Spouse not sold on DVC? 6 objections, answered with numbers
Most DVC conversations at home stall on the same six objections. Here's each one answered with one example contract: 150 resale points at Saratoga Springs, the most common way into DVC, with real prices, real point charts and Disney's own cash prices.
See it on Instagram@dvccompanion · the original 8-slide carousel→The short version
- 150 resale Saratoga Springs points cost about $2,000 a year to own, or $167 a month: $624 a year of purchase price plus $1,379 in dues.
- One year of those points books a two-resort week in September, a six-night Animal Kingdom one-bedroom in January or a four-night Old Key West two-bedroom in July.
- Bought resale, it pays for itself in about 5 years against Disney's prices, or 9 against renting points.
- Skipping a year? Bank, borrow or rent the points out: 150 points at about $20 is $3,000 against $1,379 in dues.
- Resale Saratoga points book 14 resorts, and what your points buy at Disney has grown about 3 times as much as the dues, in dollars.
“That’s so expensive.” About $167 a month.
Take 150 Saratoga Springs points bought resale at Fidelity Real Estate's average of $106.42 a point, plus $1,500 closing: $17,463.
| $17,463 contract ÷ 28 years | $624 a year |
| Dues this year ($9.19 a point) | $1,379 a year |
| Per year to own | about $2,000 |
That's about $167 a month. The deed runs to 2054, and dues rise over time. $2,000 buys about 3 nights in a Saratoga studio at Disney's price; 150 points book it for two weeks in September.
“What would we even do with it?” Pick one.
One year of 150 points, three ways (Sunday check-ins, 2027 point charts):
- Fall, two trips: a Saratoga studio Sep 12–19, 2027, then a Polynesian studio Sep 19–24. 148 points; $8,223 at Disney's cash price.
- Winter family week: 6 nights in an Animal Kingdom one-bedroom, Jan 10–16, 2027, giraffes included. 148 points; $6,399 cash.
- Summer with the grandparents: 4 nights in an Old Key West two-bedroom that sleeps 9, Jul 11–15, 2027. 144 points; $5,116 cash.
“Cash” is what Disney charges for the same room and nights, tax included. Villas have kitchens, so you have the option to eat out less, too. These are points, not availability.
“It’ll never pay for itself.” 5 to 14 years.
| Instead of | Resale | Direct |
|---|---|---|
| Paying Disney (points worth $30 each) | 5 years | 9 years |
| Renting points (worth $20 each) | 9 years | 14 years |
Each year, the points you use are worth about $30 (using Disney's cash prices) or $20 (paying to rent them from another owner), minus $1,379 in dues. The years are how long that takes to cover $17,463 resale or $33,050 direct. After that, every trip is house money.
Point values rise 5% a year and dues 4%, and nothing is counted for selling later. Even if prices and dues never rise, resale takes about 6 years against Disney's price and 11 against renting.
“What if we can’t go one year?”
- Bank: move this year's points to next year, within the first 8 months of your use year.
- Borrow: use next year's points now for a bigger trip.
- Rent: rent your points to another member, cover the dues and keep the difference.
150 points at about $20 is $3,000, against $1,379 in Saratoga dues: about $1,621 left in your pocket. Banking and borrowing are final (those points can't move again), and rental income is taxable.
“We’ll be stuck at one resort.” 14 resorts.
Saratoga resale points book 14 resorts: Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, BoardWalk, Beach Club, Boulder Ridge, Animal Kingdom, Bay Lake Tower, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Copper Creek, Grand Californian, Aulani, Hilton Head and Vero Beach.
Saratoga books at 11 months, the other 13 at 7 months. Not Riviera, Disneyland Hotel or the Cabins: those require a direct contract (for resale contracts bought since 2019). Direct points book all 17 resorts.
“Won’t the dues keep going up?” Yes. So does what points buy.
| 150 points | 2016 | 2026 | Change a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worth at Disney's prices | $2,842 | $4,500 | +$1,658 |
| Saratoga dues | $816 | $1,379 | +$563 |
In dollars, what your points buy rose about 3 times as much as the dues. Dues rose a bit faster in percent (5.4% a year vs 4.7%), but they start from $9 a point, not $30.
Your turn: What finally won your spouse over? Tell us in the comments on Instagram.
Example: Saratoga Springs, 150 points, resale at Fidelity Real Estate's average ($106.42/pt) + $1,500 closing; direct $215/pt + about $800 closing. 2026 dues $9.19/pt. Per year to own = price + closing over the 28 years left (deed ends 2054), plus 2026 dues; dues rise over time. Payoff: points valued at $30 (Disney's cash price) or $20 (renting from an owner), rising 5%/yr, dues rising 4%/yr; nothing counted for selling later. Trips: 2027 point charts, Disney's cash price with tax; points only, not availability. Value of points at Disney's prices: our resort price index, $30 a point in 2026. Rental income is taxable. Not financial advice.
