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dlpmikki
12-12-2004, 02:02 PM
We have a lot of discussions about whether to join DVC and what is good and bad about it. The discussions have quite often overtaken topics with more specific questions so we are setting up three topics to deal just with these questions.

This topic is ONLY for positive comments on DVC - why should people join, what are the benefits etc. Please look at the 'Reasons NOT to join DVC' topic if you have any negative points to make.

Smee
12-13-2004, 04:28 PM
We joined DVC over 10 years ago and it was the best thing we have ever done for our family. We've now enjoyed many family trips, as we are now able to go to DVC resorts multiple times each year with children, grandchildren and just the two of us.

We had long ago learned the joys of staying onsite at WDW. DVC provided for that continued benefit plus the additional benefit of wonderful accommodations and amenities in our room - far nicer than at even a Deluxe resort. Add in the nice dining discounts, the free passes we received for several years and now the great discount on AP/PAP and the value of the membership just gets even better.

We have also tried some of the non-DVC programs available with our membership and have found them to be an asset also. The best value for us will always be to use our DVC points at DVC resorts however.

We truly feel "at home" each time we step into our DVC accommodation- regardless which resort or room type we've reserved for the trip(we've also tried all resorts and all room types). DVC has always been top-notch with their maintenance, housekeeping, landscaping and resort programs. On the few occasions when something may have been overlooked, the resort has always responded quickly and appropriately to correct any concerns.

While we've had no trouble finding the financial benefit of DVC ownership, the emotional aspects of the program far exceed any concerns over "getting my money's worth". The great feeling of our family enjoying themselves together at the "Happiest Place on Earth" is the best benefit of the entire program. The fact that we've also spent less than we otherwise would have on those memories is just icing on the cake.

DVC2004
12-14-2004, 10:33 AM
Smee has summed it up! We joined DVC in January 2004 and are going home for the first time in February 2005. We are going to be staying in a 2 bedroom villa at SSR (our home resort) and are bringing relatives with us. We would likely not be able to afford these accomodations paying cash.
The 2 bedroom villa sleeps 8, has a full kitchen, washer/dryer, 2 bathrooms including one with a whirlpool tub!

For us DVC made sense. We go to WDW every year, often more than once. We have been there six times since 2001. We always stay in Deluxe resorts (Poly, Beach Club, Contemporary Tower). Our SSR contract is up in 2054. I will be
78 and my kids will be 57 and 56.

DVC also offers other perks like the new annual pass discount, discounts at select restaraunts, and members only events like Member Homecoming.
We attended the last Member Homecoming in May 2004 and had a blast. We had the parks to ourselves each night and got the royal treatment.

As mentioned many times before, don't look to DVC as a monetary investment. I do believe over the years DVC membership is more cost effective as resort prices will increase, but that is the point of the number crunching thread. I do mortgages for a living, so I am knowledgeable about real property and values, etc. For us, DVC is time spent with our family in our special place. I am looking forward to many years of wonderful memories with my children, other relatives and friends, and hopefully someday grandchildren.

Hope this is helpful if you are considering joining! smile.gif

[ December 14, 2004, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: DVC2004 ]

TheRustyScupper
12-15-2004, 09:38 AM
As a DVC owner, my thought are:

Join DVC if you ...
... want to prepay a vacation
... desire more space than a typical resort room
... will do WDW yearly
... have disposable income (not hurting family budget)
... can schedule vacations 11 months out *
... can afford an avg $1100 per week room cost **


* Last minute vacations are available, but during peak times, this could be difficult.

** Over the life of the contract, a DVC week will average over $1000, including maintenance fees, fees inflation, purchase price, and interest.


NOTE: I do not mention "staying in the magic" as this can be accomplished in a Value-Moderate-Deluxe resort.

CantonMichigan
12-15-2004, 11:38 AM
Biggest positives for me since joining are:

1) having the extra room to take relatives with us

2) not having to constantly check for good deluxe accomodation rates (then re-checking for better rates)

pixie1958
12-18-2004, 10:35 AM
We like our DVC because we liked to stay in deluxe rooms at Disney. We have kids that are over 18 that go with us and the $25.00 extra per person adult charge on the deluxe room rates was a killer.

Also, you can really squeeze a lot of trips out of a small amount of points in studios if you stay 5 nights a week Sunday through Thursday. We recently spent 90 points for two standard view studios at Boardwalk in low season. The best cash rate I could get through Disney with an annual pass discount was $209 (with tax it's probably about $231). That cash total would have been about $2,300 with the annual pass discount. I LOVE my DVC.

I note some people like to rent DVC points vs. buying. I like to have control over my vacation. I would be afraid that room I rented through a member might not be there when I showed up. What if they didn't pay their dues on time and the reservation got cancelled? Even if I depended on renting DVC points, I would still want a small DVC contract so I could be in control of my own vacations (that way if you rented points you could have them transferred to your small DVC contract each year and YOU would have control of your own vacation).

I also like the new Annual Pass discount for DVC members. It's a great perk.

True Disney Fan
12-20-2004, 09:36 AM
graemlins/clappy.gif Joining the DVC was one of the best moves we made. We became members, Oct.2001. As much as we travel to the DisneyWorld area, we save so much by having our home base. :cool: Our membership with the Wilderness Lodge/Villas is the best for arrangements with lodging. Discounts that are available and now with the discount that will be available on the annual pass is just another incentive to consider the DVC. smile.gif Our children, grandchildren, other family members and friends are able to have sharing time with us, when we were not just the two of us. graemlins/mickey.gif

G8RFAN
12-20-2004, 11:47 PM
Specific to staying in 1 br+ villas:

Kitchen - we really enjoy controling our time in the mornings with breakfast in the villa.

Washer/Dryer - While there is a really good argument for not doing laundry while on vacation, it really helps to keep the luggage on the light side when you know you can do a load midway.

Space - nuff said.


Studios:

Microwave/fridge - gives you breakfast options and the ability to take leftovers "home" with you in which you could actually heat and eat when you have the midnight munchies!

TCLites
01-08-2005, 06:19 PM
For us....

1. Based on our habits (at least once a year during the past 13 years), it appeared that it made reasonable financial sense over a 20 year period. (Please note, I said for us, I didn't say we'd make money, or this was an investment, or make any claims to saving great amounts of money).
2. We wanted the flexibility of size of accommodation during the next years in order to take our grown children and thieir families, siblings, grandparents, etc, with us without getting hit with huge $'s on the years we did such a thing.
3. We wanted the kitchen/space so we could cook meals, do laundry, and have room for babies, making the trips a little more affordable for other family members that can't afford a straight trip in a resort with all the meals and etc.
4. We felt that we were pre-paying for vacation options now, while we could afford it, to have the many options availalbe to use in the future when we retire. At that point we'll only have maintenance fees.
5. 50 years is more then enough for us (we're in our 50's), and will give our children the ownership someday until they are of an age to afford what they want. When we looked at other time shares with 100 year leases, one has to consider what the maintenance costs are going to be on the property in years 70, 80, 90, etc...
6. Again, THIS IS NOT AN INVESTMENT, but it appears (based on past record) that if we should decide that we must get out for personal financial reasons, that we would be able to get at least part of our investment back.
7. Honestly, graemlins/mickey.gif we like owning a piece of the magic.

We looked at time shares over several years, and DVC was comparable in price to other high reputation resorts (Hilton and Marriott specifically). So the prices didn't seem out of line for location, quality, and reputation. Not that there aren't other types of options from very reputable provideres for less - just not on property.

Minnesota Dis
01-09-2005, 01:26 AM
A year and half ago we purchased two resales at the Boardwalk - 1 for 210 pts and the other for 60 pts. These contracts came with banked points which we were able to sell for $2,900. Also, we recently sold 70 more points for $600 because of a last minute trip cancellation. Basically, this has paid for 3+ years of maintenance fees.

We also took a trip last year for 2 nights in a studio and 6 nights in a 2 bdrm. Boardwalk view. We are taking another trip this year for 6 nights standard view Boardwalk. And, my sister is using points to stay 2 nights at the Beach Club in a studio.

