Why DVC?

[mom2lilandem]

My husband and I have been tossing around the idea of DVC. He's not 100% sold on a timeshare and since I'm completely unfamiliar with them I'm not sure if his concerns are legitimate.

So my question is WHY did you buy into DVC instead of just booking your vacation through CRO? What's the actual benefit of DVC over just booking my regular trip twice a year?

I feel like in the long run it's going to save money, but my husband says that between maintenance and the yearly cost of the points it's not that great of a deal.

So what do YOU think?

 

[crisi]

For us and the way we travel, its a great deal.

My kids are in one room (still on the hideabed). We are in the Master Bedroom. Its really changed the amount of stress on vacation not to have all four of us in a tiny room. To do two rooms at a Deluxe resort - well they won't guarentee connecting with just four of us to start with, and its really expensive. My husband in particular likes two room - increases his chances of getting lucky if the kids are sleeping in a different room by 100%

If we were happy four to a room at CBR, we wouldn't have done DVC.

Does it really save us money....no. Last trip we took my mother in law and paid all her expenses. We probably wouldn't have even bothered to go that soon again without DVC - we'd been 18 months before and pre DVC were fine with three to five year schedules (kids changed our frequency desire, so DVC became a better deal, but I don't know if we'd have acted on our desire without it).

 

[tjkraz]

With my 150 points at Saratoga Springs I could get as many as 13 nights per year in a Studio room. My annual dues are $574 per year. That means I'm paying $44 per night for a deluxe WDW resort room. On a cash basis that room (or any other deluxe resort room) starts around $250 per night with 11.5% resort taxes added-on.

The break-even point on the initial investment is typically in the 7-8 year range. That leaves 40+ years of WDW vacations for pennies on the dollar.

Exact value will certainly depend on you travel habits (times of year, days of week, etc.) and other factors. But DVC is far from a break-even prospect--particularly for those who are consistently paying cash to stay in WDW deluxe resort rooms.

Strictly on a financial basis, DVC doesn't stack up well against the Value resorts, and it's probably a wash when compared to Moderates. But that's not exactly and apples-to-apples comparison. DVC resorts are deluxe all the way with great pools, spas, golf courses, valet parking and room service. Among the room features are whirlpool tubs, balconies, in-room washer/dryer, in-room full kitchen or kitchenette, DVD player, and so on.

 

[vascubaguy]

You will get quite a few different opinions on this, but my decision was financial.

Just looking at my SSR contract, I will have a total of 5500 points over 50 years. Dividing that by what I paid for the contract ends up at $1.80 per point. Now if I add in the MN fees for SSR of 3.83, I'm still under $6.00 per point.

Now, if you look at some of the points requirements for each night, some are as low as 8 points per night. That's $48 per night for deluxe accommodations. You can't get a value resort for that!

Now... DVC also isn't like other timeshares. With many timeshares you are locked in to a certain week every year. With DVC you can go whenever you want (depending on availability). You can also stay at any DVC resort (depending on availability). It's VERY flexible. You can bank and borrow points if you need to in order to take longer vacations or book larger accommodations.

Also, even though it isn't the best use of points, you can use them for stays other than DVC. You can also rent out reservations if there are times when you can't use those points.

Oh, and one other good benefit, DVC has ROFR which allows them to keep the value of the points high. For some people that bought in years ago at $50 per point, they have actually made money on their DVC purchase. I, of course, would not recommend DVC as a financial investment as there is no guarantee that 10 years from now that the prices will remain as high as they are now. But, at SSR that could be the case.

Just my thoughts for the night. If you have any questions, let us know.

 

[WDWLVR]

DVC made sense for us because we were booking yearly trips. We found that the more we went the more we wanted to go.

We bought our points in 2000 and 2002. They are now paid for. Yes we have yearly maintenance fees, but they work out to less than we would have paid that same year the way we used to vacation (often in the Deluxe hotels).

