Wondering if we should join.

[Mouse511]

DH and I just returned from a 7 night stay at WL and absolutely loved the lodge.

On our 4th day - we decided to take the DVC tour to learn more about it. The tour went longer then we expected - so we had to cut it a little short right at the end. (Res at O'Hanas).

So we were left with a few remaining questions - one being - is this program for us ??
We really love Disney and have been there a bunch of times but this program really makes you feel compelled to visit Disney every year (Not that its a bad thing) - But do you get what I'm saying ??

Second - How do the Maintenance Fees and Yearly dues work ? I know you need to pay per point - so for example if I buy 150 points and the SSR is $4.12/point - I need to pay $630 a year just to be in the DVC ?
I have looked through all the material I was given and nothing in there explains these fees

I have also heard people state that once they join the DVC that they are not treated like regular "Renters" within the world. One thing that was never mentioned during our tour - is that there is no daily Mousekeeping - this sort of thing concerns me. All the other 'renters' get daily mousekeeping but DVC does not - Yes I know DVC members are paying considerbly less $$ each visit - but we also put up big $$ upfront to buy in. I dont want to have that " now we have your $$ - we dont care about you anymore" feeling.

Would you please share your feelings towards DVC - pros and cons - please dont turn this into a flaming session.

Thanks for any help you can offer to us !!!!!!

 

[dumbo71]

Good questions.

That $600 + dollars you mention would be your annual dues to cover things like maintenance.

Not having housekeeping? We prefer not to have it really. We LOVE service but this is one we could live without. No more wondering if your room has been cleaned or when they will come. Stays less than 8 days gets a trash and towel service on day 4. 8 days or more you get a full clean on day 4 and trash and towel again on day 8.

DVC treated worse than cash guests? There is some truth to that IMO but only when dealing with complaints. I just feel like a Deluxe Resort guest would get better compensated for problems than a DVC owner would. DVC owners get treated very well and we have had some great CM's at OKW.

Dining at DVC's is terrible. Worse than a Value resort really. You won't notice if you stay at the DVC Resorts attached to Deluxe hotels like BC or VWL. The rest, terrible.

It really hits home when we stay at Marriott timeshares and I'm sitting at the poolside bar and grill eating my grilled fish sandwich with a cold beer. I always think to myself, why can't DVC do this? Sounds simple, they can't do it right. Chicken fingers, burgers, fries or no poolside food at all. Just terrible.

Really DVC is a no unless you must stay on property. There are far better timeshares in Orlando for less money with lower dues and they have better trade options.

DVC looks less and less attractive everyday. Next time you go down book a day at Marriott Grande Vista before you stay at DVC and then tell me what you think. Eat the awesome food they serve poolside, check out the indoor climbing jungle gym for kids. Look at all of the activities they offer for kids. Wait until the live music at night and then the animals they bring in like alligators, monkeys, snakes, skunks, etc. Face painters, clowns, etc. Try Nick's restaurant at the golf course right there. Great food, NO Dining plan.

 

[tjkraz]

We really love Disney and have been there a bunch of times but this program really makes you feel compelled to visit Disney every year (Not that its a bad thing) - But do you get what I'm saying ??

As far as Disney is concerned, that's the big hook. As you probably know, there are ways you can use your points outside of DVC but the value isn't as good as the 7 DVC resorts.

Aside from that, the banking and borrowing provisions allow you to skip years without any penalty. It depends a lot on the size room you see yourself getting, season and that sort of thing. The bottom line is that with 150 points you could get into a habit of banking every-other-year, giving yourself 300 points to use for visits ever 2 years.

Another thing to consider is that DVC has resorts at Vero Beach (Atlantic beachfrong) and HHI South Carolina. Those are resorts with good point values if you choose not to visit WDW.

Second - How do the Maintenance Fees and Yearly dues work ? I know you need to pay per point - so for example if I buy 150 points and the SSR is $4.12/point - I need to pay $630 a year just to be in the DVC ?
I have looked through all the material I was given and nothing in there explains these fees

The maintenance fees cover the operating costs of the resort including things like front desk staff, housekeeping, theme park busses, property taxes and so forth. When you buy into DVC, you become a part owner of the resort. As such, we must all share in the operating costs of the property.

The good news is that by law Disney doesn't have the ability to pad the dues to their benefit. There is some fixed percentage that goes back to Disney each year, as is the case with every timeshare manager. But aside from that, the amount we pay is what it costs to run the resort.

