Why I Love My DVC Ownership?!

[skier_pete]

Keep in mind that in a DVC studio there will be much more open floor space than a regular moderate or deluxe room due to the fact that there is 1 queen bed and a sleeper sofa. If there is only 2 of you there would be no reason to open the sofa. Even if you did have more people the sofa can be folded up during the day. One exception would be the studios at OKW, all of them have 2 queen beds but the rooms themselves are larger.

Balconies at DVC make a difference also over a moderate. More space to move around in.

The one big difference I have noticed between DVC and moderate/value is the way it's laid out. In moderate/value rooms you enter into the rooms and immediately run into a bed. You have to walk through the room to get to the closet area and the bathroom. In DVC units you enter into an entryway, go past the kitchenette with the large sink area for the bathroom opposite into the bedroom/sitting area with the balcony beyond. This makes the space seem much larger. We find that the entryway is the perfect location to store our bags.

Also with this arrangement you rarely hear any noise from the hallways. Moderate/value you are right up against the entryway door and hear people walking/talking outside.

All very good points - another point is that in moderates/values the "Hallways" are all exterior areas, and as such are inherently more noisy. Human nature is when you are outside you can shout to someone on the other end of the building. This is not the case with interior halls.

This thread is getting me pumped for my first DVC stay - in just 3 weeks!

 

[crisi]

Here is a source for room square footage:

http://allears.net/acc/faq_gen.htm

Moderate Resorts:

Caribbean Beach - 340
Coronado Springs - 314 (some suites available)
Port Orleans French Quarter - 314
Port Orleans Riverside - 314

Deluxe Resorts:

Wilderness Lodge - 340
Animal Kingdom Lodge - 344
Beach Club - 380
Yacht Club - 380
Boardwalk Inn - 380
Grand Floridian - 400
Polynesian - 409
Contemporary - 422

Disney Vacation Club Resorts:

Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House Studio - 316-365
Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village Studio - 366
Beach Club Villas Studio - 356
Boardwalk Villas Studio - 359
Grand Floridian Villas Studio - 374
Old Key West Resort Deluxe Studio - 376
Saratoga Springs Studio - 355
Wilderness Lodge Villas Studio - 356

Sorted by size

Contemporary - 422
Polynesian - 409
Grand Floridian - 400
Yacht Club - 380
Boardwalk Inn - 380
Old Key West Resort Deluxe Studio - 376
Grand Floridian Villas Studio - 374
Beach Club - 380
Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village Studio - 366
Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House Studio - 365
Boardwalk Villas Studio - 359
Beach Club Villas Studio - 356
Wilderness Lodge Villas Studio - 356
Saratoga Springs Studio - 355
Animal Kingdom Lodge - 344
Caribbean Beach - 340
Wilderness Lodge - 340
Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House Value
Coronado Springs - 314 (some suites available)
Port Orleans French Quarter - 314
Port Orleans Riverside - 314

 

[The Sunrise Student]

No - the DVC studio rooms are generally slightly bigger than the regular deluxe rooms. Not universally, but most of the time. They are not comparable to a moderate room - so you shouldn't even go there.

You also (long-term) save a LOT of money over a deluxe studio rates, even discounted. Here's how I did it. (This is all based on a resale buy.)

Our buy-in for 160 pts at AKV was about $13000. Over the life of the contract (42 more years) that means I get 6720 points, so my initial investment cost me about $2 per point. (This is simplifying the calculations of course - paying up front means that it's $2 per point in 2014 dollars, even when staying in 2047, but we'll ignore that for now.) Let's assume you do something similar.

Then, the annual maintenance fees are currently just under $6 a point. So, overall in the first year, I'm paying $8 a point. (Again, simplified but fairly accurate.)

A typical studio room is going to cost you 15-20 points a night, assuming you are not going at the most popular times of year or the highest end rooms. Based on $8 a point, that means you are spending between $120 - $160 a night.

