Your thoughts on DVC

[starbox]

To use the language of psychology, are current DVC owners rewarded or punished for encouraging others to join? My uninformed guess is that they would be punished, because more members equals more people competing with them for spots at their favorite DVC resorts. Is there a financial incentive to the group for getting new members (e.g., do dues go down or anything if there are more people to share them?)

I'm just curious

There's no incentive I can see - and I suppose more members would equal more competition at 7 months for resort-switching, but I doubt that reward or punishment is a motivating factor here.

I think that this is like all the other disboards, people are wanting to share what works for them in the hopes of making someone else's trip a little more enjoyable. DVC owners that bother to read and post on the dis are going to be a generally Disney-crazy and enthuastic about DVC bunch - so you'll get responses that skew towards a pro-DVC slant. It would be like going on a sports team fan board and asking if it was a good idea to buy season tickets.

 

[chalee94]

Is there a financial incentive to the group for getting new members (e.g., do dues go down or anything if there are more people to share them?)

nah, not in a broad sense...there may be incentives if you refer a specific person.

To use the language of psychology, are current DVC owners rewarded or punished for encouraging others to join? My uninformed guess is that they would be punished, because more members equals more people competing with them for spots at their favorite DVC resorts.

that's sort of true. but not really a big deal.

it's also true (longer term) that more people joining might mean that SSR and AKV will sell out faster and prompt DVC to announce CRV or GCV...which would be really cool.

for the most part, though, i think experienced DVCers will explain both the positives and negatives. for all the positives, it's certainly true that DVC is NOT a good fit for more people than it is a good fit. but for some people, it can be a great deal...

 

[pilferk]

Anopther example of the variable scenario. I wouldn't run those high Value numbers because I never have and never will go at Christmas or Easter. It has nothing to do with price. I have no interest in going when the crowds are that high. Of course, absolutely, if someone wnats to go during that time, then it would change things in favor of DVC.

As for the studio, eh. I stayed in a studio at OKW and wasn't impressed at all. The room wasn't much bigger than a room at a moderate with the exception of the bathroom.

Different strokes for different folks.

Right, but you wouldn't need the same number of points then, and thus not pay the same maintenance fees.

So you have to compare at least CLOSE to like things....

 

[pilferk]

I have been reading this thread with interest, and I am curious about the possible pressures on DVC members that might impact what they say about DVC. Please understand that I am in no way implying that anyone here is being less than truthful -- I'm just curious about the contingencies at play here (I'm a psychology grad student/university instructor, so human behavior always interests me ).

To use the language of psychology, are current DVC owners rewarded or punished for encouraging others to join? My uninformed guess is that they would be punished, because more members equals more people competing with them for spots at their favorite DVC resorts. Is there a financial incentive to the group for getting new members (e.g., do dues go down or anything if there are more people to share them?)

I'm just curious

I'll take C...None of the above.

There's a certain number of points to sell at each resort. Nothing any DVC member says changes that, so there's no real inherent "punishment".

And unless someone uses your name, PERSONALLY, to buy DVC....there's no incentive either...because dues are figured by figuring out the total number of points (remember, that doesn't change) and dividing it into the projected budget. No real way to reduce those by adding members......

 

[pilferk]

What I do notice is that some people who have made the DVC investment do not want to hear that perhaps they didn't make such a good investment. Once they've sunk the $20,000, plus interest on the loan, plus annual maintenance fees, they want only to hear how smart they are!

Actually, DVC members don't consider DVC an investment...or at least most of them don't. They're prepaid vacations.

As for the rest....you're basically talking about comments causing buyers remorse. I don't think that's what people are trying to avoid. What they ARE trying to avoid is misinformation being disseminated because, honestly, it seems DVC members like the product SOOOOOO much.

 

[minnie61650]

Right, but you wouldn't need the same number of points then, and thus not pay the same maintenance fees.

So you have to compare at least CLOSE to like things....

It is my understanding if one buys a DVC contract from Disney (at this time --They could change the point requirement at any time) 160 points is the minimum points one has to buy.

 

[KingdomHearts]

I have not read all the threads.. but all I know is that I am soooo excited to buy our DVC hopefully in the next few years!

 

[chalee94]

What I do notice is that some people who have made the DVC investment do not want to hear that perhaps they didn't make such a good investment. Once they've sunk the $20,000, plus interest on the loan, plus annual maintenance fees, they want only to hear how smart they are!

this can certainly be true. i thought about mentioning it.

on the other side, it can be frustrating to deal with the misinformation. for some, DVC is an expensive luxury purchase and there's nothing wrong with that if they have the money to spend.

but budget-oriented people should be aware that DVC might still an option in some cases even if they don't have "$20,000" to put down.

not every member of DVC paid $20,000 up front and owes thousands per year in dues...so take the time to do the math if you regularly go to wdw and see if it works for you or not.

