DVC direct buyers

[com_op_2000]

Back when I bought, absolutely I would have done it again.
1. Trust in Disney name.
2. Been burnt by previous timeshare buy.

 

[JimMIA]

Our first purchase was an OKW resale at $72. Our second purchase was SSR direct at $83 on a legitimate special promotion that was actually worth something. That was in 2004-2005.

IMHO the landscape has changed dramatically since 2004, and my current thinking is as follows:

1. First of all, I would recommend that everyone begin with challenging the concept of buying ANY timeshare from anyone. A timeshare is a very longterm financial committment to a luxury vacation strategy -- in DVC's case, a 30-50 year committment, depending on home resort.
   
   There are many, many options in vacation lodging. I think prudent prospective buyers should really look at ALL the options carefully and objectively.
   
   
2. Secondly, I personally do not recommend DVC purchases (although I did several years ago when the prices were much lower). If someone is committed to buying, I'll offer suggestions on how best to buy, things to consider in a purchase decision, etc. But you won't see me telling anyone to buy.
   
   I personally do not recommend DVC to friends, because I think it's a very expensive proposition. I would not buy DVC today.
   
   
3. And finally, if I were buying DVC, I would only consider resale. At current prices, I could not justify buying direct.
   
   If I wanted to purchase at a particular resort that was only being sold direct, I'd wait a few years until resales were available and prices had dropped to reasonable levels.

 

[chalee94]

I would and will as soon as they start selling points at the new GF DVC. Not comfortable buying from anyone but Disney.

just remember that if your circumstances change and you need to sell the points you bought directly from disney, you'd better hope someone is comfortable buying them from you...

(not to mention: if you need to sell, you will be selling at the lower resale prices whether you paid extra to buy direct or not.)

i bought resale back when it didn't matter. i can use my pts for nights at the poly but the trade values are terrible so it doesn't matter.

resale prices are so much different than direct prices at this point, i'd probably have to go resale if i added more pts. (for a small contract that matches my use year month, i might add-on direct if i had too much trouble finding the right resale.)

 

[tomandrobin]

I have bought Direct and resale. I do not regret any of my purchases.

I felt that I paid a fair price at the time for my direct buys, and the same for my resale contracts.

 

[DisDad07]

We have bought both direct and resale. If you want to finance this, I think it is better to go Direct. If you can pay cash, then go resale, because you save alot of money. You don't always get the exact number of points you want in resale, but if in no hurry, you can wait till the right one comes along.On our resale we waited 6 months till I found what we wanted and then but a bid on it. The price on resale is negotiable, somewant ,on resale. And yes, there are restrictions on resale now. As long as you fell you are getting what you want out of DVC, then buy what you can live with. (IMHO).This is not an investment. It's for Fun.

 

[MyCathryn]

We recently bought direct and I dont regret it. I like there are no limitations and I trust going direct more than a resale company.

 

[BrerNashville]

I bought BLT points direct from Disney -- $112/pt. Yes, I could have saved about $15-$20 per point, maybe, by going resale. But I was spooked about Disney limiting more perks than they just had to just original purchasers. I also was able to make a reservation right away, which was a good bonus, though not a deal breaker, at the time. Now that I'm in the door, I would not hesitate to buy more points resale, especially for BLT currently selling for $155 ppt through Disney. If that had been the price back when I originally purchased, no way.

 

[CMOORE185]

I bought direct twice back when it was a no-brainer, meaning the price between the two was not what it is now. Once the price difference between the two became great enough, I bought resale. I bought resale before the restrictions kicked in. To tell you the truth I don't know what I would do if I was a new buyer today. They have priced it so high direct that I don't know if it is worth it, yet with resale I would be concerned not only about the restrictions now, but what more restrictions are coming in the future.

 

[nunzia]

I first bought an OKW resale to get in the system so I could buy small contracts at VGC direct when they first opened. I got a good price for this reosrt and all 4 of my contracts are at VGC and are all direct (I sold the OKW contract at a wash). At this time, resale and direct points at VGC are not far apart. Since I mainly use my points at DLR, and I don't see this changing much, I am very satisfied with my ownership and would do it exactly the same way again. The real expense of DVC is the annual MF fees, and unless you get a pretty darn good deal and buy quite a few points the amount of MF will far outpace your initial investment in resale or direct over time. I didn't think I'd need the flexibility, but last year a son wanted to join us, VGC was booked, so we used points for DLH which we couldn't have done with non direct points. I do like the security of knowing that whatever odd things DVC tries to pull it will most likely not affect me. However, if I was a WDW only visitor, and didn't care about the restrictions, I'd probably buy resale.
To those who say when we sale we'll have to deal with the lower resale prices, that is true..we all will. At this point VGC is holding its value very well and there is quite a waiting list to purchase it, but no matter what the price is when I sell, I'll be fine with that as I didn't buy DVC as an investment, but to pre pay for vacations. I am still a fan of the program.

 

[ajseagles3]

Positives of buying direct exist, but unless you are getting a killer deal from Disney, the price difference makes it a really bad deal. That said if money really isn't even a concern or a factor at all in your decision, there is no reason to buy resale.

As others have mentioned, using the points for anything but DVC resorts is really not a cost effective way to use your points. But again, you wouldn't really care either way if money was plentiful.

