Is Anyone a DVC Member?

[828tnt]

i would recommend getting all of the free info they have and check it out! it's perhaps the most laid back vacation membership (er time share- lol!) you'll ever look into. no matter how many times i called with questions, our representative was always happy to help.

budget is always a concern, so do your homework on your finances. but as far as value, i can't complain! you can stay anywhere in the world, and practically anywhere in the real world! points are less for the dvc resorts, but some dvc resorts are the best on property!

again, think of all the questions you have, and call and ask. they'll take the time to explain it. my wife and i almost bought once, and then we were kicking ourselves 3 years later when we finally did- why didn't we do this sooner?!?! we now look forward to doubling our points in the near future.

btw, we are a family of 4, and have 250 points. we can usually take a quick gettaway just my wife and i in december, and then still have enough points for a comfortable family vacation some other time in the year.

call and have them send you the info packet, even if you want to wait......!

good luck!

 

[heliumalias]

My family have been members since 1995 and it's definitely been worth it value wise (of course it was half the price that it is now!). I just recently sat through a sales pitch for it and they're planning a new property in Hawaii. Also the new rooms at AKL look AMAZING!!!

 

[Figment626]

We have 300 points and yes, it is a bit expensive but the thing you have to remember is that you can pay it off over 10 years and you get 50 years of vacations.

Just a thought here as I'm always out to save a buck and wouldn't get a loan for this myself.... but would it still be worth it after all the extra money paid out for the loan?

 

[Mickifan17]

Just a thought here as I'm always out to save a buck and wouldn't get a loan for this myself.... but would it still be worth it after all the extra money paid out for the loan?

This is true, but even after paying all that out, in the long run it would still pay for itself. Most of us pay a ridiculous amount more in interest on our homes that we dont keep for 50 years. I understand it's a home but I think you'd still benefit if you take a Disney vacation every year.

Another thought to finance at a lower rate is a home equity loan (tax deductible) or the cash advance checks given by some credit cards. Many times those are only at a rate of 2.99% for the life of the loan. Even though some may shutter at the thought of financing this on a "credit card", it's not a bad deal actually. As long as you make your payments timely, you'd be fine. That's alot better than their usual 18-20% or the 10-12% charged by Disney.

 

[chwilson88]

Best investment I've ever made...

My wife and I have made some foolish purchases in the past, but I'll tell you that DVC is one that we absolutely wish we had done sooner. Best investment we've made besides our home. We look forward to each and every DVC vacation we take, and plan it out far in advance. You feel so refreshed after a nice vacation, and if you vacation regularly anyways, then it's a no brainer. As for time shares, many are rip-offs....however, Disney has figured out a way to make them flexible, affordable, and luxurious....they are the best at what they do, so I highly recommend it.

 

[Meredith]

Been doing it since 07 the studio rooms aren't that big. but for just 2 it will be pretty big. If you go to Disney 2 or more times a year I recommend it. You can stay at other places different from DVC but you cant use the points so you lose the value. I say you should join. Also the hotels,rooms,pool and basically is nicer than the other resorts( not DVC)

 

[GoofGoof]

This is what I would have said in 2008 when this thread started:

I say you should go for it. Buy at BLT for the intro rate of $112 plus the $5 off incentive. I predict that by 2013 those BLT points will be selling for $165. Buy in now before prices go up.

 

[Sumrdog]

We have been members since 2010 and we love it!
We bought a resale of 120 points at 67$ a point. After two trips our membership has paid for itself.

We have a nice small amount of points so we don't have high dues and we can go every other year to Disney and stay in a room with a full kitchen that we could not afford if we were paying cash. We have no regrets on joining.

 

[GoofGoof]

Not sure why there was a thread bump, but unless you reply to one of the last few posts you are replying to a thread that is from 2008. Some of these people probably aren't around these parts anymore

 

[harryk]

Wife and I bought in in 2001 and have found it the best deal ever. We go every year for a minimum of 7 nights, usually stay a VWL or BWV, have added points through the years and have never looked back. Extended family comes with us on occasion and we just love it. Get one bill a year and and find that we come out with an annual expense of @ 800.00 for a week at WDW!! (of couse air travel is additional.....)