We will probably not go next year and rent the points which will pay for another 2+ years of maintenance fees. (Actually, we'll probably just use the cash from the rental and go somewhere else!)

As of today, we could sell our contracts for more than we had paid (we'd even come out ahead with the brokers fee because of the sold banked points)... Basically, our last two trips would be free (well hardly free - Park Hoppers, airline tickets, dining out!!!!).

I think we have already received a pretty good value for our points. I know you can argue we could get a better return for our $ in the market.... but we probably wouldn't have put it the market anyway - we would have gone on vacation.

We're happy with our purchase and when we feel we're not using it - we can rent the points or sell one of the contracts fairly quickly.... A better deal than most Timeshares if you look around out there.

We also don't mind the limit of time on the resorts - I don't think many of the timeshares that are out there now will be around in 100 years - think of a house built 100 years ago - they need a lot of maintenance. I don't think I want to hand that burden down to our kids.

We see it as a way to spend time with our family (priceless as the commercial says) - our kids are teenagers and in a few years they sure won't want to share a room with us... we love having a 2 bedroom now but it will be even better in 10 years. Or if they don't want to join us, we can spend 2-3 weeks in a studio by ourselves.

We also are starting to see some great new DVC member perks which you wouldn't get if we rented a room.

Anyway, these were some of our reasons for joining and the biggest one was to escape Minnesota in the winter!

[ January 09, 2005, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: Minnesota Dis ]

sleepydog25
01-18-2005, 03:46 PM
We live in a small town in southwestern Virginia, and what we wanted for our DD (and subsequent children) was the opportunity to see places outside of this wonderful, though admittedly rural, setting. We also needed flexibility given my wife's occupation as a physician, since it would be impossible year-to-year to take the same weeks off.

DVC offers the ability for both travel and flexibility. Sure, the II and Concierge exchange may not offer the best bang for your DVC points, but the ability to actually use them in a fairly convenient method all over the world has been a real factor for us.

Others have said that the DVC plan works best if you can set up the vacatiion every year and really plan ahead. We've found it works the opposite, too. If my DW works the schedule where she can take a week off just three months out, we have lots of options available to us, and such a system has worked well for us. For example, we decided to take a week in April at WDW and wanted a 2BR at either VWL or our home site of SSR. Got VWL. We then decided to use some points for an adult only weekend at HHI, and bingo, we're there in early June for four days.

We don't look at DVC as an investment, but we do look at it as a means of pushing us to take vacations when otherwise we might not, and it will pay dividends beyond mere dollars and cents. That return on investment--the joyous times, the family gatherings, the experiences of a lifetime--are what drew us to the club.

Amoladora
02-14-2005, 02:03 AM
I think that if you want to join the DVC, now is a good time. We just sold our interest in OKW (took a loss of course) but my husband was interested in buying into the new Saratoga Springs DVC. Well, we just got back from our recent trip to WDW and found that the DVC is offering some no interest loan incentives to buy! Unfortunately, my husband decided that the DVC timeshare market had run its course and he refused to buy again! I hope he's wrong but he knows the finance game too well for me to argue with him. Darn!

Disneym8
02-22-2005, 03:47 PM
We bought 150 points in 1999 at the Boardwalk, being from New Jersey, you know we love Boardwalks. We have used it every year since, given a standard view studio at the Boardwalk away twice and rented it once. In basically 5 years of ownership we have gotten 8 uses out of minimum ownership all 7 day 6 night trips. Hopefully in the future we can afford to use it twice a year. And now that the monthly dues can be paid for with Disney Visa points, it's like the dues have been eliminated.

Fortgoofy97
02-22-2005, 04:18 PM
We originally purchased in 1998 after paying for a trip the year before and in 98. We figured what it cost us for those two trips would have covered a little less than 1/2 the DVC cost. We also knew that we would be coming back again and saw DVC as a way to have something available and to look forward to. Since then we have added on twice. Instead of paying for the DCL trip we added on and then with Saratga we added on again. My DW and I now plan trips for just us, no kids, at least once a year. We have rented points to friends who later bought and have brought her parents we us on several trips. We mostly like the comfortability that we know have with the different resorts. It's to the point noe that we usually need a DVC fix every 3-4 months!

TCLites
04-21-2005, 03:07 PM
I have posted above, but here are some real facts for our upcoming vacation.

We have five people going and are booked in a two-bedroom villa at OKW for six nights (Sat-Friday). When we are done, we will have enough points left for a studio for 5 week nights sometime next fall or winter.

If we had rented the same studio with 7 day hoppers/plus tickets for 3 and two annual passes without DVC

$4,705.89

Now we expect that because we'll have a kitchen we will save some money on meals, but lets leave that aside. We did purchase the same tickets above (wife and I with annual passes) for $1,300.00.

However, if we weren't DVC members, we wouldn't stay in such accommodattions. So, two rooms a PC with same passes - $3,051.31

For this example, if I take the $1000.00 maintenance fees for the year the tickets $1300.00 off, we have made back about $700.00 of our DVC investment. So with the up-front investment of about $16,000.00 it is going to take us 23 years to "break even". I figured 20 before we bought.

However, DW and I now have annual passes, I have many frequent flier miles for free tickets, and we have points for five "low" season nights left for the use year. So, we can go again for the cost of meals! So, another 5 nights at a value resort and we add another $500.00 to our gain. Suddenly, it is only 14-15 years to break even.

This is all based on staying in Value Resorts. If we were actually staying in similar accommodations our gain would be about $2400.00 or a 6-7 year payback.

As I have stated earlier in this strand, we didn't buy to make money. However, it still looks like it isn't a bad financial deal. I know that others argue that we could have invested the $16,000.00 instead of spending it. At current rates, we certainly wouldn't have earned enough to pay for our vacation! (maybe could have bought one park ticket), however, there are other small savings with DVC, like tax deduction for the property taxes, meal savings because you have a kitchen, etc...

All in all, it still looks like a fair deal for us, expecially when we couple it with other non-cash reasons in my earlier post.

Amoladora
05-21-2005, 01:21 AM
My husband says that DVC membership is not even worth considering unless you pay the entire amount upfront. He says that if you have to borrow any money to swing the deal, you're just another victim of the DVC. As he has pointed out to me, if you add up the original cost and the annual dues and then add in the interest costs, you've wasted a lot of money.

He says it's better to invest that same money (that you would have spent on the DVC) and you'll be able to stay in any Disney deluxe resort every year (for any length of time and not have to dodge weekends) and still have money left over. He also says that DVC members are "Christmas Club Members" because they have to "force" themselves to take a yearly WDW vacation.

I have tried to get him to join the DVC. We can afford to pay the full amount upfront. Then, he points out to me that it is far less expensive to rent points at the DVC than to buy a DVC. I have seen this to be very true and I can't dispute his logic.

T.E. Yeary
05-21-2005, 01:43 PM
Maybe your husband needs a "deal". Have him look at the resales and see if he shows any interest.

www.dvc-resales.com (http://www.dvc-resales.com)

Click on the banner at the top of the page.

If this doesn't do it, there's not much hope!

Happy vacationing,
Tom

briguy
06-07-2005, 02:59 PM
Wow! After reading a lot of these discussions I feel like I am wading into heavy traffic, but here goes...

First a disclaimer. I am a DVC member. I bought resale at OKW 4 years ago. This post is not geared towards pro-DVC or anti-DVC folks, you guys/girls have already made up your minds and so have I. Trying to get me to see your point or vice-versa is just wasted typing. If you want to join, you'll number crunch it to look like it's a great deal. If you don't want to join, well you'll number crunch it to look like only a fool would join. This is geared for those on the fence. If you are truly objective, the numbers probably won't tip you one way or another. I made my choice based on emotional capital, as I'm sure many fellow DVC members made theirs.

Here were my reasons. Feel free to put your own sense of value against each one then decide.

