There are lots of Disney World fans out there, but DVC members have taken their love for the parks to a whole other level. The Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is essentially a timeshare program for Disney World, and it’s been a popular club since it was founded in 1991.
Disney Vacation Club
Although the DVC is made up of lots of loyal Disney fans, some of those fans have started to question their devotion to the parks. We’ve heard from several members who are wondering if now is the time to drop their membership and, if it is, how they should go about doing it. We’ve spoken to DVC members and timeshare experts to discover what the timeshare market looks like right now, why so many DVC members are considering leaving, and whether now is the time to jump ship on DVC holdings.
To get to the bottom of this mystery, we need to start at the beginning with a quick overview of what the DVC actually is. We’ll then dive into how the DVC has changed recently, including why some members are becoming disillusioned with it. Then we’ll analyze the current timeshare market and discover whether DVC members should sell their timeshares. Finally, we’ll give you some tips on how to get out of the DVC and other timeshares if you choose to do that.
What Is the DVC?
The Disney Vacation Club is like a timeshare program, but it has some differences from most timeshares. For example, members aren’t “locked in” to a specific Disney destination, resort, season of travel, or length of stay. Instead, members use a vacation points system to book their Disney trips.
DVC at Hollywood Studios
DVC members get a yearly allotment of vacation points, which is based on the size of their real estate interest or their “home” DVC resort hotel. They use those points to book vacations!
DVC members can “bank” vacation points, which means they can save unused points from the current year to use the next year, or “borrow” points from the coming year to put toward the current year’s vacation.
Disney Vacation Club Sign in Magic Kingdom
How the DVC Has Changed Recently
Now that you’ve got an idea about what the DVC is, you might be wondering why some DVC members are starting to change their minds now. There are a variety of possible reasons, but most of them have to do with recent changes to the club.
DVC booth
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Disney World closed its parks and hotels, Disney made a few adjustments to the DVC points policy for a limited time. For example, the DVC lifted the close-in reservation cancellation restrictions and returned points that had previously been used to book reservations during the pandemic.
DVC Ornament
When all the DVC resorts were open again, bookings returned to the pre-COVID cancellation policies. However, some changes remained in place for a while later, including a 50% borrowing restriction, meaning that members could only borrow 50% of the next year’s points to put towards the current year.
DVC pins
The normal banking deadlines returned as well, and the rules for canceling and modifying reservations (which affect what happens to your unused points) are back in place.
DVC members are no longer offered free MagicBands when they book a Disney vacation, although some DVC-exclusive lounges and events have returned.
How DVC Members’ Feelings Have Changed
We spoke with one DVC member, Melody, who has been a member since 2006. She noted that some of the recent changes have been aggravating and have impacted how she feels now about the club. She said, “I’m a die-hard Disney fan. I love Disney, and I’ll put up with a lot. But they’ve really pushed my buttons with how they’ve been holding [points] and will only let you borrow 50% of your points.”
Disney World
She pointed out that this isn’t how most timeshares work — “When you own a timeshare, you own that. You pay taxes on that. But then I could only borrow 50% of my points.” When she went to Disney to ask about why this policy didn’t return to the pre-COVID rules, Cast Members told us that it was because Disney wants everyone to be able to come and enjoy the parks, so limiting the points available makes that possible. But Melody pointed out that she “paid for an extra tier of service” that, now, she’s not getting.
DVC lounge above the Imagination Pavilion
In fact, Melody and others have told us that “existing DVC members seem to be forgotten” as Disney continues to push for new people to join the club.
Melody initially joined the DVC because she wanted her kids to have the same Disney memories growing up as she did. She was told by the DVC that they would hold points for members so that they could book vacations at any moment and be able to find availability reserved for them. Since she owns her own business and doesn’t always have a set schedule, this kind of booking flexibility was very appealing. However, Melody said, “You find out later that everything is not what they said it was.” When she tried to book a vacation on short notice, she was unable to find any rooms available. She’s tried frequently since then, and only once has Disney had a room available.
Grand Floridian Resort DVC Studio
Although recent changes have been difficult, she added that there wasn’t anything hidden about the DVC when they signed up. The DVC hadn’t been dishonest necessarily, but members have “lost a lot of the perks.” The extra service that members paid for still holds true, and she said, “There was always someone to talk to, and they listened to what I wanted to say. They’ve treated us OK, and everyone’s been kind.”
