Renting DVC points - WOW

[theBIGyowski]

...The only thing that would keep me from renting DVC for every trip would be if we needed to save a little more money...thus putting us in a Value Resort....

So the Value resorts are cheaper than renting DVC points for the most part??
Thanks for the websites. I really will check those out the next time we are headed to WDW and see what the options are

Yeah...the Value Resorts when there is a promotional discount (right now it is 20% I think) will be cheaper than renting DVC. But...the rooms are smaller and the resorts will be much more crowded. Also...comparing to a place like OKW where it is relaxing and spread out...it's worth the little extra if you can afford it.

I honestly think that if you have an AP...renting DVC is a very cost-effective way to get the most out of the AP.

It can definitely be intimidating to pay someone to rent their DVC points as opposed to paying Disney directly and getting that guarantee...but as long as you have signed contracts you should be ok. I also like to think that I am helping the DVC owner out as well by helping them pay their maintenance fees...or even helping them make a little money if that is what they are looking to do. I think I said it before...but you can get a 10% discount on lunch at select restaurants on Disney property by showing them your room key...which says you are a DVC member even if you are renting. So more savings there.

[Soarin08]

...The only thing that would keep me from renting DVC for every trip would be if we needed to save a little more money...thus putting us in a Value Resort....

So the Value resorts are cheaper than renting DVC points for the most part??
Thanks for the websites. I really will check those out the next time we are headed to WDW and see what the options are

Yeah...the Value Resorts when there is a promotional discount (right now it is 20% I think) will be cheaper than renting DVC. But...the rooms are smaller and the resorts will be much more crowded. Also...comparing to a place like OKW where it is relaxing and spread out...it's worth the little extra if you can afford it.

I honestly think that if you have an AP...renting DVC is a very cost-effective way to get the most out of the AP.

It can definitely be intimidating to pay someone to rent their DVC points as opposed to paying Disney directly and getting that guarantee...but as long as you have signed contracts you should be ok. I also like to think that I am helping the DVC owner out as well by helping them pay their maintenance fees...or even helping them make a little money if that is what they are looking to do. I think I said it before...but you can get a 10% discount on lunch at select restaurants on Disney property by showing them your room key...which says you are a DVC member even if you are renting. So more savings there.

DVC members get a cheaper AP than non-DVC. It's the same rate as the FL resident AP. $452 for a new pass, $410 renewal. So DVC people, bear that in mind.

[cy1229]

Ok, because I'm kind of "stuck" at work I did some research and math.

I looked at October 23-27, 2013, 5 days, 2 adults:

Package of 5-day park-hopper tickets plus Art of Animation regular room (not a family suite) was $1,248

Park-hopper 5-day tickets only $692

Renting DVC points, studio at OKW, $624 ($68 more for trip over Art of Animation) same # points for standard view studio at Boardwalk Villas

Renting DVC points, value studio at AKLV $546 ($10 less for trip under Art of Animation) (lowest points of DVC)

Other locations, like Saratoga, Bay Lake Tower, etc. were significantly more points.

So that puts an actual $$ comparison on the whole thing. I'm just surprised at how inexpensive this is. The big questions is, how big are the rooms at AoA vs. a studio at OKW?

[theBIGyowski]

Yes...the savings on APs is what makes DW and I kinda want to become DVC members in the future. Saving about $100 per person...especially once DS is over 3 years old...is a pretty big chunk of change. So assume the yearly maintenance fees are $800...saving $300 on APs takes that down to $500 per year. Throw in the savings on dining and a few other things and you bring that extra cost down even more.

It biggest thing is just having enough cash in the bank to buy into DVC in the first place. $8,000 - $20,000 is a lot of money for most of us to fork over at once.

[cy1229]

Hey BigY I thought I saw on one of the resale sites that financing is available because you're kind of buying a "vacation home." You could look into it. Financing over 5 or 6 years might be well worth the while, given how little your DS is.

[theBIGyowski]

yeah...I'm just not sure I want to finance something that would cost less if I can rent and stay at the same exact place

that is why I would only want to pay cash for DVC ownership...because there are cheaper ways to go to WDW

[Amy]

Yes...the savings on APs is what makes DW and I kinda want to become DVC members in the future. Saving about $100 per person...especially once DS is over 3 years old...is a pretty big chunk of change. So assume the yearly maintenance fees are $800...saving $300 on APs takes that down to $500 per year. Throw in the savings on dining and a few other things and you bring that extra cost down even more.