Far as the value goes, look at it this way: you can get a studio room at Saratoga Springs for as little as 11 points per night. 11 x $4.12 = $45.32 per night with NO TAXES. How does that compare to the nightly rate you paid at the WL? It's about 20% of the Rack Rate at Saratoga Springs. Pretty good savings.

When you factor in the up-front buy-in cost, it will probably take you 6-8 years to break even (reach a point where your cash room prices would equal what you pay to buy the points plus dues for those years), but then you have about FORTY more years where you're getting a room for about 20% of Disney's normal prices.

I have also heard people state that once they join the DVC that they are not treated like regular "Renters" within the world.

My take on this is that I think there are some Disney Cast Members who grow to resent DVC members. I think DVC members tend to be a little more knowledgable and thus more demanding of a guest to service. I myself have heard people use the line "I paid $xxx to be a DVC member and I want a better room than that!"

As such, I think there are times when CMs get a little frustrated dealing with some DVC members.

I don't think that's true of the vast majority of CMs, or even members for that matter. But it's impossible to deny that it does happen.

Our family is going on 4 years as members and we've only had one noteworthy (bad) encounter with a CM. And even then there really isn't much to the story. Aside from that, we've always had kind, helpful service you would expect from Disney and I think most members will echo those sentiments.

One thing that was never mentioned during our tour - is that there is no daily Mousekeeping - this sort of thing concerns me. All the other 'renters' get daily mousekeeping but DVC does not - Yes I know DVC members are paying considerbly less $$ each visit - but we also put up big $$ upfront to buy in. I dont want to have that " now we have your $$ - we dont care about you anymore" feeling.

It's not about Disney ignoring DVC members. As I said, we pay all of the operating costs of the resort. In the timeshare industry (and DVC most certainly is a timeshare), weekly cleaning is the norm. If we were to get our rooms cleaned daily, we DVC members would all share the costs. The housekeeping component of our dues would increase 4-5 times.

Disney used to call the DVC rooms "Home away from home", and I think that's an appropriate term. The rooms all have kitchens of some sort. They have vaccuums in the room if you have a spill and need to clean up. With regard to housekeeping, trust me when I say that the vast majority of DVC members have grown to appreciate the absence of daily cleanings. It's nice to be able to relax in the room without someone knocking on the door, wanting you out of the room for an hour or so.

If you do want daily cleanings, there is a published fee for the service. I think it starts at $25 per day for a Studio. Add that fee to the $45 in annual dues it's costing you per night, and you're still saving over $200 per night over paying cash for the room. It's also a flexible system in that if you just wanted to pay the $25 fee for cleanings every-other-day, you can easily arrange that upon arrival.

We have zero regrets about buying into DVC and I suspect many members echo that sentiment.

By the way, DVC is currently running a special price on points that you can only get if you have a referral from a current member. If you would like a referral, please feel free to send me a Private Message and I'll be happy to help. With the referral the price is only $86 per point. That price is good until January 20th. (Don't be offended if your salesperson didn't mention this deal because they aren't supposed to reveal it to people unless they have the referral from a member.)

Good luck in your research.
Tim

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

It is true that DVC owners don't have housekeeping included in our stay. But if it's something that's really important to you, you can pay extra for it on a daily basis. When we first joined DVC we did that but soon after became converts to the way dumbo71 thinks (at least about housekeeping).

If you stay at deluxe (maybe even moderate depending upon the rate you pay) resorts when you visit WDW and go once a year, then DVC can end up being a good buy. We tried staying off-site once but really didn't enjoy it. We also don't own so many points that our only vacations are at Disney. We do DVC but we also do other non Disney trips as well, which we may not do if we owned too many points. For example we are going next week to Disney but in April heading off to Anguilla.

DVC isn't for everyone. We will only stay on site, at a deluxe resort, can plan in advance and we are a family of 6, so DVC makes a lot of sense for us.

HBC

 

[3DisneyKids]

We love DVC and we know it was the right decision for us.

The general rules:

--Travel to WDW at least once a year. (Do we feel "compelled" to go, as you asked in your post? Not compelled, but rather excited because now we CAN go more more easily.)

--Stay on Property--in at least a mod. If you only stay in Values (which you don't), then DVC is not for you.

