I’ve not bought into DVC. But I’ve one several occasions dreamed of it and went through the work of calculating the cost/benefit.
I think no one can give you a direct answer as to the right decision for you, although your list gives reason to suggest buying might not work well for your family.
In our case, based on how we typically vacation (how often we go to Florida) and then DOUBLING that, it would take on the order of 24 years of ownership before we would “break even”. Which means, in a very practical sense, it makes no financial sense at all. The truth is, for the cost of the maintenance fees alone we can usually find an off-site condo with several bedrooms and full kitchen. Okay, we’re not “on property”…but then, is being on property worth thousands of dollars to us? Nope.
Others feel differently, of course. And while I’ve LOVE to be able to stay on property, it just doesn’t make financial sense. So, for our first on-property stay in 25 years (next year), we’ll be utilizing DVC point rental instead.
Is this your first time renting points? I am looking at renting for our fall 2020 trip - if I cannot secure the length of stay (10 days) through our CM discount.
I’m thinking about DVC purchase as well, at BLT. My issue is I do yearly trips with my kids (5 and 3), but i know this will stop once they are around 10 and 8. Is it worth buying DVC for just 5 years? I felt like I could get my initial investment back… any thoughts on this idea? Maybe i’m being naive lol.
I don’t think it would be worth it if you know you would sell after 5 years, especially now that the resale restrictions have increased so the value of resale contracts may go down. If you are looking at 5 years of trips, you should look at renting DVC points for your stays.
So you think the effects of the resale restrictions have not really shown up yet? I figured there wasnt much of a demand change, and prices were staying high.
Others may have a better answer, but the newest restriction – that if you buy resale for any of the existing resort after January 2019 you cannot use your points for any of the new resorts (Riviera, Reflections, and whatever else they come up with), and if you buy resale at new resorts (Riviera, Reflections, and whatever after) you could not use the resale contracts any where BUT the home resort) may take a while to affect sale prices. The spread between direct and resale at existing resorts was already substantial (for example, direct at AKL was $176 a few months ago when I looked and resale contracts were being offered around $105) and that was before those new restrictions played out. It may affect resale of the existing 14 less (because you still have 14 you can use them at) but I would think the resale price for Riviera and Reflections will end up eroding faster, since resale purchasers would not be able to use the points anywhere else.
FWIW, Hubs and I are counting down our 15 wedding anniversary trip over 7/4 weekend, and I’m as excited for this trip as I am when we’ve got the kids in tow! I love WDW as an adult trip. So fun!
Oh! And TPs just scored me the ADR at Beaches & Cream I couldn’t get - love TP!
I am thinking that Disney is pushing up the resale price on a number of contracts, but I don’t know what impact this will have. I have been following some Right of First Refusal threads on other boards. Those $105 contracts are being taken by Disney. Now I am seeing AKL 100 point contracts around $119. People are learning they need to offer more money to keep Disney from buying them. I think Disney May be pushing resale up right now to narrow the gap with direct sales?
There is some strategy here. When I realized I would need to pay $150 or more for a small point BWI contract I looked at direct. Now that Disney can make it any use year, it seems as if they want a “bank” of points. That will just have them grabbing more and more contracts.
I just see my nieces and nephews and they dont seem as interested anymore sadly. Also I can forget doing an adults trip, as my husband is not as big of a disney enthusiast lol. I still feel so tempted to buy in, even if its just for 5 years or so.
For what it is worth, my DH is a reluctant Disney guy. He will go, but generally not. Every now and then I manage things he likes, like golf. The key for me has been my kids, then young, then teenage, now adult, liking the occasional time in the World with me. And me finding a part that is me going solo and loving it, which is mostly runDisney races, but is now also the different festivals.
Which is not to say you should do it. It is to say if your heart is being tugged to it, it might be something you would find to help you spend time doing something that makes you happy.
Our May 2020 trip will consist of a DIL22, DS21, possibly DS20, DS18, DD16, DS10, plus myself and DW.
So, whether they outgrow it or not depends on your family.
That will likely be the biggest deterrent from your kids growing up loving Disney.
Your decision seems emotionally based, but not really logically based. Even Disney doesn’t see buying into DVC as worth it until at LEAST 6 years (depending on frequency of trips you take now)…and even then, only if you were planning on-site trips anyhow of a similar nature.
That isn’t to dissuade you from buying in…but only that if you just plan to buy in for 5 years, it just seems like a bad decision. Try DVC rentals instead. If you were going to keep it and use it long term, then it makes more sense.
