Why wouldn't you join DVC?

[Poorman]

Originally posted by terribm
My one and only reason for not buying DVC can be summed up in one word-HUSBAND. We don't see eye to eye on the value. He is more of a one visit per every 3 years or so and I want to go all the time. I tried my best but couldn't talk him into it. Boo-hoo for me.

Terri

That was me before we had grandkids. My wife would want to go once or twice a year, I didn't care if I ever went back. It is different now. With two grandchildren, I really enjoy being there with them. I like watching them see new and different things,I like seeing Disney through their eyes. To each there own.

 

[senecabeach]

Good question and what timing.
I have been staying @ WDW since 71, every year @ visited all the resorts.
I travelled 40% of the time with my job and found there is nothing like the convenience of a LR, K to come home to..rather than a hotel room.
I own 2 timeshares thru RCI. 2 weeks in Cape Cod and 1 in Cancun and mostly trade them to go other places. They are deeded and mine forever. They're trade value in Orlando can get me a 2-3 BDRM in a "Gold Crown" resort. I have had CC for over 10 yrs. and the Mtc Fee is and has stayed around @ $400-450. per year.
I purchased @ the BC last year and am using it this May, attached to 2 other timeshare weeks. The BC Mtc Fee has already gone up from $3.97 to $4.18..per pt. !!!!!
Did I do the right thing??? Should I have bought a resale @ OKW (bigger units, less Mtc Fees)??? Oh... the things we regret doing in life...like not buying OKW, when it was new & cheap!!

This is not a matter of $$$.
I have been blessed to be able to pay cash for the DVC and would consider buying an add-on the same way...But....reality is...the Disney hype...supply & demand....people mortgaging their first born to buy a DVC....outrageous prices......scare me!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have been blessed to be able to pay cash for the DVC and would consider buying an add-on the same way...But....reality is...the Disney hype...supply & demand....people mortgaging their first born to buy a DVC....outrageous prices......scare me!

Absolutely true! We have owned DVC for 7-8 years and love it, but we only did it when we could pay for our 380 points without borrowing. I believe if you are going to WDW every year and love staying on-site, it is a no brainer that DVC is the way to go, and the plan is VERY flexible with different accomodation types right there. (For those who don't like the pull out for the second bed, stay at OKW, it has 2 queen beds in the studio and second bedroom) Dues change depending on WHICH resort you own at. I do not believe it is meant for those who do not travel to WDW yearly or who have to borrow money to pay for it. Think of it as a prepaid vacation that you only have to maintain for the 40-50 years of your contract.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I own DVC but will post reasons I wouldn't have purchased.

If I would have had to finance. I would never finance such a luxury item. I would have felt more bondage than freedom and enjoyment. In that case I would have stayed at MODERATES and gotten 2 rooms. In the long run, moderates are cheaper.

If I wanted to stay at another Disney hotel. (Points are not efficient at NON-DVC hotels at Disney or on the cruises, etc.)

If I wasn't going to visit Disney at least once every 3 years. (You can bank/borrow points and use them every three years, thus requiring fewer points overall.)

If I didn't REALLY like WDW. In that case I would have been like the accountant above and invested the money instead.

If I thought Disney would fold.

Here is one reason I WOULD NOT have used:

Originally posted by *Flower*
We went to the presentation, and it's really geared toward people who don't go as often as we do.

BECAUSE it doesn't make sense. For luxury-level accomodations in the long run DVC is much cheaper than other on-site resorts. That works for 300 points or 3,000. And includes annual fees. If Flower is staying at deluxe level hotels on-site she will end up spending much more over the next 30 years on hotel bills -- and the more she stays, the more she'll increase the gap. If she stays in moderates and uses discount codes -- she'll save overall.




WHY did I buy???

I have five kids and we want to stay in one unit!!!

I love Disney!! And love to know I have a place to come back to when I'm driving away. It's an excuse to go back.

And I LOVE OKW!! It'll be even better with the new slide.

