking two rooms. With the DVC we are able to stay in a one bedroom villa and we are comfortable, we have our own space and the kids use the pull out in the living area. We have enough points to do a two bedroom as well in off season, but don't even feel that it is necessary. After our kids first trip down they were begging to go back. We never thought we would be DVC owners and never expected to be coming back year after year. My girls love the action and excitement of the boardwalk and they love the pool. I did not finance because honestly I wouldn't have been able to afford the monthly payments along with the maintence, my maintence is 111.00 a month. I love the deluxe resorts and now I am spoiled. Beware, because once you own points you never feel they are enough and are always looking to get more. We haven't added on, but I would definitely love too. I would also go onto the DVC threads and read what they have to say. You could probably get alot more info that way.

 

[Ronald Duck]

We just "took the DVC plunge" one week ago. The main three factors in our decision were:
-We go 2 to 3 times a year
-We feel like we're being squeezed out of the Deluxe Resort market because of prices, whereas costs for the Deluxe accommodations at DVC resorts won't rise very much for members over the years.
-Our grown children love Disney as much as we do, and even our oldest grandchild is hooked...so as a long-term commitment it made sense.

 

[bookwormde]

I just went through the decision making process. I am sure someone will post the basic list if pluses and minuses of membership. For me it let me do things that I could never justify doing otherwise (like getting a 3br grand villa for 5 days so the extended family can come also, rack rate of 6k). It does make a bid difference on how you use it. I stay only Sun.-Friday because the points required are generally 2x as much on the weekends (I go elsewhere, usually Sanibel, anyway to avoid the weekend crowds). Most of my visits are in the summertime (children’s school schedule) so the midday “break” is an important part of the vacation so being able to “spread out” is important as it the less hectic and convenient quiet pool areas.

I decided to go the resale route since my resort of choice was Old Key West, for a lot less $ than from DVC. I really only wanted 100 points but ended up buying 150 since the price was so good (one of the hazards of joining DVC, you always want more points, I am studying the new contemporary DVC now). I only go every 1-1/2 to 2 years so and do not do weekends so I did not need a lot of points (although I do a 2 bedroom or larger). My total cost was 11k including MF on current points.

The best advice is to use this board and other information sites to study fully the complexities of DVC so if you choose to buy you will be happy with your decision.

bookwormde

 

[DVC Mike]

Membership in the Disney Vacation Club is not for everyone. DVC can make sense financially -- assuming you would always stay in a deluxe (or perhaps moderate) Disney resort. If you always stay in a value resort, then it won't -- but that's not an apples-to-apples comparison. The DVC resorts offer deluxe amenities and room size.

DVC membership might make sense if you meet most or all of these criteria:

• The cost of membership and dues does not appear to present a financial hardship.
• You vacation at Walt Disney World frequently: ideally at least once every two years.
• You plan to continue vacationing at Disney World far enough into the future to make the membership at least break even.
• You prefer to stay in Deluxe or DVC accommodations and/or you stay a long time (10 days or more per year). If you always stay at a Value resort, or always stay off-site, or you really spend the entire day at the parks away from your hotel, and you don't spend time at the resort itself (other than crashing at the end of the day), then DVC may not be for you.
• You are able to plan your vacations well in advance -- ideally 7 to 11 months out. If you aren't a planner, don't even look at becoming a DVC member. If you can't plan and book your vacations 11 months in advance, and staying at a particular DVC resort is important, then don't join DVC. If you really don't care which DVC resort you end up with, then it's not an issue.
• You stay more on weekdays and can limit Friday and Saturday night stays.
• You can do without daily mousekeeping and room service (of course, you can pay extra and get mousekeeping as a DVC member).
• You desire more space than a typical resort room (such as a 2 bedroom villa, with full kitchen, living room, 2 bathrooms and jacuzzi suite, and even a washer/dryer).
• You’re not looking at DVC as an investment or a way to make money (it’s not). It is a decision to prepay, at today's rates, the next several decades of Disney trips.

 

[alldiz]

I love my DVC.....I vacation totally different....much more relaxed and I can't tell you how awesome it is KNOWING....YOU WILL BE BACK

After staying at the WL 2x I quickly realized I needed to find a "cheaper" way to stay at WDW.

Of course I don't think I did. I was "happy" staying in the lodge....Now I find myself living large in the 1 BR
Of course I buy my discounted DVC AP....but now I want to squeeze another trip into the year.

I finally stayed in a studio last month....and was very pleasantly surprised how nice it was. I really LOVE the kitchenette.

OP....if you stay in studios and pay cash for Sat and Sun nights....you could make the most "bang for the buck" as for visiting WDW.

DVC allows you to vacation in a really luxurious fashion. I would NEVER pay rack rate for my villa....but I will tell ya.....
IT DOES FEEL REALLY GOOD TO VACATION IN MY DELUXE VILLA

Go visit the DVC boards there is a wealth of information available.
Look at the point charts....figure out when you would usually travel....what type of accomadation you would want and see how many points you would need.
Happy researching
Kerri

 

[eliza61]

So what made you decide to DVC or not to DVC? Can anyone point me to some sites offering feedback?

I've been a member for 7 years now and have never regretted it. Our original reasons were many, so here are a few.

1) We generally go at least once every 2 years for at least 9 days and we always stay deluxe. That hasn't changed and in fact we've been going more often as our kids get older. We broke even to our initial investment after the 7th trip.

2) My sons are big. They were 6 ft tall since they were 12 so we are really uncomfortable in a regular hotel room after 5 days. 10 days with 3, 6ft tall 200+ men in a hotel room is no fun for me.

