WOW is DVC Worth It! About This Page:

[tigersprinkles]

we have paids off in 3 trips at 14 days each so its well worth it even useing points for a cruise is good

[pandao]

We have used our points to take more people with us and were able to give my brother in law and his family their own room at AKLV. We would not have been able to do that without DVC !

[tracie52001]

We are a family of 7 and love WDW! I'm still trying to convince my husband in DVC. I've tried to tell him DVC is not all about visiting WDW you can see other places too! He's not into paying that much for it.

Any suggestions on helping convince him that in the long run its worth it?

[Eeyore Tattoo]

Originally Posted by tracie52001

We are a family of 7 and love WDW! I'm still trying to convince my husband in DVC. I've tried to tell him DVC is not all about visiting WDW you can see other places too! He's not into paying that much for it.

Any suggestions on helping convince him that in the long run its worth it?

Show him this thread
I would have paid over $10,000 for the last 2 trips but only needed to pay for tickets with DVC..
My DH didn't want to buy in either until he talked with a friend that gave him lots of info then he said, Why didn't you get me to do this sooner!
I told him I did tell you, But guess I didn't give you the info as well as "a man" Men!!!!!!!!

[Dragon]

Okay, you made me look. It would be $4,400 for my trip next June. ($3,700 for staying at the resort itself instead of BLT) Considering the cruise we went on first, a little less than 2 more trips will do it.

[SallyD]

I'm so glad dh finally said Yes to joining! The trip we have booked for August would have cost over $6,000 just for our room! Unbelievable!

[Pax]

Originally Posted by tracie52001

He's not into paying that much for it.

Other than the initial purchase - tell him that you will essentially be getting Value rates, but staying at Deluxe resorts.

[tjkraz]

I will say this about rates for DVC resorts and calculating that "savings"...I'm not sure how much validity we can put in the numbers when DISNEY is the one setting the prices.

Sure, you can look at Rack Rates for Bay Lake Tower or Animal Kingdom Villas and see that staying there as a cash guest would have cost you $____. But consider that Disney is setting those cash rates and they have a vested interest in using those rates to make DVC look attractive. Few cash guests actually stay in the villas and when they do, the cash rates are often HEAVILY discounted. (Sometimes DVCs are even used to give free upgrades from Value resorts much like cruise lines upgrading guests to high cabin classes.) So of course Disney is going to set rack rates high to give the appearance that DVC is "saving" us a bunch of money.

Disney can ask $1000 per night for a Savanna View Two bedroom if they want. But if they have to discount it to $400 and/or offer free dining or "7 for 4" to get any nibbles, then the $1000 list rate is meaningless. Might just as well ask $1500 or $2500 per night and discount further.

So that's my reality check for the night. No need to go telling the spouses about it, though. I know I won't.

[Pax]

Don't compare to the rack rates for the DVC stuff.

Compare to the given rates for a comparable Deluxe. For example, if trying to decide how much savings you'll get when buying into the AKV? Look at what it would cost you out of pocket for room-only reservations at AKL, in as comparable a set of rooms as you can find.

Or, compare to what you USUALLY spend, and keep inmind that you'll be staying "Deluxe Plus" if you're with DVC. For example ... forthe three of us, since we need separate bedrooms ... even though we stay at a Value, the annual dues (guesstimated at $5/point, roughly AKV price) ended up being just about Break Even on the room-only rates for Pop Century. That woudl be a two-bedroom and a studio at AKV (or three studios) ... versus three non-preferred rooms at POP.

Now, being upgraded from Value or Moderate to "Deluxe Plus" may or may not be worth the price difference. For us, it isn't (we mostly don't care, as long as the beds are comfortable, the showers and toilets work, and the room is clean and odor- and pest-free). But for others ... the balance point could work out in favor of DVC.

And if you're still on the fence? RENT some DVC points, and try out those accomodations for a stay, yourself.

