Asking for advice on current situation

[airjay75]

Wowzah that is pricey didn't realize it had climbed that high for POLY. Thought you still could get it in the 140s if you went searching.

As you said for that price difference I likely go direct at that point and avoid the issue of worrying about perks you can't have in the future.

That’s the May 2025 Poly average resale price from the site sponsor. I sort of use that as my worst case when estimating because that’s what I might have to pay to get what I want. But, if you’re flexible and willing to wait for the right deal, I’m sure you can get it for less.

 

[Sandisw]

The Disney Visa is a great way to purchase and stretch out for 6 months, 0% interest!

Being able to take advantage of Magical Beginnings can make the price difference more palatable.

We aren’t fans of resale anymore because we don’t like being restricted from any of the new resorts, especially RIV.

So for us, the option would be direct, even if it means some level of financing.

When we bought, we looked at what would happen if we had to sell at a 50% loss within a year…and made sure we could cover any loan shortfall if that were to happen

We were fortunate that we didn’t end up needing the financing.

Good luck!

 

[Hypaflex]

I also considered buying a 50 point resale to get my use year, then buy direct, then larger resale. However, I would not be able to buy a direct contract in cash for another 6 months after buying the 50 point contract, so I am not sure what I would do with a 50 point contract in the meantime other than stay 3 nights or just sell my points that year lol

 

[airjay75]

I also considered buying a 50 point resale to get my use year, then buy direct, then larger resale. However, I would not be able to buy a direct contract in cash for another 6 months after buying the 50 point contract, so I am not sure what I would do with a 50 point contract in the meantime other than stay 3 nights or just sell my points that year lol

Just want to reiterate that you do not need to buy a resale contract to get your use year. I bought in April. Guide told me they were selling December UYs. I did a bunch of research, went back and explained why I thought an October UY made the most sense for me, and it was done. They aren’t going to lose a sale over a UY. That said, I’d probably try to get up to 150 points for a direct purchase to take advantage of magical beginnings (I believe that is the current minimum for magical beginnings). Also, don’t forget to get a referral from an existing member to save an extra $500 - there is a referral thread in these boards with other members willing to give you a referral.

Edit: And, if you decide to do resale first, then instead of the new member referral, get a D23 Gold membership for $50 to save $500.

 

[D-Trick]

@Hypaflex - I think you should take the cash you have now and buy a smaller resale contract somewhere around 100 points. You won't regret purchasing small sooner-- instead you'll be glad that you did as that dips your toes into the water as you get used to the product. Then you can start building your DVC contract portfolio because addon-itis is a real thing.

 

[muppets3d]

Yeah if you want a particular use year, just ask your guide when buying and they'll do their best to accommodate.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I’d go direct 150 using as much of 0% 6m Disney Visa as possible. Get all of the direct benefits and discounts. Then… decide if you want to add on resale or get another chunk of direct when your finances allow.

Use your “Welcome Home” stay on the direct purchase to have MS help you book a room for the holidays that may be hard to get otherwise.

 

[achinforsomebacon]

If you have decent credit and are open to getting a new credit card, you could also get a 0% card(s) for up to 24 months. Put the direct purchase on that now so you can use the points sooner but have more time to pay it off. Bonus if you get a decent cashback card.

We did this plus spread our payments out (we were able to do 90 days but I think it's down to 60) for the VGF sale. We also had a no fee chase pay over time plan available for 24 months, which we're still paying off with no interest/fees.

I'm not saying you should buy direct, but if you want direct and think you'll have the cash in the next 1-2 years, there are ways to accomplish it without paying fees.

 

[Hypaflex]

Follow up question: say I could pay it off in 6 months, just putting it all on a 0% interest card for now (and could get the October use year I want), would it be smart to buy before October 2025 vs wait until next year when I can pay it all in cash?

I am not seeing the benefit in purchasing now vs waiting, other than Disney incentives may worsen.

What would be the deadline to buy this year, for an October use year, to take advantage of magical beginnings?

If best to wait, what would seemingly be the best time next year to purchase?

TIA!

 

[airjay75]

Follow up question: say I could pay it off in 6 months, just putting it all on a 0% interest card for now (and could get the October use year I want), would it be smart to buy before October 2025 vs wait until next year when I can pay it all in cash?

I am not seeing the benefit in purchasing now vs waiting, other than Disney incentives may worsen.

What would be the deadline to buy this year, for an October use year, to take advantage of magical beginnings?

If best to wait, what would seemingly be the best time next year to purchase?

TIA!

Yes, assuming direct pricing/incentives stay similar to what they are now, the primary advantage to purchasing before the start of your UY is that you get all of the points from the current year which can be sold back to Disney for $20 pp - magical beginnings. On 150 points, that’s $3,000 off. Assuming they offer it next year, you could still get it, but then you wouldn’t have any 2025 UY points to use and would have to wait until October of next year for new points.

