Why don't you all tell me who DVC suits best

[Buckalew11]

just tell me what kind of WDW vacationer it pays to buy into this and who it doesn't. Now I know it doesn't pay someone who doesn't go to WDW every year or at least every other year. But besides that...for 150 points who gets their money worth with DVC.
Is this THE stupidest question asked on the DIS? Sorry if it is.

 

[gilld]

As we live in the UK, we go some years and not other years. We almost certainly don't get our money's worth but that wasn't why we bought in.

We let relatives and friends use it if they want and trade to other places - to us it doesn't matter if it's not good financial sense. And it's there when we want it.

 

[bicker]

We broken-even this year, so every trip we take from now on represents more and more savings we're enjoying. We're (ahem) recent AARP newbies, with four nieces and nephews between 1 and 12 (though we typically visit WDW just as a couple). We own 250 points. So for that kind of person, like us, it pays to buy into DVC.

 

[Dean]

DVC is BEST for someone who tend to avoid weeks, stay at DVC only and go enough doing that to uses the points they bought. As for where to draw the line if you don't fit this description, we on the board vary as to what we feel is reasonable.

 

[JimMIA]

just tell me what kind of WDW vacationer it pays to buy into this and who it doesn't. Now I know it doesn't pay someone who doesn't go to WDW every year or at least every other year. But besides that...for 150 points who gets their money worth with DVC.

There are several schools of thought on this question, all of them with valid points. One school is that if you go at least every other year, DVC is worth doing and will save you money. A different approach is that DVC forces you to take quality vacations...a big plus for Type A's who wouldn't do so if they didn't feel like they were losing money by not using their DVC purchase.

Another theory is that DVC does not actually save some people money -- in fact, they spend more. That's my team! (I also think that's Disney's primary strategy with DVC)

However, what is happening is I am going to WDW more regularly than I would have without DVC. I'm spending less for lodgings, and the extra money I'm spending is because of the increased frequency of the visits. I am also taking a MUCH more relaxed approach to WDW visits because I enjoy the resorts themselves so much. I could argue forcefully that the increased quality time with my family is worth whatever DVC costs.

Is this THE stupidest question asked on the DIS?

Nope. Not even close!

 

[Aneille]

We broken-even this year, so every trip we take from now on represents more and more savings we're enjoying. We're (ahem) recent AARP newbies, with four nieces and nephews between 1 and 12 (though we typically visit WDW just as a couple). We own 250 points. So for that kind of person, like us, it pays to buy into DVC.

Just wondering what method you used to figure you broke even?

 

[bicker]

I compared the costs we've incurred for DVC (purchase, interest and fees) against the costs I would have incurred if I had continued visiting as we had before we bought into DVC (room rates and tax).

 

[Buckalew11]

There are several schools of thought on this question, all of them with valid points. One school is that if you go at least every other year, DVC is worth doing and will save you money. A different approach is that DVC forces you to take quality vacations...a big plus for Type A's who wouldn't do so if they didn't feel like they were losing money by not using their DVC purchase.

Another theory is that DVC does not actually save some people money -- in fact, they spend more. That's my team! (I also think that's Disney's primary strategy with DVC)

However, what is happening is I am going to WDW more regularly than I would have without DVC. I'm spending less for lodgings, and the extra money I'm spending is because of the increased frequency of the visits. I am also taking a MUCH more relaxed approach to WDW visits because I enjoy the resorts themselves so much. I could argue forcefully that the increased quality time with my family is worth whatever DVC costs.
Nope. Not even close!

Drove DD to school and came up with the fact that in the past 6 years with multiple trips to WDW, I have probably only paid about 1/2 of the initial cost of SSR at 150 points. I have gotten extremely good deals but keep in mind I have never stayed at a deluxe except for staying at S/D which I also got an extremely good deal on. As nice of a place as that is, it is totally different atmosphere than SSR or other DVC resorts.

So many of the trips I have taken were at good rates because (I think) of 9/11 and people were not traveling as much as before so WDW was giving great AP rates especially.

But, since we have gone so many times (and as a family of 3 we really enjoy WDW) we are less "rushed" there and spend more time smelling the flowers these days (plus DD is 12) than "comando-ing" the 4 parks.
I think we'd enjoy the luxury of the DVC resorts more now than we would have in the past. Does that make sense?

I think I am leaning toward buying into this. But, the yo yo goes down and comes back up. ugh!

Thanks for your thoughts and input.

