Grand Floridan Direct VS Resale Florida Resident

[Salf777]

Hi so today I contacted Disney about buying direct at the Grand Floridan. They gave me availability at $255 per point. I am a Florida resident so when annual passes are around I can buy them at a discount anyway. My question is I see Grand Floridan listed significantly cheaper on resale. I know no one knows what the future holds but I LOVE the Grand Floridan and prefer to stay there. Other than having availability at future resorts is there any benefit buying direct?
Even with dining and merch discounts I cant seem to make the numbers favor buying direct? We generally go once a year
Could Disney in the future restrict one from using the resorts that are currently available?
I would be paying cash I dont know if they offer any incentives for that I didnt see it in what they sent me.
Looking to purchase just 100 points so if what I see is correct on the high end GF goes for lets say $180 a point, thats a $7500 difference.
Am I looking at this correctly????
I feel like I must be missing something?

 

[sethschroeder]

You lose out on moonlight magic and discounts which would be your biggest things. Also long term if you moved out of FL that would also impact you for ticket prices possibly.

In the future when resorts in 2042 expire it is likely you will be unable to book them. Any resort that you can book today is likely to remain so until that resort expires.

For you I would see zero point in getting a direct contract and paying the premium. I might also look around at resale because prices have come down a little bit it seems.

 

[sethschroeder]

Oh one thing I did forget resale can not use points to book DCL or select other Disney rooms with their points. Most will say they are typically a bad deal and you are better off renting your points out anyways.

Also being in FL you likely get access to FL rates on DCL and last second cruises that would be a better option (haven't looked that closely though).

 

[Lorana]

Could Disney in the future restrict one from using the resorts that are currently available?

If you buy resale, you will not be able to use your points to book Riviera or any other future resort.

 

[aoconnor]

You get essentially the same dining and merchandise discounts with an annual pass so I wouldn't worry about that. As you noted FL residents pay the same for AP's so no benefit there.

Really, the only things you'd miss out on are Moonlight Magic events (which are fairly new in the last few years and aren't guaranteed to continue) and booking at Riviera and whatever future resorts come after that.

 

[RoseGold]

You's be surprised how many of the discounts you can get between Disney Visa/TiW/AP. You can get Tables in Wonderland as either White Card (resale) or FL resident.

Blue Card (direct) does gets some discounts you don't elsewhere, like golf, massages, tours, that kind of thing. Would be tough to get to $7500 discounts on that. And Moonlight Magic, assuming that ever exists again, and the Epcot Lounge, assuming that ever opens again.

Disney can't restrict the original 14 resorts. They can prevent you from booking at future resorts after that, which is just RIV right now and the Disneyland tower that just got approved. The other one in plans was called Reflections, but has been scrubbed from the websites.

I think VGF is an excellent pick resale. I'm currently in ROFR for my VGF. It's up there among my fav resorts, with a very long contract at the flagship property against INSANE cash rates that haven't shown any signs of stopping. It's also one of the smallest in the whole DVC system, and difficult to get into at times, especially studios. It's usually at or near the best value for points in the whole system because of its long contract, and has been for years, even when resale cost much more. It's taken more of a hit than other resale with Covid, and I'm very happy with my VGF resale contract.

 

[CastAStone]

You should be able to get GF for $150s resale even for just 100 points if you look hard enough, and others have covered the differences but to me I can't imagine why a Florida resident would buy direct unless you were 1) buying a brand new resort or 2) aren't concerned about spending $10K in the same way that I'm not concerned about spending $5.

 

[sethschroeder]

You can get Tables in Wonderland as either White Card (resale) or FL resident.

Never knew this and now I have heard it twice. Its crazy this snuck through the cracks on benefits that white cards get. Hopefully they are selling it by March as I likely will grab it.

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

...
In the future when resorts in 2042 expire it is likely you will be unable to book them. Any resort that you can book today is likely to remain so until that resort expires.

For you I would see zero point in getting a direct contract and paying the premium. I might also look around at resale because prices have come down a little bit it seems.

Such an interesting thought! I never considered this!!

Either way, as another DVC owner with FL resident status, I agree with the other posters and cannot see any reason to buy direct ... it just isn’t worth it (from a financial standpoint).

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I will note: as resorts expire, there is no guarantee they will return as DVC options with new contracts. We won't know that for 20 years. So it depends on how you value far future FOMO for the value of that direct differential.

