Disney Vacation Club members?

[Anonymous]

Is anyone on here a member? If so, can you tell me your experience (when you bought, how many points and where, and general infer about your family). I am interested in the Club and have young children but want an unbiased opinion.

[Anonymous]

Not a member. It's crazy expensive, even for a time share, and you don't get an ownership interest in the property. You get a license, which lapses at a set time. (20 year contract? I don't remember.)

I looked into it, but it's a rip-off.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. It is expensive but it is about the same as Marriott and it is considered almost as good as Marriott by people who rate that stuff (for whatever that is worth). I hear you about the lack of ownership. It is more like a club where you pay an initiation fee. OTOH, it is more flexible than traditional time shares. You can stay for a night at one resort, 3 at another and then carry over the unused points to next year. I don't think that is possible with a traditional timeshare. I am interested in hearing whether people who have the plan (or have family with it) are actually able to get rooms with any level of ease. I know some times of year are always busy (holidays, summer, spring break) but I don't want to find that I am only able to get a few days at the resort in Hawaii or California during the first month of school.

[Anonymous]

Head to the Dis boards for way more information than you'll get here.
My impression is that it rarely makes financial sense - and especially not if bought direct from Disney - but some people do find value in being "forced" to vacation regularly by having precommitted the funds. Personally, even though I love Disney and am currently going about once a year, I'd rather not tie up the money. Rent DVC points from a member when you want that kind of room, stay at non-DVC resorts when you don't need a villa, and heck, vacation elsewhere when you feel like it without having to worry about using/banking/renting out your points.

[Anonymous]

I go to Disney once a year, and I still think it is a rip off. The last time I looked into it it costs something like $30K upfront and you still had to pay fees each year and such for the next 30 or 40 years to use your points. I did the math and it seemed to me that if you went to Disney every year, after about 20 years you would break even or so. I just don't see how in 30-40 years I will still be going to Disney each year.

[Anonymous]

Check out mouseowners.com and tug2.net (go to the DVC board) and disboards.com and see what you find. You can buy points in the resale market from the Timeshare Store and they great information. My opinion is that if you really think you are going to go to Disney every year and want to stay onsite in at least a 2 bedroom condo and if you want to stay in the DVC part of Disneyland and Hawaii, esp. at peak times, then it is worth looking into. But buying something like Marriott or Hilton at resale may be a better way to go.

[Anonymous]

I think it was a better deal 20 years ago than it is now.

[Anonymous]

A lot depends you how you currently vacation and see yourself vacationing. Where do you stay now??? We had stayed at BLT for spring break and then at GF over New Years and the one other time at BLT. The rates we were paying disney were outrageous! (We mostly get 2 bedrooms or 1 bedrooms.)

DVC does also retain some value over time. Ideally , people recommend buying resale as the initial,outlay is less than buying direct from Disney. You lose some perks, but most people don't think the perks hold much value. You can buy most properties resale through a time share reseller.

With DVC you need to plan far in advance if you are set on a certain time and place and room. The booking window is 11 months at your home resort. Most rooms are readily available at that 11 month window (as in 11 months to the day), the exception being some of the lowest point value rooms at a couple of the rooms.