? for Disney fanatics who choose NOT to join DVC- About This Page:

[benjiboo25]

I am curious--there are many poeple on this board who are Disney-crazy and make MANY visits to WDW, but have not become DVC members. What are the reasons you have chosen to stay out of DVC?

I am getting obsessed with WDW, and it is hard to not seriously consider DVC, but here are some of the "cons" I could imagine for our family situation:

-We can only visit during school breaks, which are some of the most "expensive" point values for DVC; but August is "value" for the Deluxe resorts...
-We need rooms for 5, most of the deluxe resorts allow that, but for the DVC properties, we would need to choose one (or even 2) bedrooms which which would increase our point needs.
-We got a pin code this time for 40% off deluxe rate, during value season it is only about $200/night. Assuming we could always get that kind of rate, seems like it would take way more than 7-10 vacations to "break even" for our family.
-We would need to finance a DVC contract. But we can get 6 months 0% interest on Disney Visa and pay off a yearly trip without interest
-Being new to WDW, we are eager to try out many of the resorts, with our family size, DVC seems limiting (within a budget)

Interested in your thoughts on this...

[cdnmickeyfan]

We have always wanted to buy into the DVC but we haven't had the money to do so. I definitely think its worth it if you plan to go every year or every other year. We go to Disney so much that it definitely would make more sense to be in the DVC. We never had a problem taking our kids out of school for a week so I have never felt pressure just to take vacations during March break or the summer. They learn more on a vacation sometimes then they learn in school that week and to be with your family is more important in my opinion. For us, things just seem to come up expense wise that are more important than owning a bit of Disney. But with every vacation we take, we look at eachother and wonder if we should just bite the bullet. We are going again in October for Halloween and went on a Disney Cruise last year. Anyway, I thinks its worth it even though we haven't done it, YET.

[Dawn in Scotland]

I have been seriously thinking about it. This is what makes me hesitate.....

Mainly I wouldn't do it unless I paid out of savings rather than financing. I have other demands on my savings at the moment
As I get older I might start to prefer other sorts of trips. I'm in the UK and might find the flight and time difference a bit tough as I get older. Due to health issues my mother had to rule out long trips by the time she was 60 for example - you never know.
It is an ongoing financial commitment in terms of paying the annual running costs. I can afford that at the moment but worry if anything happened that cut my income. What if I couldn't sell on easily? I also don't know how much costs might be in say 10 years time.

I still think I will do it though - I like the thought of family get togethers at WDW every two or three years and I think DVC would be a good way of doing that - cheaper than multiple hotel rooms.

[revral]

I haven't joined DVC because it doesn't make financial sense for me to do so. I'm single with no kids and stay in value resorts when I go to DW & an EconoLodge when I go to DL. I could/can take ALOT of trips just for the purchase price add on the cost of the annual dues that you have to pay even after you've paid off your purchase & I can take many more trips.

[MMMD]

DVC is a big outlay of cash. I'd rather have my money working in investments for me, not Disney. They are rich enough

[dcr]

Simple - My wife refuses to stay in rooms with things that remind her of home, like kitchens, washing machines, and the like. DVD reminds her (and me) of time share condo's - even though they are Disney themed. Sorry, but they don't have the same impact as the resort.

[Tinkermom07]

We took the DVC tour last year and ALMOST bought in. Then I ran the numbers. We go every year for 2-3 weeks, and stay off property in a gorgeous rental home with a private pool, laundry, game room in the house, full kitchen etc. We rent a car so we can shop for food and whatnot at WalMart and save money and save time (it's only 3 minutes door to parking to AK from where we stay). We get AP's and get two trips out of them and free parking (WELL worth it). It comes out cheaper to do things this way, even over 50 years. We also travel with family, and we get a 7BR house, so it's even cheaper. As much as I'd love to stay on property, I love being able to stay so much longer. If I ever do get the itch to stay in a deluxe, I'd just rent points and go for a short trip and use the busses.

I guess I'm just spoiled, When I go, I want time to relax, not just go to one park a day and then go home. When I want to go to the parks or leave them, I want to go, not wait for busses (especially in am and at the end of the night). When we want to swim at any time of the day or night, I want to step out onto the screen enclosed, bugless lanai--I don't want to tramp from the room to kingdom come thru lobbies and whatnot to find the pool full of people and no chairs. When I need something, I don't want to pay an arm and a leg at the resort shop, there's Walgreens around the corner. When I want a snack or something to eat, I want to be able to get/make it (get really sick of eating out for that long a period). I don't think I could handle a hotel room for an extended period. Another perk is that the kids each get their own room (and bathroom), and I get a master suite with a full bathroom and jacuzzi.

I do get envious of DVCers sometimes, and we have the money to buy in, but for us, not buying just makes more sense and longer, happier trips, especially since they changed the points charts. The longer part is probably the biggest thing. If I'm going to pay a few thousand for a trip, I want it to be for more than a few days (just an example, I've forgotten what the actual cost per year for DVC would be for us). I've stayed off property in hotels before too, and to tell the truth, the rental home for us is WAY better. I'd be ripped if I had to keep buying contracts to take the trips I want to, when I want to, and that's exactly what it would take to vacation that long on DVC. It just doesn't work for us.

Do we ever feel that we're 'missing out on the magic' by staying off property? Sometimes it crosses my mind for a minute, and then we're 'home' (we've been renting this house for awhile, so it feels like coming home at the end of the day) in our rental home with so much space and I say 'NAH', I can fold my own animal towels if I feel the need for free.