DVC-exclusive pins
Although it’s “really disheartening” for Melody to see the value of the DVC going down, she has continued to hold onto her membership, despite being contacted twice by lawyers who were working to file a class-action suit against the DVC and wanted her to take part in that. These lawsuits are a response to DVC members’ feelings that they are being treated unfairly and not being given what they were initially promised. According to those involved with the lawsuits, members are given many perks at first, when they sign up to the DVC, and those perks are taken away slowly until it seems that Disney is not meeting the contract originally sold to the members.
Closed DVC booth
Besides the changes within the DVC itself, many members are also upset with recent changes at Disney World. Price increases, the introduction of Park Pass Reservations, the replacement of FastPass+ with Genie+, the loss of Magical Express, and other adjustments have caused some members to consider dropping their DVC membership. Melody said she’s thought about getting out of the DVC before: “Yes, I’ve thought about it. I’ve even called them [about selling my points back].”
Lightning Lane
Ultimately, however, Melody decided to keep her membership and now frequently chooses to rent her points out to other people. By renting out points through third-party groups (like David’s Vacation Rentals), members can avoid losing points they won’t use that year. Melody said that she can rent her DVC points and use that to make enough money to pay taxes on the locations, which means it’s not costing her anything to keep the points.
©Disney’s Aulani Resort has DVC rooms
When asked if she would ever leave the DVC, Melody said, “I still think about it. It’s not off the table. But I don’t think this is the right time to do it. Disney is going through a big transition right now […] and I don’t think I’ll get top dollar for [my points] now.” She mentioned that she expects Disney CEO Bob Chapek will have to reverse some of the recent changes because “what’s going on is going to bite [Disney] in the butt,” particularly if demand for the parks settles down. UPDATE: Just as a note, As of November 20, 2023, Bob Iger has taken over as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
Crowds in Fantasyland
Melody’s advice to DVC members who aren’t sure what to do with their membership is to rent out points you won’t use to others for now rather than selling your points back completely. You can contact the DVC to get started, or use third-party groups. Just be sure to research whichever group you’ll rent through to make sure they’re reliable. (As a side note, if you want to stay at a Disney World Deluxe hotel but you don’t want to pay full price and you aren’t a DVC member, renting those points can sometimes be a much cheaper way of staying at those hotels!)
DVC room
For non-DVC members who are thinking about joining, Melody said, “I think I would wait until things even out again. I don’t think there are a lot of perks anymore, so I don’t know why you would want to put that kind of money into it. I would wait and see.”
In general, the current feeling of some DVC members, including Melody, is that the DVC isn’t what it used to be. Changes within the club and within Disney World as a whole have made them question their dedication to the brand, and they’re hoping that things will go back to normal soon.
“Wishing You A Magical Day”
So should you drop out of the DVC if you’re currently a member? We spoke to some timeshare experts to find out.
The Current Market for Timeshares
To get a better understanding of the current market for timeshares, we spoke to Christopher Elliot, who owns Elliot Advocacy — a company that helps customers resolve conflicts with businesses and has worked with several clients who had problems with timeshares. We also talked to the CEO of the American Resort Development Association (ARDA), Jason Gamel. The ARDA is the trade association for the timeshare industry and works with timeshares in a variety of ways.
Elliot and Gamel represent 2 different sides of the issue, with Elliot working mainly with dissatisfied timeshare customers and Gamel working to advocate for timeshare owners and developers.
©Disney | Polynesian Village Resort DVC building concept art
According to Elliot, the current market surrounding timeshares could be considered a buyer’s market. He said, “I’ve been hearing from a lot of travelers who are trying to unload their timeshares, and I suspect I’ll see more if a recession happens.” Part of the reason for this shift might have been the COVID-19 pandemic, which potentially made people realize “that timeshares weren’t as valuable as [buyers] thought they were.”
COVID-19 Health and Safety Sign
By contrast, Gamel said that the timeshare business is still booming. He said that it’s difficult to accurately determine if it’s a buyer’s market because there are many different outlets for buying and selling timeshares. But from a new sales standpoint, “the last 2 years have reinforced that it’s a great way to travel.”
A full kitchen at the Grand Floridian DVC villas
Owning a timeshare gives people more flexibility and often more space, so “demand has remained relatively high.” He reported that owners are seeing that “occupancies are still full,” which shows that timeshares are still popular options.
