Considering DVC purchase NEED advice!!

[Kate S]

Hi All! Hope everyone is having a magical day! I have a few questions about DVC and a new purchase I am currently researching.
Originally I was looking into buying resale but I see many restrictions with how the points are used and am being steered more towards buying direct with Disney! I want the down and dirty from all you owners. We are looking to purchase 220 points at the Poly which right now adds on 20 points so you are getting 240 points for the price of 220. I love the Poly but some years we like to go Disney 3-4 times and would want to use our points for Studios at resorts with less point values for the week (i.e. animal kingdom) How feasible is it to book AKV 7 months out for a studio during September or January (non peak seasons).
Also...We would like to use the points at Disney Land and Hawaii seeing as we've never visited; how easy will that be during non peak times?
Lastly How many of you use your points for cruises and is it worth it?

All in all we absolutely love going to Disney multiple times a year but we would also like to use these points sometimes for other vacations? What is everyone's opinion on that?!

 

[mousehockey37]

Have you thought about buying resale, then adding 25 points on direct? That would then give you the perks.

I'm not a DVC owner, but that'll be one of the first things asked of you...

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

First, welcome to DISboards.

For Poly, it probably makes sense to just buy direct. Using Poly points at other resorts that some (not me) consider lower tier could be 'over-paying' for those stays. AKV studios in Jan or Sep should be doable. Booking a studio at VGC will be challenging no matter the season. Using points for cruises or other vacation destinations is generally seen as a poor use of those points. It would be better to rent the points out and pay cash for the cruise.

 

[PSUDinsey]

What restrictions on resale points are you referring to?

The only restrictions are no cruises or Disney Colletion trading but that can be restricted and not a good use of points anyways.

Other wise a resale point is the same as a direct point.

With purchasing a larger contract at Poly you could save several thousand via resale.

As others have mentioned 25 direct points give you all the discounts when it comes to "perks"

 

[_auroraborealis_]

What perks are you concerned about in resale? A 25 point direct purchase after a resale purchase gets you the AP discounts. Using points for non-DVC bookings is generally a poor value for points and you should not purchase with that as a plan.

Peak season at WDW is from late September through marathon. Aulani has different peaks. HHI and VB peak in summer months.

VGC is always hard to book studios at 7 months.

 

[Kate S]

What restrictions on resale points are you referring to?

The only restrictions are no cruises or Disney Colletion trading but that can be restricted and not a good use of points anyways.

Other wise a resale point is the same as a direct point.

With purchasing a larger contract at Poly you could save several thousand via resale.

As others have mentioned 25 direct points give you all the discounts when it comes to "perks"

So if I buy resale I can buy direct through Disney for 25 points? I was under the impression that you needed to purchase 100 points direct from Disney?

 

[mousehockey37]

So if I buy resale I can buy direct through Disney for 25 points? I was under the impression that you needed to purchase 100 points direct from Disney?

It's an add-on.

 

[Kate S]

First, welcome to DISboards.

For Poly, it probably makes sense to just buy direct. Using Poly points at other resorts that some (not me) consider lower tier could be 'over-paying' for those stays. AKV studios in Jan or Sep should be doable. Booking a studio at VGC will be challenging no matter the season. Using points for cruises or other vacation destinations is generally seen as a poor use of those points. It would be better to rent the points out and pay cash for the cruise.

Have you rented your points out? How easy is the process?

 

[PSUDinsey]

If you own resale already you can buy 25 direct at Poly if you buy direct first the minimum is 50.

 

[mousehockey37]

OP, here might be a good place to start.... This is under the pinned posts at the top of the DVC forum... https://www.disboards.com/threads/so-youve-decided-to-buy-dvc.3567366/#post-56896801

 

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Have you rented your points out? How easy is the process?

Many times. Using a broker makes it super easy. I use David's.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you buy a first contract from Disney, they require a purchase of 50-100 points depending on resort.

If you buy resale, you can use your savings to buy a 25-point direct contract, which entitles you to whatever discounts or member events they offer in any given year. These events and discounts are not guaranteed and do change over time.

 

[Kate S]

If you buy a first contract from Disney, they require a purchase of 50-100 points depending on resort.

If you buy resale, you can use your savings to buy a 25-point direct contract, which entitles you to whatever discounts or member events they offer in any given year. These events and discounts are not guaranteed and do change over time.

This may be a stupid question but if I buy 50 direct and 250 resale can I use my 300 points that year for a disney cruise or can I not use my resale points at all for the cruise even if I have a direct contract?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

This may be a stupid question but if I buy 50 direct and 250 resale can I use my 300 points that year for a disney cruise or can I not use my resale points at all for the cruise even if I have a direct contract?

Resale points can never be used for a cruise. Points are either qualified, or not.

If you look at cost per point, and the point charts for cruising, you'll find buying points specifically to cruise is rarely financially prudent.

 

[mustinjourney]

This may be a stupid question but if I buy 50 direct and 250 resale can I use my 300 points that year for a disney cruise or can I not use my resale points at all for the cruise even if I have a direct contract?

you can't use your resale points for a cruise. so if you buy 250 resale and 25 direct -- only the 25 direct can be used for cruises.

but please understand this

IT IS NOT A GOOD USE OF POINTS TO TRADE DIRECTLY INTO A CRUISE.