--Realize that you are really pre-paying for vacation accommodations. Yes, some people can "make money" on DVC, but you should not look at it as an investment.

I have not found the food to be "just terrible" at the DVC resorts. First, BWV and BCV have lots of options (as stated). SSR is just FINE...I like AP (not too many selections, true), but DTD is right there. VWL has good restaurants. The new AKV will have GREAT restaurants (Boma and Jiko, plus the new one). Olivia's at OKW...yeah, I think that needs some help.

We have not ever felt like second-class citizens as DVC'ers...just the opposite in fact...lots of "Wlecome Homes" every time. And I love hearing it from the CMs at the kiosks in the park. Other guest always look at us like "why are you so special?" So, we feel treasured to be DVC'ers!

 

[abner1776]

My co-worker and his family used my points to stay at VWL a few weeks ago for 6 days. They have stayed on property in deluxe non-DVC resorts a number of times but this was their first DVC trip.

Rather than feel like second class citizens, they felt just the opposite...as a DVC family, they received discounts for just about everything and were treated far better than their previous non-DVC vacations. While they might not buy into DVC, they were very impressed with the whole experience and very glad they used my points.

 

[CherCrazy]

Don't forget the discounts!

DVC has many discounts lined up for it's members. Something for just about everybody. The one we like the best is the $100 per person discount on the annual passes. With six of us in our home, that discount nearly pays the cost of our annual dues every year!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think you can see from the previous responses that the "problems" you bring up are things all of us thought about before purchasing. The point is, in the long run those "problems" really aren't problems at all. That housekeeping thing is a very big one for most newbies. Like others, we prefer not having the housekeeping in the room. It makes it feel more like a true vacation home, and we don't have to worry about housekeeping traipsing in and out at any time. We can come back to the room midday for a rest and not have to worry about being interupted. In fact, I have grown to dislike housekeeping at regular hotels now! I usually make the bed and hang up the towels when I stay in a regular hotel so the maid can get in and out quickly.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

As far as Disney is concerned.....

Excellent response and very well communicated. Thanks Tim.

 

[browniemtb]

DVC for us was a great move....yes a little pricey up front but if you do the fuzzy math the payback can and will be huge as far as savings go, that is compared to other Disney deluxe resorts.

Also some one above stated that you should travel every year to Disney....I unfortunately disagree with this. You could actually visit every other year and make it worth while. Some even buy smaller contracts through resale and go every third year. Since the minimun buy with Disney is 150pts and through resale you could find a contract for 50 points...giving you 150 points every third year.

Mousekeeping...well if you want it you can pay for it. For my family we prefer it the way it is. We don't really want people in our room while we are at the parks or knocking at the door at 9:00AM asking if we are there. We also wash our towels if we feel we have to....you get a washer and dryer in the 1, 2, and 3 bedroom rooms.

So here what you should consider:
Will you travel to WDW at least every other year?
Will you use you points primarily at the DVC resorts?
Can you go with out mousekeeping?
Can you handle giving you children, if you have any, memories that will last forever? This part is priceless.......

Please don't forget that there are over 700 other places around the world you can visit with your points. Some are a good value some are not. The places I've looked into take 270 points for a 2 bedroom, peak time, for a week stay. To me that isn't all that bad for deluxe waterfront accomodations.

Good Luck,
Brownie

 

[starbox]

Dining at DVC's is terrible. Worse than a Value resort really. You won't notice if you stay at the DVC Resorts attached to Deluxe hotels like BC or VWL. The rest, terrible.

I disagree. Dining at SSR is on par with the moderate resorts like CSR and POR - there is a nice CS restaurant with some upscale choices and attractive indoor seating and a decent TS restaurant (better than Boatwrights, not quite as good as Maya).

It does not have a signature dining restaurant like the DVCs attached to deluxe resorts - but it is a huge step above the POP and All Stars.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

It really hits home when we stay at Marriott timeshares and I'm sitting at the poolside bar and grill eating my grilled fish sandwich with a cold beer. I always think to myself, why can't DVC do this? Sounds simple, they can't do it right. Chicken fingers, burgers, fries or no poolside food at all. Just terrible.

I think Vero Beach has a good selection (4) of good restaurants including a poolside bar/grill.

