Direct Minimum Increase for DVC Perks Confirmed

[The Jackal]

I think they should keep raising the minimum, get it back to 200+. That way it might take away some of the pressure on studio availability.

You need 200+ for a week in a studio at RIV in the most expensive season. 200 won’t even get you a 1 bedroom for a week at RIV, even standard, in the cheapest season

 

[Great3]

They'll have the vaccine available at moonlight magic. Blue card holders only!

Moonlight magic is already blue card holder only event. So, they need to make it extra special, only 1000's point DVCers for the vaccine, you 25 pointers, 75 pointers, 100 pointers, even 125 pointers are just too low on the DVC ladder to even consider. See what perks you can get when you upgrade to 1,000 points direct? Better buy now, or you will miss out!!!

 

[EYL]

Weren’t they one and the same when OKW opened?

I think people are getting the "minimum points for a Blue Card" and the "minimum points to buy from DVD" mixed up.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but before April 2016, if you owned any DVC points, resale or direct, you had access to Membership Extras. There were no "minimum points for a Blue Card" at that time (I'm not even sure the Blue card even existed at that time). Membership Extras pretty much followed the deed.

This was until April 2016 when Disney decided all resale purchases from then on will not come with Membership Extras. Only direct purchasers will get it. But, there was a loophole. Once you were a resale member, your minimum add on purchase was a mere 25 points. So resale purchasers used that loophole to gain the "Blue Card." That made the "minimum points for Blue Card" at 25 points.

Until Disney got tired of that loophole in 2018 and made the minimum 75. And that started the whole she-bang... So the phrase "minimum points for a Blue Card" didn't have any meaning back during the OKW times, but it does now!

 

[jarestel]

Tiered membership levels based on direct points only would seem to be an excellent way to boost interest in direct sales. Those in the lower tiers would get shopping and dining discounts while those in the upper tiers would get Moonlight Magic and ticket discounts. As DVD moves further away from the "club" messaging it doesn't seem as far fetched as it might have 10 years ago.

 

[Ruttangel]

As the minimum for cash incentives is 150 I can see the minimum going up to 150 this time next year.
They are trying to steer you in that direction anyway.
Buy 125 at RIV for $24,375 or 150 for $28,050.

the first 125 cost you $195 but that last 25 is $147.
That makes the only sensible buy in of 150 or above anyway.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

It is the highest since the came out with blue vs white cards.But, when I bought in 2009, the minimum was 160 and when DVC first opened it was somewhere over 200.

Of course, prices were about half what they are now..

We first started looking in 09 too. I remember it was high...or I thought high st the time I could not remember if it was 160 or 200. Thank you for that. But back then 160 seemed high so I bought a small contract resale. I did not know enough about dvc to invest so much into it.

 

[ctl]

As the minimum for cash incentives is 150 I can see the minimum going up to 150 this time next year.
They are trying to steer you in that direction anyway.
Buy 125 at RIV for $24,375 or 150 for $28,050.

the first 125 cost you $195 but that last 25 is $147.
That makes the only sensible buy in of 150 or above anyway.

I agree, it looks like Disney wants to sell higher points contracts to new buyers. They are most likely hoping to sell more RIV points to improve the RIV sales bottom line and to make resale less appealing. I think it will get to the point where if you haven't purchased directly you won't get any extra benefits at all. The ROFR has been used more frequently recently too. Don't forget, with the addition of "seven seasons" a large section of DVC owners will have to buy more points to cover their vacations (they dropped the points in the first 2 weeks of September to "balance" the increase.) DVC cannot fit all its members into that 2 week period in September and Disney knows it. It's about cutting costs (no benefits for non-direct buyers) and increasing revenues (increase in points for seven seasons with limited times at lower points).

 

[dvc lover 1970]

First, most RIV are not selling for $110. But, SSR is selling for $165 and pretty much nothing under $100 is passing ROFR now,

So, one could get in for direct perks for $6500 extra. And, if the owner decided to rent the first year of points, even at $10/pt, that reduces further.

