New DVC member

[Seanual757]

Bit the bullet last Sunday 3/22. The wife and I got a card in the mail (we are AP holders) about the DVC (we have been looking into buying for little over a year now). They were offering a special come listen to the offering and get a $50 Disney Gift card for free. We were staying for the week and Sunday was a downtime day so we dropped the kids off at the kid area @ DVC listened what it was about (we have herd bits and pieces over the past year). We sat and figured out what we are spending a year on Disney trips ($3500-$4200 on average) this year we will spend approx. $4k for our 5 Disney trips so for us it just made sense. We opted for the GFV over the Polly and Aulani the maintenance fees were cheaper as well as points. We opted for 200 a year plus because we purchased the promo Disney was offering was an additional 200 points starting 3/22 and our yearly points kick in 8/1/15. For us we will pay it off in 5 years or less and take advantage of or next 50 years of vacations at WDW with the little ones. We have already booked our 1st 2 trips using points for both July 4th Weekend as well as Labor day weekend.

 

[Tom]

Huge mistake!

JUST KIDDING - welcome to the club! Sounds like you made the decision after weighing all the pros and cons and assessing your financial situation and future Disney vacation goals....which is exactly how the decision to buy DVC should be made. Kudos for doing it right, and setting your family up for many years of awesome Disney vacations!

 

[Seanual757]

LOL thanks yea in reality the past 3 years we have spent half of what the DVC will cost us so it just made sense. Our kids are young 7yrs, 5yrs, and 7 mos so Disney will be our vacations for many years to come. Now the kids will have a place they can take their kids as you said for years to come.

 

[jim1051]

congrats! We bought in 1999 and no regrets. We are deluxe hotel types so it made sense for us too. We have even done some non-Disney things like Alaska cruise, some of the concierge hotels, and a Hawaiian honeymoon for our son and his bride before Aulani was built. You fell into the low maintenance fee trap that we did.
Bought Hilton Head cause it was cheapest at the time for fees. Now it is one of the highest. Oh well.

 

[sxeensweet]

Congrats and WELCOME HOME!!

 

[kimrn87]

Congratulations!!! We have been members for at least 5 years and have loved every minute.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Welcome home! We have been members for many years, and also love it. Just beware of addonitis! It is real. We've already added on once, and will be at least a few more times.

 

[kimrn87]

Welcome home! We have been members for many years, and also love it. Just beware of addonitis! It is real. We've already added on once, and will be at least a few more times.

At least I haven't caught that yet!!! But I'm not sure how long I can resist

 

[Seanual757]

I can feel adding another 200 pts a year coming once I pay off this one.

 

[Donald_Quackers]

Welcome home! BLT is my home resort. Enjoy the world!

 

[LAKid53]

As others have said, Welcome Home! I bought last year - WL is my home resort - and was able to get a $5/point discount on my purchase. And I bought for the same reason as you - we (I) were spending $4000 - $5000/year on our trips to WDW. So why not put that money towards ownership and vacations (at least the room) paid for the next 50 years (or 2042 which is when the contracts at WL expire).

Yes, you will be adding points. I succumbed to a pitch on our cruise - you are trapped on a boat - and picked up additional points at the GF. My plan is to have points at each monorail/MK resort, if possible, to get the 11 month home resort booking capability. We've done two DVC vacations so far this year, have 2 more scheduled and will be doing the members-only cruise this August.

And since my daughter will be getting married next year - at Disney, of course - having the access to the 1,2, or 3 bedroom villas when there are little ones will be well worth it.

No more doing Moderates or Values for us.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

No more doing Moderates or Values for us.

Yeah, we have become deluxe snobs, and won't apologize for it at all. Have never and will never stay Value. We have stayed at POR, POFQ, and the FW cabins, and may again if we want to add a day or two to an existing DVC reservation, but won't for an entire trip anymore.

 

[LAKid53]

Yeah, we have become deluxe snobs, and won't apologize for it at all. Have never and will never stay Value. We have stayed at POR, POFQ, and the FW cabins, and may again if we want to add a day or two to an existing DVC reservation, but won't for an entire trip anymore.

