DVC Newbie Advice re SSR and points

[Sandisw]

Well, it is different for resale, like how RIV doesn't take (non-grandfathered) resale points at all. I just think people should know what system they are buying into if they are banking on future resorts. If they don't expect change, they haven't been around DVC long.

I agree that people need to know the system. And there are benefits of looking at direct vs resale.

I just think it’s misleading to frame the changes DVD has made as though it would impact its direct product when there has never been one change that has changed which resorts those points can be used at

As you even mention, the change has been to resale points and not direct.

Again, we are all only guaranteed the right to stay at our home resort so no one should buy assuming trading to any other resort.

But, if trading ever does becomes more restrictive, it would apply to resale well before direct..though honestly, not sure how it could even get worse for resale.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I agree with your wife on minimum 1 bedroom and also suggest that in a few years when kids are older you will want 2 bedroom so kids aren't sleeping in main room. I like to get up early, have coffee and watch the news. The kids want to sleep in. After all, it's everyone's vacation. It's just hubby and I now and I insist on 1 bedroom!

I suggest you look at the point charts for each resort for the summer months. And consider whether you will be there 6 nights, 7 or 8. OR would you do something else on the way to Disney or on the way home so that you only need 4-5 nights at DVC. With that info you could figure out how many points you "need".

Right now, borrowing is limited to 50% of points so that might mess up your first set of "2 years then skip" unless you bank the whole first year then go years 2 and 3. Then bank year 4 and so on.

We have been owners since nearly the beginning and, yes, there have been changes and stuff costs more, but we still enjoy our points. Now, we get a 3 BR every few years for kids, grandkids and one MIL we've "adopted". So much fun!

This is why it's either studio or 2 bedroom for us with kids. The 1 bedroom does absolutely nothing for us if the people in the main area are being woken up by my DH at 4 am when he's ready to start his day! In other suites (never paid for a DVC 1 bedroom) we've put kids in the bedroom so that I'm the only one being bothered by his presence. lol

1 bedrooms might work when we're without the kids. For now, we are fine with studios. When they no longer work, it's on to the 2br, treehouse, GV, etc.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I agree that people need to know the system. And there are benefits of looking at direct vs resale.

I just think it’s misleading to frame the changes DVD has made as though it would impact its direct product when there has never been one change that has changed which resorts those points can be used at

As you even mention, the change has been to resale points and not direct.

Again, we are all only guaranteed the right to stay at our home resort so no one should buy assuming trading to any other resort.

But, if trading ever does becomes more restrictive, it would apply to resale well before direct..though honestly, not sure how it could even get worse for resale.

I was drinking the "they're going to have to increase direct benefits" kool-aid for awhile. Now I realize they're just going to keep stripping down any benefits they can from resale points instead.

No money lost for DVC, only gained.

 

[Sandisw]

I was drinking the "they're going to have to increase direct benefits" kool-aid for awhile. Now I realize they're just going to keep stripping down any benefits they can from resale points instead.

No money lost for DVC, only gained.

Yes, the product has changed over the years. That is for sure. I think that is why I think it’s so important to buy where you want to be or at the very least where you are happy.

No question DVD made an interesting choice with the resale restriction on RIV. But, nothing they have done has ever made the use of direct points less valuable. Those always come with more...whether you value them or not...and I just don’t see a system where DVD makes a program that doesn’t allow directly purchased points be tradable for new resorts.

So, if one wants to regularly stay at RIV or new resorts in the future, buying direct is the way to go.

 

[RoseGold]

But, if trading ever does becomes more restrictive, it would apply to resale well before direct..though honestly, not sure how it could even get worse for resale.

It gets worse for resale when they are completely locked out of the future property.

BUT, it could also get worse for direct if that future resort were to have a punitive trade policy for non-home points. It doesn’t have to be 1:1 for any of the points, and never did. Seems like an easy way to print more points, and wouldn’t surprise me to see it in the future.

 

[Sandisw]

It gets worse for resale when they are completely locked out of the future property.

BUT, it could also get worse for direct if that future resort were to have a punitive trade policy for non-home points. It doesn’t have to be 1:1 for any of the points, and never did. Seems like an easy way to print more points, and wouldn’t surprise me to see it in the future.

A different trade scale..which is allowed..is something different that could impact everyone regardless of points owned..which wasn’t the comment you made that I was responding to

Of course, they could continue to change the program and we all need to be aware that.

