Benefits of a guaranteed week?

[Onceuponamarathon]

The 10% premium for fixed weeks is based on the cost of the week the year the resort opened. So changes in point charts will affect the cost of the week you purchase. FWs are especially beneficial if you are looking for a week during Fall Frenzy or Spring Break.

For example, I purchased FWs at CCV in Studios for week 44 (special runDisney Food & Wine week), week 47 (Thanksgiving most years) and week 48 (first week of holiday season). Each of these weeks cost 118 points to purchase, which was a 10% premium when CCV opened (as those weeks cost 107 points then). In 2022, those same weeks cost 115, 126, and 121 respectively. If I were to use all 3 in 2022, I would "save" 8 points (and only pay a premium of 3 points instead of 11 points on my week 44). If I cancel, however, I only get back the points the FW cost me (118).

The CCV RunDisney events, btw, correspond with the runDisney races, and give special benefits for those races, such as advanced registration. Additionally, they are the ONLY FW that can move its check-in date, which is one reason we got it.

I was tempted to buy Week 48 at RIV, which would have cost 120 points for a Standard Studio to buy the FW, but is 116 to book (so the premium is only 4 points) or Week 52 at RIV, which is 196 points to buy but 209 points to book in 2022.

I highly recommend this thread from a while back on the benefits of FWs:
https://www.disboards.com/threads/all-about-fixed-weeks-riv-ccv-aul-vgf-poly-charts.3806985/

We bought the beginning of November at RIV and there were no week 52 standard views left. We snagged 52 preferred, which had 3 left at the time (two after the one we bought). At least that's what we were told.

I was really interested in the rundisney Fixed Week at CC but our guide said that if you sell the contract it converts to a normal fixed week. The movable dates/race dates don't go with the contract. I was also told if the race ever changed weekends it would convert to a normal fixed week as well (it wouldn't go to the new race weekend dates). I actually don't know anyone that has a runDisney Fixed week so was hoping you could confirm if that was true .

 

[Onceuponamarathon]

My thoughts are the only reason to NOT buy a fixed week is if you want to break up your purchase into smaller point contracts. For example, if you wanted to buy 200 points but planned to buy two 100 point contracts so that each kid was able to inherit one down the road. Similarly, if you were going to do the 125 point minimum but wanted a 50 and 75 point contract so you could potentially sell them more easily.

Otherwise, there's really no down side to having a fixed week.

1. You're not tied to your fixed week. If you don't want that week, just spend your points like normal
2. If it's a busy time of year and you do want that week, it's yours
3. It may help with resell
4. The 10% point premium is negated with certain times of year (like the holidays) as the point charts have gone up.
5. You can still get all the incentives

 

[Lorana]

We bought the beginning of November at RIV and there were no week 52 standard views left. We snagged 52 preferred, which had 3 left at the time (two after the one we bought). At least that's what we were told.

I was really interested in the rundisney Fixed Week at CC but our guide said that if you sell the contract it converts to a normal fixed week. The movable dates/race dates don't go with the contract. I was also told if the race ever changed weekends it would convert to a normal fixed week as well (it wouldn't go to the new race weekend dates). I actually don't know anyone that has a runDisney Fixed week so was hoping you could confirm if that was true .

Both are true. The runDisney extras don’t go with the resale, and if the runDisney event ends it will convert to a Week 44 FW. That is Halloween some years and Food & Wine festival, so we decided it would still be beneficial to us and likely still very valuable on the resale market given that Fall Frenzy is so popular.

 

[Littlelulu01]

Congrats!!! I think you made a fantastic decision. You wont believe how stress free you will be knowing you will always have that week. And you will have plenty of time to think about cancelling it should you want to just use the points. Great price too!! What fixed week did you get? Standard view?

I went with week one standard studio. 120 points which is a 4 point premium for 2022. we have booked that week many times in the past. Typically harder to get due to being marathon week. Christmas decorations and music still on for first half of vacation. Something post holidays to look forward to without the holiday crowds.

 

[RebelSoul]

Bought a standard studio for a week in the fall for F&W. Premium was 130 points but now that week in 2022 is also 130 points. Even if that changes, we still feel a fixed week was right for purchasing Riviera. Normally we stay in a 1 bedroom but it's just two of us and we don't mind using the laundry facilities one of the four trips we make each year.

 

[mickey10171]

Can you cancel part of your fixed week and use the rest of the points towards another trip? Or is it all or nothing with the pre-booked reservation?

 

[princesscinderella]

Can you cancel part of your fixed week and use the rest of the points towards another trip? Or is it all or nothing with the pre-booked reservation?

It’s all or nothing you can’t keep only a few days of the reservation.

 

[DisneyonMars]

Do you think a summer fixed week is worth it? The premium is greater than 10% now as points required for summer have decreased as point for fall/Dec have increased. It is also not peak DVC time. I am torn on this as a guaranteed studio would be nice.

I wonder if fixed week would be slightly more difficult to sell if it ever came to that, as many may not realize that if you cancel you just get the full value of the points and think they are stuck with that week.

