Why is it that every person i know who owns a timeshare thinks it was a great decision?

[Anonymous]

Maybe 20 years ago DVC made sense, but now you can buy the equivalent of $10k in points for $2k, so not sure why anyone would buy new. We sat through the sales pitch (hey, free night) and basically they were up front that it only made sense if you stayed at a Disney property at least one week per year. I like Disney and all but I have better things to do with my limited vacation time.

[Anonymous]

I have enjoyed my stays at Disney DVC properties and Wyndham resorts, but I did so by renting points from owners - no desire to commit.

[Anonymous]

My parents have one through Hilton. Their place is right outside Seaworld. DH, the kids, and I all went down to Orlando and we loved it. We were able to buy tickets to attractions through the concierge and save quite a bit of money. We're not Disney people but we did lots of outside activities each day and every night when we returned the timeshare had a free event. Poolside movies, scavenger hunts, things that occupied the kids and let the parents have a little bit of a break.
My parents never use it in FL and instead trade points various times throughout the year. It works for them and they take lots of weekend getaways. When they die it passes down to my siblings and I. I may be willing to give up my portion because I don't see much benefit to owning 1/5 of 1 time share.

[Anonymous]

We bought DVC recently. Our reason is that we both love disney and have family very close. We like to visit but cannot handle staying with family for more than a couple of days at a time. So we go to Orlando about twice each year and spend part of each visit at a disney resort. I am a SAHM and with few exceptions, I insist that "vacation" be better than at home. That means I don't share a room with my kids and I want amenities because basically I am still doing my normal job but without all the conveniences of home.

DVC trades on the timeshare networks and the points go far. We plan to go to Bermuda and Colorado.

My parents own two "second" homes and although I grew up with that and great vacations, I have to say that it is definitely not what I want. I don't want to go to the same house in the same city every few weekends. I don't want to pay the maintenance and utilities on three houses. My family doesn't rent the properties so when they are empty, they are just cash cows. I don't want to worry about hurricanes and snow storms and burst pipes and mowing the freaking grass. Many people view time shares as a waste because owners don't "own anything." Well hallelujah to that! I don't want that. I like to prepay for very nice accommodations. With DVC, we have multiple options in the Orlando area and also Hilton Head and Vero Beach and Hawaii. That works for me and we can do the cruises too. We will still do all of the other vacations we plan to do but we will do Disney over and over and we won't stay and some run down hotel and condo/timeshare. We have done that and the clientele at those places or the Powhatan resort is fine and all but not the same as those staying at the Grand Floridian.

[Anonymous]

I haven't read the previous pages but my first instinct is, "Stockholm Syndrome."

[Anonymous]

Why Stockholme Syndrome? I understand the analogy but why? Do you say that about people who vacation in the same place every year and pay for it each time? Do you say that about people who own second homes?

Seriously, try to answer. Your pithy response is cute but not really elucidating.