Vacation Home VS DVC.....

[Gillian]

There is really no rush to buy DVC now, and I see an increasing number of resales becoming available.

Try renting a really nice pool home with its own pool and jacuzzi, just to see if you like it. They don't cost a lot more than a townhouse. Then make the DVC decision.

 

[UKDEB]

Whilst DVC ownership might not give you the best return on your money if you're looking at it purely as a financial investment, it's still difficult to see how you could lose out in the long term. We bought in to SSR last October (47 years remaining at that point). Even factoring in the annual dues, we'll break even in 5-6 years. There are restrictions on the amount the annual dues can increase by and if inflation continues at the rate it has over the last 47 years we'll be laughing. I'll post back to this thread in 2050 to gloat about my free week in a Grand Villa which is costing the rest of you $90,000.

ETA: My last comment was made with tongue firmly in cheek, but anticipating someone wanting to take me to task, my annual dues at the same level of inflation would be $15K.

Further ETA: For years we flirted with the idea of DVC, but our preference for offsite villas always led us to the conclusion that it wasn't for us. We ended up doing the tour in October as a favour to a friend who works on the DVC booths around WDW. We realised then that there is a benefit to us and we can enjoy the best of both worlds. A few days onsite, together with a couple of weeks in a villa works perfectly for us.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

2. We never used EMH.
We almost always travel in the late fall, so we never need to take advantage of the EMH days to see all that we want to see. We use TourGuideMike, and never have to wait for much of anything.

I have no idea who/what TourGuideMike is?

 

[DisneyMomJen]

We bought into BCV about 4 years ago and would have made about 20 - 25% on our purchase price if we were to sell now. I agree that timeshares are not the best financially, but I think Disney is completely different. I know people who have bought into other timeshares that they have regretted and wish they could have afforded DVC. I told my DH that I think this is the best purchase we have ever made. We love it! Have you looked into purchasing a resale? This way you could find a contract with 2006 points (and if you are really lucky 2005). It is usually a little cheaper than buying through Disney. We have 3 contracts and all 3 were resales.

 

[5mins2disney]

I have no idea who/what TourGuideMike is?

It's a paid website....it has suggested touring plans for getting through the Disney parks and attractions, all designed around you, and most importantly, to avoid waiting in long lines! I'm a member, signed up based upon many great recommendations from the DIS here, it's worth the $20 to sign up.

My DW though felt their website was way to confusing and difficult to navigate, I tend to agree a little bit, it is, but the information they provide you is priceless, and you can build a custom "touring plan" for your Disney visit.

www.tourguidemike.com (He's a DIS sponsor as well).

 

[UKDEB]

DIS members can receive a $3 discount off the regular TGM subscription of $21.95. There's a link at the top of the Theme Parks forum.

 

[IluvKingLouis]

Thanks for the Tour Guide Mike info. I'll have to check it out!

 

[Lisa P.]

We stayed at OKW in a 1 bedroom this past NOV and loved how laid back it was. We rented a car... We can afford DVC... we go at least 1 time every year for a week and a half.

Is that something like a 10-night stay including 2 weekends? As HeatherC said, those Fri/Sat nights are high in points, roughly double the cost of weeknights.

What I like about DVC is the space, the closeness to the parks, the relaxing vacation feel... So, what about a villa or a town house?

If you wonder, you need to experience it for yourself before plunking down the big bucks. Maybe rent a villa offsite for a week and move onsite for a couple nights at the end of the trip. You could always sign your DVC paperwork then if you still want to buy DVC after making a direct comparison.

...we like to eat Breakfast in our room, lunch in the parks and most dinners at off park restaurants. We always plan about 2 nice Disney dinners for each trip and 1 character breakfast.

I avoid EMH... did DDP...because it was free, I don't think it is worth it... I have never stayed off site so I have no idea.