Of course, by waiting to buy, you’ll also pay less in member dues since you are liable for those on a prorated basis the day you sign your contract. For Poly, 150 points will equate to about $100 per month in dues. So every month you wait, you’ll pay about that much less in dues. Pretty small compared to the $3,000 savings with magical beginnings IMO.

Only caveat is none of us know how pricing/incentives will change. Best bet IMO is probably just incremental adjustments (mostly increasing the price) but you never know if a month or two of slow sales might cause a round of incentives to jump.

 

[Hypaflex]

Yes, assuming direct pricing/incentives stay similar to what they are now, the primary advantage to purchasing before the start of your UY is that you get all of the points from the current year which can be sold back to Disney for $20 pp - magical beginnings. On 150 points, that’s $3,000 off. Assuming they offer it next year, you could still get it, but then you wouldn’t have any 2025 UY points to use and would have to wait until October of next year for new points.

Of course, by waiting to buy, you’ll also pay less in member dues since you are liable for those on a prorated basis the day you sign your contract. For Poly, 150 points will equate to about $100 per month in dues. So every month you wait, you’ll pay about that much less in dues. Pretty small compared to the $3,000 savings with magical beginnings IMO.

Only caveat is none of us know how pricing/incentives will change. Best bet IMO is probably just incremental adjustments (mostly increasing the price) but you never know if a month or two of slow sales might cause a round of incentives to jump.

Thank you so much for the help.

My question is: If I buy July 2025 (next month), I would I be able to get my October 2024-2025 points almost immediately. Would I be able to use these for Magical Beginnings, even though 3 months later (October 2025) I will get my October 2025-2026 points?

 

[airjay75]

Thank you so much for the help.

My question is: If I buy July 2025 (next month), I would I be able to get my October 2024-2025 points almost immediately. Would I be able to use these for Magical Beginnings, even though 3 months later (October 2025) I will get my October 2025-2026 points?

Yes, that is exactly how it works. Keep in mind that the current round of incentives end on July 14th. So, you could give your guide the green light a few days before and, if incentives change for the better after July 14th, you’d still be within your 10 days of having a right to cancel, and your guide will be willing to rewrite the contract with the better incentives (they sort of have to because you could just cancel and then say you want the new deals). Of course, incentives may not be better, but they could be.

 

[airjay75]

And, just so you’re aware, magical beginnings happens via a check they send to you after you close the contract (which is after you make all payments).

 

[eticketplease]

Thank you so much for the help.

My question is: If I buy July 2025 (next month), I would I be able to get my October 2024-2025 points almost immediately. Would I be able to use these for Magical Beginnings, even though 3 months later (October 2025) I will get my October 2025-2026 points?

If you buy in July 2025 for an October use year you will have your choice of receiving the 2024 points and MS Banking them into 2025 since we are past the 5/31 banking deadline OR using the 2024 points for Magical Beginnings.
You can not do both.

The day your points load in July you will be able to book trips. Now if you banked the points or did magical beginnings you would have to borrow if you wanted a trip between July purchase date and September 30, 2025. However you would have your full allotment of points that you bought, the ability to borrow points from 2026 and if you had Member Services bank your 2024 points you would have those as well to book a trip between 10/1/25 - 9/30/26.

The important thing to remember is that you can book your home resort at 11 months out so for a trip from 10/1/2026 - 10/5/2026 you can book on 11/1/2025 even if no points are showing for 2025 as the trip would occur in your 2026 use year.

 

[Hypaflex]

And, just so you’re aware, magical beginnings happens via a check they send to you after you close the contract (which is after you make all payments).

Thanks again. Do you have advice on how to approach this? Do you think the best option would be to put it on a 6 or 12 month 0% interest credit card? I heard about people asking the payment be split to once every 60 or 90 days, but I am not sure what that means lol

 

[airjay75]

Thanks again. Do you have advice on how to approach this? Do you think the best option would be to put it on a 6 or 12 month 0% interest credit card? I heard about people asking the payment be split to once every 60 or 90 days, but I am not sure what that means lol

If it were me, I’d get as much 0% financing as you can (subject to wildly different credit card rewards). Disney Visa Premier will get you 0% for 6 months and 2% back (in Disney Reward dollars). Another card I’ve been recently considering is the Wells Fargo Active Cash card which, last I checked, gets 2% cash back and 12 months of 0% financing. I’m sure there are others.

When you e-sign your docs (which will be sent to you within hours of telling your guide what you want), you’ll have to pay your closing costs. Then, you have 60 days to pay the rest of the amount you owe and they require at least one payment at 30 days - but, that can as small as you want it to be.

I used a different credit card for my closing costs payment and then paid $500 at 30 days (also with a different card). Then, I’m using my Disney Premier Visa on day 60, and then I’ll get 6 months of 0% out of it - I didn’t want to put multiple payments on my Disney Visa so as to know exactly when my 6 months would be up. If you were using a different credit card where the 0% promo starts as soon as you open the card, then you wouldn’t have to worry about that as much and could just put it all on as soon as you open it.