1) Feeling like you are "part" of Disney. While that feeling is worth $0 on the open market..if it means something to you, DVC ownership will appeal to that. If it means nothing, it won't. Then again, if it means nothing, why are you looking at Intercot when you should be working;)

2) Making it easier every year to 'justify' a trip to Disney. This November we are planning a trip. If we did not have points, there are a lot of reasons why it's not a good year for us to go. But since we have points we will go...and you know what...I'm thrilled.

3a) Not having a bill appear under your door on your last day. I let out a big 'Yoohoo!' every time.

3b) Not having a hotel bill on your visa statement. OK, so I paid the dues, but when I get home from the trip and the bill arrives and it is only for the items I chose to spend, it feels great.

4) Timeshare ownership in general. Last year we stayed a week in Marco Island at a GREAT resort for 120 points. (posted rates were >$400/night, I'm sure we could have gotten a better deal than that). Sure we could have paid for it, and yes we could have a different time share, but it still felt GREAT to be there with $0 resort bill.

5) Better accomodations. Since we've joined we've stayed at better rooms than trips previously. Of course we could have stayed at them before, but the point was we didn't and now we do.

6) Lack of need to feel like I got the absolute best deal. If you have to satisfy your ego by walking around the resort feeling like you are smarter than everyone else because you got the super secret best rate...don't join. Truthfully, I never worried that we got the best deal or made the smartest 'investment'...only that I was at my happy place. If I was worried about getting the best deal possible I'd bag my lunch at the park everyday rather than spend on lunch a lot more than what I'd pay anywhere else.

Bottom line - if you consider yourself a Disney geek, which I do, it may be worth it emotionally, and you can make the numbers work to that end. If you are more detached and analytical, probably not.

But maybe we can stop trying to force our opinions on someone else who may be in a completely different place emotionally, financially or otherwise.

SgtTigger
06-15-2005, 07:04 PM
Ok now it is time for me to chime in......

We became owners in July of last year.

On our trip June 5th till 11th we stayed at the Villas at Wilderness Lodge........ On Friday June 10th we decided that Tropical Storm Arlene was going to stop our drive to Gulf Shores Alabama. We decided to stay an extra night.... We first went to the front desk and asked about getting a room at the Lodge.... We were told the Lodge was booked full. We were also told to go to our room and call member services. We did and were told we could stay in the same room we had been staying in. They took care of all our points and got everything in order..... All we had to do was go to the front desk on the morning that we were supposed to check out so they could give us new room cards.

This was so easy and so fast.... We did not have to shop around and find a room. We did not have to pack up and move.... It did not even cost us anything more......
So that is my reason to Join........ I hope this has helped.......


graemlins/doubleeek.gif graemlins/mickey.gif

Natazu
06-15-2005, 09:55 PM
There are a lot of positives in this thread but I didn't see the most important one to me. I'll try to post it without getting too much into market speculation.

In 15 years, how much will it cost to stay at, say, a regular room for a week in a deluxe resort? how about in 20 years? 30? Is it safe to say it will go up dramatically?

In 15 years, how many points will it cost to stay in a 1 bedroom DVC room? 20 years? 30 years? The same as it does now! You can stay at OKW for a week in value season for 80 points now, and in the year 2055, you'll be able to do the same.

DVC is an investment in the future. Even if you finance, the amount that room rates will go up over time will be higher than the interest you pay in during your term.

So, I say if you have the income to buy, DVC is a great program.

pbharris4
06-17-2005, 02:30 PM
To us the most important reason to join...

Was to have fun, memorable vacations with our girls and then their kids. To be together as a family. We can stay in very nice hotels and the price will not change. (Dues may go up.) I joined in 2002 and it's more than half paid for itself. We skipped a year because I had a baby, but banked the pts. for a 2 bdrm. We don't have that many pts, but we just added 50 more and are pretty much done adding on. We've stayed at The Plaza and are doing the DCL this summer (4 day land/3 day sea) and plan to go to some other areas as well. For now though WDW is fine..my DD's (9 and 2) are still young.

ANOTHER important reason was..there is so much to do there. I like to do a lot on vacation. I can relax for one day and then I am bored. We traveled a lot when I was little. And there's other places to go around there area as well.

TCLites
11-16-2005, 01:12 PM
Just bumping this back up to the thread. The REASONS to NOT JOIN is still active, thought it would be appropraite for both threads to close to each other.

grmpy
12-26-2005, 02:49 PM
The reason I joined is I love going to WDW. I also like the 1 bedroom and I absolutely love staying on site.

Lets face it everyone has a vice. For some it is smoking...for others it is drinking...shopping....eating...camping...whatever you see the picture

My vice is going to WDW ...leaving my troubles at the main gate and watching my girls faces light up with awe every time we go. If the truth is to be told my wife feels the same way or else we would of never bought it.

We have not been members long but we still wish we did it 3 yrs ago when we 1st looked.

DaveCass
01-26-2006, 04:03 PM
My roommate and I purchased 250 points at SSR last night. I've been reading everything I could find about DVC on the Internet, and don't know how I missed these threads on INTERCOT.

Even though we had a million questions for our "guide," we were pretty much sold on the concept from the start. We weren't looking for a real estate investment. We were looking for a way to enjoy Disney on a regular basis, yet still have some flexibility on where and when we spend our vacations. I think we found just that.

I made the mistake of reading the "why NOT" thread before reading this one, and I must admit I went through a few fingernails worrying that we'd made a bad decision. I'm feeling much better now, having gone through these posts.

My parents have owned timeshares with Marriott for quite a number of years. With the exception of my first two trips to WDW when I was very young, most of my stays in Florida have been in one of the Orlando area Marriott timeshares. When my parents would invite us to join them, we always enjoyed the differences of a timeshare over a standard hotel room: the kitchen, the laundry, the large family room, the separate bedrooms, and the whirlpool tubs. I was never a big fan of having to get in the car for everything, though. With a large gathering, it was also a pain in the neck to make sure there was always at least one annual pass in every vehicle.

Last year for my fortieth birthday, my roommate and I decided to spend a week in WDW. We booked into the Wilderness Lodge, signed up for the Magical Express, premium park hopper tickets, and the meal plan. I couldn't believe the difference I felt in staying on property versus all the years we'd enjoyed the offsite timeshares. The extra magic hours were a big perk, I enjoyed not having to have anything in my pocket except a room key, and everywhere we needed to go was just a short ride away on Disney transportation.

I've always ignored the DVC kiosks when I've seen them because of a comment my dad made years ago about the down side of an end date. I was certain that when I could finally afford to buy a timeshare, it would be with Marriott.

As I began to plan our trip for next summer -- expecting to stay at the Wilderness Lodge again -- I started thinking more and more of the timeshare option. The on-site perks were fresh in my mind, so I thought of DVC. The more I read about the program and the more we discussed it and thought it over, the less important the 2054 end date seemed. Forty-nine years is a long way off! If I'm still getting around the Magic Kingdom at 90 years old (103 for my roommate), a younger family member can put me up in their room! lol

We plan to use our points mainly at DVC resorts. On occasion, though, we will try something different. Yes, I know it's not quite advantageous to use them for Interval or another location, but it's nice to have the option. I might be able to find a better cash deal at the time, but there's something to be said for having it pre-paid. I know we’ll be more apt to spend points than we will cash, meaning we’ll get away more.

I'm reminded of something that happened to me on my last visit. We were on the meal plan, and for the first day or so, I was so intent on getting my money's worth out of those meals that I was ordering things off the menu based on their high costs rather than because it was what I wanted to eat. When I realized how silly that was and that the spirit of the meal plan was to dine with flexibility and know the cost up front, rather than trying to stick it to Disney for every penny possible, I enjoyed it much more. I'm going to treat the DVC membership the same way.