The first time we bought direct, because we didn't even attempt to understand the resale market. I recall that the transaction was really, really easy - deposit with credit card, easy high-rate financing, could book immediately. Since then we have both sold and purchased on the resale market, and the amount of paperwork and time is certainly harder. But the price of $85/pt at BLT compared to ~$130 direct to add-on makes me really certain that we made the right decision.

To each his own. If you do have a money tree in your backyard, PM me.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Our first contract (SSR) was puchased direct from Disney. Our second contract (BCV) was resale. Our third contract, purchased after the planned resale restrictions were made but before the cutoff deadline, was directly from Disney.

If I'd change anything, it'd be the second contract. We've never used our points anywhere other than a DVC resort, so I know the restrictions don't impact us. None the less, I like knowing that at least two of my contracts probably won't be subject to whatever future restrictions DVC comes up with for resales.

 

[montrealdisneylovers]

I first bought an OKW resale to get in the system so I could buy small contracts at VGC direct when they first opened. I got a good price for this reosrt and all 4 of my contracts are at VGC and are all direct (I sold the OKW contract at a wash). At this time, resale and direct points at VGC are not far apart. Since I mainly use my points at DLR, and I don't see this changing much, I am very satisfied with my ownership and would do it exactly the same way again. The real expense of DVC is the annual MF fees, and unless you get a pretty darn good deal and buy quite a few points the amount of MF will far outpace your initial investment in resale or direct over time. I didn't think I'd need the flexibility, but last year a son wanted to join us, VGC was booked, so we used points for DLH which we couldn't have done with non direct points. I do like the security of knowing that whatever odd things DVC tries to pull it will most likely not affect me. However, if I was a WDW only visitor, and didn't care about the restrictions, I'd probably buy resale.
To those who say when we sale we'll have to deal with the lower resale prices, that is true..we all will. At this point VGC is holding its value very well and there is quite a waiting list to purchase it, but no matter what the price is when I sell, I'll be fine with that as I didn't buy DVC as an investment, but to pre pay for vacations. I am still a fan of the program.

The way I look at it is that the amount we saved by buying resale vs direct will "pay for" our maintenance fees for the next 7 to 9 years (depending on annual dues increase). If we should have to sell (which I really hope does not happen but one never knows in life) we will take less of a loss than those who buy direct.

I wonder what the Guides at Disney tell prospective buyers about the resale value of their potential investment. Seems to me that Disney is doing themselves a disservice by differentiating between resale and direct. I would be more inclined to buy Direct if I could be more confident in a strong after sales market where I would not to lose too much in the event I would later have to sell.

 

[ajseagles3]

I like knowing that at least two of my contracts probably won't be subject to whatever future restrictions DVC comes up with for resales.

DVC would never make any of those changes retroactively, FWIW.

 

[BLTLDZ]

I would purchase again, and if I had the choice I would do it the same, direct from DVC and not a resale. I wouldn't call it security or anything, I just like having 100% of the vacation club open to me without any kind of restriction that you get from a resale.

I'm not saying resale is a bad deal I just prefer the Direct route. Hope this helps

I 100% agree with this...
However, I have teetered with the idea of purchasing a small contract through resale for BWV.

 

[AnnaS]

Our contracts and add-ons were all bought through Disney. No regrets.

We like to have all the options available to us. We are "probably" done adding but it's always in the back of my mind to maybe add a few extra points at BCV. "If" we were to decide to add, would buy direct so I would hope to still get the current year worth of points, no searching, waiting for the right small contract with same UY, worry about ROFR and would have them instantly too.

 

[Dziactor]

Bought direct when BLT was under 100 per point, so would do it again. Would still go direct if I was buying as I would want the whole package of stuff open to me.

 

[JimMIA]

DVC would never make any of those changes retroactively, FWIW.

Why not?

They certainly could -- and there are probably several scenarios where they would HAVE TO make changes retroactive and apply to ALL owners.

To think they would never, ever make retroactive changes is a terribly naive assumption.

 

[ajseagles3]

Changes across the board for all ownership interests are one thing, and there is fine print in the contract allowing for it. But if you think that they could change the terms of ownership only for those current members who bought resale and not for those who bought direct, I am confused as to how you even think that would be feasible. There are laws about such things, and it would be a PR nightmare.

 

[chalee94]

...I am confused as to how you even think that would be feasible. There are laws about such things, and it would be a PR nightmare.

1) he owns another timeshare and has done enough research to see how common such differentiation already is in the timeshare industry.

2) i think you "believe" such laws exist, but that doesn't mean that they actually exist.

3) disney's PR machine says "bring it."

 

[JimMIA]

Changes across the board for all ownership interests are one thing, and there is fine print in the contract allowing for it.

There's no such thing as fine print in any contract. The terms of a contract are the terms of the contract.

But if you think that they could change the terms of ownership only for those current members who bought resale and not for those who bought direct, I am confused as to how you even think that would be feasible.

I probably didn't explain it very well, but I see two possible scenarios

1. A situation where they could choose to change non-contractual things for ALL resale points, including those currently owned. There is precious little in DVC that we are contracturally guaranteed.
2. A situation where they elected to change something for ALL owners, including both current and future direct purchasers.

There are laws about such things, and it would be a PR nightmare.

I'm not a legal expert, so I don't know about the specific laws.

But I agree with Charles that Disney's PR folks would laugh at that "nightmare." It would just be another "enhancement to the ownership experience based on member feedback."