Thinking about DVC - need some advice!

[gjdarbo]

I'm relatively new to all of this knowledge regarding DVC and I'd like to have some input from you all here.

My fiance and I did a DVC tour during our trip in August. During that trip, we were staying at Boardwalk (which we both love!), but we really wanted to check out the DVC rooms at Wilderness Lodge. We did our DVC tour at Wilderness Lodge, and although we never stayed there, we were interested in buying in there. Of course, we were steered towards Riviera the entire tour. CCV had just gone up in price and Riviera was cheaper, we'd get more bang for our buck with Riviera, Riviera was the new Grand Floridian, yada yada yada.

We got caught up in all the hype, and honestly, thank goodness they left us for a few minutes alone, or we would've probably just bought in that day. Lots of things were going through our minds at the time, especially when it came to buying in at Riviera. Here were a few of my concerns:

• The resale issue with the new resorts (Riviera & Reflections) - we plan on going to Disney several times a year, and like everyone who purchases DVC, have no intention of selling our points down the road, but we know anything can happen in life that may require us to sell them.
• Skyliner - I think the Skyliner is awesome - especially since Epcot is one of our favorite parks and we would have easy access to it. Call me petty, but I'm not thrilled about how Riviera is supposed to be in the same category as Grand Floridian, but it shares a transportation system with value and moderate resorts. There's so much I don't really know about the Skyliner at this point (i.e. are there going to be enough open gondolas for Riviera guests traveling to Epcot since other resorts will have boarded first?). I know it's technically an "Epcot Resort Area" hotel, but I just don't think it's the same as Boardwalk, Yacht, & Beach. If the Skyliner's down, it's only the bus. We loved Boardwalk because we could just walk to HS and Epcot...or take a boat if we really wanted to.
• It's just the two of us right now. We're both not wild about the tower studios at Riviera, but we could look past it. We like staying at a new resort each time we go to WDW. Our goal is to stay at them all.

We're both in our 20s and we plan on taking around 3 trips to WDW per year. We live a few states over so it's relatiely easy to get to Orlando. We have flexible schedules and can take vacation whenever we want to. We plan on buying points next summer (we'll have the cash saved by then - don't want to finance this)

My main questions for you all:

• Could we buy direct from Disney at another DVC resort besides Riviera? I know we'd be subject to that contract's expiration date, but I'm wondering if this could be a good option. How does pricing work on these? I'd rather buy a resort that I know I'd be happy staying in if I couldn't book anything else. Resorts that we are interested in: Contemporary, Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach, and Wilderness Lodge.
• Would we be better off just buying resale at the DVC resort we want to be at?
• We plan on getting annual passes. If we buy resale, what perks would we be missing out on that we wouldn't get with annual passes but would with a direct DVC membership?
• If you could do it all over again, how would you initially buy-in? What advice do you have for us based on our preferences?

Sorry for all the details and questions - this is a pretty big purchase, so I want to be sure we're making an informed decision!

 

[sethschroeder]

I just want to say something.

- You are not married yet
- You don't have kids yet
- How much have you traveled together at this point?
- You are in your 20s how is your career progress? Is your next step a role where you couldn't plan vacations or wouldn't have vacation yearly?

I am just throwing out words of caution to at least think about but only you know yourself.

Could we buy direct from Disney at another DVC resort besides Riviera?

You can buy anywhere there just might be a wait for the points to become available.

Would we be better off just buying resale at the DVC resort we want to be at?

There is a bunch of threads on this there is no right answer.

We plan on getting annual passes. If we buy resale, what perks would we be missing out on that we wouldn't get with annual passes but would with a direct DVC membership?

AP discounts are not guaranteed so they could pull the benefit or change it. Others could comment how likely that is.

If you could do it all over again, how would you initially buy-in? What advice do you have for us based on our preferences?

Personally we thought about buying back when we got married and didnt. It has allowed us more financial flexibility over the past 5+ years and we have rented points instead for not that much more. We are now looking again and while prices are higher they also could possibly go down over the next couple years if the recession hits.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Pricing on sold out resorts is higher than you expect.

In some cases, you save $100 per point buying resale. For two people, the AP discount is hard to make worth $10k in a reasonable timeframe.

