Why I Should Not Join??

[BC]

We are just back from our stay at the Boardwalk. We went into the Vacation club office and spoke with a nice lady named Carol Ann. We are very interested in joining, but with all these great code rates and other specials, is it really worth the annual fees and such? I am pretty convinced it is the best way to go, but my husband is a bit leary. Please tell me the negatives you see with joining. I just want to make sure we have thought of everything first. I did not post this on the DVC board, because everyone there is a member so I am sure there would be no negative comments. Thanks in advance for your honesty.

 

[Jaypd]

This would be better on our DVC board so I am moving it there

Thanks

 

[Granny]

I am a new DVC member but I can think of many reasons not to join DVC. I would not advise joining DVC if:

1. If you don't like Disney all that much and want a timeshare to trade out for other places....DVC is not your best value there.

2. If you don't care if you stay on-site at Disney. To me, this is a critical factor since you can probably find deals every year for some nice accommodations off site. My family (and I) just put a premium value on staying on-site. The Disney transportation system is great and being on-site makes the relaxation portion of the vacation a lot better.

3. If you don't mind "hotel room" vacations. The ability to stay in accommodations that are larger than hotel rooms or even hotel suites is another critical factor. Also, the kitchenette and laundry facilities are not found in most hotels, even the suites.

4. If you want to buy into DVC to allow you to stay in other Disney resort hotels. As is being posted ad nauseum on this board, this is a risky reason to invest.

5. If you are buying in a DVC location that you don't particularly want to stay in. This board's adage of "buy where you want to stay" is great advice. If you are flexible with your accommodations and time of year, this becomes less of an issue.

I'm sure there are many more but this response is a little lengthy already.

Ask my why you should buy into DVC and I can give you this many reasons and more!

Good luck on your decision. I think you won't find many with "buyers remorse" here.


Granny

 

[CarolMN]

First of all, you shouldn't buy DVC (or any timeshare) unless you have discretionary income. IMHO, prepaid vacations come after saving for emergencies (most financial planners recommend having 3-6 months salary in cash reserves), retirement and your children's education.

DVC works best for those families that regularly go to Disney and stay on-site in moderate or deluxe properties. By regularly, I mean at least once every other year for a week or more. It also works best if you can plan ahead - 11 months ahead is optimal.

If your family meets those requirements, DVC can be a good choice. Keep in mind that DVC is an expensive way to go if you plan to trade out on a regular basis. If you've been reading the boards recently, you will know that the point requirements to stay at non-DVC resorts appear to have increased. The best value of DVC points is to stay at the DVC resorts.

We love DVC and are very happy with our purchase. Wish we would have bought in earlier.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Because, if you don't join, there will be more for me to buy!!!!

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

Reasons not to buy:

1. You are not in the habit of staying in moderate to deluxe accomodations on site.

2. Disney is nice but you really enjoy visiting other attractions in Orlando.

3. You can't envision yourself going to DisneyWorld, Hilton Head or Vero Beach year after year.

4. You have other high priority large expenses you need to satisfy.

5. You don't require the "disney" atmosphere every time you come down. In fact you enjoy the variations you find in other accomodations...actually this is key...if you don't place a premium on the Disney atmosphere you can do better by shopping around.

6. For whatever reason you are able to travel in the Fall through Spring (ignoring Christmas) and any of the above apply.

Hmmmm maybe I shouldn't have bought!!!

Well...I will add I bought because I felt I would also enjoy Vero & Hilton Head in off seasons & gasp...because I could waste the points on weekend stays in places like Manhattan, Charleston, San Francisco, and Vermont. And yes...it'd be a better use of the points to pay cash for these stays.

 

[sgtpet]

They lie to you about flexibility. It is #2 on their sales promotion. They are doing things to limit the flexibility. If you like your home resort for the next 40 years and having to plan 11 months in advance for vacation. Look at the posts. I was won who was debating to purchase. I chose not too.

 

[B and B]

We live only a few hours away and go often....and always on the spur of the moment. I have to admire all the folks that know what they are doing 7-11 months ahead.

We always check the boards and have always been able to purchase points at discounted rates.

We have for the past year been able to rent through Disney a 1-2 BR at any of the DVC properties for less than purchasing someone else's points.

We are in our mid 50's and have concerns about better use of money into 2042, because you see, we would need to purchase two contracts so that each of our kids could carry on our tradition.

