1st time to buy-Disney or resale?

[DisnyMik]

We are finally seriously thinking of buying after all these years. What is the difference if we buy from Disney or resale? We would buy 100 SSR pts @ $99 PP. We would get 100 points for 2010 as well. That is the only difference we can see.
What do you think? HELP!

 

[FindingFigment]

If you buy resale before 3/20 you can save about $3500. After 3/20 maybe more. But there will some limitations to where you can you use your points outside of the DVC resorts.

 

[mjc2003]

you might find a resale contract for $30-$40 less at SSR that already has banked 2010 points. Research the available listings through the Timeshare store, Fidelity DVC resales ,and DVC by Resale (google them for the websites, I'm not sure if I can list them?). See if there is one that fits your needs.

After 3/20 there are certain elements of the membership that won't be available. There are other threads discussing this. Read up on these changes (they are also detailed on the reseller websites and any reseller can explain them to you in simple terms). The resale process is a bit longer, but easy nonetheless. It could lead to big savings and is worth exploring. You still have time to explore a resale contract before the change comes, which means you'd be buying the exact same thing you'd be getting direct.

I quickly glanced at Fidelity's listings and see one for $60 a point, 130 points, October use year with 2009 AND 2010 points banked. They would have to be used before 10/31/11, but you'd get way more for less money. And more annual points for $2000 less.

Here is the listing:
Disney's*Saratoga*Springs*Resort $7,800.00 130 $60.00 Oct*10‐260,*11‐130,*12‐130 1339643

 

[JimMIA]

We are finally seriously thinking of buying after all these years. What is the difference if we buy from Disney or resale?

The main differences between resale and direct are:
Resale:

• You should save at least 10% and possibly as much as 50% buying resale. With SSR, you should be saving 30-35% even after paying closing costs. With a 100 point purchase, you should save at least $3,000 and probably somewhat more.
• You can often get current year points truly without paying anything for them (unlike the DVC timeshare salesman's typical shell game), and you might even get full current year points with additional points banked.
• Resale will take 6-8 weeks to complete, from your initial offer the closed and in the DVC system so that you can make reservations.
• If you purchase resale prior to March 20, 2011, your contract will carry FULL benefits of DVC ownership. If you purchase after March 20, you will not be able to use your points for the "Collections" or DCL...which may or may not matter to you (doesn't to me, but YMMV)

Direct from DVC:

• You will pay 10-50% more, but you may not have to pay closing costs.
• You will enjoy almost-instant ability to make reservations.
• You will get FULL benefits of DVC, but you need to understand that any of those benefits can be changed at any time for any or ALL accounts.

We would buy 100 SSR pts @ $99 PP. We would get 100 points for 2010 as well.

You would not get 2010 points. You are BUYING 2010 points. Disney is not giving you anything at all except what you are paying for...although they will try to make you think you are getting something for nothing.

 

[kstrong001]

I would only consider buying BLT direct from DVC, given the resale savings.

 

[bobbiwoz]

When you are buying the previous years points you are not paying any MF's for them, and perhaps that is why DVC acts as if it's some sort of deal. When we first bought directly into DVC, we took what they called Magical Beginnings, they lowered the buy-in price for BWV from $84 to $74 if we did not take the '03 points. We bought in the late summer of '03 and we bought for a Grand Gathering we wanted to hold in '04. We were buying 200 points, and for us, the lower price was appreciated. We had no need for the '03 points, we were buying then because BWV, BCV and VB were all on the verge of selling out and we knew we didn't want to buy in at SSR which was next to be offered, but not offered for awhile. DVC had ROFR'd a VWL contract we tried to buy, also at a price of around $74. Now, the fact that DVC doesn't offer the Magical Beginnings anymore means that you don't have the option for a lower price.

 

[mfduddy]

We purchased a resale 10 years ago and were very satisfied with our choice. The staff at the timeshare store were wonderful to work with.

 

[LeslieLou]

We've just decided to purchase resale! We're buying a 50 point contract for BLT and a 50 point contract for VWL. I don't think we could have gotten so few points from Disney, nor the price we paid.

We're SO excited to own of a piece of the Magic - I have our points usage planned out (tentatively) through 2015

 

[Sandisw]

We've just decided to purchase resale! We're buying a 50 point contract for BLT and a 50 point contract for VWL. I don't think we could have gotten so few points from Disney, nor the price we paid.

We're SO excited to own of a piece of the Magic - I have our points usage planned out (tentatively) through 2015

Disney has been allowing new members in with small contracts, like those 50 point ones you just got. However, there is no way that the price is even close. I am sure you got a wonderful deal.

Congratulations!!!!

 

[mdsd8700]

We've just decided to purchase resale! We're buying a 50 point contract for BLT and a 50 point contract for VWL. I don't think we could have gotten so few points from Disney, nor the price we paid.

We're SO excited to own of a piece of the Magic - I have our points usage planned out (tentatively) through 2015

Congratulations! Hope the process goes quickly and smoothly for you. It is definately fun to plan out all those future vacations.

