How much ???

[Floridalover]

I have watched the video, read the site and I still dont quite know how to work out the cost of a DVC ownership.
We are going to take the tour in September, and although I would love to buy into Beach Club Villas, I think it would be much cheaper to go for OKW - is this right ?

We would be visiting in Adventure season either September or December most years.

We would stay for 14 nights in a two bedroom villa

Roughly how much would this cost per night if we bought into DVC ? (not inc maintenance fees)

[Esmerelda]

The only DVC resort that is still available is Beach Club Villa's unless you purhcase a resale. Two weeks at a two bedroom would be 540 points. At $80 a point(are they more than that now?) that would cost $43200. However, remember that could be financed for 10 years. This could be trimmed to 420 points if you only stayed 12 days(dropping off one weekend) since weekends cost so many more points.

Maintenance fees shouldn't be ignored though-at 540 points they would be $1500-$2000 a year at least.

Oh, I hope OKWTink answers this post quickly, I fear I have just confused you.

[OKWTink]

You've not confused anything or anyone Esmie!

It can be a complex program to explain.

Floridalover, the cost to purchase into DVC is a one time cost. It is the sum of your total point purchase. You may purchase some points now, and some points later. You run two risks with that strategy. One is that you will have different use years. (Very complicated to follow your points when that happens, usually). And will probably pay more for the second purchase of points.

Esmie tells you correctly that for WDW DVC only the Beach Club Villas are available from Disney. The rest (OKW, which is the least expensive for dues and the largest DVC villa-wise and grounds, BoardWalk, Wilderness Lodge Villas) are "sold out." That only means that you cannot purchase them through Disney. If interested, you'll need to go to a resale company that offers the DVC.

By the way, the points are $84 each now, and due to increase after the BC Villas are sold out, sometime in May.

A consideration to keep foremost when determining if you find DVC to be a good value for your family is to remember that it is a block against inflation. Can you find lovely accomodations for less than a DVC purchase? Sure. Today. But how far will those same dollars go when you attempt to purchase accomodations in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?

Another general rule of decision making is that if you plan on visiting WDW at least once every three years, the DVC is probably a good idea for you.

A two room villa at OKW will cost you the least amount of points, regardless of the season you want to stay. The villa will be the largest and if you have your own transport, you will park directly in front of your villa, instead of having to schlepp everything from a far off parking lot (or tip the porters).

Even though you purchase into one DVC resort, you can stay at others. You will have an 11 month window for booking reservations at your "home" resort and a 7 month window at the others. Unless you are attempting to stay at a resort other than your home at Christmas, you shouldn't have too much trouble getting the dates and accomodations you want.

With your love of Disney, Floridalover, you'd really do well to check out the DVC quite thoroughly. Although the price keeps going up, I wouldn't advocate rushing into the purchase. Do the research, ask every question you can imagine, and then make a well thought out decision.

On the other hand, if you do buy and don't like it, you can simply resell it! Not too bad a deal!

[Floridalover]

Thanks Guys. With my love of Disney and DH s love of villas it seems to make sense. I cant see a year going by now without a visit to WDW
I will take him on the tour and hopefully the guide will convince him. If it was up to me I would sign on the dotted line now
I have heard of people who have been totally gobsmacked after the DVC tour

[Whitequeen]

My DH WAS gob-smacked after the Tour. Unfortunately our Bank Account wasn't!!!!!!

[Keith]

I enjoyed the tour too and am still thinking about it.

It's tough for me... short term, it seems to be a considerable cost.. more than I'd be paying for accommodation each year.

Long term I don't see how anyone could lose out on it... and if it looked like I wasn't going to be using it for whatever reason, seems to me like it's an asset that's saleable on one of the many resale sites (though I think you have to give disney first crack at buying it back?)

Don't know.. still struggling with the decision on this one.

[OKWTink]

I believe if you resell, the listing agency has to notify Disney. They will determine if they will purchase it back from you (they do this to protect the value) or let you sell it outright.

Remember, too, you can rent your points if you don't want to use or bank them for a year or two.

One of the points that the "guide" made with me when I did the tour was asking me what I'd spent on that trip to Disney. (LOTS!!!). "What a down payment that would have made," was his reponse.

It is a big decision though. While you've hedged against accomodation inflation, there is no comparable hedge against the plane fare to get to WDW!

[dcfromva]

I believe if you resell, the listing agency has to notify Disney. They will determine if they will purchase it back from you (they do this to protect the value) or let you sell it outright

I am just agreeing with what 'Tink said. The following is language that is in each and every DVC contract (DVD =Disney Vacation Development--I think). I have heard through the grapevine that Disney has been exercised their ROFR on resales that are less than $70 per point. It allows Disney to control the market--it's especially good if you are an owner because unlike a lot of other timeshares, Disney's has actually appreciated in value (so far).....

-DC

"Before PURCHASER (exact puncuation) may resell PURCHASER's Ownership Interest to a third party, PURCHASER is required to offer it to DVD upon the same terms and conditions, including financing, as is offered by or to the third party. Accordingly, PURCHASER must notify DVD in writing no less than thirty (30) days in advance of the proposed closing date of PURCHASER's intent to sell and must include a copy of the proposed transaction reducing to writing in all respects. Upon receipt of such written notice, DVD shall determine prior to the closing date whether it wishes to exercise its right of first refusal. If DVD elects to exercise its right of first refusal, DVD shall notify the PURCHASER in writing of such election, and the purchase of DVD shall be closed on or before the proposed closing date.
If DVD fails to notify PURCHASER of its election to exercise its right of first refusal prior to the proposed closing date, PURCHASER may proceed to close the transaction with the third party upon the original terms and conditions offered by or to the third party. DVD's right of first refusal is a covenant that runs with the land and shall always be a requirement binding on any sucessor in title to PURCHASER."

[PumbaNY]

You have to also understand that there are ways to cost effectivly manage your trips as well. We never use our points for weekend preimun point days! We usually book a 2 week trip and try to find a resort that has the best rates for our trip (as pay days) and pay for sat & sundays. We also feel having the membership and doing this, allows us to get reservations where you want to stay at a price over the time of membership is a overall value.

Sometimes we will get a ad from disney for special rates like last july/august the yacht club was $169 a night we paid for the friday/saturday and used our points for the remainder of the 1 st week (in a beach club studio) then we went to the wilderness lodge & paid $249 for a studio and stayed there for the rest of the trip without changing our room.