Why DVC - No Number Crunching Allowed

[DVCOwner]

Let's assume (right or wrong) that DVC is just a luxury purchase (like a sports car) and there is no cost savings to be had. No auguring this point please. So even with this fully known to me I still purchase DVC. Here are some of the following reasons:

1. DVC provides me the opportunity to enjoy on property, one- and two- or three-bedroom apartment like rooms with full kitchens and washers/dryers. I have done all three, but never have rented a studio. I am one that has to stay on property, so off site time shares or rentals is not for me.
2. I visit WDW in groups and DVC allows us to have enough space for everyone to get together and share breakfast each day before heading out to the parks. I have had has many as 25 people having breakfast in a three-bedroom villa.
3. I have enough room to have a bar set up so in the evening people can get together and share stories from the day before going to bed for the evening.
4. I love the master bedroom and the big whirlpool bath.
5. My family likes to pack light and the washer/dryer makes this possible.
6. I always plan my vacations 11 months out and owning points vs. renting provides me a peace of mind (even if I pay more). I am the one talking to DVC and making sure everything is like I want it. You could always rent that sports car when needed, but I want to own it.

How let me know if you would buy DVC even if there was no cash savings and why? Remember no number crunching allowed. I am sure I will think of more reasons and I will post them later.

 

[DISNEYCASTAWAY]

Because there's no place like home. And DVC feels like home, No matter what resort you stay at.

 

[WWWD]

The non-saving reasons that I'm a DVC member is: 1) makes me take a yearly vacation to WDW ( when paying cash, it seems there were always reasons to delay a trip), 2) being a BCV owner, I can almost guarantee lodging during EPCOT's signature events (something I plan on doing more when the kids get older), 3) having room to invite friends to come along with us to WDW, 4) the washer and dryers are nice, 5) for the next 30 years I own .2 percent of BCV (if the s**t hits the fan, I'm squatting on those rights), 6) most importantly is all the free stuff from Welcome Home Wednesdays - I've got a lot of DVC baseball hats

 

[jim1051]

We bought in for most of the same reasons, flexibility of time and location, we have used it for trips to other locations like other time sares do as well. When we bought it was just my wife and I as empty nesters. It sort of foeced us to take vacations which we had not done since our children were small. College for them interupted those.
Now we have 4 grand daughters as well so it has been a blessing being able to take them along with their dads and moms. We all love the magic. Staying onsite is the only way to go for us, and with villa size flexibility, it works well

 

[Lynne M]

But without the numbers, there's just no point to DVC.

Every single thing on your list can be had without purchasing a DVC membership. All of it. Anyone can make a cash reservation at a DVC resort and have the master bath, and the separate rooms, and the extra room, and the whirlpool, and the kitchen, and the washer dryer, and the booking well in advance. You can even get substantial discounts on villas through CRO. Many people do stay in villas on cash reservations, or rent from an owner, because they don't want the multi-thousand dollar upfront payment, and the 40 years of mandatory maintenance fees whether they want to take a Disney trip that year or not.

IMO, DVC is the most cost effective way to stay in the DVC resorts for most people who plan to do it on a regular basis for many years to come. So it's the number-crunching that makes DVC make sense.

 

[captainkidd]

One of the compelling things for us? We can quit the stupid "Wait for the Discounts" game.

To me, that's one of the most compelling reasons not to buy DVC. Never a chance of a discount.

 

[mousefan1972]

Trotsky,I totally agree. I chuckle whenever I read the Dis and see all the hand wringing that goes on over there while waiting for discounts. No more hoping AP rates will be good, or praying our resort/dates will be available. We know we will always have a gorgeous, huge 1 BR at BLT waiting for us. Unless we choose to trade out to BWV, which we've done twice, or BCV (twice), or VWL (twice), or AKV (once). I love not playing the "hoping for a discount that works for us" game. DVC totally works for us.

 

[GoofGoof]

1. DVC provides me the opportunity to enjoy on property, one- and two- or three-bedroom apartment like rooms with full kitchens and washers/dryers. I have done all three, but never have rented a studio. I am one that has to stay on property, so off site time shares or rentals is not for me.

This. I love, love, love staying in the villas. I can't go back to a studio room now. Sure I could rent points or pay cash, but owning allows me the ease of booking online 11 months out and knowing I don't have to haggle with someone over prices

3. I have enough room to have a bar set up so in the evening people can get together and share stories from the day before going to bed for the evening.

I hope I get a room next you on my next trip!!! Nothing beats stopping in at the neighbors for a few before bed.

 

[BCVTalsJam]

I totally agree we have peace of mind having DVC and I find it strange that the people that argue that it is not worth it were never DVC owners. How can you judge something that you have never been apart of...just doesn't make any sense to me.

This is by far the best thing my DW and I have every done and we love it...you guys can bash it left and right but I do the bills and we use to pay cash to go to Disney twice a year and this has really saved us a lot of money. B/w the discounts on our passes/meal plan and the fact the we have a home at the Beach Club to go to with out any issues.

I know I am going to get a lot of flack for this but I also sense its a little bit of...I am goingt o knock what we don't have becuase its not cool unless I have it.

