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Vacation Club
- Thread starter mickeygal
- Start date
I too have a question about the vacation club membership. Granted, the vacation club resorts are nicer than the All Stars, but how does a vacation club purchase compare to staying at the All Stars with annual passes? I am not sure, but I do not believe that a vacation club purchase includes any admission media?
PhilharMagician
Well-Known Member
Hi Mickeygal and welcome to the boards. :wave:
First of all the only DVC resort you can buy into currently is Saratoga Springs Resort. Once you purchase your points (share) of SSR you can stay there or any other DVC resort. You will however have certain perks available to you only at your home resort that you wont have otherwise like making reservation before anyone else can. I would highly recommend that you visit the DVC website http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/index and that will give you more information and also ask for a video and information package which you can do right on there site. http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/guest/contact/orderChoice?id=OrderChoicePage
I highly recommend DVC. So far I am extremely happy with it and it has given me more reasons (like I needed them) to go to Disney.
The maintenance costs will vary depending on the amount of points that you have. I have 200 points and I beleive tis year the maintenence fees were about $625.00. Now as far as comparing rooms, there is no comparison. The rooms are much larger. The studio which is the smallest DVC room is much larger that Deluxe rooms with a Kitchenette and a private balcony. Then you get into 1 or 2 bedrooms and you have full kitchens, in room laundry facilities. They are huge! Now with the 200 point I have I can spend 2 weeks a year in a studio or 1 week in a 1 bedroom with points left over to carry to the following year. This year I got AP's and we will be able to visit two weeks for about the same as my trip last year for one week at a moderate resort. Another nice thing about DVC is that you can get discounts at many restaurants, tours, passes(tickets) and entertainment throughout WDW.
Read throught the info on the DVC site and if you have any questions I would be glad to answer them if I can.
First of all the only DVC resort you can buy into currently is Saratoga Springs Resort. Once you purchase your points (share) of SSR you can stay there or any other DVC resort. You will however have certain perks available to you only at your home resort that you wont have otherwise like making reservation before anyone else can. I would highly recommend that you visit the DVC website http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/index and that will give you more information and also ask for a video and information package which you can do right on there site. http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/guest/contact/orderChoice?id=OrderChoicePage
I highly recommend DVC. So far I am extremely happy with it and it has given me more reasons (like I needed them) to go to Disney.
The maintenance costs will vary depending on the amount of points that you have. I have 200 points and I beleive tis year the maintenence fees were about $625.00. Now as far as comparing rooms, there is no comparison. The rooms are much larger. The studio which is the smallest DVC room is much larger that Deluxe rooms with a Kitchenette and a private balcony. Then you get into 1 or 2 bedrooms and you have full kitchens, in room laundry facilities. They are huge! Now with the 200 point I have I can spend 2 weeks a year in a studio or 1 week in a 1 bedroom with points left over to carry to the following year. This year I got AP's and we will be able to visit two weeks for about the same as my trip last year for one week at a moderate resort. Another nice thing about DVC is that you can get discounts at many restaurants, tours, passes(tickets) and entertainment throughout WDW.
Read throught the info on the DVC site and if you have any questions I would be glad to answer them if I can.
My wife and I were very interested in the DVC when it first came out, but couldn't see how it was a value. I never really thought time share were any great deal either. Obviously it is much nicer than one of the value resorts, but with the AP discount we can do about 2 weeks for the cost the maintenance fees you mentioned. With the purchase price in mind, how many trips does it take to pay for itself? Thanks.
DisneyPhD
Well-Known Member
Actually, you can buy at any of the DVC resorts through resale and Disney has been doing some resale business lately too, but Saratoga is the only "new" property being sold by DVC. The contracts DO expire. Saratoga expires in 2054 and everything else in 2042.
Park tickets are not included in your purchase but ... right now, one of the perks of buying (at SSR) includes two annual passes (but I don't know how long that deal will last).