[spiceypj]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

you can look at Rack Rates for Bay Lake Tower or Animal Kingdom Villas and see that staying there as a cash guest would have cost you $____. But consider that Disney is setting those cash rates and they have a vested interest in using those rates to make DVC look attractive. Few cash guests actually stay in the villas and when they do, the cash rates are often HEAVILY discounted. (Sometimes DVCs are even used to give free upgrades from Value resorts much like cruise lines upgrading guests to high cabin classes.) So of course Disney is going to set rack rates high to give the appearance that DVC is "saving" us a bunch of money.

first of all the only 2 dvc resorts that have been offered to the public for nice discounts are SSR and OKW - not all of them.

the buy 4 get 3 - is correct however - so that definitely needs to be considered.

most of the time give the rack rates a 25% to 30% discount. that will generally cover all the discounts.

secondly add back in 13% - tax that disney charges on room rates.

since AKV has so many rooms it might in the future get a discount.

really doubt that BLT will - at least for the next several years. It is hard to get now. they don't need to give it a discount to fill the place.

[spiceypj]

you can also compare to what RCI is offering.

that say they are only offering - SSR, OKW, AKV, BWV at present time for the extra vacation.

[tjkraz]

Originally Posted by spiceypj

first of all the only 2 dvc resorts that have been offered to the public for nice discounts are SSR and OKW - not all of them.

the buy 4 get 3 - is correct however - so that definitely needs to be considered.

most of the time give the rack rates a 25% to 30% discount. that will generally cover all the discounts.

secondly add back in 13% - tax that disney charges on room rates.

since AKV has so many rooms it might in the future get a discount.

really doubt that BLT will - at least for the next several years. It is hard to get now. they don't need to give it a discount to fill the place.

When offered, Passholder and resident discounts are typically available at ALL DVC resorts. They just aren't promoted heavily because the supply of rooms available is often small.

Disney is currently offering discounts of 30-45% of for January and the first half of February. Sure enough I punched some random dates into the passholder website and was offered a BLT Lake View Studio for $255 per night in January. The list rate for those dates is $410 so that's about a 40% discount.

A SAVANNA VIEW Studio at Kidani was only $225 per night--that's the full 45% off of the $410 rack rate. Was also offered several other rooms including a 1B Savanna for $302 per night and a 2B Standard View for just $365!!!

Also checked BWV and BCV and was offered discounted villas there, too. I couldn't even believe this one myself---they are offering a Beach Club One Bedroom villa for $255 per night in January under the passholder rates!

Pretty much the full 45% passholder discount across the board with rooms available today.

I'm not saying that this completely torpedoes the idea of buying into DVC. However, any analysis that shows a breakeven point of just 3 or 4 years is probably tainted a bit by the lack of any room discounting. Once you take discounts into account it's likely closer to 6-8 years...or longer if paying 11% interest on a 10-year mortgage.

In the long run DVC still pays off very nicely.

[spiceypj]

have a passholder - not yet a fl resident....

that say generally go for cheaper - value or moderates when paying cash.

will go look now!

thanks!

[DVC Mike]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

I'm not saying that this completely torpedoes the idea of buying into DVC. However, any analysis that shows a breakeven point of just 3 or 4 years is probably tainted a bit by the lack of any room discounting. Once you take discounts into account it's likely closer to 6-8 years...or longer if paying 11% interest on a 10-year mortgage.

In the long run DVC still pays off very nicely.

I think the point should be made that the level of discounts on rooms changes depending upon the economy. When things are bad (like now and immediately after 9/11/2001), Disney must offer bigger discounts to lure guests down to WDW. When things are good, the discounts are greatly reduced.

DVC members have locked in a certain discount.

[Pax]

Originally Posted by tjkraz

When offered, Passholder and resident discounts [...]

Um.

By "Passholder", do you mean, anyone who has an annual pass for that year??

For our January 2012 trip, since we're going for a full 16 days/15 nights (!!), I'd worked out the price of tickets for the WHOLE stay to be about the same price as an AP. It's not something we're definite on (we'd like to spend a few days doing off-property things - Universal, Seaworld, Busch Gardens, etc), but it's definitely an option on the menu, right now.

And, while $250/night (with that discount) is still much more than the $90/night without it ... it'd put some fo the deluxe or moderate resorts much more within-reach.

...

I also wonder: are there Passholder discounts on Value resorts, too?!?