All that said, we love Dis and use it to rendevouz with grown kids and grandkids at least once a month. Add up what we do spend, even though we always get good deals, the great info we gleam from this board has me convinced it is the thing to do. I am still working on hubby, but feel certain he will agree one of these days. My newest angle is to add up the money we spend in the course of a year (I should say that we have been doing the Dis thing for the past 35 years - yikes - so that just goes to show you how silly we have been and continue to be. Gotta change it!!

 

[sgtpet]

DVC Dave

You appear to be objective. Glad to see this on these boards

 

[DVCDAVE]

If anyone disagrees about stealing of benefits or perks, just try and pool hop over to AKL. They won't even let you park your car there. No where in my paperwork does it say "pool hop anywhere BUT AKL" Even if I want to stay there on points, They jacked up the point schedule so high that I can only stay in August when the smell is so ripe........well I won't get in to that.

 

[deerh]

DVCDAVE If you don't like being lied to, don't join. Disney relies on it's pristine reputation to suck you in to believing they won't, or can't do no wrong, then they steal benefits and perks away from you. I bought a year ago, now I feel like the biggest sucker in town.

DVC DAVE: If you are that unhappy with your DVC, then sell it throught your timeshare store of your choice, you should have no problem,especially if you own at BWV!
deerh

 

[DVCDAVE]

DEERH, In fact I have been happy with my DVC purcahses and stays up until the last 2 days. I really could care less about pool hopping, and I have participated in many discussions about it. But, over the last year I have most defantely seen a patern of behavior develope by Disney which makes me feel.....well in the words of PAMOKW "like the black sheep of the family". Face it, even if you believe Bill Clinton didn't inhale (in fact I believe he said "I did it at Yale"), didn't have sex, and doesn't know what the meaning of the word "is" is, Disney sold us "flexibility". Now they may not have taken it away, but they sure have priced it out of the reach of all but the most heavy point holders. Now we ALL know that there is plenty of bread in Ethiopia, so there is NO reason for starvation, its just that bread costs 3 years annual salary for most of its people, so maybe they too should shut up and stop complaining like me "huh".

 

[prplcrzy]

Dave you should sell you DVC if you are not happy. I mean to say that I totally don't understand how you can be so negative unless you didn't read the materials before you purchased. If the little things get to you like this you probably will never be happy with it, so selling it would probably be your best option.

If you think it is really not worth it, I'll give you $10 per point for your membership, I for one will use it.

 

[deerh]

DVC DAVE:

I agree with you that FLEXIBILITY is a BIG issue with Disney. I am contimplating buying at HHI and Add on, and am disturbed by the point cost of the cruise going up. I posted earlier on this subject, and am burned by that! They keep going up and up, and this is a troublesome trend. I agree, BUT, I also AGREE that the best use of points is at the DVC resorts, NOT at poly, etc. TRUE, it is an option, but I can't get kitchen, etc at the poly. So, if you bought with that impression, Dean is correct, in that it is not a wise use of points to use for that option. I am in agreement that they need to watch the points on the cruise. I have in my hand the brochure of the DVC, and guess what is on top, next to the DVC logo? The cruise!!!! So, they advertise the cruise, but they are pricing the points too high. For example, a cat 6 on the 7 day summer, is 211 points, it was 203 last year, at 8pts\yr, it will go up to 235 in 3 years, that is too high!! So, for 3 people, one child and 2 adults and 1 child paying cash it is 545 or so pts in only 3 years!!!! Imagine what it will be in 2008 or 2009!!!!!!!
Just a point to ponder...........

 

[prplcrzy]

deerh,

I was wondering if you have ever gotten the cash prices and compared cash prices to the increase in the points needed for the cruise. I have never thought of the cruise because I thought it was too many points, and now that I know it is increasing I will be even less likely to go on one.

 

[deerh]

I was wondering if you have ever gotten the cash prices and compared cash prices to the increase in the points needed for the cruise. I have never thought of the cruise because I thought it was too many points, and now that I know it is increasing I will be even less likely to go on one.

Yes, I have gone on the cruise (4 day) this summer, and loved it. I paid cash for 1 child, and points for the rest of us. Kind of defeats the purpose of the DVC! Why would I have a montlhly payment to DVC, then charge the cruise (good deal), and then make a monthly payment for the cruise? Kind of seems silly, but maybe the points won't be so bad. Besides, I can afford with points, the 4 day cruise, and Could pay cash for the 2 kids, and use DW and I on points. Good question you ask, but defeats DVC in my opinion!!!!
deerh

 

[DVCDAVE]

PRPLCRZY-- First, read my posts, I have been happy, up until the last two days. I did read my material, as you did, futher I may like to add that I am not that stupid. I have a 4 year degree in business, and my wife has 2 graduate degrees in medicine. Maybe instead of scolding me about reading my material, you should read the marketing material that Disney sent you and scold them for selling a theme of "flexibility". I too read the pharases on how they can change things, and I realize that. But I NEVER expected a 37% increase after 10 years of stability to the schedule. And you are right about their legal rights, what about their moral right to present things in a fair and honest fashion.

