| Having just been back from a week-long vacation at | | | | course, their cruise line. |
| Walt Disney World near Orlando, and returned with | | | | So what did we decide? Well, the most endearing |
| more than we expected. My wife and I did all the | | | | feature is that it is a Disney timeshare, which means |
| WDW things and had a Saturday left over to leisurely | | | | they do have high standards. Even the partners must |
| relax. That is until we visited a kiosk on one of the | | | | adhere to the Disney tradition of excellence. But the |
| properties that talked about the DVC or Disney | | | | downsides would be familiar to most timeshare buyers. |
| Vacation Clubs. We arranged for a one hour tour of | | | | There is an annual maintenance fee that begins around |
| Saratoga Springs, a timeshare on the lake across | | | | $850 after your have paid the $15,000, plus closing |
| from Downtown Disney. We had no intension of | | | | costs. That fee can go up every year and does, even |
| buying anything, but we did have some time to kill. | | | | if it is as little as 5%. Then there is a booking fee from |
| Now, first a brief word about our situation. We are | | | | $75 to $95 for every arrangement. If you book 5 |
| semi-retired and run a web-based business out of the | | | | separate, 2-day stays, you would pay 5 separate |
| home. I have stock investments and three grown | | | | booking fees. |
| children, one still in college. We have seen other | | | | The good news is that there are no blackout dates |
| timeshares and agreed they are usually not good | | | | but you need to book far enough in advance to |
| investments. Typically, they have many restrictions, are | | | | secure the room at the property of your choice. |
| over-priced and more often than not offer properties | | | | Another plus is that you use one agent and one phone |
| in places you might never visit. For example, they are | | | | number for all arrangements, even for restaurant and |
| miles away from the beaches or main towns. | | | | transportation reservations. The locations for most of |
| Anyway, we did the tour out of morbid curiosity and | | | | the timeshares are good; some are four and five star |
| the fact that it was a Disney resort. | | | | resorts, but those use the most points, of course. Also, |
| They sent a van to our resort and drove us over to | | | | the more popular times of year require more points as |
| the sprawling 1000 room resort. Once we arrived, we | | | | well. Okay, so what's the bottom line? |
| were pleasantly surprised. The massive project | | | | You could do worse than buy a Disney timeshare. If |
| composed of three-story buildings was very well | | | | you plan to go to Disney World on a regular basis, then |
| designed. There were several pools, restaurants, | | | | this is for you. There are numerous member discounts |
| fitness center and spa and buses and a ferry to the | | | | from park fees to souvenirs and restaurants. The |
| rest of Walt Disney World. Once we finished the tour, | | | | Saratoga Springs timeshare lasts 47 years. You can |
| the representative went over the details. | | | | pass that onto your children, without any penalties. Or |
| The timeshare system is simple. You buy a bunch of | | | | have them use the points while your still around. It's all |
| points beginning at 150 for around $15,000, give or take | | | | up to you. There are also DVC timeshare re-sales |
| a bit. Then you get a brochure of properties that are | | | | available at a lower cost, but I can't endorse them |
| grouped by collections. The best value and most | | | | because they are not connected to Disney. Do your |
| flexible choices are those in Florida and one in Hilton | | | | own research online. But the discussion forums I've |
| Head, SC. Based on the time of year and size of | | | | visited have nothing but praise for DVC and all the |
| room, you could get anywhere from a few days to a | | | | various properties. If you have ever considered a |
| few weeks on the property. Disney also partners with | | | | timeshare but were as skeptical as us, look into DVC. |
| a company called Interval International to add foreign | | | | We are thinking of buying three, one for each child and |
| destinations to the plan. There are restrictions like a | | | | their future children. They could still be using it 47 years |
| minimum of a full week and other rules for those | | | | from now and they would have already been paid for. |
| pieces of real estate. But Disney also provides | | | | And who doesn't love a Disney vacation? |
| complete travel packages like escorted tours and of | | | | |