Considering DVC can reps negotiate?

[thunderbird_voice]

My wife and I took the tour at the Grand Californian and the 1BR was simply gorgeous. We love Disney, have young kids, won't need to finance, and like to vacation at Disney one every year (shorter stay) or two (longer stay). We have all the costs broken down and have read most of the pros and cons but I have one remaining question for owners. Has anybody been able to negotiate lower cost per point or better incentives when purchasing new (NOT resale)? I tried and the rep we had said he had no leeway of any kind, the offer was the offer. Honestly I did not like or trust the guy and he wasn't even a good salesman. My wife and I were in love with the room and he should have been able to close us. He admitted being an ex-mortgage originator before this sales job and he did come off a little slick which hurt him with us. Anyway, I am trying to figure out if he was straight with me or if I should talk to someone else. Also, is it true the incentives improve during the non-peak vacation season such as September-October?

TIA

 

[skelfbsfb]

When we recently went we were told the price and that was that, no negotiation, price and no incentives. Really disapointed.

 

[drusba]

Disney does not now and never has negotiated on price per point or the incentives. Incentives and price are whatever are being offered at time and you might have choice between incentives being offered and sometimes incentives are better when buying on the Disney Cruise or somewhere else than at WDW, but they are still set incentives that the sales rep can offer and cannot vary from. Those who would love to get a better deal are disappointed but Disney avoids having its buyers feel like they have been cheated if they were to hear someone else negotiated a better deal. In the resale market, anything goes and you can negotiate on price and other terms.

And no it is not true incentives get better or worse during particular seasons. There is not any set pattern to when incentives are better or when they will change except that when the economy is real bad they tend to get better, when the econmy and sales are strong they tend to get worse, and when a particular site is not selling so well they can get better for that site.

 

[TiaMaria]

It's not like buying a car!

The incentives are what they are. They often change and have a beginning and end date, but they are generally the same - just packaged a bit differently.

Once in a great while, DVC will offer a gift card to buyers in addition to a dollar amount off of points, but not always.

Other times they may have some incentive regarding financing.

With several resorts selling right now at the same time, they may not be feeling the same urgency to fill one (a la SSR) before another one opens up (AKV) like a couple of years ago.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Buy a resale if you want to negotiate the price.

 

[stopher1]

The incentives change from time to time, and the prices typically go up (though recently the price for points at OKW and SSR did actually go down), but Disney does not negotiate. The price they quote is the price you'll pay if you don't go resale.

 

[momof1+1+2]

Anyone know what the current incentives are?

 

[KingRat]

I don't know, but the best incentive ever was for those who bought early, free park passes for 8 years.

 

[nunzia]

If you are interested in VGC, consider buying (either direct or resale) soon. It is expected to be close to selling out, and many use years are already unavailable.

 

[chalee94]

Anyone know what the current incentives are?

http://dvcnews.com/index.php/dvc-program/financial/pricing-a-promotions

 

[DebbieB]

About the only point I have heard negotiated is for the guide to obtain a first reservation for the new member. If a room is not available for the dates desired, I have heard the guide can get a room out of developer inventory or put the new member on a priority waitlist for the room.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't know, but the best incentive ever was for those who bought early, free park passes for 8 years.

Maybe, maybe not. Those length of stay passes were for 1/2 the stated occupancy of the room, soif you were in a studio or 1 bedroom, you got 2 passes, 4 for 2 bed and 6 for a Grand Villa.

Original buy in was 230 points, which would give about 14 consectutive days in a studio. Passes were less expensive then than they are now, so many of the latter $10+ off per point incentives are, dollar for dollar, probably about equal to the park admission incentive.

Of course, from a fun and perceived value perspective, the passes would win.

 

[thunderbird_voice]

DVCNews link removed due to post count

I was given a different price than this incentive when I took my tour. I mentioned this site to the rep on the phone the next day and he said that incentive had expired. We did get official Disney price charts and their print date was the 3rd week in July. It only added to the confusion.

