AKV/direct $108 pt.... what would you do?

[traceyg]

Hey Y'all!

First off, you all are the MOST knowledgeable people ever. Thanks for all your info in advance!

We are planning a trip for the end of Dec, beginning of January. My son is currently a CM so we can get a 15% discount through him or Disney currently has a 20% promotion going for AKV. This would make our points $108 instead of $135.

We only plan on doing Disney every 2-3 years and then using our points through RCI for other things like Branson, the coast, etc.

It was also explained to us that the best way to use our points for cruising is to buy one adult fare using our points and then purchase the rest with a discount that we're now entitled to.

I don't think we will ever have enough points to do Adventure Club. So if by chance we ever get all of our kids out of the house then we'd pay cash for that trip.

We went through the tour. I thought I understood the guide as explaining that resell points can ONLY be used at WDW. (ie, no cruise, no RCI, etc). My husband and I cannot remember the specifics of that conversation.

Our dilemma- I don't mind buying resell points for the sheer bargain of it, but given the flexibility (if there is added worth) is it worth the $108? If we buy now it will be with the contingency that we can book a room with points at AKV during the time we need. (hey, it could happen). If we don't buy points we can use my son's discount so we're not at a total loss. Our thought is that if we are going to spend $1500-$3000 on a cash ressie, we'd rather use that as a down. I don't think we can get it all finalized and scheduled at this late date for Jan if we went resell.

Any thoughts? What would YOU do?

 

[DizBub]

$108 is pretty good compared to $135 but resale at AKV can be had for $65 per point. Yes, the process does take a lot longer but honestly well worth the wait. It's not true about RCI, you can still trade with them. The only things you lose by going resale is the ability to cruise, Concierge, Disney and Adventurer Collections. Not good value for your points anyway.

I have bought direct and now have added on through resale. Personally, I won't buy direct again. Just my honest opinion.

 

[ELMC]

Hey Y'all!

First off, you all are the MOST knowledgeable people ever. Thanks for all your info in advance!

We are planning a trip for the end of Dec, beginning of January. My son is currently a CM so we can get a 15% discount through him or Disney currently has a 20% promotion going for AKV. This would make our points $108 instead of $135.

We only plan on doing Disney every 2-3 years and then using our points through RCI for other things like Branson, the coast, etc.

It was also explained to us that the best way to use our points for cruising is to buy one adult fare using our points and then purchase the rest with a discount that we're now entitled to.

I don't think we will ever have enough points to do Adventure Club. So if by chance we ever get all of our kids out of the house then we'd pay cash for that trip.

We went through the tour. I thought I understood the guide as explaining that resell points can ONLY be used at WDW. (ie, no cruise, no RCI, etc). My husband and I cannot remember the specifics of that conversation.

Our dilemma- I don't mind buying resell points for the sheer bargain of it, but given the flexibility (if there is added worth) is it worth the $108? If we buy now it will be with the contingency that we can book a room with points at AKV during the time we need. (hey, it could happen). If we don't buy points we can use my son's discount so we're not at a total loss. Our thought is that if we are going to spend $1500-$3000 on a cash ressie, we'd rather use that as a down. I don't think we can get it all finalized and scheduled at this late date for Jan if we went resell.

Any thoughts? What would YOU do?

It sounds like you are really doing your research. I would advise you to back up a bit and ask the question "Is DVC right for me?". Typically, DVC works best for people who want to go to Disney every year. It could work for you for every 2-3 years, but not as well. I would strongly advise against DVC if your intention is to use it for RCI trades. Although you can do RCI trades with resale or direct, I'm not so sure you should. Right now as a DVC member you only have access to a small percentage of the entirety of RCI resorts. Plus, you are purchasing one of the most expensive timeshares to stay at locations that are not that expensive (like Branson or the Florida coast). I understand that trading power helps mitigate that a bit, but not nearly enough, especially seeing as how many timeshares can be bought on eBay for a dollar. Those could be good purchases for RCI trade fodder.

As for the cruise, I think that if you mix cash and point reservations you place some pretty strict limitations on your reservation, so I would look into that (sorry I can't tell you more I'm just not that familiar with it).

As far as your question about putting your vacation money towards your trip, you really have to run the numbers. It sounds like you may be spending an extra $6,000 just so you can save $3,000. I'm estimating the numbers, but the concept is sound. Crunch the numbers objectively and they will give you the answer you are looking for.

To give you a simple answer to your question...if I were you I would buy resale or quite possibly not buy at all. If you do decide to purchase, AKV resales have huge supply and lower demand, which means that if you are patient you can get a great deal. Good luck with your decision.