Don't ever feel bad for doing what seems right for you, whether it be DVC, non-DVC on property, rental homes or off property hotels. Everyone 'does' the World in their own way--some like the rides, others like to eat their way thru, others like to sit and people watch, whatever. What really counts to each of us is that we get to go to our favorite place in the world, in whatever way works for us and make it 'home'.

[B.M.]

Originally Posted by benjiboo25

I am curious--there are many poeple on this board who are Disney-crazy and make MANY visits to WDW, but have not become DVC members. What are the reasons you have chosen to stay out of DVC?

I am getting obsessed with WDW, and it is hard to not seriously consider DVC, but here are some of the "cons" I could imagine for our family situation:

-We can only visit during school breaks, which are some of the most "expensive" point values for DVC; but August is "value" for the Deluxe resorts...
-We need rooms for 5, most of the deluxe resorts allow that, but for the DVC properties, we would need to choose one (or even 2) bedrooms which which would increase our point needs.
-We got a pin code this time for 40% off deluxe rate, during value season it is only about $200/night. Assuming we could always get that kind of rate, seems like it would take way more than 7-10 vacations to "break even" for our family.
-We would need to finance a DVC contract. But we can get 6 months 0% interest on Disney Visa and pay off a yearly trip without interest
-Being new to WDW, we are eager to try out many of the resorts, with our family size, DVC seems limiting (within a budget)

Interested in your thoughts on this...

We have not bought DVC. All the reasons you've listed applies to us also-
Like you, we can only go over school breaks.
Like you, we are a large family (6 of us).
Like you, we have always managed to use a promotion when going.
Like you, we would have to finance to buy in.
Like you, we are still fairly new to Disney (first trip in 08).

Bottom line- we stay (and enjoy) the value resorts and even though we have coincidentaly been to Disney each year since our first visit (08,09,10), I don't predict that being the norm, we will likely become an every other or even every third year family because we can generally only afford one "big" vacation per year and that are a lot of places I want to go in addition to Disney.... For all those reasons DVC will not likely be something we ever do, it's just not ideal for our family financially or otherwise....

[elisa1006]

Part of me says I'd love to. Seems those that own DVC go more often. But it doesn't make financial sense to us either. I'd have to finance it, and that monthly note would put a strain on our budget. Also, the annual dues you'd have to pay don't appeal to me.

We stayed at ASMO last yr and was happy doing so. We were not suppose to go back this year, but due to promotions out, we could go there for not much more then our "cheap" vaca I had planned for this summer. We are staying at WL b/c of promotion. I also want to try out different resorts. I'm sure each time we go, I'll be picking a new one. We are a family of 5, so we do have limited choices, but still more options then what the dvc would provide for us IMO.

Seems like the DVC is a great deal for those that can make the most of it. But its not for everyone.

[Sue M.]

I don't because my kids are grown, although they still come with! But DH doesn't. Not his type of vacay. I also don't want to be tied down to payments. If I did a time share it would be something DH would like too.
I love staying on site, usually in a mod. or deluxe, but don't need a kitchen, as cooking on vacay is not my idea of a good time, lol! A fridge is all I need in a room to keep my wine chilled

[AngelLily03]

We seriously considered it after returning from our last trip, but after running the numbers it just didn't work in our favor. With all the deals and pin codes they offer now days we can go a lot cheaper. The other issue is airfare, Boise isn't cheap to fly out of.
I did run a spreadsheet, considering financing, interest, and yearly dues and found it would cost over $55,000 over the life of the membership. I ran it for a number of resorts and resales as well. Not to mention you would have to buy tickets and food as well. I know it works for some people, just not us .

[audrey77]

I don't want to pay annual dues/taxes which would equate a regular trip or two for us... and I want to start traveling to Europe as the kids get older. The point conversion with their partners for that is NOT worth it. Also, it seems the perks/discount get less and less.

It also seems like there is more "magic" at the resorts. We don't need a kitchen or a giant room either- we're there to visit with friends and the parks!

[KathyL]

We have not bought into DVC because it is just DH and I. Since DH is retired from the military, we have the option to stay at SOG. It costs us much less to stay at SOG for a week than it does on a DVC payment. Also, DH does not "love" Disney. That being said, we also enjoy vacationing in other places. Even though we know that we could go to other places using DVC points, we wouldn't want to be "tied down" to just going to places we could use our DVC points on.

[Colexis Mom]

We haven't bought in, for many of the reasons listed (mainly the discounts). As well as we don't take a big vacation every year anymore (or multiple times like we were doing), especially with me not working at this point.

[yalibrarian]

Too much money when you factor in the annual dues and possible finance charges. We can go for 6-8 nights in a value resort that is just fine for our needs, and keep the room charges under $800 for the whole trip--we've had rooms as low as $49/night, although most trips it is around $80. By watching for specials and only traveling during value season, we can do a nice trip in a preferred room for under $2,000 for three adults including meals, PH tickets and hotel rooms, plus about $200 for gas & oil for the car.

Every so often we think, hmmm, maybe a moderate next trip, or a couple of nights at Wilderness Lodge, for fun. But we are resistant to spending more than we have to spend to be comfortable. Plus we must reserve cash for our own upcoming retirements and our son's future needs. If we have committed the cash to DVC, we could be in a bind. Planning year by year means we can shorten or cancel a trip if need be without having to lay out those dues even when we're not going that year. But that doesn't mean we don't dream about it! A one-bedroom at WL or SSR would be very, very nice too.