Grand Floridan vs Beach Club Resale

[Salf777]

So we have been looking for the rights VGF contract since we love the resort. However we were thinking that maybe we should look into Beach Club figuring that if the world ever gets back to normal and park hopping is allowed we can just walk into Epcot in the evenings for dinner.
my real concern with Beach Club vs VGF is that Beach Club expires 2042 vs 2064 at the VGF.
do you seasoned DVC people think that’s factored into the resale prices. That’s a 22 year difference although after 2042 we will be in our late 60”s. We are not spring chickens so I don’t even know if that should be a concern of ours.
Thoughts, I’m confusing myself here

 

[Doberge]

Generally speaking, people *should* but fail to factor resort expiration into pricing. In 2042 a VGF contract will likely cost more than today and a BC contract will have zero value. In my opinion, BC prices are crazy high, resale or direct. However, if BC is where you want to be then DVC is still a better deal than booking cash.

Also consider Boardwalk. It's cheaper upfront than BC and point requirements are similar, although BW has a standard view that's arguable the best value in DVC. You could also consider Riviera direct and getting into EPCOT by Skyline in about same time as walking from BC or BW.

Otherwise, VGF is a good value and will likely only rise soon with the new MK walkway.

 

[Matty B13]

The resale price difference between VGF and BCV is so small that I would go with VGF. That said, the point charts between VGF and BCV are very different with VGF being much higher.

It also depends on what room type you are looking for, studios at both resorts are tough to get at 7 months, but 1 bedrooms are easier. So, you could do a split stay in a VGF studio, and then move to a BCV 1 bedroom after.

 

[Bellecruiser]

So I believe that you should take the end date into account along with other factors. We owned BCV, and other than its proximity to Epcot and SAB, it was the least favorite of our resorts. We sold it and bought BLT. Our dues are lower, we have a longer contract horizon, and are right by the MK (Similar to BCV and Epcot). The rooms seem bigger, there is an extra bathroom, and we are right by all the water entertainment.

 

[Sandisw]

Right now, BCV demands a pretty high price for a 2042 resort, But, you should buy where you will be the most happy if you can’t get a room elsewhere,

If BCV is it, then I would go for that. If you are okay with VGF and hope to stay in that area some of the time, then depending on travel you may be able to switch out, especially if you look for 1 bedrooms which are easier at 7 months.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

Two great resorts and a difficult decision. BCV really requires home point advantage to guarantee a reservation - In any category, although the one bedroom goes last. VGF, I think because the point chart is so high, the studios are gone in the 11 month window, but usually the 1 and 2 bedrooms are available in the 7 month window (sometimes you have to waitlist, but it usually comes through). BCV, on the other hand, is really getting tough to book in the 7 month window. I think it is still a great resort, despite the ridiculous price on resale. BWV is a better buy for an epcot resort, and we love BWV too (and the standard view points there). I think if you will only be in your 60's in 2042 - you might want to consider VGF and try to do a point trade with another member for BCV. I could be wrong but I think over time BCV will decrease and VGF will increase in price.

 

[HMfan82]

I considered the contract length in our choice when we recently bought VGF. For me, I like having the monorail access to MK and jumping over to TTC to get to Epcot, plus the new walkway to MK will be a nice addition.

I thought about Beach Club or Boardwalk at one time because of the walk to Epcot and longer walk to HS but the shorter contract length was a deal breaker, especially for the price of Beach Club. Also as nice as those 2 resorts are, we just love the theme of Grand Floridian more.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I’m a senior citizen who really enjoys swimming in a pool and BCV has exactly the pool I enjoy. I have some VGF points and the pool there is one of my least favorite. So, for me BCV is my warm weather go to resort! Proximity to Epcot is a bonus.

 

[davidl81]

I am 39 and just added on again. BWV and BCV are our family's favorite places to stay due to walking distance to Epcot and DHS, but the 2042 expiration was a deal killer for us. I will be 62 when those contracts expire and I hate losing that value if I can help it. we ended up with SSR points because the 2054 date makes more sense for us. We also have gotten room spoiled and almost always book 1 or 2 bedrooms some there tends to be better availability for those at 7 months.