Timeshares: Hold Onto Them or Drop Out?
With conflicting views on the timeshare market, it might be tricky to decide whether to keep your own timeshares or DVC membership. Your decision will ultimately come down to your priorities and budget. If an annual vacation is very important to you, and if you feel comfortable with the cost of your timeshare, it’d be a good idea to hold onto your timeshare.
Living area of the 2-bedroom Enhanced Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian
Gamel said that, during the 2008 recession, many people still weren’t looking to sell their timeshares. People didn’t want to stop vacationing and may have needed the rest more than ever. With inflation affecting hotel and Airbnb prices, owning a timeshare might be a cheaper way to keep those vacations going.
Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
However, Elliot also said that timeshare owners who are considering getting rid of their timeshares should sell now. He said, “I doubt their timeshares will be appreciating in value anytime soon — if ever.” If your timeshare is getting to be more of a burden than a blessing, it might be a good idea to get rid of it sooner rather than later.
It could be a gamble to decide if and when to sell your timeshare or vacate the DVC, so you’ll need to look at what works best for you. One indication that the DVC is still going strong and will likely continue to do well is how invested Disney seems to be in the club. Gamel pointed out that Disney seems to be focusing a lot on new and existing DVC hotels.
Construction update on the upcoming DVC building
For example, Disney recently renovated some DVC rooms at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and they’re currently clearing the space to build a new DVC building at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. Over in Disneyland, 350 new DVC villas are expected to come to the Disneyland Hotel by 2023.
What To Do If You Want Out
So how do you get out of your timeshare, and specifically out of the DVC? According to Gamel, your first step should be to contact the DVC directly. They may be able to connect you with other people who are looking to buy into the club, and you could sell your points to them.
New DVC rooms
Another option would be to rent your points instead of selling them. As we mentioned previously, DVC member Melody prefers this option as it allows for her to use the points if she wants to or to rent and thus make her money back so that her membership isn’t a financial burden.
DVC Minnie Ears
For other timeshares, Elliot gave this advice for selling your timeshare back: “A site like ARDA’s Responsibleexit.com can connect you with timeshare developers who have free or low-cost exit options or professional licensed real estate brokers who specialize in timeshares. (Note: Some of our readers have reported that this site is unresponsive.) You can list your timeshare on a website like the Timeshare Users Group. Or you can also contact a timeshare reseller, although that can be complicated” (Elliot Advocacy). You can ask the company you bought your timeshare from about exit options, and they may be able to help you out.
Click here to see why Disney World might be EMPTY in 2023.
While the DVC may be a great way to plan for lots of Disney vacations in the future, many members are currently feeling disillusioned by the club and by Disney in general. Many experts are fairly certain about a recession coming soon, so for some, now may be the time to start learning how to rent points or to contemplate leaving in preparation. But like we stated above, this will really depend on you and your wants and needs when it comes to DVC.
Disney Vacation Club Member Mug
However, members also don’t necessarily need to panic. Timeshares have proven to be a fairly common and useful investment, so your commitment to taking time off and spending that time in Disney World may be exactly what you need. It’ll depend on your own situation and priorities.
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I’m not sure when this article was written but only being about to borrow 50% of future years points is no longer in effect. This ended July 31, 2022. I have been a member since 1995. I bought in right when they ended the free park passes when you booked a vacation at WDW. I was never told that there would be availability at any time and I have always tried to book as far in advance as possible. I have heard lots of members having good luck with wait-lists and now that there are so many more members, being flexible helps.
We don’t go every year and I have rented our points when we don’t need them. I was even able to do it with some points I forgot to bank this year instead of losing them.
It is certainly more expensive now to go to the parks and dine but I am keeping my points!
I wish these articles were dated because Disney information changes all the time. I can never tell if this is supposed to be new info or an old article shared via stories again. For instance, the borrowing restrictions were lifted earlier this year for DVC members after the amount of points evened out post-pandemic.