This is real estate, so there are a variety of issues buying with someone who is not family under law, meaning "someone you are not married to."

 

[Marionnette]

I'm relatively new to all of this knowledge regarding DVC and I'd like to have some input from you all here.

My fiance and I did a DVC tour during our trip in August. During that trip, we were staying at Boardwalk (which we both love!), but we really wanted to check out the DVC rooms at Wilderness Lodge. We did our DVC tour at Wilderness Lodge, and although we never stayed there, we were interested in buying in there. Of course, we were steered towards Riviera the entire tour. CCV had just gone up in price and Riviera was cheaper, we'd get more bang for our buck with Riviera, Riviera was the new Grand Floridian, yada yada yada.

We got caught up in all the hype, and honestly, thank goodness they left us for a few minutes alone, or we would've probably just bought in that day. Lots of things were going through our minds at the time, especially when it came to buying in at Riviera. Here were a few of my concerns:

• The resale issue with the new resorts (Riviera & Reflections) - we plan on going to Disney several times a year, and like everyone who purchases DVC, have no intention of selling our points down the road, but we know anything can happen in life that may require us to sell them.
• Skyliner - I think the Skyliner is awesome - especially since Epcot is one of our favorite parks and we would have easy access to it. Call me petty, but I'm not thrilled about how Riviera is supposed to be in the same category as Grand Floridian, but it shares a transportation system with value and moderate resorts. There's so much I don't really know about the Skyliner at this point (i.e. are there going to be enough open gondolas for Riviera guests traveling to Epcot since other resorts will have boarded first?). I know it's technically an "Epcot Resort Area" hotel, but I just don't think it's the same as Boardwalk, Yacht, & Beach. If the Skyliner's down, it's only the bus. We loved Boardwalk because we could just walk to HS and Epcot...or take a boat if we really wanted to.
• It's just the two of us right now. We're both not wild about the tower studios at Riviera, but we could look past it. We like staying at a new resort each time we go to WDW. Our goal is to stay at them all.

We're both in our 20s and we plan on taking around 3 trips to WDW per year. We live a few states over so it's relatiely easy to get to Orlando. We have flexible schedules and can take vacation whenever we want to. We plan on buying points next summer (we'll have the cash saved by then - don't want to finance this)

My main questions for you all:

• Could we buy direct from Disney at another DVC resort besides Riviera? I know we'd be subject to that contract's expiration date, but I'm wondering if this could be a good option. How does pricing work on these? I'd rather buy a resort that I know I'd be happy staying in if I couldn't book anything else. Resorts that we are interested in: Contemporary, Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach, and Wilderness Lodge.
• Would we be better off just buying resale at the DVC resort we want to be at?
• We plan on getting annual passes. If we buy resale, what perks would we be missing out on that we wouldn't get with annual passes but would with a direct DVC membership?
• If you could do it all over again, how would you initially buy-in? What advice do you have for us based on our preferences?

Sorry for all the details and questions - this is a pretty big purchase, so I want to be sure we're making an informed decision!

Could we buy direct from Disney at another DVC resort besides Riviera? I know we'd be subject to that contract's expiration date, but I'm wondering if this could be a good option. How does pricing work on these? I'd rather buy a resort that I know I'd be happy staying in if I couldn't book anything else. Resorts that we are interested in: Contemporary, Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach, and Wilderness Lodge.

You can buy any DVC resort directly from a Disney. Some have waitlists and others can be purchased rather quickly. Direct pricing ranges from $110-$245 per point, depending on the resort.​

Would we be better off just buying resale at the DVC resort we want to be at?
We plan on getting annual passes. If we buy resale, what perks would we be missing out on that we wouldn't get with annual passes but would with a direct DVC membership?

Resale buyers cannot use their points for the Disney collection or cruises. They do not qualify for discounts on annual passes, admission to DVC lounges or tickets to DVC Moonlight Magic events. Basically, resale buyers are buying the points but not the benefits of membership. Resale buyers cannot use their points at a Riviera, nor at any future resorts.​

If you could do it all over again, how would you initially buy-in? What advice do you have for us based on our preferences?

