Top 10 ways to save with DVC?

[Martinvols]

For those of us new to the DVC, I wanted to start a thread of the top 10 ways to save with DVC. I will start the list:

1) Know the point system for the entire year for each resort. Then, compare period by period; resort by resort and make your decision on what you feel offers the best value for the number of points that you have to use.

2) Get a discount through DVC for purchase of an annual pass and premium annual pass. Use the annual pass and purchase a DDE to receive discounts on meals at Disney.

3) Take advantage of the 25% cash discount offered to only DVC members for rooms at DVC resorts. In most cases, Friday and Saturday night stays are a better value if you pay cash instead of using your points if you apply an opportunity cost of $10/point --- which is the going rate for what you can sell your points for.

What other values are there to maximizing your DVC membership? What about discounts on Disney merchandise? Are DVC members given discounts for all Disney merchandise regardless of where purchased inside Disney?

 

[PKS44]

Just another example of how wonderful it is to have the government take care of EVERYTHING for you, since obviously you are considered too stupid to handle timeshare offers on your own...Thank you, Big Brother! I am sure the people of Nebraska are soooo much better off than the rest of us dummies in the states where we are left to make these sorts of decisions on how to spend our money all by ourselves...

 

[Valentine]

Just another example of how wonderful it is to have the government take care of EVERYTHING for you, since obviously you are considered too stupid to handle timeshare offers on your own...Thank you, Big Brother! I am sure the people of Nebraska are soooo much better off than the rest of us dummies in the states where we are left to make these sorts of decisions on how to spend our money all by ourselves...

did I miss something???

Now.. back to the topic......This is a great thread idea.... please keep the ideas coming.. us newbies can really benefit from the experience you all have...

 

[dianeschlicht]

4) Make a grocery list before leaving home that covers the meals you plan to make in the villa. By planning menus and making lists ahead of the trip, you will spend less time in the grocery store when you get there, and you will do less impulse buying.

 

[WDWLVR]

5) Even if you aren't one to cook on vacation plan to have breakfast in the room. Cereal, bagels, muffins, juice, coffee and tea. All much cheaper than if you go to a sit-down breakfast. Plus doing it in the room allows the family to get ready at their own speed.

 

[WDWLVR]

6) For mid-afternoon entertainment away from the busy parks pick up a video (rental is free to DVC members) to enjoy in your room.

 

[lllovell]

for my family - a huge savings is actually using the resorts. I am sure it sounds like common sense to most, but our first several trips to WDW cost us a great deal more because our main entertainment was all things that cost money.

 

[cdpa4d]

Utilize the merchandise discount at World of Disney, Restaurants, and other services offered by Walt Disney World for DVC Members and AP holders.

Don't forget to bank your points so you can use them in the next use year. I consider this a great perk as some timeshare programs don't offer this feature for free.

 

[DisneyKidds]

did I miss something???

I'm going to guess that Nebraska is one of the states where DVC can't be sold via phone/fax/etc. Some states are like that, where is you want to buy DVC (or other timeshares I assume) you actually have to go to Florida to do it. I can see how such states are trying to protect the citizenry from real estate fraud, but I can also see how it can be frustrating for a resident who has to spend a lot of scratch just to go to Florida to make the purchase.

 

[JimMIA]

Know the rules, and mind your points.

If you factor in original purchase price, we are paying about $6 for each point each year. It's a shame to see people throw points away simply because they either didn't know what they were doing, or they didn't mind the store.

More important than the money...points are vacation memories. Safeguard them like they were gold, because they are.

 

[PKS44]

sorry, my post was supposed to be another thread...I have no idea how it ended up here..it was supposed to be here on this thread

again...sorry...i would delete it but then the followup post would make no sense...but feel free to delete moderator!

 

[CarolA]

Just another example of how wonderful it is to have the government take care of EVERYTHING for you, since obviously you are considered too stupid to handle timeshare offers on your own...Thank you, Big Brother! I am sure the people of Nebraska are soooo much better off than the rest of us dummies in the states where we are left to make these sorts of decisions on how to spend our money all by ourselves...

WHOOSH! This went right over my head.... I think it's on the wrong thread.

Personally I am afraid DVC costs me money LOL! You know the "Lodgings free and I have an AP" argument for one more trip!

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Park the car when you arrive at your resort and use Disney transportation during your stay. With the price of gas lately, every little bit helps.

 

[erikthewise]

Just another example of how wonderful it is to have the government take care of EVERYTHING for you, since obviously you are considered too stupid to handle timeshare offers on your own...Thank you, Big Brother! I am sure the people of Nebraska are soooo much better off than the rest of us dummies in the states where we are left to make these sorts of decisions on how to spend our money all by ourselves...

PKS44 made an identical post on the thread "Need help---DVD can't talk to us because of state Real Estate Laws", so just ignore this mispost.

 

[spiceycat]

stay in studios (if you can).

eat as many meals in your room/villa as you can.

at VWL get the refillable mug. You can fill it up when you return from the MK on the boat. from the buses it is a longer walk.

I like to shop at Walmart but Publix is nice too. I can find bargin here that I can't find at home. Florida pays no tax on groceries. (in ala we do)

don't shop at WDW - there are outlet malls close by that sell some of the real Disney stuff.

If you don't want to leave WDW property - then go look at the resort gift shops and ask for the sale stuff only. Sometimes it is marked lots of time - it isn't. SO ASK!!! I got some great stuff at resort sales - sometimes the price is marked down 50%.

I wait until I am visiting WDW to do alot of my shopping. Orlando has some very nice outlet malls with brand name for very reasonable prices. I have brought my new balances shoes there for a while - must cheaper than Ala.

kept the sourveniors to a minimum. Allow maybe each child one or two per visit. Remind them they will return!!!! also be sure to kept a list of what the child already has (I know that is a lot to ask for).

there is a bargin store at DD - you can get a grab bag for $6 - do it - sometimes the stuff is silly - sometimes it is fun - and sometimes it is great. I give the stuff that I don't want as gifts to parents/friends/family.

if you must have a souvenir (and the grab bag don't work for you) - don't buy at the theme parks - sometimes the POR gift shop has some bargins.

 

[DisneyKidds]

PKS44 made an identical post on the thread "Need help---DVD can't talk to us because of state Real Estate Laws", so just ignore this mispost.

Of course I can see his post fitting here in the sour grapes mode , as someone from Nebraska may not be able to partake of the savings that is DVC so easily .

 

[AFMom]

This isn't specific to DVC - but it relates back to kids' souvenirs. We pay our kids' allowances in Disney Dollars as a trip approaches - then they have their own money to spend on ice creams, goodies, etc. Thye know how much they have, and never seem to want as much 'stuff' as when it's all coming out of my wallet!
Another great way to save - keep ice water in your fridge to take to the parks! You can also use all that great kitchen storage space to keep snacks to take in your backpacks!
Using the pool hopping privledge was a great way to spend our day off of the parks without spending any extra money. We went to a pool in the morning (Boardwalk), got ice cream at the BCV, back to our OKW 1 bdrm for a late lunch, then off to SSR to swim some more! It was a busy, fun day - and we were only out the cost of the ice cream since we used Disney transportation all day.

 

[ReneeQ]

Even better than the 25% discount on rooms for DVC members, rent points from another member on the rent/trade board! The going rate is about $10 a point, so you'll come out MUCH cheaper.