I wonder how many DVC families are struggling with not being able to get annual passes. I am a DVC owner and I let my passes go during the pandemic and now I cannot get new ones. I may use my points but go to Universal instead😂
We have been members of DVC since 1999 and have done extensive use of our points at the 3 locations we owned. We have also rented points when we knew we would not be using them and like the above comments things have calmed down as DVC experienced the same travel rush as most other travel destinations. Please note that we bought points over the years for 3 resorts prices ranging from $55 to $78 per point and comparing DVC to other timeshare programs is a disservice to your readers. As a RE broker I know that Disney has propped up the pricing of new and resales by their investment in the program. Look at the resale sites and see what my Boardwalk points are selling for….a profit if sold for our family on all locations, Beach Club and OKW included. Also the non financial side of this is the MILLIONS of memories our family has made. We just returned in Oct. from a trip with our last of 13 grandchildren special 5yo trip. Money does not buy this kind of joy! Finally, our will includes transfer of ownership as our kids Love the opportunity to share trip with there kids and grand kids. We are not fans of Bob Chapek or the prices, but remember we are not tied to Disney we have used DVC for other parks or no parks many times and we love the options offered in other DVC locations like Hilton Head. Or a day trip to Canaveral returning to a beautiful resort for relaxing. What really saddens us is the amount of Chapek’s leadership team greed. Disney has lost the dream of Walt’s family vacation destination when the price can exceed $15000 for a family of 4-5. Prices of food and lodging will not go down, but it appears that Disney will continue to support pricing of resales for many years.
We actually sold our DVC Membership years ago and it was the best decision we made. We owned it for about 1o years but found that we love cruising and we like staying at different resorts, including value. The dues kept increasing and it just made sense for us to not own anymore. We love going to Disney but now I feel like it works better for us to go the way we want to go.
When DVC started in 1991 you could only borrow 50% of points. Also, I don’t see any DVC benifits that are being cut that were exclusive to VDC only. Free magic bands are not being offered site wide. I’ve been a member since 1997.
This was a fairly comprehensive article, but I wish DFB would have included what perks you get for being a loyal DVC member. It seems to me that those people have made quite an investment in Disney and continue to do so with their yearly fees.
It would be nice to solicit the opinion, as in DCC members, who understand the challenges that the club was under after Covid. With all the closings there had to be a way to allow people to come back at a throttled rate, until demand met supply again.
I really enjoyed my membership in DVC. We felt it was a good deal. I recently purchased a house(retirement) 11 miles from WDW. My original contracts(2) were purchased @ $80 a point. Sold both contracts for $108 & $114 a point. My park discounts are now covered by my AP. I certainly would not purchase back into DVC with the current market.
We bought our points over the course of 15 years as a form of retirement planning. The numbers, so far, prove it to be a good decision. We ended up with 1500 points and our dues are about $11, 000 per year. I’m a numbers nut, so I tracked every time we stayed at a resort and what the cost would have been if we’d paid cash. Even subtracting for the dues, we are $10 – $15,000 ahead every year depending if we do straight resorts or mix in a cruise. In retirement we could not afford to do WDW if we had to pay cash for the resort as well. Like a lot of people, I am extremely unhappy with the price gouging and charges for previously free stuff like Fastpass. So this coming year we are only cruising and next year we are going to be renting out our points and maybe going down once for a week. We’ll do Disney Springs and enjoy Florida without sinking money into the parks. Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all a good night.
Between me and my extended family, we do Disney at least every other year. We bank the off year so that we can upgrade our room when we go. DVC has saved us thousands over decades.
I agree w all the comments. I don’t think any true Disney people are fans of how BoB Chapek is sucking out the magic for everything related to Disney. I think the one thing missing though is that Dvc points are only good for 25 years not a lifetime. We certainly will pass to our daughter, but the Marriott timeshares are forever: it’s slightly misleading when that time frame is not mentioned. We only bought limited points because we already own Marriott and I feel like we can pretty much stay where and when we like between the 2 of them. The whole AP issue really does suck though. We have been AP for 25 years at least. We remember when they were $400 a year!
this is so odd: we’ve been able to borrow 100% of our DVC points for months now! what’s more, they are adding in late-night park hours that are exclusively for deluxe hotel guests (which includes DVC members). We stayed at Aulani with an ocean view which would have cost an absurd amount had we paid in cash… and the exchange program will allow us to stay in a nice hotel in NYC (and parts of Europe) for 20 points a night. Last month our daughter had a night available and we wanted to gift her a night at Disney — and we booked an Animal Kingdom lodge studio with a surprisingly lovely view just three days ahead of time. there are often DVC-exclusive discounts on tickets, pretty much all meals are 10% off… there are discounts on merch and events… honestly, I feel like DVC was one of the best investments we’ve made for our family!
