DVC-The Fine Print-Questions>>

I don't own..yet, but I am not an expert. I think if you buy resale, you CAN use it for other resorts including Hawaii, Vero Beach, etc. I am pretty sure you can exchange points through RCI? as well.

I don't think you can use it for Adventures by Disney BUT I don't think you want to. It takes a lot considering the average trip with them cost around $4000 per person.

Hopefully others can give better answers! Good luck!

Yes, it's limited to no more than 15% (I think) each year and they are only allowed to raise the charges for actual operating expenses and reasonably expected reserves.

Sort of, each resort has a set limit of points that it is allowed to work with. They have that set number of points throughout the original lifetime of the resort, which is generally for 50 years.

Those points are sometimes reallocated from year to year, but there is always a limit on the total number. If they want to raise the number of points per night that it costs to stay - say - at Christmas, then they have to lower the number of points that it would cost to stay by that same amount during another time of year.

They do not have to make that adjustment on the same room type though. So they might raise what it costs over Christmas to stay in a studio by 2 points per night, and the lower what it costs to stay in the off season in a 3 Bedroom by 2 points per night.

I will email you a few. Just off the top of my head I think that Adventures by Disney point costs start around 500 points per person. It's crazy expensive if you pay in points. I'll email that chart to you too.

When you buy DVC you are purchasing a "piece" of real estate. The interest you pay on your mortgage may be deductible on your federal taxes. See your tax advisor for actual details and benefits. I believe there is a difference in what the benefits are resale vs. direct, but I would not advise anyone to take any sort of tax advice from me for any reason. Talk to an expert.

It should be.

As Kristen stated, any increase must be offset by a decrease, as the total number of points at the resort must stay the same. Also, the contract reads that the maximum annual change for a room is 20%. A change higher than that would have to be passed by more than 60% of the members.

For example, prior to 2010, points per night Sun-Thurs were typically less than half required for Fri-Sat. BWV std studio in Oct 2009 was 9/night Sun-Thurs, and 21/night for Fri-Sat. Reason for the discrepancy was supposedly to prevent locals from booking all of the weekends, preventing others from booking a full week. Instead, DVC found that members(myself included) would book Sun-Thurs only, and rooms were sitting empty on the weekends. So DVC did a reallocation in 2010 and 2011, to get weekends more in line with weekdays. It took 2 years to accomplish this, because of the 20% maximum annual change rule. I still book a BWV std studio in Oct for F&W, and it is now 10/night Sun-Thurs, and 14/night Fri-Sat......in comparison, May 2009 was 11/night Sun-Thurs, and in 2013 it was 14/night. We now choose to go every other May, while taking longer trips in Oct/Nov.

You are welcome. Yes, BWV is our home resort. The only other DVC resorts I have stayed at are BCV and OKW, and both times it was last minute and BWV was not available. Have only stayed in studios. We prefer BWV for proximity to Epcot, as we spend majority of our time there, and it is only a 5-10 minute walk from the room. Three years and about 5 trips since the last time we were at MK or AK. Also, our favorite restaurants are at the Swan and Dolphin, and again, only a 5-10 minute walk from BWV.

BCV studio has 2 beds, while BWV has 1 bed and a sleeper sofa. Prefer BWV because we enjoy sitting out on the boardwalk with a beverage after parks close.

OKW studio is huge and has 2 beds. Not a fan of all of the bus stops within the resort.

Sorry I can't offer more about specific DVC resorts. My advice is to buy where you want to stay, as there are no guarantees about getting reservations at other resorts at the 7 month mark. Hope you find a great deal!

Absolutely!

I try to always been a room at AKL (my home resort) at 11 months so that I know I have one, then see if I can switch at 7 months. Though I've always been able to switch my reservations somewhere at that 7 month mark, I haven't always been able to switch to the resort I was hoping for at 7 months.

YES! What they have all said! And, according to the folks I speak with at DVC when I have to call, it is NOT frowned upon to book your home resort at 11 Months and then change it at 7 Months. A lot of people do this.

In my research, and depending on how interested you are in making the MOST of your points, you are better off renting your points out to pay cash for the other things, like Adventures By Disney. You can rent your points for more money than what they are worth using towards something like ABD or DCL.

We bought a resale with the sole intention of using our points at DVC resorts. I can still rent out my points if I choose to. I am not locked out of that. I don't see us not using our points, but you never know. We were able to buy a contract with banked points and started our ownership off with twice the points. AWESOME! AND, we paid right about 1/2 the per point price that Disney was charging.

I know that I have seen where Kristen is not interested in keeping track of points and making reservations for others, and it would be a lot of work. If you are not interested in renting points out or don't want to deal with it, but still want to use your points for other things, go directly through Disney.

Just to give you an idea:

Adventures by Disney, the Germany Once Upon A Fairytale trip, per adult, was 543 points in 2012. Just the California Backstage Magic trip was 368 points per adult in 2012.

In 2012, the Disney Dream 3 night Bahamas cruise was about 58 points per person for the first 2 people in a standard inside stateroom, in the Value season. The Disney Fantasy Value Season 7 night cruise to the Eastern Caribbean in an inside stateroom was about 143 per adult for the first 2 adults.

I could get behind that, but they'd have to re-open the table service restaurant and upgrade the pool area, add a fitness center, BBQ pavilion. None the less a moderate dvc property would be an interesting experiment.

Just a correction-Resales after March 2012 may not be used with RCI, cruises or the Disney Collection. That's not a problem for me because its a poor use of points anyway. Those RCI people salivate when Disney weeks get deposited in there.

Also what Disney is allowed to raise maintenance fees is not as important as what they actually have been increasing them by. It varies by resort but 5% is a good rule of thumb.

Remember when you buy DVC you are in effect an owner. DVC has a fiduciary relationship with you and they are governed by Florida's timeshare regulations. So they can't screw you too much or they risk litigation, etc.

I just got an e-mail from Timeshare Store listing Beach Club at $92 per point. That's $20 more than I paid 12 years ago. Maybe the best investment I ever made except for my Food and Wine Festival mingle plates.

Yep, me too. I have seen listings for $40 and $50 more than I paid for AKL just 7 months ago. Sweet.

And that is per point!