Does owning DVC really save money?

As a family of 6, DVC is an awesome value. We don’t have to worry about booking two cash rooms that could potentially not be near each other. We used to stay at Pop when we only had two kids. Now we get to stay at nicer resorts and have extra room for my parents to be in our villa. While our two Pop rooms may come out to a few hundred cheaper than I figure out last AKV room cost (factoring in buy in cost and dues), we save money and time on food by eating in our villa and having fridge/freezer space for groceries.
Plus the time and money saved not going to a laundry room every time a kid pees their pants is amazing.
 
This is the EXACT number we came up with using a different calculation. As was mentioned earlier, there are many ways to figure it, but the bottom line is, if you go every year and stay on property, you will save money.
Year 7 does seem to be the DVC-Magical SweetSpot. Based on my personal spreadsheet, I broke even in year 7, using DVC every year. Our guide, to his credit, had projected break-even in 7 years, when we bought in. We spent 3 hours with him that day and, in retrospect, he was very forthcoming and credible. After year 7, assuming you continue to use all of your points every year, the savings continue to grow until about year 34 when the average yearly costs hit the point of diminishing returns. For us, we will octogenarians at that point, and we are considering adding our children on the deeds, if they are interested. (To help entice that, we are planning a 3-BR GV stay in 2020, with both kids, their spouses, and our 3 grandkids, after which I will float the idea of passing our DVC on to them when we are no longer able to use it).:darth:
 
You absolutely are in the right to sell your contract if you are no longer interested in owning. I also agree that Disney, along with many other vacation destinations, are getting much more expensive as the economy recovered and grew.

Two things worth pointing out, though. If you are selling for a 30% profit after just 4 years, then DVC not only saved you money, it actually is making a profit for you.
Also, parking fees do not affect DVC members. That actually goes into the "saves money" side of the argument, regardless of how you feel about their decision to implement these fees.

Parking fees do impact DVC members. They show up in the annual dues, which by the way have gone up 10% for some resorts this year. Parking is not "free", even if you want to consider it a perk.

I am making a profit off of my initial outlay which is true, but once I deduct membership dues and closing fees it is probably close to a wash. I also ended up spending money on plane fare, tickets, dinners and souvenirs which typically cost more than other places we vacation. All in all, I can't complain on getting "free" hotel accommodations for the past few years. This surge in resale pricing may not hold up and I doubt you could break even so quickly today.
 
I have noticed in the year and a half of ownership that I have had that DVC has already changed my approach to Disney more than save me money. I was talking to my boss who is putting in over $11000 for his trip to Disney over winter break. Compared to him, I'm saving thousands. But he is doing a one and done trip where he wants to go on many rides, eat as many meals as possible, go to the bippidi boppidi boutique, and the whole nine yards. I'm only going because we got a great deal on annual passes and will be down there anyway, despite having already been to Disney 4 times in the past 3 years. Honestly, I'm most looking forward to ordering pizza and having a few beverages on the balcony.
Disney has turned into a relaxation vacation for me, where if I get on rides then great, and if not then that's fine as well. Compared to before ownership, it's a much different sort of trip.
Sounds like me. We don't go to the parks much. only when we have discounted APs, so unless DVC puts one of those specials out we won't be going anymore. We both find flying into MCO and renting a car to be easier than Tampa, Ft lauderdale, Miami or wherever. Probably because we know it better. we start many vacations to different parts of florida with 1 night in a DVC room then drive to the destination, then 1 night at the end and fly out of MCO.
 


Parking fees do impact DVC members. They show up in the annual dues, which by the way have gone up 10% for some resorts this year. Parking is not "free", even if you want to consider it a perk.

I am making a profit off of my initial outlay which is true, but once I deduct membership dues and closing fees it is probably close to a wash. I also ended up spending money on plane fare, tickets, dinners and souvenirs which typically cost more than other places we vacation. All in all, I can't complain on getting "free" hotel accommodations for the past few years. This surge in resale pricing may not hold up and I doubt you could break even so quickly today.

Members have always paid for parking lot maintenance, so not new this year. They legally can’t charge parking fees when we maintain it. We get reimbursed for parking fees on cash reservations as a dues credit.

I bought at $65/pt in 1999, added in dues, I figure about a 65% discount when compared to the cash price of the same room.
 
Members have always paid for parking lot maintenance, so not new this year. They legally can’t charge parking fees when we maintain it. We get reimbursed for parking fees on cash reservations as a dues credit.

I bought at $65/pt in 1999, added in dues, I figure about a 65% discount when compared to the cash price of the same room.
Wow Debbie8 - you've owned for almost 20 years! Any "woulda-coulda-shoulda" moments based on your experience. Are you planning to continue to use DVC for another 20 ?? :darth:
 
Wow Debbie8 - you've owned for almost 20 years! Any "woulda-coulda-shoulda" moments based on your experience. Are you planning to continue to use DVC for another 20 ?? :darth:

The only thing I would have changed is break down my 250 BWV points into 150 and 100 to make it more flexible. Then sell the 100 when VGC opened (2010?) and bought there.

Getting older - will be 59 next month, hopefully another 20! That would take me close to the 2042 end date for BWV.
 


We just passed our one year DVC anniversary. Resale contract with full year of banked points, plus did the 25 point add-on in Feb right before the new rules = 3 nights at GCV in July, 3 nights at Poly last month, and 4 nights post-cruise coming up in Feb. Definitely changed how frequently we go but also changed from 8-9 day marathons to shorter, relaxing trips that my family absolutely loves and with the Gold AP, we spent about the same amount for park tickets for the two short WDW trips as we would have for one long week in Feb.

We're happy & it's not costing more than what we were already spending every 2 years on long trip - so I'll call that winning at DVC math!
 

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