How do people afford to stay at the Disney hotels?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

Yeah but 800 points is like having 4 timeshares.

People can't drop this "dues are a beast" comment in without scope.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

For a two week timeshare? Plus 150$/night? You'd be better off having the flexibility to go wherever you want rather than being locked in.

No, that's not how Disney Vacation Club works. You buy points. But thanks for the advice

We've used ours for 20 years so far.

IKR? People are thinking Wyndham or Marriott here, not Disney Vacation Club.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

Yeah but 800 points is like having 4 timeshares.

People can't drop this "dues are a beast" comment in without scope.

Nonetheless, if people can’t figure out how to afford a week in a deluxe hotel, they aren’t going to be buying DVC any time soon.

[Anonymous]

Someone showed me a meme about it actually being cheaper to FLY TO TOKYO and go to Tokyo Disney than going to Florida Disney.

It is true, and Tokyo Disney is an awesome experience.
It was nice feeling like we weren’t totally getting ripped off.
Bonus, you get to be in Japan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

Yeah but 800 points is like having 4 timeshares.

People can't drop this "dues are a beast" comment in without scope.

Nonetheless, if people can’t figure out how to afford a week in a deluxe hotel, they aren’t going to be buying DVC any time soon.

This is false.

A LOT ofpeople find that they would rather buy DVC when they find out the cost of Disney rooms.

One big trip can be a much as just buying a resale contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

Yeah but 800 points is like having 4 timeshares.

People can't drop this "dues are a beast" comment in without scope.

Nonetheless, if people can’t figure out how to afford a week in a deluxe hotel, they aren’t going to be buying DVC any time soon.

This is false.

A LOT ofpeople find that they would rather buy DVC when they find out the cost of Disney rooms.

One big trip can be a much as just buying a resale contract.

No way. The tickets are what make the trip expensive.

[Anonymous]

Many people can’t and should not but they do. There really is a huge push to everything becoming so much more expensive than it should be simply bc people, even middle class people, will pay luxury prices. Look at perfumes being over $300 now, $8 lattes, $100+ for plain teen clothes that cost $5 to make.

[Anonymous]

After having done our one family trip to Disney I can understand the appeal. We spent a considerable amount of time driving, parking and getting ourselves from the car to the park entrance. A Disney hotel would have cut out just about all of that. It's just a matter of how much people value their time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After having done our one family trip to Disney I can understand the appeal. We spent a considerable amount of time driving, parking and getting ourselves from the car to the park entrance. A Disney hotel would have cut out just about all of that. It's just a matter of how much people value their time.

Our last trip we stayed at the Riveria Hotel. About a half hour before our reservations we went downstairs, hopped on the gondola, and sat down right on time for our reservations at the Yachtman Streakhouse then headed back and watched the fireworks.

As far as park tickets, which have gotten pricey, we have used different strategies over the years. Early on we bought annual passes every year. Then we switched to every other year, which just meant we went twice in a 12 month period.

Then we just did the waterparks, hotel pools, shopping and other local activities.

Some years we stayed a DVC and went to Universal.

Some years Disney offers free evenings for members only, and we have gone to them. We get free food, entertainment and more.

This year DVC is letting members buy annual passes with points.

There's a lot of flexibility with the program.

And we could still sell ours for a bit more than we paid for it.











.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

Yeah but 800 points is like having 4 timeshares.

People can't drop this "dues are a beast" comment in without scope.

Nonetheless, if people can’t figure out how to afford a week in a deluxe hotel, they aren’t going to be buying DVC any time soon.

This is false.

A LOT ofpeople find that they would rather buy DVC when they find out the cost of Disney rooms.

One big trip can be a much as just buying a resale contract.

But a trip is not just lodging. It’s tickets, meals, lightning lanes, etc. To buy a week of off-peak points at the Grand Floridian costs $20k+. And reseale contracts no longer come with the ability to get discounted AP’s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

Ahh, decades ago. Most of us in this board were in grade school decades ago. Leave it to a Boomer to come in and crow; screw you, I got mine!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

Ahh, decades ago. Most of us in this board were in grade school decades ago. Leave it to a Boomer to come in and crow; screw you, I got mine!

Leave it to a whiny millennial to blame boomers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We bought a Disney timeshare 30 years ago to hedge against inflation.

So we pay about $ 150 a night for $800 hotel rooms at places like the Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas and the Polynesian.

It has worked well for us.

The maintenance fees are a beast.

NP. No... we pay about $5 per point. So less than $1500 per year.

Nobody in 2024 paid less than $7.92 a point in fees and 2026 will be more. It takes 120-234 points for a week in a resort view studio at GF. So the maintenance fees on those points would be $950-$1850/year.

To buy 120 GF points today would cost $22,200 plus any interest if financed.

The OP asked how people can afford it. We are just responding to the question.

Many of us who bought DVC decades ago realized Disney prices were marching up. So buying in let's us access accommodations that would not be in our reach otherwise.

We plan to retire next year. Our monthly dues of $175 a month are budgeted in.

And we will be in those $750 rooms several times a year on our Social Security plus a small pensions!

I was just responding to another PP who said fees were $5/point which they have not been for a very long time. We have good friends with 800 points (they have a large extended family so take multiple rooms when they go) and their maintenance each year is over $6k.

Yeah but 800 points is like having 4 timeshares.

People can't drop this "dues are a beast" comment in without scope.

Nonetheless, if people can’t figure out how to afford a week in a deluxe hotel, they aren’t going to be buying DVC any time soon.

This is false.

A LOT ofpeople find that they would rather buy DVC when they find out the cost of Disney rooms.

One big trip can be a much as just buying a resale contract.

But a trip is not just lodging. It’s tickets, meals, lightning lanes, etc. To buy a week of off-peak points at the Grand Floridian costs $20k+. And reseale contracts no longer come with the ability to get discounted AP’s.

APs discount isn’t nearly worth buying direct. We have 200 resale points and it’s been amazing.

[Anonymous]

Just a friendly reminder that you do not need to buy DVC to do Disney affordably. We love Disney, but I just can’t get the DVC math to work for us. Or the lack of flexibility to book last minute.

I’m happy to take whatever hotel Disney is offering on sale and keep the flexibility to spend my travel dollars on something else. But kudos to the Boomers who bought 30 years ago and can plan their years around Disney trips!