Big Question about DVC???

[arsenal3]

I have been thinking about buying into this for awhile now. But I have some questions that I need answered first. Hopefully you guys can help me out...I'm sure you can, haha...

First- Is the DVC and the Disney Timeshare the same thing??? ( I have heard about the Timeshares from some people who say that have a timeshare but have never seen anything about it on the Disney Websites or anything, so is it real or are they just alking about DVC)

Second- If I buy a DVC does this mean I buy a villa, or a specific room, that is mine and I can rent it out to people or does this mean it is just available to me whenever I want it?

Third- Same question only with a Timeshare?
Basically what I would like to know is how it works, if I have a Timeshare at Disney can I rent it out to people when I am not using it??

Fourth- If for the DVC I don't buy a specific room then how does it work?


Trust me I have watched all the informationaly DVC things out there and am still confused, haha. I get he concept that you buy points to use towards vacations, but how do the rooms work. ANd what are home resorts????


Please someone help, haha. Thank you all in advance.

[DVC Mike]

The Disney Vacation Club is a flexible point-based timeshare program. Members purchase an allotment of points for a one-time purchase price, and then receive the same amount of points to use each year until their contract end date arrives.

Point-based timeshare programs should not be confused with fixed-week timeshare programs. Under a fixed-week program, owners typically purchase the right to use a single accommodation for the same week every year. Under DVC’s point-based system, the member purchases points which may be redeemed for stays at any time of year, in a variety of different-sized units at many different resorts.

[dephenn]

1. As far as I know DVC is the only Time Share.

2. You are not tied in to any particular room size. DVC offers Studio, One Bedroom , Two Bedroom and Three Bedroom units. Depending on the amount of points you have and the time of year you want to go will decide the amount of points you need to rent a room. You can bank points up to one year or borrow points from the following year if you want to upgrade or need points for a reservation that you do not have enough points for.

3. You can rent points if you would like.

4. Good luck with your decision, I hope this helps.

[arsenal3]

Yes both posts help but,(yes I know I'm not the brightest ball, haha) another question.

So pretty much you buy lets say (just a figure I know its prolly real small but what ever) I buy 1,000 dollors worth of points and that gets me 100 points or whatever....So lets say I use those point in 2008 when I bought them, then in 2009 I would get 100 new points without paying agian???

[arsenal3]

Another question what are all the DVC locations, other than WDW??

[LynneM]

The current minimum buy-in through Disney is 160 points, and it's around $100 per point, so you're more in the $16,000 range than the $1000 range. It's possible to buy smaller contracts on the resale market for less, and Disney does run special promotions that bring the cost down a bit.

With DVC, you're not buying a specific villa or room. It is a real estate purchase, so on paper you're buying a certain (very small) percentage of a resort. But there's no connection to a specific room. For your money, you get points, which you use to 'pay' for your lodging. Different room sizes at different resorts cost various amounts of points..for instance, I'm staying at VWL in a studio in March, and that's 12 points per night. Bigger rooms cost more points, and the point costs go up in the busy seasons.

If you buy, you'll be buying into a specific resort. That becomes your home resort. You can book rooms at 11 months out at your home resort, and 7 months out at other DVC resorts. That 4-month booking advantage can be important at certain times of year, so it's important to choose your home resort carefully. Buy where you want to stay.

Oh, and yes, if you buy 160 points, you get 160 points to use every year until the contract is up.

There are also maintenance fees to be paid each year. For my VWL contract, I pay about $600/year in fees.

[LynneM]

Another question what are all the DVC locations, other than WDW??

The DVC resorts at WDW are:

Old Key West
Villas at Wilderness Lodge
Saratoga Springs
Boardwalk Villas
Beach Club Villas
Animal Kingdom Villas

There's a large building under construction next to the Contemporary, rumor has it that that will be the next DVC resort.

There are also offsite DVC resorts at Hilton Head and Vero Beach. DVC villas will be added to the Grand Californian resort at Disneyland. There's also supposed to be a DVC resort built in Hawaii, don't know if they've begun construction yet.

[Mrs Bus Driver]

I think I also read about travel to Europe and Africa. Heard it wasn't such a deal but it is an option.:mickey:

[arsenal3]

LynneM- Now that 12 points a night does that include tickets to the parks or just the studio, because that 1,200 a night if each point is $100, when it only cost $425 a night during March.

So how many years do you buy points for?

[LynneM]

Sorry, I should have been clearer. You pay the ~$100 per point ONCE, when you buy the contract. That gets you points for the next 30-40 years, depending on which resort you buy into. You do not pay that $100 per point for subsequent years.

What you DO pay annually are the maintenance fees.

Points can only be used on lodging, not tickets or dining or anything else. They get you your room, and that's it.

[arsenal3]

OOOO, ok I get it.. Haha.. Thanks for the help.

[arsenal3]

So when going to WDW on the DVC plan all you can use points for is the resort you stay in???

Or are there other things as well?

[wendy*darling]

Points are just for lodging.
Park passes, food, transportation to and from WDW- that's not included in DVC.

You can use points for the Disney Cruise Line as well- you get your room on the ship which is all-inclusive (food, etc.).