Last I checked, even with a 30% discount, you are not anywhere near $160 a night at a deluxe hotel. Maybe $300 a night, right? So we're comparing $120-$160 a night with DVC to $300 a night with discounts.

Then lets look at inflation. Let's be conservative a say current room rates are $400 a night at deluxes. Based on previous price increases, these will continue to go up at 5 % a year or more. That means in 10 years, they will be $600 a night. 30% off makes it $420 a night.

Meanwhile, if my maintenance fees go up by 5 % as well, I'm now paying $9 a point instead of $6 a point. Adding in the $2 per point initial cost, I'm up to $11 per point. Again assuming 15-20 points at that rate? $165 - $220 a night.
So now ten years from now, you are paying $165-$220 a night versus $420 a night. Do that again in 10 more years, it's $250 versus $600.

Again, all of this is done on a simplistic basis. It also assumes room rates and maintenance fees go up at the same rate...there's no way to know that's going to happen. However, the difference is so disparaging, it can't even be compared. Over 40 years, assuming the same vacations either way, you are talking TRIPLE the cost to stay deluxe even with a discount versus DVC. OR you can get more points (what many people do) and stay in a 1- or 2-bedroom for what would otherwise cost you to stay in a hotel room.

The great negative to DVC is coming up with that upfront cash. Some finance, but you have to watch out for how much MORE that actually costs you - it can easily double you buy-in a Disney's financing rates. Once you get past that though, it's all gravy.

So what would you compare a DVC studio room to, size and quality?

COST: Interesting way to look at it... I'll have to play around with the numbers.

Thanks!

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Here is a source for room square footage:

http://allears.net/acc/faq_gen.htm

Moderate Resorts:

Caribbean Beach - 340
Coronado Springs - 314 (some suites available)
Port Orleans French Quarter - 314
Port Orleans Riverside - 314

Deluxe Resorts:

Wilderness Lodge - 340
Animal Kingdom Lodge - 344
Beach Club - 380
Yacht Club - 380
Boardwalk Inn - 380
Grand Floridian - 400
Polynesian - 409
Contemporary - 422

Disney Vacation Club Resorts:

Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House Studio - 316-365
Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village Studio - 366
Beach Club Villas Studio - 356
Boardwalk Villas Studio - 359
Grand Floridian Villas Studio - 374
Old Key West Resort Deluxe Studio - 376
Saratoga Springs Studio - 355
Wilderness Lodge Villas Studio - 356

Sorted by size

Contemporary - 422
Polynesian - 409
Grand Floridian - 400
Yacht Club - 380
Boardwalk Inn - 380
Old Key West Resort Deluxe Studio - 376
Grand Floridian Villas Studio - 374
Beach Club - 380
Animal Kingdom Villas Kidani Village Studio - 366
Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House Studio - 365
Boardwalk Villas Studio - 359
Beach Club Villas Studio - 356
Wilderness Lodge Villas Studio - 356
Saratoga Springs Studio - 355
Animal Kingdom Lodge - 344
Caribbean Beach - 340
Wilderness Lodge - 340
Animal Kingdom Villas Jambo House Value
Coronado Springs - 314 (some suites available)
Port Orleans French Quarter - 314
Port Orleans Riverside - 314

When you list these rooms for the resorts, non DVD rooms which rooms are they?

PS looking at ALLEARS link now.... Noticed that some of the DVCs like BLT aren't even listed

 

[skier_pete]

So what would you compare a DVC studio room to, size and quality?

COST: Interesting way to look at it... I'll have to play around with the numbers.

Thanks!

Here's an easy answer for you:

Follow this link for all Disney Resorts.

A second link for all DVC room sizes.

As you can see from this, the DVC rooms are actually not always larger than the hotel rooms at the various deluxe resorts. In some cases the DVC rooms are larger (AKV and WLV are about 20 SF larger) and in some they are smaller (BLT rooms are MUCH smaller than the Contemporary rooms 339 SF versus 394 SF.)

