Trying to talk DH into buying.

[topmonkeygirl]

I'm a newbie, I have read alot about buying, renting, points, etc... I can't seem to find the answer to this anywhere. Do the points go up for stays every year or every couple of years. Say this year it's 150 points to stay a week at WLV, next year is it going to be 155, and the next 160?

Also does anyone have any regrets about buying in?

Does anyone have any of those I wish I would have done_____?

Any advice or pitfalls to look out for would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Andrew015]

Generally speaking, the points will remain the same year in and year out at each resort. DVC reserves the right to modify the point requirement per night for a given room type / season combo, but on the whole, the point totals for each resort must stay the same. For example, if a weeknight stay in a studio for a given season costs 15 points this year, it's possible that might jump by 1-2 points next season. However, you'll see something else decline by the same amount of points (possibly one bedroom villa weeknight), thus keeping the point total for that resort the same.

So on the whole, if 150 points today gets you the right room type in the right season for your desired length of stay, this will not change throughout the life of the contract. I'd play it safe and get 10 points more than you "need" to account for the fluctuations and shuffling of points mentioned above. With that being said, don't drastically "overbuy". You can always add on points down the road if need be, but I'd much rather be in this position than having overcommitted myself financially, and possibly finding myself having to sell out because I got in over my head.

What does increase year by year are the annual dues. While they can increase as much as 15% per the mountains of paperwork that you sign, on average, the increases are in the 3-5% range, as I understand it. This needs consideration, and in the end, will be more costly than your initial buy-in.

Best of luck in your decision. Keep reading and asking questions. I've been soaking up everything DVC for the past few months, and hope to buy resale before year's end. I keep learning new things just when I thought I knew it all

 

[minniesfriend]

We bought two resale contracts - one for 150pts. and the other 210pts. - at the Boardwalk. We LOVED it. About 5 years ago, we got on board the debt free plan and sold both of them. We actually sold them for a little more than we paid for them.

We do miss them and hope to one day purchase DVC again. We still go to WDW at least once, usually two times, each year and stay at a resort on site.

For our family, selling our DVC's has worked out well. Our kids are teens, DS and DD, and having them share a double bed or pull out isn't the best thing. By staying at other resorts, we have some flexibility on bedding. Also, the cost of AP's for us is over $2000. Yes, you get DVC discounts, but after adding in those yearly fees, plus food, it can get pricey very fast. In the end, I think we've done better doing free dining with a deluxe resort.

Good luck with your decision. After our kids are out of college and we have the cash saved up, I think we will purchase another resale.

 

[disneynutz]

The best advice is that you read as many of the DVC threads here on the DIS that you can.

Learn about buying resale verses direct, UY pro and con, 11 and 7 month booking windows, the different resorts and what they have to offer and the different room types. Decide if you really want to vacation at a DVC resort every one or two years for the next 30 years and decide if you are willing to spend the kind of money over that period that a Disney vacation requires.

Bill

 

[ffcheff]

Only regret was not buying enough points at the beginning. go for the extra 10 or 20 pts.

 

[DenLo]

The total yearly amount of points for a DVC resort will remain constant. However, the seasons change based on moveable holidays like Easter and Thanksgiving. Easter sometimes really confuses people because it can affect vacations starting March and April. I remember one poster being very upset that the week they always do at the end of April was costing more in 2011. The poster thought the DVC raised the points, but was because Easter is in the Premier Season. Whereas the end of April is usually in Magic Season. So depending on when you vacation a week's vacation can move from one season to another. Some of the nights in your one week vacation might be in Magic Season and others would be in premier season. So the week rate on the point charts can't be used to calculate the number of points you need, you use the daily rates instead.

There were two reallocations in 2010 and 2011 that moved some of the points on weekend stays to weekday stays. But there was no reallocation for 2012. The reason was to encourage DVC members to use their points for the entire week or without regard to weekday versus weekend points. Weekends still cost more points, but it's not a large difference like before. There's a older thread about the point reallocation so I won't say anymore about that.

 

[JimMIA]

My initial reaction to "Should I buy" threads is to ask the OP what they think they're buying. In particular, with "how do I talk DH/DW into this" threads, I find only a vague notion of what someone wants.

So my first caution is usually -- be sure you understand what you're getting into, what you're really buying, and what you are not really buying.

The first thing you need to understand about DVC is that you are purchasing a timeshare...not a "piece of the magic."