Enjoy!

 

[iX.]

May I ask a n00by question... how does it work if you have two small contracts like that, at different resorts, neither of which is enough for a stay?

Is that actually better because you have two "home" resorts and can transfer anyway?

While I'm at it... these contracts expire, right? Why is it that I don't see the expiration date as a point of interest when people are talking about resale? Wouldn't different contracts have different expirations?

Sorry to hijack the thread but the 50/50 buy thing has me interested.

 

[dbs1228]

With 2 small contracts of 50 points each I would assume the buyer will book every 2 - 3 years using all banked points, current and borrow following years points to allow for a stay using up to 150 points. I think a 50 point contract at BLT is tough since the points are quite high to stay there but it certainly can be done!

 

[sleepydog25]

May I ask a n00by question... how does it work if you have two small contracts like that, at different resorts, neither of which is enough for a stay?

Is that actually better because you have two "home" resorts and can transfer anyway?

While I'm at it... these contracts expire, right? Why is it that I don't see the expiration date as a point of interest when people are talking about resale? Wouldn't different contracts have different expirations?

Sorry to hijack the thread but the 50/50 buy thing has me interested.

In general, each resort has a different end point of the contract. For example, SSR is 2054 while VWL is 2042. I bought VWL last year, and though it has less years remaining on the contract, I'll be old and grizzled by then, anyway.

 

[chalee94]

May I ask a n00by question... how does it work if you have two small contracts like that, at different resorts, neither of which is enough for a stay?

your contracts are separate until you get to 7 months out.

so if you buy 1000 AKV pts and then add on a 25 pt BLT contract, then you have 1000 pts each year that can be used to book AKV at 11 months out...and 25 pts each year that can be used to book BLT at 11 months out.

naturally, you can bank 25 BLT pts in 2011, and then book a stay at BLT at 11 months out using up to 75 BLT pts using 25 banked BLT pts + 25 current 2012 BLT pts and 25 borrowed BLT pts from 2013...but your 1000 AKV pts can only be used to book BLT at 7 months (and vice versa.)

some owners actually like to do split stays and stay at AKV for a 4-5 nights and then switch to a boardwalk resort for 4-5 nights to get a completely different vibe...

expiration date is a valid point - but it matters more to younger folks than some of us...

 

[iX.]

Alright, I'm starting to get it I think.

At some point those expirations will start to matter I guess, but agreed, it's far off right now.


So the 50/50 discussion thing... can you not transfer in points for an 11 month book? From other members or other resorts? Or is that only for the 7 month book time?

Also, what do members do when they have vacations too close to cancel and plans change... do the resell them on boards here, other places, give them to friends... ?

 

[iX.]

Alright, I'm starting to get it I think.

At some point those expirations will start to matter I guess, but agreed, it's far off right now.


So the 50/50 discussion thing... can you not transfer in points for an 11 month book? From other members or other resorts? Or is that only for the 7 month book time?

Also, what do members do when they have vacations too close to cancel and plans change... do the resell them on boards here, other places, give them to friends, let them go, use trip insurance... ?

 

[chalee94]

So the 50/50 discussion thing... can you not transfer in points for an 11 month book? From other members or other resorts?

you can but they have to be the right "currency." if you transfer in BLT points from a BLT contract (yours or someone else's), then they can be used to book BLT at 11 months out. but transferring OKW pts does not magically turn them into BLT pts.

(edited to add: banking and borrowing also do NOT turn OKW pts into BLT pts...some people make this mistake as well.)

transferred pts retain their home resort priority and use year month.

Also, what do members do when they have vacations too close to cancel and plans change... do the resell them on boards here, other places, give them to friends, let them go, use trip insurance... ?

this is the kind of situation where you hope you are traveling early in your use year. if you have to cancel a nov trip with a dec UY, your options are a LOT more limited than if you cancel a dec trip with a dec UY.

the options you listed are pretty accurate. if you cancel less than 31 days out, your pts become "holding pts" and can only be used to book whatever is available 60 days ahead. (of course, if you cancel a nov trip in october with a dec UY, that is moot as the pts will expire on nov 30 anyway.)

 

[mikron]

We bought both from Disney direct and resale. The resale was cheaper then Disney.

 

[letitsnow]

We were in the process of purchasing direct through Disney 160 points SSR for $100/pp plus $500 gift card. We ended up buying 150 OKW $60/pp ($9420 total including closing and seller paid 2011 MF) saving us over $20k after paying all the interest for 10 years!!! on my GFE it says after we pay it off it will be $29k!! So I'd say buy resale if you can afford it.

i forgot to mention we ended up canceling the direct purchase

 

[ewebet]

We just recently took the plunge and signed the contract for SSR on 02/17/11. We are waiting for ROFR. We paid $66 a point and wanted to know if that was a fair price for a 150 point contract? I see so many contracts on these boards that are going for less I am not sure if we should have waited until after 03/20 to purchase! Let me know what you think? It includes all of 2010 points and 2011 points.