You can not say DVC is not worth it if you have never been apart of it. And now we can go to Disney easily for the next 30 plus years we have the timeshare...

 

[Phonedave]

To me, that's one of the most compelling reasons not to buy DVC. Never a chance of a discount.

With my kids in school, and now my wife is a teacher, we have a very limited window in which we can vacation. Looking for discounts it tough when you have a limited timeframe in which to work.

-dave

 

[DVCOwner]

But without the numbers, there's just no point to DVC.

Every single thing on your list can be had without purchasing a DVC membership. All of it. Anyone can make a cash reservation at a DVC resort and have the master bath, and the separate rooms, and the extra room, and the whirlpool, and the kitchen, and the washer dryer, and the booking well in advance. You can even get substantial discounts on villas through CRO. Many people do stay in villas on cash reservations, or rent from an owner, because they don't want the multi-thousand dollar upfront payment, and the 40 years of mandatory maintenance fees whether they want to take a Disney trip that year or not.

IMO, DVC is the most cost effective way to stay in the DVC resorts for most people who plan to do it on a regular basis for many years to come. So it's the number-crunching that makes DVC make sense.

But without DVC Disney would never have built villas (or at least as many) so there would be no option for getting this type of room. For those that are renting points or paying Disney for rooms, they are still staying in DVC villas.

 

[DVCOwner]

To me, that's one of the most compelling reasons not to buy DVC. Never a chance of a discount.

But without DVC I do not think WDW would have as many 1-, 2- or 3 bedrooms units, so I do not think that they would be there to rent at any rate.

 

[captainkidd]

But without DVC I do not think WDW would have as many 1-, 2- or 3 bedrooms units, so I do not think that they would be there to rent at any rate.

I'm not just referring to discounts on DVC rooms. Discounts on all rooms.

 

[captainkidd]

With my kids in school, and now my wife is a teacher, we have a very limited window in which we can vacation. Looking for discounts it tough when you have a limited timeframe in which to work.

-dave

Yeah, that's definitely something to consider. A definite plus for DVC.

 

[Disneykidder]

LOVE DVC. Here are some reasons why: always staying in a deluxe accommodation, freedom to go anywhere in the world, washer/drier, taking extra family members along, full kitchen, no watching and waiting for discounts (teacher here so limited to when I can go), borrow or bank when needed, I know perks can change but the ones now are good and the top reason is it makes me happy.

 

[pixargal]

We love to travel with friends and family. So we use our points to cover our stays as well as theirs.

 

[DisDadWoz]

We are not ones to take our kids out of school to go so our travel time is always going to be during a set time each year so not having to search for discounts is a positive as we just go when we want. To us anyway it also makes planning the budget for any trip a heck of a lot easier. Discounts on the annual pass renewal doesn't hurt either. I do find it funny how there is such a back and forth about people who join DVC vs. those who don't. If it works for you, great, wonderful, and congrats. For those who don't want to join and find it easier, more cost effective, etc. to not be part of DVC great also. We were like that too. DVC just works better for us now.

 

[goodanu]

Because I can that's why. We can afford it, we love Disney and the DVC accomadations. There is always a reason not to do something. But in this case I feel that this makes me happy and my family happy. So the number crunching for me is secondary. I'll catch some flack for sure but I feel our happiness is more important. We have 150 points, we go two out of three years, stay in a one bedroom with four people. We don't invite family or friends, this our alone family vacation that we spend with my two teenage daughters. The dues are minimal for us and easy to manage. We will add on I'm sure, but for now, I love me some DVC.

 

[Ralphlaw]

It would be interesting hearing from some of the people who are selling off their points on the resale sites to see what they have to say. Some aare already selling their Bay Lake Tower points, which makes you wonder how long they actually held them (Baylake Tower has only been around for 3 years) and what they didn't like. Or perhaps they're selling out because they simply can't afford it.

I must admit, it's galling to own these points and then see the sales that are flying around. I know we're not supposed to crunch numbers, but do those sales really make DVC a bad deal by comparison?

 

[GoofGoof]

It would be interesting hearing from some of the people who are selling off their points on the resale sites to see what they have to say. Some aare already selling their Bay Lake Tower points, which makes you wonder how long they actually held them (Baylake Tower has only been around for 3 years) and what they didn't like. Or perhaps they're selling out because they simply can't afford it.

I must admit, it's galling to own these points and then see the sales that are flying around. I know we're not supposed to crunch numbers, but do those sales really make DVC a bad deal by comparison?

Yes and no. If you bought in assuming the value of your points would go up or stay the same you probably feel like its a bad deal, but you have been using your points to go on nice vacations. If you plan to just use your points and not sell them the resale prices are irrelevant. I think of it like home values. I have neighbors who will say "man, can you believe how little that house across the street sold for, we are screwed". I always point out that unless you need to refinance your loan or sell your house who cares. If you plan on just living in the house for many years the market value has no impact on you.

All that being said, if I bought BLT direct from Disney for $150 or $165 a point and then found out that the resale market was around $90 at the same time I would probably be a little upset.