DVC Snobs

[JoanneDL]

I don't think these people truly know what being "middle class" in the USA means. A middle class family can't afford DVC, even a 25 point contract. What they are probably seeing is a lot of families going for that "Once in a life time trip to Disney" on rented points to save money.

According to the chart Dean posted, for my area "middle class" is $28k to 64K. We are on the higher end of the chart. So, yep we are middle class. And we can afford DVC. And we are going to buy more points, direct. Yep, we own our home and have 2 newer model cars. We have 8 kids. The 3 oldest are college graduates, as we are also. The 5 others are still in elementary school, but we hope they will graduate from college too.
Our friends are middle class also. They go to Disney on yearly and bi-yearly trips. Heck they even go on cruises every year.
I'm not really sure why you think middle class families can't afford DVC. I'm sorry if us poor folks ruin your upper class vacations.

 

[Ben E N]

According to the chart Dean posted, for my area "middle class" is $28k to 64K. We are on the higher end of the chart. So, yep we are middle class. And we can afford DVC. And we are going to buy more points, direct. Yep, we own our home and have 2 newer model cars. We have 8 kids. The 3 oldest are college graduates, as we are also. The 5 others are still in elementary school, but we hope they will graduate from college too.
Our friends are middle class also. They go to Disney on yearly and bi-yearly trips. Heck they even go on cruises every year.
I'm not really sure why you think middle class families can't afford DVC. I'm sorry if us poor folks ruin your upper class vacations.

DVC is not only for the rich. It requires 3 things of people. 1. They love and are committed to Disney. 2. They make enough money to be able to put some aside. That could mean they make a lot and put 5% aside or make just a little and put 50% aside. 3. They have to be frugal and understand the long term benefit of DVC ownership.
A lot of different types of people can fit into all of those 3 categories.

 

[JoanneDL]

In November we rented points for a stay in March of 18. I looked into it more and we decided to buy. So, less than a month later we wrote a check and bought points. We didn't save for Disney nor did we have to be frugal, totally spur of the moment.
I agree a love of all things Disney is most important. Just really irked me that the assumption that a middle class family can't afford even a 25 point contract.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

To be middle class in America means you can get anything you want. You just can’t get everything you want.

 

[Ben E N]

In November we rented points for a stay in March of 18. I looked into it more and we decided to buy. So, less than a month later we wrote a check and bought points. We didn't save for Disney nor did we have to be frugal, totally spur of the moment.
I agree a love of all things Disney is most important. Just really irked me that the assumption that a middle class family can't afford even a 25 point contract.

I did mine the spur of the moment as well. One week from renting a unit to having a contract offer accepted. The fact that I had 30k just sitting around not needed for anything, ready to be spent on DVC, is a sign of frugality.

 

[JoanneDL]

To be middle class in America means you can get anything you want. You just can’t get everything you want.

Seems that's pretty much any financial class.

 

[Wubar]

Have you ever witnessed a meltdown at the front desk or similar involving the words "I paid X amount of $$$ and I deserve"

I LOVE when I hear people use the money excuse for being entitled to everything, and lesser peons must bow down to them as they pass. Those are people I know I don't care to associate with, as if money can solve anything and they should be adored for having more of it.

Much like those driving BMWs or Lexus insist on having the right of way because of how expensive their car is. If they were to run off the road and into the ditch, should I help pull their car out? I wouldn't want to ruin my towing cable and winch, because of how expensive those cost...

 

[Matty B13]

According to the chart Dean posted, for my area "middle class" is $28k to 64K. We are on the higher end of the chart. So, yep we are middle class. And we can afford DVC. And we are going to buy more points, direct. Yep, we own our home and have 2 newer model cars. We have 8 kids. The 3 oldest are college graduates, as we are also. The 5 others are still in elementary school, but we hope they will graduate from college too.
Our friends are middle class also. They go to Disney on yearly and bi-yearly trips. Heck they even go on cruises every year.
I'm not really sure why you think middle class families can't afford DVC. I'm sorry if us poor folks ruin your upper class vacations.