 

[chainkid]

Let me say upfront Disney Vacation club has cost me far more than what I use to spend at Disney World prior to buying in. I only stayed at a deluxe resort once , the rest of the time I hit a moderate for 1 week and went every couple of years. I was happy with this arrangement just as long as I was onsite. After buying in and getting a taste of the Boardwalk Villas especially the great location I was hooked in a big way. I kept buying more points and treating members of my extended family to vacations just to see the looks on their faces. They could never have afforded this type of vacation. Its what you get for the money that is priceless. I actually go more often and stay longer. So is it cheaper , not if you are happy staying at a moderate or less for 1 week every couple of years BUT if you love all things Disney, the magic, the total immersion experience ,than you cannot do it better than to be a DVC member. It's first class all the way. I'm not a big fan of the pool bar at BWV so the fact that it is offering few items if any for lunch is no big deal to me. There are so many better options at BWV that I've never once eaten there. ESPN, MY VILLA, Take out windows, Spoodles, Big Brew pub. I throw on a coverup and I'm good to go. Your choices at the Beach Club are even better. When I stayed at OKW it was very limited but when I'm there I don't eat onsite as much since I'm basically in the car anyway.

If you look at this to save money on a vacation....you can vacation cheaper. If you don't mind being offsite you can vacation cheaper and with the same level or better for lodging. BUT if you want a 24 hour no car needed
Disney Magic experience than unless you are mega rich, DVC is for the middle class person who wants to live like the rich.

I just listed my hilton head contract for sale after holding it for 8 years. I sold it in one day at a profit. So if you are concerned about reselling if times are tough, you can't find an easier timeshare to unload and either make a small profit or at least break even.

 

[G8RFAN]

I disagree. Dining at SSR is on par with the moderate resorts like CSR and POR - there is a nice CS restaurant with some upscale choices and attractive indoor seating and a decent TS restaurant (better than Boatwrights, not quite as good as Maya).

It does not have a signature dining restaurant like the DVCs attached to deluxe resorts - but it is a huge step above the POP and All Stars.

And as a previous poster mentioned DTD is right there. That alone make dining options at SSR great. As far as OKW, I guess I am one of the few that actually enjoys Olivias. I would not eat there everyday, but the food has always been good and almost never a wait. Since we always have a car, dining options are never an inconvience anywhere we stay.

We go so often that the 225 points we have are generally saved for our full week trips. Our weekend getaways are usually for cash ressies at NON DVC resorts. (I have a problem spending $300 + a night for something that I can get for points.) I have to say when we stay as DVC owners, our Disney experience is better, as the "welcome home" is nice, but is only the tip of the iceberg. The bus drivers tend to be more interactive, the CM's more knowledgeable, etc. So I'm not sure why others are not experiencing the same unless their expectations once they do become members are that much more.

 

["Got Disney"]

My Dh and I just joined the DVC while on the 10 day Christmas Cruise. We did 5 days WDW before the cruise and stayed at the BCR. We have 2 children and we cruise everyother year and first stay at WDW.

We have always vasilated joining and dh is still not sure that we should have but over the long hale it makes sence to have done so. We purchased 400 points. We broke it into 200 and 200 so we can will to our children evenly and hope to add on to it so the kids will havge it for there children.

My dh and ds's love to travel...we are 50 and boys are 10 and 13 so by the time we are ready to pass over to them we will be old...lol...we also would like to buy 200 more so that all will have 200 pluse to spread around.

Would like to see the cruise points drop however...we love to cruise on DCL everyother year.

I feel that YES is is alot of $$$ to put out every month but after it is paid (and at the end of the year for the association fee) off you can't beat the price.

Tell me if I'm wrong????

Happy New Year everyone!!!!

 

[dumbo71]

I disagree. Dining at SSR is on par with the moderate resorts like CSR and POR - there is a nice CS restaurant with some upscale choices and attractive indoor seating and a decent TS restaurant (better than Boatwrights, not quite as good as Maya).

It does not have a signature dining restaurant like the DVCs attached to deluxe resorts - but it is a huge step above the POP and All Stars.

I disagree. ChuckS and others have stated they drive over to Pop to eat. That speaks volumes.

You also compare to moderates. The buy in amount and dues we pay I think it is very fair to compare to a deluxe.

DVC dining is not up to snuff. It needs work and I hope they listen to my letters and comments emailed and make future DVC resortsd better in this regard.

 

[FormrCastMbr]

Went on the DVC tour a few days ago and we are thinking about buying...subscribing to review when I get home...Thanks!