I bought a 25-point contract after restrictions were put in place to disallow resale purchasers from using their points on cruises and the Disney Collection. That was not a deterrent because that’s considered to be a poor use of your points, anyway. So, I have a blue membership card. I have one contract that was purchased after the latest spate of resale restrictions. I bought it only to use at L14 resorts. The rest of my points are grandfathered in to use at RIV and future DVC resorts.​

​

Given the attitude of the current DVC executives, I’m not sure that I would buy now. Not direct. Not resale. The underhanded way that they handled the initial 2020 points charts, the second-class status that they are imposing on resale purchasers, and the building of point-sucking bungalows, cabins and whatever they want to call the outer buildings at Reflections that cause an imbalance in points that result in a number of those villas going into breakage have left me with a bad taste in my mouth. I love my DVC. I got in at a good price for the bulk of my contracts. I’m am unaffected by resale restrictions and I don’t own at Poly or CCV.. But I don’t think that I would become a new owner now with the way things are.​

 

[Lumpy1106]

My main questions for you all:

• Could we buy direct from Disney at another DVC resort besides Riviera? I know we'd be subject to that contract's expiration date, but I'm wondering if this could be a good option. How does pricing work on these? I'd rather buy a resort that I know I'd be happy staying in if I couldn't book anything else. Resorts that we are interested in: Contemporary, Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach, and Wilderness Lodge.
• Would we be better off just buying resale at the DVC resort we want to be at?
• We plan on getting annual passes. If we buy resale, what perks would we be missing out on that we wouldn't get with annual passes but would with a direct DVC membership?
• If you could do it all over again, how would you initially buy-in? What advice do you have for us based on our preferences?

Yes - you can buy direct from just about any resort. GFV and GCV would be the exceptions just because the wait list is so long.
IMHO - yes I think you'd be better off buying resale FIRST for sure. Reason being you won't have to search for a specific use year if you buy direct later since Disney can modify the use year but resale can't (plus you'll save thousands)
DVC direct gets a big discount on Gold passes - one of the only perks worth buying direct for. The member parties and special tours are nice but realistically you'll never be able to go. They give you really short notice and the events are hard to get into. Perks are not guaranteed so buyer beware.
Brand-new resale owner myself so can't answer the last question.

You mentioned being able to go short notice - that will help you with flexibility for your trip dates but you will still need to figure on planning your trip 11 months out. If you can't commit to that DVC is probably not a good fit.

Studios, and especially standard view studios are hard to get. Buy at least enough points to cover a premium view.

Write yourself a spreadsheet to compare long-term costs between resorts. Maintenance fees end up being a big deal long-term.

 

[gjdarbo]

I just want to say something.

- You are not married yet
- You don't have kids yet
- How much have you traveled together at this point?
- You are in your 20s how is your career progress? Is your next step a role where you couldn't plan vacations or wouldn't have vacation yearly?

I am just throwing out words of caution to at least think about but only you know yourself.



You can buy anywhere there just might be a wait for the points to become available.


There is a bunch of threads on this there is no right answer.


AP discounts are not guaranteed so they could pull the benefit or change it. Others could comment how likely that is.


Personally we thought about buying back when we got married and didnt. It has allowed us more financial flexibility over the past 5+ years and we have rented points instead for not that much more. We are now looking again and while prices are higher they also could possibly go down over the next couple years if the recession hits.

Thanks for the information! Not married, no kids yet, and most of our traveling includes Disney and Florida panhandle beaches. We're both in healthcare and in positions with good job security, so money and career changes wouldn't be an issue. I'll have over 15 weeks vacation each year, and we're hoping to take several long weekend trips to Disney throughout the year. But I understand the words of caution since we are young - but we are in a financially secure position for DVC at this time.

 

[gjdarbo]

Pricing on sold out resorts is higher than you expect.

In some cases, you save $100 per point buying resale. For two people, the AP discount is hard to make worth $10k in a reasonable timeframe.

This is real estate, so there are a variety of issues buying with someone who is not family under law, meaning "someone you are not married to."

Yeah that's what I was thinking about the AP discount. Thanks! We won't be buying until after we are married in the spring, but thanks for the words of caution.