You're paying a LARGE amount of money to buy in, and then you have an ongoing significant annual expense. In some systems, that's a forever and ever expense; with DVC it's 30-50 years depending on which home resort you purchase.

Timeshare ownership is not for everyone, and it's NOT an investment. It's a luxury expenditure for which you hopefully get reasonable value.

I would only consider the value to your family of using DVC to stay in DVC resorts at WDW. To me, that's the only place where DVC has an advantage over other options. Yes, DVC has resorts in other places, but in each of those other places, there are numerous better options available, usually for a fraction of the price.

The same is true of the non-DVC uses of DVC points. Yes, you can use DVC points for other things, but you're really not getting good value for your points. That's not unique to DVC, incidentally; using ANY timeshare outside of its internal system of resorts usually offers less value.

If you think timesharing is for you, but you want to vacation in a variety of places, there are numerous high-quality timeshare systems available that will probably meet your needs better than DVC. And again, often for a fraction of the price. You can literally buy some timeshare contracts on eBay for $1...and I'm talking about quality timeshares.

 

[bwvBound]

Also does anyone have any regrets about buying in?

Does anyone have any of those I wish I would have done_____?

Welcome and wishing you the very best on your research! FWIW, we have no regrets nor any "would have done differently" topics -- but we spent 6 years doing our research.

Agreeing with JimMIA: really know what you want before you buy anything. What we learned while shopping "what we want" led us to buying into a completely different timeshare system long before joining DVC. When we finally added DVC to our "collection" it was the right travel tool for the right reason.

 

[Andrew015]

My initial reaction to "Should I buy" threads is to ask the OP what they think they're buying. In particular, with "how do I talk DH/DW into this" threads, I find only a vague notion of what someone wants.

So my first caution is usually -- be sure you understand what you're getting into, what you're really buying, and what you are not really buying.

The first thing you need to understand about DVC is that you are purchasing a timeshare...not a "piece of the magic."

You're paying a LARGE amount of money to buy in, and then you have an ongoing significant annual expense. In some systems, that's a forever and ever expense; with DVC it's 30-50 years depending on which home resort you purchase.

Timeshare ownership is not for everyone, and it's NOT an investment. It's a luxury expenditure for which you hopefully get reasonable value.

I would only consider the value to your family of using DVC to stay in DVC resorts at WDW. To me, that's the only place where DVC has an advantage over other options. Yes, DVC has resorts in other places, but in each of those other places, there are numerous better options available, usually for a fraction of the price.

The same is true of the non-DVC uses of DVC points. Yes, you can use DVC points for other things, but you're really not getting good value for your points. That's not unique to DVC, incidentally; using ANY timeshare outside of its internal system of resorts usually offers less value.

If you think timesharing is for you, but you want to vacation in a variety of places, there are numerous high-quality timeshare systems available that will probably meet your needs better than DVC. And again, often for a fraction of the price. You can literally buy some timeshare contracts on eBay for $1...and I'm talking about quality timeshares.

I agree with everything that Jim mentions above. I'll take his comments one step further and add the following:

DVC is only a good value IF:

• You plan to visit WDW, at minimum, once per year
• You must stay on property in Deluxe accommodations
• You purchase RESALE rather than from Disney direct
• You purchase using cash rather than financing

I'll preface the above statements by saying that these are my opinions only. Certainly, many have purchased DVC without any or all of the above applying, and are very content with their decisions to purchase. Additionally, others may argue that DVC is still a value even if you visit every other year, or compare against moderate resort accommodations. I feel that these arguements are a stretch, and that equal (or close to it) value can be found by purchasing cash reservations, especially when factoring in things like free, seasonal discounts off of rack rates, and other incentives that can be found when shopping for the best deal.

If the above bullet points apply to you and your Disney vacation habbits, you're ensuring that a DVC purchase will be a good value. For many, the decision to purchase goes above and beyond value. For many folks, it's an emotional purchase, and just knowing that you own a "piece" of WDW (or at least the right to come back year in and year out for 30-50 years) is enough to make the purchase worthwhile.

For me, it's a combination of all of the above. My desires hit all of the above-mentioned bullet points, and on top of that, I want to own a piece of the mouse's house.

Best of luck in your decision to purchase. I'm still searching for the right resale contract to meet my needs. My only other piece of advice to you is to be patient, and start low. It's a buyers market, and there are deals to be had if you're patient and find the right seller.

