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Thread: Anyone with first hand experience with DVC?

  1. #1

    Anyone with first hand experience with DVC?

    So, I really am sorta interested in looking at the DVC more seriously, probably with my next trip to WDW likely in a year or two. I didn't get to their whole tour guide on my most recent trip, but it's always been something on my mind that I'd like to do eventually, and with a likely incoming promotion and such, I'll probably have a firmer financial footing to seriously consider this as I know I won't have my dad to bum around all the time for cheaper fares at Shades of Green (and let's face it, having stayed there for 5/6 trips, it is getting a bit old).

    So what I'm curious about is, how do other members like it? The points based system seems reasonable, granted I really haven't looked much at all at timeshares and other things in general so I'm trying to educate myself more on them, but are y'all generally happy with DVC if you have it? What sorts of problems have you had if you were dissatisfied with it? My main concern is, as I'm a single guy, this seems like a rather expensive option just for me unless I bring along friends/other family; is it mostly families that look at it, or are there other general singles who like Disney enough to want to become a member? And what other perks do they give, I know speaking with a kiosk person you get discounts on tickets and such, and I guess the stores must give one as that's about the first thing they all ask, but yeah...having not done their guide, I'm not really sure what the other perks are. And if no one minds discussing, what do the annual fees look like as well, I know they vary depending on your "home" property, and that there's a one-time initial fee too, and monthly fees...is there any other costs that aren't as obvious?

    Thanks for any advice you guys might have


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  3. #2
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    Overall I am very happy with our Kidani Village DVC purchase. Me more so than my wife. I believe that we are currently ahead of the game although the yearly dues continue to chip away at the financial benefit of buying into DVC. And that is the one downside that I would warn people about. Depending on how many points you buy the yearly dues is significant and eats into the reasons for buying into a time share.
    Another thing that was kind of weird, for the first few years of being DVC owners it seemed like we were treated differently by cast members. Differently meaning we felt like second class citizens. It was odd and we have asked around about it but haven't gotten a good reason for it. It seems to have lessened over the years but it was pretty bizarre.
    And my final thought is that we would buy more points today if it wasn't for the annual dues.


  4. #3

    That is pretty odd, about the first question I got at the register was are you part of DVC or have other discounts whenever I went to buy things; seems odd they'd treat you as second class back then especially when it was a newer program, you'd think it'd be the opposite.

    But yeah, the annual due thing is what sounds scariest to me because I dunno what that cost looks like; do you happen to have a general figure of what to expect it to be? I mean, something in like the $1k range a year is what I sorta thought of in my mind, but if it's something significantly higher, that's no bueno for me...


  5. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by xezat View Post
    That is pretty odd, about the first question I got at the register was are you part of DVC or have other discounts whenever I went to buy things; seems odd they'd treat you as second class back then especially when it was a newer program, you'd think it'd be the opposite.

    But yeah, the annual due thing is what sounds scariest to me because I dunno what that cost looks like; do you happen to have a general figure of what to expect it to be? I mean, something in like the $1k range a year is what I sorta thought of in my mind, but if it's something significantly higher, that's no bueno for me...
    Yes, ours are close to $800 a year. And we bought at Kidani. I just read in a trip report that Hilton Head members had a big surcharge due to storm damage and I think that can affect yearly dues. Even major unexpected maintenance could up the dues. It definitely wouldn't hurt to sit down with a DVC sales person and talk it over with them. As far as the way we were treated, I still can't explain it. We do enjoy the "Welcome Home" greeting when we get it. And most of the time, when we are in the parks or other places no one can even tell we are DVC or not. So we get treated pretty darn good usually. And we try and treat others the same way.
    I am sorry you aren't getting more responses to your questions. We usually have great conversations about the pros and cons with DVC people we meet at WDW.
    Last edited by wdwchuck; 05-23-2017 at 07:48 PM. Reason: more to say

  6. #5
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    So what I'm curious about is, how do other members like it?
    You are always going to find members that grumble about anything. However, those that know what they are buying into are extremely satisfied with their membership.

    What sorts of problems have you had if you were dissatisfied with it?
    Personally.. none, really. Been a member for 10 years. People tend to have issues finding rooms when they dont plan their trip in advance. As with any room, last minute reservations can be challenging.


    My main concern is, as I'm a single guy, this seems like a rather expensive option just for me unless I bring along friends/other family; is it mostly families that look at it, or are there other general singles who like Disney enough to want to become a member?
    Look at this this way... if you are a person who tends to stay in moderates or deluxe resorts, then its worth looking into - even if you are going solo.

