For those with both direct & resale, what’s your booking strategy?

[MicheyMouse]

We have Poly direct since we will stay there for at least one trip every year. I’m debating what to do for a second contract. I want to have Riviera and LL as a realistic booking option but I’m worried 7-month studio availability will be all but impossible there.

Current thoughts are to add a Poly resale to book there and save most of the direct points for the other options.

I considered a small Riviera resale contract but that would require a different use year in all likelihood. Direct Riv points are a tough choice and more direct at Poly would win out in that scenario.

For those with both direct and resale contracts, how and where do you use your points?

(Benefits are not an issue)

 

[muppets3d]

As you probably know, resort view studios can be tough at lots of resorts at the 7 month mark. But not impossible.

So one of the best strategies would be to own enough points for preferred view studios, or 1 bedroom villas, at 7 month resorts. That way, you have the points to float if resort views aren't available.

As you probably know, Riviera resale points can only be used at Riviera so that may not be the best choice unless you're okay with that.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I don't think there's much strategy other than to book at your home resorts with the points you have at 11 months and then switch if you want at 7 months. The same applies for direct/resale.

Only difference is some of the properties are excluded from using those resale points (Riviera, VDH, Cabins at FW).

 

[cruisehopeful]

I have both resale and direct, but I bought where I wanted to stay. So, I just plan to book my home resorts and if something else is available that I'm interested in at 7 months or less, I'll take it. I don't plan on anything specific being available and I don't have a meltdown if nothing outside my own resorts is available.

It sounds like you want to buy resale points, but you don't want to be locked out of the new resorts. If Riviera is important to you, I would buy there and honestly I would buy direct. If you don't really care about the new resorts, but you just don't want to be locked out, then sure, buy Poly resale and use direct points for the new resorts.

I'd do a big cost comparison between direct and resale if you are buying Poly. With all the discounts for current members, it could just be a few thousand dollars difference and over the life of the contract, it might be better to get the unrestricted points.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

I have set points for specific stays - my direct and resale points are in separate UYs, but I don’t anticipate needing to combine them so not as much of an issue for me.

I agree with the above - if you want to stay at RIV studios - especially standard - I would buy there. Question - have you stayed at RIV yet? If you’re on the fence my vote would be to try to use your direct POLY points to stay to get a feel for it. The stay could make the decision easy.

 

[Sandisw]

Because RIV is our top resort and is restricted with resale points, except RIV points, we didn’t like having BLT that couldn’t be used there so we sold.

If you want resale, but want to use your direct for RIV or LL at 7 months, then I think PVB resale would be a good option because it gives you more home resort points to combine easily with your direct but allows you to save direct for other places.

 

[PolyRob]

Current thoughts are to add a Poly resale to book there and save most of the direct points for the other options.

This makes a lot of sense and you can always combine them at PVB if you need to for a larger accommodation.

On the other hand, how many more PVB points do you want? If it's 150+ points I would seriously look at the current direct incentives with Magical Beginnings. The average resale PVB is going for ~$160 and the contracts are not loaded. That's probably a savings of at most ~$36 per point. $5,400 is a decent chunk of money to save, but buying more direct can still be beneficial since PVB is in active sales. You can split contract sizes (75/75, 50/50/50, etc) or get a Favorite Week. More direct points would also give you more flexibility booking RIV/LSL preferred views. Disney will even help you with an additional Welcome Home booking on the new points.

Another big perk is you'll only be paying four months of the 2025 calendar year dues whereas resale with full 2025 UY points will expect the full dues amount paid by the buyer. That's almost another $1,000 saved bringing the difference to $4,400.

 

[Cfabar1]

Book your restricted points first at the resorts you want to book....

Our personal strategy is to just book VGF over and over... and surplus points seem to end up at VB... so what is direct and what isn't doesn't matter....

 

[Mouseforward]

If you actually like Poly , just get 150 more direct poly. At the current inflated resale prices there is no point to resale Poly, use MB and D23 and just add on. Centering all your direct points at Poly will open up the high point views and rooms at PIT ( point intensive tower )

Worse case, you end up with PV studios at RIV no big loss as they fall right between RV and PV at Poly.

ETA: many RIV owners waitlist BC/BW/BLT for the short walk and lower points so put in a WL for SV and you may be surprised how often they are filled when RIV owners swap out at 7 months.