 

[BestDadEver]

There is no cash discount for cruising as far as I know . Just the fact you can buy a person on points and another on cash.

$108 is agood price I think I would have bought akv if it was that low when I bought .

I like direct purchace, so resale isent an option for me . I think there is value in the other options like DCL ect .

 

[DougEMG]

You should check into what happens with your points if you cancel a cruise booked with points, it isn't pretty.

 

[BestDadEver]

You should check into what happens with your points if you cancel a cruise booked with points, it isn't pretty.

I thought I saw in passing that you can cancel up to 2 weeks before with a ful refund . That could be wrong though .

Either way you loose if you cancel points or cash unless you get the instance

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I thought I saw in passing that you can cancel up to 2 weeks before with a ful refund . That could be wrong though .

Either way you loose if you cancel points or cash unless you get the instance

When you book a cruise the points become reservation points and can no longer be used for DVC resorts so you start out restricted. You also have to pay a $95 fee when you book and you'll pay that fee again if you need to make a change. If you cancel then the reservation points will expire at the end of the UY that the reservation was if they are not used. And using them will in almost all cases require another $95 fee.

This is what happens no matter when you cancel even if it's 10 months prior to the cruise. Cash will get back to you as cash. Point refunds get more restrictive closer to sailing depending on the length of the cruise. In general if your cancelling less than 45 days out you will be forfeiting some points.

It's not pretty.

 

[k3chantal]

Hey Y'all!

First off, you all are the MOST knowledgeable people ever. Thanks for all your info in advance!

We are planning a trip for the end of Dec, beginning of January. My son is currently a CM so we can get a 15% discount through him or Disney currently has a 20% promotion going for AKV. This would make our points $108 instead of $135.

We only plan on doing Disney every 2-3 years and then using our points through RCI for other things like Branson, the coast, etc.

It was also explained to us that the best way to use our points for cruising is to buy one adult fare using our points and then purchase the rest with a discount that we're now entitled to.

I don't think we will ever have enough points to do Adventure Club. So if by chance we ever get all of our kids out of the house then we'd pay cash for that trip.

We went through the tour. I thought I understood the guide as explaining that resell points can ONLY be used at WDW. (ie, no cruise, no RCI, etc). My husband and I cannot remember the specifics of that conversation.

Our dilemma- I don't mind buying resell points for the sheer bargain of it, but given the flexibility (if there is added worth) is it worth the $108? If we buy now it will be with the contingency that we can book a room with points at AKV during the time we need. (hey, it could happen). If we don't buy points we can use my son's discount so we're not at a total loss. Our thought is that if we are going to spend $1500-$3000 on a cash ressie, we'd rather use that as a down. I don't think we can get it all finalized and scheduled at this late date for Jan if we went resell.

Any thoughts? What would YOU do?

I think going to WDW every two to three years is a perfectly fine way to use your DVC membership.

If you finance, have a plan to pay it off super fast. Otherwise, all that money you 'saved' didn't get saved when you add in the finance charges.

You never know what DVC will add or take away so I think it is smart to have some points purchased direct. This way depending on what DVC puts into effect you have the ability to fully enjoy it. Just know that there are some people who think the ability to use these points other than WDW is a waste. I say, it's up to you and how your family travels.

We have happily used our points for a RCI trade and for a cruise. Absolutely no regrets on our part. Some would say that if you use your points this way you are not fiscally getting the most out of them but I believe there are other 'factors' that have to be considered such as cost of airplane travel, cost of tickets, etc.....If I can go on vacation without paying cash for my accommodations such as we did in Kauai, Hawaii or I have no food cost or airfare to go on a whole cruise, then I feel the 'value' is there.

That said, if I ever have another spare ten to twenty thousand lying around, I would probably by resale since I already have 280 direct points so at that point I could use my points for different reasons.

 

[joelp]

We had some similar thoughts as you: we are planning our next trip, LOVE the Animal Kingdom Lodge - so use what would be the cash payment for a week's stay there to pay a good portion of what it costs to buy into DVC ...

But - were are looking at Nov 2013 for our next trip - so resale was the way to go for us.

Also, when you look at the points cost for cruises - with only 100 points per year, it costs about 2 years worth of points for one person for a week long cruise in an inner cabin ... So in addition to not being the best "value" for the DVC points, it would also essentially eliminate a trip to WDW for 2-3 years ...
I ran some general numbers and decided that, if we were going to do a Disney cruise, it would be better to pay cash and look for a deal ...

