FAQ Overview

Is there a public records site that contains information on DVC ownership?

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DVC members with ownership at one of the Walt Disney World-based properties can view their DVC deed right on the Internet.  Visit the website of the Orange County Comptroller, enter your own name (or the name that appears on your DVC ownership documents) and click the “Search” button.  In the list of search results, click on the “View” link to see images of the related documents.

I don't have THAT much money in the bank. Can I still buy DVC?

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DVC will finance most DVC purchases if the buyer does not have the funds immediately available. 

Standard terms are 10% down with the mortgage written for as many as 10 years.  The preferred interest rate is currently 10.75%  There are no pre-payment penalties.  Also of note is the fact that DVC writes the loan as a mortgage secured by the DVC deed.  Many U.S. taxpayers are eligible to deduct the interst paid on the DVC loan from their 1040 Federal Tax Return.  (Contact your tax advisor for details.)

Note that financing over a 10-year period will add significant costs to the purchase.

Another alternative is to secure a home equity loan to help finance the purchase.  The interest rate on a home equity loan will almost certainly be lower than DVC's rates, and the interest is often tax-deductible as well.

DVC will even accept credit cards as a form of payment.  Special low interest access checks may help lock-in a particularly attractive interest rate for the life of the loan, however the interest is typically not tax-deductible.

Once I'm a DVC member, can I buy more points?

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Yes.

In addition to the resorts being actively marketed, DVC does occasionally re-acquire points at the older resorts and will gladly sell those points to existing and even new members.  Current members can add any number of points 25 and up, subject to availability.  The add-on must be 50 points or more in order to finance through DVC.  Additionally, there are usually minimum purchase thresholds before any promotional discounts will apply.

Add-on points will take the form of a stand-alone contract, meaning that the member could later sell any add-on or master contract while retaining others.

Promotional discounts are typically not offered when buying the “sold out” resorts from DVC.  Also, all members are subject to the contractual ending dates for each contract.  Contract durations vary so be sure you make the ending date a factor in any purchase decision.

Visit our Pricing & Promotions page for details on sale prices and discounts for all DVC properties.

Can I tour any resorts other than those DVC is officially selling?

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Until 2005, DVC’s main sales center was located adjacent to the BoardWalk Villas.  Upon the sales center’s relocation to Saratoga Springs Resort, DVC remodeled most of the model rooms housed at the BoardWalk and the applicable points were sold to members. 

Today DVC still maintains a small presence on the BoardWalk.  A single model unit is located near the Big River Grille and Brewing Works.  While formal guided tours are not offered, the model unit is staffed by a DVC Cast Member during daylight hours.  Members and non-members are welcome to visit at their leisure.

Other resort guest rooms can often be viewed by visiting the resort's front desk.  If the resort has a clean, vacant room available and can spare a Cast Member, they will escort you to the room and allow you to spend a few minutes looking around. 

What if I later discover I have too many points? Can I sell some and keep the rest?

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DVC contracts cannot be sub-divided by an owner (member) after purchase.  A single contract of 400 points (or any other denomination) must always remain intact.

For maximum flexibility, purchasing large blocks of points in smaller increments is advisable.  An owner with 400 points spread over two 200-pt contracts would have the ability to bequeath their ownership to two heirs upon their death.  Alternatively the owner could choose to sell one contract and keep the other if ownership needs changed later in life.

The owner of the single 400-pt contract is required to either keep the single contract or sell the entire ownership interest.  Multiple heirs could be named on a single contract, but they would remain joint owners of the one contract.

Do the number of points for a night's stay ever change?

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Yes!  The point values can and do change in a number of ways.

At the Disney Vacation Club resorts, the point values are subject to a number of seasonal adjustments each year.  For instance, the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday around Thanksgiving (US) currently fall in Magic Season regardless of the calendar dates.  The week before and after Easter are Premier Season.  This season will change annually depending upon when Easter falls.  

Additionally, as the timeshare manager DVC also retains the legal right to reallocate the points to better reflect member demand.  Reallocation is the process of raising the point requirements for a specific resort / room size / season / day of the week while lowering the points elsewhere.  The key to reallocation is that the total points for the year in a single resort cannot change.  But DVC does have the right to increase points in one period due to excess demand while lowering points elsewhere due to lower demand.  