 

[com_op_2000]

I'm a newbie, I have read alot about buying, renting, points, etc... I can't seem to find the answer to this anywhere. Do the points go up for stays every year or every couple of years.

Also does anyone have any regrets about buying in?

Do the points go up for stays every year or every couple of years?
No
There have been three adjustments in the points charts over the years.

I am one of those most affected by these changes. When I purchased I had enough points to stay at the lowest points usage times of the year for 27 nights per year. Due to the three points adjustments, I am now down to 22 nights per year.

Also does anyone have any regrets about buying in?
Absolutely not, at the price I paid I would do it again in a heart beat.


PP have stated that they believe the only use of points is for DVC stays at the resorts in WDW. I do not agree, but everyone has their right to their own opinions. I do agree with PP when they stated that you need to do a lot of reading before buying in.

 

[bwvBound]

I agree with everything that Jim mentions above. I'll take his comments one step further and add the following:

DVC is only a good value IF:

• You plan to visit WDW, at minimum, once per year
• You must stay on property in Deluxe accommodations
• You purchase RESALE rather than from Disney direct
• You purchase using cash rather than financing

Just WDW? Not a good value for DLR, Aulani or other DVC locations ... ??

 

[JimMIA]

Just WDW? Not a good value for DLR, Aulani or other DVC locations ... ??

I said that as well, knowing of course that most people here would not agree. My rationale is not a lack of value, but no unique advantage that justifies DVC's high price. I'm not talking about the quality of resorts; I'm talking about reasons for buying DVC over other vacation options.

My first question is always whether a prospective purchaser really understands and wants that longterm timeshare obligation. If a prospective buyer is considering buying a timeshare for $20,000 when they could buy one for $1, the more expensive one had better offer some unique advantages. To me, DVC certainly does have those unique advantages at WDW, but nowhere else. IMHO, the non-WDW DVC resorts are great "bonuses," but not a reason for buying DVC.

Obviously, the resorts are lovely, the service is good, etc at all DVC resorts. Anybody who stays at any DVC resort is going to have a wonderful time. But that's true of many other options as well.

Specifically with regard to DLR and Aulani, in both cases there are other options many would prefer to the DVC resorts.

There is no real "onsite" at Disneyland -- that's why WDW was built the way it was. And there are numerous other options, both timeshare and hotel, within very close proximity to DL.

With Aulani, I go back to the starting point -- the entire concept of visiting Hawaii in the first place. If I were going to Hawaii, would I want to visit the island of Oahu? No thanks. Oahu would be my fourth choice of islands, behind Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. And if I wanted to visit Oahu, I sure wouldn't want to be stuck way out in Ko Olina.

For Hawaii, there are hundreds of better choices than Aulani, probably thousands if you count hotels. Wyndham alone has TEN timeshare resorts in Hawaii, and there are many hundreds of other quality properties...most of them in much better locations than Ko Olina.

The same arguments can be made with HHI and VB. Yes, the resorts are wonderful. Hilton Head is a great destination, but there are numerous other options, including many ON the beach.

Vero, frankly, is not a place many would visit. Nobody goes to Vero to visit Vero. We are all Florida natives; we've been to Vero exactly one time -- and that was only because my wife won a stay at Gloria Estefan's resort there for her March of Dimes fundraising.

VB a nice option for DVC owners who want to spend a few days at the beach in conjunction with a WDW trip, but most Florida visitors would go somewhere else along the Atlantic coast -- Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Cocoa Beach, Daytona, St. Augustine, etc.

 

[bwvBound]

JimMIA -

I'm not entirely disagreeing with post #12 ... but it did make me laugh at points. Indeed, in the 6 years we knew about DVC but didn't buy, our primary argument against DVC was, "... but we don't plan to vacation in Orlando." Indeed, we still don't often vacation in Orlando -- but we do visit conferences in Orlando and have lost employer support (funding) for those events. The timeshares we purchased instead of DVC during those years were generally based on west coast locations which we can use many times each year -- often as drive-to destinations.

However, that said ... I could see reason to join DVC for either Ko Olina or DLR.

Ko Olina, in my opinion, is an island on an island. It is much like visiting WDW: park the car and stay. The grounds offer sufficient space and activity to keep one outdoors, moving, and stimulated for several days. Indoors, the room furnishings were rich and comforting. Even the kitchen pleased! Overall, Aulani might not win awards as an ideal "launching spot" for touristy activities -- but it makes a great host for disengaging from daily life, relaxing, exercising and healing.