But since you're looking at a Dec 2013 trip, assuming the Disney DVC folks can guarantee the reservation you want, it may be "worth" it to you ...

Another option would be to stay at a Value Resort in Dec - and then use the money you "save" by doing that to buy into DVC resale (and "save" more money ...)

But - your first need to decide if the 40+ year DVC committment is for you ...

 

[BestDadEver]

When you book a cruise the points become reservation points and can no longer be used for DVC resorts so you start out restricted. You also have to pay a $95 fee when you book and you'll pay that fee again if you need to make a change. If you cancel then the reservation points will expire at the end of the UY that the reservation was if they are not used. And using them will in almost all cases require another $95 fee.

This is what happens no matter when you cancel even if it's 10 months prior to the cruise. Cash will get back to you as cash. Point refunds get more restrictive closer to sailing depending on the length of the cruise. In general if your cancelling less than 45 days out you will be forfeiting some points.

It's not pretty.

I didnt know that so thanks . But when I went on my cruise if I didnt get insurance I couldn't cancel and get my money back . So I think even the limited situation I would still get a refund with points us better

 

[BestDadEver]

I

We have happily used our points for a RCI trade and for a cruise. Absolutely no regrets on our part. Some would say that if you use your points this way you are not fiscally getting the most out of them but I believe there are other 'factors' that have to be considered such as cost of airplane travel, cost of tickets, etc.....If I can go on vacation without paying cash for my accommodations such as we did in Kauai, Hawaii or I have no food cost or airfare to go on a whole cruise, then I feel the 'value' is there.

.

This is how I look at cruising on points, even if I only pay 1 person on points and thr diffrence cash , it's money I would have spent on tix and food at wdw resort I wouldn't have to spend on a cruise

 

[Dean]

I didnt know that so thanks . But when I went on my cruise if I didnt get insurance I couldn't cancel and get my money back . So I think even the limited situation I would still get a refund with points us better

Cruising on points and directly on cash have significantly different rules. Using cash, you can cancel without penalty up until a certain point. Using points, there are rules on cancelations but your points come back as reservations points and expire at the end of that UY. Plus you lose the $95 fee.

 

[disneynutz]

I wouldn't buy a DVC interest for use anywhere but for staying at a DVC resort. DVD advertises magical destinations, as a enticement to buy but the reality is that availability is limited and the savings questionable.

(Note their disclaimer) "Real estate interests must be purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. in order to have access to the full portfolio of vacation destinations. Vacation destinations offered through exchange opportunities require a fee and may be modified or withdrawn at any time"

Last I checked RCI lists 5000 resorts but the reality is that DVC owners are only allowed access to 500 and availability can be difficult to come by.

DCL doesn't open all cruises to the DVC and the number of cabins can be limited.

Sure there are owners who have been successful staying elsewhere but do you really want to spend all of this money on a maybe?

 

[BestDadEver]

Cruising on points and directly on cash have significantly different rules. Using cash, you can cancel without penalty up until a certain point. Using points, there are rules on cancelations but your points come back as reservations points and expire at the end of that UY. Plus you lose the $95 fee.

I realy dont get all the hub bub about the $95 res fee it's not a lot if money . I hear it everytime I mention it , even to my dvc friends at home . IDK maybe I an just loose with my money

 

[BestDadEver]

I wouldn't buy a DVC interest for use anywhere but for staying at a DVC resort. DVD advertises magical destinations, as a enticement to buy but the reality is that availability is limited and the savings questionable.

(Note their disclaimer) "Real estate interests must be purchased directly from Disney Vacation Development, Inc. in order to have access to the full portfolio of vacation destinations. Vacation destinations offered through exchange opportunities require a fee and may be modified or withdrawn at any time"

Last I checked RCI lists 5000 resorts but the reality is that DVC owners are only allowed access to 500 and availability can be difficult to come by.

DCL doesn't open all cruises to the DVC and the number of cabins can be limited.

Sure there are owners who have been successful staying elsewhere but do you really want to spend all of this money on a maybe?

On the flip side of that they also offer crusies only to dvc members .

 

[BestDadEver]

Although none of the perks are guarrenteed to be there . To me they likely will be so long as they are actually selling points . Cause how else would they justify the price .

 

[Dean]

Hey Y'all!

First off, you all are the MOST knowledgeable people ever. Thanks for all your info in advance!

We are planning a trip for the end of Dec, beginning of January. My son is currently a CM so we can get a 15% discount through him or Disney currently has a 20% promotion going for AKV. This would make our points $108 instead of $135.

