Trying to understand DVC...

[DWlover]

I'm calling all DVC experts. Can someone explain the club to me in easy-to-understand terms? What is it exactly? About how much is it up front to buy into it? What are the annual fees? When you do take a trip (say to DW) about how much do you pay (as opposed to not being a member). What are 'points' and how do you get/use them? Ummm....I'm sure there are more questions, but that's all I can think of at the moment!!

Thanks a ton!

 

[DisneyJoe]

Did you read some of the other posts in this forum? Many explain it very well.

 

[chevymalibumn]

I will try to answer your questions. DVC is a time share club, You are purchasing a piece of your home resort. You get to choose your Home Resort. This is the resort you will want to stay in most of the time. The cost depends on how many points you buy. You have to atleast buy 160 points, with a choice of Either SSR or AKV if you buy from DVC. You will get those same 160 points every year for 47 years (SSR) or 50 years(AKV).
The points price vary depending on the promotion that is running at the time of purchase. Expect to pay around $100 a point from DVC.

Now for the annual Fees. Sense you actually own a piece of the real estate you must pay a piece of the taxes , insurance and up keep. That is what the annual fees are for. They are about $3-5 per point, per year Depending on your home resort.

As for the cost if you go to disney. There really isnt one for your room as long as you use your points for the reservation. After your purchase the points your only have to pay the annual fee every year.

If you plan on going to Disney every other year and you usually stay in a deluxe resort then DVC is a very cost affective way to enjoy the magic. Please ask anymore questions and I will try to answer.

 

[DVC Mike]

The Disney Vacation Club is a flexible point-based timeshare program. Members purchase an allotment of points for a one-time purchase price, and then receive the same amount of points to use each year until their contract end date arrives.

Point-based timeshare programs should not be confused with fixed-week timeshare programs. Under a fixed-week program, owners typically purchase the right to use a single accommodation for the same week every year. Under DVC’s point-based system, the member purchases points which may be redeemed for stays at any time of year, in a variety of different-sized units at many different resorts.

There are currently six (6) DVC resorts at WDW, as well as one in Vero Beach and one in Hilton Head Island, for a total of eight. The newest DVC resort is the Animal Kingdom Villas (AKV). DVC resorts have been announced for Disneyland and Hawaii.

Four DVC resorts at WDW share space with a deluxe resort (WL has VWL, BWI has BWV, BC has BCV, and AKL has AKV) and the amenities will essentially be the same. DVC guests can use the deluxe resort’s pools and other amenities, plus they’ll usually have their own pool as well.

The two standalone DVC resorts at WDW (OKW and SSR) have a more town home / condo feel to them, and don't have as nice restaurants onsite (although they are both close to the restaurants and nightlife of DTD).

As for room types, there are studios, which are similar to a standard deluxe hotel room, but they are slightly larger and include a kitchenette with microwave, mini-refrigerator, wet bar and coffee maker. You get a queen bed and a double-size sleeper sofa, so you can sleep 4.

The 1-bedroom villas are very luxurious and include a full kitchen (with all the basic cooking utensils, pots, pans and dishes supplied), and living room in addition to the bedroom(s), plus a large marble bathroom with whirlpool tub and a washer/dryer in a closet. The Master suite has a king-size bed, plus you get a Queen-size sleeper sofa in the living room, so you can sleep 4 (5 in AKV).

The 2-bedroom villas have an additional bedroom and sleeps up to 8 (or 9 at AKV).

Some of the DVC properties also have 3-bedroom Grand Villas, for the ultimate in luxury and space -- these can sleep up to 12.

Here is the DVC link...
http://dvc.disney.go.com/dvc/index

 

[jasondiff]

In a nutshell, DVC saves a lot of money if you typically stay at Deluxe resorts and visit WDW at least every other year.

If you like to stay at Pop Century or All-Stars and only travel in the off-season, then DVC may not be for you, as the annual dues will probably be similar to a week at the Values in the off-season. However, that is at today's prices. In 30 or 40 years, a night at the Pop will be several hundred dollars, but the point values are basically fixed for DVC which means DVC is almost inflation-proof (taxes and maint fees notwithstanding).

But, even if you like Pop or All-Stars, you should stay in a DVC to try it out. Renting points or booking through CRO are the two easiest ways to stay in a DVC accomodation. You may just get spoiled!

If you only travel sporadically or less often than every other year, then DVC may not work for you, since you get points every year and have to use them or lose them. With banking and borrowing, points effectively have a 3-year life.
If you only visit on weekends, then DVC will likely be more expensive than hotels because the weekend nights are higher point cost than weeknights. (However the caveat about today's dollars applies here too).

 

[JnKmon]

Annual Fees

Now for the annual Fees. Sense you actually own a piece of the real estate you must pay a piece of the taxes , insurance and up keep. That is what the annual fees are for. They are about $3-5 per point, per year Depending on your home resort.

We're looking at DVC and one of the biggest questions in the way is how much the annual fees may increase over time. Have they been relatively level or do they jump periodically?

 

[darthjohnny]

Now for the annual Fees. Sense you actually own a piece of the real estate you must pay a piece of the taxes , insurance and up keep. That is what the annual fees are for. They are about $3-5 per point, per year Depending on your home resort.

Well, with the DVC, you don't really "own" anything, but you are right about the annual fees.

 

[Phonedave]

We're looking at DVC and one of the biggest questions in the way is how much the annual fees may increase over time. Have they been relatively level or do they jump periodically?

They go up a small percentage every year. I don't have time to look around right now, but I am sure somone will put up a fee history.

The thing about the annual fees is that they are, by law, the actual costs.

WDW (well DVC) is not allowed to make a profit on the maintenance fees. They perdict what the operating costs will be, and then base the fees on that. Fees are not allowed to be used for such things as advertising, sales, new construction, etc. They are for the day to day running and upkeep of the property. By far the bulk of the fees go to running the front desk, daily maintence (landscaping, etc) and energy consumption, but there are major projects that are spread out over the years as well (roofs, painting, paving, etc) When you are a member you get a breakdown of all these costs for the resort you own.

Of course if something happens such as a hurricane takes 1/2 the roofs off, then there will be an expense (I assume though that they have some insurance)

-dave

 

[bwalkmouse]

Based on my records the annual dues seem to increase about 4-5% per year.
It also will depend on which resort is your home. Mine is boardwalk, so my annual dues are much higher than say OKW.

 

[nolatron]

Since we don't always know if we'll visit WDW in a given year, we started to simply rent points from DVC members for a stay at a DVC resort. We find it's usually cheaper than booking a deluxe resort, you get some of the DVC perks like discounts on dining, and you get a really nice villa room.

The room price roughly comes out to be what the yearly dues would be being a DVC member, but without all of the upfront cost of buying in.

Just another option to consider when vacationing if you don't think you'll get the most of becoming a member as mentioned above.

 

[Phonedave]

Since we don't always know if we'll visit WDW in a given year, we started to simply rent points from DVC members for a stay at a DVC resort. We find it's usually cheaper than booking a deluxe resort, you get some of the DVC perks like discounts on dining, and you get a really nice villa room.

The room price roughly comes out to be what the yearly dues would be being a DVC member, but without all of the upfront cost of buying in.

Just another option to consider when vacationing if you don't think you'll get the most of becoming a member as mentioned above.

That is true, because most people renting points are not doing it to make a profit. They simply have points they are not going to use and rather than let them expire, they rent them so they can get the maintence cost back.

-dave