[bali]

Well, we figure we'd better look at this whole thing. We're vacation junkies, after all, and might as well admit that we're going to save money by buying in to the program.

Watching the DVD and reading the booklet has brought up some questions, though, and I'd like you're input in addition to my DVC representative's.

1. What happens if DVC goes kaput within the next 50 years? Do we get our money back?

2. Are the point numbers listed for the World Passport Collection (160 per week for the high season) per person or total?

3. By how much do maintenance fees increase each year?

4. Are there any hidden costs? Was there any part of the program that your representative "forgot" to tell you that you were surprised by after you purchased?

5. If we decide to sell our DVC membership in the future, by how much will it depreciate per year?

6. How easy is it to book on the World Passport, Adventurer, or Concierge Collections? How early do you have to/get to book?

7. I assume that the number of points needed to book a vacation increases each year (i.e. one week at WLV in September costs X points now, but how much will that X increase in 10 years?). What is that increase? If I buy 175 points now, will that be enough to book a week's vacation in 10-20 years or will I constantly need to buy more points just to have enough to book?

8. What are the tax considerations for buying into DVC? I've never had a mortgage, so I'm not sure how paying taxes on -- or getting tax breaks from -- a mortgage like this factor in.

That's all I have for now, but stay tuned. I ask every question I can think of before I make a decision like this. In fact, if you can think of any information you "wish you knew" before you bought, please pass it along. We're not exactly affluent, so this is a big decision; I just feel like it doesn't make any sense to keep paying thousands each year on vacations if we could be putting it toward DVC and saving ourselves money in the future.

Thanks in advance!

[brumcg]

Howdy Bali,

Here are some of my thoughts...

#1. I'd put the odds of DVC going belly up to be incredibly small; I guess if it did, like any investment, I would lose it. I really think that in order for this to happen, all of Disney itself would have to go byebye.

#2. It should clearly say if it's per person, if not... it's total. The cruise, for example, is per person.

#4. We had no surprises from what our rep said compared to what happened.

#5. Not sure, but alot of it has to do with where your points are based.

#7. DVC reserves the right to change point structures around, but they sell X number of points per DVC property. So points should never increase due to 'inflation.' I'm comfortable that my 270 (or whatever) annual points will buy me the same unit type, same week in 2040 that it buys me today.

I'm checking with the wife on #3 and #8... :)

I'll only add 2 other points... First, we own another timeshare and looked into others before buying DVC. The other timeshare that we own is now, literally, useless. We'll be lucky if we can find someone to take it off our hands for free. DVC on the other hand, I consider to be one of the smartest things I've ever purchased.

Second... if you aren't interested in going to Disney every other year (or more often) then look elsewhere. You are going to get more bang for your buck/point by using your points at DVC resorts IMO...and some people just don't like going to WDW that often. Weird, I know!

Bruce

[mickey]

I answered these without looking at Bruce's reply, so if we both say the same thing, then it must be true:

1. What happens if DVC goes kaput within the next 50 years? Do we get our money back?

The chance of DVC going broke is about 0%. The reason why is that all the resorts are owned by the members, and we pay all the expenses. I think I would be more worried about WDW going broke, then you would still own your DVC, but the value wouldnt' be nearly as much.

2. Are the point numbers listed for the World Passport Collection (160 per week for the high season) per person or total?

The World Passport Collection gets you a week that you put into Interval International, and you can exchange it for a week at other timeshares. Some are nice, others are not so nice, just do your homework. The cost is a total for the week, so it would be 160 points for a week in a one bedroom. It would be the same price for 1 person or 6.

3. By how much do maintenance fees increase each year?

I have seen charts around, and they have decreased some years. I would say on average they go up about 3 - 5%, but that is just a guess. I really don't notice the increases from year to year. You also get a statement of what the costs where in your annual report, so you can watch them from year to year.

4. Are there any hidden costs? Was there any part of the program that your representative "forgot" to tell you that you were surprised by after you purchased?

We purchased ours through a reseller, and I researched it pretty well before hand, so I knew exactly what I was getting. The only fees I see (our is paid off in full) are the yearly maintenance fees. The only other fees I could think of would be if you wanted extra mousekeeping when you are there (it is limited). There just isn't anything else.

