Disney Vacation Club Pros and Cons

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Thank you all for your feedback. What are the best months to plan your vacation for if your a DVC Member?

Again, “it depends.” Are you tied to a school calendar? If not then avoid holidays, particularly Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. How do you feel about the heat and humidity? Summer in Florida is brutal and starts earlier/ends later than other parts of the country. Are you interested in the festivals? RunDisney events? They make the parks crowded.

If all you want to do is avoid crowds I would look at a combination of points charts and crowd calendars online.

 

[maryblanchard49]

Perhaps you can enlighten us on your situation like family size, time of the year you travel, whether you prefer studios or larger villas, etc?

The knowledge is here and I agree with @Stargazer65 it is a really BIG subject and we could write books on the subject and not get to where we can help you LOL!

For the record I go back to 1996 when we bought OKW and we currently own both direct and resale contracts.

Good luck!

Thank you for sharing that information. I do prefer the villas more but, don't mind staying in a studio once in awhile.

 

[maryblanchard49]

Again, “it depends.” Are you tied to a school calendar? If not then avoid holidays, particularly Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter. How do you feel about the heat and humidity? Summer in Florida is brutal and starts earlier/ends later than other parts of the country. Are you interested in the festivals? RunDisney events? They make the parks crowded.

If all you want to do is avoid crowds I would look at a combination of points charts and crowd calendars online.

I am not tied to a school calendar. My kids are both out of school now. I don't mind the humidity it's mainly the crowds I try to avoid the most. I did not know they had those online. I'll try to see what I can find. Thank you.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Good luck! Unfortunately there aren’t really any uncrowded times anymore, just “less crowded.”

We usually travel in January but I might target early May or September as well. Look for times when point charts are cheaper. Early December is super competitive from a DVC perspective but also a good time to be in the parks.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Pros: prepaid vacation at luxury resorts. Ability to stay in larger rooms. Another pro is the kitchen and washer dryer in units for 1 and 2 beds and free laundry area for studios. Extra magic hours for deluxe resort and ability to book special events if blue card holder(not as important)

Cons: increasing maintenance fees, commitment to disney, overall cost of disney vacation (tickets, meals)

 

[maryblanchard49]

Pros: prepaid vacation at luxury resorts. Ability to stay in larger rooms. Another pro is the kitchen and washer dryer in units for 1 and 2 beds and free laundry area for studios. Extra magic hours for deluxe resort and ability to book special events if blue card holder(not as important)

Cons: increasing maintenance fees, commitment to disney, overall cost of disney vacation (tickets, meals)

Thank you. I did not know about the washer & dryer unitls for 1 and 2 beds that seems like a great add on. Meals are more expensive these days at the parks then some years back and I use to think they were high then...

 

[RamblinWreck]

Why is addon-itus a con ? (Says the guy who intended to have 500 points and ended up with 3,500)

It's hard for me to even imagine being able to use that many points

 

[RamblinWreck]

Thank you for sharing that information. I do prefer the villas more but, don't mind staying in a studio once in awhile.

If you aren't tied to any kind of schedule, then I would think September is your best bet. It's the fewest points per night, and the lowest crowds.

 

[jimmymc]

Pros - DVC allows you to stay at deluxe resorts and villas for a lot less than paying cash or renting points. By banking and borrowing points, you can also plan huge vacations and spread out the payments over several years. It's pretty easy to rent out points if you plan on skipping Disney every now and then.

Cons - the large price up-front is too much for a lot of people, and financing can be expensive or have poor interest rates. You are locking up that money with DVC, so even if you save money in the long run you won't have as much cash on hand for a few years after. Don't buy DVC if you're planning on buying a house or expensive car in the next few years. DVC is also not the cheapest way to see Disney. Value resorts and off-site will almost always be cheaper, and moderate rooms are a similar price to studios booked with points. Room availability can also be tough if you're not booking 7 months out or more.

If you go to Disney once a year and stay at deluxe or moderate resorts, DVC has a good chance of being a worthwhile investment. If you go less often or always stay in values or off-site, it might not make sense, but it might make staying at deluxe resorts attainable.

 

[crisi]

Pros: It is a way to stay at Disney on site in a multi room unit for something less than the cost of a college education. Personally, I don't think that its worth it for studios - you give up too much for the savings.

Cons: You are tied to Disney. Your room costs are tied down (dues go up, but historically not as much as cash room rates) but that doesn't mean park tickets and food are. Disney can make decisions - and the cost to you to "vote with your travel dollar" become higher - whether that's closing the Adventurer's Club (old timers are still bitter) or Genie+ or Magical Express going away or increased resale restrictions or whatever Disney changes next year - and the year after - and five years down the road.

Know the difference between a timeshare and a hotel room. That includes amenities and also cleaning schedule, renovation schedule (the rooms do get much more worn than a Disney hotel - on the other hand, we pay for renovations, and dues are pretty steep already).

