Who really pays these prices?

[browniemtb]

I check rack rates most of the time.....we have a family gathering coming up in November so for HaHa's I added up rack rates for all the rooms. They range from 2 bedroom to studios at BWV...all totaled it would have run the family over $20,000 for the stay. So far DVC has been a huge, I just don't like paying that pesky bill on January 15th.

 

[tjkraz]

Used to work with a woman who told me about how her mother was paying for a bunch of family members to share a two bedroom at VWL for a week. Don't know what the rate was but I'm sure it was several thousand dollars for the week. Apparently money wasn't an issue for mom so there was no reason not do to it.

I do think to some degree that Disney over-inflates the cash rates on DVC villas just to make those points-to-cash comparisons look extra good.

 

[LouisianaDisneyFan]

We did pay rack rate once... when we had a BWV villa booked for the rest of the family and daughter and her hubby could suddenly join us for the week. There was no more availability at BWV through DVC and all discounted rooms were already booked (we tried AP, AAA and several other avenues), so we ended up booking a rack rate room just so they could be with the rest of the family. No regrets. The overall joy of having the whole family together definitely outweighed the pain of a rack rate room bill!

 

[shelby101301]

I had some friends, two families ( 4 adults, 3 kids total) who at least twice shared a two bedroom at VWL. They'd go for at least 10 days znd spend $10k. I'm sure it included dining znd tickets- at least I hope!

Btw, both families were sunk in terrible debt - just kept spending anyway. I think now how many points they could have bought for the same $... Crazy!

 

[supersuperwendy]

We paid those prices years ago..yikes!

On our honeymoon we booked studio a BWV..full rack rate. Then two years later we paid full rack rate for a 2 bedroom villa at BWV. We were so young and didn't understand DVC at all back then. I do remember them trying to talk to us, but we were only 20 & 21 and didn't think it was something we would like. Now I could kick myself when I think of all the money we would have saved over the years had we joined back in 1997!!!

 

[ccgirl]

Friends of ours stayed at BC concierge studio when we stayed in a 2BR at BWV (traded into using RCI). They paid $7,000 (dining plan included) and we paid the $135 trade fee plus our $550 maintenance/taxes for the year. We also got the dining plan but it was only a couple of hundred. Boy were we glad we had a timeshare.

If you do not go to WDW every year, it would make more financial sense to pay cash rather than DVC.

For example, for a 2BR the week we want would cost 278 points. At $90 a point that is $25,000. That doesn't even count maintenance/taxes. No idea how much they would be but pretty sure they would be over $1,000.

I can get a 2BR villa for just under $2700 with the current 40% promo. That would mean I could take 9 trips before I made back my initial purchase price; not including maintenance/taxes. That same room would be just under $6,000 full rack rate. Not everyone goes to WDW every year so to those going every few years paying cash would make more financial sense than purchasing DVC.

Just another way to look at things.

 

[JWG]

Never. I've rented points for such stays if needed, but never paid the rack rate.

Of course, I'm not the average one-time Disney guest who doesn't know about such options. I'm confident plenty of peope pay these rates for large family visits.

 

[alldiz]

Hi,

I love adding the "rack rates".
My next trip which is during "peak season" April 12-24th.

5 nights studio BCV....$475 a night=$2375
2 nights 1BR AKV Kidani.....$735 a night=$1470
1 night studio LV BLT.....$550


Grand total for 8 nights.....$4395 Plus Tax OMG

Shocker was that kidani was 15 bucks more a night than Jambo

I love my DVC....I love the flexibility. I would never pay that....of course before DVC I would never be in a 1br. Points are so high(easter) that time I figured a studio would do. I "splurged" on 2 nights 1BR Kidani following a 4 night cruise figured the laundry and extra room would be so great after a cabin.

Kerri

 

[eliza61]

But seriously, do some people actually pay that price in cash?? I always thought it's just for show to make use DVC members feel better.

Ok, sit down Yep, I've paid those prices and more.

Guys remember every body has things that while may not make the most financial sense give great pleasure so the price is worth every dime.

Dh & I took an anniversary cruise on a regent cruise line ship. It was a 10 day, once in a life time trip through the Mediterrian (Rome to Istanbul). I don't even want to tell you what we dropped on that cruise. let's just say it could have brought a pretty decent car.

Could I do it now with 1 kid in out of state college and another on the way? Nope but at the time it was some thing we wanted to do.

 

[Inkmahm]

Back in Spring of 2002, before I knew about DVC, I took my parents and my sister and niece to WDW. Since there were 5 of us, there were few places that we could fit. I ended up at the Wilderness Lodge in a room that slept 6. It had a separate sleeping area with two double beds and then a fold out sleeper sofa. I remember paying something like $550 per night back then and being happy that I found something on property that fit the 5 of us.

It was a great trip, but my dad thought I was nuts for paying that much for a hotel room. He was probably right. On the other hand, he died in early 2004 so that 2002 trip was the last big trip I was able to take him on. Lots of fond memoriew which are worth every single dollar of the cost of that hotel room. I wish he were around now so that I could take him to our DVC homes. Now we just have mom to take but she enjoys it with us every chance that she can.