A reallocations have occurred back in 1996 and again in 2010.  Generally speaking the 2010 reallocation will lower point costs for weekend nights will moderately increasing all weekday point costs.  When viewing our resort Point Charts , be sure to review both the current and 2010 values in order to determine the impact of the reallocation.  

Buyers should assume that reallocations will occur every few years, and buy with the understanding that a trip which costs exactly 185 points in 2010 may cost moderately more or less in a future year.  

As for the non-DVC resorts and other uses of DVC points including stays at the Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Disneyland Hotel, Disney Cruise Line, etc., these point values are subject to annual adjustments.  Using points outside of the DVC resorts is technically a "trade" which is facilitated by the Disney Vacation Club.  As such, they have the right to evaluate the finances of the trade program on an annual basis and adjust the costs accordingly.  

There were periods when the point values for DCL and non-DVC destinations declined from one year to the next.  There were also years when no increase occurred.  But generally-speaking the expectation should be that costs will only increase over time for these point uses. 

If I buy my points directly from DVC, when can I make my first reservation?

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Those who purchase their DVC ownership interest directly from Disney can make their first reservation within 24 hours of giving a verbal commitment and down payment.  While the prospective member is well within his rights to rescind the agreement to purchase, it's a "no harm, no foul" situation for DVC; if the deal is cancelled, they simply cancel the pending reservation. 

This is one of the benefits of purchasing directly from DVC rather than via a resale broker.  While buying resale can result in substantial savings, plan on 60-90 days from the time an offer is accepted until the ownership is transferred and DVC has record of the new owner.  Only then can the new owner begin to make reservations using his points.

What is the Disney Vacation Club?

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DVC is a timeshare.  Period. 

 But wait...don't let that scare you away!

Most people are familiar with the traditional timeshare model; owners buy a specific week at a specific cabin / hotel / villa and return to that destination year-after-year.  Over the years timeshares have earned a reputation for sleazy sales tactics, lackluster property management and the dramatic loss in value after the initial purchase.

DVC is a little different. 

First, DVC is a point-based timeshare.  Owners purchase a specific number of points which represent their ownership in the Club.  Each date / resort / room class combination then has a published number of points required for a single night's stay.  There are virtually no limitations placed on when, where and one uses his or her points.  For instance, a DVC memebr could spend 10 nights in a Studio villa at the BoardWalk one year, and 5 nights in a Three Bedroom Grand Villa at Old Key West the next year.  The only requirements are that the member have enough points to book the accommodations desired, and that the resort has enough capacity for the member. 

A DVC purchase of 200 points means that the member will receive 200 points to use every single year until the contract with Disney ends.  Program guidelines even allow members to "bank" their points one year into the future and "borrow" from the next year.  These features add another layer of flexibility in that members who need more than their 200-point ownership for a particularly expensive trip have options available...other than buying more points, of course.

What does it cost?

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There are two cost components to DVC ownership:  the initial purchase price and Annual Dues. 

The initial purchase is essentially the fee paid to an entity called Disney Vacation Development to acquire an ownership in DVC.  In simpler terms, Disney makes most of its money by selling points in the first place.  This is their profit after the tremendous expenses incurred in building and selling points to members. 

As of this writing DVC points retail for $112 each with promotional discounts in the neighborhood of $5.00 - 6.25 per point.  The minimum purchase is 160 points, meaning that the minimum amount required to buy into DVC is a little more than $17,000. 

Don't panic yet because DVC will help you finance the purchase.  More on that in another topic.

The other cost component of DVC ownership is Annual Dues.  A "member" in the Disney Vacation Club is actually a deeded part-owner of a Disney resort hotel.  One of the obligations of being an owner is to help pay the operating costs and upkeep of the resort.  It's similar to buying a home--you pay a large sum up-front (or take out a mortgage) to acquire the property, and then you still have to pay utility bills, property taxes, lawn care, replace the roof, etc. 

DVC dues cover similar expenses at the resorts--items ranging from the salaries and benefits of front desk and housekeeping cast members to theme park transportation (bus, boat) to property taxes.