We have been DVC members since 1997. DVC has enabled the best family vacations for us imaginable, not only at Disney World and Disneyland, but on the Disney Cruise line, enabling us to take some fantastic cruises in Europe. My wife and I just renewed our annual Sorcerer Passes and will soon be planning our family trip to WDW for next October. It has been a while since we all have been able to go together. We are aware of the “takeaways” since we first joined, but there are many perks still available. We are not fans of Bob Chapek at all and his blatant money grab. I don’t see him remaining CEO, as his policies are harming the brand and the guest goodwill. I only wish a Disney family member would confront Chapek, like Roy E. Disney did to Michael Eisner years ago, when Eisner was straying far from Walt’s vision. I am sympathetic to Disney’s losses during the Covid lockdowns, but they do not need to gouge their most loyal customers now that things are getting back to normal. At this stage, no plans to sell DVC now because we don’t think Chapek will be in charge forever. Chapek’s money grab and Woke Advocacy has spoiled some of the magic. But Chapek has not ruined everything — yet.
We have been DVC members since 2003. Back then I used to brag to anyone who would listen about how WDW would entertain you from morning til sometimes early next morning. Prices rise as time passes but you still get your money’s worth in a park. Food is insane though, 10 bucks for a chili dog, come on. A friend just spent 325.00 on a single concert ticket that lasted for less than two hours. Buying into DVC has allowed me to bring friends and family that I would never have been able to otherwise. I have never regretted a single minute of it. That said there has been a one area that the DVC promise has failed, and it is in the upkeep of the DVC resorts. Refurbs are not happening nearly soon enough and it is beginning to show. Some resorts have become an embarrassment and need to be fixed. I never thought I would go to a Disney resort and see the Formica top at the check in desk broken, separated or as filthy as my last visit to the Boardwalk. It was more representative of a Motel 6 than a flagship Disney resort. We were not greeted by the manager who had to pass us in the hallway several times because we were two door down from several fans trying to dry where a pipe burst. That was extremely telling for me. When the hourly amazing cast members greet you and the management team can’t be bothered to say good morning, things aren’t good. No other Disney resorts have guests who pay dues for the upkeep yet they seem to be looked after better even though most DVC resorts have regular guest rooms as well. At some point DVC leaders have forgotten or are not being allowed to keep the resorts up to the standards, promised me anyway, when I signed that contract in 2003. I have never considered selling and will not. The cast members in my home resort and some others we stay in regularly are in vacation photos for goodness sake. Where else would that even happen on vacation.
We recently sold our DVC membership in September and were members since 1993 with 230 pts. At the time and as an incentive, we were given free park admissions to the parks until the end of 1999 which needless say was a big savings back then. OKW was the only DVC resort at the time and we loved it with it’s laid back, quiet atmosphere. Over the years, we used our points for Hilton Head and Vero Beach stays which we enjoyed very much, in addition to staying at other DVC resorts on property. However, due to our age’s (75) and recent health issues we decided to sell now while there is still demand. We doubled our initial purchase price and DVC was the buyer which I’m sure they will turn around and rent out. After holding onto our DVC membership for nearly 30 years and seeing the decline in PERKS for our membership, in addition to the the constant rise in yearly dues, we decided now was the time. When they can’t even send you a plastic membership card when it’s due, you know the PERKS are going to disappear gradually. Trying to get reservations has also been a hassle recently since the pandemic started. Due to lack of staffing at most of the resorts, there hasn’t been enough housekeeping to take care of the rooms. Dining reservations have been hard to find also. We calculated a stay in a moderate resort for a week, equals what we pay in dues every year so if we decide to go to WDW we eliminate the worry of losing points and can book where and when we want in the future. It was nice while it lasted but all good things must come to an end.
DVC is ok, been a member since 2001, but the loss of alot of the perks is weighing very heavy on if it is still the good deal it once was…. just like the Disney Meal Plan. Starts out great and then Disney starts to cut back. I remember when it was free Valet parking at a DVC Resort…. not any more. And why do some restaurants honor the DVC Discount, and others do not… We DVC members should be getting the best deal at all restaurants and other establishments. We are signing on to support Disney for 40 years and more. They should be providing DVC members even more perks, bigger discounts and whatever other special events there might have been. I remember being called to see a special sneak preview of an upcoming Disney Movie, not any more. DVC members need to leverage their combined buying power with DVC management to bring back the members only perks. Make it worthwhile to be a DVC member. Back when I bought is was $65.00 per point and no closing costs. The deals and discounts started on day number one.