Thanks to everyone who answered, it is nice to know that the rep was being honest on this point. I am actually less inclined to buy if I think the units will be sold out. Won't that make it terribly difficult to book a stay if the occupancy is that high? The Disney points system has it's pluses but a big negative is not having a set reservation that can be guaranteed. It is tough to make our vacation plans 7-11 months out although I imagine it is a discipline we could learn. One positive is that we tend not to vacation in the absolute busiest vacation season.

In the end I love Disney and will go often regardless of DVC but I am thinking this just isn't for my family. Boy those 1BR villas were beautiful though.

 

[chalee94]

In the end I love Disney and will go often regardless of DVC but I am thinking this just isn't for my family. Boy those 1BR villas were beautiful though.

if you can't plan well in advance, it's probably a good move to skip DVC.

but if you get a 40% off deal, maybe you can still book a 1BR for a good price sometime.

 

[DebbieB]

Maybe, maybe not. Those length of stay passes were for 1/2 the stated occupancy of the room, soif you were in a studio or 1 bedroom, you got 2 passes, 4 for 2 bed and 6 for a Grand Villa.

Original buy in was 230 points, which would give about 14 consectutive days in a studio. Passes were less expensive then than they are now, so many of the latter $10+ off per point incentives are, dollar for dollar, probably about equal to the park admission incentive.

Of course, from a fun and perceived value perspective, the passes would win.

They were also only for the number of nights of your stay. So if you were there for 6 days, 5 nights, you only got passes for 5 days.

 

[colebread]

Not sure if this was an incentive, but when we purchased our BWV about 13 years ago, the rep offered to purchase the first year of points for $1300-ish. We had purchased 160 points, so on a per point basis, it probably wasn't the best. But we had already had our vacation in Disney at OKW and we didn't know about the resale aspect of DVC. So in the end, instead of paying around $10,500, we were paying around $9200. I believe they may have back-dated our use year, because we have always been able to book a vacation without having to borrow points from the next year.

 

[went503]

Maybe, maybe not. Those length of stay passes were for 1/2 the stated occupancy of the room, soif you were in a studio or 1 bedroom, you got 2 passes, 4 for 2 bed and 6 for a Grand Villa.

Original buy in was 230 points, which would give about 14 consectutive days in a studio. Passes were less expensive then than they are now, so many of the latter $10+ off per point incentives are, dollar for dollar, probably about equal to the park admission incentive.

Of course, from a fun and perceived value perspective, the passes would win.

The guy that said they gave out passes for 8 years is absolutly correct. I just purchased DVC this past January from AKL and got $12 off per point plus 8 non expiring AP Vouchers. So i have AP's for 8 years and if i play it right up to 16 years. These were AP's and did not matter about how long you stay or about occupancy. Those AP's and the discount saved me tons and that is why i purchased DVC. So those good incentives still exist, you just have to be patient.

 

[Deb & Bill]

.... I am actually less inclined to buy if I think the units will be sold out. Won't that make it terribly difficult to book a stay if the occupancy is that high? ...One positive is that we tend not to vacation in the absolute busiest vacation season.....

It doesn't matter how sold out a resort is. The only lodging available for points would be the villas that were already sold. DVC occupancy is high most of the time, usually 90-95%, if not greater.

And you have to be careful with what you consider the busiest vacation season. That might not be the busiest time for DVC members. For example, for early Dec you really have to book your home resort at 11 months out if you are going to have anything.

 

[pycees312]

The guy that said they gave out passes for 8 years is absolutly correct. I just purchased DVC this past January from AKL and got $12 off per point plus 8 non expiring AP Vouchers. So i have AP's for 8 years and if i play it right up to 16 years. These were AP's and did not matter about how long you stay or about occupancy. Those AP's and the discount saved me tons and that is why i purchased DVC. So those good incentives still exist, you just have to be patient.

You got 8 non expiring AP vouchers? How did you swing that? Do tell...

 

[Sandisw]

You got 8 non expiring AP vouchers? How did you swing that? Do tell...

It was an incentive that was offered awhile back. Incentives for DVC change all the time and some are better than others.

I