Here's what I love best about DVC:

Flexabiity on size of accomodations
Flexabiity of time of year
Full kitchen (we usually get a one bedroom) allows us to have breakfast in the room saving us money and it works better with our touring style.
Washer/Dryer in unit lets us pack less and not go home with a suitcase full of dirty laundry.
Zacuzzi tub is great after a day in the parks.
Separate living room and bedroom. DH is more of a night person I'm more of a morning person. He can stay up late and read in the living room while I go to sleep. When I get up in the morning I can make breakfast and a cup of tea while he's still waking up.

Here are some of the things we've done with our points:

A 7 day Eastern cruise on DCL
Two 4 day DVC Member Cruises on DCL
A one-bedroom at Boardwalk (our home) a number of times
A studio at Villas of Wilderness Lodge (after a cruise)
A studio at Beach Club (after a cruise)
A two-bedroom at Boardwalk when we invited my in-laws along
An ocean view inn room at Vero before a cruise
A weeks stay in a one bedroom at Vero for my in-laws (twice)
A week in a one bedroom at Old Key West

Hope this helps you see the value of DVC!

 

[mom2lilandem]

When we go we stay at a Deluxe. It's my DH, myself my DD (2 1/2) and my DD (13 months.) We went down in March this year and stayed in a studio a VWL and we are going back down in three weeks staying at WL (standard room.)

Last year we went in May and then again in November. (each stay is between 7 and 10 days)

We take at least one trip a year and always stay Deluxe.

After discussing it with my husband he was under the impression that every year on top of maintenance fees we had to repay for our points. But it sounds like from what you guys are saying I pay my buy in and then am only responsible for maintenance every year NOT rebuying my points every year.

 

[vascubaguy]

But it sounds like from what you guys are saying I pay my buy in and then am only responsible for maintenance every year NOT rebuying my points every year.

Exactly! If I had to repay the initial per point cost every year, woah... well... I definately wouldn't be a member.

And if you are paying to stay in Deluxes every year, I'd say you are probably a prime candidate for DVC.

 

[rayelias]

My husband and I have been tossing around the idea of DVC. He's not 100% sold on a timeshare and since I'm completely unfamiliar with them I'm not sure if his concerns are legitimate.

So my question is WHY did you buy into DVC instead of just booking your vacation through CRO? What's the actual benefit of DVC over just booking my regular trip twice a year?

I feel like in the long run it's going to save money, but my husband says that between maintenance and the yearly cost of the points it's not that great of a deal.

So what do YOU think?

If he's bringing up points about normal timeshares, his concerns are probably VERY legitimate. Although DVC is a "timeshare", it's so much different. No dedicated weeks, the value continues to go up, the point values never go up, maintenance fees are capped, etc, etc, etc.

One thing you may not fully understand, if I am reading your post correctly. There are no "yearly cost of the points". You buy the points once and that's it. You purchase 150 points, you pay for them once, and you get 150 points every year to use.

Finally, DVC is NOT for everyone. It took us several years to get over the "timeshare" concerns, as well. We bought 100 points resale. There are just the 2 of us, so a studio suits us fine. However, many people will say once you go to a 1 BR, you'll never go back. We've never stayed in a 1BR, but have seen them, and I can understand what people mean! Anyhow, with our 100 points, we actually get 3 vacatations a year out of it (two 5 day (4 night) and one 4 day (3 night)) in value season. The only annual cost for this is about $400 for maintenance fees. So, in essence, we get 3 nearly week long vacations, staying ON-property for just $400. Plus, we have AP's which we saved $100 a piece on (DVC discount), so no additional park passes.

The great thing is, in 10 years, we'll still be paying (even if maintenance fees go up the max per year) under $600 for 11 nights in a DVC room - that's under $55 a night (and NO sales tax on that!). Today, these rooms go for $250 a night. In 10 years, it'll probably be around $350-400 a night. I'll be paying $55 a night.

Good luck in your decision!

