Exchanging Points question

[TEM1234]

We are looking into purchasing a membership and I am trying to gather some more information. I took a tour a little while ago and our guide mentioned that you can exchange points to stay at other Disney resorts that aren't DVC but that it wasn't good value.
Obviously the DVC resorts are much nicer, but when planning our next trip, my kids threw a fit and wanted to stay in the Lion King rooms at AoA again! This will change as they get older i'm sure (they are 7,6,4,1 now) but does anyone know what the exchange is for DVC points to stay at a more 'kid' themed resort while my kids are so little? Is the value so poor that it's not worth it?

 

[disneynutz]

IMO Disney takes advantage of you any time you use your points for anything other than a DVC stay. They built the system intentionally to do that. Some members were still using their points for other stays so to add insult to injury a few years ago, they added a $95 fee for booking and for each reservation change.

Bill

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Cheapest AOA exchange is 34 points per night, along with the $95 fee.

For similar dates, you can get a 2BR at OKW or SSR for that.

And given that you can only trade direct points, the comparative value is terrible.

 

[Marionnette]

We are looking into purchasing a membership and I am trying to gather some more information. I took a tour a little while ago and our guide mentioned that you can exchange points to stay at other Disney resorts that aren't DVC but that it wasn't good value.
Obviously the DVC resorts are much nicer, but when planning our next trip, my kids threw a fit and wanted to stay in the Lion King rooms at AoA again! This will change as they get older i'm sure (they are 7,6,4,1 now) but does anyone know what the exchange is for DVC points to stay at a more 'kid' themed resort while my kids are so little? Is the value so poor that it's not worth it?

The lowest is 32-37 points per night for a Lion King suite during Value Season and can go as high as 43-50 points per night for holiday season in 2018. That's more than you would spend for a 1-bedroom at CCV during the same time periods. But for a family of 6 (which would need a 2-bedroom villa) that AoA suite works out better. The thing is, why would you spend $$$ to purchase a DVC contract direct (resale owners cannot book the Disney Collection) when you can just pay cash to stay at any of the hotels? IMO, it's a poor use of points.

 

[TEM1234]

The lowest is 32-37 points per night for a Lion King suite during Value Season and can go as high as 43-50 points per night for holiday season in 2018. That's more than you would spend for a 1-bedroom at CCV during the same time periods. But for a family of 6 (which would need a 2-bedroom villa) that AoA suite works out better. The thing is, why would you spend $$$ to purchase a DVC contract direct (resale owners cannot book the Disney Collection) when you can just pay cash to stay at any of the hotels? IMO, it's a poor use of points.

The reason we are considering it is because they won't always want the super themed rooms, and if i'm spending thousands each time i go, why not buy a membership that will last 50 years or so when we are ready for a more grownup style room, we have already paid for a chunk of it instead of losing all the $in the meantime?

So my next question is, if i buy a small direct contract (75 pts) and eventually add on a larger resale contract (I know that backwards from the best way) can all those points be used for Disney Collection trade, or only the direct ones?
Thanks!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The reason we are considering it is because they won't always want the super themed rooms, and if i'm spending thousands each time i go, why not buy a membership that will last 50 years or so when we are ready for a more grownup style room, we have already paid for a chunk of it instead of losing all the $in the meantime?

So my next question is, if i buy a small direct contract (75 pts) and eventually add on a larger resale contract (I know that backwards from the best way) can all those points be used for Disney Collection trade, or only the direct ones?
Thanks!

Only the direct.

So, the most expensive points (and also, if purchasing CCV or Riviera when it goes up next year for sale, the points that command the highest rate on the rental market).

 

[Marionnette]

The reason we are considering it is because they won't always want the super themed rooms, and if i'm spending thousands each time i go, why not buy a membership that will last 50 years or so when we are ready for a more grownup style room, we have already paid for a chunk of it instead of losing all the $in the meantime?

So my next question is, if i buy a small direct contract (75 pts) and eventually add on a larger resale contract (I know that backwards from the best way) can all those points be used for Disney Collection trade, or only the direct ones?
Thanks!

Only direct points can be used for the Disney Collection. And new members must purchase a minimum of 100 points at CCV and many of the other resorts.

Take a long hard look at what it will cost you to be a DVC member. It's not just the purchase price, it's also the annual dues, the interest on any loan and the opportunity cost. You will need a minimum of 175 direct points to stay 5 nights in a Lion King Suite, mid-week, during value season. The dues on 175 points at CCV would have been around $1270 in 2018. Just the dues, not even considering the purchase price! The rack rate for an AoA suite for 5 nights, mid-week, during a value season would be $1770...a $500 difference between the dues and the rack rate. So, in order to spend $500 less per year now, you would be willing to plunk down $32,000 (or more if you're not paying cash)?

Sorry. It's a poor use of DVC points to use them to stay for any of the Disney Collection. That's why owners will sometimes rent out their points and then use the cash to book a Disney hotel room if they want to trade down to a Moderate or Value Resort instead of using the points to go through the Disney Collection.

ETA: And you don't need to own direct points to be able to rent them out. If you're hell-bent on buying DVC now, it would make much more sense to go the resale route, rent out the points until you're ready to stay in a DVC resort and then use the cash for your stays. However, I wouldn't advocate that as a reason to purchase DVC.

 

[Woody412]

The terrible value you get from the Disney collection is probably the main reason I went resale instead of direct. That and the fact that I’ll probably never own enough points to put any real dent in a Disney Cruise package.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

That is a very real thing - with the $$ saved resale, you can book AOA cash once and still be ahead for years.

 

[The Jackal]

Ya I never really understood why even moderate resort point per night are way more than even staying at VGF on points. It is a very bad choice to use points on those. Better off paying cash for those resorts.

 

[Wakey]

And then Disney sell your exchanged points for cash bookings, for big $$$$

Happy days, if you are Disney... not if you are the schmuck giving them your points for peanuts and $95.