What you seem to convienantly overlook is that for an average family like mine with two boys ages 7 and 9, always booking during magic season, EVEN if we book at the 11 month window, there is NO assurance of getting what we want. The DC collection always assured us (up until two days ago) of a safety net. But when Disney jacks up those rates at a 37% rate, our vacations may be OUT THE WINDOW. Face it, some us can't travel just anytime. We bought with and understanding that this plan was differant, "flexible".

PRPLCRZY, rather than tell me to read my paperwork, why don't you read YOUR marketing material, and tell me if I am wrong. I challange you to PROVE me wrong, there isn't one page in that material that doesn't state the word "flexibility" and show a photo or a non DVC resort. Let's be honest with each other who lied to who.

I'll take your offer of $10/point in jest, you may think I am stupid for buying DVC, but like I said I have a BS degree in Finance and have been a stockbroker for 22 years. I know supply and demand, and if you think that moves like this enhance DVC values, your wrong. This type of behavior on Disney's part is exactly what has given the timeshare industry the reputation that it deserves. But, as I said before, Disney relied on its pristine reputation, and now we are all suckers.

 

[Doctor P]

Let's consider the facts for a moment. First, the DVC Disney Collection options have not been eliminated. The price of the option has gone up. Second, there apparently was no increase in the point price of DC accomodations (at WDW resorts) in the first ten years of the program. This is despite large increases in the rack rates at the resorts that have outstripped the increase in the per point cost of DVC. Third, the new point schedule offers MORE options for members. We now have access to different views at the WDW resorts--something not available before (I can't count the number of posts I saw over the past year complaining that one could not pay cash to upgrade to concierege level at the WDW resorts when staying on DVC points). Fourth, if we take kem330's example from YC/BC, a member with 150 points could have stayed 6 week nights at YC/BC with the old point schedule. Under the new point schedule, the same member could stay 5 nights. Yes, it is a reduction in what you are able to do, but there remains a significant option to use your points in this manner as a "safety net". The reduction from 6 days accomodations to 5 days is meaningful, but it is also not the kind of thing that would ruin my limited days on earth.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I would like to post an apology to the original poster. Unfortunately, you asked this question at a time when there are 2 or 3 people who are very upset about one detail involving exchanges of thier timeshare into a hotel system. It really has little to do with the timeshare experience itself. Go through the history on this board, and I think you will see many pros and cons to membership.

The first several posters gave you good information about pros and cons. Please try not to let the arguing of a few turn you off completely.

We have been members since 1997. We are in our mid 50's and have used our DVC many times to travel with family and friends to WDW. It was not our intent to use our timeshare for anything other than our home resort stay except for an occational exchange. If you love Disney as much as we do and love staying in great accommodations on site, it might be worth looking into more. Be sure to know which resort you want for your "home" so you can be happy with that for the next 40 years in case trading out becomes difficult. We only regret that we did not do it much earlier than we did.

 

[stlrod]

Going back to the original post, if you are a die-hard WDW fan who cannot imagine staying offsite, you can ignore this post. Otherwise, you should not buy DVC if you have not checked out at least one other high-quality timeshare program for comparison (Marriott, Hilton or possibly Sheraton). I am not saying that you should buy somwhere else, just that you should check it out. Seven years ago, my wife and I made a special trip to Orlando for the sole purpose of buying OKW. We also checked out Marriott's Cypress Harbour. We bought Marriott because it was quieter (although the transportation is great at DVC, we found busses zipping through the property annoying.) We also liked the idea of ownership as opposed to renting and were concerned about whether DVC would continue to build outside of Orlando (as it turned out DVC sold its Newport Coast property to Marriott.) We have never regretted our decision. Don't get me wrong. DVC is a great program (we're staying at both BWV and WLV over Xmas and still considering buying at HHI.) I just think that you will be more comfortable with whatever decision you make if you check out the competition. If you were buying Marriott, I would tell you the same thing--you owe it to yourself to check out DVC.