I have said elsehwere that $10-15k difference is a nice buy in to a new resort in 10-15 years, even invested at minimum conservative investment. I stick to that statement even with inflation.

 

[sethschroeder]

I will note: as resorts expire, there is no guarantee they will return as DVC options with new contracts. We won't know that for 20 years. So it depends on how you value far future FOMO for the value of that direct differential.

I have said elsehwere that $10-15k difference is a nice buy in to a new resort in 10-15 years, even invested at minimum conservative investment. I stick to that statement even with inflation.

I would just outline in 2042 we do know 1 thing for certain. BWV/BCV will expire and Riviera will still be available for booking.

The only guarantee at a Epcot resort will be Riviera. There could be a new DVC at both BWV/BCV or not but we will not know under what restrictions until probably like 2039 at the earliest.

Flip side we know AKV is around until 2057 and MK will have resorts until 2068 (CCV) which are both available to resale.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The only guarantee at a Epcot resort will be Riviera. There could be a new DVC at both BWV/BCV or not but we will not know under what restrictions until probably like 2039 at the earliest.

I

I wouldn't suggest VGF at all for BCV or BWV bookings at 7 months...

 

[sethschroeder]

I

I wouldn't suggest VGF at all for BCV or BWV bookings at 7 months...

Well ya mine was more agnostic to this specific contract.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Well ya mine was more agnostic to this specific contract.

OP has said they love GF and is very much wanting VGF, so I am less agnostic here based on the individual preference expressed. These are not really SAP.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm cheap. I use my $50/pt OKW points to stay at the GFV in a one bedroom (don't do those one real bed studios ever). With the points needed for GFV, we don't stay there often.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Hi so today I contacted Disney about buying direct at the Grand Floridan. They gave me availability at $255 per point. I am a Florida resident so when annual passes are around I can buy them at a discount anyway. My question is I see Grand Floridan listed significantly cheaper on resale. I know no one knows what the future holds but I LOVE the Grand Floridan and prefer to stay there. Other than having availability at future resorts is there any benefit buying direct?
Even with dining and merch discounts I cant seem to make the numbers favor buying direct? We generally go once a year
Could Disney in the future restrict one from using the resorts that are currently available?
I would be paying cash I dont know if they offer any incentives for that I didnt see it in what they sent me.
Looking to purchase just 100 points so if what I see is correct on the high end GF goes for lets say $180 a point, thats a $7500 difference.
Am I looking at this correctly????
I feel like I must be missing something?

Buy GF resale. The only perk we use is the AP pass other than that it's not worth direct price. I love GF too....its our favorite resort! If you want to stay in a studio there you need points there

 

[DVCsloth]

I would imagine you can pick up a pretty decent 100 point resale for a good price if you do your research. Doesn't look like Disney is buying back any contracts now so you may find a really good deal. You can always add on direct points later if you end up liking a future resort and get a blue card later. Good luck GFV is my favorite resort also. I also own at CCV and really like it there too. I also have noticed that towards the end of the year they seem to have a really good selection of contracts available with some good prices.

 

[Great3]

I'm cheap. I use my $50/pt OKW points to stay at the GFV in a one bedroom (don't do those one real bed studios ever). With the points needed for GFV, we don't stay there often.

While I say I am cheap too, I don't think of it that way. I see it as I rather save the the points for more nights/trips to WDW, and to me, I am in the camp of being at a DVC resort is good enough for me, they are all nice! I understand others have preferences, but for me, I am mainly there for the parks, having a nice resort is just a plus.

Great3

 

[Great3]

And back on topic, OP, I will 100% agree with others. The only reason I would buy direct is for the savings on Annual passes, as there's a pay back period on the price difference, however long it takes. But being a FL resident, and being able to buy the gold annual passes at the same discount, unless this changes in the future, the value just isn't there for me to see for a direct purchase if a FL resident.

Great3

 

[DVCsloth]

There are also advantages to buying direct besides the Blue Card. When I bought the VGF it was at $165 which which seemed very expensive at the time, but I never had any regrets with that purchase. I added on direct at CCV a small add on and got the previous years points 1 month before my use year so I ended up paying almost $0 for the dues. I also put the entire purchase on a CC and they allowed me to split it into 3 payments. I also had my points the same day and same use year. Expensive yes, but it did have some advantages.