Direct purchasing

[Tdisney]

Why would anyone purchase direct from Disney ? The prices are high enough that if I could not buy resale I would not buy at all.

 

[DavidG1966]

We just purchased direct because we wanted the Grand Floridian as our home resort to take advantage of the 11 month booking window. There were no resales for it that actually made sense at this time. Otherwise we would have purchased a resale.

 

[Tdisney]

I could see that since there are very little resale. I was looking at bay lake towers. It is 165 direct vs about 100 resale.

 

[Lorilais_mommie]

We just purchased direct because we wanted the Grand Floridian as our home resort to take advantage of the 11 month booking window. There were no resales for it that actually made sense at this time. Otherwise we would have purchased a resale.

2nd this! We had been waiting to buy in, until a resort opened that we loved.. (7 long years!)
We did not want to buy in and then here a new resort was opening and wish we had bought there..

GF was top of our wishlist, when we heard they were building it..
I wanted to buy in right away.. DH made me wait 6 mo.
Time spent researching and running the numbers to see if we could afford it.. It make since to us! So we went for it..

 

[Tdisney]

I wouldn't mind buying from Disney but at a 65 point difference there is just too much of a difference in price.

 

[Tdisney]

I would love to buy direct. But at a 65 point difference there is just too much savings buying resale.

 

[Dean]

Why would anyone purchase direct from Disney ? The prices are high enough that if I could not buy resale I would not buy at all.

I think there are a few situations where buying direct makes sense but they are limited. Fixed weeks at Aulani, must have VGF, very small add ons, VGC maybe. Buying direct to finance is adding insult to injury and for comfort level for those resorts available at close to half the price other than above is buying for false security. It's certainly not reasonable to use for cash type exchanges where you're not only paying double (almost triple at VGF) and likely buying more points as well. A VGF purchase aimed at DCL cruising as well could easily cost a member 5 or 6 times they cost were they to buy say SSR and buy just the points needed for DVC. It would almost certainly put them in a position where not only would they not ever break even but in all likelihood would actually lose money yearly looked at big picture. It would also add a ton of risk and aggravation to the long term travel plans. This assumes taking a reasonable approach to the TMV which for the difference would be a long term true investment for about 1/2 and money market rates for the rest and using that money for the cruises. Buying VGF but only for DVC would fall somewhere in between.

 

[DavidG1966]

If we wanted BLT I would not have hesitated to buy resale and save the money. We paid the premium to buy VGF and it's 11 Month Booking Window NOW! We probably could have saved a bunch of money if we waited a year or more for decent VGF resales, but, we are impatient! (LOL)

 

[Dean]

If we wanted BLT I would not have hesitated to buy resale and save the money. We paid the premium to buy VGF and it's 11 Month Booking Window NOW! We probably could have saved a bunch of money if we waited a year or more for decent VGF resales, but, we are impatient! (LOL)

I doubt there will be enough savings resale ever to justify waiting specifically for the savings from now. However, as the retail price goes up and the resale price settles out, it will likely be a much different choice for new buyers in a few years. However, it may be like VGC where the price difference isn't as big a deal as it is for BLT and below. IMO there's a big difference in decision making for a 15-20% difference compared to a 50% difference.

 

[CMOORE185]

I was always hoping for a Grand Floridian DVC, as this is by far my favorite resort at WDW. Alas DVC priced me out on this one. I personally just cannot justify the price per point and it makes me sad. I will try for it at 7 months though with my $65 per point resort.

 

[Johnny D]

I doubt there will be enough savings resale ever to justify waiting specifically for the savings from now. However, as the retail price goes up and the resale price settles out, it will likely be a much different choice for new buyers in a few years. However, it may be like VGC where the price difference isn't as big a deal as it is for BLT and below. IMO there's a big difference in decision making for a 15-20% difference compared to a 50% difference.

Well said. That is the reason I bought VGF direct. I knew about the resale market, but calculated that by the time resales hit in any quantity, there would not be that much of a difference in the early buy in price and the resale market.

I also think there are only 2 resorts in WDW, where your really are buying into a resort rather than the system. BCV and VGF. Though you can come up with scenarios and strategies to get into those resorts at very slow times of the year, I feel owning there is really the only reliable way to stay at those resorts a huge part of the year. If VGF is not where you want to stay most of your vacations, buying SSR is the way to go. Though every DVC resort has its charm, I feel the Grand is a different experience and one that you will have to own to enjoy on any type of consistent basis without some luck . Direct only makes sense in very narrow situations in my opinion.

 

[CMOORE185]

Well said. That is the reason I bought VGF direct. I knew about the resale market, but calculated that by the time resales hit in any quantity, there would not be that much of a difference in the early buy in price and the resale market.

I also think there are only 2 resorts in WDW, where your really are buying into a resort rather than the system. BCV and VGF. Though you can come up with scenarios and strategies to get into those resorts at very slow times of the year, I feel owning there is really the only reliable way to stay at those resorts a huge part of the year. If VGF is not where you want to stay most of your vacations, buying SSR is the way to go. Though every DVC resort has its charm, I feel the Grand is a different experience and one that you will have to own to enjoy on any type of consistent basis without some luck . Direct only makes sense in very narrow situations in my opinion.