 

[gjdarbo]

Yes - you can buy direct from just about any resort. GFV and GCV would be the exceptions just because the wait list is so long.
IMHO - yes I think you'd be better off buying resale FIRST for sure. Reason being you won't have to search for a specific use year if you buy direct later since Disney can modify the use year but resale can't (plus you'll save thousands)
DVC direct gets a big discount on Gold passes - one of the only perks worth buying direct for. The member parties and special tours are nice but realistically you'll never be able to go. They give you really short notice and the events are hard to get into. Perks are not guaranteed so buyer beware.
Brand-new resale owner myself so can't answer the last question.

You mentioned being able to go short notice - that will help you with flexibility for your trip dates but you will still need to figure on planning your trip 11 months out. If you can't commit to that DVC is probably not a good fit.

Studios, and especially standard view studios are hard to get. Buy at least enough points to cover a premium view.

Write yourself a spreadsheet to compare long-term costs between resorts. Maintenance fees end up being a big deal long-term.

We'll definitely be able to commit to something 11 months out - we're big planners. But we also like the occasional last minute trip. I like the spreadsheet idea - I'll have to start putting one together. As much as I'd love to buy direct from Disney, I'm open to buying resale, especially if I can ge the resort for the right price.

 

[ELMC]

• If you could do it all over again, how would you initially buy-in? What advice do you have for us based on our preferences?

All great questions and you're getting a lot of great responses. I'll answer this one because the answer changes depending on who you ask.

If I were to do it all over again I would have done it pretty much the same. We bought at BWV to lock up the 11-month booking window for Food and Wine. However, we bought BLT for the 11-month advantage which we didn't need, because we exclusively stay TP view 1BR. The studios are WAY TOO SMALL to put four people in, and the TP view is the most expensive, so most times the advantage isn't needed. Finally, we chased that with some cheap SSR points for any bookings within 7 months.

For what it's worth, I bought SSR for $50pp, BWV at $60pp, and BLT at $80pp (and all three contracts had three years worth of points) which definitely colors my view of DVC. I've since sold the SSR and BLT points because I got close to double what I paid...something else that buyers in today's market will likely never be able to say. So to answer your question as to how I would initially buy in, under today's market conditions I wouldn't. I am by far the most bearish on DVC of any of the regular posters on here. So if you find yourself agreeing with anything I say then that should give you pause. If you think what I say is stupid, then that's ok too, and you should listen to the good guidance you receive on this thread regarding different entry strategies.

So bringing it back to you for a second...given your preferences and goals, position in life (still young, just saving up money, facing a LOT of big financial commitments in the upcoming decade) combined with current market conditions, I would recommend you NOT buy DVC. You want to stay in too many places and you are never going to be able to tailor your ownership to suit those desires. My wifew and I bought a timeshare in our 20s and even though we made it work, it was a stupid thing to do. Plus, they just built this great new resort, The Riviera, which is already on sale from opening day through the end of March. Why buy when you can get 40% off?

Good luck with your decision!

 

[katandmouse]

Welcome! You’ll get so much great info on the details of DVC from other posters and just reading around these boards, so I’ll focus my response on your last question about how we bought and would we do it again.

We bought resale this spring, after this latest round of restrictions. Through our buying process, we calculated the estimated benefits and they just could not equal the $12K+ we saved over direct. We did not value staying at Riviera or Reflections or whatever future resorts very much (we could always rent points if we want). Honestly though, after buying, I found myself really wishing I had that blue card and could qualify for special events and member cruises. (We don’t even like cruises!) So I tried to justify a small direct add on, but really couldn’t make the numbers work. What I’m doing this year is I got an AP for just myself, so we’ll be able to use all those discounts which are pretty much the same as DVC and I can feel special as a Passholder. From a benefit-cost standpoint, the real benefit with DVC direct is qualifying for a Gold AP. Now my sister, who goes to WDW more often than my family, looked into DVC so she could get that Gold AP - but the costs of DVC long-term were more than the AP-discounted rooms she usually books. So ironically it works better for her to continue buying Platinum APs and booking rooms with AP discounts than it does to buy DVC and qualify for a Gold AP each year. Now I’ll add that she’d be booking studios with DVC, whereas my family of 5 wants the 1 and 2 br villas, so I think that’s where it made more sense for us and not her.

