Considering DVC Membership

[sxeensweet]

1st off congrats we had been looking for a few years and dicided to go for it in 2015. After crunching the numbers on our past, current, and planned stays it just made sense for us over the previous 3 years our stays added and planned 2015 & 2016 stays it would have cost us a little more than our purchase price of our DVC contract. Our last trip over Spring Break would have cost us just over $11k for the week in a 2 bedroom villa. That was 1/3 of our purchase price.

We typically stay 3-4 times a year (1 week, and 2-3 small 2 days trips) this has worked out great for us. Since we are local we can take advantage of the super low travel costs to WDW (20 min by car), take advantage of promotions (we have 4 reservations for the Typhoon lagoon beach bash this year), and anything else that pops up. This year we have 3 more trips planned (2 weeks from now at, July 4th, and October, I am sure we will add one more maybe the 1st weekend of August before the kids go back to school). We budgeted around $2300 year for annual dues (they will come out to around $1500 between the 2) so we will bank the additional $800 into our DVC fund for a future purchase or just let the kitty build up.

We opted for the VGF and we choose direct buy vs. re-sale as we plan to use RCI and the Disney collection. We opted to finance for the 10 years knowing we would pay off the loan early. Durning our most recient stay we were informed of the current promotion as well as the price increase. We thought about picking up some points for Poly to give us a 2nd home resort since VGF is sold out.


We are looking to add another weekend to our stays so we can do 5-6 stays during the year so we went ahead and paid off our 1st DVC ontract and started planning for Poly. We finally made the decision 2 weeks ago to purchase our 2nd contract direct from DVC. This past Saturday we signed our papers and are the proud owners of Poly until 2066, and our VGF contract expires in 2065.


We are holding hope that they will start selling Ft. Wilderness again when the new cabins open if so we would like to purchase 100points if they do.


We have small children so the next 15 to 16 years our vacations will be WDW vacations and we wanted to make sure we had enough for our 5-6 stays a year.

Your experience was quite like ours we added up what our room on 3-4 trips before joining cost us, being we always stayed deluxe or deluxe villa prior, and it was almost what we paid to buy in! And our trips after buying in 2013 have well exceeded what we paid to buy in being we now stay 2 weeks on average once a year, and have stayed in a 2 bed villa at VGF, 2 bed Savannah villa at Kidani (our home) both of those split on our first stay, and 1 bed villas the rest of the time. We also financed 10 years with hopes to pay off early. So it made total financial sense for us being we already loved staying at Delexe or Deluxe DVC resorts. Has now allowed us to take a longer trip too like I mentioned, which is also a bonus. Who doesn't love more time at their favorite place!!

 

[Seanual757]

Your experience was quite like ours we added up what our room on 3-4 trips before joining cost us, being we always stayed deluxe or deluxe villa prior, and it was almost what we paid to buy in! And our trips after buying in 2013 have well exceeded what we paid to buy in being we now stay 2 weeks on average once a year, and have stayed in a 2 bed villa at VGF, 2 bed Savannah villa at Kidani (our home) both of those split on our first stay, and 1 bed villas the rest of the time. We also financed 10 years with hopes to pay off early. So it made total financial sense for us being we already loved staying at Delexe or Deluxe DVC resorts. Has now allowed us to take a longer trip too like I mentioned, which is also a bonus. Who doesn't love more time at their favorite place!!

Exactly with 3 kids and a 4th on the way our vacations are set and like you said who doesn't love more time at their favorite place.

 

[Unomas]

You're not guaranteed that they will have Boardwalk. That changes from day to day. Also, keep in mind that BWV expires in Jan. 31 2042. That's one of the earliest expiration dates. That's 26 years remaining. That's in contrast to Polynesian that expires in 2066 (50 years).

 

[LuvtheGoof]

You're not guaranteed that they will have Boardwalk. That changes from day to day. Also, keep in mind that BWV expires in Jan. 31 2042. That's one of the earliest expiration dates. That's 26 years remaining. That's in contrast to Polynesian that expires in 2066 (50 years).

Well actually, yes you can guarantee it. I will grant you that you may have to go on a waiting list, but you can buy points at any resort, whether "sold out" (none really are) or not. If you don't care for a particular Use Year, they should have points very quickly.

 

[Unomas]

For an older resort like Boardwalk it would probably be easier. But I was being told last summer that they weren't even wait listing people for VGF anymore. Then I would read someone got a rep that let them buy that day. So again, that changes every day and it depends who you talk to.

 

[Seanual757]

For an older resort like Boardwalk it would probably be easier. But I was being told last summer that they weren't even wait listing people for VGF anymore. Then I would read someone got a rep that let them buy that day. So again, that changes every day and it depends who you talk to.

When we asked about it on Saturday with or DVC salesperson we were told the wait list is years long to get VGF.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

For an older resort like Boardwalk it would probably be easier. But I was being told last summer that they weren't even wait listing people for VGF anymore. Then I would read someone got a rep that let them buy that day. So again, that changes every day and it depends who you talk to.

When we asked about it on Saturday with or DVC salesperson we were told the wait list is years long to get VGF.

Definitely talk with someone else. They are full of it if they say the waiting list is years for VGF. I would ask to speak with a manager at that point.

 

[Unomas]

Definitely talk with someone else. They are full of it if they say the waiting list is years for VGF. I would ask to speak with a manager at that point.

How do you know?

 

[LuvtheGoof]

How do you know?

I asked my guide about a month ago. Said it would only take a few weeks or a month. We weren't ready yet, but wanted to ask, as we loved our stay there last year.

 

[ToTBellHop]

When we asked about it on Saturday with or DVC salesperson we were told the wait list is years long to get VGF.