5. If we decide to sell our DVC membership in the future, by how much will it depreciate per year?

Well, that depends. If I knew that, I would be rich. We paid about $14,500 for our 270 points at OKW. Right now, I could sell that for about $19,500, so ours hasn't depreciated at all. Now, as Disney stops increasing the point cost, and as we get closer to the 50 year point, ours will start decreasing, and will eventually be worth $0, but I should be long gone by then.

6. How easy is it to book on the World Passport, Adventurer, or Concierge Collections? How early do you have to/get to book?

I don't know, I haven't used them before. With World Passport, it goes through Interval, and it will depend on availablity where you want to stay and when. The further out the better, at least a year if you want to stay somewhere nice. Not sure about the other two, but I would guess on Concierge, you could do it last minute if there is availability.

7. I assume that the number of points needed to book a vacation increases each year (i.e. one week at WLV in September costs X points now, but how much will that X increase in 10 years?). What is that increase? If I buy 175 points now, will that be enough to book a week's vacation in 10-20 years or will I constantly need to buy more points just to have enough to book?

The points never increase. It is possible that they can increase the points needed one season for a room type (so a 2 bedroom villa in November is currently 75 points per night, but they change it to 80 points per night (number made up)), but they would have to decrease the points somewhere else. If you consider one unit all by it's self. If you add up all 365 nights in one year, that unit is equal to a grand total number of say 20,000 points. Each year, that same villa always has to total up to 20,000 points, they cannot change that. In the 7 years we have owned it, the point values at OKW have not changed once, and I don't expect them to. This is why it is a good value, since the cost for me to stay there 10 years from now will be about the same as it is today, with the exception of the change in maintenance fees.

8. What are the tax considerations for buying into DVC? I've never had a mortgage, so I'm not sure how paying taxes on -- or getting tax breaks from -- a mortgage like this factor in.

For me, nothing. I know some people finance theirs, and they can take part of the interest on it. I also think some people take the property tax into consideration as well, but I don't. For me, it is a small number (say about $200 per year) that is isn't worth taking the time to figure it out.

To sum it up, the only regret about my purchase is that I wish I had done it a couple of years earlier. I can't say that about the Marriott timeshare I have, I wish I had never seen that thing. Check out the resellers, you can get a better deal (but no freebies, well some of them have unused points from last year, kind of nice).

[bali]

Thanks to both of you. I'm very pleased with the knowledge that the points needed can never really increase and my points will always be sufficient to get at least a week's vacation somewhere in the off season. I'm not too concerned about this being an "investment property," I'm just hoping that if we do need to sell early we'll get a substantial amount of our initial payment back.

Again, many many thanks for wading through my questions and answering so thoroughly. I'm young (26), but this seems like it would really end up saving me some money in the future.

[Cincy]

New Question. Can DVC Member take advantage of the Free Dinning program that is going on the Fall, or are they excluded from this and are only making room only reservations?

[mickey]

Originally Posted by Cincy

New Question. Can DVC Member take advantage of the Free Dinning program that is going on the Fall, or are they excluded from this and are only making room only reservations?

Well, reservations go through DVC, and aren't technically room only reservations. Yes, DVC members using their points are excluded from using the current free-dining deal, and any upcoming discount on rooms or packages. DVC members do get $100 discounts on annual passes among other perks.

But, you can do like I am doing and not use your points for the visit and get the free dining plan. You can do that any standard Disney resorts or any of the DVC resorts.

[llama]

The only thing I can think of to add is in respect to the maintenance fees. We purchased at Vero Beach, and there has been a small increase in maintenance fees there due to environmental changes (ie. beach erosian). The increase was only about $10.00 though. I don't think that this would apply to the properties at WDW - though it might to the property at Hilton Head.

[Cincy]

Originally Posted by mickey

Well, reservations go through DVC, and aren't technically room only reservations. Yes, DVC members using their points are excluded from using the current free-dining deal, and any upcoming discount on rooms or packages. DVC members do get $100 discounts on annual passes among other perks.

But, you can do like I am doing and not use your points for the visit and get the free dining plan. You can do that any standard Disney resorts or any of the DVC resorts.

That is what I was thinking. I love to eat, its a hobby, and the thought of not having to worry about what a meal cost is great. I wanted to look into DVC this trip and I can't imagine the free dinning will be around for long.

Thanks again Mickey.