 

[princesscinderella]

Do you think a summer fixed week is worth it? The premium is greater than 10% now as points required for summer have decreased as point for fall/Dec have increased. It is also not peak DVC time. I am torn on this as a guaranteed studio would be nice.

I wonder if fixed week would be slightly more difficult to sell if it ever came to that, as many may not realize that if you cancel you just get the full value of the points and think they are stuck with that week.

I think a 4th of july summer fixed week would be worth it.

 

[The Jackal]

Can you cancel part of your fixed week and use the rest of the points towards another trip? Or is it all or nothing with the pre-booked reservation?

If you cancel, it will cancel the entire reservation. You could then rebook whatever you want, let’s say 3 days, then you have the rest of the points to use whenever you wanted. If your fixed week was set as 130 points for that week, you paid a premium of 10% so 143 points. So if you cancel you should have 143 points to use when you want.

 

[princesscinderella]

If you cancel, it will cancel the entire reservation. You could then rebook whatever you want, let’s say 3 days, then you have the rest of the points to use whenever you wanted. If your fixed week was set as 130 points for that week, you paid a premium of 10% so 143 points. So if you cancel you should have 143 points to use when you want.

Thats not exactly how it works, if your fixed week is for 130 points you get the 130 points when you cancel not an extra 10%. When the FW chart was created it would be that it cost 117 point to book that week normally on your own if it was at a true 10% overage, but some of the fixed weeks have been reallocated in the owners favor in the case of the fall FW.

 

[Sandisw]

Can you cancel part of your fixed week and use the rest of the points towards another trip? Or is it all or nothing with the pre-booked reservation?

This is why we didn’t go with a fixed week. The all or nothing. We never do 7 nights at one place so it made no sense to buy it when we knew we’d cancel it every year.

 

[HookdonWDW]

I have two Week 49 Studios at CCR. Since it's almost impossible to get a studio there at 11 months, and since 1 1BR is more points than 2 Studios, and I like going in December, this is a complete win for me. Also, as mentioned, if we decide not to go, I get the 118 points/studio back to bank or use somewhere else. I don't see a downside. Love knowing that the reservations will magically appear 12 months out!

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

I wonder if fixed week would be slightly more difficult to sell if it ever came to that, as many may not realize that if you cancel you just get the full value of the points and think they are stuck with that week.

I'll be honest... that's what I thought prior to reading this thread.

We researched LOTS about DVC both before and after purchasing, but a fixed week was never something that was on our radar. I saw people here referring to them and always thought how risky of a purchase that was because you had to know that you would be able to travel at the same time every year (like a traditional timeshare) or lose points.

Glad to learn that's not the case.

 

[Nabas]

Is there a specific window to convert a Guaranteed Week to normal points?

For example:

Do I have to convert 31 days before arrival?

Do I have to cancel at the start of the Use Year?

 

[princesscinderella]

Is there a specific window to convert a Guaranteed Week to normal points?

For example:

Do I have to convert 31 days before arrival?

Do I have to cancel at the start of the Use Year?

You can convert it at any time, if you use the points to book something else before MS books the guaranteed week it won’t get booked. The actual guaranteed week reservation has the same cancellations rules of 31 days and otherwise it’s holding. You can also call MS prior to them booking the GW and let them know you won’t need it that year.

 

[sethschroeder]

Is there a specific window to convert a Guaranteed Week to normal points?

For example:

Do I have to convert 31 days before arrival?

Do I have to cancel at the start of the Use Year?

A) Use even 1 of the points and they will not book the FW
B) Just call and cancel the FW just like any other reservation but you have to call to cancel

 

[Nabas]

A) Use even 1 of the points and they will not book the FW
B) Just call and cancel the FW just like any other reservation but you have to call to cancel

Interesting!

So just by booking some other DVC stay, the Fixed Week will not be booked?

 

[sethschroeder]

Interesting!

So just by booking some other DVC stay, the Fixed Week will not be booked?

Correct as long as it uses at least 1 point from the current UY of the block of points dedicated to the FW.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Do you think a summer fixed week is worth it? The premium is greater than 10% now as points required for summer have decreased as point for fall/Dec have increased. It is also not peak DVC time. I am torn on this as a guaranteed studio would be nice.

I wonder if fixed week would be slightly more difficult to sell if it ever came to that, as many may not realize that if you cancel you just get the full value of the points and think they are stuck with that week.

I have a 4th of July (most years) FW at Grand Floridian. We have never used the Fixed Week Feature. But I saw this 186 point contract that had not sold for several months. I was convinced that people were mis-understanding the fixed week feature. So I offered 141.5 per point, and it was accepted. Points at VGF then were going for 150-160 per point. This was a larger contract for an odd amount of points, but I am convinced that many potential buyers were confused by the FW feature. They think "I don't want to go in July" and keep looking.

Having said that, If I buy any of VGF 2, I will likely get a FW in December or October, which are very popular times at VGF.