When did you say, "We should just get a timeshare."?

[forgetyourtroubles!]

How often do you need to go to feel like you are getting a "good deal" with owning a timeshare? We have never gone to a timeshare presentation of any sort but my husband wants to go hear about it this fall when we are there. I would have LOTS of questions to answer before I would think we are making a wise investment. If you go about once every 2-3 years or so, is it better to just rent points every time? Or would it make financial sense to buy in if you would only use it every other year at the most?

 

[Chuck S]

Personally, I think if you are going every-other year, a small point contract could make sense for you. If, however, you do not plan on spending at least every other year at WDW for a vacation, you would probably be better off simply renting points or paying cash for a hotel ressie. I do urge you, however, to go ahead and take the tour. Get the info, sit down, look it over, and make an informed decision. DVC is not an inexpensive timeshare, but can save big $$$ over delux hotel accomodations on-site over the course of your contract.

If you'd be just as happy staying off-site, you may want to look at a Marriott or other well known high end timeshare. Avoid the high pressure, "buy now, or you're an idiot" type of presentations...they are selling junk and they know it.

 

[Pa@okw95]

You are not a good candidate for a timeshare at DVC. You just do not have the desire to go enough to warrant the expense. Please note I said "expense" not investment. One of the great myths on this board is that DVC is some kind of savings. You are the number one candidate for it really being an expense. You would find yourself going more often than every 2 or 3 years to start then that just adds to the additional expense to you. I don't know when exactly this buying into DVC began being touted as some kind of a savings "investment", I guess it was a few years ago, but it is not. I pay annual dues of about $1000, and have gone to WDW way more than I ever would if I was not a member, especially now, that WDW is not exactly what it used to be. At any rate you have to be a WDW nut, to even come close to making it worth your trouble, you are not a WDW nut. Forget it.

 

[Blackunicorn]

This is most likely not what you are wanting to hear, but I've got a different perspective on this whole DVC thing. My perspective has almost nothing to do with money. We weren't looking to buy a timeshare, but we happened across an ad in a magazine, and sent away for the video. We were so excited that we wanted to do it right then and there! But we didn't know if we had the money, or if we could get financing, which was lucky for us because it forced us to take the time to do some research. We looked into other timeshares, none of which made a bit of sense to us. (Maybe we're dense.) But it all came down to this--Disney was the BEST family vacation we've ever had, and one that we didn't think that we would be able to give the kids for a while. When we realized that not only would we be able to give them more, but possibly every year, and accomodations were paid for...

So for us, Disney is NOT a monetary investment. It's priceless. Being a part of DVC gives us a feeling that we can't explain, and money doesn't really enter into it for us. Everyone talks about the price per point vs. how much you would spend normally etc. etc. But for us, it's all about the magic--yes, I know, hokey--that Disney has brought into our lives. It's got value on so many different levels than just money. I guess it was one of those things that doesn't make sense, but FEELS right.

Dawn

 

[Disney Doll]

On our honeymoon at WDW, except my DH thought that we should save for a home first!!!!!!!

How silly was he????

 

[RumpleMom]

DVC became right for us when we reached the point in life when we could pay for it without it being a financial burden. We realized our oldest child reaching 18 would be an addtional $15-$25.00 per night charge as an adult. This made the moderates not such a great deal. We had been to WDW several times and no longer wanted to be park commandos, so spending time at a very nice resort became a priority. We would need to move up to a deluxe resort, but couldn't see paying those prices without the use of a kitchen.

Then one more future reason(hope) clinched it- We get to be the grandparents who love Disney and own points.

 

[new_yawka]

Blackunicorn is describing symptoms of a disease that many of us DVCers have. DVC is the only timeshare I EVER considered buying and it had little to do with owning a timeshare and EVERYTHING to do with owning a small corner of the WORLD.

We have WDWitis...and I have no need for a cure...Im a WDW junky and my supplier is DVC!