Dues vary by resort and are expressed in terms of a set dollar amount per point.  In 2009, the dues at Saratoga Springs Resort are $4.34 per point.  An owner with 200 points would then be responsible for $868 in dues for the year.  The dues can be paid in one lump sum or debited to a US checking or savings account each month.

So, to buy 200 points at Saratoga Springs you are looking at approximately $21,000 up front plus another $868 per year ($74 per month) in dues.  That may sound like a lot, but check out our Breakeven Analysis and see if you still think so.

What is a Home Resort?

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When you buy into DVC you actually own a portion of a Disney resort hotel.  That is considered your Home resort.

The value of one's Home Resort is twofold:

1.  Booking window - A DVC owner can begin booking his Home resort ELEVEN months from the arrival date of the desired trip.  However, he cannot book a resort which is not his Home until SEVEN months from the arrival date.  What this effectively does is give the owner a four month head start booking the resort at which he/she owns. 

In periods where demand is particularly high or certain room classes are in short supply, having that four month booking advantage is critical.  

2.  Annual Dues - Dues paid by each member are based upon one's Home resort.  It doesn't matter where that member chooses to use his points.  A Saratoga Springs owner can elect to book most or all of his trips at other resorts, but he will continue to pay the published dues amount for owners at Saratoga Springs.

Most agree that the key aspect of picking a Home resort is #1 above--the Home resort booking advantage.  Those who have a strong preference for a single DVC property would be well-advised to buy into their favorite resort.  On the other hand, Home resort would not be of great importance to those who do not have a strong resort preference or who plan to take full advantage of the program's ability to visit multiple properties.   

I'm intrigued by DVC but would like to know more. Where do I turn?

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If you will be visiting Walt Disney World or Disneyland, you can schedule a tour with a DVC salesperson (aka "Guide.")  The tours at WDW are currently conducted out of a sales center at Saratoga Springs Resort.  Disney has model rooms on display for both the Animal Kingdom Villas and Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort. 

Disneyland has its own sales center, located on the grounds of the Disneyland Hotel, with models of the Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Resort.

DVC also has a sales center located in the Woodfield Mall in Schamburg, Illinois.  This sales center is the first of its kind, located outside of one of the Disney theme parks.  Nevertheless, it does have full-scale replicas of the Animal Kingdom Villas rooms available and professional Guides on-site to answer questions.

If you won't be visiting one of these locations in the near future, consider contacting DVC to request information be sent to your home.  Visit www.disneyvacationclub.com and click on the link to be contacted by a DVC Guide or to order a DVD sent directly to your home. 

Requesting the DVD is a painless step which will NOT lead to an endless stream of harassing salesperson phone calls.  DVC knows that the product largely sells itself and, while experiences with individual salespeople will vary, DVC does not encourage a hard-sell sales approach in any way, shape or form. 

Please Support This Site

Regardless of the method used to contact DVC, we would like to appeal to our readers to use the process as a method of showing support for this website.  DVC has a referral program which allows current members (i.e. those of us who developed this site) to earn rewards by referring new members to DVC if they ultimately buy into the program. 

Whether you are considering taking a tour, speaking to a salesperson on the phone or simply ordering the DVD, please contact us first to obtain the name of a current member on our writing staff to use as a referral.  Using a current member as a referral will NOT have any negative impact on your final purchase price--in fact, on a number of occasions DVC has been known to offer LOWER prices to those with a referral on file. 

Note that the referral normally MUST be given at the first point of contact with DVC.  Please take a moment to contact us BEFORE reaching-out to DVC.  

Tell me about the DVC tour

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While you can stop by any of the dozens of DVC sales booths in the resorts and theme parks to schedule a tour on-the-spot, we recommend planning the tour in advance. 

Scheduling the tour in advance guarantees that your Guide will be ready and waiting for you at the agreed-upon time.  It means that you will already be thinking about DVC and have had the opportunity to pose questions when scheduling the tour. 

It also provides the best means of taking advantage of DVC's free round-trip transportation.  DVC will provide you with direct transportation to and from the sales center at the time of the tour.  With a little careful planning you can really minimize the amount of park time missed.  For example:

7:45am - Pick-up at resort hotel
8am to 10am - Tour
10:15 - Drop off at theme park

In this scenario, very little park time is missed as you'll be arriving at the park barely an hour after its opening time. 