You are FAR better off using David's rental to rent your points out and then use the cash collected to purchase the cruise.

The ONLY benefit that is worth it right now is the AP discount...and possibly the lounge at epcot if that is useful. All the other benefits are more or less mirages. Unless you live close, it is not easy to attend the member functions that they randomly hold.

 

[mousehockey37]

you can't use your resale points for a cruise. so if you buy 250 resale and 25 direct -- only the 25 direct can be used for cruises.

but please understand this

IT IS NOT A GOOD USE OF POINTS TO TRADE DIRECTLY INTO A CRUISE.

You are FAR better off using David's rental to rent your points out and then use the cash collected to purchase the cruise.

The ONLY benefit that is worth it right now is the AP discount...and possibly the lounge at epcot if that is useful. All the other benefits are more or less mirages. Unless you live close, it is not easy to attend the member functions that they randomly hold.

Or any rental company. David's is not the only reputable one out there.

 

[mustinjourney]

Hi All! Hope everyone is having a magical day! I have a few questions about DVC and a new purchase I am currently researching.
Originally I was looking into buying resale but I see many restrictions with how the points are used and am being steered more towards buying direct with Disney! I want the down and dirty from all you owners. We are looking to purchase 220 points at the Poly which right now adds on 20 points so you are getting 240 points for the price of 220. I love the Poly but some years we like to go Disney 3-4 times and would want to use our points for Studios at resorts with less point values for the week (i.e. animal kingdom) How feasible is it to book AKV 7 months out for a studio during September or January (non peak seasons).
Also...We would like to use the points at Disney Land and Hawaii seeing as we've never visited; how easy will that be during non peak times?
Lastly How many of you use your points for cruises and is it worth it?

All in all we absolutely love going to Disney multiple times a year but we would also like to use these points sometimes for other vacations? What is everyone's opinion on that?!

Do not buy Poly direct if you really want to stay at AKV. The only reason to buy Poly direct is if you want to primarily stay in Poly studios. Even with that, for most of the year, it is relatively easy to book poly studios at 7 months, so buying poly as your home resort doesn't give you all that much advantage.

If you want AKV -- buy AKV resale and add 25 points on via direct to get the AP discount.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Just to provide an example...

Poly, with incentives, runs $165-171/point right now. Annual dues are $6.133/point. So, without dealing with time values of money, etc., you're looking at an outlay of $9.50/point. A cheap 7 night cruise (hurricane season!) in an inside stateroom will run you 177-215 points per person for the first two people in a stateroom, depending on actual category and sailing. There will be a $95 exchange fee as well. So that cruise will run you roughly $3372 assuming the low end of points for 2.

Meanwhile, I can book that cruise cash, similar inside stateroom, for $2,841 for 2 people and get a $500 onboard credit. So when you include the value of the onboard credit, just in cost-of-points alone, you're paying a thousand more than I could pay cash right now. And, to be honest, this is one of the better points vs. cash spreads I've seen for a cruise booked >12 months out.

And then there's opportunity cost -- the value of those points in rental, not just in cost of points.

If you rent out 354 Poly points via a broker, you will pay tax on the proceeds, but will gross $5k or so, then minus taxes. And you can do this with resale points as well.

Many people will tell you: They're you're points, do what you want with them! And that is a fine viewpoint. But in general, buying points with intent to use them to cruise is not a good financial move, especially if you're buying Poly points to use at 7 months or less or to use at a resort like AKV, where you can buy in at half the capital cost.

 

[Dean]

Hi All! Hope everyone is having a magical day! I have a few questions about DVC and a new purchase I am currently researching.
Originally I was looking into buying resale but I see many restrictions with how the points are used and am being steered more towards buying direct with Disney! I want the down and dirty from all you owners. We are looking to purchase 220 points at the Poly which right now adds on 20 points so you are getting 240 points for the price of 220. I love the Poly but some years we like to go Disney 3-4 times and would want to use our points for Studios at resorts with less point values for the week (i.e. animal kingdom) How feasible is it to book AKV 7 months out for a studio during September or January (non peak seasons).
Also...We would like to use the points at Disney Land and Hawaii seeing as we've never visited; how easy will that be during non peak times?
Lastly How many of you use your points for cruises and is it worth it?

All in all we absolutely love going to Disney multiple times a year but we would also like to use these points sometimes for other vacations? What is everyone's opinion on that?!

There has never been a time in the history of DVC where it made sense to buy with the intent of using points for cruises routinely. If you're looking at every 3-4 years for DVC resorts, you likely shouldn't buy at all. IF you do decide to buy for DVC and use cash for other options, the new standard IMO, is to buy resale and do a 25 pt retail to get the perks (discounts). HI is workable but it's unlikely you'll get specialty views like AKV value, or standard at BWV, VGF or BLT unless you both own there AND plan at or close to 11 months out. Just spend time learning and it'll all become more clear. Good luck.

 

[Brian Noble]

OP: I would wait and read/learn some more before you buy. As Dean suggests, your intended usage pattern is a poor value for DVC ownership.