 

[goofy4tink]

We just bought BWV last fall. My dh was the one who suggested it. He had never really been into the whole 'Disney' thing, but said that it would force him into vacationing with us!! Is it perfect for everyone? No. Is it more expensive in some ways than staying at other WDW resorts? Yes. But, now we don't feel the urge to scurry around getting to the parks every day. We know we are coming back each year. We bought only 150 pts. That is enough for us to stay in a studio (just 3 of us) for about 10 nights a year. We stay in a different place on Fri and Sat night. That way we can still try out different resorts. Maybe even try out the Universal resorts!!! Do we cook? Nope. But, it sure is nice to just grab a quick (and cheaper) breakfast in your room than going to a restaurant every day. We are planning on trying other spots also. Like Hilton Head and Vero Beach. But, basically....we bought to force dh to take a vacation every single year. And since he is a type A personality, WDW is the perfect place for him!!

 

[trampslady]

...must say last minute plans can certainly be made with DVC....just booked the ever popular Easter weekend yesterday for BWV. We are absolutely spoiled to the larger luxury accommodations after just one visit to BCV in December. Plus the location of BCV and BWV can't be beat..period! If I were to stay at the corresponding hotels, even with my airline employee discount comparing to the CM discount, I'd be spending over $200.00 per night......in the long run, if you prefer luxury accommodations..it pays to DVC. And, for that fridge and kitchen, I don't feel compelled to cook, but it's nice to store munchies and beverages.

 

[LisaRay]

Some things are just different for each person.

We have been every year for 11 years. But no DVC here.

Our reasons are that we go in the off season and can stay a week at a value resort of the price of the yearly maintc. fees.
or at a Mod. for a few hundred more.
Also we hate changing resorts. Just unpacking at staying in one place is great but I would have a hard time paying those super high points on the weekends. So that could be a problem.

Another thing is that we can't usually plan a year in advance. We usually plan about 4 months out. If it is longer than that it is unheard of in our house!
And by going in the off season we take our DD out of school so we always take full advantage of both weekends. Sometimes arriving on a friday nite and staying till the following sunday. So that falls into the higher points on weekends thing again.


Maybe if we had a 3 kids or even more it would be different but I doubt it.

 

[Disney Doll]

I would have to agree that DVC is not for everyone, but the comments about flexibility are probably incorrect. I have owned since 1997 and have planned vacation s anywhere from 11 months out to 3 weeks out and have always been able to get exactly what I want. I have gone in January, February, July, October, November & May.

As far as cookig on vacation...I don't. The kitchen is nice to have to make coffe in the AM, keep stuff for a quick, cheaper, relaxed breakfast sitting on your balcony, and to have snacks/drinks available on our break from the parks in the afternoon.

Like having the washer/dryer...it doesn't bother me much to throw in a load while we're hanging out in the room, and I like the fact that being able to do laundry cuts down on the amount I need to pack.

As far as the bed situation, I agree with the poster who woouldn't make her MIL sleep on the fold-out...for that reason, I'd probably rent a 2 BR if MIL was coming. However, when we travel with our contemporaries (friends and sibs), they are quite happy to sleep on the fold out if necessary since they don't get charged for the accomodaitons. Between you and me, if someone said "Come with me to WDW. You'll have to sleep on a fold out couch, but you won't be paying anyting towards your accomodations" I'd be all over that!

 

[disneygals]

We own a resale Vistana timeshare which cost a quarter of the price of DVC and the maintenance fees are half. (based on 7 days, 2 br) My dh doesn't mind driving to the parks and we live without the Mickey soaps p ).

I do love staying onsite too and would still consider DVC except we had this darn third child, so would always have to get a 2 br. If we could buy a smaller amt and "suffer" in a studio or 1 br for longer stays, I could justify it.

Vivienne

 

[shelly3girls]

We own DVC, but it is not for everyone. I agree that I would never have bought if I had to finance it. I do disagree with many comments though.

1. We have reserved a room with two weeks notice, up to this point have not had availability problems.

2. We go a couple times a year. We use DVC for our long stays then go for short trips at other deluxes when there are good AP discounts and cheap airfare. If we normally stayed in a value resort for the long trip, DVC would be more expensive.

3. I never cook even at home, but the kitchen is great for snacks and quick breakfasts.

4. For the cost of just our family of 4 at a deluxe (probably even less) we can take other family members with us. This allows us to vacation with friends and family who may not normally be able to go at all.

5. We love BCV, the pool is awesome. We also love the location. We go often enough that when we stay on the monorail we concentrate on MK and while at the BCV we concentrate on Epcot and MGM. My DH loves being near the boardwalk. If you only want to stay on the monorail then DVC is not for you. If you prefer to stay off-site to save money then it is also not for you.

