Help Needed Making the Jump to DVC

[WDW*Dreamer]

I’m one of those people who have flirted with joining the DVC for years. I almost pulled the trigger a couple of weeks ago, but here is my hang-up.

Our last two family stays have been at Boardwalk and Grand Floridian. Our rooms have had 2 queen-sized beds and a day bed. We haven’t paid extra for the day beds, they’ve just been there. Even without it we still had 2 queen beds. For my family of 4 (2 teenaged kids) this has been a little cramped but worked out fine.

If I join DVC I feel that basing my purchase on the use of Deluxe Studio rooms (advertised as sleeps up to 4) will actually be a step backwards in accommodations; however, I can’t come to terms with having to DOUBLE my points purchased in order to get into a 1-Bedroom Villa. It seems like there is too big of a gap between the studio and 1-bedroom, both in size and MONEY. The typical “pay-as-you-go” room at a deluxe resort seems to fit right in that gap and may be the better choice for my family right now.

I just don’t want that to be the best choice…..I want to join DVC.

Can anyone help me rationalize my way around this?

[faline]

This is such an individualized decision that I wouldn't dream of trying to talk someone into, or out of, a DVC purchase.

You really need to make your choices on what works best for you and your family.

[Basket Mommy]

We looked at it as pre-paying for our accommodations for the next 40+ years (if we use it that long). We are a family of 6, though, and got really used to the deluxe hotels. When our youngest child was too big to stay in a crib and we couldn't afford 2 rooms @ a Deluxe and had to get 2 rooms at ASMovies, we decided to do the DVC tour. Nothing against Values, but they just weren't for us.

We did the tour and fell in love with DVC - so much more room, plus a KITCHEN that would help us save on food (we usually stay in a 2BR). We waited until we came home and then looked into buying through resale. We have slowly accumulated 350 points that way; it has cost us around $21K (we bought our points @ HHI for an average of $62 pp). We were spending about $6K per vacation (hotel + tix + food). We figured that $21K was a good price to have our hotel paid for outright (we paid cash for our points because we don't use credit cards or finance anything.) Now all we pay for is food, tix and airfare. We spend about $2K per trip now instead of $6K and stay in bigger rooms than we ever did at deluxe resorts. We like having the extra room and the kitchen.

I can't talk you into something, but those are the reasons *WE* bought DVC.

[Aurora]

Let's leave the issue of money aside for a moment and just talk about space and beds. Right now you are used to 2 queen beds with 2 teenagers and you feel a bit cramped. In my opinion, you would be taking a step backward with a studio, since most include a queen bed and a double fold-out bed (convertible couch). So the bed sizes would not be comparable. Also, many people have said the studios at Bay Lake Tower feel very small.

The actual size of the studio room would be comparable or smaller than the GF or BW, depending on where you stayed. You would, however, get a microwave, refrigerator, sink and dishes in a studio.

On the other hand, a 1-bedroom would give you lots more elbow room and a little more bed space (except at Bay Lake and Animal Kingdom; see below). The 1-bedrooms at Old Key West, Saratoga Springs, Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club and Boardwalk include a king-size bed in the bedroom and a queen fold-out in the living room. You do however, get two nice-sized rooms, a full kitchen with dining area, and a washer and dryer right in your unit.

Additionally, at the Animal Kingdom and Bay Lake Tower villas (except for some AKL value rooms), a 1-bedroom gives you TWO full bathrooms, and an additional single fold-out bed. So these two resorts give you extra value in their 1-bedrooms.

This is not to try to persuade you either way -- it's a long contract, and there are other factors, but thought this might help in your decision. Good luck!

[DizneyRox]

I can't imagine stuffing 4 full size people in a studio.

An alternative might be to look at the points and see if you can swing maybe a 1 BR a little less often, and/or get longer studio stay when you don't have the kids around.

You may want to look resale, the cost can be significantly less that buying direct from Disney. I've always suggested that people look at upgrading accomodations (size and season) as what you need may not always be available. Doing this will probably get you spare points to use. Careful banking/borrowing can give you tons of flexibility.

[Simba 1]

We flirted with DVC for years also and just bought last month. I usually book on discount codes and also had a hard time comparing rack rates at a deluxe with DVC - since we never paid rack rates.

