Although timeshare has a colored past, one company stands out as the flagship of this vacation option. Disney Vacation Club has more than thirty years of excellent customer service to its name and has one of the best reputations in the industry.
So, if you’re toying with the idea of exploring the reported cost savings of a timeshare membership, DVC might suit your needs.
Find out more about what’s involved when you buy a DVC membership, whether it’s via Disney Vacation Club resale or direct from Disney.
How Does DVC Work?
There are a few things you need to know about DVC before you embark on the Disney Vacation Club buying process.
Most importantly, buying into a timeshare scheme is an expensive, long-term financial commitment. It can save you thousands on accommodation over the years, though.
Some of the costs involved in buying a DVC membership include the purchase price of your points, as well as ongoing annual fees to pay for its upkeep.
In return, you’ll save a ton on accommodation every year and receive some attractive discounts at Disney theme parks.
When you buy into Disney you pay for a minimum number of points at a home resort. Choose wisely, these vary widely in price, and you’ll get to book much earlier than other members at your home resort.
You’ll use these points at your home resort, as well as for exchanges into other Disney properties.
Each week in the DVC portfolio has a points value allocated to it. So look at the current points chart before deciding how many points you need to maximize your future vacations.
You can carry your points over to the following year if you want to, and borrow points from your next year’s allocation too.
All Disney resorts have an expiry date, mostly decades in the future, and your contract expires on this date.
You must stick it out with your membership until you reach this point. You can’t cancel a DVC membership.
Disney Vacation Club Resale Options
You can sell your DVC membership if you can’t afford it any longer, or if you don’t need it anymore.
The DVC selling process involves getting in touch with Disney to offer them the option to buy your points back. They never do this, so when you hear back from them, your next step is to get in touch with a DVC reseller.
These agents will advertise your membership on their website and market it all over the internet on your behalf. Although you’ll never get all your money back when you re-sell your week, the process is relatively quick.
For more information, view these Disney Vacation Club FAQs regarding the Disney Vacation Club resale process.
If you want to exchange your points for a week outside the DVC portfolio, you can join RCI, and arrange an exchange to one of their resorts.
You can also rent out your points for the year if you can’t use them yourself. In this way, you can make up some of the costs incurred to maintain your membership.
Try Before You Buy
Since some DVC members choose to rent their weeks, it’s a very good idea to try out the Disney way of things before you buy your membership. This will help you decide whether Disney is a good fit for your family and whether it’s worth the expense.
You can also rent accommodation directly from Disney Vacation Club, but it’s a lot more expensive.
Likewise, there are two ways to buy into DVC. These are directly from DVC and via a DVC resale agent.
During your vacation, be sure to use as many of the facilities as you can, so you can get a true impression of what it’s like to belong to DVC.
One last step before you commit to owning a DVC timeshare interest is discussing the matter with your family. Find out if they want to commit to Disney vacations well into their adult life, but don’t disregard the possibilities offered by exchanges.
As mentioned, you’ll need to will your interest to your family members, so get their input on this matter too.
Buying Direct vs Disney Resales
Again, buying your timeshare directly from Disney is much more expensive than engaging with a reseller. Since Disney wants you to buy directly from them, they place certain restrictions on your membership.
When you go the direct route, you lose certain privileges when you visit Disney theme parks. Only those who buy direct from Disney, get the following perks:
- Disney Cruise Line Exchanges
- Adventures by Disney Tours around the World
- Exchanges into the Concierge Collection of resorts worldwide
- Discounts on Theme Park Tickets
- Member Cruises
- Exclusive Member Events
- Dining and Shopping Discounts
- Recreation Discounts
It’s relatively easy to get around this. You can buy most of your points from a reseller and then buy the cheapest combination of a home resort and points directly from Disney.
Those who buy resale points can’t exchange into DVC’s new Riviera Resort. Those who buy direct can access all fifteen resorts, regardless of their home resort.
If you buy resale points at Disney’s Riviera Resort, you can only exchange for this resort and the World Collection via RCI.
It’s vital to consider how much value these extras offer you compared to your savings when buying direct. Remember, a DVC membership lasts well beyond your lifetime, so chat to your heirs about what’s important to them too.
Rounding Up Your Disney Options
So, to make a long story short, you can save when you buy your DVC membership via Disney Vacation Club resale, and still get the perks of direct sales. All it takes is some extra cash.
Most importantly, it’s vital to spend some time at a Disney Resort through a rental before you make a long-term financial commitment. DVC isn’t cheap, and it isn’t for everyone, but it adds a lot of value to your vacations if you make the most of it.
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