6. DVC is a way to prepay vacations. In ten years my maint. fees will be higher, but the cost of the deluxe resorts has historically increased at a much higher rate (or so I have read). We figured our investment will pay for itself in about 7 - 8 years. My maintenace fee is less than 4 nights at the Poly with an AP discount and I have enough points for a full week in a 2 bedroom villa that sleeps 8.

I am sure I will think of more later, but....

 

[G8RFAN]

I was on the fence for a while. As a FL resident and AP holder, I would have access to year-round discounts on deluxe accomodations. With an accounting/financial background, I ran the numbers and could not justify the purchase for the longest time. The bottomline for me was realizing...

Vacations are entirely discretionary and are good investments into your quality of life and poor investments for wealth.

The villas were worth the premium to my family. Although there might be better "values" off-site with similar levels of accomodations, the Disney "magic" is what we pay a premium for and why we continue to visit WDW.

We could sell our points relatively easily if DVC is no longer a value to our family. While our principal could be diminished by market conditions and commissions, a conservative estimate of maintaining at least 75% value changes the breakeven formula dramatically.

Points can be purchased in smaller blocks such as two 100 points for the same use year so as to keep the marketability of the contract(s) higher.

We also visit the park many times on a whim and will use the traditional resorts for those visits. So we bought the amount of points that historically could cover our trips that were not last minute planned trips.

If you can not easily afford it, I could not see any of my reasons for buying into it applicable.

 

[Lisa P.]

We were DVC members and sold it, while we kept our other timeshare points. For us, it's mostly about the cost, compared with alternatives that appeal just as much, if not more in some ways. A non-DVC timeshare resale 2BR week (or equivalent points) costs only 10%-70% of the DVC price for equivalent unit size and season (we paid $3,000). A non-DVC maintenance fee can be as costly as DVC or as low as 50%-80% less than DVC (ours is 50% of DVC OKW maint).

We prefer to spend less on our timeshare so we can afford to travel much more. Here's why DVC would not be a good choice for our family now, with 3 teenagers (and sometimes friends) traveling with us now:

1. We always need at least a 2BR. We carry no ongoing debt besides our home mortgage. DVC is too expensive for us, for larger units.

2. We have a limited interest in Disney. While we still visit Orlando every 1.5-2 years, DH is tired of Disney and our teens prefer as many thrill rides as possible at theme parks. We all still enjoy a full day at the water parks, for which there is no onsite advantage.

3. We all love to explore other, new destinations. These are more affordable and more readily available where we want to go, by using our Fairfield points than with DVC.

4. With hungry teenager$, we eat at offsite buffets and restaurants more often than at onsite, Disney-priced restaurants. We do make great use of the kitchen too - breakfast, drinks, snacks, salads, yogurt & healthy sandwich fixings - and everyone in the family can cook simple eat-in meals. So an offsite timeshare condo works well for us!

5. With any timeshare points program, it's not always possible to get what you want when you want it (unless you call on the first day of the reservation window). With DVC, we were on 2 waitlists from 6.5 months out, which never did come through (Thanksgiving at BWV and late June at HHI).

6. No DVC points discounts for last minute DVC reservations filling vacant inventory. Fairfield has these for selected resorts every month.

7. Trading outside of DVC is too limited. Our Fairfield points may be used for nearly any cruise in the world. When trading via RCI, it's easy to get room size upgrades so our points go farther.

 

[*Flower*]

I guess I should clarify my response just a bit.

We are weekend travelers. We drive down to WDW on Friday mornings and drive home on Sundays. We do this for 1 weekend a month except for summer.

In December we do a week to 2 weeks at Christmas/New Year's. As everyone knows- the weekends have the highest point value. To DVC during our stays would take at least 800 - 1000 points (if not more)- and the cost plus the maintenance fees per point would be prohibitive for us.

We are retired military, so the majority of our trips are booked into SoG.

I appreciate the breakdown of where I'd break even or improve my value though.... I love saving money!!

 

[SonicLogic]

Why buy DVC when you can rent points at half price? There is a lot of turn over in the DVC. Heck, some real estate firms base their entire business on DVC resales. About 65% of all DVC sales turn over within 6 years so the market for rental points and resales is booming.

Due to divorce, financial problems, medical problems or just a change in life style, lots of DVC owners change their minds and decide to bail out. Inexpensive rental points are plentiful. Also, please let me note that I have never used this forum to solicit for the rental of DVC points nor do I ever intend to do so.