I'm happy with the price we paid. I think it is a good deal -- even if a CPA or stockbroker can make an argument that the money would have yielded more elsewhere. I'm thrilled at having the perks of a timeshare room (kitchen, laundry, living space, separate bedrooms) combined with the perks of staying on-property. I'm glad the dining plan is now open to DVC members. (We'll use that when we're in a studio, and the kitchen when we're in a larger room.) I'm glad there's a big discount on PAPs. I'm glad there are discounts at some restaurants and stores (although I frankly was expecting a little more in this regard -- I was also expecting there to be some in-park perks as well, like using a DVC room key to enter any FastPass line without needing an actual FastPass, or at least allowing several overlapping FastPasses when the DVC room key is used in the FastPass machine. What about extra-extra magic hours or free (instead of discounted) backstage tours? Oops, I digress...).

Bottom line: I bought a piece of the magic. If I were looking for something to add to a financial portfolio, I'd have been looking somewhere else.

Goofster
02-10-2006, 01:07 PM
Bottom line: I bought a piece of the magic. If I were looking for something to add to a financial portfolio, I'd have been looking somewhere else.

This is why we will be buying into DVC within the next few years. The other thread on this board focuses too much on the financial investment aspect of it. To me, if that's the main concern you find, then you probably can't afford the DVC in the long run and it wouldn't be a wise purchase. (I'm not trying to criticize those who can't afford it; I know DVC is expensive and a lot of people don't want to tie up a lot of money into it. That's not a bad thing). But for us, our financial investment is our 401k, IRA, Home, etc.. The DVC is like buying a fancy car, splurging on entertainment expenses, etc...but in our case, we are buying family time at our favorite vacation spot. Some things you don't expect a financial return on; it's just a lifestyle choice...we are looking for a return in happy memories, time with our kids, etc.. :mickey:

magic my way
02-10-2006, 01:27 PM
My reason is simple: In less than nine years, all 370 points that we own will be paid in full. Enough points for 3 trips per years, and the only outlay will be our dues. As far as 'smart' money is concerned, my qestion is 'who cares?' DVC is about quality of life, not about finance and asset management. We LOVE DVC- world class accomodations, a sense of family, a little piece of WDW. Our DVC will be there for our children and our grandchildren. Who can put a price tag on that?

Sheetshouse
02-10-2006, 03:11 PM
I totally agree with the last few posts. There is more to life than building wealth and to me it is teaching my kids about family and quality time together.

We have 200 points and 10 day Magic your way tickets that are paid for so our vacations over the next few years will be relatively stress free money wise.

doombuggy
03-04-2006, 10:41 AM
My parents have owned timeshares with Marriott for quite a number of years. With the exception of my first two trips to WDW when I was very young, most of my stays in Florida have been in one of the Orlando area Marriott timeshares. When my parents would invite us to join them, we always enjoyed the differences of a timeshare over a standard hotel room: the kitchen, the laundry, the large family room, the separate bedrooms, and the whirlpool tubs.

My dad bought a timeshare with his wife in Kissimmee back in the late 1980s & they love it for the same reason. They bought into the Hilton one over by Sea World a few years ago also.


I've always ignored the DVC kiosks when I've seen them because of a comment my dad made years ago about the down side of an end date.

This is the reason why my dad was not interested in DVC. I have wanted to buy DVC for quite some time, and now since I won't be buying a home anytime soon, I have the money to do so. Well, they were down visiting me over Presidents Day (they stayed at their Kissimmee timeshare) and they toured the sample at the Boardwalk & are now looking to buy DVC. :D

CantonMichigan
05-17-2006, 12:17 AM
I posted this back in 2004 in another thread,

"Do your own analysis (quantitative) and think what you want to get out of the membership (qualitative). I'm a member, but as I've said (in essence) before, asking people on this site if you should join is like going to a new church and asking its members if you should join. i.e. We're not exactly impartial.

I'm a CPA and did an extensive analysis of whether the membership was "worth it." I never could convince myself one way or the other (too many variables to control), but once my wife (also a CPA) saw the numbers did not equate to a horrible financial decision, we bought at her insistence. I'm glad we did, based on other factors (being able to take the grandparents, having better than deluxe accomodations,...). So, I guess I'm saying your decision after financial (is it worth it?), is a qualitative decision."

Since that time, we took my in-laws down here for a "free" vacation. And my father-in-law passed away unexpectedly 6 months later. I am so glad my wife insisted we buy. My kids still remember getting grandpa to go on the "big" rides.

Feel free to email me if you want my analysis. I haven't updated it since buying in 2003, but it's an excel spreadsheet and easy to adjust.

magic my way
05-27-2006, 11:48 PM
2BR rack rates are in the $750 + per night range.(Mid-Season). High Season is significantly more.
Just wanted your thoughts as it relates to your DVC investment.

Queen Stephanie
06-14-2006, 01:32 AM
Magic! Isn't that what Disney is all about. I can't imagine this world without Disney. God gave us a little piece of heaven while we are enjoying our time on this earth. I believe you either ARE and Disney fan, or you ARE NOT a Disney fan. :mickey: For my family, we absolutely LOVE the creations of Walt Disney, and when we were introduced to the option of purchasing a piece of the magic, it was a "no-brainer" for us. The magical part of being a DVC member is just that...we are a part of the Disney family, and believe me, Disney cast members make us feel like part of the family. The ability to stay in a 2 bedroom villa, with kitchen, living room, 2 bathrooms and jacuzzi suite for our long stay at Disney, allows our family to share relaxing and happy memories that are priceless and are worth more than the price we paid for the membership. Somethings you just can't put a price tag on.

DVCZP
06-20-2006, 02:34 PM
Joining DVC is a very personal thing. I have appreciated reading all the posts as to why joining DVC can be right for you and I also thought the thread on why not to join has its merits as well.

We love our DVC but did have it on the resell market recently. We pulled it off the market after a wonderful trip to SSR last week. Why? I absolutely love all things Disney and owning (even for 36 years) a piece of Disney makes me indescribably happy. DH is not so enthused with Disney but he loves me and loved our relaxing trip to SSR so we decided to make some sacrafices in other areas and hang on to our interest and do not have any regrets.

DVC is right for us but it might not be right for everyone and that's okay too. As other posters have mentioned, we love the one and two bedroom accommodations but even the studios are nicer than the average Disney regular hotel room with microwave and fridge and the sleeping sofa. We have absolutely fallen in love with SSR and are already planning next year's trip to this beautiful and relaxing resort. We love our home resort (Hilton Head) too and look forward to many many more future vacations. We consider ourselves quite fortunate to own our Disney timeshare!

DisneyGiant
07-08-2006, 12:53 PM
Just wanted to point out a temporary financial plus for me ........

- The mortgage is tax deductible on my annual income tax
- I don't pay for the vacation any more out of pocket - it comes from a monthly payment of the mortgage (which includes the dues) - gives me the illusion that I am going for "free." My only outlay is the airfare and food. And there we have the Disney Dining Experience - so we receive 20% off on practically everything we eat and drink.

My major complaint of our DVC stay is the towels - and we do opt to pay for the extra towels - especially when 8 people are present - who wants to do all that towel wash on vacation????

And if you stay at a DVC that has a resort along with it (Beach Club, Boardwalk, Wildnerness Lodge) you can still order room service if you feel like it .....

We figured - if we were going to go to WDW every year - it made sense to join DVC and lock in at a lower rate.

