Very interested in the DVC where to begin?

[ToodlesRN]

I've been reading some info from the disney website and this forum about the DVC. I am waiting for the dvd to arrive hope that helps out some. We just got back from Disneyland I spoke to someone at the DVC booth and completely forgot about the hour seminars that have at the DL resort hotels.

I am hoping that some you DVC vets could lead me in the right direction for more information and such about DVC. I have read about the basics 160 points costing around $16,000 in addition to yearly dues, but I really don't know much about how the points work etc.. Plus I heard something about new resort being built next to GCH is that something you can buy into than doing the DVC or is it a addition to DVC resorts? We go to DL every year and thinking if I should wait until then to go to a seminar and find out more info. Do they ever have joining deals? I hae tons more questions, but I think this is a good start for now

TIA!

 

[SanDeeKath]

Hi there,

Well, let's see. Right now, there is a great promotion (going on till tomorrow) for purchasing points. Your choices currently are AKV or SSR. Both are at WDW. But if you are interested in Disneyland and the Grand CA Villas (GCV), you need to buy now, and you need to buy from the sales guides at Disneyland. THere will only be 50 units and they will sell out quickly. Waiting to buy into GCV when it becomes available is unrealistic. It will be sold out. The priority for sales is as follows:

Founding members first: you become a founding member by buying from the Disneyland sales team now and getting a priority promise in your contract. You have to buy a new contract and it is a minimum of 160 points. It doesnt matter if it's for AKV or SSR.

Then, if the founding members don't buy up all the space, the sales will open to existing DVC members (those who currently own, bought new or resale, anyone basically with DVC timeshare points). There are 100,000+ people like this so GCV will sell out in this phase. Many guides are creating "wait lists" of current members for this already.

The incentive to buy is good right now and is scheduled to end this Tuesday. You have 10 days to think about things when you purchase so right now is a great time to buy. If you buy tomorrow, you can see what the incentive is on Tue and if it's better, change your mind and start again. If you change your mind entirely, you have 10 days to rescind so nothing lost.

In any case, I would definitely buy from Disneyland if you are buying new. I have PM'd you my guide's name, who i think did a great job for us during our recent AKV purchase.

Katherine

 

[SanDeeKath]

Here is the current promo that ends Monday evening:

New Member Deals With a Referral
2 different options

option #1
160 pt minimum purchase
$96 per point net ($104 - $8 off incentive) at Animal Kingdom Villas
$94 per point net ($104 - $10 off incentive) at Saratoga Springs
One-time bonus of 100 Developer's Points

option #2
225 pt minimum purchase
$96 per point net ($104 - $8 off incentive) at Animal Kingdom Villas
$94 per point net ($104 - $10 off incentive) at Saratoga Springs
One-time bonus of 160 Developer's Points

Be sure to purchase from Disneyland DVC sales if you have any interest whatsoever in buying GCV. Katherine

 

[wheelcap]

You may want to consider buying a resale - buying from a current member, rather than directly from Disney. You can usually save several dollars per point, and you can buy less than the 160-point minimum required by Disney. I'm guessing that you won't find a GCH resale too quickly, but points are points. If you own at, say, Saratoga or Vero in Florida, those points can be used at GCH, as well as any other DVC resort - Hawaii will be available in a couple years. You can also trade the points to stay at other hotels/resorts around the world!! These other options can really change your view of membership points - which is one of the greatest differences between DVC and a standard timeshare.

 

[disneynutz]

I've been reading some info from the disney website and this forum about the DVC.

I am hoping that some you DVC vets could lead me in the right direction for more information and such about DVC. I have read about the basics 160 points costing around $16,000 in addition to yearly dues, but I really don't know much about how the points work etc.. Do they ever have joining deals? I hae tons more questions, but I think this is a good start for now

TIA!

The best advice is pull up a chair and keep reading the DVC threads on the DIS.

 

[#1DisneylandFan]

If you are anywhere close to DLR I would advise going to the DVC presentation. There is no pressure and they will answer all of your questions - plus you get some gifts...

Lisa DeRosa at the DLR DVC is a GREAT guide; her number is 800 827-7148 or 714 956-6820. Good luck with your decision. We just joined in January and are very excited.

 

[Tiggerlover48]

One-time bonus of 100 Developer's Points

What are these? We are thinking about it too!!

