DVC Incentivizes Polynesian and Bay Lake Tower Sales – But Is It A Good Deal?

[SkampyOne]

Disney Vacation Club is currently offering significant direct purchase discounts at Polynesian and Bay Lake Tower. But is it a good deal?

https://dvcfan.com/2023/01/20/dvc-i...d-bay-lake-tower-sales-but-is-it-a-good-deal/

Let us know in the comments what you think of these Polynesian and Bay Lake Tower deals! Will they get you to pull the trigger on some direct points? Why do you think these deals are being released right now?

Sooooo where on the DVC page can you find these? I still only see Aulani, Riviera & VGF...

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

DVC in general is not easy to reschedule or cancel. It requires months of planning, and moving things around is not easy. That's not really rented points fault, it's the design of the system. If you value flexibility, DVC is not the answer. Just book a refundable Swolphin room.

Eh, it's much easier as an owner. If I have to cancel at the last minute because of a sick kid, my points go into holding, but I can still use them, and likely will get some value out of them, even if it's just making a spec rental and renting at way below market rate. Sometimes Disney has been known to bend the holding rule as well if you have a good reason "IE: My kid just tested positive for Covid, attached is the PCR result, any chance you could waive holding?"

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

IIRC if you book a room only, no penalty for canceling up to 5 days before.

And even if you cancel the day before, you're only losing your first night's deposit (and again, Disney is very generous with working with people who have a good excuse. I had to cancel a cash trip 2 days before several years ago because my daughter got the flu, and when I called they gave a full refund including the deposit).

 

[Frugal Fairy Tales]

Disney Vacation Club is currently offering significant direct purchase discounts at Polynesian and Bay Lake Tower. But is it a good deal?

https://dvcfan.com/2023/01/20/dvc-i...d-bay-lake-tower-sales-but-is-it-a-good-deal/

Let us know in the comments what you think of these Polynesian and Bay Lake Tower deals! Will they get you to pull the trigger on some direct points? Why do you think these deals are being released right now?

This is what I am currently thinking, (and I hope Disney Vacation Club is listening!),... I think I'm too confused by what DVC is doing to buy direct points rights now. In particular, what are they doing with Poly? If I don't know whether or not Poly is a new or the same association, I am not willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars buying Poly direct even with incentives. On the other hand, is this my last chance to buy unrestricted direct Poly points at this price that I can use anywhere? If Poly turns out to be separate associations, will I regret not buying Poly direct now? Or will I wish I hadn't bought? Or will I get a chance later to buy unrestricted direct poly points at a better price when new Poly goes on sale?... ether at a promotion at Poly 1 if it's a separate association OR at 'The United Condo Association of Poly' if new Poly is the same association and has unrestricted points? (This second scenario is what I'm wishing upon a star for). And if it is the same association I will be glad I waited to buy, unless of course the price is higher than with these current incentives. Between this and the introduction of wishy-washy resale restrictions, price increases, incentives out of nowhere, etc., I definitely do not have sufficient info to justify direct. It just feels like DVC is playing too many games. I'd actually like to buy direct points, but with the expense and all of this confusion, I am paralyzed in my decision.

 

[Jack Kerouac]

You could probably bag a Poly resale for $150, so my back of a fag packet calculation makes that $12900 for a 10% discount card plus a few extras. Nah. I can't make a case for it.

My wife and I bought a 220 point Poly resale in October for $149, so it has been done.

 

[CVG]

My wife and I bought a 220 point Poly resale in October for $149, so it has been done.

Haha. I think that I probably used your contract as my $150 justification!

Ultimately then, to answer Paul's original question, no, for 90/95% of people this is not a good deal. A 10% discount card is not worth $12,900. Actually, I'm being generous. When I take my family of 12 to WDW, only 8 of them (incl. my wife and I) are allowed the 10% discount.

Message to WDW. Reduce the direct sale premium and improve the direct membership benefits.

 

[Sandisw]

Haha. I think that I probably used your contract as my $150 justification!

