Grand California -- worth it to buy direct?

AllieV

DIS Veteran
DVC Silver
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
My sister is on a waitlist with Disney for an early UY at the Grand California Villas. I did finally talk her into looking into resale and she's talked to a broker. I've been scanning the 'for sales' and there really aren't a lot of them. Each time, she'll call and it's already sold. Plus, most are stripped, some into 2015. And when you add the cost of those points (if you were to buy them from someone) and the higher closing costs, it's at least $15 a point more with a 100 pt contract. It's still less than resale, but not by much. Then there is the possibility of having it bought back by Disney.

Has anyone gone through this and just said, screw it, I'm buying from Disney instead? Mostly the resale motto is, "be patient, save half" but it doesn't seem to be a great savings on VGC.
 
Patience pays off for VGC. We went on the direct wait list in January because I only wanted 100 points in my existing UY and I had given up. I put myself on the mailing list with so e of the resale vendors but wasn't expecting anything. Well one night in march I got an email from one of them they had not one but three 115 point contracts in my UY. I bid immediately and the next day all three were sold. A smallish contract has come up since in my UY. Ironically my direct wait list came through while I was waiting for my resale to close but I'm happy with my resale. I'd say if you know what you really wantit is just. Ads
Axe of waiting it out. My contracts were loaded as well
 
In 2011 I went on the VGC wait list and also looked resale.

Got ROFR'd twice and wound up buying direct twice (smallish contracts). That was 2 price increases ago.

I never really stopped looking resale, though, and this past January I found a loaded contract, mu UY, right number of points, loaded.

I paid the asking price ($90!!!!) and it actually passed ROFR right around when the latest increases were being talked about.

Another person I know just passed ROFR yesterday at VGC after having been ROFR'd twice this calendar year.

Be persistent and it should eventually pay off.
 
And you will probably need to be even more patient if buying direct I've heard the waitlist has really grown
 


Breyean said:
In 2011 I went on the VGC wait list and also looked resale.

Got ROFR'd twice and wound up buying direct twice (smallish contracts). That was 2 price increases ago.

I never really stopped looking resale, though, and this past January I found a loaded contract, mu UY, right number of points, loaded.

I paid the asking price ($90!!!!) and it actually passed ROFR right around when the latest increases were being talked about.

Another person I know just passed ROFR yesterday at VGC after having been ROFR'd twice this calendar year.

Be persistent and it should eventually pay off.

I'm that person ;) rofrd twice but in my case I couldnt go on the waitlist without physically being in Disneyland due to the state I live in. I would have been ok buying direct before the price increase and with the previous incentive but not at $165 ppt. I passed yesterday at $108 ppt June use year all 2013 points forward. The waitkist is long as I know someone who was on it way before I started my resale process and only some of his points has come through. His price is good though from when he went on, so for him itll be worth the wait due to resale prices climbing.
 
It doesn't cost anything to put your name on the waitlist with Disney, and still keep trying for a resale. I was successful at a resale the second time. It was hard when my first offer was ROFRd, but this happens with VGC and you'd better be prepared for it. The first contract was for 170 points and the second was for 200. Two years later and I am very happy that I have the larger contract! The first was for a summer use year ( June or August) the successful one is for October. I think that a less popular use year might give you a better chance at escaping the ROFR monkey. VGC contracts get snapped up- They did when I was looking two years ago and things have not changed. You have decide on your acceptable parameters for # of points & use year, then check the listings regularly. Call right away when you see a contract that fits your parameters. Buying a resale contract is not a quick process, but it saves you lots of $$$ than going direct.
 
You are correct in one respect you are unlikely to save half for VGC but you could realistically save 30-35% on direct pricing and you will have to be patient either way.
 


I did both..put myself on a waitlist for direct, waited almost a year so found a resale that fit my user year and jumped on it. While that resale was in ROFR Disney called and said my direct had come through.. What to do??!! So I just got the direct and kinda hoped resale was ROFR'd..nope..passed! So instead of just adding on my direct 65 points I also ended up with my 120 resale. And I've managed to use them all and was so glad to have them when family decided to add a day to do a Sea World trip and I had the points to add 1 night to 3 1 bedroom and 1 studio units. Oddly enough, I had forgotten I had put another 35 on a direct waitlist and that one came through relatively fast, so maybe the waitlist is clearing. I was surprised when my guide called and I think he was surprised when I told him I had enough points :)
 

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