DVC Cast Member here to help!!!

[Yoop33]

Hi guys!! I have noticed a lot of really good questions on the boards here and would love to help answer any questions if I can. I have been working for DVC for a little while and have been a DVC Member as well. While I obviously dont know everything, I would like to help with what I do know and I will try to find the answer to the things you want to know that I do not.
Please feel free to call me out or send me a PM anytime!!
Thanks!!!

 

[Fizbain32]

Wow, thanks for the offer!

 

[Disneykidder]

Ok...if my home resort is SSR and I really want to get into a diff resort for a stay, could I book at SSR at the 11 month window and then switch to somewhere else at the 7 month window if available? I ask this because I don't want to get stuck with nothing by waiting the 7 months.

Thanks.

 

[Yoop33]

Ok...if my home resort is SSR and I really want to get into a diff resort for a stay, could I book at SSR at the 11 month window and then switch to somewhere else at the 7 month window if available? I ask this because I don't want to get stuck with nothing by waiting the 7 months.

Thanks.

Yes!! You can do that and then be placed on a waiting list for something else. If something comes up that you would rather stay at within a resonable time (before the point of no return/ cancelation period), member services will remove you from the prior reservation to the new one only after confirming with you. I would consider booking DSSR at 11 months and be put on the waiting list for whatever else you may want as well as call MS every few weeks to see if something else has opened up.

Good Luck!!

 

[slappy magoo]

Yes!! You can do that and then be placed on a waiting list for something else. If something comes up that you would rather stay at within a resonable time (before the point of no return/ cancelation period), member services will remove you from the prior reservation to the new one only after confirming with you. I would consider booking DSSR at 11 months and be put on the waiting list for whatever else you may want as well as call MS every few weeks to see if something else has opened up.

Good Luck!!

Just to add on to your comment (and feel free to correct me if I'm wrong), when you make reservations, you can be waitlisted for two other rooms. Which means, let's say you've booked a studio at Saratoga, but you've got lots of other places you'd rather stay, including different room categories (like a 1BR instead of a studio), AND some of those rooms also have different sub-categories (for instance, you'll take a studio at Bay Lake Studios, regardless of if it's a Standard View, Lake View or Magic Kingdom View). In your situation, pick the 2 types of rooms/locations you want most. You'll be waitlisted for those rooms, and if they open up, you'll be moved automatically, plus any additional points will be deducted from your account. In this scenario, maybe you've booked a studio at Saratoga, but you're also waitlisted for a Studio at Bay Lake Tower (Magic Kingdom view) and a 1BR Villa at Boardwalk (Standard View). If you're interested in ANY other resorts or room categories or views, you'll have to keep calling in to see if they become available yourself. If they DO become available, then you can request the switch at that time, AND STILL have them put you on the wait list for your first two preferred rooms. But now you're that much closer to the room you want.

 

[hansel1]

What is the current price per point and incentives for an add-on at AKV?

160 points

 

[Yoop33]

What is the current price per point and incentives for an add-on at AKV?

160 points

Members tend to get different promotions and incentives then new members and unfortunately I am not able to list them because they frequently change. Your best bet is to contact your Guide to find out what is available.

 

[French Quarter]

I've probably got a question that I should know the answer to by now but I don't. I don't get DVC at all. Could you give me a simple explanation of it with an idea of the costs that are associated with it? Or at the very least, could you point me to some sort of FAQ? I get that it's some sort of time share and I see the special sections in resorts reserved for it but how does it work and what does it cost? Every time I try to find info, I get overwhelemed.

 

[toolsnspools]

You sure you want to start this? :ROFLOL: The value of DVC has been debated here more than a few times, and it can be a very lively discussion. It really boils down to personal circumstance and vacationing habits. Here's how it works...

When you buy a DVC, you are buying into a certain number of annual points. Direct sales from Disney start at 160 pts. Those points are used to rent your room. The point cost to rent a room varies based on season, room type and resort. For instance a 1 bd. room at BLT with a MK view in October is 288 pts. The same room during Christmas week is 466 pts. Room sizes vary from Studio, which is a little bigger than your average hotel room but has a kitchenette, to the grand villa that sleeps 12 people and has a full living room, dining room, and kitchen.

Points can be banked to the next year, or borrowed from the following year, so the max number of points you can use at any time is 3x your annual amount. So if I banked 200 pts from '09, I have 200 pts from '10, and I borrow 200 pts from '11, I could get a room for up to 600 pts. Pts expire after 2 years, even if they've been banked, so I need to use the '09 pts by the end of '10 or they're gone. The best value for spending DVC points is at the DVC resorts, but you can also trade them for Cruises, stays at the non-DVC Disney resorts, Adventures by Disney, etc.