Should you buy DVC? If you are fine staying in All Stars or Pop Century (or even the moderates) or if you don't go to WDW every year, then it's probably not for you. If you always stay at a Deluxe resort and/or go every year, then it's definitely something you should consider.
BTW, those 200 points would get you 19 days in a studio (with microwave and fridge) at OKW (during certain times of the year). The number of points required never increases. Maintenance fees can and do go up but up to now have not increased significantly. We found www.disboards.com (click on the Disney Vacation Club forum) very helpfull when we were looking into buying. We own at VWL and have stayed at Beach Club Villas (7 nights), Old Key West(10 nights), Villas Wilderness Lodge(6 nights) and Vero Beach(5 nights) (all in two years using our 170 points per year). I hope that helps! :wave:
Park tickets are not included in your purchase but ... right now, one of the perks of buying (at SSR) includes two annual passes (but I don't know how long that deal will last).
Should you buy DVC? If you are fine staying in All Stars or Pop Century (or even the moderates) or if you don't go to WDW every year, then it's probably not for you. If you always stay at a Deluxe resort and/or go every year, then it's definitely something you should consider.
BTW, those 200 points would get you 19 days in a studio (with microwave and fridge) at OKW (during certain times of the year). The number of points required never increases. Maintenance fees can and do go up but up to now have not increased significantly. We found www.disboards.com (click on the Disney Vacation Club forum) very helpfull when we were looking into buying. We own at VWL and have stayed at Beach Club Villas (7 nights), Old Key West(10 nights), Villas Wilderness Lodge(6 nights) and Vero Beach(5 nights) (all in two years using our 170 points per year). I hope that helps! :wave:
Mickifan17
New Member
I am a DVC member and have been for 10 years. It's the best thing I ever did. For as often as I want to visit DisneyWorld, it works out perfectly. My ownership is paid for and I now have plenty of Disney vacations ahead of me with my family and my children's family's (I'm only 34). I highly recommend speaking to a sales rep and taking the tour.
Oh, and bring your checkbook. You'll want to sign up like I did. I really can't begin to tell you how happy I am with my purchase. I have 300 points and my annual dues are near $1,000/yr, but well worth it.
Park admission is not included in your purchase anymore. It used to be, but that benefit ended December 31, 1999. As for how long will it take to pay for itself, depends on how often you go and what you usually spend on accomodations. Let's say you spend $1,000 for a 1 week stay on property. If your membership costs $15,000, obviously it would take 15 trips to pay for itself (not including annual dues). But with your membership, your accomodations are far superior to something like the All Stars resorts and you can now go more often than you would if you were "paying" for your stay.
Ok, enough babble. In a nut shell, I love it and highly recommend it.
Only 67 more days til I'm Home :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:
Oh, and bring your checkbook. You'll want to sign up like I did. I really can't begin to tell you how happy I am with my purchase. I have 300 points and my annual dues are near $1,000/yr, but well worth it.
Park admission is not included in your purchase anymore. It used to be, but that benefit ended December 31, 1999. As for how long will it take to pay for itself, depends on how often you go and what you usually spend on accomodations. Let's say you spend $1,000 for a 1 week stay on property. If your membership costs $15,000, obviously it would take 15 trips to pay for itself (not including annual dues). But with your membership, your accomodations are far superior to something like the All Stars resorts and you can now go more often than you would if you were "paying" for your stay.
Ok, enough babble. In a nut shell, I love it and highly recommend it.