We only plan on doing Disney every 2-3 years and then using our points through RCI for other things like Branson, the coast, etc.

It was also explained to us that the best way to use our points for cruising is to buy one adult fare using our points and then purchase the rest with a discount that we're now entitled to.

I don't think we will ever have enough points to do Adventure Club. So if by chance we ever get all of our kids out of the house then we'd pay cash for that trip.

We went through the tour. I thought I understood the guide as explaining that resell points can ONLY be used at WDW. (ie, no cruise, no RCI, etc). My husband and I cannot remember the specifics of that conversation.

Our dilemma- I don't mind buying resell points for the sheer bargain of it, but given the flexibility (if there is added worth) is it worth the $108? If we buy now it will be with the contingency that we can book a room with points at AKV during the time we need. (hey, it could happen). If we don't buy points we can use my son's discount so we're not at a total loss. Our thought is that if we are going to spend $1500-$3000 on a cash ressie, we'd rather use that as a down. I don't think we can get it all finalized and scheduled at this late date for Jan if we went resell.

Any thoughts? What would YOU do?

Here are a few thoughts:

1. Buying DVC to use for RCI is an extremely risky choice. There are few reasonable and comparable choices and the top ones are difficult to secure. RCI requires planning, generally a full year out or more though Branson is an easy place. There are 4 areas in the US that I consider timeshares easy to get prime time and those are Orlando, Williamsburg, Branson and LV. Even then, top choices are not routinely available like Big Cedar Wilderness Club for Branson.
2. Using points for cruising creates a situation where you'll pay more, have more risk and have far more restrictions. Such as they restrict which cruises are available and only allow DVC members using points to reserve a limited % of each cruise. Many have reported not being able to use points for a cruise available on cash.
3. Buying direct is higher, even with the discount. Plus, there are restrictions on CM secured points including that you can't rent them out and how you resell them.
4. IMO, one should only buy DVC points using cash without financing.

The number of points required for the situation you're looking at will be a lot. Assuming a 2 BR for a week every third year at DVC, an RCI 2 BR every third year and a cruise for 2 for a week the off year, you'd likely need somewhere in the range of at least 300-350 points or up for a higher cabin. For 1 BR options, you'd still be looking at 200 points or more. 300 points is above $32500 with closing and yearly dues above $1500 a year. If you bought only the points for DVC resorts you'd be at maybe 100 for every 3 years so 1/3 of those costs.

Assuming you value staying on property enough to pay for deluxe hotels anyway, likely the best and cheapest options for that travel scenario is to buy less DVC points, use cash for cruises and either cash or another timeshare option for Branson & RCI. One could buy say 12-20K Bluegreen points or 150-200K Wyndham points for under $1-2K. You'd then have direct reservation options at resorts in that system plus access to RCI directly and online with far more and better options for RCI than through DVC. Just comparing prices for that portion alone, you'd need 90 yearly DVC points to do a 2 BR every 3 years at an upfront cost around $10K and yearly fees on that portion of around $500 per year. With BG, you could buy resale for under $1K and likely around $250 for 12-15K and get a week every year in a 2 BR most places with yearly fees of around $1K. IMO, if you only want something every 3 years, likely best just to go with cash (possibly rent from an owner), however, if the added options and frequency for non DVC timeshares is beneficial to you at say most every year for a week, a non DVC timeshare can be a great option and much cheaper than cash for a similar unit.

 

[disneynutz]

On the flip side of that they also offer crusies only to dvc members .

The DVC only cruises are more expensive than a regular cruise. A couple of years ago the extras and special guests made the DVC cruise more worth it. Now it seems that you get less extras, less special guests and more sales presentations.

IMO the changes are why they can't fully book the current offerings.

Bill

 

[DizBub]

I didnt know that so thanks . But when I went on my cruise if I didnt get insurance I couldn't cancel and get my money back . So I think even the limited situation I would still get a refund with points us better

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I think that even with the insurance the only refund you will get on your points is the MFs that you paid on them. They do not refund your points. Right?

 

[disneynutz]

I realy dont get all the hub bub about the $95 res fee it's not a lot if money . I hear it everytime I mention it , even to my dvc friends at home . IDK maybe I an just loose with my money

Many of us bought into the DVC several years ago before Disney changed they way that they do business. The $95 fee only started a couple of years ago and the exchange company was changed from Interval International to RCI. The change wasn't made to necessarily improve the offerings to the owners, some say that it was made to benefit Disney.

Bill