Another approach would be to schedule a mid-afternoon pickup at one of the theme parks.  After the tour you could opt to be returned to your hotel just in time to freshen-up an head out to dinner. 

Scheduing the tour on-the-fly leaves you subject to roadblocks.  DVC may not have transportation readily available to take you to the sales center.  Upon arrival at the sales center, all of the Guides may be occupied with other potential members. 

Scheduling in advance insures a tour done on your terms rather than Disney's.

The tour itself will normally take 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  The Guide will walk you through all of the model rooms available and then spend a few minutes answering any questions you may have. 

Small token gifts are typically provided at the end of the tour.  The most common reward is an "immediate" FastPass.  When inserted in a FastPass machine, these special cards will print-out FastPass tickets that can be used immediately, without any need to wait for a later return window.  Other rewards offered at times have included meal vouchers, small-demonination gift cards ($50-100) and trading pins.

DVC maintains a childcare center in the sales facility and they will ask that any youngsters be left behind while the adults go on the tour.  The center is staffed by Disney Cast Members and there is no cost--although they do require that you take your children with you when you leave. ;-)

Many timeshare salespeople use a tactic of continually lowering the asking price the longer you stay in the room.  They will also tell you that the pricing offered expires as soon as you walk out the door.  Not so with DVC.  Prices are non-negotiable--they always provide you with lowest available bottom-line cost on which to base your decision.  There is no need to worry that the guy in the next room may be getting a better deal.  And, while DVC may attach some expiration date to the discounts offered, they will always provide at least three days to make a decision. 

If you would like additional time to make a decision, be certain to ask for an extension before leaving the sales center.  There are documented accounts of individuals who disregarded the time limits and were later denied the request to have the incentives reinstated.

How much do the Annual Dues cost?

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Annual Dues are expressed as an amount due per point owned.  The following chart lists the Annual Dues amounts, per point, since the inception of DVC:

Annual Dues are collected to fund the operating costs of the resort.  DVC owners pay for the costs of nearly all resort amenities including front desk Cast Member salaries and benefits, theme park transportation and even Property Taxes.  Another component of the dues goes toward a Reserve Fund which is used to pay for long-term projects such as roof replacement, parking lot and road repaving and even wholesale room refurbishments.

Complete details of the 2009 DVC Resort Budgets can be found HERE.

Given the inflationary nature of the economy, dues should be expected to rise at a rate of 3-4% per year.  Staff salaries increase...fuel costs increase...insurance premiums increase.

While the compounding impact of 3-4% increase over an extended period of time will be significant, simiar increases should be expected at Disney cash resorts.  In recent years Disney's rack rates have steadily risen at a rate of 3-5% per year.

Can I buy DVC points from someone other than Disney?

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Yes!

Buying DVC points directly from Disney is comparable to buying a new home from the builder.  In the same way that you can buy a house from another family that currently owns it, you can also buy DVC points from another party.

A number of resale agents exist to help sellers and buyers connect with one another.  Visit our Links page for a list of reputable brokers who deal in Disney Vacation Club contracts.

Which is better: Buying points direct from DVC or via resale?

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Well, that depends.  Each process has its own set of pros and cons.  Each buyer will have to evaluate the process and determine which is the better fit.

Direct Purchase

+ Quicker turnaround:  DVC will normally permit new buyers to make their first reservation within 24 hours of agreeing to purchase.

+ Easier financing:  DVC will finance the purchase for up to 10 years with a 10% downpayment.  Interest paid is tax-deductible by many US residents.

+ Ability to pick the exact number of points desired and often specify a certain Use Year.

- More expensive:  Although it varies by resort, DVC's pricing can be 10-30% higher than a similar resale purchase.

Resale Purchase

+ Cheaper:  The great appeal of buying resale is to save a few dollars.  It's not uncommon for resale contracts to be priced $8-10 per point less than DVC's sale prices--often there is an even greater disparity for older resorts.

+ Negotiable pricing / sale terms:  DVC's direct pricing is virtually set in stone.  They do not negotiate.  However, when buying resale, the door is wide open to negotiation between the parties.  

