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Do Discounts Hurt DVC Value?
- Thread starter pax_65
- Start date
Buried20KLeague
Well-Known Member
I agree with this, personally. While I hope the kids continue to want to vacation at WDW through their teens, I really have no idea.
Still, then, people can say "well, if you don't vacation there for a few years, rent your points. Or trade them, or even sell." That was something I would consider a viable response even a few years ago... But with the rumored changes and restrictions, plus the general consensus that Disney wants to crack down on the ability to rent points (not to mention it just being a pain in the first place)... A lot of those "what if's" look a lot more scary.
I just don't think it's as safe a purchase as so many seem to that drink the kool-aid. No offense to anyone specific.
The question of frequency of trips opens up the debate, though. If you're not going to Disney at least every other year, even I wouldn't recommend you buy DVC - and I chug the Kool Aid.
There's a chance that as my kids get into high school and college they won't want or be able to come to Disney as frequently. At that point, my wife and I will happily use our points to take trips without the kids. However, I strongly suspect that our kids will wreck this plan of mine by coming along on every trip they can possibly make.
I don't know at what point in frequency DVC still makes financial sense. Is a trip every other year enough? I would think that would be the minimum required - and maybe it's around this point that discounts would start to make you think twice.
It's kind of simple logic... if you're not going to vacation in Disney on a regular basis, don't buy a timeshare there. Especially considering that using your points outside of Disney is generally a less-than-efficient use of the points.
There's a chance that as my kids get into high school and college they won't want or be able to come to Disney as frequently. At that point, my wife and I will happily use our points to take trips without the kids. However, I strongly suspect that our kids will wreck this plan of mine by coming along on every trip they can possibly make.
I don't know at what point in frequency DVC still makes financial sense. Is a trip every other year enough? I would think that would be the minimum required - and maybe it's around this point that discounts would start to make you think twice.
It's kind of simple logic... if you're not going to vacation in Disney on a regular basis, don't buy a timeshare there. Especially considering that using your points outside of Disney is generally a less-than-efficient use of the points.
Well, some of us are sure of our travel habits that far out. 
I've been visiting WDW at least once a year for MANY years now, and I have no reason to think that'll change in the foreseeable future. I enjoy visiting central FL, I have friends there, and I love the DVC resorts.
So for me, it was a no-brainer to pre-pay for my stays in return for a huge cost savings. Yes, things can always change, but I figured that as long as I hit that break-even point, it wasn't that much of a gamble....I would have gotten my money's worth out of the purchase. And I broke even years ago. It's just maintenance fees, now, and if I can get 10 nights a year in a studio for about $800, it's all good.
Now, if you don't have any kind of certainly that you'll be visiting WDW (or staying at one of the offsite DVCs) regularly for the foreseeable future, then it's true, DVC doesn't make much sense for you. But just sayin', not all of us bought because of excessive kool-aid consumption.
I've been visiting WDW at least once a year for MANY years now, and I have no reason to think that'll change in the foreseeable future. I enjoy visiting central FL, I have friends there, and I love the DVC resorts. So for me, it was a no-brainer to pre-pay for my stays in return for a huge cost savings. Yes, things can always change, but I figured that as long as I hit that break-even point, it wasn't that much of a gamble....I would have gotten my money's worth out of the purchase. And I broke even years ago. It's just maintenance fees, now, and if I can get 10 nights a year in a studio for about $800, it's all good.
Now, if you don't have any kind of certainly that you'll be visiting WDW (or staying at one of the offsite DVCs) regularly for the foreseeable future, then it's true, DVC doesn't make much sense for you. But just sayin', not all of us bought because of excessive kool-aid consumption.
toolsnspools
Well-Known Member
Buying a DVC doesn't lock you into the Disney parks or central FL. Staying at SSR puts you just as close to Uni. as most other Intl. Dr. hotels, so using it to go there is an option. We also have VB, HH, GC in DL and soon a resort in HI. We can get the same value for our points at any of those resorts. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed for a resort at National Harbor in DC as well.
I like going to WDW as much as anyone else, but if it weren't for the options outside the parks, I wouldn't have bought into DVC.
Sry for sounding like a DVC commercial. I'll go back to sipping my Kool-Aid. :ROFLOL:
I like going to WDW as much as anyone else, but if it weren't for the options outside the parks, I wouldn't have bought into DVC.
Sry for sounding like a DVC commercial. I'll go back to sipping my Kool-Aid. :ROFLOL:
I enjoy occasionally using my points at HH or Vero. Would love to try HI, not sure when we'll get there, though.
Still, I feel like the best way to maximize value for your points is to use them in WDW DVC. I say that because I know what these units cost to rent them for a night. Even outside the park (which isn't the same thing) I know accommodations similar to DVC units aren't cheap. Similar accommodations in HH or Vero aren't necessarily cheap (especially during peak season) but my sense is that there are more bargains to be found.
Can you rent HH or Vero for cash? I've never even inquired about it. If you can, I'd be curious how those prices compare to WDW DVC resorts on a "per point" basis.
Also, from what I've seen, using your points to stay in a non-DVC WDW resort, on the Disney cruise line, or transferring them into RCI or something is almost always a bad deal for what you get compared to how many points it takes. Part of this is simply that any "non-Disney" resort usually doesn't measure up to the quality of Disney, so you end up feeling cheated.
Again, it's not to say you don't want to do these things - after all, if you have the points and want to take a cruise, why not - but in terms of maximizing the value of your points I don't think it's the best move.
Still, I feel like the best way to maximize value for your points is to use them in WDW DVC. I say that because I know what these units cost to rent them for a night. Even outside the park (which isn't the same thing) I know accommodations similar to DVC units aren't cheap. Similar accommodations in HH or Vero aren't necessarily cheap (especially during peak season) but my sense is that there are more bargains to be found.
Can you rent HH or Vero for cash? I've never even inquired about it. If you can, I'd be curious how those prices compare to WDW DVC resorts on a "per point" basis.
Also, from what I've seen, using your points to stay in a non-DVC WDW resort, on the Disney cruise line, or transferring them into RCI or something is almost always a bad deal for what you get compared to how many points it takes. Part of this is simply that any "non-Disney" resort usually doesn't measure up to the quality of Disney, so you end up feeling cheated.
Again, it's not to say you don't want to do these things - after all, if you have the points and want to take a cruise, why not - but in terms of maximizing the value of your points I don't think it's the best move.