DVC Reality Check: Harsh Truths About The Value Of Disney Vacation Club From An ACTUAL DVC Member

Foolish Mortals, Happy Haunts & Prospective DVC Members! 👻✨Today, we're diving deep into the enchanted world of Disney Vacation Club (DVC). Ever wondered if it's truly a magical investment or just a pixie-dusted illusion? ✨💩✨ Well, you're in for a treat because we're spilling all the tea!

🏰 **What is Disney Vacation Club?**
First things first, let's unravel the mystery of DVC. As DVC Members since 2001 (yep, that's two decades of Disney love!), we're here to share our honest take on the value of DVC Resort Rooms and Villas. Hold on to your Mickey ears, because this is going to be a wild ride!

💙 **Keepin' it Real!**
We've got no affiliations & no partnerships with businesses. Our opinions are as authentic as Cinderella's glass slipper.

🤔 **Why the Hush-Hush?**
Ever notice that sometimes it can be difficult to get the answers you're looking for from YouTubers or other Content Creators when it comes to DVC? We've got some insight on this! See, most creators aren't DVC Members, leaving them in the dark about the nitty-gritty details. Don't worry though! We're here to shed some light on the situation.

🌟 **Comparing Apples to Pixie Dust: Pricing Insights!**
Hold on tight as we compare DVC's Riviera Resort with other nearby hotels and resorts. We've handpicked options that mirror the DVC experience, from proximity to structure. No need for a calculator – we've done the math for you!

🛌 **Luxury or High-Quality Timeshares? Our Take!**
Is DVC the epitome of luxury, or are we dealing with high-quality timeshares? We'll share our unfiltered thoughts on the matter. Spoiler alert: It's not what some people make it out to be!

🌈 **Join the Conversation!**
Curious to hear our full thoughts? The magic happens in the video, so grab your popcorn and join us on this DVC adventure. Huge thanks to the viewer who sparked this fantastic discussion – you're the real MVP!

MUSIC:

#DisneyVacationClub #DVCInsights #RespondingToComments #answeringyourquestions ✨🏡💙

[carolchirolas]

You are so right! Fellow DVC owner here, and you are right. The rooms are the rooms, but the extra $$ for me is for the location, amenities, and the well-trained staff. The amazing seasonal decor, the characters wandering around taking pictures with guests, the pool games, the little extras from the community centers, and the flexibility to stay at different types of resorts. I go knowing that everything at Disney is a stage on which staff performs, so the fake rolex feeling can only be expected. At Epcot, you're not really in France or China or Norway. But I love it.

[tinaoreilly]

I have been a DVC member since 1998. My home resort is the Boardwalk. I paid $10k for my membership and it paid for itself the first time I used it. As someone from the UK I typically stay for 3 weeks every year. There is no way I could afford to stay at Disney if I didn’t have DVC. I love my DVC membership and there are obvious perks in addition to the resort stays such as free parking at the parks and discount on merch etc. I know that DVC is much more expensive now than it was when I purchased in 1998 - and the exchange rate was really good at that time so was only £6, 000, but I think if you can afford it, it’s definitely worth it.

[mousekemom]

When we bought into DVC 20years ago, we felt the value was 100% worth it and made back our investment after staying over Christmas week. That price exceeded what our purchase was at the time. Our kids have grown up in that resort. That said, would we buy in at today's price point? Absolutely not. Perks have been eliminated, Extra fees for sues and maintence have increased, it has been oversold and often difficult to get a room at busier times. It is no longer the "best kept secret" that they sold it on. Add the insane costs of park tickets, it is not the vaule it was at the rime we bought.

[blaster-zyxx]

There are a few things I don’t like about it. Once the time share business model went from specific weeks into the points system (appearing to give more flexibility to the customer) they could now sell more than they had capacity to serve. And it would piss me off to no end to hand over tens of thousands of dollars to be told that the time I want to go is “unavailable” .

[ryanwiersema]

Appreciated the discussion and insight. We have also been members for a very long time. We find it to have a value for us considering when we bought and the price we bought points. We liked the flexibility of a stay shorter than a week that Disney offered and was unique in that at the time. In more recent years, we have grown concerned about Disney losing the magic at the resorts. The story telling seems to have vanished, as did the free Disney Express and the package delivery to a resort of items purchased at a park at DisneyWorld. The "theming" trend to us is de-theming - making everything look like a Marriott or a Hilton. With what has happened to the product in the last number of years - increase of point cost, loss of former amenities and story theming, we are reluctant to encourage folks to buy in. We appreciate the cast members very much and have never been disappointed with them. We are disappointed in what we see as the future for this product.