Please keep any thoughts coming. The reason I want to go ahead and decide on my deadline date is to be able to get the 2005 and 2006 points. I'd hate to lose those extra points by putting off my decision until next week and lose double my points, you know?

 

[carolina_yankee]

just tell me what kind of WDW vacationer it pays to buy into this and who it doesn't. Now I know it doesn't pay someone who doesn't go to WDW every year or at least every other year. But besides that...for 150 points who gets their money worth with DVC.

Honestly, I'm not sure DVC is for you if you're fewer than 2 adults and 2 small children, want to be in the parks all day from open to close, don't care where you sleep, and don't go every year or so or don't spend more than a few days there. Otherwise, I think there are any number of ways to assess the value for you.

We figured the value 2 ways: strict financial cost and the value of the pleasure it would give. For our habits and spending, we saw staying at AKL and WL with AP discounts sllipping away and that future vacations would be in moderates. Not bad, but not the trend we wanted. Financially, even with financing and dues, we come out ahead comparing DVC to annual 8 nights stays in moderates.

At that point, I pretty much decided I'd go for DVC even if it was slightly more expensive, and that's because of the non-tangible value - pleasure!

DVC guarantees us deluxe accommodations and great likelihood of being in the Epcot area (SSR is our home) so that tipped the skills. We chose 160 points becuase that's the max required to exchange for 1 week with Interval International.

The other value is discipline. I'm in a profession where I generally control my schedule, but I get only 1 guaranteed day off a week (unless there is a pastoral emergency), so this makes sure I can take about 10 days away and know that the accommodations are paid for. No excuses!!

Is this THE stupidest question asked on the DIS? Sorry if it is.

I think CMs would say that's "What time is the 3:00 parade?"

 

[Buckalew11]

Honestly, I'm not sure DVC is for you if you're fewer than 2 adults and 2 small children, want to be in the parks all day from open to close, don't care where you sleep, and don't go every year or so or don't spend more than a few days there. Otherwise, I think there are any number of ways to assess the value for you.

We figured the value 2 ways: strict financial cost and the value of the pleasure it would give. For our habits and spending, we saw staying at AKL and WL with AP discounts sllipping away and that future vacations would be in moderates. Not bad, but not the trend we wanted. Financially, even with financing and dues, we come out ahead comparing DVC to annual 8 nights stays in moderates.

At that point, I pretty much decided I'd go for DVC even if it was slightly more expensive, and that's because of the non-tangible value - pleasure!

DVC guarantees us deluxe accommodations and great likelihood of being in the Epcot area (SSR is our home) so that tipped the skills. We chose 160 points becuase that's the max required to exchange for 1 week with Interval International.

The other value is discipline. I'm in a profession where I generally control my schedule, but I get only 1 guaranteed day off a week (unless there is a pastoral emergency), so this makes sure I can take about 10 days away and know that the accommodations are paid for. No excuses!!



I think CMs would say that's "What time is the 3:00 parade?"

Thank you for these thoughts. I think this is where we are in our vacation life. We do only have 1 child but at 12, she is thinking more about taking a friend a long with us. This is when I really think we'd enjoy DVCing.

And the 160 point thing...I hadn't thought of that. Good thought. I am sure I'll trade at some point. My parents have a regular old timeshare (have since way back in the 80s) and have had good luck trading to some nice places.

 

[Aneille]

I compared the costs we've incurred for DVC (purchase, interest and fees) against the costs I would have incurred if I had continued visiting as we had before we bought into DVC (room rates and tax).

Thanks Bicker.

For me it isn't so much a cost saver since we would have probably only gone to Disney 3 or 4 times during the time my children were young.

But we went once and got kind of hooked. So we are spending more but enjoying ourselves. We used to travel quite a bit before children and then hadn't taken a trip for a few years after our oldest. This is getting us thinking again about travelling and we are doing more of it. Better for our family for sure.

I do consider us lucky though that we visited BWV once on cash and bought in before our next trip so at least I am not here saying "I wish I bought in sooner!"

 

[CarolMN]

IMHO, DVC works best for those who:

* Go to WDW at least every other year
* Stay on site in a moderate or deluxe resort when they do
* Are willing and able to plan more than 7 months in advance
* Have the discretionary income to commit to future vacations without financing the initial purchase.
* Plan to stay exclusively in one of the DVC resorts

Keep in mind that DVC only covers the cost of lodging - you will still need to pay for transportation, park admission, food & souvenirs.

