[bosoxx65]

..... i'm unsure if we can afford it. I've ordered the DVD to look it over and i've spoken to numerous people both on the phone and live at WDW and we've never taken "That Leap". Could everyone give their input on getting into this as a newbie?

Sandy and i would like to visit Disney twice a year whenever possible, but at least once a year. We are also planning on retiring in Orlando in about 25 years. Neither of us are fond of New York and the cold weather. The DVC sounds like something i'd like to plan for the future.

[WishUponAStar]

I personally think DVC is great. We finally decided to make the plunge after sitting down and seeing that the amount we spent on Disney vacations in 4 years could have paid off our ENTIRE DVC package!!! As far as affordability, they do have really low monthly payment, some as low as $150-$160 a month. Now, honestly, I personally don't feel like it would be worth it to finance it for the full 10 years making such low monthly payments 'cause think about in the long run how much that is going to end up costing you. Alas, there are plenty of people who do it and are just fine. We've been members for a little over a year now & love getting all the discounts & perks. The best is getting $100 off our annual passes.

Go through all the info, don't overanalyze it, and make the best decision for your needs! It really is a great option for families wanting to go at least once a year!

[Dopey]

Originally Posted by bosoxx65

..... i'm unsure if we can afford it. I've ordered the DVD to look it over and i've spoken to numerous people both on the phone and live at WDW and we've never taken "That Leap". Could everyone give their input on getting into this as a newbie?

Sandy and i would like to visit Disney twice a year whenever possible, but at least once a year. We are also planning on retiring in Orlando in about 25 years. Neither of us are fond of New York and the cold weather. The DVC sounds like something i'd like to plan for the future.

Sounds like you are the perfect candidate for DVC.

[NokeyNose]

It is a matter of personnal opinion and I am sure there are plenty of people here that will tell you taht they decided against it, but we bought in last year and I think it was one of teh best things we ever did for our family. We are heading back to Disney in about 44 days and this is our second trip in nine months. The options to go other places are wonderful as well. We have two young children and we thought this was a perfect way for us to always take vacations, before the DVC we always found other things to do with our money rather than go away on a vacation. This is giving us family vacations that will bring lasting memeories throughout our lifetime! We used teh $ we were planning to use for our accomodations as our downpayment (we only bought 150 pts originally) and our monthly payments were about $135 or so. When we came back from our 1st dvc vacation we bout another 75 pt. teh whole payment is not so bad! Work your numbers, read through your material and go with your gut instsinct,but if you choose to buy in, I am sure you won't regret it! Good Luck!

[bribren]

Mousesavers has an exhaustive analysis of DVC membership.

MouseSavers.com - Disney Vacation Club

If you have to finance...No. You'll get a lot of opinions but you have to look at maintenance fees and cost increases. If you have 15K on hand, paying off your mortgage or investing can long term be of greater financial benefit.

[Elmo]

There is plenty of info out there, including financial analysis, etc.

When I get asked about our membership, I usually try to hit a few points/misconceptions. These are, in no particular order:

1. You are not forced to or limited to vacationing in WDW. You do, however, get the most for your money by going to WDW.

2. DVC does have a system for going to Europe or other vacation locations. See #1.

3. The biggest complaint you'll hear from members is that they didn't join sooner.

4. While you'll have your accomodations covered, don't forget park passes, meals, and travel expenses.

5. Consider how often you want to vacation and the size of the accomodation. Look at the point charts. If you buy, buy enough to cover your typical vacation. (ex. you want one week in a 2 bedroom - anytime of the year)

DVC worked for us and we are very happy. You mileage may vary.

[bosoxx65]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. I guess i didn't look hard enough to find the DVC forum. (I swear i looked and didn't notice it). So my most sincere apologies if i placed this in an improper spot.

You are all the best. I think Sandy and i will speak with a representative and if it's right for us all around we'll consider the idea.