Buy Direct In-Person or Via Phone?

[anitatina]

I'm planning to buy DVC direct for CCV. I'll be in Oahu with my husband in a couple of weeks. We could make time to take a tour at Aulani, but I'm not sure if it's worth the 40-minute drive from Waikiki for the tour . I am still learning all the ins and outs of DVC, but I feel reading things on this forum has already given me a lot of insight. I could also just call the phone number on the DVC website to speak with a CM to get things clarified as well. Does anyone think it's worth the trip to do an in-person tour versus just getting things done over the phone? If there are money-saving incentives with the in-person tour, I'd definitely be up for the drive!

 

[Cindyel]

We just got back from Aulani in July. To be honest...it is worth it to go just to see the resort. It is so beautiful and would be nice to walk around and see it. They also have charachter meals which you can book even if you are not staying there. If you are buying direct, I would make the drive.

 

[anitatina]

Ok, thanks! The resort really does look beautiful, so it would be a little teaser for what we can get the next time we go to Oahu

 

[Cindyel]

Ok, thanks! The resort really does look beautiful, so it would be a little teaser for what we can get the next time we go to Oahu

Most definitely! We are from the East Coast and spent 9 nights there. It was so great! We used 2 years points and it was totally worth it!! Won't be back soon because of the distance, so we wanted a long trip.

 

[disneynutz]

May I ask why are you buying direct when resale can save you thousands of dollars?

Bill

 

[anitatina]

May I ask why are you buying direct when resale can save you thousands of dollars?

Because I want to buy CCV which is not on the resale market right now. I'm planning to use the points for a trip in October 2018, so I would presumably need to book by November with the 11-month home resort booking window. There isn't another DVC resort I would want to stay in except maybe BLT. I really would prefer CCV, however. We could wait for CCV to pop up on the resale market, but even then the price wouldn't be drastically lower and it may take months to close. If we did buy resale, I would still purchase 50 points direct through DVC to get the member benefits particularly for the 30% off dining at select restaurants. I would also use the member benefits for theme park tickets/tours. In the end, the price difference is minimal.

Of course, I would love to save thousands of dollars! If we decide to purchase more points in the future for CCV or for resorts not yet here (e.g. Riverfront), I would absolutely go the resale route.

 

[anitatina]

Most definitely! We are from the East Coast and spent 9 nights there. It was so great! We used 2 years points and it was totally worth it!! Won't be back soon because of the distance, so we wanted a long trip.

Glad you had an awesome time! I've never been in Oahu longer than 4 nights, and we'll be staying exactly 4 nights again on this trip before heading to the Big Island for 3 nights. 9 nights sounds amazing, though! It'll basically be my husband's first time in Hawaii, so we need to cram a lot into the limited time we have.

 

[CarolMN]

I'm planning to buy DVC direct for CCV. I'll be in Oahu with my husband in a couple of weeks. We could make time to take a tour at Aulani, but I'm not sure if it's worth the 40-minute drive from Waikiki for the tour . I am still learning all the ins and outs of DVC, but I feel reading things on this forum has already given me a lot of insight. I could also just call the phone number on the DVC website to speak with a CM to get things clarified as well. Does anyone think it's worth the trip to do an in-person tour versus just getting things done over the phone? If there are money-saving incentives with the in-person tour, I'd definitely be up for the drive!

DVD is not licensed to sell all DVC resorts in all jurisdictions. My advice is to call the sales number and see if DVD is licensed to sell CCV in Hawaii and the state / province/country in which you reside.

If they can't sell CCV to you in Hawaii, there is no sense in making the drive to Aulani (unless you just want to see the resort or visit the area).

If DVD is not able to sell to you in your area, you will not be able to buy over the phone and must buy in Florida. CCV will be available for quite some time and you can make the sale contingent on your guide getting that first reservation for you. So it's really not all that urgent if you have to travel to purchase.

 

[anitatina]

DVD is not licensed to sell all DVC resorts in all jurisdictions. My advice is to call the sales number and see if DVD is licensed to sell CCV in Hawaii and the state / province/country in which you reside.

If they can't sell CCV to you in Hawaii, there is no sense in making the drive to Aulani (unless you just want to see the resort or visit the area).

If DVD is not able to sell to you in your area, you will not be able to buy over the phone and must buy in Florida. CCV will be available for quite some time and you can make the sale contingent on your guide getting that first reservation for you. So it's really not all that urgent if you have to travel to purchase.

Thanks for the advice! I'll just go ahead and call the DVC info line then and see. We live in Texas, so if CCV's not available for purchase here I guess I'll just have to wait and buy resale. Good tip on having the guide make the first reservation for me! Never thought of that...

 

[poohs_hunny]

Have you thought about buying at Boulder Ridge at WL instead of CCV? My husband and I just closed on a resale contract at BRV and got a great deal! We also will be buying a small number of points direct but not sure where. If you have your heart set on CCV, then go with that. But I thought maybe if it was WL you were interested in, then BRV may be a good choice too. I'm not sure how different the two sets of villas are.

 

[anitatina]

Have you thought about buying at Boulder Ridge at WL instead of CCV? My husband and I just closed on a resale contract at BRV and got a great deal! We also will be buying a small number of points direct but not sure where. If you have your heart set on CCV, then go with that. But I thought maybe if it was WL you were interested in, then BRV may be a good choice too. I'm not sure how different the two sets of villas are.

I personally enjoy the rustic mixed with contemporary design esthetic of CCV more which is why we're choosing to buy CCV instead of BRV. I keep reading on the forums to choose a home resort you want to stay in, so that's what we've decided to do!