Your habits are much like ours. We didn't like offsite in a cheap motel room. But in a beautiful condo at a lovely offsite resort, it's a true vacation for us. We enjoy the parks as much as we want but we leave the marketing machine behind to truly unwind at the very end of the day and on resort days under the palm trees, at a tiki bar or sunbathing poolside. Pool home advocates love the privacy and peacefulness of having a pool right near your own living room! We also enjoy other area attractions too.

I would like to try to stay at a story time townhouse - It just wont be untill the fall.... Is it worth waiting that long to make up my mind on DVC?

IMO, it sure is. You're talking about waiting a few months before purchasing a 50-year contract for vacations. In the big scheme of things, a few months is pretty reasonable, I'd say. If you buy then, you're more likely to go in to it wholeheartedly, without hesitation.

Question - If I get a seson pass, will it be a card so that I don't have to use paper tickets? Are paper tickets that bad?

My understanding is that the annual passes are paper. Maybe someone else can confirm for you. The paper used is actually reinforced. You can make a copy of it to keep at home and/or separately in your luggage, in case you need it re-issued.

 

[Karrie Davis]

Well, I am waiting..... I believe we will buy DVC so we can have at least 1 week but not his year or maybe not this month for sure . We talked about it and would ideally like to visit 2 times per year. We are planning a week and a half in late October and then 5 day to a week around the 1st week of February. We will rent a house one of those times and something else on the shorter trip - maybe rent a stay at Bonnet Creek or something.

I think after all that I will know what to do for sure

I do know that our family vacations are so important to us, and since my husband literally works 7 days a week with his business we really need this time having fun and relaxing as a family . They also can take lots of planning because we both work for ourselves, we make sure it is a relaxing vacation.

We really only do the mornings till a hour or so after lunch and that is it – then we relax and enjoy our peace

Thanks SOOOO much for all your advice, info and ideas!

 

[*disgal*]

Just curious..........what would the maintanence fees be on this? Does it go by points or by the size of the unit? The OP would need about 310 points for two trips a year, right? One trip is maybe 9 nights and the other 5 in a one bedroom...........I calculated about 310, I think.

I think every year I crunch the numbers to see if I could talk DH into DVC but I always come up with the same answer. I want it to work so badly!

 

[snowbunny]

Just curious..........what would the maintanence fees be on this? Does it go by points or by the size of the unit?

Everything DVC goes by points...hop over to the DVC planning and mouscellaneous boards and you'll find out everything you could possibly want to know.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Just curious..........what would the maintanence fees be on this? Does it go by points or by the size of the unit? The OP would need about 310 points for two trips a year, right? One trip is maybe 9 nights and the other 5 in a one bedroom...........I calculated about 310, I think.

I think every year I crunch the numbers to see if I could talk DH into DVC but I always come up with the same answer. I want it to work so badly!

$1277 if you bought SSR- which has the lowest MFs of all the resorts (for now at least) If you bought a different resort it would be more. Are you going to take 2 trips every year? If you take every other year off- you only need 1/2 the points and only pay 1/2 the maint. fee bill.
Example buy 155 points
year 1: use current and borrowed points for 310 points used
year 2: use no points
year 3: use current and borrowed points for 310 points used
year 4: take the year off - use no points.

You may get last years points already giving you a head start- you won't have to borrow for year 1. If you buy through Disney you would need to buy a min. of 160 though.
Bonus: Taking 2 trips within 12 months and then taking a year off is really the best way to make the most of that $100 off AP!
Disgal- if you have any questions PM me - I would be happy to help!

 

[*disgal*]

TenThousandVolts................thank you SO much! That was so helpful..........how nice of you.

I'm thinking when the kids are grown and it's just DH and me......then we could get away with a 1 bedroom or studio. I don't know...........

 

[UKDEB]

Everything DVC goes by points...hop over to the DVC planning and mouscellaneous boards and you'll find out everything you could possibly want to know.

