Does owning DVC really save money?

[Disney Doll]

I think all DVC members are in that category, whether they want to admit it or not.

Well, I'm not so sure, from a personal standpoint.

DH & I were doing 2 vacations a year to WDW, staying in either a moderate or a deluxe, so I think DVC may have actually saved us some $$. I have never sta down and figured out what it has cost me since 1997, and how many days I have actually stayed in a DVC room since 1997, but I have a "sense" that overall, I have saved osme money on accomodations since purchasing DVC.

The other stuff...tickets, airfare, souvenirs, food...I don't really count because those things are always part of my WDW experience, regardless of my accomodations. I have to go there by plane, I have to buy tickets to get into the parks, I have to eat, and I always buy some souvenirs. Actually, with souvenirs I think I have become more discriminating, lest I have an entire house decorated in "Disney", and an entire wardrobe of clothing with Mickey or Tink on them, so I may actually be spending less in souvenirs!!!

Again, you do need to be a pretty specific type of traveller to WDW (at least every other year), you need to be the type who truly prefers a nicer accomodation, you need to understand that value isn't always just about the money.

 

[Disney Doll]

10 years from now-yea maybe. But what about 5? Can anyone say for sure if I bought BCV for $95 today (or OKW for $72) that it wont go up $5 a point the next 5 years. If AKV levels out around $110 and CRV comes in closer to $120-I would not doubt the BCV will not be that far behind in 5 years.

We bought OKW in 1997 for $62.50 per point (or maybe it was $65?).

At this point, I htink OKW sells for the high 70's or low 80's per point, although I haven't checked TTS site lately.

 

[Disney Doll]

What do you think they will really do with OKW once the DVC contract runs out? Does anyone really think they will knock it down and build something new?

I think it'll depend on the condition of the buildings, the WDW master plan, the vacationing habits of the public then...lots of factors.

I do know that construction in Flroida is not generally built to last hundreds of years.

 

[Parkhopper13]

Well, I'm not so sure, from a personal standpoint.

DH & I were doing 2 vacations a year to WDW, staying in either a moderate or a deluxe, so I think DVC may have actually saved us some $$. I have never sta down and figured out what it has cost me since 1997, and how many days I have actually stayed in a DVC room since 1997, but I have a "sense" that overall, I have saved osme money on accomodations since purchasing DVC.

The other stuff...tickets, airfare, souvenirs, food...I don't really count because those things are always part of my WDW experience, regardless of my accomodations. I have to go there by plane, I have to buy tickets to get into the parks, I have to eat, and I always buy some souvenirs. Actually, with souvenirs I think I have become more discriminating, lest I have an entire house decorated in "Disney", and an entire wardrobe of clothing with Mickey or Tink on them, so I may actually be spending less in souvenirs!!!

Again, you do need to be a pretty specific type of traveller to WDW (at least every other year), you need to be the type who truly prefers a nicer accomodation, you need to understand that value isn't always just about the money.

I agree with you 100%. I understand that once many people buy into dvc they take more vacations, thus spending more money...but that is a personal choice. I have defended the money saving ability of owning DVC for some time, and I really believe it. Now, if people take those additional dollars in savings and "spend" them on bigger rooms, more time at the parks, etc. then that is their personal choice. But, just because someone chooses to spend their savings...doesn't mean the program does not save you money. Again, it depends on what you want, financial savings or better vacations. That is my humble opinion.

 

[PaDisneyCouple]

Subscribing, with our thanks to the OP. We're starting to consider DVC, and have found this thread most informative. Especially the cost breakdowns.

 

[kdzgon]

We are in the process of deciding how many & what type of points to buy , so I can only "predict":

As my DH is "allergic" to value (& to a lesser extent, moderate) resorts, I would say we'd save money. However, knowing my DH as I do, I believe the reality will be my kids saving money as DH invites them to stay on our points rather than pay for value rooms.

 

[jarestel]

The other stuff...tickets, airfare, souvenirs, food...I don't really count because those things are always part of my WDW experience, regardless of my accomodations. I have to go there by plane, I have to buy tickets to get into the parks, I have to eat, and I always buy some souvenirs.

I wouldn't count them either if the number of trips to WDW remained constant both before and after buying DVC. But for many ( not all ), DVC membership brings an increase in WDW vacation trips, thereby increasing expenditures as compared to the pre-DVC days. So you kind of do have to count it in that case if you want to realistically answer the question about saving money.

 

[Ltl Mermaid]

OK, I looked at DVC a few years ago and it seemed too expensive to me at the time. I am now reconsidering but have a question or 10! These are all assuming 2 Disney Vacations per year (usually 1 cruise and 1 week at WDW in a moderate or deluxe resort)
1. How much should I expect to pay my 1st year?
2. Is is the same $$ amount per year or is there a fee just for signing up?
3. How do you pay for tickets, can you use the dining plan?
4. How much extra would it cost to add regular Mousekeeping for an entire stay?
5. How much extra would it cost to stay at non DVC resorts.