I agree with you but the price point and higher point per reservation do not make sense to me. Break even is to long and I feel I could not use those points in a cost effective manner at a different resort. My wallet out weighs my heart on this one.

 

[Tdisney]

We own a BCV and love it but was wanting something close to the magic kingdom as well. We have stayed at the GF and liked it but thought BC was just as nice with storm along bay. I know a lot of people like GF. Sine we owned BCV we wanted something a little different and really like the room size and views of BLT. And the price point is attractive ad well. Even BCV is just as expensive as BLT and the contract is up much sooner.

 

[Johnny D]

I agree with you but the price point and higher point per reservation do not make sense to me. Break even is to long and I feel I could not use those points in a cost effective manner at a different resort. My wallet out weighs my heart on this one.

I agree with you too. Never over extend yourself or go into debt for vacations. Just a thought...Buy a decent size contract at SSR to use and bounce around at many of dvc resorts including BLT. I checked this morning and BLT was available at the 7th month window at 8am for a lake view studio for a week. Checked back at 9am and Oct. 25 was then gone. So you could even get a monorail resort(BLT )on SSR points if your conscientious.

Then add on a small 85 point VGF contract that would get you 5 nights every year in early December or Oct. (food and wine)

I know that is still a lot of doe, but something that may work.

 

[Johnny D]

We own a BCV and love it but was wanting something close to the magic kingdom as well. We have stayed at the GF and liked it but thought BC was just as nice with storm along bay. I know a lot of people like GF. Sine we owned BCV we wanted something a little different and really like the room size and views of BLT. And the price point is attractive ad well. Even BCV is just as expensive as BLT and the contract is up much sooner.

Not a big fan of BLT or Contemporary. Not looking to pick a fight, but to me there is nothing special about it except you can walk to MK. I think the buildings are sterile and the grounds are concrete. Room sizes are bigger at VGF. Studio at BLT are the smallest of all DVC resorts and at VGF 2nd largest at WDW. As far as the price point of BCV being the same as BLT your absolutely right on. Why....smaller resort that is higher in demand. The demand is not just because it is small. BCV is a beautiful resort with a great pool and you can walk to 2 parks. BLT is triple the size and most people given the chose and not taking $$$ into account would prefer the poly or Grand over the Contemporary. Once the Poly is built, BLT will be the 3rd choice of the monorail resorts and IMO will not hold the value that VGF or Poly

 

[DizBub]

We own at BLT and BCV and felt like both these resorts will hold their value best of all the WDW DVC resorts. VGF may well join or even surpass them. I just cannot justify the direct cost of owning there though. Also the points chart at VGF is way too high for us.

 

[Tdisney]

One of the things I enjoyed at night was the view and activity from the balcony around BLT with the boats coming and going. But all this talk is making think hard about VGF. Are the rooms that much bigger. One of the negatives about BCV is the small living rooms.

 

[DizBub]

Once the Poly is built, BLT will be the 3rd choice of the monorail resorts and IMO will not hold the value that VGF or Poly

You may be right but BLT will still be within walking distance to MK and I believe it will hold it's value, IMHO.

Plus I think the points chart at the Poly will be higher than VGF. The relatively smaller chart for BLT will make it desirable.

 

[Johnny D]

We own at BLT and BCV and felt like both these resorts will hold their value best of all the WDW DVC resorts. VGF may well join or even surpass them. I just cannot justify the direct cost of owning there though. Also the points chart at VGF is way too high for us.

Agree it is expensive at VGF to buy in and with the point chart it's like a double whammy.

Disney is smart though. The DVC pricing reflects the demand. Sales at VGF are going well and have heard that they my be going to 160 by the summer. Ouch! But as far as the point chart goes, looking at the incremental difference between BLT and VGF I don't feel it is that great. Looking at value season in a studio. Though I might get some grief for not comparing apples to apples I am going to compare VGF standard view to BLT lake. The reason is that the standard view at VGF is pretty awesome. I stayed in 1603 at VGF standard view where I had a view was of the pool, main resort, monorail and some lake. I feel that view is just as good as a lake view at BLT.

A week at VGF in value season at a standard studio would be 125pt, at BLT in a lake view, (remember smallest DVC studio)123 pts. VGF Lake view 148pts, and BLT theme park 141 pts. I know that is just one season, but if I am going the first 2 weeks of December or October (food and Wine) I will take spending a few extra points to be at VGF over BLT. In that scenario there is very little difference. Not trying to spin this, but that is the time frame a lot of DVC members like to be in Disney. And if your comparing the 2 resorts and you stay in studios, that is the comparison you need to make.

 

[Johnny D]

One of the things I enjoyed at night was the view and activity from the balcony around BLT with the boats coming and going. But all this talk is making think hard about VGF. Are the rooms that much bigger. One of the negatives about BCV is the small living rooms.

Living rooms are bigger, but the bedroom and bathroom is much bigger.