Advice needed - what next after small resale contract

[Kcasey02]

Hoping some of you might have some ideas/perspective for me…

My husband and I are new owners, small 30 pt resale contract at BRV. We have a 2 year old son. Stayed at Wilderness lodge in Oct and it was gorgeous — convinced my husband to get our foot in the door with DVC and see what comes next.

Now that we have this contract (was fully loaded, 60 pts to spend for June UY 2022) and I’m about to book 4-5 nights in a studio in late Sept, I’m really feeling like we need to add more. Just not sure if it should be direct or resale.

We are paying cash kind of people for this (or my Disney Visa, potentially for direct), so my thought is another small contract, 40-60 pts to be financially responsible (if that’s even a thing with DVC, ha!).

My husband isn’t a big Disney guy, but he saw how much my son enjoyed it, while appreciating the theming at WL. He loved the Animal Kingdom and would only really have an interest in buying points there. No interest in SSR to save money for example.

I might have come across a unicorn type situation of a small Vero Beach contract that has subsidized dues. Waiting to hear back to verify. The math on the cost per point and subsidized dues is pretty good, considering we already have a 2042 contract and we aren’t looking at this as a way to make money, instead to go to Disney every other year (or so). We do love the beach (live in suburban Chicago) and beachfront is an attractive getaway, even if just my husband and I without our son. I imagine if we did this, we would go to Vero every so often for a few nights after a park stay for a few nights.

All of that being said, I found out that current pricing lasts until March 3 direct. A guide sent me the AKL Resale in general seems to be pretty high right now, especially for AKL.

What would you do if you were in my shoes? Wait to see if resale stabilizes across the board? Buy a small contract direct before a likely inevitable price increase?

I keep seeing that a lot of people have regrets on not buying earlier. This isn’t a huge amount of points by any means, but I’m all about saving money if possible and being strategic!

ps - studios are a good fit for us now, I could see 1 bedroom if we add another child into the mix in a few years…. Then we really might need more points!

 

[harmon54]

I am not a pro but you can add on as small as 25 points direct purchase now that you already own. So you can build up gradually if you want. I have looked at some small contracts and the price between contracts this small and direct is not significant. Also it is very hard to find the same use year when searching for a small contract. You won’t want two different use years with so little points as it is harder to combine the points. If you have time to wait to get points then you could just patiently wait - if you wanted points right away direct will be super easy to purchase. If you use your Disney Visa it is considered a cash purchase but then you would have 6 months to pay it off.

 

[DVCsloth]

I would keep an eye out for a BRV resale with a matching use year. If I were buying direct, I would purchase CCV. At least you would be at the same resort and just change rooms. I think there are some small incentives for CCV, but probably need to purchase 150 to get it.

 

[Sandisw]

I would be cautious to by a resort that is not at WDW if they plan is to use it at WDW most of the time.

When you are looking at small contracts, the price difference is not huge going direct and I’d probably opt for that, especially given you can use the Disney Visa.

 

[Kcasey02]

This is what I was thinking too… the small BRV resale was a good deal (feels like resale prices have really gone up in the last 1-2 months) and it got us in the door without the huge investment to start.

I would be cautious to by a resort that is not at WDW if they plan is to use it at WDW most of the time.

When you are looking at small contracts, the price difference is not huge going direct and I’d probably opt for that, especially given you can use the Disney Visa.

 

[RoseGold]

With closing and higher rates, I wouldn’t buy a contact this small at all. You can just book a couple nights at swolphin or rent points here and there for the same effect.

 

[Kcasey02]

I think I’m too much of a control freak for point rental! We used a TA for our trip this past Oct and that was hard enough. The one time use points really might come in handy though!

I have the closing costs for Disney, it’s roughly $9ish a point at 50 pts. A little cheaper than resale closing costs. Inflation in general is at a scary pace and it doesn’t seem to be slowing fast enough, so maybe that’ll be a drop in the bucket in 5 yrs!

Staying offsite isn’t attractive to me either right now (maybe that’ll change!), although I’ve heard those hotels are reallynice with great location! I can appreciate that thought for cost savings

With closing and higher rates, I wouldn’t buy a contact this small at all. You can just book a couple nights at swolphin or rent points here and there for the same effect.

 

[MICKIMINI]

A couple thoughts from a DVC veteran of 26 years. First of all, you can buy OTU (one time use) points at 7 months at $19 each, which seems pricey, however you can likely add a night or two to your September vacation!

I agree with OP that even 50 points resale now, is too expensive with closing costs so if you can try for 100, closing costs are about the same and price should be lower. This is a long term purchase, right?

I own a subsidized VBR that was $65 per point and came fully loaded, so after I rented those extra points it cost hardly anything to purchase. If you find one I'd say go for it!

Good luck!

 

[DVCsloth]

A couple thoughts from a DVC veteran of 26 years. First of all, you can buy OTU (one time use) points at 7 months at $19 each, which seems pricey, however you can likely add a night or two to your September vacation!

I agree with OP that even 50 points resale now, is too expensive with closing costs so if you can try for 100, closing costs are about the same and price should be lower. This is a long term purchase, right?

I own a subsidized VBR that was $65 per point and came fully loaded, so after I rented those extra points it cost hardly anything to purchase. If you find one I'd say go for it!

