Disney Vacation Club Members

[deck14]

Just a question for fellow Disney Vacation Club members; do you find that the point values for the Disney cruise are inflating quite rapidly? I recently complained to the vacation club that they need to ease up a little on the point values. Of course I didn't get far. It just seems to me that we pay alot more for a Disney cruise (whether through points or cash), than for a comparable or better cruise elsewhere. We can, of course, choose to go elsewhere, but that is not the point of my inquiry. Don't get me wrong, the Disney cruise is great (we will be going on our 4th this January), but not the best value for money. Perhaps I've just answered my own question, as long as we're willing to pay, the cost will remain high. Oh well, just giving some thought to this subject.

[pvangordon]

I'm not a member, but was looking into the DVC recently and heard this complaint from other members as well. I decided not to purchase, one of the reasons being there's nothing to stop Disney from raising the point values whenever they want. One of the pro arguments for vacation clubs or timeshares is that you "lock in" your price at purchase and can continue taking those vacations in the future without worrying about market rate increases. If the point value goes up, then technically I'm paying the equivalent of a market rate increase. Anyway, it just didn't seem like the right fit for me compared to the other timeshares I own.

If you don't already do so, make sure you check out DISboards.com where there are dedicated forums for DVCers.

[samben]

I totally agree with you regarding the points for the Disney Cruises. We purchased extra points just so we could use them for the cruise.......then the following year they were raised and we no-longer could use our points without borrowing from the following year. I called Disney to complain and they said they had NO contol over the points for the cruise. We have been on 18 cruises and this Jan. will be only our 2nd on Disney. I feel they are way over priced and go else were.......Obviuosly they are getting cruisers so they probably won't lower their prices..........

[magnumcoog]

I agree, totally inflated. On our first crusie we used just over 400 points for Cat 6 cabin, same cruise same cabin two years later was 611 points. I believe they went up on the points as the members were booking cruises instead of staying at a resort, just my opinion.

[ducklite]

We found it more beneficial to rent the points and pay cash for the cruise.

Anne

[magnumcoog]

Anne:

How do you rent points?

Terry

[bryanwal]

To PVanGordon:

The points for DVC accomodations is locked in. The total points to reserve a particular room is the same from year to year. If they raise it for one season, they must lower it for another.

Unfortunately, the points for trades out of DVC, whether it be to the Concierge Collection, the Disney Collection, etc. is not locked in and rises, as noted.

[Pixie Dust II]

I was told that there was to be a new point chart for cruises and that the points were going down; however, it didn't look like it happened for the 2005 member cruise because I know what the points were for the 4 day member cruise in 2003 and this is not the same. The 2005 cruise is hurricane season for heaven sakes! I think they know members like cruises so they raise the points. I have only used points twice for cruises. They are too high!

[Pixie Dust II]

How many of you are in the Cat 6 cabin? We just used our points for the same thing and used 186 points for one person and paid cash for the other. It was a much more economical way to do it.

[magnumcoog]

For a category 6 it would take over 700 points, for my wife, daughter, and myself. I have 350 points a year, would take more than 2 years worth of points for me to go on Disney again. It is not going to happen.

[Pixie Dust II]

You must be going at a different time of year than when we traveled. There were two of us and one used points and one paid cash. As I stated it took 186 points for a category 6 room for a 7 day Eastern Caribbean Cruise for September 18 thru 25.

[magnumcoog]

Hi, we usually go during "regular" season.

I looked up 2004 points for the "regular" season and this is what I found"

Cat 6
241 * 2 = 482
151 * 1 = 151
Total = 633

2005 points - "regular" season

Cat 6
277 * 2 = 554
173 * 1 = 177
Total = 727

That is a 15% increase.

I price points at $10 a point that makes the cruise cost $7270 which does not include $75 handling fee. Put on top of that $2000 for 2 years worth of maintenance fees and you are approaching $10,000 for a one week cruise.

I am sorry but Disney has priced me out on this one.

[Pixie Dust II]

We used our points during value season, not regular season so it was less points. Other than the 2003 Member Cruise we have never used points for a cruise. The Vacation Club cannot control costs of the Cruise Line. Remember we can buy the Disney Vacation Club property not the cruise line. At this point in time, I am sure this is the biggest money maker for Disney and I am sure prices will continue to climb as fuel prices climb. I am sure it will not show a decline in travelers. As the people at the docks who take your luggage will tell you, Disney is always full even when the other cruise lines are not. That has to say something!