 

[jctwizzer]

My husband and I have been tossing around the idea of DVC. He's not 100% sold on a timeshare and since I'm completely unfamiliar with them I'm not sure if his concerns are legitimate.

I'm not 100% sold on most timeshares either. But after 10 years in DVC, I'm 100% sold on Disney's version....and its the only one I've seen that has increased in value over that period

So my question is WHY did you buy into DVC instead of just booking your vacation through CRO? What's the actual benefit of DVC over just booking my regular trip twice a year?

You're paying a fixed cost up front for DVC---a prepaid vacation as it where..for a number of years. Take a current rate at the Poly, multiply it by a 3% annual increase, and see where you are in 20 years!

I feel like in the long run it's going to save money, but my husband says that between maintenance and the yearly cost of the points it's not that great of a deal.

So what do YOU think?

I understand your husband's concern about mtce. but am puzzled about the "yearly cost of the points". Once you pay for the points, no further payments are due....and that perception may cause some of his hesitation.

 

[vascubaguy]

Oh, you can check with a tax advisor, but part of your annual MN fees are for property taxes which could be tax deductible.

 

[Caskbill]

Just to make sure this is absolutely clear:

You purchase a quantity of DVC points ONE TIME. The initial cost is based on a per point price.

After this initial purchase, then every year thereafter you receive an annual allotment of that number of points.

After the initial purchase, the ONLY annual fees are maintenance fees, again based on a per point basis. Currently Maintenance Fees average around $4.00/point depending on which resort you own.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We too purchased for financial reasons. We were visiting WDW everyother year, but really wanted to go every year. After a couple of $6000 trips, we decided it was stupid not to put that toward DVC and go every year for the rest of our lives! Now, 8 years later, we have added on and go 2-3 times a year. No, we don't have kids anymore. Our "kids" are 30 adn 36 and no grandkids yet. We just love to go and take friends and family with us. In our case, we figured DVC paid for itself after just 4-5 years, but then, we only have a total of 380 points. If we owned as many points as we really wanted, it would have taken a bit longer.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I'm with Diane in that it was partly a financial reason. We feel with the room rates going up every year and less and less discounts, that it was getting too costly to go as often as we liked. We have a pattern of going anywhere from 1-3 times a year since 1994. The years we went 1x, it was usually a stay of about 10-14 days. We're a family of 5 and really appreciate the 1 and 2 bedroom villas. The size of the rooms has made vacationing a much better experience for us. It's so nice when the kids aren't right on top of you every second. My dh and I love having our own room. When I think back on a trip in 12/98 where all 5 of us where in a POR room with a trundle (my youngest was 5 at the time), I just can't believe we survived that trip ! Once my kids got older, we were stuck getting 2 rooms and sometimes not even having them next to eachother. We had a stay at the WL one time where my dh and I had to split up to stay with the kids in our two rooms. Even when my kids get older and eventually fly the coop, I can still see dh and I getting a 1 bedroom because we're spoiled by the kitchen/jacuzzi/washer & dryer. I'm not sure I'll remember how to vacation without all the luxuries of DVC

 

[byoung]

I rented points for a couple years, looked at what I was paying rentig and decided it was best for me to join. Glad I did only wish it was sooner.

 

[bcvillastwo]

WHY did you buy into DVC instead of just booking your vacation through CRO? What's the actual benefit of DVC over just booking my regular trip twice a year?

Why did we buy?

The short version is that we love going to WDW, we found ourselves going at least once a year, we were staying in moderate or better resorts, and we expected to keep to this pattern for some time. It took us several years and two visits to the DVC models to decide we wanted to take the plunge.

But, it wasn't until we actually ran the numbers (over and over and over) that I decided that it was a good financial decision for us. (No, not an financial investment). When I compared what I had been spending for accomodations with what I expected to pay for DVC accomodations it was a no brainer for me. Fortunately the DW was in agreement.