    And what other perks do they give?
    Im going to be careful here... because please do not buy into any timeshare based on perks that can be taken away. Also, know that if you buy resale, you dont get the same perks as those that buy directly from Disney. But yes, there are some dining and shopping discounts as well as some discounts on annual passes. (Not regular tickets.) Sometimes they have special events for DVC members, but unless you already planned on being at the parks around those times, you will miss them. (Not really a biggie.)

    And if no one minds discussing, what do the annual fees look like as well, I know they vary depending on your "home" property, and that there's a one-time initial fee too, and monthly fees...is there any other costs that aren't as obvious?
    You do have the buy in costs, which include the membership and closing costs. After all, you are technically buying deeded property. While some pay it up front, most pay with some sort of loan.
    Annual dues are based on your home resort and how many points you buy. Example, I own 160 points at Saratoga. My dues for 2017 will be $5.6037 per point. Dues can go up on an annual basis, but in most cases, its less than what the typical hotel room goes up during the same time period. A DVC guide can tell you what you would be expecting dues-wise and there are several charts available on the internet.

    As for how I am treated as a DVC member - I dont see any more or less magic in my experience, to be honest. And that is fine by me.

    I wish I became a member sooner. Overall, its been the best vacation investment I could have ever made.
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  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by xezat View Post
    and let's face it, having stayed [at shades of green] for 5/6 trips, it is getting a bit old).

    So what I'm curious about is, how do other members like it?
    The points based system seems reasonable, granted I really haven't looked much at all at timeshares and other things in general so I'm trying to educate myself more on them, but are y'all generally happy with DVC if you have it?
    What sorts of problems have you had if you were dissatisfied with it?
    My main concern is, as I'm a single guy, this seems like a rather expensive option just for me unless I bring along friends/other family; is it mostly families that look at it, or are there other general singles who like Disney enough to want to become a member?
    And what other perks do they give.
    And if no one minds discussing, what do the annual fees look like as well, I know they vary depending on your "home" property, and that there's a one-time initial fee too, and monthly fees...is there any other costs that aren't as obvious?
    I just saw this thread, and thought I would chime in. We just bought 160 more points, bringing our total to 260. There are websites that have LOTS of information about the resorts, fees, points charts, etc. so if you are interested, I would look at them before you pull the trigger and buy. This is definitely a decision that you should make with open eyes.

    There is the buy-in price for the points, which each time we bought we paid for in cash. I know some people will do a mortgage/installment plan but I don't personally think that you should do that for a vacation, which is ultimately what you are buying. Currently, we could sell our initial purchase at DVC Grand Californian for more than we have paid for purchase plus yearly fees, but that is not typical and I certainly would not recommend that anyone buy a timeshare as an "investment."

    You have the opportunity to buy directly from Disney or through the resale market. If you buy resale, you lose your rights to a lot of Disney perks, which may or may not be meaningful. Some people have reported success buying most of their points on the secondary market and then doing a 25-point "add-on" from Disney to gain back some of the benefits. There are rumors that Disney will be closing that loop-hole at some point. We bought from Disney directly the first time and just recently bought through the secondary market. They both have advantages and drawbacks. One big disadvantage of the secondary market is the time delay from offer to purchase. We made one offer, which the buyer declined and a second offer, which ultimately did go through but not without drama. I was at one point on the phone with the transaction attorney in Florida because I refused to allow the transaction agent to change the terms of the deal after we had an agreement in place. They were (allegedly) trying to change the terms because the seller's property was subject to a mortgage that the current sale would not fully cover if FIRPTA was withheld (a special law regarding foreign sellers). These would not have been issues if Disney had done the deal - BUT we saved a ton on that transaction by not buying direct.

    The DVC rooms are priced less than if you were to pay cash. So as a single guy, you probably don't need a 2 bedroom villa unless you are bringing friends, but if you were going to pay cash for the room it is a savings. The cheapest DVC is a "studio" which is roughly equivalent to a regular hotel room, but with a mini fridge and microwave. You can bank points for a year if you don't use them, and borrow points from the next current year if needed, so with proper planning you can use up to 3 years worth of points at once, which limits the overall amount you would need if you only visit every other or every third year. This was a factor in our original purchase. You can rent out points to friends/strangers but Disney could choose to crack down on that at any time and I would not count of renting points as the basis for the purchase.