 

[BWVDee]

When did you say, "We should just get a timeshare."?

As soon as they opened sales for BWV!! I was already sold on owning a Disney timeshare, I was just waiting for a resort that would provide us with what we had become accustomed to and desired from a WDW deluxe resort.

 

[msdis]

One word of caution................ what you say your intentions are now (prior to buying) and how often you will go when/if you buy will be 2 different things, as probably almost everyone here will agree. We go 2-3 times more than we would have and there are no regrets. We love it and have no desire to vacation elsewhere. Yes we have tired of the parks and the commando style, but the resorts are worth it alone, and we take the parks now in smaller doses. Where else can you go with so much to do and not do upon your discretion. Just the beauty of it all keeps us coming back again and again. It's not for everyone although no-one here would understand that. Ask around here till your heart is content, take the tour when you go, and you will be sure to have the best informed decision you will ever make.

 

[DrTomorrow]

Well said, Blackunicorn! It's the same for DW and I.

And we never said "We should get a timeshare"; only "We should buy into DVC!"

 

[Jimbo]

We planned our first WDW vacation back in 1996. We were taking our grandaughter and her parents plus our son, so we wanted to stay in an onsite 2BR. As soon as we priced out the vacation, we said "why wouldn't we just buy?"

Plenty has changed since then. The cost of points has almost doubled over what we paid for our resale, you don't get free park passes any more ( ), and it seems to me that there's more discounts available for the general riff-raff then there used to be (I may be wrong about that one).

But on the other hand... We've got two grandkids now, and they both love Disney more than anything. We've taken them on a lot of really wonderful vacations. I can't even guess at a value for the good times we've had with them! And, fingers crossed, maybe our son will pitch in with a grandkid or two some day.

We still say that it's about the best thing we ever did. Our asset has gone up a ton in value, but that's almost incidental. We'd be nearly as happy if it had declined.

 

[goofy4tink]

Our first trip to WDW was going to be 'it' for quite awhile. Then 18 months later, we were planning another trip with another family. Then the third trip, where my dh found that this whole Disney thing wasn't so bad. That's when he gave our number to DVC, on our last morning there. In fact the limo was picking us up in two hrs!!! That was last August. We bought a small contract, only 150 pts. We were planning on going every other year. Well. DD and I went again in Dec (had no points as we gave them back). Booked again for August and then for Thanksgiving. Yep, sure, we're going every other year. The way my dh figures...we love WDW, there is always something to do there, you can relax if you want to, and the system makes you take a vacation since you've already paid for it!!! Otherwise, he was always finding reasons to not go anywhere. Now, he goes to WDW and actually relaxes for a week. Are we saving money? No way Jose. What with addtl. airfare, food costs....never thought we'd be going at least once a year. But that's our long range plan now. WDW for 4 nights in August 2005 and then over to VB for 5 nights. 2006 will be a two bdrm. unit with another mom and dd to celebrate the girls turning 13. Yep. It sure works for us, but not as a savings.

 

[forgetyourtroubles!]

Wow, thanks for all of your opinions! I'm surprised by some of the comments. I'll keep thinking about it for a while. We do LOVE having a Villa for the kitchen. So far, we have found good deals for on-site villas without being in DVC. We spent about $1900 last year for a 2 BR Villa for a week at OKW and this fall we are treating some family for a week at BCV for $3200 for a 2 BR Villa and a studio. I consider both of these prices to be very "good deals" compared to Central Reserv. We will most likely not go in 2005. I wondered how the total outflow compares, but it sounds like (for many of you) owning a part of WDW more is more important than how the $ stacks up on each side. (Finding a good deal for resort VS. owning) Is that right? Does it ever work out to be cheaper to own than to rent?

 

[frankiemom]

Originally posted by Pa@okw95
You are not a good candidate for a timeshare at DVC. You just do not have the desire to go enough to warrant the expense. Please note I said "expense" not investment. One of the great myths on this board is that DVC is some kind of savings.