There are plenty a half price rental points available through real estate firms via the phone!

 

[DMRick]

We've been to the presentation and had no interest. Almost everyone we know stays in a "regular" Disney hotel for weekends, to safe points. I couldn't be bothered to have to move to save a money. I'm also too cheap to pay for the upfront DVC, and the points and the mantenace. We go about four times a year lately, have AP's (and sometimes we don't but still use codes) and stay either at POR , or one of the values. (usually values for a winter trip or with grands). In May we are paying $518 (plus tax) to stay 7 days at POR..our favorite resort. In January, we stayed at Pop for $343 for 7 days. The towels are changed daily, the bed is made for me, and the place is vaccumed, every day. I don't feel guilty for enjoying my meal out, instead of saving money to have my meal in. If I decide not to vacation in Disney or another time share, I'm free and loose to do whatever I want (spent a week last month in Ireland and stayed a lovely bed and breakfast).
We've looked at the figures..for us we are money ahead not joining. If I wanted a big place in Florida, I would buy a condo and live there for a few months a year..and always know I could get in when I wanted to..and nto worry about how I can get the most out of my points, or always feeling like I need to buy more. And hey, if I want to bring my RV down and stay in the campground..I dont' have to feel guilty for not using my timeshare.

 

[disneyberry]

<font face="times" size="+0">i'm a DVC member, but just wanted to offer my perspective on this topic.

Reasons why you shouldn't join DVC:
<ul><li><font face="times" size="+0">you cannot afford to pay for the purchase in cash. you must go into debt in order to buy DVC.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you are perfectly happy paying cheaper hotel rates for offsite hotels.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you are perfectly happy staying at Disney's Moderate or Value Resorts</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you absolutely love one of Disney's Deluxe resorts (other than WL, BC, or BWI) such as the Poly or GF, and MUST stay there only! i.e. you would be unhappy if you had to stay at a DVC resort instead.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you go to WDW mostly on weekends (Fri + Sat nights are ridiculously expensive on points).</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you are willing to invest the time/effort and willing to take on the risks involved with renting DVC points from "strangers" on the internet. (<i>this</i> was the final push for me. i decided that i would rather have control over my own reservations. that got me started on seriously researching buying DVC, and then the rest is history. )</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you always plan your WDW vacations less than 2 months in advance. (last minute DVC reservations can be successful, but only if you are very flexible with your choice of dates, choice of resort, and choice of unit size.)</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you do not plan to vacation at WDW at least once every 2 years for the next 38 to 50 years.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you qualify for some special Disney resort discounts, and you believe you will continue to successfully get great resort discounts in the future.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you always vacation at WDW during either the 2 weeks surrounding Easter Sunday, or during the week between Xmas and New Years'.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you absolutely must have daily full housekeeping services, and do not want to have to pay extra for that.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">you don't mind waiting... and waiting... and waiting... for Disney to release resort discount codes.</font>
<li><font face="times" size="+0">finally, just wanted to add that you shouldn't join unless you've <i>thoroughly</i> researched how DVC works, it's drawbacks, how many points you really need, etc. the DVC board on the DIS is the <i>best</i> resource on DVC and often more informative than the official Disney DVC Sales Guides.</font></ul>
btw, i did want to comment that not all of the DVC resorts have that "condo" feel. OKW is a very condo-like resort. i believe SSR might have a more condo-type feel as well, although there will be indoor corridors. the other 3 resorts onsite: BWV, BCV, and VWL all very much have a hotel feel. just want to clarify that misconception. </font>

 

[HaleyB]

I don't need space, I only sleep in the room (relax? I can do that when I am dead). I don't plan my trips 11 months out. I like to not only stay for one weekend, but two. I like to try out all the resorts. I don't go every year (I go to Disneyland more). I am not sure that 10 years from now WDW will be my first choice for a big vacation. Also I have a son about to enter college... so talk to me in 5 years!

 

[ScarlettO]

Originally posted by shelly3girls

3. I never cook even at home, but the kitchen is great for snacks and quick breakfasts.

\

I know this is none of my buisness.........if you never cook , how does your family eat?

 

[nasmith]

SonicLogic - Could you PM the real estate Company you use - I may need to rent some of my points, and don't know If I'm comfortable going thru the boards without a mediary - Thanks! JIll