In my neck of the woods, with that income level you would barely afford a house, much less the a timeshare as expensive at DVC. Glad your able to afford it, when I grew up it wasn't an option for my folks until much later in life when we were close to college age and wasn't something we were really interested in. We went once when I was 6 years old, but it was the "Big" vacation for the year. I think there is a big disparity in several parts of the country of what "middle class". I'm from the western part of Massachusetts and $64k wouldn't go very far, much less around the Boston area.

I wasn't making a comment on the middle class ruining my vacation, it was that a Disney vacation is very expensive and a lot of families only get to enjoy the once in a lifetime or will never get to enjoy one.

 

[sndral]

I wasn’t going to post about a conversation I overheard, while relaxing in a DVC longe but I feel compelled to share.

So I’m sitting quietly while enjoying a beverage and a snack when a family and what seemed to be their friends came over and sat close by. One of their friends asked about DVC. A conversation then ensued about the fact anyone (middle class) now being able to own and old money vs new money and things not being what they used to be when they bought.

They seemed to have a problem with anyone being able to purchase and boasted about how many points they owned (a lot) and the need to get more. Don’t get me wrong. This is America and anyone should be able to do anything they want. However, they shouldn’t group people into classes and act like they are better than others.

What a bunch of elitist snobs.

The irony is that the biggest difference from when they bought if they are long time owners is that they might not be able to buy all those points at today’s prices compared to what they paid many years ago. I’m curious, did you overhear where they owned?

 

[BillPA]

Middle class according to Mitt Romney when asked during his run for president was about $5,000,000.00 a year. Man is he out of touch with reality.

 

[JoanneDL]

In my neck of the woods, with that income level you would barely afford a house, much less the a timeshare as expensive at DVC. Glad your able to afford it, when I grew up it wasn't an option for my folks until much later in life when we were close to college age and wasn't something we were really interested in. We went once when I was 6 years old, but it was the "Big" vacation for the year. I think there is a big disparity in several parts of the country of what "middle class". I'm from the western part of Massachusetts and $64k wouldn't go very far, much less around the Boston area.

I wasn't making a comment on the middle class ruining my vacation, it was that a Disney vacation is very expensive and a lot of families only get to enjoy the once in a lifetime or will never get to enjoy one.

I am originally from Connecticut so I know high cost of living. Doesn't matter what 64K buys in your area because 200K jobs are unheard of where I live now. And you said middle class folks can't even afford a 25 point contract. Don't assume what others can afford.

 

[b2k1121]

You are my kind of guy. I make it a habit to take off my shoes on planes too. Generally no reaction from ppl but every once in a while I get one. I celebrate and laugh in my mind when that happens. To each their own lol gives me a great sense of satisfaction

Not to take this off the topic at hand but I wouldn't consider someone a snob for not wanting to look at and smell people's feet on an airplane. That's just basic etiquette. I want to be comfortable too, but not at the expense of others.

 

[Ben E N]

I LOVE when I hear people use the money excuse for being entitled to everything, and lesser peons must bow down to them as they pass. Those are people I know I don't care to associate with, as if money can solve anything and they should be adored for having more of it.

Much like those driving BMWs or Lexus insist on having the right of way because of how expensive their car is. If they were to run off the road and into the ditch, should I help pull their car out? I wouldn't want to ruin my towing cable and winch, because of how expensive those cost...

To be fair about this, there are many people who are well off and comfortable and are also very generous and courteous of others. I want to make sure to differentiate between snobby people and just people who are comfortable. I teach in a district with many multimillionaire parents and many of them are classy, kind people who enjoy nice things in life but also appreciate others. I also deal with some real nasty jerks who feel the need to flaunt what they have, and try to hide their obvious flaws. Money does not make or break someone, there is a lot more involved in someone's personality.

By the way, some of the worst drivers I deal with on the road are the people in early 2000's models of cars. They have little to lose if their car makes contact with yours as they cut you off, so they go for it. Not true of all these car types and their drivers, just a correlation that I have noticed.