 

[ToodlesRN]

Thanks all for your replies, So it sounds as though that I have to pick a vacation resort? I though you could travel at anyone of them? Back to more reading!

 

[SanDeeKath]

What are these? We are thinking about it too!!

Only think about it for a few more hours. New incentive is tomorrow. They are one time use points that you get from buying directly from DVC.

Also Grand CA hotel will be out of the Disney system for point use when GCV is sold, so careful to assume that is an option for the future. GCV may be the only option at Disneyland for quite a while. Other timeshares are due to be built in the next 5-10 years in the Anaheim area by Disney though, just not on site at DL...

Katherine

 

[SanDeeKath]

Thanks all for your replies, So it sounds as though that I have to pick a vacation resort? I though you could travel at anyone of them? Back to more reading!

Can travel anywhere buy your "home resort" gives you 11 month booking priority, which is key for high travel times. Other resorts allow you to book only 7 months in advance. Also, frequent flier miles are usually sold out by 7 months so it's better to have a home resort you really want to stay at.

K

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Hi ToodlesRN- if you can attend a presentation at DL than you definately should. They offer a better deal in CA then in FL or over the phone... It seems like you will get whatever the best deal is- plus a gift of some sort- such as 2 free annual passes or similar. The presentation will give you a really good information primer as to the whole DVC system also.

Nobody really knows for sure how fast GCH wil sell out, but it sounds like the original plan is to have 50 2bdrms (which could probably convert to 50 studios and 50 1bdrms) I am guessing that is going to be about 850,000 points they will start with to sell. I am not sure you will really need to be a DVC member in the system to get in on GCH but only time will tell. I think the general public will get their chance to buy GCH points. One school of thought is that even though there is a high level of interest in GCH- DVC members who want to add-on at GCH will likely be adding small contracts as DL is more of a 3-4 day destination, as opposed to WDW where you would want to stay 7-14 days. If that is where you want to stay most often, I would definately choose that as ahome resort, due to the small size.

 

[Tiggerlover48]

Only think about it for a few more hours. New incentive is tomorrow. They are one time use points that you get from buying directly from DVC.

Sorry, still not getting it. They take that off the price - so I would get 160 points for $100 less?

 

[chalee94]

Sorry, still not getting it. They take that off the price - so I would get 160 points for $100 less?

100 pts does not equal $100.

if you rented DVC pts, renting 100 pts would probably cost you $1000-1200.

in other words, you would get 100 pts to use for a one-time bonus vacation...or you could rent the 100-pt reservation to offset the initial cost of the DVC contract.

 

[TenThousandVolts]

Sorry, still not getting it. They take that off the price - so I would get 160 points for $100 less?

The developer points are just like a bonus gift. For example: If you bought 160 points at AKV- you would pay $96 per point and get 49 or 50 years worth of points (every year you would get 160 points to use) - PLUS the bonus of 100 developer's points which you would just get to use one time- this year only. It basically amounts to about 5 nights in a 1 bdrm or a week in a studio at a DVC resort.

This promo ended last night- but another promo will come along- probably within a few months, which might include developer points.

 

[nunzia]

The DVD will help alot and you'll love the Dreams book if they send that too.
In a nutshell:
You buy points. You use points that start as low as 8 per night during the week at certain times of the year for a studio at Old Key West and some other DVC places. These points per night change based on size of villa (studio, 1 BR 2 BR Grand Villa), time of year and time of week. You may use your points for whatever combination works for you. You are not buying a week like other timeshares, you are buying points to use as you wish.

Your home resort is the only one you can use your points at for booking from 11 to 7 months out. At 7 months out any DVC member can book anywhere they like as long as there is availability.

You can buy your initial points from Disney at a minimum of 160 points, or from a resaler for a minimum of 25 points. After your first purchase and you are in the system you can then buy any number of points over 25 direct from Disney if there are points available at that resort. Resalers always have closing costs, there are no closing costs with Disney for add ons.

