A few questions about DVC

sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
While I'm not currently in the market for DVC, I have thought for the past several years about possibly joining someday. So I have some questions for if/when the time comes to sit down and seriously consider it.

I live in Central Illinois. So I can't just pick up and go to Florida at the drop of a hat. So if I were to join the DVC, can I do it all over the phone from my house, or do I have to physically go to Florida to complete the deal?

From looking at the literature they sent me a few years ago (when Saratoga Springs was the new one for sale), it looks like I could get 200 points for a little under 20K. Of course, prices may be alot different now, but that's what the chart showed on the material I got back then. 200 Points would cover a week or two (depending on which DVC resort), or a week and another weekend getaway. But how many points would it take to stay in, say Fort Wilderness, or the Wilderness Lodge?

I ask because to be totally honest, I think I am more interested in the non-DVC resorts than I am the DVC ones. I understand that WL has the villas, but I don't think Ft Wildenerness has any DVC wing, nor does Grand Floridian or the Poly. So were I to join, I may be more tempted to continue staying in non-DVC resorts, but I understand that it eats up alot more points to do it that way and, therefore, makes it less of a bang for your buck. Can someone give me some comparisons of how many points different DVC resorts would take as opposed to the non-DVC resorts? We usually go in April, if that helps.
 
mouselvrmom

mouselvrmom

Well-Known Member
We did the dvc tour on one of our trips, but were not ready to sign paperwork right away. We were able to call when we were ready and sign everything hear and then mail it back. So you really do not need to go to Florida to sign up.

As far as the other resorts. you can use points to stay in them, but it is really much more cost effective to stay at the dvc resorts. The points can be pretty ridiculous for a room at another resort especially on weekends. that is certainly something to consider if you decide to purchase.
 
yankspy

yankspy

Well-Known Member
sbkline said:
While I'm not currently in the market for DVC, I have thought for the past several years about possibly joining someday. So I have some questions for if/when the time comes to sit down and seriously consider it.

I live in Central Illinois. So I can't just pick up and go to Florida at the drop of a hat. So if I were to join the DVC, can I do it all over the phone from my house, or do I have to physically go to Florida to complete the deal?

From looking at the literature they sent me a few years ago (when Saratoga Springs was the new one for sale), it looks like I could get 200 points for a little under 20K. Of course, prices may be alot different now, but that's what the chart showed on the material I got back then. 200 Points would cover a week or two (depending on which DVC resort), or a week and another weekend getaway. But how many points would it take to stay in, say Fort Wilderness, or the Wilderness Lodge?

I ask because to be totally honest, I think I am more interested in the non-DVC resorts than I am the DVC ones. I understand that WL has the villas, but I don't think Ft Wildenerness has any DVC wing, nor does Grand Floridian or the Poly. So were I to join, I may be more tempted to continue staying in non-DVC resorts, but I understand that it eats up alot more points to do it that way and, therefore, makes it less of a bang for your buck. Can someone give me some comparisons of how many points different DVC resorts would take as opposed to the non-DVC resorts? We usually go in April, if that helps.
Click to expand...

It is really not worth it to stay at non-DVC resorts. For instance, I wanted to stay at the Poly this past March and I believe it was somewhere around 30 points per night.(Weeknight) For comparison, I believe WL was around 14. I wound up at Saratoga which was also about 14.
 
Monty

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
yankspy said:
[/b]
It is really not worth it to stay at non-DVC resorts. For instance, I wanted to stay at the Poly this past March and I believe it was somewhere around 30 points per night.(Weeknight) For comparison, I believe WL was around 14. I wound up at Saratoga which was also about 14.
Click to expand...
Wow! I didn't realise how few points were needed per night. I've been considering DVC for a while now, but thought I'd need around 300 points... At 14 a night [is that for studio?] DS and I could stay for a week every year for 100 points. :sohappy:

If that's correct, I may do a DVC tour next month while we're there.
 
Cubs Brian

Cubs Brian

Active Member
How often do you come up to Chicagoland area? They have a Doorway to Dreams store(DVC store with walk thru models of AKV accomadations). It's over in the Woodfield Mall. We bought our membership in Oct. of 07, at that time it was $106.00 per point bought in for minimum of 160 pts.
 
Disneyfalcon

Disneyfalcon

Well-Known Member
MontyMon said:
Wow! I didn't realise how few points were needed per night. I've been considering DVC for a while now, but thought I'd need around 300 points... At 14 a night [is that for studio?] DS and I could stay for a week every year for 100 points. :sohappy:

If that's correct, I may do a DVC tour next month while we're there.
Click to expand...


Well depending on the time of year and the resort a studio could be less! In the cheap season at Old Key West a studio is only 8 points!! Friday and Saturday nights will be more, 20 at OKW.

Other resorts are a little more, like Wilderness lodge is 12.