Ok I do not want to start a debate here but I was going to join the DVC to save money since we have been going to Disney for the past 3 years and staying in a deluxe. I have been fortunate with the codes but don't know if they will still be offered in the future. I thought DVC was a way to save money! Now I am confused.

 

[crisi]

Most of us figure our "cost" at around $6 per point (of course, many of us bought in back at $65 or less). At a going rental rate of $10 per, it does pay for itself.

One thing to keep in mind is that although DVC is very flexible, you do get points every year and you need to spend them. Which means you do Disney on some semi-fixed schedule. If you don't want to use your points (you decide to vacation somewhere else, you need a new car and Disney is too expensive one year), you can rent them or let family or friends use them (or use them with a fee) but both of those scenarios can be kind of a hassle.

As to DVC saving money, many people here (including myself) feel that as DVC owners we now go more often and stay in nicer units. We were staying in Deluxes - in a single room - but we don't stay in studios with DVC - we are two bedroom people. We were going every three to five years, now we go every two years. That isn't saving us money. And with the room "free" when we arrive, we are pretty likely to spend more while we are there. But DVC can save you money if you are disiplined in your approach.

 

[Mickmse2002]

Gotta add my .02 worth. We looked at DVC while on a business trip, did the tour, saw the numbers and thought there must be some catch. We were hesitant and didn't buy. I think that was in 1997. We went back in 1999 and decided then it was time to purchase. We bought our first 200 points at $65. We have since added another 200 points. DVC has not "saved" us any money, except what we would have paid over regular "retail" for the same accomodations. What is has done is almost "forced" us (a family of five) to take annual vacations together, away from home, at a place we all love. Could we do it cheaper? Certainly. But we wouldn't (and I suspect we're not unique in this). We had always found some reason not to vacation. Our purchase into DVC was a conscious investment into quality family vacations, away from the hustle and bustle of home. Didn't buy with any illusion it a good investment in terms of a return, or that it would save actual dollars because it hasn't. But is has provided exactly what we thought it would and significantly more.

 

[goofy4tink]

I figure that if I stayed at BWI, in a regular room, I would probably pay no less than $250 a night. Multiply that times 6 and you have $1500. I'm staying in a preferred BWV studio, basically the same room with a kitchenette. Using $10 a point, and we are using about 91 points, we would be paying around $900. So, we think we kind of are saving money. Now, that being said...we most likely wouldn't stay in a deluxe too often. But, as has been said before....we are forced to take quality family vacations in a spot we all love.

 

[forgetyourtroubles!]

Crisi-
How do you figure your cost at $6 a point? Did you say you bought at $65/point? I'm sorry for my ignorance!

 

[glewis1123]

We're in California and we bought after our 2nd trip.

We love it so much that we figured it wouldn't take us that long to break even. The two trips we took were always at Deluxe Resorts - Poly and AKL Concierges - That tends to be our travel style.

It works for us and we're off soon on our 2nd trip home.

 

[Cruelladeville]

We have vacationed at WDW since 1975. We quickly realized that we were not Days Inn type people, once we stayed a night at Poly. We have stayed on-site ever since, and we go once or twice a year. DVC runs us about $65 per night for a studio--what rooms at WDW go for that little? No matter what the discounts, DVC is still cheaper. Of course, I bought in at $54 per point--I could have bought in at $48 if I had listened to DH. I'm staying a week in Florida, costing $903 on AP rates(Caribbean Beach), the cost of maintenance fees for a YEAR on 250 pts. On points I would still have enough points left to take a summer trip. I fail to see the supposition that DVC is more expensive than paying cash, it's not. What is more expensive is our individual lack of control, our desire to use it if we have it(points). As someone has pointed out already, DVC is a cheaper alternative if you exercise control. Many of us, however, don't exercise that control, and I admit that I am in that group. I LIKE taking more trips to Florida than I ever did before DVC. But I'm not blaming DVC for that, I'm blaming me.