As well as a whole bunch of stuff you had no idea you wanted to know!

 

[spiceycat]

Well, I am waiting..... I believe we will buy DVC so we can have at least 1 week but not his year or maybe not this month for sure . We talked about it and would ideally like to visit 2 times per year. We are planning a week and a half in late October and then 5 day to a week around the 1st week of February. We will rent a house one of those times and something else on the shorter trip - maybe rent a stay at Bonnet Creek or something.

okay as has been mentioned don't stay Fri or Sat at a DVC resort on points - it cost too much - my opinion.

stay Sun-thurs (leave on Fri) - then go someplace else.

I would also consider staying in a studio until your DVC is paid in full. Now lots of people don't.

but if you were used to hotels rooms - then a studio is just as big. plus it is a heck of lot less in points. just for 4 or 5 years - DVC investment will be returned in that time period.

of course if you want the 1-bedroom then expect to pay more for it.

on even 150 points you can stay twice a year in a studio.

a studio at OKW or AKV in adventure (value) season is 40 points for 5 days (sun-thurs leaving on Fri)

40 points * 3 = 120 points with 30 points left for next year....

on top of that once you have your mortgate is paid off = 40 * $5 (your fees at the time) = $200 points for 5 DAYS at a DVC resort which is a WDW resort with all the benefits!!!!

I love DVC for this reason.

Now I also like to stay offsite - I have been a DVC member since 1993. Still love it - but I like different too. Besides my much beloved cat, Spicey, was at the end of this life. He and I could stay together offsite - Celebration World Resort - but not onsite.

so offsite was the place to be for the last few years. He is gone now. but heck when I can get a 1-bedroom in March (expensive time for WDW) for $300 and under - it is hard to go back to only DVC.
so I pick a few days (sometimes only one) in my stay offsite and do DVC. so I have the luxury of both.

now if I wasn't saving for retirement - then I probably would still stay only on DVC. but right now both is fine!!! You can do the outlet malls, SW, US/IOA, easier offsite - because you have a car in the first place.


or if you must stay on fri and sat - start your visit on Sun - stay a week - then add 5 adds and leave on the following friday.

so either 5 days or 12 days - anything else and DVC is not a good buy.

 

[spiceycat]

Well, any HONEST financial analysis you see on owning vs renting will favor NOT buying any TS including DVC unless you can buy cash and buy at a discount, which you can't with DVC(WDW right of first refusal). And even then there are the risks of little control over your investment(resort management and maintenance). Disney does protect the pricing to a great degree in order to protect its own retail sales - but that is not guaranteed. The main reasons that DVC is not a good deal is that most people must finance the purchase, the investment return rate generally outpaces lodging increases, every year you must lay out large maint payments, and especially with DVC in the end the lease simply expires and is worth nothing. I'll grant that with DVC there is much better resale than most TS, and that demand should remain strong enough that renting points out shouldn't be a problem in the near term, but other than being located on WDW property they are a way inferior lodging value to pay-as-you-go upscale off-site resorts. Add that as WDW adds more DVC units, it becomes less "exclusive", other than being located on the Reedy Creek property. You can book Ritz, Ginn Reunion, Gaylord Palms, etc every year for less than the price of DVC ownership. Go "down" a notch and rent at the Formosa Gardens area resorts(I use "down" loosely - they are all very close and well appointed resorts) and your "lifetime of vacations" expenses will be half or less than ownership.

Note that some will make a case that DVC is "worth it" if you vacation at WDW regularly every year for 7 to 10 years, but they often assume that you would pay undiscounted rates on-site, do not factor in realistic investment income gains or debt service costs if financed, and all around make economic assumptions that are inconsistant with historical trends. You also must deal with booking vacations far in advance and not always being able to get the exact dates/unit you want. I've yet to see a financial analysis that makes any TS including DVC a highly recommended financial move. You might break even if you do everything right, but why tie up money, go into debt, and be tied to something other than the absolute freedom of cash? Given the choices, there are far better investments available.

hey I disagree big time. DVC paid back (got my invesment back) was in less than 3 years.

of course then the other problem you don't mention - you go a heck of a lot more.

before DVC I was going, at the most, twice a year. but after DVC 4 to 7 times a year....