+ Ability to purchase fewer points.  DVC has a minimum purchase threshold of 160 points.  They will not sell less than that to a new member.  However, contracts with as few as 25 points are available on the resale marketplace and there are no restrictions which would prohibit a new member from buying a contract of less than 160.

+ Potential for acquiring a contract with banked points.  When buying direct from DVC, the buyer will receive their first set of points for the CURRENT Use Year.  However, it is not uncommon for resale contracts to include an additional set of points which were banked from the PRIOR Use Year.   

- Slower transaction than direct:  buyers should expect it to take 60-90 days from the time of their first offer until they close on the sale and are recognized by DVC as the new owner. 

- May have to wait a while for proper contract to become available; Once created DVC contracts cannot be modified.  A potential owner looking to acquire a precise number of points with a specific Home resort and Use Year may have to wait weeks or months before such a contract is offered.

? Buyer will either have to pay cash for the contract or arrange outside financing.  Resale agents do not finance the contracts (although some have preferred lenders to whom they can refer customers.)  Buying with a credit card also is not permitted in most cases.  Using a Home Equity loan to finance the purchase is a valid approach, which will also allow the buyer to deduct interest paid.  However, most bank loans would be written as simple signature loans, for which the interest would not be tax-deductible. 

Direct purchase and resale are both valid approaches to DVC ownership.  DVC does not discriminate against those who choose to buy resale--once listed as the owner-of-record, a resale buyer has the same rights and priviledges as any other DVC member. 

Potential members should carefully evaluate all of their options to determine which approach better suits their situation.

Exactly how do I save money using DVC?

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Oooh, there's a loaded question!

First let's do an apples-to-apples comparison.  An owner with 160 DVC points can spend 11 consecutive nights (say Sunday through the second Wednesday) in a Studio Villa at Saratoga Springs during Dream Season.  (Note there are actually two cheaper seasons than Dream.) 

In 2007, the Rack Rate for one night in a Studio during Value season is $279 plus 12.5% resort tax.  That's about $313 per night.  Let's assume that as a cash guest one would make identical 11-night stays each year.  Below is a table which shows the total out-of-pocket costs for DVC members vs. cash guests:

In the illustration above, by the year 2012 (just 6 years into the DVC purchase), the total amount spent as a cash guest has already exceeded the amount spent as a DVC member for the same accommodations.  By the 10th year of ownership, the DVC member has already saved nearly $17,000 compared to the cash guest.

Here are some assumptions made in this analysis:

• The DVC initial purchase amount plus first year annual dues are reflected in 2007.  From 2008 forward only the DVC dues are listed.
• DVC purchase is noted at $94 per point.
• DVC dues noted at $4.12 per point in 2007.
• Cash room rate is $279 plus 12.5% tax in 2007.
• A 3% annual increase has been noted for both cash room rates and DVC dues.
• Interest paid on a loan to finance the DVC purchase is not reflected.
• No discount was applied to the Rack Rates.  Discounts are often available via AAA, Annual Passholder program or other avenues.

It is very, very important to note that the results will vary depending upon the resort, season, room size and even days of week of the stay.  This analysis includes two higher-point weekend nights.  DVC members can elect to economize further by sticking exclusively to weekdays.  When used exclusively for weekday stays, 160 points would actually net as many as 14 nights per year at Saratoga Springs (with 6 points remaining to bank into the next year.) 

So, DVC really CAN save money--a LOT of money.  However, there are still a number of issues any sensible individual should consider before taking the plunge, for example:

• Do you really want to commit to visiting a Disney theme park every year?  Don't forget to project the added expense of park tickets, transportation, food and souvenirs.   DVC just gets you the room!
• Are you prepared to commit to staying at one of the DVC resorts every single year?  Using points at a resort like the Polynesian is feasible but not very practical given the added cost.
• If you would have to finance, consider how interest payments will extend the breakeven point.
• If you would normally stay at a Value or Moderate resort, comparing DVC to Deluxe Studio room rates is not exactly apples-to-apples for your situation.  Consider that instead of saving money, you may end up paying similar dollars for a higher quality resort stay.
• Similarly, if you intend to use points for a One Bedroom or larger villa, consider that DVC is very unlikely to save you any real dollars (when compared to the cash price of a standard Deluxe guest room) but may be a vehicle for improving the quality of the stay.