It biggest thing is just having enough cash in the bank to buy into DVC in the first place. $8,000 - $20,000 is a lot of money for most of us to fork over at once.

I know when one of my piano families bought into the DVC, they had to pay around $24,000. That does seem like a chunk of change

[Wizzard419]

While they are still making money, they are a company and the idea of leaving money on the table p*** them off to no end. But it's hard to measure and track accurately (they most likely are estimating impact) so they are at the stance of they are not going to support it but not really outlawing it. At the same time if a deal goes south (which it probably has) they will simply say they cannot help.

[theBIGyowski]

While they are still making money, they are a company and the idea of leaving money on the table p*** them off to no end. But it's hard to measure and track accurately (they most likely are estimating impact) so they are at the stance of they are not going to support it but not really outlawing it. At the same time if a deal goes south (which it probably has) they will simply say they cannot help.

that is correct...you are on your own if you get screwed over on a DVC rental deal

I still think Disney comes out on top even when a DVC owner rents to someone else...because like I said...those people will probably still end up spending almost the same as they would have...just in other ways like Park Hoppers, finer dining, merchandise, and possibly a longer stay which just adds to the aforementioned spending. Because you can save hundreds of dollars...you are more likely to make your 4 day trip a 6 day trip...meaning more food and other kinds of on-property spending.

Disney loves people paying them to stay onsite...but notice how it is the rooms that continuously get the discounts...because they know they don't make their money on lodging...they make it on park tickets and food/alcohol. The latter things are what do not get discounted...and when you do get "free dining" you are paying rack rates for your room...which makes up the difference in most cases.

[theBIGyowski]

so I decided to crunch a few more numbers...

Using a few DVC listings...I found one for OKW that has 150 points per year and is $8,250.00...with yearly dues of $801. If you went during the down times every year...and stayed in a studio at 10 points per night for 5 nights (50 points)...and you went three times per year during the three down times...using all 150 points...your "per year" cost is only $801. If you were to rent at a low rate like $11 per point...you would spend $1,650 per year. Taking only the "per year" cost into account...you save $849 per year by being a DVC owner vs renting. Now...I know what you are saying...you paid $8,250.00 upfront. Take that $849 savings and multiply it by 10 years...and you will have saved $8,490.00...more than what you paid for the DVC membership in the first place. The ownership lasts until 2042...which would be 19 years from the time you have recouped what you paid for the DVC points.

The only unknowns are how much the points-per-night will increase at each resort...making your points less valuable...as well as the increase in the yearly maintenance fees.

It does make DVC ownership look attractive if you have the ability to use it.

[Wizzard419]

They will always come out on top if you spend money on them, but they come out less on top if someone is using alternative means to stay on property. Since the timeshares wouldn't be rented out to regular guests, they do not have the benefit of getting a percentage for an unsold guest room, instead they end up using resources for said room. They aren't going to go broke, but it still is leaving money on the table.


Even though people on site will be spending money, it doesn't mean they will be spending a meanigful amount because they saved on the room, by all accounts they could literally just buy park tickets (or if they have a friend with a gate pass then not even spend money there) and eat at the mcdonalds (not owned by disney) or other cheap places.

The DVC at it's heart is a sucker bet because you basically lock yourself into a timeshare at a single destination and you don't even get park tickets or (if I recall) the option to use the magical express and possibly even the extra magic hours. If you live less than 3 hours away it might be a nice "vacation home" but other than that, it really isn't worth the money.

[theBIGyowski]

I am pretty sure you can use DME...because I have used it when renting.

I agree that DVC is not worth the cost...unless you are the kind of person who lives out of state and travels to WDW more than twice a year. I know a good number of people also use it as an investment as well...because they have the money...and buy up hundreds or thousands of points just to rent them out. It may take them several years to get back in the black...but after that they are making pure profit...and they become a sort of WDW travel agent as well for guests who rent from them. It's the free market hard at work.

[Soarin08]

1. YES YOU CAN use EMH. If you have a room key, THAT is your ticket to EMH.

2. YES YOU CAN take the DME. Again, if you have a room reservation, you can ALWAYS select this option.

[cy1229]

So now I just hope there's a Poly DVC built sometime.... Then I'm so there.

[Soarin08]

The one at the Grand is shaping up nicely. I don't know, would there be room at the Poly to expand like that, does anyone think?