[scottbryant]

We've been going to Disney now for 50 years, grandparents lived in Cocoa Beach. We always use to stay on property but have, in the last 8 years or so, been renting houses off property. Yes, we somewhat miss the transportation etc. and with Disney dropping the "extras" of staying on property, it's just not worth it anymore. IKR, it's sad. But having a private house with a private pool, which can accommodate much larger groups, as we have upwards of 15 people per trip, is a much better experience for us. Even the cost. We just booked our next trip for April 2024, Moms 80th birthday and she goes to Disney at least 5 times per year still. Total cost for the week was $1988 for a 5 bedroom house just off property, private pool, themed rooms for the younger kids. Always have booked thru VRBO. There are many options for house rentals, many. You'd be surprised with the prices. Last year we booked a house with 12 bedrooms under $4k for the week, very nice amenities, so great deals are out there. All within 5-10 minutes of Disney off HWY 192.

[bucketfootbaseball]

Very much agree that there is no set answer and that each situation dictates the benefits. In our case we are absolutely a Disney family who typically does longer (10+ nights) Disney trips either every year or two, alternating between DL and WDW. We have reached the point where we have frequently had to get two hotel rooms and will soon need three. Thus, we first bought in 2022 with the intent of staying in 2-bedroom villas. Quite frankly we should have done this years ago.

[veronicacoates]

My husband and I have been considering buying in to DVC and I came across this video. Have found this so so insightful.

[cibaknife]

This was a very well-reasoned video and points out that sometimes things aren’t always black and white - something you don’t see very often on YouTube. Well done!

[dirkdiggler]

Very insightful and detailed, thank you. I own 200 points at Aulani and was complaining about my dues for 2024.

[JosephGazzara]

You should take into account the ones on the Monorail system. This is a HUGE benefit and they are generally (Grand Floridian) more upscale. Nothing in Disney will ever be cheap but I think the real loss of value is really in the way they are trimming their services back, or in making you pay for what was free before.

[DoctorBella]

Considered purchasing DVC multiple times. Couldn't make the math work for us. So now we rent points and LOVE it.

[jenb]

Same as you, one year we went and stayed in a Deluxe resort, the vaca was 8k. I remembered the DVC kiosk and for that price I'd be halfway into a contract. So the math works out for our family and it's nice to have the extra bedroom and bathroom.

[crystalliles]

The best use of my DVC points have been using them for a Disney Cruise. We absolutely love it!

[LaughingOakFea]

As a FORMER self admitted Disney Freak I bought DVC so long a go I am a "Gray" card member at Old Key West (driving 1, 900 miles each way per visit), and like pokemon after bought my first I kept buying... and then I saw Disney start to gut the DVC member perks so bad that what I use to get for free I then had to buy an annual pass for. Then Bob Iger and Bob Chapek started their thing where I realized Disney was no longer what I loved. I stayed the same but Disney changed. We were in what was pointed out by other YouTube channels as a toxic relationship because of their actions. I now renting out my points to others to use, after I put aside my dues (plus another 30% in case of another outlandish increase) ... hind sight being 20/20 if I could do it all over again I would have spent the money only to buy points at Saratoga Studios so I could at least go to Disney Springs

[jessicabee]

I appreciate your informative, honest and down to earth review of DVC. I can't fully trust some of these other YouTube reviewers because they are way too hyped about everything and they don't sound realistic.

[Ron-xj]

Been a member for 18 years. Stayed at the Floridian in a studio for $140 a night in dues last year - same as Hampton Inn on the interstate. That a great deal in my book. Membership has paid for itself three times over and I could sell still for what I paid on top of that. Even with rising dues, it only become a better deal each year.

What’s wrong with Riviera - we have stayed twice and love it as an option.

Your Beach club won’t get harder to get into at your 11-7 month home resort mark because of more and more DVC members. That will only affect the 7 month and less mark, but more members only come on board with more resorts for all of us to choose from.

Just a few thoughts/counter points to consider

[walterramirez]

Thanks for being honest about one of the most controversial topics in WDW. I too purchased in 2001, owned for a decade and sold my beach club contract. Got tired of the increasing taxes and dues, difficulty in getting rooms I wanted, and the decreased value for your investment. Most DVC owners feel that fake Rolex feeling but never admit it. If you purchased your contract and financed it, all you did was put your vacations on installment payments. What I call Disney Vacation Credit. Bottom line as you point out, it can be beneficial for certain families and certain vacation plans, but it doesn't make sense more times than it does, especially current contracts. Of course you can't express that opinion because the brain washed DVC masses will attack. 😂

[eolauryn]

This right Thank you for your transparency!! I just found your channel, the algorithm gave you to me 😂. None of the YouTubers I’ve seen who own DVC have ever stated all that you have said. My other thought is, perhaps they don’t want to be media blacklisted, so they keep it positive. I’ve sat in front of all the numbers since 2020 and I won’t pull the trigger yet. We lived in Florida our entire lives and moved away. So now it makes more sense to consider a purchase . I’m grateful for your honest review! This video needed to be made.

[Aisha.The.Traveler]

This is the best “real” DVC video! So glad I found your channel! Thank you for the breakdown of the costs and your honesty. ❤