You pay a certain amount per point plus closing costs when you buy. You also pay annual dues on your points. Dues vary by resort, and are used to pay the resort upkeep and taxes. There's a list of current dues by resort, but I don't have it handy. Mine for 200 pts at BLT are about $650/year. The value of DVC comes from using the points over the long term, to get vacations for basically the cost of the annual dues. So if a 1 bd room at BLT costs $300/night, and I vacation for a week annually, I will "save" $2100 (room rate) - $650 (dues) = $1450 savings for that vacation. Mind you that you need to recover the up from costs of the DVC so I have about $18,000 to "save" before I break even. You could also recover the up front costs by re-selling the DVC so there's value as well if you need it.

So the question of if it's worth it comes down to your lifestyle and vacation habits. The driver behind me getting DVC was 3 kids. I always needed to get 2 rooms, or upgrade to the villa's every trip. That's an expensive way to travel, so DVC is cheaper for me. If I was single, and didn't mind staying in the value resorts, DVC wouldn't have been worth it. Others will argue that the Studio upgrade from a value resort makes it worth the costs. It's really a personal thing.

Well, I'm out of coffee, and need to get to work. Hope this helps you understand a little more than before.

 

[dreamfinder]

I've probably got a question that I should know the answer to by now but I don't. I don't get DVC at all. Could you give me a simple explanation of it with an idea of the costs that are associated with it? Or at the very least, could you point me to some sort of FAQ? I get that it's some sort of time share and I see the special sections in resorts reserved for it but how does it work and what does it cost? Every time I try to find info, I get overwhelemed.

Well, the costs associated are the up front purchase, and then the yearly dues. Both are dependent on the number of points and your home resort. If you buy direct from Disney, points are listed at $120 or so per point, (but will vary will discounts and the like), but you can find points on the secondary market for as cheap as $60 or so for some resorts. Dues are approx $5 per point, with the newer resorts being cheaper, and resorts that have other expenses (like storm coverage at Hilton Head and the animal care at AKL) being a little higher.

All the DVC resorts have a point value assigned to each room type. These values will change based on the season, the same way the costs associated with a regular resort room do. Basically you book rooms based on the number of points you have. The bigger the room, and the more popular the season, the more points you need. So say 50 points could get you a studio in January for a week, but only 2 nights in a 2 bedroom in the summer. (Values are made up for example only). You can get into things like banking (saving this years points to use next year) and borrowing (using next years points this year) but that is the basic gist.

If you want more details I would suggest looking at the DVC site to begin with, and then posing more specific questions.

 

[French Quarter]

This has been very helpful, although I'm still a little foggy on some of the details. We go down every year during value season but don't spend nearly the amount of money it seems to cost for DVC. I thought it was about time that I looked into it just to be sure.

 

[Mammymouse]

I could probably try to look this question up but I admit I'm basically lazy, so I'll ask you. I have some DVC points that will expire Sept 30 that I don't think we will be able to use. Is there anything I can do with them? I hate to just let them expire. Thanks

 

[French Quarter]

Mammymouse's post got me thinking. Can I buy someone's DVC points from them, or is this against the rules? (I apologize if this is a debate somewhere in the webosphere. I truly am ignorant to DVC.) It seems to me that that would get you the DVC experience minus all those other fees. I doubt that Disney lets you do this and I'm not planning to do it even if it is permissable but I'm just curious.

 

[foreverbelle]

Mammymouse's post got me thinking. Can I buy someone's DVC points from them, or is this against the rules? (I apologize if this is a debate somewhere in the webosphere. I truly am ignorant to DVC.) It seems to me that that would get you the DVC experience minus all those other fees. I doubt that Disney lets you do this and I'm not planning to do it even if it is permissable but I'm just curious.

There are some that rent points out, like in the case above, if they can't use them or don't want them, they can go ahead and rent them out. If you would like to see more info a pretty good site for this is:

http://www.dvcrequest.com/

 

[French Quarter]

There are some that rent points out, like in the case above, if they can't use them or don't want them, they can go ahead and rent them out. If you would like to see more info a pretty good site for this is:

http://www.dvcrequest.com/

Ok. (Again still trying to understand...) If you can simply pay someone else to use their points, why go DVC yourself? Do the people who rent them out make a profit from doing so? What's the catch?

Thanks for the link. I'll definitely check it out.

 

[Phonedave]

Ok. (Again still trying to understand...) If you can simply pay someone else to use their points, why go DVC yourself? Do the people who rent them out make a profit from doing so? What's the catch?

Thanks for the link. I'll definitely check it out.

Just to clarify.