DVC has the best flexibility of any of the timeshares. It is not over priced - I was at Bonnett Creek there price was $30,000.

DVC price is $15,600 - I think you can even have them buy back at $8 a point (you can get more for it if you rent it) - $1,200 - so the bottom price is $14,440.

I would go with the $15,600 and rent my own points.

DVC unlike the other timeshares won't do the game with you. The game is like they start at $32,000 then it goes down, down, down - but NOT for everyone. They are more often likely to give couples a much better deal than a single. which makes me very mad. Until the other timeshares stop this nonsense and give the real price (and make it the same for everyone) from the start, I am not buying one from any developer.

to find out what a timeshare is really worth - go on the resale market.

DVC is a little less. most of the others are a great deal less - like 70% to 80%

DVC price is what they say - no dealing. so it is much fairer to everyone.

 

[Lisa P.]

I was at Bonnett Creek there price was $30,000... DVC price is $15,600... to find out what a timeshare is really worth - go on the resale market

True, about resale. Comparing the developer pricing for enough points for a full week in a 1BR at either... very close in price between DVC and FF/Wyn (Bonnet Creek), actually.

However, you'll save maybe 10%-20% on the DVC resale and 70%-90% on the FF/Wyn resale. So the purchase price of FF/Wyn Bonnet Creek for a 1BR week's worth of points at RESALE is under $5,000. That's a BIG difference. Bad for the developer purchaser who resells but good for the resale buyer/reseller. And annual maint fees for the FF/Wyn owners are generally lower than for the DVC member. I know you, Spicey, are happy in studios onsite, and that's good. But someone comparing DVC to Vacation Homes is surely looking for a 1BR or larger (like us).

 

[spiceycat]

However, you'll save maybe 10%-20% on the DVC resale and 70%-90% on the FF/Wyn resale. So the purchase price of FF/Wyn Bonnet Creek for a 1BR week's worth of points at RESALE is under $5,000. That's a BIG difference. Bad for the developer purchaser who resells but good for the resale buyer/reseller. And annual maint fees for the FF/Wyn owners are generally lower than for the DVC member. I know you, Spicey, are happy in studios onsite, and that's good. But someone comparing DVC to Vacation Homes is surely looking for a 1BR or larger (like us).

hey studios on DVC property are great!!! especially if you are use to a hotel room.

DVC does an exception here too - they made the first year points of any DVC resort less for owners. and I have yet to see the resale market go that low.

VWL was $72 to owners, I think BCV was $75 per point to owners.

most of the DVC resorts sell for more than what DVC charged owners. that is not true of any other timeshares in orlando - Marriott is close behind however.

the big problem I see is - that people who stayed in a hotel room buy DVC and suddenly decide that they MUST have a 2-bedroom for their family of 4.

that is a bad decision. with a 2-bedroom it cost alot more points - that the family could be renting until they buy off the DVC contract. they just won't do it.

they want to come from a value or offsite to a 2-bedroom DVC immediately.

some things are worth waiting for - DVC is one of those.

I paid $57.50 for OKW,
$62.50 & $67.50 for BWV,
$72 for VWL.

their current prices resales.
BWV - $82 to $90 per point (mind are smaller contracts so the higher amount)
OKW - $73 to $88 per point
VWL - $81 to $89 per point
BCV - $88 to $95 per point
DVC is very different the smaller contracts sell for more. there is more a demand for under a 100 points contracts than over 100.

the new AKV is right now $104 to non-owners, to owners it is $101 - the price will go up on June 4.

if dvc does what it has in the others I never expect to see the resale price below $101.