Now, in the few months since we bought, I’ve learned even more about the restrictions (and I thought we did our research beforehand!), and I have to say I’m more inclined to agree with @Marionnette. All prior resale restrictions took away incidental benefits only - which means they were never a guarantee for anyone, and never provided for in the contracts (actually the opposite; the contracts state they can be taken away at any time). This Riviera booking restriction actually changed the contracts. Everyone talks about the Riviera restriction in terms of less resale value $$, but I see it as that Riviera contract gives owners less rights. And if DVC is willing to make this change now - I see DVC less as Disney magic and more as regular timeshare. And maybe it always has been and this was just a wake-up call I needed.

Anyway, I don’t mean to turn you completely off DVC. I’ve thought about if we should just sell now while we can, since I’m side-eyeing so much, but at the same time at its core it still works for us and the trips we have planned. I still get excited logging onto the Member website and seeing our points and our upcoming trip. Every phone call I’ve made I’ve spoken with friendly, helpful CMs. I just want you to be fully aware - DVC is a timeshare, and a long term commitment; it can be good, but just know what you’re signing up for.

Actually, what I’d suggest for you to think about is, buy APs for the 2 of you for the next few years and get those AP rooms like my sister does, and pay attention to what other changes DVC might implement. Then as you start planning your family (and daycare costs etc!) look into if DVC is a good fit at that time.

 

[Pyotr]

I own at CCV. While I love it there, studios can be difficult to get. If you decide to buy there, keep that in mind.

Personally I would hold off on Riviera until it’s open. The Disney Visa card has a deal with 40% off of Riviera rooms this spring. I would recommend stayed there for a weekend and see if you like it.

 

[disney11fan]

I wouldn't invest a dime in a DVC. Remember you asked.

 

[katandmouse]

We'll definitely be able to commit to something 11 months out - we're big planners. But we also like the occasional last minute trip. I like the spreadsheet idea - I'll have to start putting one together. As much as I'd love to buy direct from Disney, I'm open to buying resale, especially if I can ge the resort for the right price.

If you want to make a spreadsheet - Mousesavers.com has one I found helpful. You can download it and change it according to your vacation habits/plans.
https://www.mousesavers.com/other-disney-vacations/disney-vacation-club/

 

[kcall13]

If you are going to buy you will get a much better deal with resale. I struggled with Polly vs Boardwalk but chose Poly because it is my favorite resort and the points last much longer! best of luck!

 

[rangerxenos]

Please meet with a financial advisor before jumping into a purchase. That's who you should be asking for advice.

 

[disney11fan]

Please meet with a financial advisor before jumping into a purchase. That's who you should be asking for advice.

Well said. This is not like ordering a pizza. Please stop and think and wait. These time shares like **** roaches will be around till the end of time.b

 

[rangerxenos]

Well said. This is not like ordering a pizza. Please stop and think and wait. These time shares like **** roaches will be around till the end of time.b

As a financial person, it really bothers me that Disney pushes DVC based on people being at the parks and in the moment. Any purchase of this magnitude should be reviewed by someone other than the person trying to sell you the product. They're getting people hooked based on emotions, not necessarily based on financial considerations.

 

[Pyotr]

As a financial person, it really bothers me that Disney pushes DVC based on people being at the parks and in the moment. Any purchase of this magnitude should be reviewed by someone other than the person trying to sell you the product. They're getting people hooked based on emotions, not necessarily based on financial considerations.

Isn’t there a 10 day backing out period?

I have no problem with Disney selling DVC at the parks. They’re not forcing anyone to buy right away.

 

[Bing Showei]

I have no problem with Disney selling DVC at the parks. They’re not forcing anyone to buy right away.

Says the playground crack dealer.

 

[Pyotr]

Says the playground crack dealer.

I’m an addict. I’ll admit it.

But I’ve also spent $600 a night at the Grand Floridian.

Christmas 2017 we stayed at the Poly. I don’t even want to say how expensive that was.

I think some long term DVC owners forget just how expensive hotel rooms can be at Disney.