We haven't regretted the decision to do so.

luvdiznee
08-04-2006, 11:30 AM
Nice to be able to read the opinions on reasons to join DVC. Very informative since that is what is needed for what I consider to be an important decision. Maybe, I will have a decision in a year or so.... :confused:

mia210
08-07-2006, 03:24 PM
We have been DVC members for approximately 5 years. We own at VERO BEACH, WILDERNESS LODGE AND SARATOGA SPRINGS.
Both my husband and I are Disney fanatics, so we love our DVC.
I did exactly as some of you had suggested when we first bought. I figured out how much a two week vacation at a deluxe resort would cost then figured out the inflation rate at 2% per year. I figured the cost over 30 years and added it up! That was pretty scary!
I then figured out how much DVC would cost for a 30 year "term" with dues, that also go up. It really seemed like a cost effective way to vacation.
I am sure the number crunching thing may not do the trick for some of you wanting to justify a membership. What did it for us was the prospect of having something to look forward to. We both work extremely stressful jobs and need our down time. For us that usually means a trip to the Happiest place on Earth.
Not having to worry about choosing and then paying for really nice accomodations has really made our vacation experiences that much better.
We are also using our points to go on a 7 day cruise this October (2006) and if we had to pay cash at approximately $2700 per person, we probably wouldn't have had the immediate cash flow to go. This way, its all taken care of.
We have used our points to travel with our family and have made priceless memories that we will cherish forever.
If I had the chance to do it all again, I would in a heartbeat! Buying into DVC has allowed us to feel like we are truly part of the Disney family and that is the true magic of ownership.
GO DVC!

tinktude
08-13-2006, 03:47 PM
My husband and I purchased the dvc membership last year in March when we were on vacation with our 2 kids. At the time we were staying off property. The investment for us was well worth it because we now don't have to search for a moderate resort on property that will have enough space for us to stay. I know that for my husband and I to have to share a double bed is next to impossible (he is a bed hog :blush: ), and most of the moderate to deluxe resorts have 2 double beds, and the king size with bunk beds book too fast.

Comfort was the key for us, and since we come "home" at least 2 times a year it was well worth the cost.

Let me tell you this....I am not ususally an emotional person, but seeing the joy and excitement on my children's faces when they get to Disney brings tears to my eyes....priceless.

I am excited, we will be coming "home" for Halloween, and celebrating my son's birthday. Shhhh it's a surprise :party:

KS

[COLOR=RoyalBlue]_______________________________________________/COLOR]

Hilton--2000
Grovener--2002
Hilton--2004
Gaylord Palms 2005
SSR-2005
SSR-2006
OKW-2006

Natazu
08-28-2006, 01:12 PM
Washer/Dryer - While there is a really good argument for not doing laundry while on vacation, it really helps to keep the luggage on the light side when you know you can do a load midway.
Although it pains me to agree with a Gator Fan this close to 9/23 :D , boy I'll second this one. We're planning a 17-day trip in Sept/Oct and just started on our packing list. (we're planners). Being the typical guy, I don't have enough underwear and socks for 17 days. And being the typical middle-aged bald guy, I have a little convertible barely big enough for 1/2 the luggage. Now it just needs to be big enough for a week's worth of stuff and Cheer with Color Guard.

Also as a reason to join DVC, I guess I should also add the fact that we're able to take a 17-day trip to begin with. :thumbsup:

Go Vols! ;)

luvdiznee
08-28-2006, 04:00 PM
[Also as a reason to join DVC, I guess I should also add the fact that we're able to take a 17-day trip to begin with. :thumbsup:
You are sooooo lucky! Enjoy! :mickey:

Wendy on Pixie Dust
08-28-2006, 10:24 PM
DVC is quite simply the best thing we've done as a family. We bought in when our kids were at the right ages to appreciate multiple days at the parks (9 and 13). Today they're 19 and 23 and we still go as a family every year ( I suppose we'll have to take spouses too when that becomes an issue!) We've taken all the trips listed below on our points (except the cruise) plus have also stayed at the Plaza in NYC (twice). the Whitehall in Chicago, the Jefferson in Wash DC. and gave my sister a honeymoon weekend to the Biltmore in Arizona. I took my staff on a three day retreat to the Wilderness Lodge and gave my daughter and her friend spring break at Old Key West. We make the most of our 250 points through borrowing and banking at the right times. We've never been shut out of a trip even when booking a month in advance. There are always great options. It's flexible, "forces" you to go on vacation and is priceless in creating magical memories. We have not had one minute of regret!

always_a_princess
10-12-2006, 03:46 PM
DH and I just joined the DVC on our last trip, and i have to say, while it is kind of expensive, and NOT really an investment, it has never been about the money to us. Not that we are so rich it doesn't matter, but what it comes down to for us, is the emotional investment - the experiences of a lifetime that happen for us every time we visit Disney. We have two little children and the look on their faces when we arrive is worth every penny we spend. But why spend more every time we go (and we will go at LEAST once a year, every year) on a moderate to deluxe resort which will probably go up every year (and as we found out this last trip, doesn't always meet or exceed our expectations of Disney) when we can pay the same amount for our accomodations every time for the next 50 years. And, the accomodations with DVC are even much more comfortable than regular deluxe rooms. While i am not crazy about cooking or doing laundry on vacation, at least we have the option of cooking in our room if we want to, and not have the added stress of getting to a dining reservation on time. And since i always end up doing laundry mid-vacation anyway, having the laundry facilities in the room and not having to spend 20+ just to do a few loads really is an added plus for me.We also like to take our time and relax at the resort for at least part of the day everyday, and at SSR (our home base) they have lots of fun activites for the children to do every day during downtime as well as a great pool and spa.

Another note - for our family anyway, as i said we have small children and while they love to travel and stay in hotel rooms, the comfort of having a "home" like setting to stay in will make it easier for them to wind down at the end of the day.

Also, we have a huge extended family and we felt that it would be nice to take them for a great vacation once in a while that they normally would never spend the money on.

So to sum it up, as everyone has said on this thread, it really isn't about the money, it is about owning a piece of the magic. If you want a financial investment, DVC may not be what you are looking for. While it is not exactly a bad financial investment, i doubt much money could be made on it in the long term. It is, however, an investment in your family, and all the priceless memories and joyful times you can have with them are just as important as any monetary investment you can make. And for us, knowing what to expect (we are planners) and having options for other vacations if we want them without spending the extra cash (taking extra family, romantic weekends,etc) is worth it.

luvdiznee
10-12-2006, 08:02 PM
I thought I read that they were going to start building new rooms in AKL. But at the same time I thought they were already at AKL. I guess I will have to reconsider if maybe they are going to be building new rooms at AKL. Since it may mean there will be some for sale over there... :confused: :confused: :confused:

Natazu
10-12-2006, 11:47 PM
I thought I read that they were going to start building new rooms in AKL. But at the same time I thought they were already at AKL. I guess I will have to reconsider if maybe they are going to be building new rooms at AKL. Since it may mean there will be some for sale over there... :confused: :confused: :confused:
Some (at least) of the 5th and 6th floor rooms will be converted to DVC until a new property can be built. It will be a free standing building. The projected completion date is 2009. I don't know the date for the conversion.

dbm20th
10-24-2006, 04:42 PM
Before I joined the DVC, we went to WDW about once every 18 months or longer. In the next year, I plan on going 3 times for a total of a round 20 days. That would NEVER be possible without the DVC, the AP discount, and the DDE

DVCWDWMEMBER
10-25-2006, 07:32 PM
We purchased into DVC January 2002 after trying to convince my DH since 1993 when we first toured OKW.
We have taken the whole family(12) and stayed in a 2 bedroom and studio( less points that 3 bedroom), have gone on the Disney Cruise and gone to Disneyland several times. the only regret is not having purchased sooner. :mickey:

Alley Oop
11-01-2006, 03:53 AM
My wife and I are looking into DVC, because we want to vacation in Disney World every year. We plan on looking into it on our next visit. For now, we are not sure because it seems that you can miss out on some of the deals that vacation packages offer... :D

Donald A
11-24-2006, 02:11 PM
My wife and I just joined the DVC at our last trip. I have been reading both why to join and why not too and must admit that the reasons to join for me outweigh the reasons not too. My wife and I have been to Disney 3 times in the past 4 years staying at The Animal Kingdom Lodge, The Wilderness Lodge and earlier in the month, The Boardwalk Inn. We only stayed 4 nights each trip and I don't think one trip was under $2000 and our most recent was close to $3000. I think, as you can tell, we will be returning to WDW.

At 30 years old, I want to take a group of 9 people from our families to WDW and go first class. We are planning a January '08 trip getting 2 two-bedroom villas hopefully at the Boardwalk but at least at Saratoga Springs (Our home resort). This will cost us 2 years of points (2X150) for those 2 villas for 5 nights. Renting a villa for 5 nights is around $4000 for that time of year. That is $8000 of value for two years of points.