Anyway, as another poster mentioned - what tipped us over the edge was the current rates for DVC in the resale market. At $64/point, we were able to buy almost 2x the amount of points through resale (TimeShare Store) than we could afford through Disney direct. So that allows us to vacation longer, or more often, or in larger accommodations, than we had previously.

Good luck with your decision.

[DVC2004]

It is so much more worth it, IMHO, to get a 1 br with older kids. The laundry, the kitchen, the privacy for all...my kids are becoming teens and when we first joined the studio was fine. No more. They want to stay up, we want to sleep. With the 1 BR we shut the door and they have thier TV and own space and we can sleep in peace! A studio is going to be alot like a Deluxe hotel room.

I can't tell you if DVC is right for you. It was right for us and we are glad we joined. We go every year, usually 2X, with no end in sight. And even as my kids get older they still want to go. I am happy that I will be able to give this to them someday and be able to continue the family tradition with thier kids, all for the cost of annual dues. You need to consider how often you want to go and how long you stay. We get 2 trips per year by taking 2 5 night trips to save on points. Sometimes we use a studio but we prefer the 1 BR. We used it at Disneyland several times and also in the Bahamas and Hawaii. Our membership has paid for itself 10x over.

[MinnieMommie]

This is a very hard decision for many. I know for me and my husband we sat on the fence for a really long time before we decided to purchase. We are happy with our decision and actually wish we decided to but into DVC sooner but that is just us.

If you are happy with a room at a deluxe resort with your family of 4 I'm unsure why you could not use a studio at a DVC. I understand preferring a 1 bedroom but not sure why the studio would not work. The sq footage varies among the DVC rooms with OKW having really large rooms with 2 queen size beds so I would check out the set up of the different studios.

For us we are a family of 6 and we were staying at deluxe resorts staying in 2 rooms each trip so DVC worked to our advantage. However now that they are older they all don't come with us on each trip and sometimes they use the points to go with friends and stay in a studio. We don't always need a 1 or 2 bedroom. We have stayed in a studio when it has been me, DH and 2 of our girls and the space worked fine for us (we are very compatible though).

This decision is highly personalized and we all have to think of what will work now and what will work down the road. DH and I love going to WDW and plan to travel there as long as we can with or without other family members. I wish you luck in your decision and just take as long a time as you need until you are comfortable with what you decide. :mickey:

[Loweschevy]

This was the situation my parents were in several years ago. We went to WDW every year along with a few other vacations during the year. I shared a bed with my mom and my dad and brother bunked together, but as we started getting older, it got really cramped!

After paying the money to stay at deluxe resorts over time, it really would have made more sense to buy in sooner, but money is always and issue. By the time you crunch the numbers, you definetely will save money at deluxes rather than paying for the vacation every year. However, do you really want to plop down the big bucks or finance the points right now? Only you can decide whether it makes financial sense for oyur family.

My parents finally bought into the DVC in 2008.
We plan on going every year indefinetely so it makes sense. We only bought the 160 points with cash, but we hope to add more soon. Our family is getting larger as my brother and his wife have a son now, so larger accomodations and flexible vacations are a plus!

However, if you feel that your kids may not want to go with you at WDW every year as they get older and go away to college, that may be a con to think about. Then again, there are hundreds of vacations to use your points on in the DVC, so as they age, so can your travel plans too.

[MarkC]

Like some other posters noted, this is really an individual decision. I will say one thing-- we bought 3 years ago and I only regret we didn't do it sooner. If you travel to WDW frequently and like to stay in nice places this a great deal, especially considering today's resale prices and the lack of great places to invest money currently. If you don't think you'll be going to WDW after another 5 years or so it may not work for you, but you can decide then to resell it. We bought a Beach Club resale and love everything about it (we'll be there in 10 days). In 2012 we're going to use the points to pay for a Disney cruise since both our kids will be out of the house. It is an individual decision but one we would make again in a heartbeat. Best of luck.

[WDW*Dreamer]

Thank you to everyone for the helpful responses. My wife and I have decided DVC IS the right decision for us. We have every intention of making annual trips to Disney a part of our lives for years to come. I do have a follow-up question regarding resort availability, but I’ll start a new thread for that.

WDW*Dreamer