But, definitely other resorts the difference will take longer for sure. Family size matters and in my case, as people know, I bought with my adult children so from now on, they And their families will be eligible.

Right now, that is 7 people...8 if my daughter ever leaves or is laid off from Disney. That’s a good chunk of savings.

I agree if sharing with family members it is much easier to purchase. But

As the minimum for cash incentives is 150 I can see the minimum going up to 150 this time next year.
They are trying to steer you in that direction anyway.
Buy 125 at RIV for $24,375 or 150 for $28,050.

the first 125 cost you $195 but that last 25 is $147.
That makes the only sensible buy in of 150 or above anyway.

I am not sure how you came up with 147....the last 25 is 172 (195-23) and the 23 off is only for purchases of 200 to 299. At 150 I think it is 195-18. that is still a pretty high price. I am not sure if they just pushed the limits too high for some buyers. We initially went resale because back when I fist purchased the minimum was 160 which was more than I wanted.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Those who want studios wi

I think they should keep raising the minimum, get it back to 200+. That way it might take away some of the pressure on studio availability.

Those who want studios will for the most part want studios. Driving up the point minimum that high will only drive more to resale. Direct costs are rising faster than the rate of inflation.

 

[Ruttangel]

I agree if sharing with family members it is much easier to purchase. But

I am not sure how you came up with 147....the last 25 is 172 (195-23) and the 23 off is only for purchases of 200 to 299. At 150 I think it is 195-18. that is still a pretty high price. I am not sure if they just pushed the limits too high for some buyers. We initially went resale because back when I fist purchased the minimum was 160 which was more than I wanted.

Check my math please

$28,050-$24,375 = $3,675/25 = $147

 

[Sandisw]

I think people are getting the "minimum points for a Blue Card" and the "minimum points to buy from DVD" mixed up.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but before April 2016, if you owned any DVC points, resale or direct, you had access to Membership Extras. There were no "minimum points for a Blue Card" at that time (I'm not even sure the Blue card even existed at that time). Membership Extras pretty much followed the deed.

This was until April 2016 when Disney decided all resale purchases from then on will not come with Membership Extras. Only direct purchasers will get it. But, there was a loophole. Once you were a resale member, your minimum add on purchase was a mere 25 points. So resale purchasers used that loophole to gain the "Blue Card." That made the "minimum points for Blue Card" at 25 points.

Until Disney got tired of that loophole in 2018 and made the minimum 75. And that started the whole she-bang... So the phrase "minimum points for a Blue Card" didn't have any meaning back during the OKW times, but it does now!

That is correct. Prior to April 2016 there was not difference for perks.

I think the point is that at one time things were higher than the current “for perk” numbers, which meant that new buyers would have hit the current number anyway.

Again, I am not sure that the target audience is people who frequent these boards, etc., but those that are new buyers, who learn about DVC when on their trip, and buy.

As I said earlier, for them, the minimum increase isn’t going to be a make or break, especially given the point charts of places like RIV, Poly, and VGF.

I also know that all divisions are working through this and making changes they may have not considered in the past to deal with less revenue..my DD is part of the company that deals with Broadway...so expectations, etc. for the next 6 months and stuff are simply not the same as they once were,

The reduction of incentives after summer, and this move, imply foe me that they are doing well enough for whatever goals they currently have.

 

[beequeen]

I honestly don't remember how many points I bought direct and how many were resale. I'm pretty sure my first purchase was in 2000. Is there a way I can check? Since I have a blue card will I be "grandfathered" in?

 

[Sandisw]

I honestly don't remember how many points I bought direct and how many were resale. I'm pretty sure my first purchase was in 2000. Is there a way I can check? Since I have a blue card will I be "grandfathered" in?

All points bought prior to 2016 are grandfathered in. It is not an owner who is grandfathered, it is the points.

So, as long as you own points bought before 2016, you will continue to have the blue card,

However, if you bought new resale points today, and sold all the others, you would lose it.

For example, my Dec UY was a blue card membership because it had BWV points in it bought in 2012, However, when I sold them last year, that membership lost its blue card because all that was left were points from 2017.

