DVC - how hard is it to book - feeling concerned

[_auroraborealis_]

Yeah. Sold-out resorts via Disney have jacked up prices. They aren't magically cheaper, but zero restrictions. Either you misunderstood your guide, or your guide stone-cold lied.

 

[Wakey]

If you want to sleep around you will be much much better off buying twice the points at SSR.

 

[CraigInPA]

Buying a "sold out" (i.e., a resort other than RIV or Aulani) direct from Disney is ridiculously expensive compared to buying the same resort via the resale market. For example, direct for BLT is $225, while resale is in the $140 range. Buy 150 points, and you are looking at a difference of $12k.

Of course, they aren't exactly the same product. Direct gives you an annual pass discount and the Epcot lounge (both not guaranteed to continue), using points for cruises (a very poor use of points due to exchange rate), and the ability to book RIV and future resorts. Resale restricts you to the original 14 resorts and access to top of the world lounge. I expect the point rental companies like David's will offer an exchange program for people with points restricted to legacy 14 to trade into RIV and future resorts as the number of RIV and future resort owners increases.

You should probably read the stickies in this sub board to get a more complete understanding of DVC, instead of relying on the salesperson.

 

[jlb727]

Yeah. Sold-out resorts via Disney have jacked up prices. They aren't magically cheaper, but zero restrictions. Either you misunderstood your guide, or your guide stone-cold lied.

Seriously. I was thinking that if this guide is going to magically hand out those sold-out resorts at ppp cheaper than Riveria, hook me up with his name and number because I'm calling today! lolol

 

[Mzpalmtree]

Seriously. I was thinking that if this guide is going to magically hand out those sold-out resorts at ppp cheaper than Riveria, hook me up with his name and number because I'm calling today! lolol

Me too! Our guide flat out stopped talking to us when I asked about buying AKV and told him we were not interested in RIV due to resale restrictions.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Just spoke with my guide last week. VGF is available and selling at $255/pt. Hmmm....that is not a new lower price...

 

[bobbiwoz]

Just spoke with my guide last week. VGF is available and selling at $255/pt. Hmmm....that is not a new lower price...

Yikes!

 

[DVCjj]

We

I share some of your concerns about the resale restrictions, and while I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney eventually relaxes those, my other thought is this:
There will always be someone who wants to buy at a specific resort, regardless of the restrictions. (Related: There will also always be someone who wants a smaller number of points, regardless of resort.)

My husband and I bought into Riviera on our last trip, and our Welcome Home visit is coming up (6 weeks to go!). I’ll admit to a lot of second-guessing, but Riviera is ultimately where we want to be, and I’ve done the math on when we can go and how many trips it will take before we start coming out ahead (somewhere between 2037 and 2045, depending on increases in hotel costs and whether we add on like we’re thinking we might) and thus when we could start considering a sale if we really had to.

So I’m not concerned about being able to either use or resell at the Riviera. If I were, I wouldn’t have bought it. Hope that helps!

We just stayed 4 nights (Disney VISA cash promo) and we absolutely loved it. If we were younger we would add on to our Poly/BCV in a heartbeat.

RR is a lovely resort in a perfect location with that fantastic skyliner. You made a great purchase.

 

[CLE2WDW]

Me too! Our guide flat out stopped talking to us when I asked about buying AKV and told him we were not interested in RIV due to resale restrictions.

I had a similar experience. I told the DVC cast member that after the tour I just wasn’t impressed with RIV in the least bit. Between the below average location, sterile theming (felt like I was at a Hilton), and resale restrictions I didn’t see the value at $195 per point. So I inquired about BLT and BCV direct... I was given a quote and then that was it.
Personally, I think in 2042 the entire DVC system will be revamped and there won’t be “home” resorts for any of those expiring properties. Rather, you will purchase points on booking windows with 11 months being the most expensive points and 5 months being the least expensive. You can book at any of the 2042 resorts without restriction within your window.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

Hi everyone! Let me fill you in. My husband and I are doing a lot of heavy research into DVC. We just got back from Disney and really loved the Riviera resort BUT - and this is a huge BUT - the restrictions on the resale (buyers only being able to stay at this resort) have us pretty much turned off of this resort. Of course we're not buying with the intention to sell, but lets face it, 50 years is a long time and who knows what can happen. i know if I was buying resale I wouldn't purchase riviera if it had me so limited. The question I have is if we buy at another resort as our home resort, how difficult is it to secure something other than at your home at the 7 month window? We generally travel in low season (January) and would need a room to fit 5. I've read the DVC availability charts, but I'd love to hear first hand. Of course the DVC direct agent has assured me that it will absolutely not be an issue in January, but I'm not truly buying that. We were looking at a resale through Disney so that we don't have the restriction of not being able to book at newer resorts etc. Thank you

We have been going in Jan for the past 20 years and I have to say that Jan has gotten much busier over the years. I guess the secret is out about low crowds and cooler weather. We are currently at WDW and this has been the busiest year yet. We changed rooms last Saturday and the cast member told us that there is no such thing as a slow time anymore. That being said I have always had luck in the past to change resorts reservation at the 7 month mark but going forward who know...