It is my understanding if one buys a DVC contract from Disney (at this time --They could cange the point requirement at any time) 160 points is the minimum points one has to buy.

like i've been trying to get across, you don't have to buy direct from disney (other than for AKV at this point.)

if the math works better for you, resale contracts are available from 25 pts and up. if you like VWL and you only need 80 points per year (or every other year) to vacation the way you want at wdw, then it can be done. don't be discouraged by all the talk about $20,000 upfront and $2,500 in annual dues...

<---paid $3800 for a small resale contract, including closing costs. no loan needed = no interest. $14.66 each month in maintenance fees. = 5 weeknights a year onsite for the next 35 years...this won't work for very many people, but you should be aware that scaling DVC down to your personal size might be a possibility...

 

[lizanne]

I have not read all of this thread, but there seems to be a lot of misinformation on the 3 pages I did read. I suggest that if anyone is sincerely interested in purchasing DVC that they go to the DVC Board and ask for any questions you have to be answered there.

I can only comment on my experience. We purchased a total of 400 points between '92 and '93. Our total outlay was about $23,000. We have 5 children and prior to joining DVC we always had to get either 2 rooms or a villa, so our room expenses were always high, not to mention tickets costs.

Back then one of the perks was free park passes for 1/2 of the # of people that could stay in a room. We would get a 2 bedroom villa (sleeps 8) so that meant 4 free park passes. That perk ended in 2000. Currently you get a $100.00 discount on annual passes.

We've been able to take a vacation every year since. We've done the Disney Cruise on points, we've stayed at the GF on points, and we've had several times when we had the Grand Villa (sleeps 12) and invited other friends/family.

Our children are adults now and are not always able to vacation at the same time. This year my DH and I are going for 2 weeks. The beginning and the end of the trip are in a one bedroom - the 7 days in the middle are in a Grand Villa and my sister and some friends are joining us.

We own these points until 2047 and they can pass to our heirs (unless we live to be 100). We can sell them at any time and we can sell them for whatever the resale market is willing to pay.

Yes we do pay "dues" each year, but I do not find them to be unreasonable.

Now, having said all of the above, I would have to think long and hard about making a purchase today. The cost per point has doubled and there is no longer that perk of park tickets.

Please go to the DVC board, there are some people who monitor that board who really know their stuff.

 

[MainStreetFireman]

LY, we availed ourselves of the free dining plan offer. But, as an excercise, we decided to see how much we could maximize it if we had paid for it.

My DW worked very hard at making reservations that would maximize our allotted points. Additionally, when we got there, she made sure that our impulse food purchases were OOP, so as not to dilute our points. After all of that work and effort, we did get a better value than if we paid for all of our meals, but only by a little bit. Had we not been watching so closely, Disney would have come out the financial winners in that exercise.

I am sure that the DVC works much the same way. For guests who are dilligent and know that they are going to make a regular trip, I am sure that this pre-paid vacation makes sense.

But, just like the Dining Plan, Disney is in business to make money. Every square foot of space on their property is maximized for the most profitable sales. So the channel devoted to the DVC on the TV, the permanent DVC station in your resort giving away balloons and stickers, and the multiple DVC stations in every one of the parks all lead me to believe that this is quite the profitable venture for Disney.

I think that the membership of the Disboards represents a section of our population that is an especially dedicated and savvy one in investigating and sharing tips on how to maximize the whole Disney experience -- including the dollars. It would be my guess that most DVC members here are committed to their investment.

 

[boomhauer]

Actually, DVC members don't consider DVC an investment...or at least most of them don't. They're prepaid vacations.

As for the rest....you're basically talking about comments causing buyers remorse. I don't think that's what people are trying to avoid. What they ARE trying to avoid is misinformation being disseminated because, honestly, it seems DVC members like the product SOOOOOO much.

I'll admit - Most people on here rave about the DVC. Coincidentally, the 2 members I know personally, didn't like it and sold it.

 

[salmoneous]

What I do notice is that some people who have made the DVC investment do not want to hear that perhaps they didn't make such a good investment. Once they've sunk the $20,000, plus interest on the loan, plus annual maintenance fees, they want only to hear how smart they are!

In all honestly, with all the time I've spend on DVC boards, I would say that attitude is extremely rare. If you listen to a lot of DVC folks, I think the most common attitude is

1) From a financial standpoint, DVC hasn't saved me the money I expected because I just keep spending more - add-on-points, APs, extra trips, etc.

2) What I underestimated was the emotional satisfaction I get from owning DVC. That's where the real value has come.

 

[global_mom]

Buying DVC is not always about the money. We researched for a year prior to buying our small resale contract. We then bought a larger contract at SSR. At some point we decided that DVC just "felt right" for us. Owning a piece of the magic was a "warm fuzzy" for our family. Knowing that we would be returning for many years made us happy. Knowing that our children could use DVC with their own children made us even happier.

