Clarify incentives?

[kellygreenjenny]

Hi - first time dvc purchaser, and while I'd fully planned on resale, I think we may have narrowed down to a direct buy at VGF - like others have said, the possibility of future sales restrictions and fomo on the direct member benefits are pushing me there, plus I love the GF. We would only buy 150 points. What are the max incentives we would be eligible for, and should I buy now or when we are there for our July trip (non dvc, in a cabin at FW)? if we go in July and buy, are there any 'on site purchase incentives'? Also, could we choose an April or June UY (our ideal) and get the points this year (effectively 3 or 1 month late respectively) so we can sell them back for the MB incentive? Is there any way to get a UY where we can get MB with the purchase, but still be able to use 2024 points? We typically go in summer, possibly in April, due to daughters's school schedule, so I think we need to avoid the Aug-Dec UYs but I would love to get that MB incentive

Thanks for any help/advice/clarity - this is all a bit overwhelming

 

[bholbert81]

We just added on VGF and without being a current DVC member @ 150 points, it gets down to around $193 per point with incentives. To me it is the BEST value as resale is still near $170 for VGF and also it does not have the awful resale restrictions of the newer DVC accommodations. Also, who can not like the Grand Floridian..the lobby will be redone by 2025 and it will be even more amazing!!

 

[kellygreenjenny]

I do think it's beautiful! Congrats on your recent purchase!

 

[lorie13]

As far as I understand you would have to pick Aug, Sep, Oct or Dec UY to use the MB for 2023 and then have your points for 2024. There is another incentive, it is called Welcome Home additional credit of $1500. Since you are going in July and current promotions and incentives are good until September, I would call and schedule a tour. This is the info I have.
"Welcome Home offer expires at Disney resort or cruise check-out/debarkation, or 5 days after initial onsite interaction,
whichever occurs later."

 

[mainstreetmillenial31]

Just purchased this week 150 points at VGF - all available incentives totaled $5,085 per the paperwork, which includes the "free points", welcome home promo, developer discount, and that's it I believe. The magical beginnings is sent 30 days after closing via check. For the 150 points, our guide said that amounts to $3,300. Not sure about the use year portion of your question, but for our September UY, our guide said to act quickly so we did. From inquiry to document signing and points in our account, all happened within 24 hours. So I would think if you do want June use year and it's available, you should be able to get it if you get under contract in the next few days?

As for on site incentives, we purchased last month on site and there wasn't anything additional, maybe that has changed? But, our guide said the Welcome Home incentive is great and he hasn't seen it in the 5+ years of being with DVC, so that may be as good as it will get. Good luck!

 

[KeriBlujeans]

I have the same question about the Magical Beginnings. As I understand it, if you choose a UY later in the year you have 2022 points that you do not need to pay maintenance fees on, but that are eligible for Magical Beginnings? So if I wanted a June UY, to align with my existing resale account, I would need to sell back 2023 points, which I AM paying maintenance fees on. Can anyone clarify that? I'm trying to figure out what the financial impact of going with a June UY over a Sept/Oct.

 

[davidhr]

I have the same question about the Magical Beginnings. As I understand it, if you choose a UY later in the year you have 2022 points that you do not need to pay maintenance fees on, but that are eligible for Magical Beginnings? So if I wanted a June UY, to align with my existing resale account, I would need to sell back 2023 points, which I AM paying maintenance fees on. Can anyone clarify that? I'm trying to figure out what the financial impact of going with a June UY over a Sept/Oct.

MF are by calendar year, not use year. With a June UY you won't get 2022 points, but that doesn't affect the dues. Dues are calculated to the day you sign the purchase contract.

 

[KeriBlujeans]

Right, but my question is that with a Sept contract, I'm paying 2023 Dues and getting 2022 and 2023 points, correct? Or do I also pay 2022 dues? With a June UY, I'm paying 2023 dues, but only getting 2023 points.

 

[Sandisw]

Right, but my question is that with a Sept contract, I'm paying 2023 Dues and getting 2022 and 2023 points, correct? Or do I also pay 2022 dues? With a June UY, I'm paying 2023 dues, but only getting 2023 points.