What do I like about DVC. Well, the whole experience including but not limited to larger and nicer accomodations, maximum flexibility, the atmoshphere and decor of the various resorts, the pools, etc.

The one thing that I will say is that while I know I am saving on accomodations the number of trips to WDW has increased so there is little doubt that we are spending more money each year. But since WDW is our favorite place to vacation, we view that as a plus. Fortunately, we are blessed to have the flexibility and the resources to go more than once a year.

 

[cyiland]

I feel like in the long run it's going to save money, but my husband says that between maintenance and the yearly cost of the points it's not that great of a deal.

So what do YOU think?

Well, my views aren't any more "correct" than anyone else's here, as it's all subjective, but here's my thought:

* For us, DVC was never a "financial decision", because for us, it didn't make financial sense . We even told our sales rep, Susan Schell, to please not try to convince us that it WAS a good financial move for us. We knew it wasn't.

Why? Because while still at home with my parents, I stayed twice at the Buena Vista Palace (now a Wyndham property) in the WDW Village area. Beyond that, my wife and I stayed off-premises for each WDW trip (prior to buying into DVC, and also prior to the "value resorts" option). We couldn't justify the extra $ to stay on Disney property, so would choose nice hotels or nice (but bargain) condos off-property instead. I'm not saying Disney stays are never justifiable; but for us, at that time in our lives, we couldn't do it.

So while some people can favorably compare the costs of DVC to the costs of staying in WDW's luxury (or even moderate) resorts, that wouldn't work for us. Without DVC membership, we'd have never stayed on property in the first place.

* Instead, we made this investment primarily because it would force us to remember to take time out for a family vacation on a regular basis. And while we were at it, there were these other huge 'added values' for us: staying on site meant we'd experience more of the magic, and a DVC ownership seemed to retain at LEAST as much of its resale market value as anything else we'd seen. Add to that the fact that we don't HAVE to rent a car while for our stay (which helps to recoup some of the $$$ we're shelling out for vacations), and even though it may not have been a good "financial decision" for us, it was a good "life decision".

I'd have never financed such a purchase, but knowing what I know now, I could have justified it. It may have meant driving my cars a few more years before trading them in or something, but I could go back and justfiy it now.

 

[toesmom]

When we bought in February of this year after our tour at SSR, we did it based on a whole bunch of calculations in our little room at POP. Our calculations were based on staying at value resorts, we didn't even compute with mods or deluxe. Just on the basis of the value resorts alone, we figured out that we really would save money over the long run.

With mods or deluxe rooms, of course, that will justify the purchase even more so.

And we were a little cramped in that 262 square foot room. But we loved POP because of the kids. My dh was sick of the small accommodations year after year.

 

[donald...really]

Have you SEEN the DVC rooms? Especially the one, two and three bedrooms? If not you should take a tour. For me, that is "why DVC".

 

[darner]

on your next trip, take the time to visit the DVC sales office... eventhough it's at SSR there are contracts for (re)sale at BWV, BCV, OKW, VWL, etc.

I think many here will agree that the DVC reps are not the pushy, in-your-face sales reps that many have encountered at other timeshare properties. If you have ANY questions for them, that's what they're there for...

in fact, just ask any of the reps at the little desks at any resort or in the parks... I'm not sure if they still do it, but they'll arrange for transportation in their van to pick you up, take you to SSR, and likely take you back to where you started...

--
If you find that you are planning on going every (or every other) year (and with 2 young princesses I'm sure you're in for MANY more trips!!!!)

That's probably the biggest deciding factor... if you're going to go... if you're going to want to stay in deluxe accomodations... i'd say DVC is for you!
Good Luck

 

[JimMIA]

You might want to go here...http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/dvc.htm

On the left margin, you'll see the various DVC resorts listed. For photos, click on the link that says text links, which will spare you the entire slideshow. You can take a little tour around the resorts, or just click on specific rooms.

As mentioned, check out the one bedroom and larger accommodations, especially the kitchens, laundry facilities, and bathrooms.