 

[alicat07]

A friend of mine wanted to stay at Disney for the first time last September...she loves timeshare type of room and knew she wanted a 1 bedroom villa. During the 40% that Disney had last year, she was able to stay for 6 nights for about $2000!!! She paid that willingly because she had originally tried for that same time and it was $3500 for the room alone without the discount!!

Either way, I would never pay that much for 6 nights, that would hurt! This past November-December we stayed in a Grand Villa in AKV Kidani for 5 nights and 2 more nights in a 2 BR in Jambo. Rack on that was around $10K....NO WAY would I have paid that!!!

 

[jenelope]

I've got a 2BR at Kidani for 7 nights this Feb/March and checked out the rack rate. For Sun-Thurs, the room is $885/night and Fri-Sat, it's $1115/night. When I was vacation planning with my mom last weekend I told her the rack rate for the whole stay. I thought she was going to have a heart attack! It's $7,485 for the week. It's amazing how quickly she adjusted to the idea of staying in such a pricey room, though. Now she is feeling extra glam and posh.

 

[kikiq]

... and I love to be able to plan a trip without the constraints of when they are offering a deal.

That's it for us in a phrase. Yes, people do pay rack rates, the ones that have the money and yes it makes sense to look for the "deals/discounts" if WDW is not your regular vacation spot.

We had a span of almost 6 years where a trip even a hugely discounted trip to WDW from California was just out of the question. We took our 30th anniversary trip and spent a week at the Poly (discounted), and started looking into having a extended family trip. My Dad wanted the Poly, even with the discount/deal, garden view, it was 8K without adding taxes. We then looked into renting points and almost went that direction until my DH decided that WDW was the place he wanted to vacation. Actually there's a palm tree by the Poly that has his name on it, and now there's a SSR rocker that has his name on it. I cannot plan a trip around the deals with his schedule.

 

[mom2t]

We have paid cash the last 2 trips SS and in a few days OKW but only because we got 40% off our room. We eat only a few meals out - it makes those more special. Disney can be a very tiring trip and we like relaxinging in our own rooms. My parents are going with us this time and we are splitting a 2 bedroom with them this time which helps alot. We also had a huge yard sale in the fall to help bring down the cost of the room. We got rid of stuff and made money. However, we do not go that often. In the last 11 years, this trip will make our 4th and it is our splurge trip. We are also very frugal on other trips. Three years ago we were to stay at POFQ with no discount and was offered a studio at SS for the same price. We took it and then upgraded to a 1 bedroom when I did the math. We dropped alot of our dining out plans for dinner (we always to breakfast and lunch in the room - rest in the afternoon) and spent the money on our upgrade. I ended up only paying 300 more and my husband said it was the best decision - even thought at the time I did it he was not happy. Now he will not return unless we stay in something similiar.

 

[Hopefully]

Yes, people do pay it!!!
Many years ago, we saved for years to bring our whole family to OKW in a 2 BR. We payed rack rate.
Then I booked a BCV studio for DH and I, at rack rate, and we were upgraded to a 1 BR. I was hooked. We took 3 more 1 BR BCV/BWV trips before we finally purchased, all at rack rate through CRO.
Oh the money I could have saved if I just could have convinced DH earlier that buying DVC was for us!!!!

 

[KerTggr]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how do you find the rack rates for a room? I tried on disneyworld dot com, but can only put 6 adults. Tried with extra children, but it doesn't ever return a GV - just says there's no rooms available for everyone...?

 

[AKV707]

OK, i should know this. Where is the best place to find rack rates?

 

[twooley2]

I still think you pay it in your fees and dues take your payment and multiply by 12 months and your dues too. Bet it might be close say 300 X12 months

 

[MinnieGi]

Yes, people DO pay those rates for villas!! We have friends that have come with us three times over the past eight years. They always stay where we do also in a villa except they pay cash and we pay points! They like the one bedroom villa but do not go to Disney so frequently that DVC would be the way to go for them, so they pay cash and are fine with that.

But I am VERY thankful for our DVC b/c there is NO WAY we'd be staying in the resorts we do EVERY trip and certainly not in one or two bedroom villas!!

 

[nyck]

I've got a 2BR at Kidani for 7 nights this Feb/March and checked out the rack rate. For Sun-Thurs, the room is $885/night and Fri-Sat, it's $1115/night. When I was vacation planning with my mom last weekend I told her the rack rate for the whole stay. I thought she was going to have a heart attack! It's $7,485 for the week. It's amazing how quickly she adjusted to the idea of staying in such a pricey room, though. Now she is feeling extra glam and posh.

My mom is the same way! We use to stay at the Caribbean Beach resort when I was younger, which I really enjoy, even today. Once I got BCV, she hit the roof , saying "why did you buy that? You just bought a house!".Well, the first time she stayed in it, she is like "Ok this is really nice." Then when I added on to SSR while on a cruise, she said "Well if you think you need more points, go ahead." Last Halloween, we stayed at Caribbean 1 night before we went to the Treehouses. You know that she said "You know, this was ok, but I use to better than this. I need at least a 1 bedroom now." She is totally a spoiled Diva! But you know what, so am I!!! Best thing I ever bought!!!!!