Is Disney Vacation Club a Good Fit for Me?

Whether I was working with potential DVC Members previously as a Disney Vacation Club Guide or now at the DVC Resale Market this question of DVC being the right fit is always there.  Along with affordability this is one of the most popular questions ever asked, and the answer can be very subjective.  Ultimately, to help answer this question I would say do you believe it has value, and do you believe you would use it for the right vacations.

Value?

I do believe it is difficult to argue against the value of buying Disney Vacation Club if you are going to go to Disney locations that have DVC Resorts.  For example, if you were to buy an Animal Kingdom contract via resale your projected costs per night would be around $150 compared to a retail costs of around $500/night.  Please reference the following article for the detailed analysis: https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/how-do-you-determine-the-value-of-disney-vacation-club/

Now, someone could argue time value of money with having to pay upfront for your vacations, etc. but a strong counter point to that is the residual value Disney Vacation Club has shown to have in its nearly 25 year history and the fact that the total number of points to fill each DVC Resort can never increase providing a significant hedge against inflation.  Please refer to the following article for a detailed look at long term value:  https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/the-long-term-savings-of-disney-vacation-club/

Vacations?

So, assuming you are convinced that Disney Vacation Club is a sound value the question becomes are you going to use it?  With DVC you can bank and borrow the points from one year to the next so at a minimum you would need to vacation at least once every three years.  If you do not see yourself vacationing at least once every three years DVC is not for you.  If the answer is yes that you see yourself vacationing at least once every three years or more, then the next question is how I’m I going to vacation.

With almost all timeshares they work much better if you are staying within network simply because of availability since in network is typically a part of something you own versus out of network is typically something you are having to exchange into.  In network for Disney Vacation Club would be like the 13 different DVC Resorts and out of network would be like using an exchange program such as Resorts Condominiums International. Many timeshares partner with either Resorts Condominiums International (RCI) or Interval International (II) to provide additional options for their members to vacation at.  However, exchanging out of a timeshare’s network is not something that should ever be relied on but rather an added bonus.  For example, Disney Vacation Club has used RCI and II at different times through its nearly 25 year history.  So to rely on DVC to always exchange with a resort you like that is affiliated with RCI would be a mistake as that resort may be an option one year and not the next.  However, it is likely that Disney Vacation Club similar to other timeshares would keep an exchange program, but it is not guaranteed.  What is guaranteed is the use of the Disney Vacation Club resorts.  Therefore, even if you see yourself vacationing every year but maybe only every 5 years or less going to a destination with a DVC resort I would say the DVC membership is probably not for you and there are likely better options through other timeshares or vacation deals to help save you money.

Overall, if you could see yourself going to a Disney Vacation Club Resort at least every three years or more, and possibly using the membership to do occasional trips outside of Disney through a partnership like the one DVC currently has with RCI then you are a great candidate to be a member of the Disney Vacation Club.