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DoodleMushyBoo
09-26-2007, 07:24 AM
I have a DVC question for all of you memebers -
1) is it worth it? its really expensive!

2) My parents are thinking of joining . . . would they be able to transfer stuff to me? (times and such)?

3) What are your experiences? Do you like the villas? Do you HAVE to stay at teh villas?

any advice would be truly appreciated. Thanks!

GusMan
09-26-2007, 08:41 AM
Let me see if I can answer some of your questions for you...


1) is it worth it? its really expensive!
I dont think I have ever heard anyone ever say that they regret joining. It may be expensive but you have to think of it as an investment towards your future vacations. Lets put it this way... since I started going to Disney a few years ago, I could have nearly paid 1/2 of the purchase price just when comparing what I spent on renting rooms. Considering that Disney is our primary vacation destination, it will be money well spent for the next 50 years. Once you break it down... its like getting accommodations at a deluxe resort for the price of a moderate - and with so much more on top of that. My monthly payments are about what I would normally spend on my room for our vacations anyway so I come out even while paying it off. Once that is paid off - that is when you start seeing the real savings.


2) My parents are thinking of joining . . . would they be able to transfer stuff to me? (times and such)?
If they join, they can make reservations for you with no problem. Since there is not a specific "time" that is bought into, there is a lot of flexibility as to when you can go and for how long. You are limited to how many points you buy. It is deeded property so when your parents pass on, they can will it to you as well.


3) What are your experiences? Do you like the villas? Do you HAVE to stay at teh villas?
I would say that we really made up our minds that the DVC would be a good idea once we rented points from another member and stayed in a 2BR villa at the BW. From there, we saw a lot of potential since the DVC resorts are the kind of places that we would want to visit. You can stay at other Disney resorts but there are certain rules you have to follow and to be honest, it is not the best use of the points since you may "spend" more points by staying at a moderate than staying at a DVC resort.

Your questions only scratch the surface. You may want to look around the DVC forum (where I moved this thread to) to see some of the other pre-purchase questions that have been recently asked. And of course - feel free to post any additional questions you might have.

mom22gls
09-26-2007, 08:48 AM
I have a DVC question for all of you memebers -
1) is it worth it? its really expensive!

2) My parents are thinking of joining . . . would they be able to transfer stuff to me? (times and such)?

3) What are your experiences? Do you like the villas? Do you HAVE to stay at teh villas?

any advice would be truly appreciated. Thanks!

Depends on how you define "expensive." It is a real estate investment, and requires a significant up front cash payment, and, for many people, financing the balance. Generally, it will be another monthly expense, to pay off the financed balance, and a yearly payment of maintenance fees. Only your parents can determine if it makes financial sense for them. If you have been going to WDW every year, and either staying in a Deluxe resort, or taking two rooms, it probably will be cheaper, in the long run. The short answer is, no you don't have to stay in the villas, but your points go a lot farther if you do. Your points can be used at on-site hotels, on other Disney-affiliated travel program, or can be traded to other timeshare programs. It does not make sense, however, to invest in the DVC if you will not be going to WDW on a regular basis, as the point expenditure for other travel experiences is a lot more than to stay at the on-site villas. A studio at the villas is, basically, a hotel room, with a kitchenette; larger units have full kitchens, and separate bedroom and living room areas. We recently stayed in a one-bedroom villa, and it was very nice not to have to share our bedroom with our children, to have a jacuzzi tub, and washer/dryer right in the unit. I reserved a two-bedroom villa for March, to share with my parents. It depends on so many factors, your parents really need to evaluate the information from DVC carefully, and determine whether it's a good investment for them. It is a point-bases system, that can be used anytime, not the old timeshare model with a specific "week," or other period to use.

houseofmouse
10-23-2007, 08:15 AM
Heard but not sure, can you "rent" one of these if you don't own one? I cannot remember where I read it. Anyone know?

GusMan
10-23-2007, 11:34 AM
You can rent points from a member, which is a great way to experience one of the Villas. In fact, renting a 2 BR villa at the BWV's pretty much helped make up our mind to become members.

The only problem with renting from a member is that it is a private transaction between you and the owner. DVC does not get involved with rentals at all.

A while back, DVC Mike posted this (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=73364) that was a good primer into renting points.

Additionally, you can rent them from Disney directly, but it will cost you more.

But all in all, renting is a good option if you are not ready to join up or if you want to see what DVC life is all about.