Disney Vacation Club?

I have several friends who are members. We have looked into this and sat in on a presentation. We have not yet purchased. Here is what I can tell you:

1) You have to check out resale vs new. Resale will save you money, however, there is a contract term on the club - you are not a member forever. The membership expires at some point in the future. So the closer to expiration a contract is, the cheaper the resale is.

2) Price wise, if you like to stay in Deluxe accomodations on site when you visit, it might make sense.

3) You can borrow and bank points, so in reality, you can use 3 years worth of points at once if you time it right.

4) You get better reservations options - as far as time in advance you can book - at your "home" property.

5) The DVC locations outside Disney properties that are Disney owned (like SC and Hawaii) are pretty good deals. You can use them at other timeshare properties, but the trade value isn't as good.

6) The two big financial plusses are the actual price point, and the lock-in of future price. However, if you need to borrow money to pay for hte DVC, it throws off the benefits.

7) Don't forget the annual fees, which can and do rise over the years.

If you are in a financial posistion to do it, especially with cash, and you and your family love Disney, I would do it.

The only reason we have not yet, is that there are some other financial goals that I wish to achieve first.

I was just looking into this. We seem to be approaching a cycle where we are there every 18 months. Stayed at Polynesian and then Boardwalk the last two visits.

We always seem to end up with discounts of 25%-35% so I really need to sit down and do the math.

My parents are members since 1992. I became a member last year. It's becoming less and less of a good deal due to the expiration dates and how expensive new points are and limited they are now.

I bought resale. 9k for 150 points at Saratoga which is often the best bang for buck and has the lowest maintenance fees. We go once every 2-3 years. Bank and borrow points to stay in the bigger condos. The newer hotels are more like apartments while Old Key West is like a really condo with lots of room. Location is key though. Can't beat staying at Boardwalk and so near to EPCOT and Hollywood Studios. But if you love Magic Kingdom and want to spend all your time there, Bay Lake is your best bet.

I've been a member for about 7 years now. My biggest complaints are:
A. You have to book well in advance to get what you want. Rooms are booked up if you try using points but if you go on Disney's website and pay for your room, there are plenty available. Especially cruises.
B. There is no daily room service. They clean your room only every four days. If you want extra cleaning and fresh towels, it is extra.

I bought in about two years ago after mulling it over for a while. There were a bunch of factors but mainly it made since financially. I bring my family every year and we typically stay at a Deluxe resort for 5-6 nights each time we go. That can range from $2500 to $3000 so it'll pay for itself in 7-8 trips. Some of the main draw backs is you don't get the free dining plan offers since you're not paying rack rate for a room and as others have said the room cleaning is not everyday. But you get other perks like discounts at restaurants and on annual passes.