WE ARE this CLOSE!!!

[haleofafamily]

We are sooo close to deciding to purchase DVC. I am very excited, but I want to be realistic in my expectaions. What are the pros and cons of owning DVC? (We have always rented points and loved our vacations.)

 

[Grandbuddy]

Me DH DS(10) DS(8) DS(5) DS(4) DD(3) DD(1)

You definitely need the extra space.

 

[vandy]

You say you have rented points in the past and enjoyed your vacations so you should be familiar with a DVC resort. Are you more worried about the cons such as maint. fees? That was one of my concerns, but when I figured out what a year of DVC costs versus what I would spend on other accomadations, it became clear that DVC was the way to go. Should the time come we decide to end our membership, it should still retain a good resale value and I hope to recapture most (if not all) of our purchase price.

Otherwise some of the pros you have probably already experieced when you rented are:
1. Bigger rooms than a normal resort.
2. Kitchens to help lower our food costs for a family of 6.
3. Being 'on property' and enjoying the benefits of such.
4. A variety of themed resorts for us to choose from for our stay.
5. The fact we are forced to take a vacation or else loose points. Work no longer gets in the way.
6. Being able to use our timeshare when we want, within the points we have.
7. Having more relaxed vacations and not having the feeling that we need to do the parks commando style or all day long.
8. With the bigger rooms, you can relax more than you could in a standard motel room.
9. Just love being "home".

 

[kim_d]

I would also say you just need to do your homework and figure out your vacation plans- how often you want to go, the time of year, where you want to stay and how many points you would need- especially since you are a larger family you will need 2 bedroom at minimum.

Good Luck!

 

[pk1023]

haleofafamily, sounds to me like you know what you're doin!

What I have to know, is what is it like living in a family of 6? Did you all always want a large family?

Do you all live close to extended family, do you get much down time from the kids?

I just wonder because my wife and I have just the 2 boys, just 4 and just 2 now. This weekend like most weekends, we spent entirely with them.

Sure sometimes our folks take the boys, but they live an hour and 2 hours away, so no dropping in for a vist.

I have just always wanted to know what it's like in those big families? Now you have older kids, so were you first few years similar to mine and then did it change over time?

I sse the older kid families in my neighborhood and it looks like there's much less CONSTANT watching going on. It seems to me like it's a tag team afair with us. Someone is always in to provide watching services, to make sure they don't fall out of the powerwheel, or to yell at them when they fight out on front lawn.

Is this just me, or was it like that for you all too?

 

[Disney_Villain]

We love our DVC ownership and can only site 2 cons (which to us aren't even that important):

While it is relatively easy to book through Disney Vacation Club Resorts, Disney Collection, Concierge Collection, or the Adventurer Collection - it isn't easy to book a lot of the exchanges in the World Passport Collection (Interval International exchanges) despite what DVC staff may tell you.

Your home resort 11-month booking window is very important, esp. when travelling during high-demand seasons (like Epcot's Food & Wine, or the 1st 2 weeks of December) which are very popular low-points seasons. Make sure you like your home resort, as you may be there often! You will have need of 2BRs or GV's with a family as large as yours, and that will complicate 7-month bookings for non-home resorts - esp. in the high-demand seasons.

 

[Laneychris]

You have to be willing to plan ahead of time. THat is great for us, but I have friends who have DVC as well and they are not planners. It has been hard for them to use their points.

 

[marynvince]

if you are getting what you want by renting points. You are likely paying $10 per point as opposed to $90 if you bought, factor in the maintenace fee, potential interest payments if you finance and your price per point is closer to $150 per point. In this simple example your breakeven point is 15 years. At this point, had you purchased your cost per point would be the yearly maintenance fee, which is currently about half of the rental fee. Not sure what the relationship would be in 15 years or if it has always maintained that same ratio.

Pros: Direct control of where and when you want to stay.

Good luck with decision. I'm a happy DVC member, despite the above.

 

[haleofafamily]

Thanks for the encouragment and honesty. We decided to purchase and now own at AKV.

 

[Robert H]

Thanks for the encouragment and honesty. We decided to purchase and now own at AKV.

Congrats and Welcome Home neighbor! Robert

 

[taurus8012]

Thanks for the encouragment and honesty. We decided to purchase and now own at AKV.

WELCOME HOME NEIGHBOR