I suspect that DVC is not a money saving proposition for many people. They end up spending more on vacations after DVC than they did before DVC. They find themselves going to WDW more often than they did in the past - that's not much of a savings. (Unless you think that buying something you don't need because it is on sale is saving money, LOL). They invite friends and family along (and treat them to the room - and sometimes even more).

DVC is not an investment. It is a pre-paid vacaiton plan. While it is true that many DVC members who bought early in the program can sell their contract for more than they paid, there is absolutely no guaranntee that this will continue to be the case.

If you meet the criteria listed above, love going to WDW and can resist the temptation to increase the number of your trips, can resist treating friends and family, then DVC will almost surely save you money on vacations.

I am not saying there are not other reasons to buy DVC and I am not suggesting it is bad to go more often or to treat family and friends. But if you do those things, don't kid yourself into thinking you are going to save money (over what you were doing in the past).

Best wishes -

 

[carolina_yankee]

And the 160 point thing...I hadn't thought of that. Good thought. I am sure I'll trade at some point. My parents have a regular old timeshare (have since way back in the 80s) and have had good luck trading to some nice places.

I think the World Passport collection is wonderful, compared to the trade posisbilities my mother had with her timeshare. However, keep in mind that 160 points is the max that you would need to trade. There are many places and many times of year that you would need less. For us, though, the extra 10 points gave us so much more flexibility that it seemed worth the cost.

Then again, I'm one of those people that thinks I've saved money if I buy something on sale that I want but don't need!!

 

[rxs148]

Hello
I agree with alot of DISers are responding.... I am a renter , I do not goto WDW often enough
But I found this great review of DVC membership and costs, something similar might be on this site but I did not see it.

For more of where this came from go to

http://www.mousesavers.com/dvc.html#dvc


Best Candidates for DVC Membership

DVC membership might make sense if you meet most or all of these criteria:

You have the cash in hand to pay all of the upfront costs of membership without borrowing.
The cost of dues does not appear to present a financial hardship based on your current expectations.
You vacation at Walt Disney World frequently: ideally at least once every two years.
You plan to continue staying at Disney World far enough into the future to make the membership at least break even.
You prefer to stay in Deluxe or DVC accommodations and/or you stay a long time (10 days or more per year).
You are able to plan your vacations well in advance -- ideally 7 to 11 months out.
Resale or Direct From Disney?

Only Saratoga Springs Resort is still available for immediate purchase directly through Disney. You can ask Disney to put you on a waiting list to purchase the other resorts, though they are supposedly "sold out." If Disney exercises its "right of first refusal" on a resale, it will often turn around and sell the contract at current full market rates to the next person on the waiting list.

You can also purchase any of the resorts from current owners who want to get rid of their memberships, through the resale market. If your offer is too low, Disney will exercise its "right of first refusal" and buy it out from under you -- which is nice for the seller, but a waste of the buyer's time. Be sure to research before making your offer, so that you have a reasonable expectation of actually getting the contract.

According to my calculations, the long-term value of a DVC membership is very similar whether you buy a resale or direct from Disney (unless Disney is currently offering a significant incentive, which may affect those results slightly). For that reason I think the decision to go with a resale vs. buying from Disney should be based primarily on which resort you want, how much you are willing to pay up front (which will usually be a bit less with a resale) and how long a contract you want (through 2042 or through 2054).

Once your purchase is completed, there is zero difference between buying directly from Disney and buying on the resale market. You will be treated exactly the same either way, and receive the same benefits and discounts.

Several Florida real estate companies specialize in DVC resales -- try a Google search to find them.

Conclusion

Buying a DVC membership is a rational, financially viable option for some people: namely people with the cost of the initial purchase already sitting in the bank, who plan to stay in the higher-end accommodations at Walt Disney World on a regular basis.

A DVC purchase is a way of committing to an annual Disney vacation with family and friends. For some people, that may outweigh any financial considerations. Only you can determine if DVC membership makes sense for your situation.

If you only visit Disney World occasionally, you may find that renting DVC points from an owner is actually a better deal than buying a DVC membership. See below for information on how to rent points.

 

[mommyceratops]

We joined DVC for a number of reasons and finacial savings was not the first one. Although for my DH that was his he didn't like the All Star Movies.

I WANT to go to WDW every year. I do not have a desire to go anywhere else.

I don't want to be able to only stay at All Stars. I want to stay in a deluxe hotel.