We seriously considered buying when my spouse came into an inheritance (we’d never borrow to purchase DVC with such high interest. No value there!). However, we started to see many of the perks going away (Magical Express was the final straw) and we’ve elected to simply rent DVC points instead. We used to go annually, now we’re planning on going perhaps every other year (or more) in favor of better value vacations. Kind of sad actually.
we have been members since 1992 and i have never ever regretted this decision. we would never have been able to stay at disney if it were not for the disney club. it was the best decision we ever made.
I’ve been going to Disney since they opened in the early 1970″s. I’ve watched the parks expand and enjoyed the new rides, attractions and hotel facilities over the years with great anticipation. However, during the past several years Disney has begun to lose its magic. Corporate greed has become very transparent and has infected every aspect of the Disney experience. In in addition to the huge price increases, the public is being abused by being charged for every conceivable service and convenience…from magic bands, parking spaces. bus transportation, the new Gene Service restricting when and how you can ride an attraction and charging admission for certain rides over and above the significant increase in cost for park admission. These changes collectively have diminished the enjoyment in the overall experience and has made many fans start to question whether they should consider a Disney alternative that is more consumer friendly. When the current backlog of Disney goers dies down and park demand is back to normal, Disney management will be in for a big surprise when they lose their loyal fan base and suffer big losses in revenue.
People should just learn to read their contracts. Perks were never guaranteed to exist forever. Other timeshare companies offer zero perks. We bought into DVC as a way to stay at deluxe resorts at value prices, nothing else. Yes, the perks were nice but that wasn’t the reason we bought. If the perks are the reason someone bought then shame on them for not understanding what was in the contract.
If you do your research on DVC Membership, buy into it for the right reasons (regular Disney visits), and book your reservations at your 7 and 11 month windows, the money you save over the long haul is incredible in comparison to rack rates of both moderate and deluxe Disney resorts. It is just about the only timeshare investment out there that actually appreciates in value over time through Disney’s built-in mechanism to make it so. If you worry about the details of borrowing limitations, extras, and other peripheral benefits of DVC, you are missing the boat. Clamoring on about “they did this and they did that” during a global pandemic is lost on anyone paying attention to what individuals and business all went through during that time. The fact that class action lawsuits are even out there against DVC regarding borrowing limitations is borderline ludicrous and a total money grab by attorneys looking to dig into deep pockets of big business (my opinion of course). These attorneys don’t have your best interests in mind. Do your research, don’t buy on a whim, and the memories you build will be worth far more than being able to exhaust next year’s DVC points.
After reading these comments I agree with a lot said. I hate the nonsense with DVC membership card. I do not want to put that information in my IPhone wallet and don’t want to use or link it to a credit card- I resent that being my only option.
I have lost most of my enthusiasm for Disney World and the liberal political views they tie themselves to. And for DVC in general but for now I will hold onto my membership. We bought in 2011. And yes some perks are gone.
I have NOT been impressed with my check in experiences on my last trip July 3 at Beach Club Villas was an absolute nightmare- gave us wrong room that was occupied! Then a horrible handicap room ! It took us over an hour to check in and 3 trips to the front desk which is far… the July 4 check in at Wilderness Lodge wasn’t much better- the person at check in was just not nice and very annoyed that he could not link my band- that was a brand new DVC band that I purchased- it never did get linked and I tried online as well!
I don’t like checking in online and having to link a credit card in order to do online check in. They hold money from your credit card and I resent that.
Our Disney trips are no longer what they used to be. Gone are the fun carefree days when you could wake up or end your day doing whatever you felt like doing- it all has to be planned- I have ride anxiety due to the policies in place. I am not impressed with having to pay extra when prices are already so high just to get on a popular ride and getting up and logging into my account at 7:00 to be told what and when to ride a ride!
Prices are out of control and it is just not fun anymore. We took our kids and grandkids just before the pandemic and it was expensive then but honestly now I don’t know that I can afford to do it again plus all the park reservations and ride reservations nonsense is just too much. As far as leaving the membership to my adult children when we are gone with dues costs constantly going up and park costs they may not even be able to afford to keep it.