But everyone's right, you can use so few points at DVC properties, it would be hard to ever be worth using them at standard Disney properties.

Here's some point charts for DVC properties:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/DVCpoints.shtml
 
sbkline

sbkline

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
bri2106@sbcglob said:
How often do you come up to Chicagoland area? They have a Doorway to Dreams store(DVC store with walk thru models of AKV accomadations). It's over in the Woodfield Mall. We bought our membership in Oct. of 07, at that time it was $106.00 per point bought in for minimum of 160 pts.
Click to expand...

I haven't been in the Chicago area since 2006, when my brother and I and a friend went to Six Flags.

But the Woodfield Mall sounds familiar. Is that the mall that's in Shaumburg not too far from Medieval Times? Me and some friends stopped there several years ago if that's the one you're talking about.
 
yankspy

yankspy

Well-Known Member
MontyMon said:
Wow! I didn't realise how few points were needed per night. I've been considering DVC for a while now, but thought I'd need around 300 points... At 14 a night [is that for studio?] DS and I could stay for a week every year for 100 points. :sohappy:

If that's correct, I may do a DVC tour next month while we're there.
Click to expand...
Yes, that was for a studio. However, the weekends jump to almost double. It starts getting pricey when you go for the villas. You could probably do a week and a second trip for 5 days with 200 points in a studio. Here is a link for the point charts.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/DVCpoints.shtml

Sorry. I did not see that Disneyfalcon already posted a link to the charts.
 
Cubs Brian

Cubs Brian

Active Member
sbkline said:
I haven't been in the Chicago area since 2006, when my brother and I and a friend went to Six Flags.

But the Woodfield Mall sounds familiar. Is that the mall that's in Shaumburg not too far from Medieval Times? Me and some friends stopped there several years ago if that's the one you're talking about.
Click to expand...
That's exactly where it is.About a 6hr ride from where your at(I think),maybe you could have a weekend trip up in that area(unless you're from Wisc. where $4.00 gas makes it to expensive to survive, sorry wrong post lol. Come on up, its a great place(Doorway to Dream that is)
 
Monty

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
yankspy said:
Yes, that was for a studio. However, the weekends jump to almost double. It starts getting pricey when you go for the villas. You could probably do a week and a second trip for 5 days with 200 points in a studio. Here is a link for the point charts.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-vacation-club/DVCpoints.shtml

Sorry. I did not see that Disneyfalcon already posted a link to the charts.
Click to expand...
I was looking through that chart. The week I will be going for the foreseeable future I could stay in a Studio at AKL on the Concierge Level for 137 points! 205 for the highest period. I never expect to need more than a Studio... Of course, if that were to change, I could add points after-market.

Realistically, 100 points would serve my immediate needs and 160 would cover once DS is out of school [in nine or ten years]. Unless I meet and marry someone with more than one child in my currently not-even-imaginable future, that would be plenty.

How does the minimum buy-in work? Is there always a minimum or only when they first start selling a particular resort? If it's always required then I'll skip buying from Disney since I certainly don't need 160 right away.

Wow, I casually dropped into this thread and suddenly DVC is a much more serious consideration! :D
 
yankspy

yankspy

Well-Known Member
MontyMon said:
I was looking through that chart. The week I will be going for the foreseeable future I could stay in a Studio at AKL on the Concierge Level for 137 points! 205 for the highest period. I never expect to need more than a Studio... Of course, if that were to change, I could add points after-market.

Realistically, 100 points would serve my immediate needs and 160 would cover once DS is out of school [in nine or ten years]. Unless I meet and marry someone with more than one child in my currently not-even-imaginable future, that would be plenty.

How does the minimum buy-in work? Is there always a minimum or only when they first start selling a particular resort? If it's always required then I'll skip buying from Disney since I certainly don't need 160 right away.

Wow, I casually dropped into this thread and suddenly DVC is a much more serious consideration! :D
Click to expand...
I am pretty sure that there is always a minimum buy-in. As far as points go, you could always bank leftover points from a year and use it the next. This comes in handy because you may wish to splurge one year. I also find that there are few times when we have to struggle to use whatever points we have.:lol:
 
DisneyGigi

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
I am really glad you posted this question. We are talking to an agent right now about purchasing. We go in off seasons so we would not use as many points and could easily make do in a studio.
We go for 10 days a trip and last year went for two 10 days trips without annual passes so I think it would save us alot of money.
I don't really understand the reservation points thing yet but we would typically not use it other than WDW except for a trip to Disneyland.
I really like the idea of paying for the stay for all those years ahead of time.
 
DisneyGigi

DisneyGigi

Well-Known Member
Disneyfalcon said:
I wasn't disagreeing with you. :shrug:
Click to expand...

I didn't mean that you were at all... I did not mean it like that :) Just letting you (and everyone else) know that is what they told me yesterday. I thought, by reading online that it was 100 points but it was 160 according to the rep I spoke with.
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom