Considering Direct Poly...

[madchatter]

We're big Disney people who visit often. We've decided we might join DVC and are looking at options. We just visited an open house and were given an offer of the Poly which has 49 years left for $160 pp. for 200 points. (basically discounted full price to get there as incentive). Also immediate 200 points with UY of October for the next 200.

SSR is only $145 but no downpayment incentive and may or may not be available. May or may not get the starting points depending on UY.

I'm sure my inexperience is obvious just from this post. And I'll be continuing my research. But doesn't it seem like a better "value" to get Poly at $160?

We'd like to be able to stay about two weeks each year and have some flexibility on scheduling visits.

Our guide was helpful but I think he's trying to capitalize on our inexperience and excitement and only telling us what he wants us to know.

I'm nervous of resale because we want the other discounts and ability to use on cruise line.

Any advice?

 

[Gizmo74]

Good luck with your decision. We also went on the tour yesterday and bought 200 Poly direct points. We wanted to get the DVC perks and that is why we bought direct. Any add on we decide to do will be resale.

I just wish we bought direct when BLT was new. By us waiting cost us more money. I was impressed with the poly studio which I didn't think I would be.

 

[madchatter]

Good luck with your decision. We also went on the tour yesterday and bought 200 Poly direct points. We wanted to get the DVC perks and that is why we bought direct. Any add on we decide to do will be resale.

I just wish we bought direct when BLT was new. By us waiting cost us more money. I was impressed with the poly studio which I didn't think I would be.

Yeah. The two bathrooms is very attractive.
I'm still figuring out how a resale add in would work. I understand the points can't be combined unless transferred or something. I'm sure there's plenty I can read around here about that.

 

[Matty B13]

If the points are the same UY and resort, then they can be combined, if not you have to wait till the 7 month booking window to combine points.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

There are lots of arguments here on resale versus direct, so you can dig around for those. One thing to consider is what kind of room you would like to get. If you will be happy in studios forever then the Poly could be a fine choice. However, Copper Creek will begin sales shortly (wilderness lodge new DVc) and that would give you options of studios, one bedrooms, two bedrooms, three bedrooms and over priced cabins. My favorite part of DVC is having a sleeping space that is separate from my child, which you can't get in a studio. If you think you might want something other than a studio then I would not buy at the Poly. The seven month game is not fun to play.

If you buy an add-on as long as it's the same use year and resort all the contracts can be used together like one big pile of points.

 

[Nie0214]

Poly is one of my fave resorts but we didn't buy because of no 1BR. We like to cook on vacation (and Disney stay-cations!) and we'd never be able to afford their bungalows. If you're ok with the studios, then $160pp is worth buying direct since resale is not much cheaper, probably won't have immediate points, takes longer, and has higher closing costs. That said, I'd probably opt for Copper Creek over Poly!

 

[crazywig]

SSR is only $145 but no downpayment incentive and may or may not be available. May or may not get the starting points depending on UY.

SSR via resale is in the high $70s. Buy a big contract that way, add on 25 direct for the benefits and save thousands.

 

[Gizmo74]

If you buy an add-on as long as it's the same use year and resort all the contracts can be used together like one big pile of points.

So it's best to buy resale keeping use Year same among resorts? I wanted to buy at different resort to also have another 11 month booking advantage. But also might need to combine points if we want to take a bigger vacation.

 

[Nie0214]

So it's best to buy resale keeping use Year same among resorts? I wanted to buy at different resort to also have another 11 month booking advantage. But also might need to combine points if we want to take a bigger vacation.

If you want to combine points, remember that if they're from different resorts, you can only combine at 7 months.

 

[CarolMN]

Before you rule out resale, take a hard look at the point charts for cruising.

Point Charts for Cruising on DCL

Know that the required points are not "locked in" the way the points are for the DVC resorts. They have nearly always increased each year. Note that the points are per person and that there is a non-refundable $95 fee to make the reservation and for most changes to the reservation. Investigate the other restrictions - i.e., cancellation terms, payment up front, etc. I think you will find that a better choice may be to buy only the points you need to visit DVC resorts and pay for the cruise with cash.

You might also list the "benefits" of buying direct, attach a price to them and then see if those benefits will be worth the premium to buy direct instead of resale. Some who value the benefits (usually the less expensive DVC annual pass options) will buy the first contract via resale and then add on a small number of points (25 or 50) to qualify for the benefits. It's important to understand that the perks, discounts and benefits are given to us at Disney's discretion. They are not guaranteed by contract and can disappear at any time.

There's lot s to consider - have fun doing the research!

 

[disneynutz]

First of all, put your emotions away and your thinking/learning cap on. Disney is a business who offers timeshares to make money so they do what they need to do to make sales and increase profit. They control everything about the DVC, they created the restrictions to get newbies to buy direct, you may or may not benefit from the perks, only you can decide. Using points for DCL is very expensive, you are paying a premium for the privilege plus, that wasn't enough so Disney added on a $95 booking fee for each time that you book or modify a non DVC resort reservation (with few exceptions).

To be clear DVC can save you some money on your DVC room, but many DVC buyers end up spending more money on Disney vacations and they vacation more often. I wouldn't buy a resort just because it's the current one being pushed by the guides, I would buy my favorite resort where we enjoy staying the most.

DVC has changed over the last several years and with each DVD/DVC management change DVC has become more like other timeshares. Years ago we bought several resorts, many contracts, and we have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get our Disney fix. If we were starting over today, we would take extra time to learn about the product, take the time to find our favorite resort(s), buy resale, and if we wanted the restricted perks, only buy the minimum direct required to obtain the perks even though Disney can and will change the perks.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I was going to say, as CarolMN does, look at the point charts for cruising. Compare the chart to the cost of booking cash. At $160/point and $6.1355 dues per point, current cost per point assuming you pay cash, do not finance, etc. is $9.3355 per point. Point charts for cruises are per person. So a 3-night Bahamas cruise on the Dream during hurricane season (i.e., cheap season) is 89 points for an Inside Stateroom, or 178 for two people for a total of $1662 based on point value.

I can book that same cruise cash for $1218 for two people, and get a $100 cash card. So cash cruising saves me over $500. If I rent 178 points at $13 per point via a broker, I get $2314. So renting doesn't cover the whole cost of the cruise plus dues, as the dues on those Poly direct points would be nearly $1100 on their own... but it comes close.

And then, if I buy 200 points at Saratoga, I only pay $80 per point and $5.6037 per point dues, for a current annual cost per point of $7.7659 per point. So I'm saving thousands in buy in ($16k!) and quite a decent bit in dues. I can't use them for a cruise, but I did just save $16k and the other DVC discounts and the Cheez-Its will take a while to value to $16k. The points may rent for less than Poly, so let's say we get $11 per point renting 178 points, so that's $1958 in hand renting those points. But the dues are only $998, so I still cover most of my cruise cost on the rental income - dues alone, AND I have that extra $16k kicking around my bank account to cover the rest!

Which is to say: Buy Poly is you really really want to stay at Poly, especially in the fall, for the next 50 years. Do not buy direct because you want to cruise, or get 15% off dining. The value isn't there when you consider the savings. And if you really really MUST have a blue card, buy 175 points or so resale, and 25 points direct. It'll cost you ~$2000 more plus closing versus buying it all resale, but you are a full "member" and still save $14k+.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

To really emphasize - have you looked at the point requirements for cruising? 160 pts may get you one person for many of the cruises and using points adds on a lot of restrictions. Points are very easy to rent out - a well known broker, David's, even offers to rent your points, book your cruise and send you any remaining funds.

You can buy a little short on the resale side and then add on 25 points to get all the other benefits. Since you talk about both PVB and SSR I'd believe that the resort isn't as important to you. SSR resale will save you loads of money and pay for a cruise or two!

 

[ELMC]

We're big Disney people who visit often. We've decided we might join DVC and are looking at options. We just visited an open house and were given an offer of the Poly which has 49 years left for $160 pp. for 200 points. (basically discounted full price to get there as incentive). Also immediate 200 points with UY of October for the next 200.

SSR is only $145 but no downpayment incentive and may or may not be available. May or may not get the starting points depending on UY.

I'm sure my inexperience is obvious just from this post. And I'll be continuing my research. But doesn't it seem like a better "value" to get Poly at $160?

We'd like to be able to stay about two weeks each year and have some flexibility on scheduling visits.

Our guide was helpful but I think he's trying to capitalize on our inexperience and excitement and only telling us what he wants us to know.

I'm nervous of resale because we want the other discounts and ability to use on cruise line.

Any advice?

I'll answer the question you asked here and then I'll answer the question that you didn't ask.

To answer your question, if the choice is between buying direct at the Poly or buying direct at SSR the answer is going to be Poly. For $15 more a point you will get current UY points (which you said you may not get if you get a Feb or March UY at SSR). That alone makes up the difference in cost. But more than that, resale at SSR is about $80 a point and resale at Poly is about $140 a point. So buy buying Poly you will experience a much smaller loss in actual cash value should you decide you want to sell (or need to sell).

But the bigger question is whether you should be buying at all right now. You're saying things like "inexperience" and "excitement" and "research" which are all giant red flags that you should slam on the brakes and take the time to do your due diligence. DVC will still be there when you are ready and you will feel much, much better about your decision if it is a more informed one.

I would not let your fear of resale be a factor in your decision. Take the time to truly research resale (and many of the points that were mentioned above) and you can then make an informed choice about whether it works for you or not. There are two sets of restrictions regarding resale and whether you know it or not, you hit on both of them.

The first set deals with DCL, Adventures by Disney and the Concierge Collection. If you buy resale you will not have access to those, and that point has been debated on here no less than seven million times. I'll save you the reading and tell you that the majority opinion (but not 100%) is that while it may be fun and convenient, those options are not a good value for your dollar.

The second set deals with the membership card and the discounts associated with it. If you are truly a discount oriented person, you will see the irony in spending twice as much for your DVC membership just to get a discount. It will take decades of discounts to make up for the additional cost. The generally accepted method is to purchase the bulk of your "needed" points resale and then afterwards buy a 25 point add on direct from Disney. This will give you the membership card and the discounts associated with it. The benefit is that you could easily be in the black with those discounts within a few years.

DVC is an emotional product and an emotional purchase. If you are an emotional person you will most likely get swept up in all of the Magic and make a direct purchase. But if you are more analytical, and your post suggests that you might be, I think you will find that the research will lead your towards resale. Trust me, the points spend the same and you'll feel just as "Welcome Home" when you are staying in your DVC room, regardless of whether or not your points were purchased resale or direct.

Good luck with the process and your decision.

 

[madchatter]

I really appreciate all the thoughtful replies. It's so helpful to hear things put plainly by people who obviously know more than I do.

If I buy resale at a place I want and has good value (SSR for example), how do I make sure my add on is for the same place and same UY when I buy it direct? And how do I know it'll even be available?

If I have 175 at SSR and 25 at Poly, then for all intents my home resort is SSR since 25 points won't go far. Or is it likely that DVC will have some availability for the add on?

Once again, thank you guys so much!

 

[ELMC]

I would strongly recommend that your 25 point add on is for the same resort and UY as your master contract. You're right that 25 points doesn't go very far and it will be a hassle to manage them if they are a different UY or home resort. Simply tell your salesperson that is what you want, and when it becomes available he will sell it to you. He may try to steer you towards something that he wants you do buy, but stand firm. Disney is constantly reacquiring points and the waiting list for a large resort that is in lower demand than some of the others should be relatively short, if at all.

You should also determine if you actually like staying at SSR. If you buy there with the intent of using your points for other resorts and get shut out at the 7 month mark, you will either need to stay at SSR or change your travel dates. If these are not good options for you, you may want to reconsider SSR as your home resort. If they are options, then SSR is a great option based on the lower buy in cost, length of contract, and lower maintenance fees.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I really appreciate all the thoughtful replies. It's so helpful to hear things put plainly by people who obviously know more than I do.

If I buy resale at a place I want and has good value (SSR for example), how do I make sure my add on is for the same place and same UY when I buy it direct? And how do I know it'll even be available?

If I have 175 at SSR and 25 at Poly, then for all intents my home resort is SSR since 25 points won't go far. Or is it likely that DVC will have some availability for the add on?

Once again, thank you guys so much!

Every month DVC is selling points at all the resorts - albeit small amounts at the older resorts as people are usually doing the very small add on's. SSR is still new enough that it's one they often have the points for and if they don't it would almost certainly be a very short wait to get them. If there's a wait it would be to match your UY which DVC will do but if they have the points they'll load them up into your membership. I recommend doing resale first and then the add on - 1) Because it's easy for DVC to match and 2) because as an existing member you can do a 25 points add on. If you were not a member then the minimum you'd have to buy direct would likely be 50 points or maybe even 100 (that amount seems to vary depending on who you talk to).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Let me add a 3: Because then you can pick from a handful of Use Years on resale contracts that might work, whereas once you have a direct contract, it locks you into matching that UY in resale.

Someone might be fine with an October, December or February UY, but once they own a February UY, then they're mostly shopping for February resale contracts.

 

[ziravan]

3 philosophies of buying:

Buy where you want to stay.

Buy where you don't mind staying.

Buy the best combo of length/price/MFs (SSR not even a debate about it).

I think more people believe in "Buy where you want to stay" here. I do. The 7 month booking window is getting more difficult over time and almost impossible during Fall Frenzy (DVC busy season start of F&W in early September through first weekend of Jan marathon weekend).

The 'buy in' cost, over time, is nominal compared to other resorts. MFs and the cost of simply going to Disney will dwarf that over time.

Example. I paid $165/point for a 50 yr Poly contact. Over the life of the contract, that's $3.30 per point 'buy in' $165/pt divided by 50 years.

I paid $84/point for my resale BCV contract that had 27 yrs left when I bought it: 84/27= $3.11 per point 'buy in' to own. The difference in buy in costs over the life of the contract were not worth that being the decision driver.

If Poly is where you want to stay, or the new CCV, buy those direct. They are your best bang for those resorts. Anywhere else buy resale.

Your original question asks which is a better financial decision. Honestly, the right answer is which is a better personal decision.

 

[Dean]

We're big Disney people who visit often. We've decided we might join DVC and are looking at options. We just visited an open house and were given an offer of the Poly which has 49 years left for $160 pp. for 200 points. (basically discounted full price to get there as incentive). Also immediate 200 points with UY of October for the next 200.

SSR is only $145 but no downpayment incentive and may or may not be available. May or may not get the starting points depending on UY.

I'm sure my inexperience is obvious just from this post. And I'll be continuing my research. But doesn't it seem like a better "value" to get Poly at $160?

We'd like to be able to stay about two weeks each year and have some flexibility on scheduling visits.

Our guide was helpful but I think he's trying to capitalize on our inexperience and excitement and only telling us what he wants us to know.

I'm nervous of resale because we want the other discounts and ability to use on cruise line.

Any advice?

You need to spend 6 months or so investigating so you'll know what's best for you. If you only want to stay Poly and you're OK paying almost triple over owning SSR, and you can pay cash, then maybe that's best for you. Once you investigate further, you'll be more comfortable with resale and if SSR or AKV would satisfy your needs, resale is the best by far. As for cash type exchanges, you'll pay more in essentially every case buying retail and using for those options than having less points and paying cash for the other items. I'd suggest buying the DVC points that satisfies your needs for DVC resorts only then look at other options for non DVC trips including cruise, ABD or non DVC timeshares.