I am sure these answers are somewhere, but I looked and looked and just could not find them. Please explain why you think DVC is a good purchase as well. I really would like it but just feel that the initial cost is SOOOOO high. Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Deb & Bill]

OK, I looked at DVC a few years ago and it seemed too expensive to me at the time. I am now reconsidering but have a question or 10! These are all assuming 2 Disney Vacations per year (usually 1 cruise and 1 week at WDW in a moderate or deluxe resort)
1. How much should I expect to pay my 1st year?
2. Is is the same $$ amount per year or is there a fee just for signing up?
3. How do you pay for tickets, can you use the dining plan?
4. How much extra would it cost to add regular Mousekeeping for an entire stay?
5. How much extra would it cost to stay at non DVC resorts.

I am sure these answers are somewhere, but I looked and looked and just could not find them. Please explain why you think DVC is a good purchase as well. I really would like it but just feel that the initial cost is SOOOOO high. Thanks in advance for your help!

1. You'll need to either pay the full price of the points right up front or work up a loan agreement with Disney (if you buy through them directly). Or get your own financing if you go resale. Dues run about $4 a year per point.
2. If you have paid off your initial real estate purchase, you'll just have dues.
3. Unless you purchase the Annual Pass and get the DVC discount, there are no discounts on tickets. Currently, you can sign up for the dining plan. You must sign up everyone staying in your villa for the entire length of the trip.
4. Adding housekeeping depends on the size of the villa - from $25-55 (not sure) per day if you request daily housekeeping.
5. You can use your points to stay at non-DVC resorts, but you will use more than you would for a similar sized studio. Often you can get a onebedroom for less than it might cost to stay in a standard hotel room.

 

[StorkRN]

We are interested in purchasing DVC. Can you tell me where else you can use your points other than WDW? We love WDW but I would like to buy enough points (300?) so I can take 2 trips each year, one to WDW and one elsewhere. Has anyone ever used any of the other resorts that are non-disney? And if so, how were they? We love the outdoors so we were thinking a nice lake or mountain location is fine also! Thanks!

 

[SleepyatDVC]

DVC has absolutely NOT saved me any money!!! As others have pointed out, the "free lodging" has resulted in more frequent trips, APs, more $$ spent on food, and using points for 1 bedrooms and up.

More frequent points result in add-ons where we got EXTRA developer points as well as 2 years worth of points right off the bat. All those points resulted in... you got it... more frequent trips in larger units!! Lol!

I'm sure that I can be more economical with my points and vacations that could result in some money savings but I don't have the discipline or the need to do so.

We did "the math" when we bought and it may sense enough for us to take the plunge. But, to be honest, I prompty forgot all the math and use my points the way I want to, especially now that we have more than enough after the add-on.

I think I have a psychological barrier to spending more than $4-$5k for ANY one vacation. For WDW it is even lower at $2-$3k because I KNOW it can be done on a budget. We are at a stage where we prefer to stay on-site but I would cringe to spend the money on accomodations when I can get an offsite timeshare or condo inexpensively.

After paying outright for DVC and paying but not missing the monthly dues of $150, I get to plan and make multiple trips to WDW and "stay" under my lump sum for any vacation comfort zone.

 

[Lisa P.]

Ltl Mermaid, without mentioning the unit size or the time of year when you'd plan to visit WDW, it's not possible to give you the specific figures you're seeking. Deb gave you some info. You'll need to look at the points charts to calculate the number of points you'd use for the WDW vacations.

Multiply this number of points by $75-$100 per point for the purchase price.

Disney will usually finance much of this and be paid nicely in interest for the service (sometimes charging more in interest over the years than the total amount financed - be careful). If you are not able to afford the purchase price upfront without financing, consider starting with a smaller package and adding on or look seriously at your financial situation and whether it makes sense for you to take on a hefty debt. You will incur a monthly loan payment if you finance the purchase. The purchase price is only for "signing up" and once it's paid, it's done, for the life of the "leasehold deed." In addition...

Everyone pays a yearly maintenance fee, including property taxes, for their home resort. Choose the home resort where you think you would want to vacation the most frequently or where you may want to stay during premier season (harder to book) or where you plan to stay in the 3BRs multiple times. Having that resort as your home resort will make these easier to do. The maint fee amount varies depending on your home resort - here's the per-point fee per year:

Year --- OKW --- BWV --- VB --- VB(sub) --- HHI --- VWL --- BCV --- SSR
2006 -- $4.24 -- $4.69 -- $5.27 -- $4.12 -- $4.34 -- $4.61 -- $4.48 -- $3.98

If you are confident that you want daily housekeeping service for your entire stay, DVC may not be for you. In the long run, you'd probably pay more for a DVC purchase plus daily housekeeping service than you would pay to stay on promo deals and discounted cash stays. Cash stays are the most flexible anyway.

Staying at non-DVC resorts is very points-costly. It's often as costly to stay in a deluxe hotel room at WDW or at a B&B as it would be to stay in a DVC 2BR. Going on a cruise with DVC points can be similarly points-costly. While these are offered as nice options to members, they should not be considered a reason to purchase points. They are subject to change and elimination as options at any time and should be recognized as such. So don't make cruises a basis for a DVC purchase. Remember that you may have a smaller contract and rent points from other members to temporarily increase your account and allow for special vacations when the opportunity looks very good. HTH!