 

[WhitneyMB]

We decided to buy RIV this past month instead of going with an older resort, which we would have purchased resale. Part of it was that we really liked the resort and will not mind if we get "stuck" there. The other part is that we purchased it planning to pass it down to our kids, so we wanted a 50 year contract. We are also speculating that if our contract does end up getting re-sold, it will not be before 2042, when we believe all the 2042 resorts will become "new" resorts (so no option would have been great for resale).

It's such a guessing game right now what will happen with the resale market over the next two decades. We would still consider adding on through a resale contract at another resort now that we have the direct membership benefits also.

 

[Soap_1984]

I'd never buy a resort direct with restrictions on resale but it's a personal choice. I also think if you are looking at the direct prices, it doesn't actually save you money for 20+ years owning dvc unless you are getting some benefit from the gold AP.

I would go resale, save the extra money and if you want a new resort in five years you can swap out with minimal loss. Of course if you want to stay at Riviera every time then you can buy a resale contract there too and try to get a deal.

 

[homey12]

true but the point cost is hard to Justify. I just added on at RIveria, and it was a $3 a point difference between RIV and AKV but RIveria added like 14 more years

Disney has a bunch of older properties that they sell. I was talking to my DVC guide yesterday and he told me all about it. Currently they have Saratoga, poly, boulder ridge, beach club and I think grand Floridian. They are offered at a lower price per point and don’t hold the restrictions that buying through a third party reseller do

 

[The Jackal]

true but the point cost is hard to Justify. I just added on at RIveria, and it was a $3 a point difference between RIV and AKV but RIveria added like 14 more years

Yes you gain 14 years. One of my big issues with RIV is the highest MF at WDW. I hope they don’t go up much in the next 5-7 years.

 

[Chy]

Yes you gain 14 years. One of my big issues with RIV is the highest MF at WDW. I hope they don’t go up much in the next 5-7 years.

Yes they are really high for sure! Definitely leads me not want to buy there.

 

[Ben E N]

Yes you gain 14 years. One of my big issues with RIV is the highest MF at WDW. I hope they don’t go up much in the next 5-7 years.

I see those as a sign that all the MFs at other resorts are going to be increasing to more or less match it within the next 5 years.

 

[Soap_1984]

I see those as a sign that all the MFs at other resorts are going to be increasing to more or less match it within the next 5 years.

The higher mf at Riv is heavily related to transportation so I'm not sure your statement is accurate or what it is based on. If anything those that start much higher have seen increased separation.

If skyliners are built all over that's the only way I see this as being true, but for many of the top tier resorts, they are top tier because of location and it makes no sense to add additional transportation. I'm not sure how they could justify jacking up the mf two bucks a point at blt so I wouldn't make any decision based on the statement above unless I totally missed something.

 

[Sandisw]

The higher mf at Riv is heavily related to transportation so I'm not sure your statement is accurate or what it is based on. If anything those that start much higher have seen increased separation.

If skyliners are built all over that's the only way I see this as being true, but for many of the top tier resorts, they are top tier because of location and it makes no sense to add additional transportation. I'm not sure how they could justify jacking up the mf two bucks a point at blt so I wouldn't make any decision based on the statement above unless I totally missed something.

I certainly agree that is way too early to tell what will happen and whether other resorts will see higher percentage of increase than RIV.

Now what I wonder is how transportation for buses was built in to dues. Did they plan for the decrease to once an hour to Epcot and HS when setting the 2020 rate? Or was that decision made after rate was set and we will see less of an increase in 2021 due to this?

 

[Soap_1984]

That's a fair point, I would agree that it's probably more likely if the dues get closer together in cost between Riv and other resorts it's because Riv dues stay pretty flat for a time.

I wonder as an owner whether you'd prefer any savings in lower bus costs not be returned in favour of keeping more bus service; I personally think if the hours at the skyliner don't change I'd much prefer bus service be more frequent if I owned

 

[RoseGold]

If you really love RIV, I would wait a couple years and try to be one of the new third-class DVC members who can only stay at RIV. That's where the value will come in.

If you plan to jump around, just get resale points. You know exactly what you are buying and can sell. No one knows what will happen to the value of the RIV points in a few years.