1) DVC units are in Deluxe resorts. I say this because of the comment you made where you said you go every year but the price you pay is not close to the cost of the DVC. If you stay in values or moderates (and are happy there) then DVC is not going to save you money. DVC is for people who stay in Deluxe resorts and are in it for the long haul. Depending on what math you use, the payback period can change, but it is on the order of 10 years.

2) You can rent points. If you do so, make sure you do it through a reputable source. Disney does not get involved in ANY way with point rentals. If you are not the owner of the points, DVC will not even talk to you, until you check in. All the arrangements have to be made by the owner. You are trusting that the owner will take your check, make the reservations (in your name) and they reservations will be there when you check in. Having said that, there are a number of parties that act and third party clearing houses for people wishing to rent or rent out points. They make the reservations, have an established business, etc etc. They do this because the owners actually put that person on their contracts as a co-owner. Most points tend to rent for around the annual dues cost. DVC owners are not allowed to use their contracts as a rental contract. Once in a while is OK, but if DVC sees you doing it on a regular basis they will come down on you. So, you ask, why buy? Why not just rent points. Well you very well could, however there is the issue of the difficulty in making reservations and you have to hope that someone has the points you need in the location you want at the time you need it. It may also be the case that a person may be renting out say 160 points and thats it. If you only need 145, you still pay for the whole deal, because those extra 15 are useless to them. If you owned the contract you could bank them for next year. Or on the other hand you may want 150 points and they only have 130 available, so you have to pay the rest of your vacation in cash.

3) People SELL their timeshares as well. You can buy a timeshare on the secondary market. It is no different than buying one from Disney (aside from any incentives they give, like one time use points, or a free cruise, or things such as that). As was said, on the low end of the scale you can get contracts for around $65 a point. However, Disney has what is known as right of first refusal. Disney gets to review every sale that takes place, and if they want to THEY can buy the contract instead of you. If you found someone who was willing to sell you a contract for $40 a point, Disney would swoop in, exercise their ROFR and buy it up (the they would sell it as a new contract). This has the effect of keeping prices on resale contracts high, which is good if you happen to own one.

-dave

 

[French Quarter]

Thanks for the info, Dave. I'm not talking about value and mod vacations as such, though. Last year we stayed at WL for 40% off. It seems a lot cheaper to me than if I had to pay the DVC annual dues, points fees, etc. Perhaps it's just because we travel at a very cheap time of year, typically? I guess if you wanted more space than a hotel room normally provides DVC might be worth it.

My whole Disney vacation costs less than $1000/year depending on how long we stay. (We have relatives in Florida so will often only stay 3 - 4 nights on Disney and go stay with them and do non-Disney stuff after that.)

So, it seems like it would be a lot more expensive for us to go DVC right now. But you never know, as our vacationing habits change. Thank you all for helping me to understand some of the basics.

 

[FireChiefGoofy]

So if we did the tour when we fo down in November and decided to buy in, how much out of pocket right then and there would we have to put out?

DW and I are very interested in investing in our WDW future together!

 

[Phonedave]

So if we did the tour when we fo down in November and decided to buy in, how much out of pocket right then and there would we have to put out?

DW and I are very interested in investing in our WDW future together!

The minimum purchase when buying from Disney is a 160 point contract.

You will have to check with DVC as to what points are available, and what the price is, but figure $112 per point. Hawaii is going to be $120 a point I believe.

You are looking at between $16,600 to $19,000 to buy in.

This is a real estate transaction, so it depends on how much you want to put down. If I had a $400,000 house for sale, and you asked me how much would I have to put down then and there? The answer would depend on what interest rate you are looking at, your credit history, etc. The same thing goes for DVC.

However, you do not have to put ANYTHING down then and there. You can get all the info, get the paperwork, and then go home and do it all by mail. They know you are on vacation and may not be ready (or want) to make a decision to buy when you are supposed to be relaxing. They will handle everything via phone, fax, and FedEX if you wish.

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

Thanks for the info, Dave. I'm not talking about value and mod vacations as such, though. Last year we stayed at WL for 40% off. It seems a lot cheaper to me than if I had to pay the DVC annual dues, points fees, etc. Perhaps it's just because we travel at a very cheap time of year, typically? I guess if you wanted more space than a hotel room normally provides DVC might be worth it.

My whole Disney vacation costs less than $1000/year depending on how long we stay. (We have relatives in Florida so will often only stay 3 - 4 nights on Disney and go stay with them and do non-Disney stuff after that.)

So, it seems like it would be a lot more expensive for us to go DVC right now. But you never know, as our vacationing habits change. Thank you all for helping me to understand some of the basics.

This last time we went, I did stay on cash because I was able to get such a good discount. I just banked my points for later.

-dave