Of all the moderates, I liked POR the best and have enjoyed our stays there. But since our travel now includes my daughter's fiancé, a DVC 1 or 2 bedroom villa is a much better option for us. And quite frankly, I like having a microwave in my room, so when it's just me, I do a DVC studio. Stayed in a Family Suite at All Star Music (the two bathrooms was nice and the kitchenette was larger than most of the DVC studios), but it was still an All Star resort and the pullout sofa bed was not comfortable. Not that the pullout beds in the Deluxes are amazing, but they at least have something that more resembles a mattress.

Have also stayed at the FW cabins, but the queen bed in the bedroom is the smallest/shortest queen I've ever seen and the bathroom is small. Quite frankly the bathroom for a resort that sleeps 6 should be bigger and configured more like SSR and WLV. But then it's a single wide one bedroom trailer masquerading as a cabin.

 

[Parrain]

Bit the bullet last Sunday 3/22. The wife and I got a card in the mail (we are AP holders) about the DVC (we have been looking into buying for little over a year now). They were offering a special come listen to the offering and get a $50 Disney Gift card for free. We were staying for the week and Sunday was a downtime day so we dropped the kids off at the kid area @ DVC listened what it was about (we have herd bits and pieces over the past year). We sat and figured out what we are spending a year on Disney trips ($3500-$4200 on average) this year we will spend approx. $4k for our 5 Disney trips so for us it just made sense. We opted for the GFV over the Polly and Aulani the maintenance fees were cheaper as well as points. We opted for 200 a year plus because we purchased the promo Disney was offering was an additional 200 points starting 3/22 and our yearly points kick in 8/1/15. For us we will pay it off in 5 years or less and take advantage of or next 50 years of vacations at WDW with the little ones. We have already booked our 1st 2 trips using points for both July 4th Weekend as well as Labor day weekend.

Congrats! We are on the waiting list for 230 GFV points ourselves! My Brother in law just bought 320 so we will use ours to supplement his points, placing us all in a 2 or 3 BR for our family vacations together! Very exciting time!

 

[LAKid53]

Yeah, we have become deluxe snobs, and won't apologize for it at all. Have never and will never stay Value. We have stayed at POR, POFQ, and the FW cabins, and may again if we want to add a day or two to an existing DVC reservation, but won't for an entire trip anymore.

Same with us. We've enjoyed staying at POR, but once you've drunk the deluxe kool aid, it's hard to go back...

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Just read this but wanted to remind you to check out your perks- since you are AP holders- youll find yourself saving another $600 or so on annual passes with your family- that will almost cover the MFs.

Not to mention the TiW, to save 20% on most TS meals!

 

[jstar]

Congratulations and Welcome Home from Mickey, Goofy and Me!

 

[TXDisney]

Been wanting to become a DVC member for quite sometime just not sure if it's in budget. Still awaiting a promotion at work soon that will allow me to join. Pretty much have all the details I want to become a member when I do become one. I know which resort (Beach Club) I know the price. Just can't really hammer down a number on how much it will cost as a resale. For 1 week and time of year doesn't matter to us. We prefer not summer or Christmas or Spring break.

 

[Seanual757]

Yes we have been thinking about it for a few years it wasn’t until last fall we finally decided to do it after we looked back at the amount of $$ we sent over the last 3 years. Having 3 kids 7, 5, and an 8 month old I know our family vacations for the next 10+ years will be at WDW it just made sense for us. The plus for us is that we are local and we are pass holders so who go to Disney 2-3 times a month.
All I can say is as long as it makes sense $$ wise go for it.

 

[Diva120]

Congrats, Welcome home and so jeal. We have been trying to get into GFV - to no avail. Our Home resort is Saratoga Springs. Funnily enough, our story was similar. I ordered the DVC info years ago...2006 I think. They sent this gorgeous hardbound book and never called or hounded me. We went on the 4 night Disney Cruise and went to the presentation and BAM, pulled the plug when we got home. We purchased 320 pts, and have never looked back.

Best investment EV-ER!