Dvc Regrets

[794FIERO]

Does Anyone Regret Buying A Dvc And Why? I Want To Make Sure Im Making The Right Decision

 

[CanadianGuy]

Moved this to the DVC board where you will get better answers than on the resorts board.

Knox

 

[Chuck S]

Bought in 1992. Still enjoying our membership.

 

[starbox]

My DVC payment is the one bill I am always happy to pay! No regrets at all. We tend to do mid-week stays and stay in studios, so we make out like bandits.

But - I think if we had had to stretch our budget or make sacrifices to afford the expense of DVC, I might regret it - since I do still spend lots of money OOP on dining/activities/annual passes/etc. each year.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We bought in 1997 and have added on twice since then. Our only regret is that we didn't do it right away in 1994 when we took the first tour.

 

[snyderla]

No regrets here. We have 200 points, but I hope to add another 100 at AKV sometime soon. We love taking extended family members with us every couple of years and this makes it affordable with GREAT accomodations for all of us! We once listened to a timeshare speil for a campground and told them we were buying DVC and not interested in the campground. The salesman said "but what about 5 years from now, when you no longer want to go to WDW?" My response was, I've been going since 1975, with regular trips since 1995, what could possibly be different in 5 years? Nothing that I foresee. And there are other options if I decide to skip WDW for a year or 2.
I know you are looking for regrets, so I can't help you there!
Lori

 

[disneynutz]

Does Anyone Regret Buying A Dvc And Why? I Want To Make Sure Im Making The Right Decision

It's not a life long commitment. Buy, try, and sell if it isn't for you.

 

[Perditamarie]

No regrets either!!! DVC makes vacationing for a family of 5 at WDW extra magical, with such nice big rooms w/kitchens, washer/dryer, whirlpool, etc. I think our only regret is also not buying when we went on the Boardwalk tour years ago...we love it there! We are also inviting extended family for a mini-reunion and it so nice to offer such nice accomodations

 

[ADP]

No regrets here at all. Joined in 2003. What in the world were we waiting for!?

 

[eliza61]

Does Anyone Regret Buying A Dvc And Why? I Want To Make Sure Im Making The Right Decision

Love it. No regrets whatsoever.

 

[DizneyNutz]

To the ALL Knowing Dissers. We just bought DVC thinking we really would not care where we stayed as long as we were at WDW. We quickly realized that it DID matter to us, that we stay at the WL. So we sold our first DVC contract and bought a WL resale contract. NOW we are happy as clams. It really does matter that you buy where you want to stay the most. (Advice that we didn't listen to at first). But NO regrets with buying DVC at all.

 

[hrsmom]

Our only regret is not buying sooner!

 

[GEB@okw]

Only regret here is that I did not buy the maximum points for BWV and BCV that I could buy as soon sales opened in 150 point contracts so I could sell them at a hugh profit.

 

[Deb & Bill]

My only regret is sending so much money to Disney all the time. They need to open the First Bank of Disney to make it quicker.

 

[JimC]

This group tends to be very happy DVC members. But to provide some perspective to your question, here are some reasons why DVC might not fit:

1. can not comfortably afford the initial purchase
2. do not want to commit to the annual dues
3. unsure if they want an annual or every other year Disney vacation
4. can not plan vacations well in advance

And here are some of the reasons why we like this program so much:

1. flexibility -- when you go, how long you stay, the size villa you use and the resort you stay at

2. banking/borrowing -- ability to bank points from this year to use next year and borrow points from next year to use now

3. value -- over time you can stay in one bedroom villas for the equivalent cost of a moderate resort hotel room

4. resale market -- DVC holds value well and there exists a very active resale market to add to or dispose of your contracts

5. deeded right-to-use ownership -- can be passed on to heirs

6. Disney brand -- backing and management by the Walt Disney Company

There are specific rules governing the program and these features. Overall this is a well run program for anyone who regularly enjoys Disney brand vacations.

Good luck

 

[mjy]

My two regrets are pretty much the same as everyone else thus far:

1. Regret that I did not buy sooner
2. Regret that I did not buy more points when they were cheaper

Have never regretted my DVC ownership, though. I have had a couple of times where things were not perfect, or even good. But managers were good in resolving problems and things worked out well.

 

[Eeyore77]

I love DVC and we have added on to our points at SSR once and added AKV during the presale. We have no regrets at all and love the freedom that DVC gives us. The only regret for us is that we didn't know about it sooner. Well that and the fact that we can't add more points now...

 

[rsquare]

I regret that we bought a regular timeshare before purchasing DVC. What a waste! I know we'll NEVER be able to sell the timeshare for anything remotely close to what we paid for it and the maintenance fees are jacked up every single year. Also, RCI has some magical formula to tell you what you can and can't exchange. And RCI charges you a membership and exchange fee every year as well!

DVC looked at the timeshare industry and fixed almost all the negatives to create their system. If you want a planned vacation every year (for ~50 years) then DVC beats timeshare hands-down.

 

[jarestel]

We have enjoyed our 7 years of DVC primarily because we enjoy staying at all of the WDW DVC resorts. So when we can't get into our preferred resorts for a somewhat last-minute trip, we aren't disappointed. Advance planning and not being too fussy about where you stay will pretty much guarantee a "happy DVC camper".

 

[crisi]

I don't regret it, but here are some other "regrets"

People not understanding the importance of home resort "I always go at off times, I thought I'd be able to get a OKW Grand Villa in early December"

People who don't need a Deluxe resort. We've had people post that they sold DVC when they realized that they were just as happy offsite - and its a lot cheaper. Values also are cheaper than owning DVC.

People who don't understand the value of trades. DVC is a good value at DVC resorts. If you are buying with the intent to cruise, or buying with the intent to trade out with II as often as you every stay at DVC, you probably won't be happy long term.

People who, in their initial infatuation with Disney and DVC, end up with more points than they can afford or are really practical to use long term for their needs. They may not "regret" their few years of obsessive Disney-ness, but they do often end up selling off contracts and keeping "a small one."

People who buy one single large contract starting out in that infatuation stage, and then don't have the flexibility to sell part of it off. If you buy in big, buy your first contract at the 160 point minimum and add on in 50 or 100 point contracts - they'll sell off a lot easier.

People whose travel patterns aren't condusive to DVC - weekends are expensive. This works best for people who can plan their vacations at least several months out.

People who like bargains. Using DVC points will not get you free dining. There are no fire sales with points where you can use your AP Discount and get an even better rate.

People who expect DVC to give them benefits beyond a good room at a good price. Disney does not reward DVCer's loyalty with a lot of perks and discounts (the AP pass discount currently in effect is very good), they don't treat you particularly special just because you are a DVC owner (maybe a Welcome Home or two).