Only 67 more days til I'm Home :sohappy: :sohappy: :sohappy:
patelaine1953
New Member
The thing with the DVC is that you don't necessarily have to go to Disney each time. Friends of ours drove to Lake George, NY with their points last year (Concierge collection) and loved it. This year they drove to Mont Tremblant in Canada and had a wonderful time. We live in Massachusetts so neither of these places is so far you can't drive and that definitely saves money on airfare (especially for a family of 5). My husband and I most always travel to Disney in Sept. because that is considered value season. I love knowing that it's also value season for the DVC. Next year we will try sometime during the first two weeks of December (again it's value season for DVC). Sunday through Thursday is always cheaper pointswise than Friday or Saturday. I plan on booking a one BR for the 5 nights even though it will only be the two of us. It will cost us anywhere from 95 to 110 points depending on the view. Since we have 150 points per year, we will be able to bank the remainder for the following year. (We haven't taken our son yet so maybe we will in 2006 and get a place big enough for another small family group.) I like having the extra room with the washer and dryer and the ability to eat some meals in the room. It's more like staying in an apartment than in a hotel room. Also, when anyone you recommend purchases a DVC share for themselves, you earn $200 in Disney dollars that you can use on your vacation. We gave them to our daughter on her birthday to use for herself during our trip next month.
All in all, I wish we had bought our share several years ago when the price was cheaper. Oh, well. Live and learn.
All in all, I wish we had bought our share several years ago when the price was cheaper. Oh, well. Live and learn.
PixyDust
Member
We have added to our DVC membership with additional points every couple of summers, so that we are now up to 500 points. The only time our family really spends time together is on vacation at WDW. We are building a business, so we pretty much work 7 days a week. The vacation time is important to us.
We stay in a two bedroom each trip, which is just wonderful. We like being able to fix a snack, or full breakfast in the kitchen. We also like packing three days of clothes, and then throwing everything in the wash so we don't have to pack as heavily.
We also enjoy the Hilton Head resort. We always stay here on our way home from WDW. Gradually gets us back to the real world.
I think the thing we enjoy most is being able to bring my parents or sister's family with us every now and then. There's plenty of room for everyone in a two bedroom. They could not visit WDW if they had to pay for the room/food/tickets.
This fall we are staying at the Poly. We haven't stayed outside of DVC for several years, and thought it would be fun to mix it up this time. But it will be back to OKW in the spring.
Next October, for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, we are renting a Grand Villa for the week. My family, my sister's family, and mom and dad, will be there. On the night of their anniversary, we are going to get them a special suite at another resort, along with a special dinner, etc. This is all going to be a surprise, so don't tell!! :lol:
We wish we would have bought into DVC when we first heard about it. But we just thought it was "another timeshare ripoff". It has been one of the best decisions we've made. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. ...But we won't be buying any additional points. 500 is enough!
We stay in a two bedroom each trip, which is just wonderful. We like being able to fix a snack, or full breakfast in the kitchen. We also like packing three days of clothes, and then throwing everything in the wash so we don't have to pack as heavily.
We also enjoy the Hilton Head resort. We always stay here on our way home from WDW. Gradually gets us back to the real world.
I think the thing we enjoy most is being able to bring my parents or sister's family with us every now and then. There's plenty of room for everyone in a two bedroom. They could not visit WDW if they had to pay for the room/food/tickets.
This fall we are staying at the Poly. We haven't stayed outside of DVC for several years, and thought it would be fun to mix it up this time. But it will be back to OKW in the spring.
Next October, for my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, we are renting a Grand Villa for the week. My family, my sister's family, and mom and dad, will be there. On the night of their anniversary, we are going to get them a special suite at another resort, along with a special dinner, etc. This is all going to be a surprise, so don't tell!! :lol:
We wish we would have bought into DVC when we first heard about it. But we just thought it was "another timeshare ripoff". It has been one of the best decisions we've made. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. ...But we won't be buying any additional points. 500 is enough!
Gail Hayden
New Member
Where can you stay for two weeks for 827.28? It is on the scale of the GF, not a value or mod. resort.csm7030 said:
I purchased in 92 and had free passes until 12/31/1999. I figure with the two weeks each year and the free passes I broke even at year 5.
I like having a one bedroom unit, I can cook, if I want to, do laundry and have all the comforts of home. It is not for everyone, but, it sure works for me.