Thinking about buying

[Ranger275]

We have 7 people in our family so no matter where we go on vacation we need two rooms. At Disney that is pretty expensive and elsewhere it can add up as well. Then on vacation you need to eat, if you have regular hotel rooms you end up eating every meal out. Also expensive.

So when I look at DVC I see a better room, large enough for all of us and the ability to eat as many meals as we want in room and save on a lot on food.

If you are going anyway, if you can afford it, it is a no brainer. If we didn't have DVC we wouldn't be going as often, when we did go we wouldn't be staying in the deluxe resorts and we wouldn't be eating in our room. I see it as investing in your family and vacations. You can't look at it as a real estate investment or a financial investment. It is a family investment and knowing I have a vacation at Disney at a real nice resort helps me get through work the rest of the year.

We pay around $1200 a year in dues, when we go we get a two bedroom condo usually and we go for 6 nights. Even if we stayed in a economy hotel a room would be near $100 a night per room, so $200 a night. So $1200 for that week, but we would be eating out every meal as well. Last April when we went we ate every meal in except for one, so that week alone we had a better room and saved a lot of money on food.

I don't regret DVC at all. We have used it to cruise twice as well. I didn't just buy it to spend time with the kids either. We plan on using it after the kids are grownup ourselves and some day to take grandkids.

[macuser]

If you can swing it, go for it! We bought in last year and so far no regrets. My in-laws actually looked at buying in way back in the 90s (5 kids) but decided not to. They wish they had, but now they can use ours (now if only someone can talk my FIL into taking a vacation). We only have 2 kids, but like nice resorts and hotels. We like vacationing with our family though.

We have 150 pts at BLT (just for us) and then 250 pts at AKV (that we share). (Yes, I understand all the pts are pooled at 7 mos, but the BLT contract is our lil secret, m'kay?) We love BLT for the MK factor and the nighttime boat parade (glass of wine, kids in bed, and a balcony overlooking a water parade? perfection). AKV is our "built-in entertainment" home. No need to go to the parks, can just relax and chill out. We know as the kids get older that MK will lose some of it's sparkle with the kids (which is why, one of these next trips, we plan to check out what BCV and BWV look like. Thinking about that as a resale contract should the stars align), but hoping that the appeal of GIRAFFES! ZEBRAS! FLAMINGOES! will not lose the sparkle! (perfect morning is AKV, looking out on the savanna with a cup of coffee).

Good luck!