I am still blue card because I bought 175 direct points at RIV n my August UY at the same time...which we will never sell because it is what gives me those benefits.

 

[RescueRanger]

I think they should keep raising the minimum, get it back to 200+. That way it might take away some of the pressure on studio availability.

This. Their biggest mistake was lowering the buy in minimum. I honestly believe originally DVC was meant for people to have larger accommodations. The studios were there for occasional fill ins like weekend getaways or the night before or after a long vacation in a villa. When DVC lowered the buy in minimum, it had an unwanted effect on bookings as a whole. Just my opinion.

 

[limace]

Except that their new resorts have a ton of studios-Poly, the new DLH. They clearly are promoting studios.

 

[Lorana]

I am not sure how you came up with 147....the last 25 is 172 (195-23) and the 23 off is only for purchases of 200 to 299. At 150 I think it is 195-18. that is still a pretty high price. I am not sure if they just pushed the limits too high for some buyers. We initially went resale because back when I fist purchased the minimum was 160 which was more than I wanted.

Check my math please

$28,050-$24,375 = $3,675/25 = $147

Under current fall incentives, an existing DVC owner would pay $187 per point ($8 off) for 125 points = $23,375,
For 150 points, they would pay $177 ($18 off) for 150 points = $26,550
For 25 more points, you are paying a difference of $3,1750. $31750/25 = $127

For new owners, you would pay $195 per point for 125 points = $24,375
For 150 points, they would pay $187 per point ($8 off) for 150 points = $28,050
Thus, Ruttangel's math: $28,050-$24,375 = $3,675/25 = $147

 

[Sandisw]

Under current fall incentives, an existing DVC owner would pay $187 per point ($8 off) for 125 points = $23,375,
For 150 points, they would pay $177 ($18 off) for 150 points = $26,550
For 25 more points, you are paying a difference of $3,1750. $31750/25 = $127

For new owners, you would pay $195 per point for 125 points = $24,375
For 150 points, they would pay $187 per point ($8 off) for 150 points = $28,050
Thus, Ruttangel's math: $28,050-$24,375 = $3,675/25 = $147

Taking a step further, a new buyer who is a family of 4, would be paying only $4875 more to get 125 vs 100 and be able to get the discounted AP

For those that can use those, it’s not a major increase in price if they are going direct

Yes, not all buyers can capitalize on AP, but for those that do, it’s not a huge issue if they were committed to 100 anyway.

 

[robinb]

This. Their biggest mistake was lowering the buy in minimum. I honestly believe originally DVC was meant for people to have larger accommodations. The studios were there for occasional fill ins like weekend getaways or the night before or after a long vacation in a villa. When DVC lowered the buy in minimum, it had an unwanted effect on bookings as a whole. Just my opinion.

Meh. We bought 230 points back in the 90's when there was only OKW and BWV. We hardly ever stay in anything except a studio. Also, back before they reduced the minimum buy-in folks would buy small resales to get their foot in the door. I believe that the primary effect on bookings is due to additional resorts, especially the mega resorts of AKV and SSR.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Under current fall incentives, an existing DVC owner would pay $187 per point ($8 off) for 125 points = $23,375,
For 150 points, they would pay $177 ($18 off) for 150 points = $26,550
For 25 more points, you are paying a difference of $3,1750. $31750/25 = $127

For new owners, you would pay $195 per point for 125 points = $24,375
For 150 points, they would pay $187 per point ($8 off) for 150 points = $28,050
Thus, Ruttangel's math: $28,050-$24,375 = $3,675/25 = $147

I must have missed this...So for existing members, who purchase above 125 points, above the 125 price point the price drops to 127 per point? Where does it say that? I am on Member services page now. I would add on if that is correct.

 

[Sandisw]

I must have missed this...So for existing members, who purchase above 125 points, above the 125 price point the price drops to 127 per point? Where does it say that? I am on Member services page now. I would add on if that is correct.

I think the point was the the cost per points for the additional ones makes those that price, Not all of them,

Sometimes, when you move to the next level of incentives, the addition cost per point for those is reduced,