Blue card vs white card

[princesscinderella]

For any of the Florida residents reading this thread you already have access to the Fl resident AP discount that’s similar to the DVC blue card discount. I know right now they aren’t selling them right now but it’s likely the discounts will return once they are. So the value is diminished for the blue card direct buy in cost vs resale for a FL resident.

 

[Sandisw]

I seen lower then 100 for SSR but prices are going up

For the past few months, most SSR under $100 have been taken. Of course things change...but buying SSR today and getting it through ROFR under $100is rare.

The point is it’s not 50% for all. I got my RIV last year for $167 direct. RIV resale is hovering around $120 ish as an average.

 

[MonaMN]

For us, living in MN, we don’t have the flexibility to take advantage of some of the special events and will likely not be able to plan trips in order to fit two in a year to make an AP worth it (school aged kid so likely traveling mostly at spring break). So we went resale - still in ROFR!

 

[cm8]

For us, living in MN, we don’t have the flexibility to take advantage of some of the special events and will likely not be able to plan trips in order to fit two in a year to make an AP worth it (school aged kid so likely traveling mostly at spring break). So we went resale - still in ROFR!

Goodluck!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

For any of the Florida residents reading this thread you already have access to the Fl resident AP discount that’s similar to the DVC blue card discount. I know right now they aren’t selling them right now but it’s likely the discounts will return once they are. So the value is diminished for the blue card direct buy in cost vs resale for a FL resident.

Not similar. Much better in variety. Not even close.

 

[smisale]

For the past few months, most SSR under $100 have been taken. Of course things change...but buying SSR today and getting it through ROFR under $100is rare.

The point is it’s not 50% for all. I got my RIV last year for $167 direct. RIV resale is hovering around $120 ish as an average.

your right its not all 50% but there are still deals to be made and I did say prices are going up. Just don't want people to make the same mistake I made and wait to long if they are thinking on buying one. if you have the money saved go for it. but I don't recommend to buy on finances. Strictly my option

 

[ScubaCat]

How much is the savings on a Gold Pass? We would probably not be getting an AP more than every other year

 

[4luv2cdisney]

How much is the savings on a Gold Pass? We would probably not be getting an AP more than every other year

AP's aren't currently being sold, but ScubaCat just posted the pricing above.

People who don't travel during blackout periods but qualify for the DVC Gold (and are not a Florida resident) gain the most from blue card benefits. After taxes, a family of 4 could save about $2000 on APs. We probably wouldn't have even considered APs as a family that visits once per year with an occasional year off. But we just tweaked our dates a little to travel about 11 months apart and then let the pass expire instead of renew to continue without disrupting our normal travel cycle just for the sake of the AP.

When I bought a few years back, I spent $10K for my initial direct purchase and then immediately bought 4 APs. Savings at that time totalled $1400. I also saved a bit on MF's due the timing of my purchase and put it on my Disney visa for a 2% reward. So, any resale savings was negligible for me. Also, they were upgrading the DVC Gold annual pass to Premium and there were no blackout dates. (bonus!)

However, as 2 people, a higher minimum buy-in, and possible a greater spread between direct and resale pricing, it will take longer to recoup the extra cost for direct. Right now, on 125 points, it's probably a minimum of $7000 premium for direct benefits. Still very much worth if for some, but not at all for others.

As to other perks, I also got lucky enough to get moonlight magic tickets right after buying and was able to take my daugher and another for a weekend birthday trip that cost very little thanks to Southwest and their awesome cheap flights. I'm mentioning, because right now there really aren't many / any extras, but some of us (me!) would be super disappointed if I couldn't get whatever special things get offered for the next 20+ years.

Only you know how you'll feel about those things. Nobody else can guess how important things like that will or won't be to you. I think while we can't count on future benefits, some kind of benefit is a very real possibility though you may or may not be able to take advantage of what comes (and goes).

Clearly, I came out way ahead buying direct, so it's easier for me to see the value. But as they say YMMV. Some people obviously don't have use for APs (the biggest $$ saver in the direct vs resale discussion) and to gamble on valuable future benefits that might interest them is probably not wise. Obvioulsy, right now is a weird time since APs are suspended anyway. Very confusing time to have to make decisions for sure.

 

[RoseGold]

Assuming APs return, there’s also the option of staggering the APs for multiple trips. Example: late Aug, Feb, early Aug. Repeat.

If this is your ticket strategy, the blue card will not be worth much. There are many people who will never break even on Blue Card benefits, assuming they ever exist again.

 

[What-r-ya Goofy?]

Percentages can be deceiving if you don't pay careful attention to the wording.

Someone paying $140 a point for resale when direct points are $225 can say that they would have had to pay 61% more ($85/$140) to buy direct.

While someone paying $225 for a direct contract can say they only paid 38% more ($85/$225) over a resale contract.

 

[smisale]

Yes i thought that the proper way is to take 38% of 225 = 140.00
50% would be 112.00 but if you do it the other way it would be 100% of 112.00 which would double it to 225.00 which in my option is not the right way it like getting 50 percent off in a clothing store which would equal 112 on 225 dollars

 

[eandt]

Assuming APs return, there’s also the option of staggering the APs for multiple trips. Example: late Aug, Feb, early Aug. Repeat.

