Another direct/resale question...

[boogabuzz]

These questions probably get asked all the time. I skimmed through but didn't find the answer to the question I have. So, sorry if this is an old question.

I'm aware that buying resale leaves you with some restrictions. The prices are oh so tempting, but I DO NOT like the thought of having restrictions. Can anyone tell me exactly what the restrictions are? I want to have some freedom with enjoying my points anywhere and everywhere whenever I want.

Also, I was considering doing a minimum purchase at SSR since its cheapest. If I do that, will I be able to buy some add ons resale? I'd be ok with restrictions on a portion of points knowing I have 160 pts of freedom!

Back story, we have several family members who are DVC members. It's me, DH and DS(4). We live in Florida about 100min from Disney. We have flexible work schedules that allow us to take vacations spur of the moment. We like quick getaways, and are not restricted to only doing getaways on the weekends. ( this will probably all change when my DS gets a few years older and in more activities.) since the 3 of us will only require a studio, I think 160 pts will get us pretty far. I do like the thought of getting a 2 bedroom to bring friends though. 160pts don't go very far when your talking 2 bedrooms.

 

[boogabuzz]

Forgot to ask... We are addicted to Disney cruises. I've heard that paying for the cruises sometimes work out cheaper than using pts for them. Rough idea of how many pts a 4n or 7n cruise for 2a 1c would be?

 

[disneynutz]

The short answer is using points for anything but DVC resort stays will almost always cost you more than cash. IMO Disney uses the ability to use points outside of DVC resorts as a marketing ploy for the uninformed.

Adding the resale restrictions was also a marketing ploy to get the uninformed to buy direct.

Disney changes the rules, policies, and perks as they see fit to to benefit Disney because after all, they are a business and they only make their money on direct sales, not resales.

Bill

 

[chalee94]

resale purchasers cannot trade out for disney cruises, ABD trips or disney hotels like the poly. resale purchasers can still trade out through RCI. but the best value is in using the pts within the DVC system.

Forgot to ask... We are addicted to Disney cruises. I've heard that paying for the cruises sometimes work out cheaper than using pts for them. Rough idea of how many pts a 4n or 7n cruise for 2a 1c would be?

look here for point charts for trading out of DVC:

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/points-charts/non-dvc-destinations

you can do the math and decide if that sounds like a good deal to you (don't forget to factor in the $95 fee when you trade out of the DVC system).

of course, there is always the risk that you pay extra to buy direct and wind up in a situation like this one where DVC blocks trades for cruises for the next year or so:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2537773

I had called [in August 2010] attempting to change the date of an Alaskan Cruise that my family and I had booked using DVC points...Well, after discussion with a representative that seemed hard to believe, I then asked for the supervisor I dealt with last Sunday. Here is the bottom line: ...DCL has blocked DVC members from booking cruises on points through September 30, 2011. This includes rebooking existing cruises such as I have been working on doing.

if you have the cash and don't mind paying extra, suit yourself...but remember that if your circumstances change and you need to sell your DVC contract, you will be selling at resale prices whether you originally bought direct or resale.

 

[Deb & Bill]

All you are guaranteed with a DVC purchase, whether resale or direct, is the ability to book at your home resort. Now, most members seriously doubt that DVC will deny you the ability to book at another DVC resort, but that is all you get. Nothing else. DCL could stop offering cruises by points. Disney could stop offering stays at non-DVC resorts on points. Adventures by Disney could go away.

 

[dizfan]

Also, do not rely on perks. They can be changed or eliminated at any time.
For example, DVC offered a couple of great last minute cruise deals. This is something that is new and may never occur again or it may be something they offer fine ever DCL sailings are not meeting their booking expectations.
Another example of a perk that may never occur again is the WDW Premium Annual Pass discount they are offering through the end of the year.

 

[sechelt]

You're going to get a lot of pros and cons for resale and direct. In the end, you need to do what suits you best. I've bought both resale and direct and am happy with both.

Something to think about if you do buy direct, ask if you can get those 160 pts in two or three smaller contracts instead of one. That's what I did and Disney had no problem with it at all. If ever you should need to sell, heaven forbid, the smaller contracts go faster and often for a better price. Or, you could sell just one of the contracts and still have 100 points to use.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You're going to get a lot of pros and cons for resale and direct. In the end, you need to do what suits you best. I've bought both resale and direct and am happy with both.

Something to think about if you do buy direct, ask if you can get those 160 pts in two or three smaller contracts instead of one. That's what I did and Disney had no problem with it at all. If ever you should need to sell, heaven forbid, the smaller contracts go faster and often for a better price. Or, you could sell just one of the contracts and still have 100 points to use.

You have to purchase them as a smaller contract to sell them as smaller contracts. You cannot purchase 160 points in a single contract and sell 50 or 75 or 100 of them. It's either 160 or none of them.

