Hi there Mark!
My husband and I purchased Disney Vacation Club (DVC) several years ago before we had kids. We ran under a sales kiosk during a summer storm at what was then MGM Studios and were hooked. My husband jokes that it was the most expensive rain storm ever! Seriously, we both agree, it's been a great value for our Disney-loving family. By carefully allocating our points, we are usually able to travel to Disney two to three times per year, often bring along my parents, and stay in huge, deluxe accommodations with fully-equipped kitchens, jacuzzi-style bath tubs and other luxury amenities. We would never be able to afford either the number or caliber of vacations we are able to take without having purchased DVC. We've also used our points to travel to non-Disney locations, and hope to be able to do this more in the future as our kids get older.
DVC members are eligible for pages of benefits and discounts, including discounts on dining, annual passes, special experiences (tours, Cirque du Soleil, etc.), PhotoPass, childcare centers and special events These discounts change (generally, more are added!) from time to time, and can be found on the
DVC website.
Deciding to purchase DVC is largely a personal decision. If you plan on visiting "the World" at least once a year for the foreseeable future, and are able to fit the membership fee and yearly maintenance fee into your family budget, I think it's a fantastic value. However, Disney also runs lots of fabulous promotions year after year, and budgeting a family visit to a "regular" resort property is also a great option.
Feel free to send more specific questions to me if you'd like more ideas!
Tanya