    Currently dues cost $5.28 to $8.11 per point per year depending on resort. These typically increase by a few % each year, and I think that they roughly are a bit more than inflation, but so far not ridiculously so.

    If you have any other questions, let us know or seek out a website that specializes in DVC. This is definitely a transaction you want to do with eyes wide open.

  8. #7

    Thanks for all the advice so far guys. Mind suggesting any websites to peruse? Not trying to be lazy, but would rather hit the more knowledgeable/reliable ones than googling and having to sort through wrong or dated info.

    Actually just got our "little" (more like sizable) promo booklet from DVC today, so been trying to read through some of it. The rates aren't that bad I suppose as far as costs per year go, still need to look more at the exchange ratios and such. Definitely wouldn't be buying in for perks or something, I just remember an attendant mentioning them and was wondering what they were as if anything, the increasing ticket prices scare me more in general.

    So something I didn't really realize, there is a secondary market for this I guess, which makes sense as they are timeshares. So you can buy other members' points and such and vice versa it sounds like?

    And a couple of more questions now that I'm thinking about it...in addition to yearly costs, are there any like monthly charges as well, even if you're not using the property? And as far as family/friends go, is it possible to let them use your points and stuff to go on a vacation without you (say I wanted to treat relatives), or is it something more that it's better you go with them instead?


  9. #8
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xezat View Post
    And a couple of more questions now that I'm thinking about it...in addition to yearly costs, are there any like monthly charges as well, even if you're not using the property? And as far as family/friends go, is it possible to let them use your points and stuff to go on a vacation without you (say I wanted to treat relatives), or is it something more that it's better you go with them instead?
    - No monthly charges. However, some people do decide to have their annual dues paid monthly instead of annually. They usually have them taken out of a checking account automagicly.
    - You still have to pay your dues even if you do not decide to use your points that year. However, if you dont use your points, you can bank them to be used the following year.
    - Yes, you can make reservations for friends and family... and even total strangers. People have been known to rent out points that they are not using. (And yes, you can do that.) Many tend to rent points out if they are not using them during the year in order to pay the annual fee. In fact, I just rented points from a friend who cant use his points this year.
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  10. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by xezat View Post
    Thanks for all the advice so far guys. Mind suggesting any websites to peruse? [snip]

    So something I didn't really realize, there is a secondary market for this I guess, which makes sense as they are timeshares. So you can buy other members' points and such and vice versa it sounds like?
    I like dvcnews.com

    Yes, this is a timeshare. As such, you are buying a real estate interest with all the rights and rules that go with it. The secondary market can be significantly cheaper for resorts that are older and sold for a lot less initially but those resorts also tend to expire sooner, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your age and life circumstances. Disney does have a right of first refusal so things don't go for ridiculously cheap and overall it appears that the secondary market for Disney timeshares is a lot healthier than many other timeshare programs.

    The membership extras, which are only available if you buy directly from Disney, currently include a reduced price on certain types of tickets. But that won't really protect you from increased ticket prices as the discounted prices are typically based on $x off the regular price so when the regular prices go up, the discounted prices do as well.

  11. #10
    Read Everything-Assume Nothing GusMan's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by currence View Post
    ...but those resorts also tend to expire sooner, which may or may not be a good thing depending on your age and life circumstances.
    To add to this...
    All resorts have a specific expiration date, regardless of when you buy in. Its not that buying resale gives you less time because you bought resale, its just that the older resorts are closer to their planned expiry date than the newer resorts.

    Honestly, the perks buying directly from Disney are nice, but to be real honest, are not that significant to not really look closely at resale. You can save a TON of cash and that savings can really outweigh the savings you would get on tickets and the like. Things like the member special events are nice, but if you are not going to be there anyway, its not going to be a benefit to really count on.
    Disney-Inspired Author and Blogger
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    The search function is like the Force. It may take practice, but the more you use it, the more control you will have over it!

  12. #11
    DVCInfo.com DVC Mike's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xezat View Post
    Mind suggesting any websites to peruse? Not trying to be lazy, but would rather hit the more knowledgeable/reliable ones than googling and having to sort through wrong or dated info.
    I'd recommend my DVC information site, which has over 150 pages of information about DVC – including a comprehensive introduction to what DVC is all about, the cost of membership, information on every resort, renting points, point charts, tips on making reservations, member perks, the history of DVC, and much more.

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