But, as it stands today, direct points are valid at all and future resorts. Resale points are not. And there has been nothing DVD has ever done that has limited where direct points can be used. They have for resale.

I am all for helping people weigh pros and cons but I also think advice should be realistic. So we can just agree to disagree on this.

 

[DougEMG]

It gets worse for resale when they are completely locked out of the future property.

BUT, it could also get worse for direct if that future resort were to have a punitive trade policy for non-home points. It doesn’t have to be 1:1 for any of the points, and never did. Seems like an easy way to print more points, and wouldn’t surprise me to see it in the future.

One of the easiest ways that DVC could increase their breakage income is by increasing the amount of points required to trade outside of your home resort; something they are legally allowed to do. If all trading suddenly had a 20% premium attached to it, that would free up a lot of rooms because of there being no points available to book them. This is could all be marketed as a benefit to direct purchasers as a way to stop people from booking at your home resort and keeping those cheapy SSR owners from booking your more desirable resort.

 

[Matty B13]

One of the easiest ways that DVC could increase their breakage income is by increasing the amount of points required to trade outside of your home resort; something they are legally allowed to do. If all trading suddenly had a 20% premium attached to it, that would free up a lot of rooms because of their being no points available to book them. This is could all be marketed as a benefit to direct purchasers as a way to stop people from booking at your home resort and keeping those cheapy SSR owners from booking your more desirable resort.

I wonder how many points at SSR they would be able to sell direct after that though, plus the backlash of all the current SSR owners would get very ugly I think.

 

[RoseGold]

One of the easiest ways that DVC could increase their breakage income is by increasing the amount of points required to trade outside of your home resort; something they are legally allowed to do. If all trading suddenly had a 20% premium attached to it, that would free up a lot of rooms because of their being no points available to book them.

I can totally picture this. 20% to protect the BEST ROOMS! If you don't buy New Resort, it will cost at least 20% more!

Under O14 rules, resorts can discriminate against non-home points. Under RIV rules, they can discriminate against non-home points, or resale after X date (which wouldn't have to match RIV). Neither allow discriminating against SSR specifically.

 

[eandt]

I can totally picture this. 20% to protect the BEST ROOMS! If you don't buy New Resort, it will cost at least 20% more!

Under O14 rules, resorts can discriminate against non-home points. Under RIV rules, they can discriminate against non-home points, or resale after X date (which wouldn't have to match RIV). Neither allow discriminating against SSR specifically.

May be misunderstanding this but doesn't DVC already protect the best rooms at the best resorts by making them a higher point cost? Your points at SSR or OKW go "further" at SSR/OKW than if you try to use them at Riviera, GFV, or Poly for instance.

 

[Apixarfan]

May be misunderstanding this but doesn't DVC already protect the best rooms at the best resorts by making them a higher point cost? Your points at SSR or OKW go "further" at SSR/OKW than if you try to use them at Riviera, GFV, or Poly for instance.

I understand your question. I'd say, "kind of, but not really". Disney does balance things by requiring more for a studio in one resort vs. another. However if someone wants a studio at Polynesian at the 7 month window, both the people who paid $165/pt to buy Saratoga as home resort and the people who paid $235/pt to buy Polynesian as a home resort, use the same x number of points to stay there and have the same availability to those rooms. Again, in the 7 month window. For now, the main reason to pay that extra $70/pt up front for Polynesian as a home resort is to get that extra 4 month lead time to exclusively book only your home resort.

As others have stated, where Disney could change things some day to make the home resort more important are to potentially add an extra 20% point cost to book anywhere other than your home resort, or restrict you from using your points at all for anywhere other than your home resort.

I'm banking on that being possible but very, very unlikely for direct purchasers and especially not for people who already bought direct because having the ability to try different resorts has been a big selling point. Much fewer people would want a vacation club where you can only stay at the same one resort every year and/or pay a big premium to stay at other ones. I haven't bought anything quite yet but would likely not buy one at any home resort if they made that kind of policy change and I'm sure Disney knows that.

 

[DVCanadian]

Buy as many SSR points as you can afford via resale. Use them to book at aulani. You may think you want one bedrooms but given your family age and set up you will be in 2 bedrooms very soon, stay in one just once and you will see.

two bedrooms at most resorts at non peak peak times are easy to book.
Buy 250 SSR resale or more. Have fun!