I am only in my 30s and DH is 44 but we already have visions of going to WDW into our retirement years for several weeks at a time. If something unforseeable should happen along the way we can always sell our contracts (they sell quite easily). We might not make a monetary profit if we sold in the next 5-10 years but the personal value of the family trips we will have taken is worth far more than money! Happiness has no price tag!!

 

[angelmav]

I think this thread has finally hit upon the crux of the issue and really its no different than getting 10 day tickets at a minimal cost over 3 days. The reason they can 'afford' to offer this savings is that it triggers even more spending from its dedicated owners, get people returning on years they wouldnt otherwise and guarantees a level of commitment to their product. I have no problems with that approach, it can be mutually beneficial, if like was previously pointed out, you take all this into account and know how it can benefit you. That said, in our situation we always need two rooms on vacation, have made taking a yearly vacation a priority and consider Orlando a prime destination to do that in. For those reasons I think that we probably fit their target demo, and I look forward to arming myself with information before taking one of their tours!

 

[minnie61650]

. For those reasons I think that we probably fit their target demo, and I look forward to arming myself with information before taking one of their tours!

Here are a couple of good info links:

http://www.mousesavers.com/dvc.html

http://www.allearsnet.com/acc/dvc.htm

Good Luck on your resarch!

 

[deide71]

I decided against DVC because most of my visits are long weekends 3-5 nights with 2 weekend nights. I also decided against it because many of my trips are planned a few months out.

Any analysis that assume all DVC stays will be during the week, and in value season, gives people the wrong idea.

For a "normal" analysis assume a 7 night stay during the time period the purchaser is likely to be vacationing.

DVC works well for guests who want to book the kind of accomodations that are unique to a timeshare. One and two bedroom units.

Exactly!

We are a family of five that does not like routinely sleeping in the same room. We have stayed offsite at Emerald Isle and enjoyed it very much, we just prefer to be onsite.

You really cannot compare a 2br DVC unit to 2 rooms at a value. We've done both, can you guess which one we prefer? If you put a 2br DVC against one room at a Deluxe, or more fairly 2 rooms or a suite at a deluxe, guess which one comes out ahead?

We have 200 points, enough for 6 nights (one weekend night) at Saratoga Springs or Old Key West in the lowest 2 seasons. We stay one night offsite or at a Deluxe if we can get an AP discount. We plan our trips to get 2 out of 1 Annual Pass (with the DVC discount of $100 off). We get the dining plan as well.

We didn't have to finance, which helps the cost comparision a bit.

Of course DVC doesn't work for everyone. Nothing does. It just works for us...Your milage may vary, and no reason to get into such a heated debate over it.

Can't we all just get along .

 

[pilferk]

It is my understanding if one buys a DVC contract from Disney (at this time --They could change the point requirement at any time) 160 points is the minimum points one has to buy.

True, but other than AKV....why would anyone HAVE to buy through Disney? There's ample opportunity to buy only what you need, or think you'll use.

So, as you saw in posts above, when comparing to AKV...sure, you go with the 160 points, but also look at what it will get you (more nights).

In boom's direct comparison to DebandBill's dues (2500 per year) and points (about 500), you factor in the higher room rate at the Values and mods for the same time of year.

It's still not apples to apples, but at least it's closer.

 

[pilferk]

I'll admit - Most people on here rave about the DVC. Coincidentally, the 2 members I know personally, didn't like it and sold it.

Again, it's not for everyone. And given the way you vacation, I'll entirely agree it's probably not for you.

But, overall, DVC member satisfaction seems, anecdotally, to be pretty high. Even ignoring the Dis boards, I've run into members in all sorts of places (even before buying) and everyone seems to rave....which might not be compelling, because it's anecdotal, but it seemed a good indication TO ME.

I've no doubt there are some people who it doesn't work for and who end up selling. I think that's true for just about every product out there.

 

[minnie61650]

True, but other than AKV....why would anyone HAVE to buy through Disney? There's ample opportunity to buy only what you need, or think you'll use.

So, as you saw in posts above, when comparing to AKV...sure, you go with the 160 points, but also look at what it will get you (more nights).

In boom's direct comparison to DebandBill's dues (2500 per year) and points (about 500), you factor in the higher room rate at the Values and mods for the same time of year.

It's still not apples to apples, but at least it's closer.

Because the only resort I want to buy would be DVC at CR if the rumor is true.
I have been waiting for 15 years for Disney to build a DVC at a monorail resort.
I want to buy DVC at CR as soon as Disney opens the sale to the public.

Would it be possible for me to buy (2) 80 point contracts from Disney?

 

[rotlex]

Because the only resort I want to buy would be DVC at CR if the rumor is true.
I have been waiting for 15 years for Disney to build a DVC at a monorail resort.
I want to buy DVC at CR as soon as Disney opens the sale to the public.

Even with my strong reservations, and recent decision of my wife and I NOT to buy DVC, if DVC at CR were true, I would strongly reconsider! I STILL don't think it's a deal in any way shape or form, but a monorail accessible DVC resort could turn me in a minute.