 

[lovethesun12]

I don't really think income is a good measure of class. Disposable income would be better in my opinion. If a person is worrying about where their next meal is coming from they're lower class. If they are living comfortably but pay cheque to pay cheque - lower middle class. Not pay cheque to pay cheque, ability to take out loans, etc, upper middle class. If you are frequently buying a combination of designer clothes, expensive meals, expensive trips (or can afford to) without needing to budget much and it isn't on credit you are upper class.

 

[Wubar]

To be fair about this, there are many people who are well off and comfortable and are also very generous and courteous of others. I want to make sure to differentiate between snobby people and just people who are comfortable. I teach in a district with many multimillionaire parents and many of them are classy, kind people who enjoy nice things in life but also appreciate others. I also deal with some real nasty jerks who feel the need to flaunt what they have, and try to hide their obvious flaws. Money does not make or break someone, there is a lot more involved in someone's personality.

By the way, some of the worst drivers I deal with on the road are the people in early 2000's models of cars. They have little to lose if their car makes contact with yours as they cut you off, so they go for it. Not true of all these car types and their drivers, just a correlation that I have noticed.

Fair point, I was definitely referencing the jerks who flaunt their money and think having an excess of it entitles them to always get their way as they look down upon those with less. Just as there are jerks with money, there are jerks without it as well.

 

[frabjous]

You should have told them to look into Golden Oak.

Yeah precisely. It sounds like the person making the elitist comments isn't very bright, and probably exaggerating their self worth. The DVC product is obviously mass market, and not exclusive.

 

[Jelly563]

Most DVC members are certainly middle class. There are even members that belong to the upper lower class. People want to feel like they are "keeping up" with everyone else. Some will flaunt the newest fancy phone, some will purchase a newer model suv. What they wont disclose, is their credit card balances (& how high they are) since it is not commonly seen by peers they wont talk about their dirty laundry.
I would assume anyone with 500 points or more is moving towards the upper social status level because that annual commitment certainly comes at a tough time of the year. There are always people at the county club who don't really belong there, yet there they are. You cant will people class.

 

[John-DVC]

Not to take this off the topic at hand but I wouldn't consider someone a snob for not wanting to look at and smell people's feet on an airplane. That's just basic etiquette. I want to be comfortable too, but not at the expense of others.

I agree with the smell part. You shouldn’t stink because that’s actually impacting those around you and they have no choice or say in the matter. That would annoy me as well.

The look part I don’t agree with and is where is I would say is snobby. If you don’t like looking at someone’s feet or socks then look somewhere else. You have actual control and a choice in this matter.

 

[Dean]

To be fair about this, there are many people who are well off and comfortable and are also very generous and courteous of others. I want to make sure to differentiate between snobby people and just people who are comfortable. I teach in a district with many multimillionaire parents and many of them are classy, kind people who enjoy nice things in life but also appreciate others. I also deal with some real nasty jerks who feel the need to flaunt what they have, and try to hide their obvious flaws. Money does not make or break someone, there is a lot more involved in someone's personality.

By the way, some of the worst drivers I deal with on the road are the people in early 2000's models of cars. They have little to lose if their car makes contact with yours as they cut you off, so they go for it. Not true of all these car types and their drivers, just a correlation that I have noticed.

ASAMOF you can't be generous for most things if you don't have money to start with.

Yeah precisely. It sounds like the person making the elitist comments isn't very bright, and probably exaggerating their self worth. The DVC product is obviously mass market, and not exclusive.

Most millionaires (worth a million dollars), are first generation money which means they earned and saved. And most you'd never know based on their autos, home, clothes, etc.

 

[jlovesee]

Almost every point I own was financed by my DECIDEDLY middle-class job as a Union AT&T customer service agent... (I am now a RN)

Someone posted that if you want something enough you find the money for it, of course, this is only true to a point, but
for us it was worth it.

Jennifer