DVC isn't very flexible. Understand the system and learn to work it. If you buy expecting to be able to use points where you want when you want, you will be disappointed. Plan in advance, book home and change if available. Avoid cancelling or changing plans (other than changing if available).

Disney promotions and packages are not available on points stays. So there isn't any free dining on points

Perks and discounts come and go (speaking of bitter, Valet Parking - on the other hand, you can now get more towels without paying for them).

Its a good value (but notice I didn't say money saver) for a certain kind of regular WDW visitor. But there are far more people for whom it will disappoint if they buy without consideration because it doesn't meet their needs.

 

[sethschroeder]

Cheaper way long term to get to stay in Deluxe resorts on site.

Downside is less flexible than cash, locked in to Disney, and you are taking on risk if you cant use/rent your points.

 

[DisneyDad0315]

I live on the West Coast and I own at Aulani.

Pro: I get to go to Hawaii every year!
Con: I get to buy 4 tickets to Hawaii every year!

But we love it. Aulani has like a water park in it that my family loves.

 

[zavandor]

Pro: if you travel to Disney at least every other year and stay in deluxe resort, buying DVC and staying in studios you'll save money.
If you book larger rooms, you'll end up paying more, but you'll get more value for your money.

Cons:
- you need to book far in advance or risk not being able to travel
- and sometimes nothing is available at all. You better be flexible, have a plan B and C and book as soon as possible
- MF increase every year and often more than inflation
- if something happens and you end losing points, a lot of the DVC saving go down the drinks
- resorts may not be maintained with the same standard than hotels
- you have points to use so you may feel obliged to use them even if you'd like other vacations
- you'll get to know the Disney Company better and it's not a good think. After they try to do.. ehm... legally questionable changes to maximize profits at the expense of the owners, it's impossible to not shatter the illusion it's all pixie dust and magic

 

[wilkydelts]

With a family of 6 I thought my days at Disney were going to be limited until I discovered DVC resale.

For Dec 28 - Jan 1

SSR 2 Bedroom is $2734.62 (based on my price per point)

2 Rooms at All Star Sports is $2224.64

I am paying $509.98 more but I am at two resorts that do not compare and getting living space and a kitchen

 

[crisi]

With a family of 6 I thought my days at Disney were going to be limited until I discovered DVC resale.

For Dec 28 - Jan 1

SSR 2 Bedroom is $2734.62 (based on my price per point)

2 Rooms at All Star Sports is $2224.64

I am paying $509.98 more but I am at two resorts that do not compare and getting living space and a kitchen

That's a great example of you might not save money, but you'll add value. However, a family of six is going to become six adult theme park tickets over time, perhaps six plane tickets, six adult seats at character dining....and then the cost of the accommodations is not the major factor...which is why it important to think about the big picture and the long term.

 

[wilkydelts]

That's a great example of you might not save money, but you'll add value. However, a family of six is going to become six adult theme park tickets over time, perhaps six plane tickets, six adult seats at character dining....and then the cost of the accommodations is not the major factor...which is why it important to think about the big picture and the long term.

That is making a large assumption that people who are DVC are using their points for theme park access. Many DVC members use the room as typical timeshare to vacation in Orlando, but this timeshare lets you at multiple resorts pending availability and points.

But realistically I am saving money because comparing against the cheapest level room. If I add Pop or Coronado to the equation it is:

2 Rooms at Pop is $2826.00

2 Room at Coronado is $3429.04

 

[Brian Noble]

Many DVC members use the room as typical timeshare to vacation in Orlando, but this timeshare lets you at multiple resorts pending availability and points.

There are many (MANY) other luxurious timeshares in Orlando that are significantly less expensive to buy and to own than DVC.

For example, consider Wyndham Bonnet Creek. I've stayed at both WBC and SSR. WBC's units are larger, better equipped, comparably appointed, and next to pools that are as good or better than SSR's. As two trivial examples, the WBC dining table seats six comfortably instead of four uncomfortably, and its freezer includes an ice maker. It is not within walking distance of Disney Springs, but it is within very easy driving distance, just down the road.

Someone with even a below-average Wyndham ownership in terms of cost efficiency could stay in a 2BR there for those four nights (12/28-1/1) for less than half of what you are paying for SSR.

If proximity/access to the Disney theme parks is not a main reason for owning DVC, it's very hard to justify it. And, even the proximity argument is tough, because I often drive past Bonnet Creek on may way back to SSR from the theme parks.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I agree. I can see OCCASIONALLY using DVC for a resort only trip (or a parks lite trip if AP ever come back) but there are so many cheaper ways to travel to something equally nice if not nicer to justify the Disney premium.

 

[wilkydelts]

If proximity/access to the Disney theme parks is not a main reason for owning DVC, it's very hard to justify it.

There is far more to Disney than theme parks

 

[Brian Noble]

And for which of those things is it materially important to stay at SSR rather than the Wyndham?