As certain as the sun rising in the east, there are several people on the fence deciding whether or not to purchase into Disney Vacation Club. To buy or not to buy…..that is the question!
Questions to ask yourself:
- How often do you go on vacation?
- When you go to WDW, what level of resorts do you normally stay at?
- Are you or have you been able to book a Walt Disney World package during the times they offer the dining plan for free?
- Can you afford the annual dues, which tend to go up every year?
If you normally stay at deluxe resorts, at a minimum of every other year, when you go to WDW, you save money. This also includes other vacation locations where DVC points can be used.
The best way to view Disney Vacation Club, “you are paying for future vacations in advance and not for only vacations at WDW”. You’re paying for decades of vacations, which could include cruises, tours, etc.
Personal Experience
For my ‘ohana, DVC is a luxury item. There is no doubt we could live without it and definitely save a lot of money by NOT being members. We never went to Disney with more than 4 people. We only went to WDW every other year and stayed at moderate resorts 99% of the time. Some guests require more than 1 room due to the number of people in their party. Disney cannot guarantee the rooms will be close to each other. Disney cannot guarantee the connection of rooms for those who book more than 1 room.
We only bought into DVC, because of a WDW trip we were planning for 10 people. It made mathematical sense to buy into DVC rather than pay $15,000 for 5 nights. We had planned to book a 3-bedroom villa at Animal Kingdom Villas for a one-time, large family vacation.
We also figured we can use the points in so many other places in the world or sell the points later. So, instead of saying goodbye to $15,000 for 5 nights, we put it towards an investment knowing we could use it on several trips or possibly get much of that back if we decided to sell the contract.
While it was a luxury for us, being a DVC member is now a huge benefit since the big increases of the moderate resorts over the last few years. There is no way we could find a moderate for a week for the price of paying our annual dues. Now, it’s a HUGE money-saver and the only reason we are able to still go to WDW as often as we do.
Annual Dues
The 3 biggest costs for a Hawaii trip are the stay, food and flight. With DVC, we have secured the stay with something we already own, but that ownership comes with a cost…….The annual dues. Depending on your home resort and the number of points you buy, your annual dues could be a burden.
My annual dues went up $200 in the first year. Thankfully, they did not go up much over the years until the 2022. They actually went down in 2021, but went right back up. Depending on how many points you buy, the annual dues could pay for a moderate resort every year, but like I said above, that’s not the case for us, anymore.
I have no regrets and willingly pay those annual dues without complaining, because we are not just sleeping and showering in a room. We really do feel at “home” when we stay in a deluxe resort. I book a 1 bedroom villa at a minimum for my husband and I, which can sleep up to 4-5 people. We want the full kitchen, washer/dryer, the extra square footage to move around, etc. We want the extra comfort now.
Note:
Once you are a DVC member and you stay in a WDW resort with points, you no longer have the option for the free dining plan when it’s offered. But, if you are a DVC member, you can pay cash for a room along with other qualifying factors so you can qualify for the free dining when Disney offers it. Keep in mind, you may be wasting money at that point depending on where you stay.
Based on the numbers, it’s not worth paying cash for a room just to receive the free dining. You have the DVC membership, use it. If you think becoming a member is not best for you right now, but want to stay in a deluxe resort, take a look at renting DVC points by clicking here.
I hope this helps! Hakuna Matata!!