Direct or Timeshare Store?

[jackieleanne]

After the last year of looking into it we have decided that next year after our holiday we are going to take the leap and buy DVC. I speak to my guide at Disney Kelly Joe who is sending me the updated book. also in contact with Jason at Timeshare Store.

We have worked out all costs etc and know that we would be saving substantial amounts well into the future. We did want BLT/AKV but when looking at points break down I think we will be going with AKV. When I looked at what it would cost with Disney it would work out $4000 cheaper to buy through Timeshare Store, so what I'm asking is if their any benefits through booking with Disney that you don't get with booking from The Timeshare Store?

 

[Claire L]

If there are no incentives with direct sales from Disney I am sure Timeshare Store is a good option. We looked at both when we bought in 2007 but Disney had the double developer points incentive and as new there was no AKV resale which was the resort we wanted.

Claire

 

[jackieleanne]

Thanks for that, we will do a tour when out there next year so hopefully their will be a good incentive on.

 

[Shooby doo]

We bought from TTS & I couldn't recommend them enough,when factoring in your price difference don't forget your closing costs,with resale these must be paid up front.In our case that added just under $900 on to our total but that is still way short of the $4000 you mentioned.We done the tour last year but the minimum purchase is 160 points at $16400 ,where as there is no minimum with resale & we got 175 points at SSR for $11900.The incentives offered last year were either developer points,which were no good to us as we wouldn't be going this year,or $8 ( I think) off per point but that was before the price increase.
We are more than happy to have SSR as our home resort & try out the other resorts if we feel like it & obviously with availability (but we don't really see a problem as we don't normally visit during peak times).
SD

 

[jackieleanne]

Thanks for that, yes we are likely to go during Value Season certainly until we have school aged kids anyway. I am really liking the look of AKV. We will do the tour next year and decide for sure, but when I show the bf pictures/video's of the new Kidani I'm sure he will want to do AKL as he was born in South Africa and he loves African themed things. If we got a good price for SSR though we wouldn't mind buying there at all and holding out to get somewhere on 7month wait as like I said we are likely to travel in value season do you tend to have more look in getting a resort other than home in this period?

 

[Shooby doo]

We ate at Jiko & Boma ,whilst there we had a look around AKL & all things being equal we would probably have bought there. The rooms were impressive & the theming of the resort is eye catching but at the start of the year most resales for AKV were at least $90/point & we got SSR for $68/point! From my investigations before buying,which also influenced our decision,there is less of a problem with the larger resorts (AKV,SSR...)at the 7 month window than some of the smaller (BWV,BCV...) but even these it is mostly the sought after rooms i.e. those with a Boardwalk view ,that go quickly.
DVC's peak times differ slightly from the park peak times as obviously off peak is less points but again as we like to go in Sept (which is now Free Dining) we again don't forsee a problem.If I was you I would ask your TTS rep for their advice,our Rep couldn't have been more helpful.
We based our point decision on going for 3 weeks every 2/3 years (takes that long to save the spending money!) at 2 years we have more than enough for a studio & at 3 years we have plenty for every season but Xmas for a 1 Bed suite.
One of our biggest holiday regrets is that we done the DVC tour about 8 years ago & decided against buying,perhaps if we had looked into resale at the time that would have changed,& with the amount of holidays since it would have more than paid for itself!
SD

 

[jackieleanne]

Thanks for that will have to keep deciding and looking at things seem over the next year. Maybe buy at BLT or one of the resorts where its hard to get in at 7 months out and then I could look at going to AKV or SSR at the 7months window. Hopefully points will be down next september when we go and will probably be buying. We will be looking to get about 200 points.

We worked out it would pay for itself quite quickly as we planned on staying at a club/suite level for our honeymoon and it's about £5000 We could do AKV Kilmanjaro club for 2 weeks on dvc points for about 240 points.

 

[Shooby doo]

I don't know if this will affect your points decision but depending on how often you want to go,you can bank & borrow points -we thought that it was either or but you can actually use both so in effect you have 3 years points to use at once! bank-use-borrow.
If you are going for BLT then I think that i would probably buy direct,not alot of resales going for there & for the difference in cost..... The only problem with the smaller resorts (IMO) is that they are the ones that have been open longest so the contract length is shorter,2042 although they are starting to offer contract extensions at $25/point whereas we have SSR until 2054 & AKV is 2057 & I'm assuming BLT is 2059.
I had a quick scan of the resale listings & there are 200 point contracts going for $80/$85 /point for AKV which I think is a great deal ,BLT looks lovely (we had a brochure sent out with our DVC magazine) & you can't fault the location but it doesn't have the wow factor of AKV or VWL & at that points cost I would be loathe to use my points to stay somewhere else.
Anyway have fun! If you are like us just at the point you feel that you have finally made your mind up....... you change your mind!
SD

 

[jackieleanne]

Yeah that's what we were looking at. May decide to buy small amount BLT points direct and then some AKV points from Timeshare. We have plenty of time to look over it. DBF is back from week of working in Newcastle tonight so ill be showing him what I've seen. The main thing appealing to us about BLT is location, other than that it would be AKV hands down.

 

[Elise79]

We have just bought BLT

Closing costs through Disney for a cash contract are $250 and you need to buy a minimum of 160 points.

We chose BLT for its location. We looked at DVC in 2006 when they were only selling SSR and decided at that time it wasn't for us. We liked the AKV model rooms but wouldn't stay there regularly as it isn't low enough on points to make up for its location (and the fact you have to get buses to all the parks).

If you have young children then MK is a 10 min walk from BLT - now you just can't beat that! Its MF are also lower than all other resorts. The Standard view points are pretty much in line with all other resorts but MK view points are HIGH!! BLT contracts expire 31 January 2060.

At the end of the day the MF you pay over the years are going to far outweigh the buy in cost so we choose the resort we would want to stay at most

 

[jackieleanne]

Thanks for that, I think that we will end up going off what we like at the tour we are both torn we prefer AKL slightly for theme etc but also know how BLT would be a huge location plus.