3) love the full kitchen and the large bathroom. I'm not a huge cooker on vacation but have the fridge makes vacations very, very convenient. We generally keep sodas, waters, breakfast fixins and snacks there.

4) I do love knowing I'll be returning. Now my trips have changed a bit. I just returned from a 5 day "girls spa" trip with 2 of my best friends.

Oh, we have gone other places also. We have traded out with our points but don't purchase teh dvc based on this.

 

[smola09's mom]

Buying DVC was a great decision for us. We typically visit WDW at least once per year. We also enjoy the deluxe accomodations and the "resort" atmosphere of the DVC resorts. Our WDW vacations are now more relaxing. Good luck and I am sure you will not regret it if you buy into DVC.

 

[DisFlan]

We bought at BWV four years ago and love it. The way we vacation at WDW has changed - we no longer feel rushed to "get as much in as possible and the most out of every minute" on every trip. We're more relaxed. We KNOW we'll be back at least once a year (twice this year). We now get more "vacation" out of our vacations and find that we actually enjoy them more. And we can invite family or friends to enjoy it with us - with no additional room charges.

Financially it's been a plus, too. We paid cash, and it's already paid for itself - through 2042. I LOVE that day of check out when there's no "room charge" on the bill. We feel our dues/fees are quite reasonable. We wouldn't get a week at a value for what our yearly fees cost - where we now stay in a great villa as many times a year as our points allow us to. (LOL - we've also found that no matter how many points you buy, you always want more.)

You need to crunch the numbers for yourself to see what's best for you, but we haven't regretted it for a minute.

DisFlan

 

[vbarry]

We LOVE our DVC. One of the best decisions I ever made.

 

[sraiford]

I've been a member for 7 years now and have never regretted it. Our original reasons were many, so here are a few.

1) We generally go at least once every 2 years for at least 9 days and we always stay deluxe. That hasn't changed and in fact we've been going more often as our kids get older. We broke even to our initial investment after the 7th trip.

2) My sons are big. They were 6 ft tall since they were 12 so we are really uncomfortable in a regular hotel room after 5 days. 10 days with 3, 6ft tall 200+ men in a hotel room is no fun for me.

3) love the full kitchen and the large bathroom. I'm not a huge cooker on vacation but have the fridge makes vacations very, very convenient. We generally keep sodas, waters, breakfast fixins and snacks there.

4) I do love knowing I'll be returning. Now my trips have changed a bit. I just returned from a 5 day "girls spa" trip with 2 of my best friends.

Oh, we have gone other places also. We have traded out with our points but don't purchase teh dvc based on this.

We are condsidering for the very same reasons you have listed especially #2. My 9 DS is 5'5 same as me! With DH being 6'6, I think he maybe passing him up one day. We need the space

 

[itsreally4mommy]

Thank you SO MUCH for your feedback. Keep it coming!

we no longer feel rushed to "get as much in as possible and the most out of every minute" on every trip. We're more relaxed.

That is exactly what I'm hoping to achieve. We thought this second "once in a lifetime" (LOL) trip would be easier since we stayed a day longer, it was less of a prime time as Thanksgiving, and would be skipping on a few things we didn't feel the need to see again. WRONG! I don't mean to sound like a complainer, there are many things I LOVE about this place and I want to be able to enjoy it more.

Even though we've stayed at value resorts, we think these nicer accommodations/location would help achieve this. Not to mention my 6'4" DH likes his king size bed, and my DDs are taking after his height which also means less room for me! LOL It's just when we go to book a trip and look at the price difference we just haven't been able to bring ourselves to do it. DVC looks like it could help us achieve this. We would be using a thrift account loan so we would actually be getting the small amount of interest back.

I'm also curious if you purchased through Disney or Resale? Why/why not?

 

[toesmom]

Thank you SO MUCH for your feedback. Keep it coming!

we no longer feel rushed to "get as much in as possible and the most out of every minute" on every trip. We're more relaxed.

That is exactly what I'm hoping to achieve. We thought this second "once in a lifetime" (LOL) trip would be easier since we stayed a day longer, it was less of a prime time as Thanksgiving, and would be skipping on a few things we didn't feel the need to see again. WRONG! I don't mean to sound like a complainer, there are many things I LOVE about this place and I want to be able to enjoy it more.

Even though we've stayed at value resorts, we think these nicer accommodations/location would help achieve this. Not to mention my 6'4" DH likes his king size bed, and my DDs are taking after his height which also means less room for me! LOL It's just when we go to book a trip and look at the price difference we just haven't been able to bring ourselves to do it. DVC looks like it could help us achieve this. We would be using a thrift account loan so we would actually be getting the small amount of interest back.

I'm also curious if you purchased through Disney or Resale? Why/why not?

7 nights in a value room gets pretty difficult, but 7 nights even in a studio at BWV is a world of difference. We did the math and it worked for us, BUT our house was almost paid off before we did buy in. I don't think we would have done it unless we really had the money ready.


Sure, you could rent points, but I didn't like the idea of renting points every year, internet is funny that way, you really have to trust the person you deal with. And I just couldn't fork over 1200 cash to someone I've never met months before my holiday and then worry if there would be a problem. I wanted to do bookings myself and have since stayed at Vero Beach 2 times, BWV bwview (1st trip) and preferred 3 times, and just recently added on more points.

My husband didn't want value rooms anymore, and mods was getting pricey, so that math worked for us.

 

[ntsammy5]

We've looked at it a few times, but for us it doesn't make sense. We usually go twice a year but since we're eligible for SOG and have timeshare through RCI at a much lower cost than DVC we decided against it. IMO, timeshares like Bonnet Creek beat DVC in all comparisons other than location, and even there, only the Epcot resorts are measurably better. Again, JMO.