 

[Chuck S]

I disagree. ChuckS and others have stated they drive over to Pop to eat. That speaks volumes.

You also compare to moderates. The buy in amount and dues we pay I think it is very fair to compare to a deluxe.

DVC dining is not up to snuff. It needs work and I hope they listen to my letters and comments emailed and make future DVC resortsd better in this regard.

To clarify...we drive to POP for a few reasons.

1) OKW does not have a food court (never did). The snack bar (Good's to Go) has always had limited offerings, and it just isn't to our taste. We used to be able to order some items from the Olivia's menu and have it packaged to go at Good's...but that is no longer allowed, and Olivia's does not offer take out.

We normally do a table service lunch, but eat a lighter dinner..usually not a table service.

2) We have food alleries, and the wider selection at POP gives us more "safe" items to choose from, but there are some items we can't eat there as well.

3) POP food court takes the DDE discount

4) I admit to being disappointed in the current menu offerings for lunch/dinner at Olivia's...but this is not an Olivia's specific problem. Table service restaurants WDW wide seem to be streamlining and standardizing their menus, for any number of reasons. However, we still find Olivia's breakfasts delicious, and the service great. There have been some minor menu changes at breakfast, but not nearly as many as the lunch/dinner menu. And much of the breakfast menu is the same as it was from day one (the two egg breakfast is basically the same as it has always been, but in 1992, it was called the Beachcomber Breakfast..same things, different name.)

To the OP, if you enjoy staying onsite at WDW, as we do, and normally would stay in a moderate or deluxe class resort, DVC can be a savings to you. Any problems weve had with maintenance with our units at OKW was always corrected right away when we reported it. Every resort, regular Disney or DVC, will have occasional maintenance and/or housekeeping issues arise, most minor, some major. And in all instances it is best to report any issues in a timely manner so they have the opportunity to correct the problem.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have been members since 1997.

I don't have a problem with not having daily Mousekeeping, because we tend to be pretty tidy people so the place never gets to be a real mess. I like not having to worry about vacating the room for the Mousekeeper. Plus, they do have some cleaning supplies if you have an accident or a spill, and you can always call Mousekeeping and pay extra for an extra cleaning if you determine that you need one during your stay, outside of what they already offer.

As far as food...everyone has different food preferences etc. Another poster commented on the fact that the AKVs will have some great dining choices, and personally, I didn't care for the food that the AKL when I stayed there, so different strokes for different folks, I guess. Most of the DVCs are attached to deluxe hotels and have a good selection for dining. OKW's Olivia's is OK...not great but OK. SSR's Turf Club is serving a more expanded menu now, and you are within walking distance to multiple restaurants at DTD, so that is probably why they didn't put too much effort into having a 4 star restaurant there.

As far as the "we got your money so we don't have to be nice to you" syndrome...we have never experienced it. I sometimes think that DVC guests have a higher level of expectation with regard to what they "deserve". I have always tended to be pleasant and polite to CMs, have never tossed around that "I paid a lot of money to buy into the DVC line", because everyone at WDW has paid a lot of money to be there. I go by the "you catch more flies with honey" theory, and so far, it has served me well. We get lots of "welcome home" greetings, and generally encounter terrific CMs.

I would agree with the poster who said that the biggest draw to buying DVC is staying right on property. I would agree. If staying on property is important to you, then DVC is probably a good thing to consider, research etc. However, if you would be satisfied with staying off property, then checking out other timeshare offerings is probably a good idea. For DH & I, we are Disney snobs I don't want to stay in Orlando, Kissimmee, "just outside the gates" or anywhere else than right in WDW.

For us, DVC has been a wonderful investment. We have never regretted it, we have made some wonderful memories with family and friends. We have been pleased with the overall level of servcie and accomodations. We have been satisfied with the way things have been rectified when we have had minor problems.

For us, it's a HUGE win.

 

[annamonte]

Subscribing to this thread..!!! DH and I are really considering DVC re-sale at BWV or BCV.

I do have a couple of questions...

I realize that there is no daily mousekeeping.. but, what if you need more towels? Do you call and ask for them?

Also, how is financing for re-sales? Unfortunately, we don't have all the money available to buy into it, are rates any good?


Thanks for all the information! We really are close to buying into DVC. But, hope it's "right" for us!