Ultimately then, to answer Paul's original question, no, for 90/95% of people this is not a good deal. A 10% discount card is not worth $12,900. Actually, I'm being generous. When I take my family of 12 to WDW, only 8 of them (incl. my wife and I) are allowed the 10% discount.

Message to WDW. Reduce the direct sale premium and improve the direct membership benefits.

Just for others, the discount on shopping is 20% with no minimum and sometimes raised to 30% at certain times at Disney stores when at WDW.

Dining is at 10%. Not saying this makes a huge difference or will change it being a good deal or not.

I agree you don’t buy for perks but someone who is in it for the long term, say 20 years, you are spending an extra $650 a year to guarantee you have access to whatever benefits exist but more importantly, your points will be good at RIV, VDH Poly tower, and any other resorts that come down the line if you really want Poly or BLT as a home resort.

 

[Roughians_satchel]

This is what I am currently thinking, (and I hope Disney Vacation Club is listening!),... I think I'm too confused by what DVC is doing to buy direct points rights now. In particular, what are they doing with Poly? If I don't know whether or not Poly is a new or the same association, I am not willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars buying Poly direct even with incentives. On the other hand, is this my last chance to buy unrestricted direct Poly points at this price that I can use anywhere? If Poly turns out to be separate associations, will I regret not buying Poly direct now? Or will I wish I hadn't bought? Or will I get a chance later to buy unrestricted direct poly points at a better price when new Poly goes on sale?... ether at a promotion at Poly 1 if it's a separate association OR at 'The United Condo Association of Poly' if new Poly is the same association and has unrestricted points? (This second scenario is what I'm wishing upon a star for). And if it is the same association I will be glad I waited to buy, unless of course the price is higher than with these current incentives. Between this and the introduction of wishy-washy resale restrictions, price increases, incentives out of nowhere, etc., I definitely do not have sufficient info to justify direct. It just feels like DVC is playing too many games. I'd actually like to buy direct points, but with the expense and all of this confusion, I am paralyzed in my decision and will not buy.

A good point I never thought of - if Poly2 is a separate association, those with resale Poly points won't be able to book it. So resale poly1 points would be barred from booking DVC rooms at their shared resort (unlike CCV/BRV which you could switch at 7 months.)

 

[RoseGold]

Sometimes Disney has been known to bend the holding rule as well if you have a good reason "IE: My kid just tested positive for Covid, attached is the PCR result, any chance you could waive holding?"

I mean maybe? There are also plenty of stories of lost points, or people staying solo in grand villas or whatever. DVC has very strict rules, and they do enforce them, generally speaking.

I was able to cancel my hurricane booking without going into holding. But the airport was closed, and Disney rented out my room for $800/night, so there's that.

 

[RoseGold]

This is what I am currently thinking, (and I hope Disney Vacation Club is listening!),... I think I'm too confused by what DVC is doing to buy direct points rights now.

I hadn't thought about it this way, but I totally get it.

DVC has been wishy-washy on the resale restrictions, prices, everything. At the same time it has gutted the Blue Card, ripping out the meager discounts. I mean throw it a bone? Resale prices are cratering, and DVC is still sitting on bags of RIV and Aulani. And then at the same time, DVC seems to be building the grandest, best shiny, new building yet, with the best location and views and transportation.

I do think there's a paid VIP path for the Blue Card if Disney wants money and wants to get rid of perks. Lunch with an imagineer, $200 hoodie, special tour of Haunted Mansion, limited edition pins, $100 signing with a voice actress, $80 photo op with rare character, that kind of thing. Instead, there's a sad Pizzarizzo party and fragmented events. What is the Blue Card doing?

All of this is a big reversal from the Reflections stage just a few years ago. We were here calculating 15 years of AP discounts and considering how peaceful and remote Reflections will be and how great a lazy river would be.

And still no announcement on Poly2. That to me shows even DVC doesn't know what it is doing right now.

I'm no lifelong Disney die-hard fan. I doubt I'll ever go without little kids. But if I were, and I really wanted to commit to this, it would be hard to make a decision right now. Writing all this out, the choice would seem to be Poly2 resale, LOL.