Just remember - I don't recall any year where the points cost has not gone up.

 

[DVCOwner]

I know this is late, but I want to add one thing. Everyone says the DVC is a good deal only if you go once a year or more. When I first became a member I only went every two years and still loved it. I banked points from one year and used them in the second year. I found this to work good for my family then. Now that we go once a year, I just added additional points.

 

[BCVTalsJam]

We own at Beach Club Villas and love it. For us we just wanted to go to Disney more often and it started costing us a lot of money. My wife's parents own at Boardwalk and we just saw a great opprotunity at Beach Club. Again this is a great program but only if you like going to Disney every year or one of the other places through eithe RCI or the other Disney parks. My wife and I use to go twice a year, just the two of us and thought the Deluxe studio suited our needs. Now with our daughter being born in July we were thinking about getting a one bedroom but ended up getting a studio since she will only be 6 months.

Just make sure that you are in love with Disney...in our lives Disney is our paradise. We have had so many happy memories and with DVC it makes it more affordable for us. We can pay our loan over 10 years and stay at an amazing resort (which is 400 dollars a night usually). Yes there is intersest but with the amount our parents have spent going over 20 years, this not only allows us to save the money but gives us teh oppturnity to go twice a year now.

The first trip of the year we buy our passes and we usually get three trips total out of them. So the second and third trip all we have to buy is flight and food plans.

Again DVC is a great program but only if it is for you...we are types of people that we could go to Disney twice a year for the rest of our lives and be happy...We saw DVC as an oppturnity to share Disney with our children to come for years to come.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

The studios really aren't that big and would be great for couples. There's one bed and a couch (that pulls out) in the studios. Four of us fit in there, but it's a squeeze, so I think you and your husband would love it.

My parents bought into it in 1998 (obviously it's their membership, not mine, I just joke it's part of my inheritance) and we've saved a whole lot of money over the years with it. We're able to go twice a year to Disney and on two other vacations per year using our points and usually staying in studios (when we go to Hilton Head or Aulani we find ourselves in the room more and get a one or two bedroom, but in WDW and DL we get studios). Granted, not everyone can take that much time off, but you get my point. Plus you get discounts on tickets and other things. Well worth it IMO.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

We have 300 points and yes, it is a bit expensive but the thing you have to remember is that you can pay it off over 10 years and you get 50 years of vacations.

Well worth it especially when you consider inflation...really, you end up paying less in the end!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I don't really recommend it because they give you select hotels to stay at. I tried to join DVC but the people there haven't replied it to us. Another reason I am not a DVC member is because my family all like the GF and that is not a DVC hotel. If you like the hotels near the MK or non DVC hotels I would stick with that.

Actually that is no longer correct...the GF DVC opens next year and starts selling soon.

Rumors and plans have been leaked about a DVC at the poly as well.

AKK

 

[GoofGoof]

Actually that is no longer correct...the GF DVC opens next year and starts selling soon.

Rumors and plans have been leaked about a DVC at the poly as well.

AKK

...but it was very much true in 2008 when the original post was made.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

...but it was very much true in 2008 when the original post was made.

That's why I said. *actually that is no longer correct*

AKK

 

[Tramp&TheLady]

My wife and I are members. We love it and finally have it paid off. But do keep in mind that you will have to pay maintenance dues every year. They can be pricy.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Its a decision from the heart, not the head. No matter the window dressing its time share.

I'm not a member but its not really a timeshare as we have come to define that term in our current society. My uncle has always had time shares where he had to book in a certain time period only and if he couldn't make those times work he lost his time for that year... That's a true timeshare and the reason you can buy them all over the world on eBay for just the cost of the closing costs.

 

[Disneykidder]

Well worth it especially when you consider inflation...really, you end up paying less in the end!

You end up paying less even if there wasn't inflation, too. My eight night trip this summer at BLT and AKV would cost $4500 just for the room. So without inflation, if we multiply that by 50 years that's $225,000. There is no way I will be paying that over 50 years, even with monthly dues.

I love being a DVC member. It makes me happy and that is priceless!