Would Really Like To Buy In...

[javamom]

but I think the single thing that causes me the most apprehension are the maintenance fees, there is just something about paying those that I don't like. It's not that I don't think they are justified, I'm just not excited about adding to the monthly household expenses.

I am wondering if renting out your points can help to offset those expenses for the points that you don't intend to use? However, I don't know much about renting either.

Maybe I need to try to go on a tour when we go down and ask lots of questions???

I tell myself that it just seems silly to me that if we spent twice what we have budgeted for this year's 2 trips - we could buy DVC. It's almost a no-brainer to me, but then that nagging voice says, "But then there are maintenance points to pay each month, and for every trip you take there are still transportation costs, and tickets, etc.... blah blah blah.. ad nauseum." It's the cheapo in me saying "are you freaking nuts!!!???"

So ultimately, I am left with the same conclusion: wait at least until after the October trip and then see if you think that this is something that the family will love and USE.

Ok thanks for "listening" to me think, ramble, etc.

 

[browniemtb]

If you find yourself going to WDW every year it may be worth it. Just think about what you said about the two trip this year........apply those dollars toward DVC. Sure there are maintenance fees....say $1000 a year......all depending on you ownership interest and where you own, but for the $1000 you may be able to stay in a 1 bedroom villa.
Where do you usually stay when your down at WDW?
Brownie

 

[tmt martins]

We put money away each month to pay for our trip anyhow so the little bit I pay for Maint fees once the loan is paid will be nothing.

 

[Disneyrsh]

.

 

[cobbler]

Look at the maintanence fees this way.

"Gosh I would really like to buy that house but those darn taxes just get in the way. Plus those darn utilities that I am not used to paying at my apartment."
When in reality you are paying taxes and utilities, they are just wrapped up in your rent so you don't see it.

Or it's like getting a car, you still have to pay gas for it and insurance on it.

Same with Disney, you would still be going and still paying for a room. Now instead of paying for the room, you are only paying for tickets and transportation because you bought the room instead of renting it.

It makes sense in my head, I just hope what I am trying to say came across in my typing

 

[crisi]

If the maintenance fees are a burden, I wouldn't recommend buying. The thing with a regular Disney vacation is that if you need to skip a year because of money, you can (you might not WANT to, but you can). Those fees need to be paid every year. You could rent your points to cover them if you couldn't go, but that is not always as easy as people make it out to be.

As for renting to cover dues, some people do that. As I said (and I don't rent, just my perception) renting is not always as easy as you think it will be. We've had two or three people recently run into problems with payment (they've all been paid in the end as I recall). You'll need not quite twice the points to cover dues on two contracts - that means twice the maintance fees and perhaps more importantly, twice the upfront amount.

If you do buy more point than you need, make sure to buy them in smaller contracts so you can sell off one.

 

[Dean]

but I think the single thing that causes me the most apprehension are the maintenance fees, there is just something about paying those that I don't like. It's not that I don't think they are justified, I'm just not excited about adding to the monthly household expenses.

I am wondering if renting out your points can help to offset those expenses for the points that you don't intend to use? However, I don't know much about renting either.

Maybe I need to try to go on a tour when we go down and ask lots of questions???

I tell myself that it just seems silly to me that if we spent twice what we have budgeted for this year's 2 trips - we could buy DVC. It's almost a no-brainer to me, but then that nagging voice says, "But then there are maintenance points to pay each month, and for every trip you take there are still transportation costs, and tickets, etc.... blah blah blah.. ad nauseum." It's the cheapo in me saying "are you freaking nuts!!!???"

So ultimately, I am left with the same conclusion: wait at least until after the October trip and then see if you think that this is something that the family will love and USE.

Ok thanks for "listening" to me think, ramble, etc.

You can rent from members and still get savings. As for whether buying is worth it, it depends. For one who usually stays ON PROPERTY in a moderate or higher, will go to WDW at least every other year or so, will go neutral or light on weekends; it can be a great value. It is not a good value for exchanging or for mostly weekends. And there are cheaper options like off site hotels and timeshares.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

If you buy a contract for 150 points at SSR the MF are $600 a year or $50 a month or $11.53 a week.

Of course they will go up but for $600 a year where can you vacation for that price-- The Cont wanted $3000 for 6 DAYS. So I did what any "frugal" person would do, I bought DVC.

The reason, everything is expensive! I went to our local amusement park last Saturday= without sleeping over it cost us $200 for the days (tickets, gas, food), on Wednesday I went to our local waterpark (1 1/2 hour away) the cost another $200 without sleeping over. If i was going to sleep over the hotel was $150-$200 a night. I'm going to Disney in Nov for a week for $722 (airfare) and the cost of food(which I could save $$$ by cooking in everyday(but I won't ) . My accomdations are paid for and so are my tickets (thanks to the AP- which was less expensive then a 10 day hopper due to the DVC discount).

In addition, think of what you pay for in taxes at the resorts. 13% in addition to the Disney prices!! YIKES!! At least the taxes you pay for DVC are deductible. Another poster also mentioned that Disney charges for more than 2 adults in a room. (you may not have this problem now, but you will eventually when the kids grow up).

The MF are alot to consider especially since we have to pay for them for the duration of our contracts, but I'd rather pay $600 to sleep in a 1 bedroom for 5 days, then sleep at the All Stars or Pop for 5 days. And if you "budget" now for your vacations, you'll have to save less since the rooms are already paid for."

Good luck with your decision, I took me 18 months to buy in!! But once I did it wasn't about the money, it was all about the experience. For $600 a year being able to sit out on the balcony of your 1 bedroom enjoying illuminations is PRICELESS!!

 

[bcvillastwo]

First, and most important, when it's all said and done you are left with the decision of whether it's worth it to pay the monthly maintenance costs associated with DVC (or any other timeshare for that matter). It's an important factor to consider and should not be taken lightly because if you can't pay those fees then you can't use DVC. If I understand things correctly all monthly maintenance fees due must be paid prior to any DVC vacation.

I think its safe to say the everyone goes about the task of determining whether DVC makes good sense to them differently. Everyone's financial condition, travel patterns, and other intangibles are different thus their approach to evaluating whether DVC makes sense is different. If money is not a concern then something else may be.

Like most folks money is a concern for us, but I'm hardly down on my luck. It took us about 5 years to decide to buy into DVC and we only did so when we could pay cash. So right there our circumstances make us different because we had the cash to buy the points. However, that wasn't the only factor. I am an accountant by training and a practicing auditor so I spent a good deal of time pouring over the numbers.

I finally concluded that it made sense financially for us because (1) we love WDW, (2) we had been going down at least once and often twice a year, (3) we stay on propertyat moderate or better resorts, and (4) we feel safe and secure at WDW. (yea I know they have crime at WDW).

Now that some time has gone by I'm more convinced than ever that buying into DVC was a prudent decision, financially and otherwise.

If you've been going to WDW at least once every two years and you are pretty confident that you will continue to do so I think its safe to conclude that what you are spending can correctly be considered a sunk cost.

If your sunk cost is less than the cost of buying into DVC (including the annual dues cost) then it's probably a good financial decision.

You will probably read where someone says you need consider lost "opportunity costs" if you finance buying into DVC. I would agree if you were using funds that you plan to invest. However, as I said earlier, if the money you spend at WDW is, and will be, money set aside for vacation then (in my opinion) there is no need to factor lost opportunity cost into the equation.

Good luck with your decision. Going forward slowly and deliberately will lessen the chance of buyer's remorse.