 

[Lisa P.]

StorkRN, when using DVC points for nightly stays at DVC resorts, you get a reasonable value. So this is how most members determine the number of points they'll need. The ability to use DVC points for non-DVC vacations - and the number of points required to do so - is subject to change yearly. In fact, some years, the changes have been enough to upset some folks here, depending on what they'd anticipated and how it affected their plans. Most people recommend that you get as many points as you would anticipate using at DVC resorts and use some other venue (other resale timeshare, travel agent deals, cash, etc.) for non-DVC vacations.

The current options (all subject to availability) include:
--- nightly stays at WDW hotels (which have no DVC attached)
--- nightly stays at selected upscale hotels and B&Bs
--- cruises on Disney cruise line
--- weekly exchanges to selected timeshare resorts through II (limited)

Note that weekly exchanges normally do not include housekeeping services and you still pay annual maint fees on your DVC points, which are fairly high within the timeshare industry. Therefore, if you expect to vacation for a full week in timeshares elsewhere, you would greatly benefit from learning more about timeshares in general. By considering where you would like to travel, the number of people in your typical travel group and what time of year you'd need to travel, you may find that purchasing a resale timeshare elsewhere would work better for you than DVC points for the non-DVC vacations.

Check TUG (see my sig below) for more info on this. For starters, consider whether the lake/mountain resorts that interest you the most are in the western US or Canada, northeast US, southeast US, midwest, Europe, etc. Certain timeshare systems have more resorts in each of these general areas than others. HTH.

 

[Coach Rick]

"Value is in the eye of the beholder".

I like many that have already posted may not have saved actual $$'s, but what I have received is far more valuable than the money we have spent. When we first purchased, we did so with the thought we would only go every other year! That went out the window after the first trip. BUT, because of our points we took my Mom, Dad, Sister, BIL, and twin nephews, which with my family gave us 11. It has become a yearly tradition, with my sister and my parents each purchasing thier own points now. These vacations have become priceless to us. The time my kids spend with their cousins, and grandparents can not be duplicated anywhere else. I have also made 3 or 4 trips a year. This from a guy who said every other year would be fine...Didn't happen that way, but believe me I don't regret it!

 

[motherof5]

My family won't save money, but that is because we used to stay in value resorts or off property. Now we will stay at the resorts on property and have been accomodations. Also since we now own DVC I will be going more often = spend more. The way I look at it I'm not saving money, but I am vacationing more often at better accomodations and since I bought some points direct I can have the benefits as well. Like people said you can always sell, not that I am planning on that. But with Disney you know it's worth the value.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Love me a good zombie thread

Didn’t save money in 2006 and still doesn’t save money in 2018 lol

 

[ClosetDisMom]

We love to talk about this! But there is no one right answer. Everyone has their own numbers. The key issue is what you call "both ways". Calculating the cost of DVC isn't that hard (though even there we disagree about what rate to assume for interest, inflation, etc.)

But the key question is what you are comparing it against. If you compare staying at a DVC resort as a DVC member verses staying there as a hotel guest (or staying at another Disney deluxe hotel), then the cost comparison is very easy - DVC is much better off no matter how you run the numbers.

But if you compare the cost of DVC vs the cost of staying at an offsite timeshare, or vs the cost of staying onsite in a moderate with discounts, or even verses staying in Values, then the cost comparison gets pretty tricky. The DVC cost may be a tie or even higher than the other options, but the accommodations are nicer. How do you balance that out?

Then there is the risk factor. If things continue the way they have for the next 35 years about the way they have the last 35 years, DVC is going to look good no matter what assumptions you use. By the time you project out 35 years, your DVC purchase looks really good. But what happens if things change - what if maintenance costs skyrocket - what if WDW changes (or you change) and it's no longer a place people want to visit. I don't think these things are likely, nor are they thing I think about much. But when you use the phrase "due diligence" you need to start factoring these into your equations.

But let me cut through all the disclaimer crap and get to the bottom line. If you love Disney - if you plan to vacation there frequently - if you at least sometimes like to stay in deluxe resorts - if the world doesn't go to heck in a hand basket - the owning DVC will not only give you personal satisfaction, but will be fiscally smart as well.

As a new-ish owner, I have been reading the "is it really worth it" threads for a while. This. Is. Awesome. Your reply sarcastically yet lovingly summed up everything I have read in the last 6 months perfectly. Thanks. It made me smile today - and as a teacher at the end of the school year, that means a lot.

 

[disneynutz]

IMO, over all, you end up spending more and that is Disney's design and why they love DVC.

Bill

 

[jhoannam]

I didn’t realize this was a 2006 thread until I got to page 2

 

[RichVIII]

Love me a good zombie thread

Didn’t save money in 2006 and still doesn’t save money in 2018 lol

^^ This. I have loved what we have done but 4 trips this year is a bit much.