I also do not like Disney’s strong ties to China
Walt Disney’s vision is gone. The people in charge do not care about the guest and we know it.
The magic is gone.!
DVC is not as attractive now because Disney in general is not as appealing. The loss of the free fast pass system, required park reservations, being tied to your phone and especially the loss of annual passes make it less beneficial to be a DVC member.
Not sure how old this article is but..the information was appreciated. I had a chance back in 2011 to invest in the DVC but did not. The booking back then was a little frustrating because of the DVC room blocks especially if you tried to book a Villa as a Non DVC member. Nowadays for Non members it’s easier to book deluxe rooms & villa’s because of the extensive expansions over the last 11yrs. it is very costly especially for a family. It’s a catch 22 situation whether to decide to invest now in DVC or continue to pay outta pocket & just plan ahead. I don’t go every year & my last trip was a year ago after a 9yr hiatus. New additions to my family this year has me thinking about revisiting the DVC option again to pass down for now our future generation that’s growing. The renting out the points as I read in the article seams to be a great idea especially if you don’t go to WDW on a regular basis. Definitely something to think about!!
I currently own DVC and Hilton GVC. DVC is much better. Hilton is always bothering us with sales calls for weekend trips where they want to pressure us into buying more points. DVC leaves us alone. Also, having a two BR suite with full kitchen makes the trip much more relaxing than a traditional studio. We save time and money by buying groceries and eating many meals in the room. And the new exchange program DVC has entered is much better than the prior RCI exchange.
I am thinking about dumping HGVC, but I am keeping DVC.
I have to agree with many, DVC does allow you to stay in very nice suites without paying the over inflated “Rack-Rate”. In fact we were just there and stayed in a Copper Creek Cabin…very nice. It’s just…well…Disneyworld wasn’t any fun any more.
Chapek has ruined Walt Disney World without a doubt. The price gouging with less service/product/experience is totally disgusting to me. I have been going to WDW since the 1970s. I miss the old magical WDW. Very little magic left a WDW these days. I now enjoy DVD resort only vacations, but me and my family stay out of the Disney parks. We have found new enjoyment and appreciation from going to the Universal and Sea World parks, including Discovery Cove and Bush Gardens Tampa. Chapek may not care about that now. While all these newer, younger, and less savvy guests are making a huge demand on DIsney and gladly paying the astronomical prices for hardly anything good in return, I believe that rush is only short-term. There will come a day when Chapek will have many regrets. The historic loyal Disney fans will NOT forget the shaft Chapek has given to them. Many of us will NOT return when Chapek needs us the most. So, ridiculous that DVC members cannot even buy Annual Passes anymore. The message from Chapek is loud and clear – Disney hates the older DVC members!!!! OMG!!!
I would love to opt out. Since covid closures and country border closures we were not able to use our points for two years. As a result, they expired and we were forced to turn them into third party RCI. Disney refused to extend them whatsoever and the DVC was ruder than rude. I find the rooms dirty and dated. I think SVC has grown to a size that they are not capable of managing. I would love to be part of a law suit and wish I would have been contacted. I feel robbed of points and dues I paid for during the pandemic only to found out Disney wasn’t willing to return the favour.
We have added and sold several memberships over the years. The points were always worth MORE than the original price. Still have our original points and added more this year.
Wish there was more availability, but we plan pretty far out.
Last time we tried to buy through a 3rd party Disney was buying back Al the points. So we purchased from dvc directly. I now have grandkids so we will be back to every other year trips.
I’m not sure the date on this article but I’d LOVE to speak with Melody who was contacted by lawyers for a class action.
I have a very special case where my wife and I paid CASH at around $28,000 in the early days of our membership for OKW. After we lost our company and came on very hard times we found a friend who was willing to pay for that years annual fees for us, and we’d give them our 330 points to use for that year. On the evening we were doing the transaction with them paying for my annual fees ($1200), they had a computer glitch and I was to call in the morning. I did and a woman told me “we’re sorry, we sent it to be auctioned off”… WHAT!? I was in a panic and couldn’t do a thing about it. Nothing. They screwed up and thankfully I saved all communications including the voicemail message from them explaining I just had to call in the morning.
We were devastated and shocked. We weren’t making payments on it, these were maint fees! Regardless, after I calmed down I was thinking “ok.. these points are now work about $52k with the current price of points and if DVC auctions my share, at least I’ll get something out of this and we could really use the money”.