I was wrong on this, I had seen data that the DVC rooms were bigger, but clearly that isn't always the case. However, they are all bigger than moderates, who are all 315 SF. After the smallish rooms at BLT the next smallest standard room (not counting the value rooms at AKV) is 355 SF, so 40 SF bigger than moderate rooms. Looks like OKW has the biggest studio rooms at 390 SF. That makes them about as much bigger in SF as a moderate is to a value (about 50 SF).

Edit: Didn't see that crisi beat me to it...guess I should scroll up more.

 

[Deb & Bill]

When you list these rooms for the resorts, non DVD rooms which rooms are they?

PS looking at ALLEARS link now.... Noticed that some of the DVCs like BLT aren't even listed

from the DVC Resource Thread (sticky thread at the top of every DVC Board):

Here are reported room sizes for DVC resorts:

OKW
Studio: 390 sq. ft.
1 BR: 1005 sq. ft.
2 BR: 1410 sq. ft.
GV: 2375 sq. ft.

VB
Studio: 375 sq.ft.
1BR: 880 sq.ft.
2BR: 1265 sq.ft.
GV: 2125 sq.ft.

HH
Studio: 455 sq.ft.
1BR: 856 sq.ft.
2BR: 1311 sq.ft.
GV: 2362 sq.ft.

BWV
Studio: 359 sq. ft.
1 BR: 712 sq. ft.
2 BR: 1071 sq. ft.
GV: 2142 sq. ft.

VWL
Studio: 356 sq.ft.
1BR: 727 sq.ft.
2BR: 1083 sq.ft.
GV: None

BCV
Studio: 356 sq.ft.
1BR: 719 sq.ft.
2BR: 1075 sq.ft.
GV: None

SSR
Studio: 355 sq.ft.
1BR: 714 sq.ft.
2BR: 1070 sq.ft.
GV: 2113 sq.ft.

AKV:
Studio: 316- 366 sq.ft.
1BR: 629-802 sq.ft.
2BR: 945 - 1173 sq.ft.
GV: 2201 sq.ft.

BLT:
Studio: 339 sq.ft.
1BR: 803 sq.ft.
2BR: 1152 sq.ft.
GV: 2044 sq.ft.

GCV:
Studio: 379
1BR: 865
2BR: 1257
GV: 2426

AHV:
Studio: 356 sq. ft.
1BR: 756 sq.ft.
2BR: 1125 sq.ft.
GV: 2174 sq.ft.

VGF:
Studio: 374 sq. ft.
1BR: 844 sq. ft.
2BR: 1232 sq. ft.
GV: 2800 sq. ft.

OKW was the first built and the studios are pretty big and open.

BWV, VWL, BCV, SSR were all built on pretty much the same footprint. So they are all pretty much the same.

BLT has the smallest studios (other than the value studios at AKV-JH). They put a lot of space into the kitchenette and bathroom and entryway. So about half of the total space (or maybe a little less) is the living space.

I think VGF and AKV are a similar footprint. GFV is different still. Not sure about Aulani, VB or HHI.

And I agree with the folks who say if you plan to only stay in studios, you are missing the best part of DVC, the one bedroom villas. Our villa is part of our vacation. We're not staying there to just sleep and be out of the room the rest of the day. We enjoy spending time in the villa.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

Here's an easy answer for you:

Follow this link for all Disney Resorts.

A second link for all DVC room sizes.

As you can see from this, the DVC rooms are actually not always larger than the hotel rooms at the various deluxe resorts. In some cases the DVC rooms are larger (AKV and WLV are about 20 SF larger) and in some they are smaller (BLT rooms are MUCH smaller than the Contemporary rooms 339 SF versus 394 SF.)