Granted this is offseason, does not include tickets and travel to WDW, and two years of points but if I go every two years and take the family, the cash equivalent will be $24000 for just our rooms. In 6 years, even with finanacing charges and dues added on top off the $15000 package purchase price I will be way ahead. Plus I will be able to take many more trips in the future.

I don't quite understand the renting points to others thing. That doesn't even enter the equation for me.

dan24
02-03-2007, 03:54 PM
which is better .. benefits to both ... ?

one less expensive than the other ?

HockeyKat
02-03-2007, 08:16 PM
Dan, I think it is somewhat a matter of personal choice.

If you are the kind of person, and I am NOT saying this is bad, that enjoys the value resort experience and/or doesn't go to WDW more than once every 2-3 years, DVC is probably not for you.

My numbers are this, and sorry if this is TMI: If all goes well, I am buying a resale 210 pt contract, which includes 210 banked 2006 pts, at Boardwalk Villas for $85/pt with a total cost is $19,581 (includes closing costs and dues for 2007). I am financing $17,806 of it for 5 years, so total costs + interest is $22,426.20.

If you take what I am paying for the points themselves and divide it by the length of the contract (35 years), I will be paying a net cost of about $640/year. The annual dues will be about $1K/year, and will likely increase, probably upt to as much as $1500/year. So I will be paying approx. $1650/yr, maybe up to $2K a year as dues increase.

To compare apples to apples, if you were to stay in the Boardwark Inn for 5 nights in a one bedroom villa at a rack rate in September, it would be $2,390.70. A two bedroom is $3346.90. With my point total, I am planning one 5 night one bedroom stay + two 5 night studio stays (one standard, one preferred) at $1,771.90 each. Plus, as an AP, I get $200 off a year on my AP. I also have access to the dining plan.

So, for $1650/yr, I get $6134.50/yr in actual room costs. That is a savings of $4484.

To compare apples to oranges, 5 nights in a BW standard room or studio would be $1,771.90. 5 nights at Coronado Springs would be $815.70. 5 nights at Pop Centure would be $528.80.

Even three 5 night stays at PC would be about as much as my net cost per year, but if you take discount codes and such into account, DVC would probably be more.

Bottom line of all this math is... if you take a discount vacation at WDW once a year, this is likely not what you would want to do. If you have the startup costs, take a deluxe vacation, have kids and a 2 bedroom would make things more comfortable, and/or go more than once a year, it likely is.

HTH!!

dan24
02-05-2007, 09:29 PM
my wife and I first went in 2005 on our honeymoo.. then again in 2006 for our first anniversary.. we would be going in 2007 if not for the fact she started a new job and won't have vacation until the end of october and with my work i can't take vacation in feb,may,july,Nov. the business i am in. so we will go next year .. considering it is obvious we are addicted to WDW unless we leave our lives in Oklahoma and move to Orlando.. we are thinking we will go every other year.. and of course we have family that we think we could bring too some years. and for any remaing points we could go to some other destination and our hotel will be paid for. and the cost is only for 10 years .. and then it is a free ride. I am concerned about the cost which the way my wife estimtes it for 160 pts it will be around 250 a month.. plus annual dues .. so .. and we are not rich but we make ok money .. so the cost is an issue. :mickey:

disneycouple2004
03-01-2007, 06:33 PM
I have seen so many pros and cons about DVC, alot of is a bit too much to understand so i always explain like i just recently did to a friend of mine who visits DW at least every other year and it goes like this..
I ask him why he didn't buy into DVC..
he replied i can go alot cheaper than you can and have just as much fun !!..WRONG !!!
I set him straight really quick..i ask, how much do you spend on each trip "?..he says they do the value resorts, and its a about 1600.00 package each year, no dining plan and not including getting to DW..so we agreed about 2,500.00 was a modest estimate per trip..
Then i tell him we spent about 12,500.00 on our DVC with discounts etc..and that is for 54 years , one trip per year at about 150 points per year for my family..SO ..after 5 of your trips...the DVC would have been paid for, and you could go about 49 more times with DVC..
he is buying next week !!..ha..
:thumbsup:

sassafras
03-01-2007, 09:10 PM
After making several trips to DW in about 4 years, DH and I did some research into the DVC. For what we had paid in those few trips, we could almost have paid for the 150 points we decided to buy. Since buying into the DVC, we have stayed at the BCVs probably 4 times, OKW once, BWVs once and WLVs last July. We couldn't have afforded to spend 8 nights at the WLVs any other way! Some years, we make 2 or 3 trips to WDW. We'll use our points for one in May, and get in on a special Disney runs usually for the fall and go to PO Riverside.
One thing that appealed to us was the idea that the DVC would be paid off before either of us retire and then we would only have the maintenance fee to pay. We could actually have a nice vacation and not lose our shirts. To us, it just was a good financial decision.:mickey:

DISNEYFIX
03-03-2007, 10:49 AM
Question for this side of the issue:

I enjoy the Poly Conceirge Service and will stay there 2 times of the year for at least the next 7 years. Why should I do the DVC specificly for the high end resorts? Is it going to cost me less than it does already? Thanks for helping the new guy.:thumbsup:

dlpmikki
03-03-2007, 01:22 PM
Question for this side of the issue:

I enjoy the Poly Conceirge Service and will stay there 2 times of the year for at least the next 7 years. Why should I do the DVC specificly for the high end resorts? Is it going to cost me less than it does already? Thanks for helping the new guy.:thumbsup:

I think you will be better asking your question as a specific one rather than in these two (why/why not) posts. You should get a lot more responses.

You will probably get the answer that most members think it is an expensive use of points to stay at places like the Poly and that DVC may not be for you in those circumstances.

DISNEYFIX
03-03-2007, 02:18 PM
I think you will be better asking your question as a specific one rather than in these two (why/why not) posts. You should get a lot more responses.

You will probably get the answer that most members think it is an expensive use of points to stay at places like the Poly and that DVC may not be for you in those circumstances.

I claim ignorance. I admit I need help understanding what to ask. Is the right phrasing of my question, What is the break even point for DVC if using only Resort Consceirge service? :marg:

dlpmikki
03-03-2007, 05:12 PM
I claim ignorance. I admit I need help understanding what to ask. Is the right phrasing of my question, What is the break even point for DVC if using only Resort Consceirge service? :marg:

Just pose your original question as it's own topic (add your extra bit you've just asked as well by all means). There may be someone out there who has worked it out the way you are asking but I don't think they will be looking in this general topic.

DISNEYFIX
03-03-2007, 06:09 PM
The dummy says thanks.:number1:

keys2kingdom
03-05-2007, 02:03 PM
Question for this side of the issue:

I enjoy the Poly Conceirge Service and will stay there 2 times of the year for at least the next 7 years. Why should I do the DVC specificly for the high end resorts? Is it going to cost me less than it does already? Thanks for helping the new guy.:thumbsup:

Although I love my DVC I do not think it would be a good fit for you. Please see my post on "reasons not to buy" for an explanation of why I say this.

SignguyTom
03-06-2007, 05:07 PM
We tried to crunch the numbers and with all that has been posted and debated, I would simply say this:

Follow your heart! Life is WAY too short to worry about whether you break even in 6 years or 10 or 12...

If you love WDW and go often, why not? If you decide it's not for you, sell out and move on. So you don't get what you paid for it, big deal. If you use it a few times and sell for 70 or 80% of your purchase price, it still seems like a good deal.

Just my 2¢. It was an emotional decision for us, not necesarily a logical, or financial one.

NewmanFamily6
03-06-2007, 05:21 PM
For us joining just made economical sense. What we as a family of 6 were spending on vacations every year we will be saving money:) Also, it makes things like the Disney Cruise line avalable to us. We could not afford the cruise for the 6 of us w/out points. Lastly, I love Disney!:cloud9:

Brer Mickey
04-23-2007, 12:00 PM
I would not trade the countless memories we have from our numerous trips to WDW, our three Magic cruises, Disneyland, and our trip to Europe and Disneyland Paris for all of the money we have spent on our DVC membership. Because of our membership since '99, we have taken two and sometimes three vacation trips per year.