But if you buy 160 and get two 50 point contracts and one 60 point contract, you can sell one or more of them.

 

[CarolMN]

DVC works best for those who can (and will) plan more than 7 months in advance.

If you often plan short notice (for DVC that's anything 3 months or less in advance(, I fear you will be disappointed more often than not. Keep in mind that busy times for the parks are not the same as busy times for DVC bookings.

Short notice bookings can be had, but you may end up in a larger unit than you prefer and you may have to change resorts or rooms to get your entire stay.

My advice is to try renting a few DVC reservations. You should be able to see if you can make DVC work for you.


Good luck!

 

[sechelt]

You have to purchase them as a smaller contract to sell them as smaller contracts. You cannot purchase 160 points in a single contract and sell 50 or 75 or 100 of them. It's either 160 or none of them.

But if you buy 160 and get two 50 point contracts and one 60 point contract, you can sell one or more of them.

That's exacly what I was trying to say. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Dean]

All you are guaranteed with a DVC purchase, whether resale or direct, is the ability to book at your home resort. Now, most members seriously doubt that DVC will deny you the ability to book at another DVC resort, but that is all you get. Nothing else. DCL could stop offering cruises by points. Disney could stop offering stays at non-DVC resorts on points. Adventures by Disney could go away.

While the only guarantee is the home resort, that assumes the club itself is no longer in existence. I think realistically one can assume access to other club resorts and I do not believe that legally DVC can make a distinction between resale and retail buyers on this basis alone. It's possible they could initiate a VIP program that would potentially affect all owners that would affect waitlist and similar options but not direct reservations.

You have to purchase them as a smaller contract to sell them as smaller contracts. You cannot purchase 160 points in a single contract and sell 50 or 75 or 100 of them. It's either 160 or none of them.

But if you buy 160 and get two 50 point contracts and one 60 point contract, you can sell one or more of them.

True but there is a potential cost to that type of purchase choice to the tune of around $10 a point more (all else being equal) because smaller contracts tend to be more expensive and you'd add additional closing costs for each additional contract. IMO it does not make sense to pay more just for future options that may or may not add future benefits to a given owner or for legacy options either. IMO, if this is a question, simply buy less points now and see how it work. The option that does potentially make sense is if one wants to buy less expensive points and then buy some additional points at a high demand option that's important to the buyer. Even then, buying less points at that higher demand option might be the better choice for many, esp if it can be had resale at a significant savings which applies to all current resorts.

 

[BestDadEver]

All you are guaranteed with a DVC purchase, whether resale or direct, is the ability to book at your home resort. Now, most members seriously doubt that DVC will deny you the ability to book at another DVC resort, but that is all you get. Nothing else. DCL could stop offering cruises by points. Disney could stop offering stays at non-DVC resorts on points. Adventures by Disney could go away.

I think its funny how everyone focuses on the negitive here . While the above is true . Since I have been a member dvc has only been adding more good things . No one ever mentions that they just recently added the PAP for a realy low price lower then AP . Plus other things .

While the above is a true statement . imo its bad bussiness for disney to take away major benifites . I am not worried about that till they aren't activly selling new resorts . Cause how could they demand the price thry want and remove perks .

 

[crisi]

r

look here for point charts for trading out of DVC:

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/points-charts/non-dvc-destinations

you can do the math and decide if that sounds like a good deal to you (don't forget to factor in the $95 fee when you trade out of the DVC system).

Note as well that points to cruise or trade out can - and usually do - go up every year. These points are current, but there as been a lot of inflation in these point costs since I joined in 2002.

I think its funny how everyone focuses on the negitive here . While the above is true . Since I have been a member dvc has only been adding more good things . No one ever mentions that they just recently added the PAP for a realy low price lower then AP . Plus other things .

While the above is a true statement . imo its bad bussiness for disney to take away major benifites . I am not worried about that till they aren't activly selling new resorts . Cause how could they demand the price thry want and remove perks .

This year has been really good...but when I joined we got a great deal on the UPH passes (they went away with MYW tickets). Because we don't spend enough days in Disney to make any sort of AP practical - even at a discount, the UPH discounts were perfect for my family. Gone.

We lost valet parking. I get why we lost it and because I never drive, it really didn't affect me. This year we had a rental car and stayed at BW, and I began to understand why for BWV guests, losing valet was a big deal - the parking lot IS a long walk away from the units - particularly the first lot if they have the second lot blocked for convention and inn guests. I still get why we lost it, but I now also get why some people were so upset.

When I first joined, you could pool hop to Storm Along Bay. Not a big loss for me, again, but it was a loss for a lot of DVCers who felt it was a big perk.

A lot of SSR members were very excited about nightly fireworks off Pleasure Island and walking back from the Adventurer's Club. That was a big part of their Disney vacations and that was a big draw for them for an SSR purchase. The Adventurers Club was shuttered and fireworks ended before SSR was even sold out.