I was wrong on this, I had seen data that the DVC rooms were bigger, but clearly that isn't always the case. However, they are all bigger than moderates, who are all 315 SF. After the smallish rooms at BLT the next smallest standard room (not counting the value rooms at AKV) is 355 SF, so 40 SF bigger than moderate rooms. Looks like OKW has the biggest studio rooms at 390 SF. That makes them about as much bigger in SF as a moderate is to a value (about 50 SF).

Edit: Didn't see that crisi beat me to it...guess I should scroll up more.

I'll have to look into where we like to stay resort rooms and where we'd like to buy DVC and see the room square footage and costs See which ones make more sense.

Thank you!

 

[skier_pete]

And I agree with the folks who say if you plan to only stay in studios, you are missing the best part of DVC, the one bedroom villas. Our villa is part of our vacation. We're not staying there to just sleep and be out of the room the rest of the day. We enjoy spending time in the villa.

This is great in theory, but some of us (me for instance) bought to reduce the (long-term) cost of our vacation. If I buy enough points to stay in 1-bedroom villas every stay, I'll be spending MORE on my vacations, not less. It would definitely be a different / better experience, but one that I can't actually afford. Maybe someday, but certainly not yet.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

from the DVC Resource Thread (sticky thread at the top of every DVC Board):



OKW was the first built and the studios are pretty big and open.

BWV, VWL, BCV, SSR were all built on pretty much the same footprint. So they are all pretty much the same.

BLT has the smallest studios (other than the value studios at AKV-JH). They put a lot of space into the kitchenette and bathroom and entryway. So about half of the total space (or maybe a little less) is the living space.

I think VGF and AKV are a similar footprint. GFV is different still. Not sure about Aulani, VB or HHI.

And I agree with the folks who say if you plan to only stay in studios, you are missing the best part of DVC, the one bedroom villas. Our villa is part of our vacation. We're not staying there to just sleep and be out of the room the rest of the day. We enjoy spending time in the villa.

Because of our activities the most central located MK/EPCOT resort areas are the best of us if we buy a DVC, we would stay at other places to be sure, BUT if we were to pick "Home" resort that would be the smartest. I have been thinking of 100 points at BLT and 100 at BCV that way I could have two homes to enable 11 month in advance reservations at either location.

Only reason we are staying at Animal Kingdom this coming trip is I have never stayed there and always wanted to wake up to the animals.

I have stayed at WL, BWI, Swan, SoG and POR before.

 

[MsTessP]

We frequently stay at a moderate the night before we check-in at a DVC resort. Even when we are staying at a DVC studio, we always feel that we are getting an upgrade when we switch to our DVC resort because of the resort itself. Although we have stayed at POR (both FQ and R), CSR, and PO - and thought all of those resorts were absolutely beautiful - there is definitely a feeling of upgrade when we check into our DVC resort.

I love the 1 bedroom (staying at BWV in a 1 bedroom in a month from now!), but I would not compare the DVC studios to a moderate! One big thing we miss at the moderates, along with the DVC resort itself, is the balcony! Coffee in the morning and sangria at night while sitting on that balcony, means my vacation is really here!

 

[The Sunrise Student]

This is great in theory, but some of us (me for instance) bought to reduce the (long-term) cost of our vacation. If I buy enough points to stay in 1-bedroom villas every stay, I'll be spending MORE on my vacations, not less. It would definitely be a different / better experience, but one that I can't actually afford. Maybe someday, but certainly not yet.

Most of our stays would be just the two of us as well, and alot of gear when we march. It would be only once and a while would we invite someone to stay with us.

I was thinking 160 if all at one resort OR 100 at two resorts to have two home resorts. So we weren't thinking alot either. We would bank and or borrow for those times it was more than just the two of us and our gear.

DVC for us would be more room and cheaper cost IF the DVC locations were as nice as deluxe resorts. We are very busy people and when we go on vacation we don't want to have to worry while we are on vacation, that and we work in gruff environments so we like the NICE CMs at WDW when we are on vacation

 

[DizBub]

Most of our stays would be just the two of us as well, and alot of gear when we march. It would be only once and a while would we invite someone to stay with us.