We joined DVC when my DS was 7, and he will be turning 15 soon and to this day, we still look at our pictures and watch the 30 or so video tapes we have of our trips. He thinks it is really neat that he can watch himself growing up through the years at WDW.

Over the next 35 years, we will continue to vacation at WDW while watching our DS grow, as well as his two older siblings, and someday we will be going with their future spouses and children while continuing to expand those memories as we watch their children grow through the years at WDW.

As someone else said in a prevoius post, we feel that WDW is our second home and we love to hear "Welcome home" as we arrive at our resort. The reasons I have stated here, in my opinion, are the real reasons to join DVC.

KevGuy
04-24-2007, 10:07 AM
We just bought into DVC last night (SSR)!!! It made sense for me and my family since we plan on going back to Disney as my kids are now 6 & 9 and we want to start a tradition of awesome vacations 1-2 times a year from now on and be able to pass that tradition on to them and their kids. Economically it also made sense in the long run and the flexability with going elsewhere under the plan is simply amazing and maintenance fees were pretty low compared to others. For instance we live in Mass, so in Aug we will be going to spend a week on Martha's Vinyard at minimal cost, and then again next spring back to Disney in April to a now 1 or 2 bedroom again at low cost as we were able to get free plane tix for waiting for another plane for 2 hours on the same day we came back last week. We thought that was a sign lol for us to join. Plus we now have the ability to take others with us and put everyone up in the same accomodations. It depends on each persons situation in my case we paid cash and only have to worry about the yearly fee at this point. We will most likely buy more in a year or two once we get used to being members and want to do more as my kids get older. I have already been instructed by my 6 year old son that we WILL be going on real safari in africa and my 9 year old daughter has chimed in with going to the Grand Floridian lookalike in Hong Kong ahahahaha!!! :mickey:

Mackflava99
05-03-2007, 11:56 AM
Its a good value, and its based on how you define value-
Monitarily i had a bonus given to me during a company merger so we paid for it from "found money" - yes maybe we should have invested it in ETFs , BUT The value i get from my family being together, being able to bring relatives and feeling like we are "home" is well worth it.
The accomodations are great, i love the kitchen, and all the discounts help out.

Its a good deal, people argue about it, but i can truthfully say i have NEVER ( ok one time when we took my inlaws, but that was a different thing...) had a bad time, and i always feel refreshed after going there. AND we all look forward to going again-
I think that out weighs the negatives ( if there are any)

Lucille
05-23-2007, 09:19 AM
Our reason to join really just applies to us, but I'll post it anyway :mickey:

A month and a half after joining we discovered that we would be expecting a little stranger. Thank goodness we had joined DVC when we did! We wouldn't have been able to justify the money if we had known about the baby and now the little bundle is guaranteed many, many years of vacations!

KevGuy
05-23-2007, 11:10 AM
DVC is just awesome for us!! :thumbsup: :mickey: :D :cool:

Ian
05-23-2007, 02:39 PM
I have to admit, I was a skeptic. In fact, I'm pretty sure if you look early on in the "Reasons Not to Buy" thread, you'll see some input from me there. ;)

But we went back and really looked at it again ... ran the numbers, went through the emotional side of the arguments, etc. ... and we decided this time around that we had made a mistake not buying in before.

Luckily, because of the current incentives going on, we ended up doing not all that much worse than we would have had we bought in three or four years ago.

There were two big factors in us taking the plunge ...

#1, I think this is a terrific inflation hedge. It's true that, if you aren't committed to or capable of taking vacations every year, there's probably better ways to hedge your money. But we are, so for us this just works.

#2, the investment we're making in our family and 50 years of family vacations is worth it alone.

Also, in the grand scheme of things, it's hard to figure how paying 15 grand today for 50 years worth of vacations (that normally cost $1,500 - $2,000 each anyway) isn't a good deal.

rbl291
05-27-2007, 05:16 PM
We joined because this way of vacationing works great for us! We come home to Disney in the "off seasons for 4-6 nights 2-3 times a year, utilize ME so don't worry about a car or transportation.

It was never really a long number crunch thing...(btw I am a CPA so maybe the number crunching was just part of the decision process without really thinking of it). For us, it makes great sense to own DVC and be able to use it for all the years. Sure we could probaly do a disney vaction for less money, but the way we do it I don't hink so. We see a cheap flight and then quickly decide if we want to go for a few days.If it works out, off we go. We have not had any bad experience getting accomodations so far.

We figure we will use DVC until we physically can't get there any longer and with 2 children grown, eventually hope to be able to vacation with grandchildren! (and then send them back to their mommies and daddies!!)

Plus, owning DVC makes us take trips and invite family and friends, which we might not do if we were not owners. All in all, DVC was the best vacation plan we have made! Enjoy!

mprewitt
07-16-2007, 03:07 PM
DVC membership might make sense if you meet most or all of these criteria:

The cost of membership and dues does not appear to present a financial hardship.
You vacation at Walt Disney World frequently: ideally at least once every two years.
You plan to continue vacationing at Disney World far enough into the future to make the membership at least break even.
You prefer to stay in Deluxe or DVC accommodations and/or you stay a long time (10 days or more per year). If you always stay at a Value resort, or always stay off-site, or you really are at the parks every single day for every day you're there, and you don't spend time at the resort itself (other than crashing at the end of the day), then DVC may not be for you.
You are able to plan your vacations well in advance -- ideally 7 to 11 months out. If you aren't a planner, don't even look at becoming a DVC member. If you can't plan and book your vacations 11 months in advance, and staying at a particular DVC resort is important, then don't join DVC. If you really don't care which DVC resort you end up with, then it might not be an issue.
You can do without daily mousekeeping and room service (of course, you can pay extra and get mousekeeping as a DVC member).
You desire more space than a typical resort room (such as a 2 bedroom villa, with full kitchen, living room, 2 bathrooms and jacuzzi suite, and a washer/dryer).
You’re not looking at DVC as an investment or a way to make money (it’s not). It is a decision to prepay, at today's rates, the next several decades of Disney trips.If the only consideration is whether it makes financial sense, then maybe you should be staying offsite and only eating offsite as well, since that beats staying onsite. Beyond just the financial considerations, DVC membership is emotionally satisfying (you “own a piece of the magic”), and it gives you a reason to take a vacation at WDW.

Buying a DVC membership is a rational, financially viable option for some people: namely people who plan to stay in the higher-end accommodations at Walt Disney World on a regular basis.

Buying into DVC is almost a lifestyle choice. A DVC purchase is a way of committing to an annual Disney vacation with family and friends. For some people, that may outweigh any financial considerations. DVC will pay dividends beyond mere dollars and cents – your return on investment will be the joyous times, the family gatherings, and the experiences of a lifetime.

Only you can determine if DVC membership makes sense for your situation, based upon your lifestyle and financial capabilities.

pogo
07-16-2007, 06:42 PM
DVC membership might make sense if you meet most or all of these criteria:

The cost of membership and dues does not appear to present a financial hardship.
You vacation at Walt Disney World frequently: ideally at least once every two years.
You plan to continue vacationing at Disney World far enough into the future to make the membership at least break even.
You prefer to stay in Deluxe or DVC accommodations and/or you stay a long time (10 days or more per year). If you always stay at a Value resort, or always stay off-site, or you really are at the parks every single day for every day you're there, and you don't spend time at the resort itself (other than crashing at the end of the day), then DVC may not be for you.
You are able to plan your vacations well in advance -- ideally 7 to 11 months out. If you aren't a planner, don't even look at becoming a DVC member. If you can't plan and book your vacations 11 months in advance, and staying at a particular DVC resort is important, then don't join DVC. If you really don't care which DVC resort you end up with, then it might not be an issue.
You can do without daily mousekeeping and room service (of course, you can pay extra and get mousekeeping as a DVC member).
You desire more space than a typical resort room (such as a 2 bedroom villa, with full kitchen, living room, 2 bathrooms and jacuzzi suite, and a washer/dryer).
You’re not looking at DVC as an investment or a way to make money (it’s not). It is a decision to prepay, at today's rates, the next several decades of Disney trips.If the only consideration is whether it makes financial sense, then maybe you should be staying offsite and only eating offsite as well, since that beats staying onsite. Beyond just the financial considerations, DVC membership is emotionally satisfying (you “own a piece of the magic”), and it gives you a reason to take a vacation at WDW.

