MY DVC PURCHASE DIARY

[pinnocchiosdad]

Post #1

So I have had many thoughts and opinions on DVC ownership over the years. I have purchased 5 contracts and I have sold 5 contracts.

My decision to sell was twofold. Sadly, our kids grew into adults and our WDW vacations are now just pleasant memories. My wife and I discovered the world of cruising and international travel. Suddenly Disney trip planning became non existent in our house. Secondly, our loans and MF’s were eating into our household budget. So after considering all of the above. We opted to turn in our proverbial DVC membership cards.

Fast forward to today. We miss our travel to WDW. Our kids are all in serious relationships, and we hope for grandchildren not that far down the road. We are ready to become a Disney family again, and we are ready to rejoin the DVC family again.

I had always thought to appreciate the true value in DVC you had to pay cash. DVC markets it’s product as a way to save up to 50% on accommodations. This can only truly be achieved by purchasing your membership by paying cash. I find myself in a position to pay cash, and having this option assured me that a DVC purchase is right for us at this time.

But there is so much to do. Reacquaint myself with banking and borrowing rules and deadlines, learn the new automatic reservation system. Familiarize myself with the new DVC resorts available for purchase.

I will talk myself through the process of re purchasing again on this thread. The purpose is to educate those also looking to purchase, and maybe have some of you point out to me if I’m going down the road.

So the decision to purchase has been made. Now I begin my journey to make it happen.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Post #2

I’ve begun my research to select a new home resort. My last to properties were BLT and AKV. I think I would be happy returning to either. But as I said earlier, I plan on making a cash purchase, but this stock market correction is causing severe financial stress. I am continuing my research, but I’m keeping a close eye on WALL STREET.

 

[MickeyMouseEsq]

PM me if you want to play with my absurdly overdone spreadsheet for comparing offers. It can't price in what home resort priority is worth to you, but it can help you compare without regard to that consideration.

 

[E2ME2]

Post #2

I’ve begun my research to select a new home resort. My last to properties were BLT and AKV. I think I would be happy returning to either. But as I said earlier, I plan on making a cash purchase, but this stock market correction is causing severe financial stress. I am continuing my research, but I’m keeping a close eye on WALL STREET.

Wall Street ups and downs can and will happen without warning.
If you're not planning to take from your retirement investments to buy DVC, then I would not conflate the 2.
ET

 

[eandt]

PM me if you want to play with my absurdly overdone spreadsheet for comparing offers. It can't price in what home resort priority is worth to you, but it can help you compare without regard to that consideration.

I would be interested in the speadsheet .... we are still trying to figure out direct vs resale pros/cons.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Post #3

home from work and moving on to an important part of a DVC purchase. How many points.

BLT is a sentimental favorite, AKV is financially appealing, RIV is a curiosity that won’t go away. But for the sake of a front runner, I will use BLT to estimate how many points I will need. We like to travel early February and late August. Disney calls that dream season. We are comfortable in a 1br. I feel like I’m missing something when not in a theme park view at BLT so I will do my calculations based on that room level.

So it looks like I will need 288 pts for a 1BR theme park view for 6 nights in dream season at BLT.

I could pull the trigger on a round 300 pts or for now buy 200 and borrow. Another option is buy 150 pts with the plan of going every other year. More decisions to be made. But I am leaning towards the 150 points. This will allow for multiple strips in studios if desired.

 

[ljcrochet]

So it looks like I will need 288 pts for a 1BR theme park view for 6 nights in dream season at BLT.

I could pull the trigger on a round 300 pts or for now buy 200 and borrow. Another option is buy 150 pts with the plan of going every other year. More decisions to be made. But I am leaning towards the 150 points. This will allow for multiple strips in studios if desired.

But if you want to take grandchildren, won't you want a 2 bedroom?

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

But if you want to take grandchildren, won't you want a 2 bedroom?

If I remember BLT 1BR had a sleeper couch and a sleeper chair to sleep 5.

 

[DadDVC]

You are correct on that. However if I am understanding correctly you will have yourself, spouse, your grown child, your grown child’s spouse, and any grandchildren that are along. While this is certainly doable it may be close quarters with everyone.
We will own at BLT and have stayed there with a small family of four. With our recent addition to the family I purchased enough points to accommodate a 2BR should we ever need it.

 

[Carol_]

Get enough points on one contract to get a blue card then add on with resale points.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Get enough points on one contract to get a blue card then add on with resale points.

That’s my plan. But I have to decide if the current perks are worth it. You need 100 points direct for a blue card. BLT is $225 ppp direct and $140 ppp resale. That means my blue card will cost me $8,500.00. Do I really need a blue card for that price tag.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

Post #4

I have a day off today from work. I’m going to call DVC today and connect with a new rep today. My old rep Megan retired. I will see what DVC can do for me incentive wise. But I am most likely going to go resale. Yes I would like a blue card, but is it really worth it. BLT costs $85 pp more direct than resale. That means 100 points direct purchase will have me paying $8500 for my blue card. But as I said, I will listen to a DVC rep and see what they can offer me.

 

[pinnocchiosdad]

You are correct on that. However if I am understanding correctly you will have yourself, spouse, your grown child, your grown child’s spouse, and any grandchildren that are along. While this is certainly doable it may be close quarters with everyone.
We will own at BLT and have stayed there with a small family of four. With our recent addition to the family I purchased enough points to accommodate a 2BR should we ever need it.

I thought of that. 6 nights in a 2BR park view is 326 points. I could do that every other year by borrowing some points. I could offset some of the trip by renting the 74 points. Just an option, but it’s nice to have options.

 

[sethschroeder]

That’s my plan. But I have to decide if the current perks are worth it. You need 100 points direct for a blue card. BLT is $225 ppp direct and $140 ppp resale. That means my blue card will cost me $8,500.00. Do I really need a blue card for that price tag.

Where the value from direct comes in is Annual Passes. If you are not going to be traveling where annual passes make sense it's harder to say its worth it.

You can buy APs for only those in your house per the rules as well unless you put your kids on the membership which has a while other set of things to think about.

If you are talking about 6 night every year or other year it would take a long time to break even likely but you can do the math.

 

[ljcrochet]

If I remember BLT 1BR had a sleeper couch and a sleeper chair to sleep 5.

There are a few 1 bedrooms that have the sleeper chair. My girls loved that they did not have to share a bed at OKW.

 

[RichV03]

PM me if you want to play with my absurdly overdone spreadsheet for comparing offers. It can't price in what home resort priority is worth to you, but it can help you compare without regard to that consideration.

I'd be curious to see this spreadsheet too as my family is looking into buying dvc and not sure if resale/direct its best for us. I have no idea how to direct message though, could you help me out with that?