And why do you think a salesperson would say something like that?

 

[Seanual757]

And why do you think a salesperson would say something like that?

We inquired about adding to our VGF and adding the Polly. He said the waiting list is far too long for VGF we already signed papers for Polly so it was not hey just buy the Polly.

We believe our sales person he always calls us when we arrive to Welcome us home and see if we need anything during our stay.

 

[ford91exploder]

Hi everyone, my wife and I are headed back to WDW at the end of the month and we're prepared to take a meeting with a DVC rep. In the last few days, we've been doing extensive research here and on DVC's official site, crunching numbers and what not. For those that are far more experienced in this area, are there certain things we should know or inquire about as we continue our research? As it stands, we're considering anywhere between 100-200 points and making the Boardwalk our home resort. Thanks in advance for any help that can be offered, as you all know, this is a very detailed process so we really welcome any insight you can provide. Thanks again!

Right now I would avoid a DVC purchase and this is spoken as a long term DVC member with north of 800 points all purchased direct. Disney this year has done a great deal to devalue DVC membership and the current price per point direct purchase is to put it politely is obscene.

What I would do is put the DVC money into a CD and spend the interest on point rental until Disney regains it's senses, because as currently configured DVC direct purchase makes no sense at all.

Alternatively buy a small direct contract say 25-50 points so you get the DVC perks package and look for a resale contract(s) to fill out the points needed for the type of vacation you want to take.

 

[EOD K9]

Alternatively buy a small direct contract say 25-50 points so you get the DVC perks package and look for a resale contract(s) to fill out the points needed for the type of vacation you want to take

Also, by having a direct ownership, they are less likely to exercise ROFR on you if you were to by the same use year and same resort.

 

[ford91exploder]

Also, by having a direct ownership, they are less likely to exercise ROFR on you if you were to by the same use year and same resort.

Good point Thanks @EOD K9

 

[Mike K]

Right now I would avoid a DVC purchase and this is spoken as a long term DVC member with north of 800 points all purchased direct. Disney this year has done a great deal to devalue DVC membership and the current price per point direct purchase is to put it politely is obscene.

What I would do is put the DVC money into a CD and spend the interest on point rental until Disney regains it's senses, because as currently configured DVC direct purchase makes no sense at all.

Alternatively buy a small direct contract say 25-50 points so you get the DVC perks package and look for a resale contract(s) to fill out the points needed for the type of vacation you want to take.

Thanks for the tips! Definitely another aspect we'll have to take into consideration before we take any sort of plunge. I truly wish we had the capital to get in on DVC 10 years ago. Our hearts are starting to get set on the idea of being apart of DVC but, we certainly aren't going to let it dictate our decision until we take all the information in. I can't even tell you guys how helpful everyone has been to us during this process!

 

[ford91exploder]

Thanks for the tips! Definitely another aspect we'll have to take into consideration before we take any sort of plunge. I truly wish we had the capital to get in on DVC 10 years ago. Our hearts are starting to get set on the idea of being apart of DVC but, we certainly aren't going to let it dictate our decision until we take all the information in. I can't even tell you guys how helpful everyone has been to us during this process!

Please don't get me wrong DVC has been one of the BEST things for my family that i've ever done we've had wonderful vacations at WDW with extended family. It's just that the current direct pricing is NUTS and to me at least only works if you are independently wealthy or you just won the powerball.

If you have your heart set on DVC I would buy a small contract direct from Disney of 25-50 points. That will get you the 'DVC Member' perks which you no longer get as of 1 April 2016 if you buy resale. Then buy the rest of your points resale, If you are patient think about a 'stripped' contract - A stripped contract has no usable points in the current UY and may not have any in the next but if you are not planning an immediate vacation they are a excellent buy.

 

[Mike K]

Please don't get me wrong DVC has been one of the BEST things for my family that i've ever done we've had wonderful vacations at WDW with extended family. It's just that the current direct pricing is NUTS and to me at least only works if you are independently wealthy or you just won the powerball.

If you have your heart set on DVC I would buy a small contract direct from Disney of 25-50 points. That will get you the 'DVC Member' perks which you no longer get as of 1 April 2016 if you buy resale. Then buy the rest of your points resale, If you are patient think about a 'stripped' contract - A stripped contract has no usable points in the current UY and may not have any in the next but if you are not planning an immediate vacation they are a excellent buy.

I think it's safe to say that we'll definitely be doing DVC as it just makes sense to us as Disney is our prime vacation destination. While the prices are certainly quite high now, is it safe to assume that prices will only increase as the years pass?

 

[sxeensweet]

I think it's safe to say that we'll definitely be doing DVC as it just makes sense to us as Disney is our prime vacation destination. While the prices are certainly quite high now, is it safe to assume that prices will only increase as the years pass?

Yes most likely prices will continue to rise when buying direct. Now resale may take a hit at some point due to the new restrictions and get a tad cheaper if at all, but direct will definately keep going up. And cash prices of rooms will keep going up as well as renting points will end up getting higher at some
Point.

 

[Mike K]

Well, it's official! My wife and I are officially DVC members! Our meeting today was a smooth success, we paid in full for 250 points with the Poly as our home resort. We're so happy to be apart of DVC and wanted to thank all of you once again for all your wonderful advice and guidance!

 

[sxeensweet]

Well, it's official! My wife and I are officially DVC members! Our meeting today was a smooth success, we paid in full for 250 points with the Poly as our home resort. We're so happy to be apart of DVC and wanted to thank all of you once again for all your wonderful advice and guidance!

Welcome Home!!!!! Congrats!!!! And paid in full! Wow! Awesome!