DLR: Right, there are lots of non-Disney hotels and timeshares within walking distance to the DLR parks. But ... they aren't the Grand Californian. Even with so much around it, the GC feels isolated and offers the guest a sense of retreat. Much like the WDW properties, the theming and story compel the guest to disengage from daily life and try a new perspective.

Vero: LOL ... funny you should mention Vero. We are booked for a week at Vero next June for my DH's birthday. Yup, we are flying cross-country for the sole purpose of visiting Vero Beach. We look forward to sitting on beach chairs parked in the water. Guess that makes us very strange, indeed.

 

[Brian Noble]

Just WDW? Not a good value for DLR, Aulani or other DVC locations ... ??

For what it's worth, I'm in Jim's camp on this. There are a *lot* of perfectly acceptable suite-style places within a stone's throw of DLR that are very very inexpensive. GCV is a little nicer, and a little closer, but it just doesn't have the same "home court advantage" that the WDW resorts have. Frankly, the only compelling argument for GCV is if "Only Disney Will Do." And, for some people, that's the case---but they are in the minority, IMO.

For the "outside the berm" locations, the argument for DVC is even less compelling. Are they fine resorts? Absolutely. But, not nearly as unique vs. the alternatives, yet much much more expensive.

 

[JimMIA]

Indeed, in the 6 years we knew about DVC but didn't buy, our primary argument against DVC was, "... but we don't plan to vacation in Orlando."

Sure, but I don't worry about buyers like you guys! You were salty timeshare vets long before I was a DVC newbie. You had plenty of experience with timeshares and had a very sound basis for deciding what was good value for you. And so do many other buyers who buy Aulani, VGC, HHI, VB, etc. For them, the purchases are great decisions.

But most prospective DVC buyers, and most readers of these threads, don't have your experience. My comments are directed to those who are looking for every possible scrap of a straw to cling to in order to justify a DVC purchase. I'm trying to introduce a speck of reality check for them.

Vero: LOL ... funny you should mention Vero. We are booked for a week at Vero next June for my DH's birthday. Yup, we are flying cross-country for the sole purpose of visiting Vero Beach. We look forward to sitting on beach chairs parked in the water.

There's nothing there. But it's kind of like a sailor getting on a sailboat -- once they're aboard, they're there. It's a beautiful resort and you'll have a great time. Eat at the Undertow Cafe in downtown VB if you get a chance.

 

[Andrew015]

Just WDW? Not a good value for DLR, Aulani or other DVC locations ... ??

In my Opinion (I thought I made that clear in my first post ), yes, only WDW. As Jim has already beaten me to the punch, there are a myriad of other options at your disposal at the "off site" locations that are much less expensive. Remember, we're strictly talking about value here. I personally feel that the "off-site" locations (HH, VB, Aulani, VGC) are nice "perks" for DVC-er's, but are not intended to be the "meat & potatoes" of the DVC experience. DVC's roots are in Lake Buena Vista, with the majority of resorts being on property at WDW, and these resorts are the intended focus of the program.

Keep in mind, DVC is like anything else Disney.... solely offered for the purposes of making money. By throwing up a few satellite resorts to "enhance" the DVC experience, it opens up a few more doors to become more attractive to the Husband/Wife who says "I don't want to vacation at Disney EVERY year", and still allows DVC to make a sale by saying "Hey, we've got options". The same is true of the Adventure's / Concierge / Disney Collection and DCL; these are nice "extras" that enhance the overall experience and add options /flexibility, but add nothing in the way of value. In my (here we go again.... opinion).... these "extras" / satellite locations are nothing more than marketing tools to enhance the DVC purchase.

These "Marketing Tools" do nothing to change my overall goal of getting deluxe WDW accommodations at the best possible value, which is why I'll never purchase DVC directly from Disney. I'll purchase through resale, and will gladly put the extra money back in my pocket.

 

[bwvBound]

I understand that the comments here are opinion. Got that. My opinion will simply remain contrary: Having DVC options at DLR and Aulani are game changers for how I'll use my points going forward. For me, and possibly other west-coast owners, there will be fewer treks to WDW on points. Frankly, I'd be quite ok skipping WDW from here forward if it weren't for the work-related conference events.