I was thinking 160 if all at one resort OR 100 at two resorts to have two home resorts. So we weren't thinking alot either. We would bank and or borrow for those times it was more than just the two of us and our gear.

DVC for us would be more room and cheaper cost IF the DVC locations were as nice as deluxe resorts. We are very busy people and when we go on vacation we don't want to have to worry while we are on vacation, that and we work in gruff environments so we like the NICE CMs at WDW when we are on vacation

6 of the DVC resorts are attached to deluxe resorts. BWV, BCV, VWL, AKV, BLT and VGF. Only 2, OKW and SSR are exclusively DVC. Those are the only ones that are considered "condo" style. One big plus with them is parking. If you drive you can park right at your door at OKW and right outside your building at SSR. Since we drive this is much appreciated. Both of these locations along with AKV, are considered to be the most quiet and relaxing because they are far removed from parks.

All of the DVC CMs we have ever encountered have gone above and beyond. The only ones I have ever heard were less than nice was at the Epcot resorts (BWV and BCV) but we haven't experienced them. Our stays there have been great. Well, except for the parking and the bus situation. Epcot resorts, even on the hotel sides have their own set of challenges.

 

[The Sunrise Student]

6 of the DVC resorts are attached to deluxe resorts. BWV, BCV, VWL, AKV, BLT and VGF. Only 2, OKW and SSR are exclusively DVC. Those are the only ones that are considered "condo" style. One big plus with them is parking. If you drive you can park right at your door at OKW and right outside your building at SSR. Since we drive this is much appreciated. Both of these locations along with AKV, are considered to be the most quiet and relaxing because they are far removed from parks.

All of the DVC CMs we have ever encountered have gone above and beyond. The only ones I have ever heard were less than nice was at the Epcot resorts (BWV and BCV) but we haven't experienced them. Our stays there have been great. Well, except for the parking and the bus situation. Epcot resorts, even on the hotel sides have their own set of challenges.

PARKING: I know that parking is free at the parks when you stay at a WDW Resort, is the same true for DVC locations?

Magic Bands: staying at a resort your entrance to your room, your FP and your tickets are all on them. With Annual Pass/DVC members how are things run? Are you still on the old system?

 

[DizBub]

PARKING: I know that parking is free at the parks when you stay at a WDW Resort, is the same true for DVC locations?

Magic Bands: staying at a resort your entrance to your room, your FP and your tickets are all on them. With Annual Pass/DVC members how are things run? Are you still on the old system?

Parking is free. Magic Bands all the same.

 

[Msmithmd]

PARKING: I know that parking is free at the parks when you stay at a WDW Resort, is the same true for DVC locations? Magic Bands: staying at a resort your entrance to your room, your FP and your tickets are all on them. With Annual Pass/DVC members how are things run? Are you still on the old system?

On site stays are exactly the same with regards to parking, FP+, booking windows for dining, etc- whether they are with a cash reservation or DVC.

And one point- nothing at all is on a magic band. It emits a fixed numerical code that is assigned to your MDE account. You can use the same band for current and future trips. The band only tells the system who you are-and the system as a whole will open up your room door wherever you are a current guest, be that a cash resort or DVC.

KTTW cards and old FP system no longer exist in Orlando.

 

[disneynutz]

6 of the DVC resorts are attached to deluxe resorts. BWV, BCV, VWL, AKV, BLT and VGF. Only 2, OKW and SSR are exclusively DVC. Those are the only ones that are considered "condo" style. One big plus with them is parking. If you drive you can park right at your door at OKW and right outside your building at SSR. Since we drive this is much appreciated. Both of these locations along with AKV, are considered to be the most quiet and relaxing because they are far removed from parks.