Buying a DVC membership is a rational, financially viable option for some people: namely people who plan to stay in the higher-end accommodations at Walt Disney World on a regular basis.

Buying into DVC is almost a lifestyle choice. A DVC purchase is a way of committing to an annual Disney vacation with family and friends. For some people, that may outweigh any financial considerations. DVC will pay dividends beyond mere dollars and cents – your return on investment will be the joyous times, the family gatherings, and the experiences of a lifetime.

Only you can determine if DVC membership makes sense for your situation, based upon your lifestyle and financial capabilities.

As a person that is currently looking at his options and deciding if DVC is for my DW and I, I think this is an excellent post. Thank you for writing this. If you and I are ever at WDW at the same time, I'd like to buy you a :marg:

Thank you. :D

TGK4LSU
07-19-2007, 02:47 PM
I am a financial advisor and a lover over Disney. We looked at becoming a member a couple years ago. I ran the numbers and considered the sentimental value. It is definitely not a good investment. It is a way of prepaying your vacations, assuming you go to Disney every year. Financing the purchase is not a good idea. The worse thing you can do is take the money out of an earning investment and purchase a membership. You may be able to break even if the funds used to purchase the membership are sitting in a checking account earning nothing. However, if you have the money, your better off putting it into investments such as mutual funds. If you really like staying at deluxe resorts, the optimal thing to do is rent the points from DVC members rather than becoming a member. I have spoke to a couple DVC members and they say the same thing. Fortunately for them, they purchased their memberships years ago when the cost was much lower. Over the next 30 years, renting the points each year and investing the money that you would have used to purchase the memberships will leave much more money in your pocket.

MsMin
07-19-2007, 03:43 PM
TGK4LSU-- There are so many ways to look at it. When I looked at it the first time I said the same thing but when we stayed @ BWV last year and spent over 7K on a five day stay I started to look at it differently and those prices will continue to increase. I compared it to what I spent on vacation w/ just the 4 of us and it didn't compare as to when you have more than 5 and need two rooms(deluxe). Pts vary too on wknds and room rates don't. We found it cheaper to get the room from WDW than renting pts b/c we wanted the meal plan and as mentioned you need more than double the points over a weekend.
I think there is more to life than dollars and cents - life is a balance and there is a certain value in knowing the family can get together once a year for a Disney break. My pts were a gift so it's win win for me simply b/c my dad who gave them too us enjoys hearing the kids stories about WDW and seeing them smile. He wouldn't have given me the cash to invest but wanted the family to have the points to enjoy a vacation there. You know the saying that somethings are priceless-- I'm sure the joy of calling Disney Home is worth more than the difference in savings after all the only thing you truly possess are your memories and you can't take it with you.
While I don't believe in reckless spending, I do think that you have to enjoy a little.... DVC brings us a lot of joy.... :cloud9:

TGK4LSU
07-19-2007, 04:53 PM
MsMin, I am not sure what getting the meal plan has to do with buying or renting vacation club points. But I will agree with you that its not all about dollors and cents. As I stated, there is a sentimental value that must be taken into consideration. I was moslty viewing this from a financial point of view. If your looking to save money, your going to be disapointed if you know what your doing. Otherwise, if saving money is not that big a deal, there are other reasons someone may feel compelled to by a DVC membership.

KevGuy
07-19-2007, 05:13 PM
Hmmm....If the price of renting a room at Disney in say 10 years has gone up from the rates today which is pretty likely, but you purchased a DVC interest at today's rates for the rooms, then how is that not saving money?? Your basically pre-paying accomodations at today's prices your future vacations at Disney over the next 50 years. Last time I checked that was saving money! It is definately not a financial investment along the lines of stocks, bonds, etc. but I believe you will still save some money. If you love Disney, want to share that experience with your kids, extended family, friends, and go on vacations with them to Disney and be able to get the accomodations to make it happen and lock in the prices at todays rates, then go for it!!! Forget the financial naysayers that are only concerned with how much you will save to the exact penny and look at your own situation and what type of family vacation tradition you want and can afford and let that guide you is the best bet IMHO.:thumbsup:

TGK4LSU
07-19-2007, 05:31 PM
The rent may go up,but the DVC fees the owners has to pay every year go up also. Your also forgeting about the time value of money. The money you used to purchase the DVC membership could be earning you money rather than earning nothing. That must be factured into the cost of a DVC membership. But once again, if the financial aspect of a DVC purchase is not a concern, go for it.

dlpmikki
07-19-2007, 05:37 PM
I am a financial advisor and a lover over Disney. We looked at becoming a member a couple years ago. I ran the numbers and considered the sentimental value. It is definitely not a good investment. It is a way of prepaying your vacations, assuming you go to Disney every year. Financing the purchase is not a good idea. The worse thing you can do is take the money out of an earning investment and purchase a membership. You may be able to break even if the funds used to purchase the membership are sitting in a checking account earning nothing. However, if you have the money, your better off putting it into investments such as mutual funds. If you really like staying at deluxe resorts, the optimal thing to do is rent the points from DVC members rather than becoming a member. I have spoke to a couple DVC members and they say the same thing. Fortunately for them, they purchased their memberships years ago when the cost was much lower. Over the next 30 years, renting the points each year and investing the money that you would have used to purchase the memberships will leave much more money in your pocket.


I realise there is a bit of a disussion going on from your original post but I should point out this topic is about reasons to JOIN DVC. There is a seperate topic about reasons NOT TO JOIN DVC where your post would be more appropriate. Please take any further discussion along these lines to that topic.

Thank you :mickey:

Horizon93
07-29-2007, 06:39 PM
We just joined earlier this month and are happy DVC owners at AKV.

We had looked at DVC for many years. WE have now been to WDW 14 times since 1993. In accomodations alone, we have pretty much spent the cost of membership once already!

We typically go to WDW twice each year. One DD has graduated from college and the other is in college. They also love WDW. Looking down the road and being able to bring family and someday, grandchildren, on a magical WDW trio in great accomodations will mbe further validation of our decision.

We are so happy that we joined and can't wait for our first trip home!

palmtreefan
09-03-2007, 05:39 PM
We just joined DVC and we are so excited!:)

We have been to Disney every year for many years now...and finally took the plunge and joined DVC with 160 annual points (with some bonus points for joining). I just wish it didn't take so many points to go on DCL. We have a family of 5 and need the space given in the Deluxe family stateroom with Varanda. Are the DVC member cruises any less expensive? Anyone have any tips?

Horizon93
09-03-2007, 10:26 PM
Going by the rack rates for AKV, our 11 night stay next summer would cost us over $5000! A dew more trips like that, and my membership will be paid for. For those of us who go at least once a year, or even once every two, I think DVC is a no brainer. And it is fun as well.

WheresWalt
11-09-2007, 04:41 AM
Going by the rack rates for AKV, our 11 night stay next summer would cost us over $5000! A dew more trips like that, and my membership will be paid for. For those of us who go at least once a year, or even once every two, I think DVC is a no brainer. And it is fun as well.

That was a kicker for me too. We just did 7 nights at AKL in a savannah view regular hotel room on a AAA discount rate and it still cost $2374.33. That's $339.19 a night including tax. Sadly no AP rates ever came available for our dates, a trend that seems more and more common.

That same trip had we been members would cost us 108 points in a studio.. and that is a larger room and more perks. Only difference is mousekeeping and heck, you can buy a lot of mousekeeping for the difference, should you choose.

dlpmikki
11-13-2007, 01:00 PM
I am now going to close this thread. We are opening up a new thread where the pros and cons of DVC can be discussed.