WDW ... y'all can have it! (I prefer the weather here in SoCal ... )

 

[Andrew015]

My opinion will simply remain contrary: Having DVC options at DLR and Aulani are game changers for how I'll use my points going forward. For me, and possibly other west-coast owners, there will be fewer treks to WDW on points. Frankly, I'd be quite ok skipping WDW from here forward if it weren't for the work-related conference events.

WDW ... y'all can have it! (I prefer the weather here in SoCal ... )

bwvBound: Or should we start calling you VGCBound

I think you're missing our point as it pertains to value for the majority of DVC'ers. I think it's pretty safe to say that most DVC'ers DO care about WDW stays, and that the vast majority of current and future potential owners use the majority of their points in good old Orlando. My point (and I believe that of Jim's) is that for the majority of people kicking the tires on a DVC membership asking "Should I buy in" or "Can I afford this"... which we see multiple threads per week.... need to determine where and how they plan to use their points before they buy in. Plain and simple.

Whether they plan to use their points strictly on week-long, annual WDW stays (which I feel is a great use of their points based on value as compared to staying at other "on-property" options, which are few and far between), or using them at a satellite location such as VB, Aulani, or VGC (which is also a good value if you HAVE TO HAVE DISNEY in these vacinities.... otherwise, as Jim pointed out, there are MANY OTHER timeshare options available that give a similar experience at a signficantly lower cost), or even on DCL excursions (which I think everyone can agree is a terrible use of points from a value standpoint, but an option nonetheless).... one needs to ask where and how they plan to use their points to determine if DVC is the right choice for them. Most folks struggle with the financial portion of the decision, which is why they should weigh all options carefully to make an informed purchase decision.

Whether or not it's true that you West Coasters prefer to frequent DL and Hawaii more than WDW (I actually see quite a few WC DISer's that post regularly about their annual Orlando cravings)... but their might be some merrits, as travel time and cost is considerably less. If there is truth to your claims, all the better for me, as that's a few more studios that will be available for me at WVL

To each their own. That's why we have a multitude of choices available to us. I hope all of this constructive banter gives the OP a flavor for all of the things they should consider before pulling the trigger.

 

[G'sMaman]

DVC is only a good value IF:

• You plan to visit WDW, at minimum, once per year

• 
  
  This is a really interesting thread! I am always learning new things on this board. I'm curious why you think DVC only makes sense if you go at least once a year. Not meant as an attack - just wondering. Initially, we actually only bought enough points to go once every couple of years. That might not be a bad strategy for someone like the OP since they can test out the waters. You can always add on, but it's more difficult (and costly) to have too many points. As for VWL - we recently made an offer that included all 2010, 2011 and 2012 points with the seller paying mf for $55 a point so you can certainly save money on resale for most resorts (I'll reserve my opinions about buying resale for BCV and VGC - which we also own).
  
  
  bwvBound - I tend to agree with you. It must be a west coast thing as we are from California as well. The only reason we even looked into DVC was to get into VGC. We have stayed at a number of "nicer" resorts near Anaheim, but always prefered staying onsite at either Grand Californian or the remodeled rooms at the Disneyland Hotel. Can't wait to try Aulani - although I agree that Oahu is not my favorite island. But like you, we are looking at it as a destination unto itself - especially since we have a 3 year old and can't do many of the more active excursions like we used to.

 

[Brian Noble]

Having DVC options at DLR and Aulani are game changers for how I'll use my points going forward.

But the situation of an existing owner already committed is quite different from someone contemplating their first purchase (or an existing one considering an add-on).

If you already own X points, and don't really want to continue going to WDW often enough to consume X/year on average, then you have to decide what to do with the excess: rent them out, sell some contracts, exchange through RCI or one of the Collections, or use them at other DVC resorts. The right decision there depends on your precise preferences---though I'd argue that "rent them out" is almost always the best *value*.

However, if you are considering *buying in*, the advantages that the WDW resorts have over local competition are much stronger than the advantage that VCG holds, and *miles* beyond what the resorts beyond-the-berm can offer. So, conventional wisdom is that for most people, buying for WDW (and only WDW) is prudent.

There are exceptions---and mostly those exceptions are Left Coasters for whom Only Disney Will Do. For example, G'sMaman above would fit that category. But, such people are few and far between, as evidenced by the time it took to sell out what is a very small resort---and, if I had to bet, probably the last DVC development at DLR for quite some time.