DVC points, just curious...

[TheVBs]

We recently got a gift offer for just listening to a DVC salesperson. Made the call, got the packet. This is not something we've ever seriously considered, and still aren't - it's just not the right fit for us. But, I have to admit that what we received made me curious about something. We received a sheet with pricing for SS, and one for WLV. One is more expensive than the other. We also received a booklet showing how many other points you'd need to stay at other resorts. So, my question is, are those the points you use no matter what you're home resort's points cost?

[DizneyRox]

"Costs" are different at each resort. A 1BR at VWL costs xx number of points, 1BR at SS is yy points.

If I own at SS it costs xx to stay in a 1BR at VWL and costs the same xx number of points if I own at AKLV or even VWL. It doesn't cost a VWL owner yy points to stay at VWL, but a SS owner would pay xx points to stay at VWL.

Hopefully that makes sense. Everyone's points are "worth" the same at any given resort. It's just that some resorts cost more than others. Maintenance fees on those points may be different. I might pay $4 per point each year as an owner of AKLV, and a HHI owner might pay $8 per point.

And the initial costs for the points might also be different. SS is less desirable and therefore those points cost less than BLT.

[TheVBs]

Thanks for the response! I think I understand that. I can understand the cost for points at one resort being higher than another, but I think you're saying that no matter what the cost of points where you buy in, everyone pays the same number of points to stay in the other resorts?

Sorry if I've gotten that wrong! It's always seemed like such a complicated set up to me.

Wouldn't it just make more sense to have people buy points straight out at a flat rate instead of having a home resort? You buy the points as your long term room discount, pay your yearly fees, then use your points like money to stay at whatever resort you want instead of being locked into one. Wouldn't that be easier?

[VWL Mom]

Wouldn't it just make more sense to have people buy points straight out at a flat rate instead of having a home resort? You buy the points as your long term room discount, pay your yearly fees, then use your points like money to stay at whatever resort you want instead of being locked into one. Wouldn't that be easier?

I think the rates normally do start at the same rate. Then as the resort ages and resales open up, the rates begin to change because the remaining years change.

You're not locked into one resort. Your home resort is the one you can book at 11 months out. At 7 months out you can change to any of the remaining resorts which are still available. We have been able to switch about 75% of the times we've tried but bought where we love to stay the majority of the time.

[VWL Mom]

We received a sheet with pricing for SS, and one for WLV.

If you don't mind, what is the current point price at VWL? We're looking to possibly add-on and I'd rather buy direct if the price is close.

[TheVBs]

The worksheet for AKV shows $120/pt and a current incentive offer of $6 per vacation point credit. But then I look at AKV points per night and the least is 9. Which at $120 per point means you're spending $1080 a night?! Am I missing something?*

SS is $99 per point but the least you can get for one night is 13 points per night. Which would come out to $1287 per night, not to mention what you're paying in dues and financing (if you finance).

I do get that you keep getting your purchased number of points per year and the savings is supposed to go down over time, but it looks like it would take several years to realize that savings.

*Huge disclaimer! I'm not a numbers person, so bear with me. :blush:

[VWL Mom]

The worksheet for AKV shows $120/pt and a current incentive offer of $6 per vacation point credit. But then I look at AKV points per night and the least is 9. Which at $120 per point means you're spending $1080 a night?! Am I missing something?*

SS is $99 per point but the least you can get for one night is 13 points per night. Which would come out to $1287 per night, not to mention what you're paying in dues and financing (if you finance).

I do get that you keep getting your purchased number of points per year and the savings is supposed to go down over time, but it looks like it would take several years to realize that savings.

*Huge disclaimer! I'm not a numbers person, so bear with me. :blush:

We bought 252 points at VWL. We didn't finance but with dues our breakeven point is 8 years. That's staying 7 nights in November in a 2 bdrm.

[TheVBs]

If you don't mind, what is the current point price at VWL? We're looking to possibly add-on and I'd rather buy direct if the price is close.

Sorry! I just realized I didn't give you what you were asking for. We only got pricing sheets for AKV and SS. I made a mistake in my first post.

So if your breakeven point is 8 years, then your savings starts on the 9th year I'm assuming, with the savings increasing with each passing year?

[TheDuckRocks]

I believe the reason you buy into a home resort is because it is for a real estate purchase. On our deed from OKW it even says which building our share is in. That does not mean however that I have to stay in that building nor which DVC resort I have to go to.

The worksheet for AKV shows $120/pt and a current incentive offer of $6 per vacation point credit. But then I look at AKV points per night and the least is 9. Which at $120 per point means you're spending $1080 a night?! Am I missing something?*
The cost per point is for the lenghth of your ownership, something llike thirty or forty or more years. There is a minimum of points that you are required to make on your purchase. If that minimum number is 100 points your purchase price would be $12,000. You can then use those 100 points for every year for the next 30 or more years. The only other cost would be your annual dues, for 2011 AKLV the dues are $5.02 per point or $502.00 for the year. Cost of purchase, $12,000 divided by 30 years equals $400 per year. Add $400 to the annual dues $502 would bring the total to $902 cost per year for the use in any way you choose for the 100 point purchase.

OK, everybody, I know know I have left out peices to the DVC puzzle. Please let's help me out here.

[MarkC]

I know there is a risk of this turning into a "is it worth it or not" thread, but I think if you vacation at Disney often, this is a huge cost savings. The main reason I say that is that you can keep it 3-5-10 years and sell it. We do use a Disney visa to build up points and pay our dues. Our future stay at the Beach Club would cost us about $3,000. However, buying 100 points 5 years ago cost us about $9500. We could sell it now for about $8500, but that's after we've stayed there about 30 nights. It would have cost us more than that staying at a budget motel off site. We'll keep it because we love it, but as for the financial debate, we think its a huge cost saver.

So if you don't think its for you, you may want to consider resale at the Timeshare Store and then sell it when you are tired of going to Disney (ha ha ha). Just make sure and buy where you want to stay.

[TheVBs]

Thanks for all the info! :mickey: Definitely don't want to turn it into a "is it worth it", just want to try to wrap my head around it.

I say that I don't think it's a good fit for us, because we typically go every other year. In between we go to other destinations. I do realize DVC has a lot of partner hotels, where you can use your points (or I should say I realize that now, that was news to me!), just skimming through it I don't know if I'd want to rely on it for the other trips, if that makes sense. Has anyone else here used one of those locations?

So, going every couple of years we're looking at a much longer break even point. Also, we're currently happy with the values. As the girls get bigger, I think it's likely we'll move up to moderates and perhaps splurge on a deluxe once in awhile. I can understand loving a particular resort enough to know that you'll always want to stay there. But in our case, without being committed to a certain location, it seems to make sense to buy into the least expensive and get the better deal out of using the points at other locations (again, assuming I understand that part correctly).

These are some of the things going through my head when I contemplate whether or not it's a good fit for us. But looking at the info, I had to be honest and acknowledge that I'm mostly clueless about how it works! :blush: It's always sounded so complicated... booking so far out, not being guaranteed a different location if you're interested or planning late, "banking", dues, etc. :confused: :)