All of the DVC CMs we have ever encountered have gone above and beyond. The only ones I have ever heard were less than nice was at the Epcot resorts (BWV and BCV) but we haven't experienced them. Our stays there have been great. Well, except for the parking and the bus situation. Epcot resorts, even on the hotel sides have their own set of challenges.

I just keep digging a deeper hole. The only DVD/DVC CM's at the resorts are ASA's and maybe a Guide if the property is still actively being marketed. All of the resort CM's work for Disney Resorts, under contract to DVC, paid for by our dues.

I may seem like a small difference but when people post that they love or dislike the DVC CM's, they aren't DVC CM's.

Bill

 

[crisi]

Keep in mind that in a DVC studio there will be much more open floor space than a regular moderate or deluxe room due to the fact that there is 1 queen bed and a sleeper sofa. If there is only 2 of you there would be no reason to open the sofa. Even if you did have more people the sofa can be folded up during the day. One exception would be the studios at OKW, all of them have 2 queen beds but the rooms themselves are larger.

Though a moderate would have the advantage of being able to get a configuration with a King Bed.

I'm also of the opinion that if I were going to book studios, I wouldn't buy DVC. I much prefer the Deluxe resorts over DVC studios. And when we stayed moderate, we stayed at the 340 square foot CBR with a king bed (I never realized how much smaller the other moderate rooms are). I like daily housekeeping and the ability to usually get a room on short notice. But most of all, I like the flexibility of cash - to be able to say "lets go somewhere else this year" and not have points that need to be rented out to do it - the idea that my capital isn't tied up in DVC.

Right now it is - and it was a good decision for us because it allowed us to book multi-room units. The washer and dryer in the room turned out to be worth the buy in by itself.

 

[JimMIA]

I just keep digging a deeper hole. The only DVD/DVC CM's at the resorts are ASA's and maybe a Guide if the property is still actively being marketed. All of the resort CM's work for Disney Resorts, under contract to DVC, paid for by our dues.

I may seem like a small difference but when people post that they love or dislike the DVC CM's, they aren't DVC CM's.

Bill

Yeah...I always enjoy talking to the Disney CMs at the Disney Desk at Wyndham Bonnet Creek whenever we stay there. They are always very pleasant and helpful.

[ETA: I'm not joking. There ARE Disney CMs on duty at WBC.]

 

[djohn06]

For me I essentially get my room for free every year.

How do I go for free? I sell half of my points and that covers my yearly maint fee. I have very low buy ins and I bought mostly loaded contracts in which the seller paid the maint fee.

DVC is in the top 1percent of timeshares that have actually appreciated in value when purchased via resale. Will it continue to happen? That's no guarantee, but at bare minimum the fact I can stay in Deluxe resorts for free makes DVC a zero brainer.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

So if DVC accommodations are equivalent to a Moderate Hotel room at the WDW Resorts I am not sure if we will be happy with paying the same rate we get when we get discounted rates at a deluxe.

I'll state that I haven't gotten to every post in this thread so I'm not certain where the remark that DVC is equivalent to a moderate came from but IMO that's not true at all. The only thing that is usually used to compare DVC to a moderate is that if you are comfortable in staying in a moderate and would be looking at a DVC studio then it may be virtually a wash cost wise although you would be getting slightly upgraded accommodations with DVC.

I still have stays in the Disney Deluxe hotels with conventions and to me, setting aside daily housekeeping, there's little difference between them and DVC rooms and with DVC you get a full kitchenette. Because the hotel sides were renovated more frequently so that some things were getting upgraded on the hotel side, or maybe just more modernized, there was a difference (although the deluxe of 10 years ago was what DVC was) but with DVC finally getting around to some resort renovations and with the newest resorts I could not say there's much of a difference - or DVC is better in a couple of cases. In the past 2 years the worst condition room I had was BC, not a DVC resort. Of course Disney deluxe isn't setting a very high level of deluxe anyway.