NOPE. They very quickly put out an ad in a very small paper local to them in FL, in the back of “The Heritage Florida Jewish News” (I’m not joking! I have copies of it!) noting the sale a week later with an address. I tried calling, I tried all I could and no way could I afford to fly out to FL at the time. So again, I relaxed and thought ok… they will take their lawyer fees and other fees and I’ll get the rest. NO WAY! They ended up selling it to a shill company called Palm Financial Services, Inc. (owned by Disney… I have the proof here) and sold it to themselves for $100. That’s it. My $28k investment worth $52k, sold for $100 because I was AT the morning before the deadline to pay my annual maint fees. Are you kidding me?
UGH… it just kills me thinking about this and it was a few years back. I’ve been broke and not able to hire a lawyer, but if I could find one willing to tackle this, I’d be more than grateful. So… Melody… if some lawyers contacted you, even an “ambulance chaser” , I’d be interested. Thank you…
Dan B
imtigger (at that popular mail service by Google)
We are DVCers because we go a lot. We are hanging there for now, but glad this article points out a perspective that Disney DVC execs should note!
We were happy members of the DVC for years. When our children were younger it was fantastic, especially with all the member perks. We’d visit WDW annually, and sometimes twice a year. As Disney began to change our children grew into adults and we no longer felt like the DVC was a good fit for us. We sold it a few years back with no regrets.
We are in the process of closing on our sale of a WDW resort. We kept one. We have become disenchanted with not being able to reserve months ahead of time, loss of perks, crowded parks and unruly visitors. We are retired so our dates are open but the resorts that are usually open are away from the parks and travel time can be over an hour. We bought 25 yrs ago so we did make a profit. Disney at this time is not buying back our resort so we are just days away from receiving our money.
I don’t believe Disney is the happiest place in the world anymore
What’s wrong with THE (lol) DVC? 1st and foremost- Direct buyers who can’t get APs.
For the record, taxes are a puny cost of DVC. Literally like a pile of pennies per point where a room goes for as little as 10 or 15 points a night. I think the article meant Dues, not taxes. Dues are generally $7 to $10 per point/year. So after the buy-in cost (most are between $2 and $6 per point/year), that 10 or 15 point/night room is a very attractive $70-$150 per night in Dues.
The 50% borrowing limit put in place during Covid was completely legal per the contracts. The DVC club even had that in earlier years. Wasn’t the first time.
If it feels like Disney doesn’t give 2 slits about DVC owners that’s because they are actively trying to weed out low spenders. A large segment of The DVC Club owners bought explicitly to not spend as much in WDW. All recent operational changes are geared toward having guests spend to have the best experience. Guests tight with their money are having a much harder time post 2020. Guests who enjoy spending for privileges are the happiest and most welcome.
What’s wrong with THE (lol) DVC? 1st and foremost- Direct buyers who can’t get APs.
For the record, taxes are a puny cost of DVC. Literally like a pile of pennies per point where a room goes for as little as 10 or 15 points a night. I think the article meant Dues, not taxes. Dues are generally $7 to $10 per point/year. So after the buy-in cost (most are between $2 and $6 per point/year), that 10 or 15 point/night room is a very attractive $70-$150 per night in Dues.
The 50% borrowing limit put in place during Covid was completely legal per the contracts. The DVC club even had that in earlier years. Wasn’t the first time.
If it feels like Disney doesn’t give 2 slits about DVC owners that’s because they are actively trying to weed out low spenders. A large segment of The DVC Club owners bought explicitly to not spend as much in WDW. All recent operational changes are geared toward having guests spend to have the best experience. Guests tight with their money are having a much harder time post 2020. Guests who enjoy spending for privileges are the happiest and most welcome.
I find this a bit confusing. To us, one of the biggest draws of DVC is having access to deluxe hotel accommodations at lovely resorts with terrific restaurants and a variety of other experiences available. My husband and I had a terrific resort-only getaway this summer; enjoyed the pools, boats, Villains Lair, and new restaurants… and we certainly couldn’t have afforded that kind of a getaway out of pocket (just a one-room villa for two nights at BLT would have set us back a couple thousand dollars! Granted that park tix are expensive, they always have been… that hasn’t changed. Of course, we aren’t close enough nor do we go often enough to make AP something to consider at all!