Good luck!

I always forget about OTU, but I'm always booking at 11 months anyways. I have purchased a couple 50-point direct contracts 6 months or so apart. Saved up enough to buy them on my CC and DVC let me pay it off in 3 payments I believe. $10,000 hurts a less that way for me. So, no interest and a couple hundred dollars more, points right away and current years points.

 

[Kcasey02]

This is the route I was thinking with a 50 pt one at AKL! I agree with you, that makes it easier to stomach. Question on current year points. We are June UY and past the January banking deadline. Do you think they’d still bank them for us or would we have to use by June 2022? I have that question out to a guide right now via email, but curious on your experience.

I always forget about OTU, but I'm always booking at 11 months anyways. I have purchased a couple 50-point direct contracts 6 months or so apart. Saved up enough to buy them on my CC and DVC let me pay it off in 3 payments I believe. $10,000 hurts a less that way for me. So, no interest and a couple hundred dollars more, points right away and current years points.

 

[Kcasey02]

I found out that they made an error on the website and it wasn’t subsidized dues for VB. Boo! Fidelity is correcting it right now. Thank you for your sweet advice!

A couple thoughts from a DVC veteran of 26 years. First of all, you can buy OTU (one time use) points at 7 months at $19 each, which seems pricey, however you can likely add a night or two to your September vacation!

I agree with OP that even 50 points resale now, is too expensive with closing costs so if you can try for 100, closing costs are about the same and price should be lower. This is a long term purchase, right?

I own a subsidized VBR that was $65 per point and came fully loaded, so after I rented those extra points it cost hardly anything to purchase. If you find one I'd say go for it!

Good luck!

 

[MICKIMINI]

I always forget about OTU, but I'm always booking at 11 months anyways. I have purchased a couple 50-point direct contracts 6 months or so apart. Saved up enough to buy them on my CC and DVC let me pay it off in 3 payments I believe. $10,000 hurts a less that way for me. So, no interest and a couple hundred dollars more, points right away and current years points.

We're debating adding on AKV direct. We have direct OKWE and a blue card and AP's. There aren't many loaded AKV's around that meet our needs and the price isn't all that much higher.

We will be under agreement for another 100 points resale, hopefully tomorrow, but if AKV price is going up in March, we'll snag some direct points at that time on the Disney card with 0% for six months. I'm with you, in spacing out purchases and paying cash!

 

[MICKIMINI]

I found out that they made an error on the website and it wasn’t subsidized dues for VB. Boo! Fidelity is correcting it right now. Thank you for your sweet advice!

I've been watching the contract you are referencing as I believed too, it was subsidized! It's not our UY, so I just let it go...

You should call DVC and ask for some pixie dust. Don't expect a yes, but if you get the right CM it is possible. Good luck!

 

[DVCsloth]

This is the route I was thinking with a 50 pt one at AKL! I agree with you, that makes it easier to stomach. Question on current year points. We are June UY and past the January banking deadline. Do you think they’d still bank them for us or would we have to use by June 2022? I have that question out to a guide right now via email, but curious on your experience.

Yes, I believe you must contact member services to do it. My guide made sure to help with this the last time because we bought in February and we have a March use year.

 

[eandt]

I found out that they made an error on the website and it wasn’t subsidized dues for VB. Boo! Fidelity is correcting it right now. Thank you for your sweet advice!

These "mistakes" on the websites (we had an issue with points being wrong on a resale we reached a deal on) is what turned us to just buying direct. Direct is so much easier and less time consuming, yes it will cost you more but to us that cost was worth the less stressful buying experience.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

I would add on either 50 direct at CCV a little at a time, especially since your son is small- direct is worth it for small contracts as the price difference is minimal. You could add on 50 points now and if you need more, add on another 50 in a couple years. Also 50 pointers are easier to sell if you decide you don't need it

 

[dvc lover 1970]

This is the route I was thinking with a 50 pt one at AKL! I agree with you, that makes it easier to stomach. Question on current year points. We are June UY and past the January banking deadline. Do you think they’d still bank them for us or would we have to use by June 2022? I have that question out to a guide right now via email, but curious on your experience.

Yes they will allow you to bank when you purchase direct. AKL is a great choice too and the value rooms there are the best value in DVC

 

[Kcasey02]

That’s good to hear!!! My son (and husband!) are obsessed with animals, so being able to book that at the 11 month mark would be great. Now I’m just curious if AKL points will go up in price come March 3…

Yes they will allow you to bank when you purchase direct. AKL is a great choice too and the value rooms there are the best value in DVC

 

[Kcasey02]

Update — spoke to a guide this afternoon that I spoke with on Friday as well. So friendly and helpful! Talking to my husband tonight to decide on 50 pt direct contract. Guide didn’t say prices are going up after March 3, but I don’t know how they wouldn’t raise prices on more resorts in the coming months. Hard to tell!

 

[Jwaire]

If you are going direct, AKL isn't a bad choice as the margin is closer between direct and resale. I'd pick it over Vero, subsidized or not. Do you fly in from Chicago? I will warn you that getting from MCO to Vero is a pain unless you rent a car. And renting isn't as easy (or affordable) as it used to be.