Maintainence fees are yearly costs and vary by resort. They seem to average $5.00 a point. That is all you need to worry about as far as cash outlay for DVC after your initial purchase. You may stay at any DVC resort for no extra charge, other booking options outside of DVC have a 95 fee attached.
I hope this frenzy about the GCV is not a fact, as I sure want to be able to get some add on points there, but Dinsey is not one to let cash go, so I wouldn't be surprised if more DVC sprung up at DLR. I hope there's enough for us all to get in for the initial offering, and hope the opinion that it will take at least a year to sell out is correct.
That said, if you want first grabs as a founder, you must buy a minimum of 160 DVC points at Disneyland Resort for the DVC resots of Saratoga Springs or Animal Kingdom at WDW. This seems a little pushy to me..how many people want to buy a full contract in WDW and then turn around in a year and get another full load at DLR? Hopefully most will buy add ons good for 4 nights or so..if we ever learn the point values for DGC.
Good luck with your decision!

 

[TenThousandVolts]

That said, if you want first grabs as a founder, you must buy a minimum of 160 DVC points at Disneyland Resort for the DVC resots of Saratoga Springs or Animal Kingdom at WDW. This seems a little pushy to me..how many people want to buy a full contract in WDW and then turn around in a year and get another full load at DLR?

I totally agree- Other than getting 1st crack at points- what is the benefit of being a founder? Disney is great at creating that sense of urgency- but IMO-that sense of urgency is inflated- if you want points somewhere- you will get the chance to buy them. Remember the excitement when AKV points came up for sale- people trying to be the 1st contract- gotta buy a contract immediately to get in on the tapestry... Then they extended the deadline on the tapestry... Then hot incentives followed the first offering causing many to say- 'Maybe I should have waited'... I am pretty sure you are right that if they sell out before it is publicly offered- they will dedicate more units to DVC.

 

[ToodlesRN]

So from what I read it sounds that you have buy into one of the resorts AK or SS at WDW and once when GCV opens at DL you have to buy into that as well? So would that be another 160 points? I really need to plan another trip to DL for a few days and go to one of the seminars! I just don't seeing us going to WDW since we live on the west coast it's less travel time to DL and that would be our primary visits except a few Disney cruises. Would it even be worth it to join if our primary stays will be at DL?

 

[TenThousandVolts]

So from what I read it sounds that you have buy into one of the resorts AK or SS at WDW and once when GCV opens at DL you have to buy into that as well? So would that be another 160 points? I really need to plan another trip to DL for a few days and go to one of the seminars! I just don't seeing us going to WDW since we live on the west coast it's less travel time to DL and that would be our primary visits except a few Disney cruises. Would it even be worth it to join if our primary stays will be at DL?

If you are not going to WDW often I think it would be unwise to buy ssr or akv. I would save my $$$ for GCH points. If you ever do decide to visit wdw- it will be pretty easy for you to use your GCH points at a WDW resort, but using AKV or SSR points at GCH will most likely be more difficult.

Keep reading the boards and even if you can't get to Disneyland anytime soon- give that guide a call (someone on page 1 posted guide info) and that person can give you some thoughts on buying GCH points. Get on that guide's prospect/contact list and you hopefully you will get emails or postcards when things are happening- for example when new promotions come on line- or when GCH point sales open.

Another quick heads up- using your DVC points for a DCL cruise is less of a value than using them for DVC stays. One option that will save you points would be to rent out your points for about $11 per point and use the cash for the cruise on the years you want to cruise. It would take less points to pay for a cruise that way then paying straight with points.

 

[nunzia]

So from what I read it sounds that you have buy into one of the resorts AK or SS at WDW and once when GCV opens at DL you have to buy into that as well? So would that be another 160 points? I really need to plan another trip to DL for a few days and go to one of the seminars! I just don't seeing us going to WDW since we live on the west coast it's less travel time to DL and that would be our primary visits except a few Disney cruises. Would it even be worth it to join if our primary stays will be at DL?

You would not need to buy another 160 at DGV..unless they change the rules, you can do add ons for as little as 25 points. But remember, if you bought 160 at AK or SSR to be a founding member and then bought 50 for GCV, you would only be able to use that 50 (or more if you bank and borrow that 50) at the 11 month window. You couldn't use the 160 until the 7 month window. Since there are so few villas at GCV, it may be harder to get at 7 months..

 

[funatdisney]

You would not need to buy another 160 at DGV..unless they change the rules, you can do add ons for as little as 25 points. But remember, if you bought 160 at AK or SSR to be a founding member and then bought 50 for GCV, you would only be able to use that 50 (or more if you bank and borrow that 50) at the 11 month window. You couldn't use the 160 until the 7 month window. Since there are so few villas at GCV, it may be harder to get at 7 months..

Unless you have the same UY? But the chances of that happening are....