DVC questions

[jonah'smom]

Forgive me if this has been posted before, as I am short on time today and can't research the forum.

I saw the new show on the Travel Channel this weekend (I tivo'd it) about the DVC and the Bay Lake Tower & new AKV. I'm very interested in DVC. I'm wondering though. Are there older properties available for sell directly from Disney anymore or is it just SSR and the new places? Also, I seem to remember being in the parks years ago and walking by the DVC kiosks and something being said about applying your current trip to the purchase? Am I dreaming that? Is that possible if you are staying on WDW property with a MYW package to apply it to the purchase of DVC? Also if you buy DVC while staying on property, can you switch to your "home" property without extra cost if there is room available?????

Again, I apologize if this has previously been posted, or if it belongs somewhere else. Thanks in advance!

[WRWDisney]

To answer your first question, yes, you can buy any of the older properties directly from Disney. You will need to be firm with your guide that this is what you want and only what you want. As long as they have points available (bought back by Disney on the re-sale market through a procedure called "right of First Refusal" or ROFR for short), then they will sell them to you. If they are not immediately available, they will put you on the list and sell them to you when they become available. Incentives do not apply for sold-out properties and there price per point is set.

Another option is to buy them through the re-sale market. The Timeshare Store (http://www.dvc-resales.com/) is a site sponsor and is one of several locations that handle a large number of DVC re-sales. There are debates on which way is cheaper/easier. I will let you research the threads on that and run your own numbers.

As for your second/third question, the answer is no and no. To expand upon that slightly, apparently long ago something like that was possible (applying part of the trip cost to the purchase), but we are long removed from that. Additionally, because of booking timelines, it is highly doubtful that you would be able to switch into a DVC resort on points without a prior reservation (and I am not certain that it would be possible anyway because of the timeline needed to record your deed, even assuming you paid cash).

Good luck with your decision:mickey:

[Ian]

Yeah, at one point, way back before DVC was as popular as it is now, they did do that kind of thing. In fact, I think we may have been offered that as part of the deal we looked at way back when we first considered buying in (in like '99 or so).

But now it's just maybe a per-point incentive and that's about it.

In regards to your second question, no ... you won't actually become an official DVC member for one to two months after you sign the papers. You have to wait for your deed to be recorded, paperwork to be processed, etc.

I have heard of, on occasion, folks being allowed to spend a night in a DVC resort to "check it out" before buying. But again, with it being so popular these days I think that's pretty rare, too.

[Pooh Fan]

If you want to purchase through resale but have any reservations, I would just like to add that my wife and I purchased points through the timeshare store a few years ago and were very happy with the service we received. They are well versed on the ins-and-outs of DVC and I know that in the end we came out ahead financially. We receive all the same recognition, mailings, special deals and offers as if we had purchased direct from Disney.
°0°

[Insanity Clause]

See i am very confused on all of this. I would like to get involved with DVC but I can't find anything on the site that shows pricing and can you purchase just say a week and not actually have a DVC I am just confused on how all of this works...

[Ian]

See i am very confused on all of this. I would like to get involved with DVC but I can't find anything on the site that shows pricing and can you purchase just say a week and not actually have a DVC I am just confused on how all of this works...Yeah, they don't really show any prices on the DVC website. They want you to meet with a guide and discuss the program in depth before they talk about pricing.

In response to your second question, I'm not really exactly sure what you're asking. You can't buy "just a week" ... you buy points with DVC, not weeks. The minimum purchase is 160 points (currently) which translates to varying lengths of stays depending on where you stay, when you stay, and what level of accomodations you choose.

Now you can rent points from members ... that may be what you're thinking of.

[Insanity Clause]

Yeah, they don't really show any prices on the DVC website. They want you to meet with a guide and discuss the program in depth before they talk about pricing.

In response to your second question, I'm not really exactly sure what you're asking. You can't buy "just a week" ... you buy points with DVC, not weeks. The minimum purchase is 160 points (currently) which translates to varying lengths of stays depending on where you stay, when you stay, and what level of accomodations you choose.

Now you can rent points from members ... that may be what you're thinking of.


How do you rent points?

[Ian]

I'm actually not sure. I'm also not sure what the real benefit is (if any) as opposed to just booking your own room.

Maybe try a Google search and see if you can turn something up that way?

[Insanity Clause]

Thanks for all your help!

[DizneyRox]

There are websites (I don't know specifics) that deal in matching people with points to rent with people who want to rent points.

Basically it involves contact with a DVC member and paying them for their points. Points currently go for about $11 a point. Once payment is received, the member will makes reservations with DVC in their "clients" names.

Clients CAN NOT call member services directly, so it involves a bit of trust, etc. The member is the only one who can call and arrange vacation details. A bum deal could result in someone showing up and not having a reservation in the system, although I'd never been witness to something like that happening.

From what I understand, the $11 a point covers the maintenance fees plus a little "extra" to cover the loss of use for that years points, etc. It appears to be a valid amount based on the cost of DVC the number of years it's good for, etc. As an example, a studio at the Boardwalk would cost someone about $1500 for a peak week, which isn't a bad deal overall.

[jonah'smom]

Thanks for the info! As usual :rocks:!

[DVC Mike]

I'm wondering though. Are there older properties available for sell directly from Disney anymore or is it just SSR and the new places?


DVC will actively try to market you only the new resorts they are selling. However, if you are firm, they will sell you any of the resorts. If the points are not immediately available (BCV, for example), you may have to waitlist.