So we looked at our budget and could afford to pay the DVC. So now all I have to worry about is food, air fair, and souvinears. I don't have to worry to save for the hotel. I do ebay, garage sales and save money for vacations in our budget. (I am a SAHM) I come up with half and then we match it with our savings. (TMI? )

Family vacations are VERY important to me. Family time so now we HAVE to do it every year.

We looked at it this way. Is it the smartest move we will make...it will take 30 years to let you know that. Will we regret it? No I don't think so. We will have wonderful memories with our children and their children. so why not.

If you can work it in your budget and talk DH into it then it is right for you.

Besides it is the best kept secret!

 

[DisneyBaby!]

I agree with the last post (ok, all the others as well)

I don't think that this has been mentioned, but my thought on it is this.
There are Disney people and there are Not Disney people.

I would say that the people who think that DVC is not a good deal, they are not Disney people.

I'm not taking strict Walt originalists where it is What Would Walt Do with everthing but people who enjoy the movies, tune into Playhouse Disney vs PBS, Laugh at Goofy shorts, went to the parks as kids and have fond memories. People who want to go to the parks and enjoy themselves, don't let crowds/heat/prices get in the way of the relaxation.

All of the factors are close to break-even if you really look at it. We might save money if we book a different way, but like others have said, we know we will be staying at a deluxe resort. We know Disney, trust them that we will get quality in everything. I have never felt that we have been ripped off for anything.

Lands End or Eddie Bauer? Ford or Chevy? Windows or Mac? Disney or Universal, same idea

I guess the question is, are you a Disney person?

 

[mickeyfan2]

I compared the costs we've incurred for DVC (purchase, interest and fees) against the costs I would have incurred if I had continued visiting as we had before we bought into DVC (room rates and tax).

But you did not include the value of the money that you use for the purchase if you had invested it.

 

[mickeyfan2]

I agree with the last post (ok, all the others as well)

I don't think that this has been mentioned, but my thought on it is this.
There are Disney people and there are Not Disney people.

I would say that the people who think that DVC is not a good deal, they are not Disney people.

I'm not taking strict Walt originalists where it is What Would Walt Do with everthing but people who enjoy the movies, tune into Playhouse Disney vs PBS, Laugh at Goofy shorts, went to the parks as kids and have fond memories. People who want to go to the parks and enjoy themselves, don't let crowds/heat/prices get in the way of the relaxation.

All of the factors are close to break-even if you really look at it. We might save money if we book a different way, but like others have said, we know we will be staying at a deluxe resort. We know Disney, trust them that we will get quality in everything. I have never felt that we have been ripped off for anything.

Lands End or Eddie Bauer? Ford or Chevy? Windows or Mac? Disney or Universal, same idea

I guess the question is, are you a Disney person?

Sorry but I have to disagree with you. You will be heard pressed to find a bigger DL/WDW/Disney fan than I but the DVC does not make financial sense to me.

Another thing to consider (a big one for me) is mousekeeping only comes every few days and only does limited things. I am on vacation. I want somebody else to make my bed, clean the room, put in fresh towel and I DON'T want to cook. These are all reasons not to buy. And we also like to change resorts every trip. We have stayed at most non-DVC resorts and love them all for a different reason.

 

[CarolMN]

But you did not include the value of the money that you use for the purchase if you had invested it.

No need to do that if you would spend the money on vacations anyway.

The choice for most isn't "buy DVC or don't go on vacation at all". If you are comparing the cost of DVC to the cost of vacations you plan to take anyway, I don't think the time value of money is relevant to the decision.

For example, in our case, we weren't considering skipping vacations and investing the money we spend on vacations. DVC turned out to be more economical for us than continuing to vacation the way were were.

Best wishes -

 

[mickeyfan2]

No need to do that if you would spend the money on vacations anyway.

The choice for most isn't "buy DVC or don't go on vacation at all". If you are comparing the cost of DVC to the cost of vacations you plan to take anyway, I don't think the time value of money is relevant to the decision.

For example, in our case, we weren't considering skipping vacations and investing the money we spend on vacations. DVC turned out to be more economical for us than continuing to vacation the way were were.

Best wishes -

I disagree. If I had 30K to buy DVC I would not have used that for my vacation. I would have invested it and use the 10% (for ease of numbers) for my vacation, so 3K and still have the 30K. So this does need to be included. The points would be money I would use for that year too. So my vacation would cost the interest on the investment and the points money. That is what is need for the financial only consideration. There are other very valid non-financial consideration that need to be considered too.