Hope that helps.

 

[Hypaflex]

If it were me, I’d get as much 0% financing as you can (subject to wildly different credit card rewards). Disney Visa Premier will get you 0% for 6 months and 2% back (in Disney Reward dollars). Another card I’ve been recently considering is the Wells Fargo Active Cash card which, last I checked, gets 2% cash back and 12 months of 0% financing. I’m sure there are others.

When you e-sign your docs (which will be sent to you within hours of telling your guide what you want), you’ll have to pay your closing costs. Then, you have 60 days to pay the rest of the amount you owe and they require at least one payment at 30 days - but, that can as small as you want it to be.

I used a different credit card for my closing costs payment and then paid $500 at 30 days (also with a different card). Then, I’m using my Disney Premier Visa on day 60, and then I’ll get 6 months of 0% out of it - I didn’t want to put multiple payments on my Disney Visa so as to know exactly when my 6 months would be up. If you were using a different credit card where the 0% promo starts as soon as you open the card, then you wouldn’t have to worry about that as much and could just put it all on as soon as you open it.

Hope that helps.

Yes, thank you so very much. You have been super helpful!! So in order to get magical beginnings you just simply have to pay the closing cost, not necessarily the whole ($38K for 150 points) contract in full?

 

[airjay75]

Yes, thank you so very much. You have been super helpful!! So in order to get magical beginnings you just simply have to pay the closing cost, not necessarily the whole ($38K for 150 points) contract in full?

No problem. When you call your guide to tell them what you want, you’ll have to tell them whether you want to do magical beginnings. So, let’s say you say yes, you want to do that. Then you e-sign the docs and pay just the minimum required and defer most of the the $38k for 60 days. Once you make your final payment, they’ll close, record your contract, and then the magical beginnings check will be issued (I think they say something like 3-4 weeks after closing). Of course, you don’t have to wait the full 60 days to pay everything - you can all anytime you want and make a payment and/or use as many credit cards as you want. If you pay it all sooner, they’ll record the contract sooner and you’ll get the magical beginnings check sooner too. Hopefully that all makes sense.

 

[Hypaflex]

No problem. When you call your guide to tell them what you want, you’ll have to tell them whether you want to do magical beginnings. So, let’s say you say yes, you want to do that. Then you e-sign the docs and pay just the minimum required and defer most of the the $38k for 60 days. Once you make your final payment, they’ll close, record your contract, and then the magical beginnings check will be issued (I think they say something like 3-4 weeks after closing). Of course, you don’t have to wait the full 60 days to pay everything - you can all anytime you want and make a payment and/or use as many credit cards as you want. If you pay it all sooner, they’ll record the contract sooner and you’ll get the magical beginnings check sooner too. Hopefully that all makes sense.

Yes, all of that makes sense. So if my full completion of payment is Sept 28th, they would still honor magical beginnings, given that my next points drop Oct 1st? That seems generous for them to do, but I understand if you don't bank those 2024-2025 points Disney can use that to make money.

Also, do you have a DVC sales rep you would recommend?

 

[airjay75]

Yes, all of that makes sense. So if my full completion of payment is Sept 28th, they would still honor magical beginnings, given that my next points drop Oct 1st? That seems generous for them to do, but I understand if you don't bank those 2024-2025 points Disney can use that to make money.

Also, do you have a DVC sales rep you would recommend?

Yes, they will. The date you sign your contract is when you have technically become a DVC member - that just has to happen 4 days before the next UY begins.

I like the guide I’ve been using. I’m sure others on here have good ones too. I’ll DM you her contact info.

Two other things to note for you. One is easy and I mentioned it earlier. The other one I’m not sure how I’d handle in your shoes.

Easy one - go to the referral thread and get a referral from someone who has posted there, as it will save you $500. This can only be used when you’re new to DVC and buying direct. https://www.disboards.com/threads/dream-it-forward-referral-thread.3924074/

The other one - there is currently a promo that annual pass holders get $1,000 off a DVC purchase (I think there is a 100 point minimum purchase). You’re not yet a DVC member, so your only option would be to get the Incredipass which is around $1,500. So, if you got that, it would basically be like you were paying $500 for that pass - if you think you’ll visit even once in the next year, probably worth it. That said, the last incentive period (the one in which I bought), there was a $1,000 off for Disney Visa holders. The AP offer basically replaced that. We don’t know whether one or both or none of those will be available after July 14th. So, just a little tricky to say what would be best in your situation. They probably wouldn’t give you an offer/contract using current incentives unless you actually have the AP. But, if the Disney Visa promo comes back, then it would be better to go with that and then if you need an AP later, you could then get the cheaper Sorcerer’s Pass. I think if I were in your shoes, I’d skip the AP discount and roll the dice on what the new incentives are post 7/14. Hopefully that isn’t too much info to complicate your decision even further, but wanted to make sure you had the info.