When I first joined, the agreement was with II instead of RCI and there were better trading options - or at least options to trade I was more interested in. Those options have been dropped.

Had I made our purchase decision on saving money on tickets, and being able to pool hop to SAB and the trade to the Arizona Dude Ranch that used to be part of the collection, I'd have made a poor choice. If any of those had tipped our decision into the yes bucket, I'd have made a poor choice. Fortunately, when we made out decision, we weighed those perks as perks, not as decision points, and so we are still content. But that is why we focus on the negatives - because if anyone is out there thinking that PAP discount is now forever, and making their financial calculations off that, and that is the tipping point - they are going to be sadly disappointed when that deal is not renewed.

 

[Dean]

I think its funny how everyone focuses on the negitive here . While the above is true . Since I have been a member dvc has only been adding more good things . No one ever mentions that they just recently added the PAP for a realy low price lower then AP . Plus other things .

While the above is a true statement . imo its bad bussiness for disney to take away major benifites . I am not worried about that till they aren't activly selling new resorts . Cause how could they demand the price thry want and remove perks .

You've been a member less than a year IIRC. Perks come and go and the system changes. If the perks were a major portion of one's decision making, that would be a mistake. Members who have owned a while have seen perks and options like valet parking go away, changes in the banking system (likely negative overall), a significant limitation in usage of points for DCL and a negative change related to the CC (less resorts). We've also seen limitations of transfers. There have been a few positives with the pass discounts (current special is time limited). I'm sure there are others that can be added to this list. This is not being negative but factual. I hope the add ons continue but realistically one has to expect there will be some negative changes and some positive changes and that if owning DVC without the perks isn't a good choice for a given person, they likely shouldn't plan to buy in. Once you do own the decision making is similar but slightly different.

 

[BestDadEver]

But that is why we focus on the negatives - because if anyone is out there thinking that PAP discount is now forever, and making their financial calculations off that, and that is the tipping point - they are going to be sadly disappointed when that deal is not renewed.

imo those people aren't very smart ,since there is a clear expetrtation date for pap. Some things come and go but there seems to always be something .

 

[Dean]

imo those people aren't very smart ,since there is a clear expetrtation date for pap. Some things come and go but there seems to always be something .

That's just it, there isn't always something. Even the function of the system itself may change including a minimum stay requirement. Anyone that bought for any of the perks and can't weather system changes that are negative to their situation likely shouldn't have bought in.

 

[crisi]

imo those people aren't very smart ,since there is a clear expetrtation date for pap. Some things come and go but there seems to always be something .

But there isn't always something, and there certainly isn't always something that is usable by everyone. Current DVC perks that are useful to me....zero. DVC perks I found usable when I bought - three.

Perks are perks - nice bonuses...but you shouldn't plan a purchase decision around a nice bonus.

 

[disneynutz]

But there isn't always something, and there certainly isn't always something that is usable by everyone. Current DVC perks that are useful to me....zero. DVC perks I found usable when I bought - three.

Perks are perks - nice bonuses...but you shouldn't plan a purchase decision around a nice bonus.

Disney is really good a offering perceived perks. Perks that seem wonderful but not used by the majority. They do this by setting limits and restrictions or not giving advanced notice.

The PAP offer is a good example, buy by a certain date to be used by a certain date. How many really need a AP? How many planned to vacation during the valid period? More importantly, how many will take a extra vacation to take advantage of the PAP and how many will need more points to do so?

Bill

 

[DizBub]

The PAP offer is a good example, buy by a certain date to be used by a certain date. How many really need a AP? How many planned to vacation during the valid period? More importantly, how many will take a extra vacation to take advantage of the PAP and how many will need more points to do so?

Bill

Genius marketing. We bought APs for the first time last year since we did plan multiple trips. We got 4 week long trips out of them. Since they expire Nov 27 we were planning to renew but now they have offered the PAP. Since we already have 3 more trips booked it seems like a great deal, right? But we don't do water parks or DQ or golf. It's a great "perceived value" but probably not for us.

Although, the 20% discount on merchandise may be worth it, that and it will give us an extra month+ this year since we are going in Jan.

 

[disneynutz]

Genius marketing. Although, the 20% discount on merchandise may be worth it, that and it will give us an extra month+ this year since we are going in Jan.

The 20% discount is worth it if you planned on buying anyway. I know that my DW would say "I have to go buy more Disney stuff" because of the added discount.

So the PAP savings of $50 per person will cause the 2 of us to spend a couple of thousand on an extra vacation and more Disney stuff as if the Mickey dog bowls, kitchen stuff, pictures, statues, mugs, glasses, and holiday decorations aren't enough.

That reminds me, I need to unpack the monorail train and get it ready for set up as soon as we buy the Christmas tree.

Bill