Thinking of buying DVC..tips please for getting husband on board

[AngieL]

I am really looking into DVC after my last visit, which was last week. I got all the info and a proposal and brought back home to my non-Disney loving husband. I am trying to get him on board. (Back story...he has only been to WDW twice to my 14 trips. He is just fine with me doing "girls only" trips with my friends and trips with other families. He doesn't care for the crowds and all the walking)

I totally see this as an investment as well as an affordable way to make memories for our teenage kids and future grandkids.

Any tips for how to "sell" this to him? Anyone have any regrets purchasing? Any feedback is welcome and appreciated!

Angie

[dnickels]

I totally see this as an investment.....

Not a DVC owner here, but from a purely personal finance point of view, do not ever look at a timeshare as an investment. I know a lot of people in the timeshare industry here in Florida (both Disney and non-Disney) and one of their favorite sales lines is "Now I'm not allowed to call it an investment, BUT....."

At the end of the day, it's a timeshare and it's pure consumption, not investing. As others I'm sure will chime in, there are reasons DVC can make sense for certain people (i.e. visit annually, always stay at deluxe accommodations, can plan when you want to visit 11 months ahead of time, etc.) but I have yet to see a personal finance expert recommend buying a timeshare and the fact that it has the name 'Disney' in it has never changed their recommendation.

That said, Disney does have an emotional pull for lots of us, so if you are going to buy, the general rules are to buy where you want to stay, pay cash (and if you can't do that you can't afford it but since many people go ahead with it anyway, don't finance through Disney but instead through your local bank or credit union to get better rates).

[Respectfully submitted not to be the debbie-downer, but as a reminder that at the end of the day, it's still a timeshare system]

[ThanxForNoticin]

It's a tough decision! We've been DVC for 25 years now, and never regretted the investment. We even added more points over the years.

That being said, you have to work through your own personal situation! When we joined, it was a lot less expensive to do so. Now, it's going to be nearly $200 per point for a new purchase from Disney, or less than that on the resale market - but then you might lose out on certain perks.

If you do decide to buy, I would always recommend buying where you prefer to stay - take advantage of the 11-month window for reserving the rooms you want. You'll always have options to stay other places, but you are most likely to get the room of your choice prior to the 7-month mark when all DVC members have access, regardless of their home resort.

So think about how often you might want to go, what size room you'll need for your stay (whether it's a "girls stay" or "family stay"!! Figure the cost of the points and annual dues, and see how it fits your situation! To be honest, if both my wife and I weren't on board with the investment, we probably wouldn't have done it. I wish you luck with that!

[Isabella]

We are relatively new to owning DVC, bought Poly when it came on the market. For years I didn't understand the attraction, but after buying it has been the best thing we have EVER done vacation wise.
Last October we were in line for Small World and got to know the couple in front of us. He worked for a company that helped people get out of Timeshares. He said that he would never buy a timeshare, because it just doesn't make financial sense. BUT the only timeshare that that does not hold true with is DVC. They were buying DVC on that trip. They were newlyweds and came to Disney every year at least once and sometimes two or three times a year. Since he makes his living running the numbers on how bad an investment a Timeshare is for families, it seems counterintuitive, but for them, DVC is the exception to the rule.
If you know you will use it, it's a great deal. If something happens and you can't use it, you can rent out your points to more than cover your dues until your situation changes or you can sell it. The resale market is going strong and you will get back what you paid for it and them some (if you paid cash). Our Poly Points are already almost $50 a point more than what we paid.
For some it makes perfect sense, for others it is a total waste of money.
Run the numbers for your family...

[AngieL]

Well, we decided to jump on the DVC bandwagon today! Hubby thought about it and we decided that we will be able to not only get enjoyment out of it for ourselves, but for the grandchildren we will (hopefully) have one day and create some lasting memories.

It is definitely an investment, but I believe the time was ours. We didn't buy a ton of points - what we did decide on and purchase will give us great accommodations every other year if we don't make it every year as we normally head to WDW at least once every other year if not more. With the number of trips we have made in the past, we would have more than paid for DVC had we bought in even 10 years ago...if that makes sense!

Thank you all for your input. We pondered every response here before we made our decision. You all are wonderful!!!

[VWL Mom]

:welcome: home, you're going to love it! Where did you buy? Cooper Creek?

[ThanxForNoticin]

Congratulations! Hope it's a wonderful experience for you.....

[AngieL]

:welcome: home, you're going to love it! Where did you buy? Cooper Creek?

Thank you for the welcome! It is so exciting! And you saying "welcome home" just made it all the more exciting! :mickey:

Yes, Copper Creek is where we bought! I am still kind of in disbelief that we did this! It just hit me that now I know I will be going "home" for Disney's 50th in 2021!

[Isabella]

:welcome:home!
It wasn't that long ago that we heard it for the first time and the excitement never really has gone away. We LOVE the options we have and being able to stay at the Poly at Christmas... priceless!
I excited for you and know the feeling about sharing it with grandchildren. We have taken our granddaughter and grandson several times and IT IS THE BEST!!!!!

[SodaPopMGK]

Congratulations!!

I hope you and your family make many happy memories over the years!

[Simba's Mom]

I am really looking into DVC after my last visit, which was last week. I got all the info and a proposal and brought back home to my non-Disney loving husband. I am trying to get him on board. (Back story...he has only been to WDW twice to my 14 trips. He is just fine with me doing "girls only" trips with my friends and trips with other families. He doesn't care for the crowds and all the walking)

I totally see this as an investment as well as an affordable way to make memories for our teenage kids and future grandkids.

Any tips for how to "sell" this to him? Anyone have any regrets purchasing? Any feedback is welcome and appreciated!

Angie

I can tell you my own experience with DH, also a non-Disney loving husband, or at least he was until we joined DVC. Fortunately, all he needed to see was that huge smile on my face and he said "I think we should do it. Great idea!" He knew "happy wife, happy life". Fifteen years later, he rarely goes into the parks, he golfs, sits out on the balcony, we stay at OKW (the largest balconies with full size tables), gets a soda or beer from our full-sized refrigerator, and LOVES our trips to WDW. Oh, yes-he does go to the parks-when our grandchildren are with us.

[faline]

Congrats on becoming a DVC member!!!

[MarkC]

Good for you!! As a happy DVC owner for 15 years, you won't regret it. We are the opposite in which I had to convince my financially conservative wife that we would enjoy it. We added more points a year ago and she didn't even blink an eye. I told her we could sell it and she said no way. We own at Beach Club and it really makes our stays that much more enjoyable. This is one decision I will never regret and I actually wish we would have done it sooner. You will enjoy it for years!

[baldburke]

Congrats! Welcome home and welcome to Intercot!