If this is your ticket strategy, the blue card will not be worth much. There are many people who will never break even on Blue Card benefits, assuming they ever exist again.

I am not necessarily trying to break even but at least just justify to myself that direct vs resale isn't just determined by the upfront cost of 125 points minimum. The difference in some resale contracts I have seen is usually around 5-8k give or take substantial savings yes but saving 800 or more on tickets over the course of 2 trips (more if we timed it to take 3 in a given year) would certainly help close that gap in per point price at some point Right now 2 Six day PH tickets are $1372.74 out the door while a Gold AP is $800ish so save $500 or so times 2 on 2 trips in the same AP year. Also getting a loaded contract rather than one that might be stripped of a year or two of points is worth something as well. My math might be off idk but could it be true the difference in the long run may not be as great as it seems at the time of purchase?

 

[RoseGold]

There is no gold pass for sale right now. Assuming the old discounts return, maybe it is worth it, especially with a large family and if you plan on booking back to back APs.

Lots of DVC members stagger the AP, so they have six months, nine months, a year gap without an AP. If you do that, blue card might not be worth much at all.

Or maybe no APs return at all. We have no idea. I wouldn’t be locking in a six figure real estate contract based on a discount that might not even exist.

 

[eandt]

LOL My contract won't be anywhere near 6 figures unless you count the digits after the decimal point! If you are talking about total cost to own for the life of the contract we are still back to the 5-8k difference on the initial buy since the fees won't change whether its resale or direct unless im missing something.

I get what you are saying about the discounts but Disney will have to offer something to entice people to buy direct so my guess would be that if direct sales tank which if just the initial purchase price is the only difference between blue/white would almost certainly happen (it already has) the "perks" of the blue card would have to get better not worse. Incidentally they are still "advertising" the blue card perks in their sales pitch at least they did to me a couple weeks ago including discounted AP's.

 

[DVCsloth]

I really enjoy the Moolight Magic events and realize they may not be back. Missed out on 2 of them last year because of Covid. I actually upgraded my Silver pass to gold so I could book the July Typhoon Lagoon event. Does anyone think that DVC could only allow you to attend these events if you were staying on direct or grandfathered points?

 

[DVCsloth]

Edit to read if you do have the minimum for the extras, but are staying on restricted points at the time of the event.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I really enjoy the Moolight Magic events and realize they may not be back. Missed out on 2 of them last year because of Covid. I actually upgraded my Silver pass to gold so I could book the July Typhoon Lagoon event. Does anyone think that DVC could only allow you to attend these events if you were staying on direct or grandfathered points?

I think the booking process (dates) were different for certain groups (staying on points vs not????) but I'm not 100 percent sure.
If so, I don't see why they couldn't specify "staying on qualified points" or something like that to remove "white card point" reservations from the first wave of bookings. However, I doubt they could deny a blue card member entry for that reason. I'm guessing there are FL residents that drive over for the MM events without a stay booked at all.

 

[DebLovesPooh]

LOL My contract won't be anywhere near 6 figures unless you count the digits after the decimal point! If you are talking about total cost to own for the life of the contract we are still back to the 5-8k difference on the initial buy since the fees won't change whether its resale or direct unless im missing something.

I get what you are saying about the discounts but Disney will have to offer something to entice people to buy direct so my guess would be that if direct sales tank which if just the initial purchase price is the only difference between blue/white would almost certainly happen (it already has) the "perks" of the blue card would have to get better not worse. Incidentally they are still "advertising" the blue card perks in their sales pitch at least they did to me a couple weeks ago including discounted AP's.

Unless you have a larger family and will go more than once a year, I don’t think the math will work for most resorts. For me, my time is worth a lot to me, enough to make up for the financial loss of buying direct. Not having to look for the right contract only to potentially lose it to ROFR and then repeat is very worth it to me. The ability to book all future resorts is worth a lot to me too. But that’s just me. Time and ability to book future resorts means nothing to some. I think Disney knows this too and they know they do not have to make the blue card benefits that desirable. People are willing to pay direct because they don’t know better or prefer the non-financial benefits like getting the fixed week, having unrestricted points, or the ease of purchase and guarantee of current UY points, or some combination. Would any of these affect your decision?

 

[Sandisw]

There is no gold pass for sale right now. Assuming the old discounts return, maybe it is worth it, especially with a large family and if you plan on booking back to back APs.

Lots of DVC members stagger the AP, so they have six months, nine months, a year gap without an AP. If you do that, blue card might not be worth much at all.

Or maybe no APs return at all. We have no idea. I wouldn’t be locking in a six figure real estate contract based on a discount that might not even exist.

Just to be clear, the DVC AP pricing does still exist, Anyone who has a DVC or had a DVC AP is paying the DVC price for new and the renewal.

Yes, no one can by a new one, but plenty of renewals being sold and plenty of DVC owners getting new ones if they canceled during the closure,

There is absolutely nothing to suggest that WDW APs will not be returning. If the plan was to eliminate, they would not have opened sales back up for the recovery offer,

 

[gisele2]

Had the food saving applied to one of my meal (we were 10) and I was renting points. Did not ask for anything. I said thank you to our server who had been magical all evening and gave him the 10% on top of his tip. This was before Covid. So I guess they can see that you are in a DVC room with the magic band.