Since dues are calendar year, you pay only 2023 because you were not an owner in 2022.

You get 2022 UY points with a Sept UY because we are still in that months 2022 UY and so you are getting current UY points.

You get 2023 UY points for June since we are in the 2023 UY for thst month and also getting current UY points.

So, don’t look at it as what points you are paying dues on as it’s not really calculated that way. You are paying for operation of thr resort and the amount is calculated based on the number of points in that contract.

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

MF are by calendar year, not use year. With a June UY you won't get 2022 points, but that doesn't affect the dues. Dues are calculated to the day you sign the purchase contract.

I believe dues are prorated to the date the points are deposited into your account as opposed to when you sign.

 

[KeriBlujeans]

Right. So going with a June UY vs a Sept/Oct/Dec UY will "cost" $3,300 (the $22 MB Promo from the "Free" 2022 points) or 150 2023 points.

 

[Genie+]

Right. So going with a June UY vs a Sept/Oct/Dec UY will "cost" $3,300 (the $22 MB Promo from the "Free" 2022 points) or 150 2023 points.

Technically yes. And a late month UY is getting a slightly better deal during these summer incentives.

But you can also look at the difference as taking the last year of the contract… 40 years from now.

 

[bravo2zero]

Hi - first time dvc purchaser, and while I'd fully planned on resale, I think we may have narrowed down to a direct buy at VGF - like others have said, the possibility of future sales restrictions and fomo on the direct member benefits are pushing me there, plus I love the GF. We would only buy 150 points. What are the max incentives we would be eligible for, and should I buy now or when we are there for our July trip (non dvc, in a cabin at FW)? if we go in July and buy, are there any 'on site purchase incentives'? Also, could we choose an April or June UY (our ideal) and get the points this year (effectively 3 or 1 month late respectively) so we can sell them back for the MB incentive? Is there any way to get a UY where we can get MB with the purchase, but still be able to use 2024 points? We typically go in summer, possibly in April, due to daughters's school schedule, so I think we need to avoid the Aug-Dec UYs but I would love to get that MB incentive

Thanks for any help/advice/clarity - this is all a bit overwhelming

A few things in here to address:

1) The incentives for NEW members would include the 5 "free" points ($1085 savings), developer credit ($1500 I believe), welcome home credit for your current trip planned ($1000 for new members), and Magical Beginnings ($22 per point for $3300 at 150 points). You can also get a referral (Dream it forward) discount of $500. I haven't done the math in a bit, but I think this gets it to the $169/pt range for NEW members. There are also incentives for military members if that would apply to you.

2) There are no on site purchase incentives other than you might be able to get them to give you some swag.

3) You can choose your UY if you are insistent upon it. If you pick any month of the month you are purchasing or before, you will be in your 2023 use year and receive 2023 as your first points. If you buy in July (before 7/27) and pick a UY of August or later, you will receive 2022 points and then 2023 points. If you use Magical Beginnings, the earlier UY (June or earlier) will mean you do not receive your first set of usable points until the 1st day of your use year month in 2024. If you pick August or later, you will have your first set of usable points on the first day of the use year month in 2023. No matter what, you can book with 2023 or 2024 points whenever the 11 month booking window opens for the date you want to book.

4) All UYs will allow you to use 2024 points. The only question is whether you would also have usable 2023 points while doing Magical Beginnings.

5) According to the common wisdom around here, if you typically go in summer and possibly in April, your best use years would probably be MAR or FEB. You could get by with December (knowing that the banking deadline is 7/31 though so you could be cutting it close). I would be wary of June UY depending on when you travel in summer (and how often you might travel in April).

FWIW, I personally in this situation would take December or October UY and get the extra year's points, but that's important to me and not as much to others.

 

[Jason Martin]

That sounds about right. For comparison I purchased 300 points as a new member yesterday. Factoring in the same $22 per point MB before closing costs it came to about $165.50 per point with the other credits.

 

[kellygreenjenny]

Thank you everyone - this is very helpful!