Giving serious consideration

[wishescometrue]

Hi everyone!

We have booked a vacation (1st timers!) to WDW for May 9-10th. We are scheduled for Pop Century (2 adjoining rooms). We got the magic your way passes and dining plan. We have 5 children.

I never really looked into DVC until yesterday. Once I started listening...I liked what I heard. I had phoned the number and spoke to someone and my packet is in the mail. I think it will arrive today. I'm anxious to read all the information and show my dh the dvd and packet.

I figured in what we spent on our hotel this time, we could have our DVC paid for in 4-5 years. Now, it's just deciding on whether or not we can manage the monthly payments.

Our children are 10 months, 5, 8, 10 & 11. As I said, this is our 1st time ever to WDW, but I know that once we go, we are going to want to return over and over again.

I was thinking of starting with 160 pts. I'd love anyones advice. It's a big investment for us, but honestly I would love to do it.

I'm learning a lot from reading all the posts. I see that you have to select a "home" base. Do you think SS or OKW for our family? I did the virtual tours, but heck, everything down there looks wonderful.

If I do decide to join and be a DVC member, I will be able to cancel our Pop ressie's and put that money on our DVC membership. That would cover the 10% down I believe.

Let me know what you think. I'm anxious to hear all about it!!

[OKWTink]

Hi! Welcome to the neighborhood! :D

DVC is like any other property. It sells out. SSR is the only available WDW resort DVC property right now, through Disney.

You could purchase at other DVC resorts through a resale (depending of course on what is available).

160 points is a good minimum to start with, but remember-the number one complaint of DVC members is "I wish I'd bought sooner, and more points!"

You may want to see how many more you can afford. But don't hesitate to be happy with the 160.

All the DVCs are lovely. They are like any other WDW resort in that each has a different theme, and location.

My home resort, OKW is my favorite of course, but I love them all truly.

Take the tour when you come down. The "sales" pitch isn't one at all really. They simply tell you all about DVC and answer all your questions. It's truly up to you.

The benefit of DVC is that you are buying vacation time for you family in years (and years!) to come at today's prices.

I've had a grand time with my DVC, even though I now live here in the Orlando area.

Hope that helps a bit. :ears:

[wishescometrue]

Thanks for your thoughts! I'm not sure, but yesterday when I spoke with the man on the phone he said that I could go with either SS or OKW (2BR). Maybe he meant that those were the 2 available for this May when we are coming down.

Did you finance yours through Disney? Right now its 9.9%. Maybe if I can make a larger down payment I could get more points.

Thanks again! It's so exciting!!

[OKWTink]

Yes, I did finanace my through Disney. They had the best rates at the time. :yes:

I'm not certain what the man meant, but SSR is the only property generally for sale.

I know that in certain circumstances Disney can "find" a DVC at different sold out locations... maybe that's what he meant?

I'm not so good at the higher finance end of these things, can you tell? :sorry:

I paid half down (for my total points cost) and then financed half. It worked for me at the time. :D

[susieh]

I'm a bit perplexed. You said you are going to WDW May 9th-10th. For how long? Just one night?

If I were you I think I would consider seeing DVC before you buy. 160 points is only going to get you a few nights per year in May.

The current points required for a 2 bed villa in May is
Sun-Thurs 27
Fri-Sat 64
Weekly 263

And dont forget the annual dues as well as your monthly loan payments if you do decide to buy.

[2JsMom]

Before you decide on a certain number of points you should think about how often you'd like to visit and how many points each visit will cost (depending on the room, resort you stay at and time of year)...
For example, we have friends who are members and they go only once every 18 months...that way they use one year's worth of points and 1/2 of another year's worth...In other words - three year's worth of points are used in two stays. Does that make sense?