I will say that if you love Beach Club and plan on buying enough points for studio stays, then just buy there. This may sound kinda crass but hopefully 22 years from now the 25k or so you spent for the point (clearly depending on contract size etc) won't be a huge deal to you and you would have still saved tons of money versus cash rooms etc. But if it's close B/t VGF and BCV I would do VGF just for the extended dates.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Just my opinion, but I think DVD cheaped out a bit on GFV. It sort of looks like a big “box” decorated to imitate the host resort.
I think it looks like an eyesore, but again, that’s just my opinion. Sort of looks like an appendage.
I think with little more money they could have made it look more like the GF structure.

 

[LilyJC]

My husband and I are 39, and we just added another BCV contract because we love staying there. 2042 is a waaaays away still. We buy where we want to stay, and we don’t worry too much about 20+ years from now. Purchase wherever you will love staying!

 

[paults]

We loved visiting GFV and listen to the Disney band upstairs. Now that they are no longer there we have no wish to go back to GFV

 

[striker1064]

My husband and I are 39, and we just added another BCV contract because we love staying there. 2042 is a waaaays away still. We buy where we want to stay, and we don’t worry too much about 20+ years from now. Purchase wherever you will love staying!

I completely agree with this, in general I believe contract expiration dates are overrated and don't matter nearly as much as people think. The only case I can see it is if you really value time value of money, and you actually would invest the money instead of buying DVC, and using your investment for cash stays instead. 99% of buyers aren't doing that though.

21 years in your favorite resort is a plenty long time. You have no idea how you will feel about Disney in 21 years. You might be sick of it, in which case automatic expiration of a liability with ballooning annual fees is a positive, not a negative. Things happen.

 

[Ssplashhmtn]

I completely agree with this, in general I believe contract expiration dates are overrated and don't matter nearly as much as people think. The only case I can see it is if you really value time value of money, and you actually would invest the money instead of buying DVC, and using your investment for cash stays instead. 99% of buyers aren't doing that though.

21 years in your favorite resort is a plenty long time. You have no idea how you will feel about Disney in 21 years. You might be sick of it, in which case automatic expiration of a liability with ballooning annual fees is a positive, not a negative. Things happen.

I agree that you have no idea how you will feel about Disney in 21 years, which is why contract expiration does matter. (I don’t think contract expirations are overrated). OP expressed concern about resale price. History would say OP can sell the Grand Floridian contract in 21 years for many thousands of dollars, and likely more than paid today, given hotel prices will be much higher in 21 years. On the other hand Beach Club will presumably be worth $0.00. That would impact one’s savings, and I think most people make vacation decision based on financial cost - how much it drains their long term savings.

I can afford to pay more for Beach Club, so I’d still do it, even though the economics are worse, but OP is asking about value specifically compared to Grand Floridian. Here is a summary that ranks Beach Club and VGF based on financial value, due to expiration date. VGF ranks 4 and Beach Club 15 (last):

https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/best-economical-dvc-resort-to-purchase-spring-2020/

 

[striker1064]

History would say OP can sell the Grand Floridian contract in 21 years for many thousands of dollars, and likely more than paid today, given hotel prices will be much higher in 21 years.

This, I think, is all about risk mitigation. We have absolutely no idea what the resale market will look like in 21 years. I'm of the belief that thinking the market will continue to go up indefinitely is a fool's errand. None of us could have predicted the RIV resale restrictions. Who knows what the next DVC executive will have in mind for resale? They could introduce something that kills it entirely.

It doesn't matter to me if someone found a VGF for $1/ point, my advice would always be never buy with the intention of selling. Just like we can't know what Disney will look like in 21 years, we also can't know what resale will look like either.

 

[RoseGold]

This, I think, is all about risk mitigation. We have absolutely no idea what the resale market will look like in 21 years. I'm of the belief that thinking the market will continue to go up indefinitely is a fool's errand. None of us could have predicted the RIV resale restrictions. Who knows what the next DVC executive will have in mind for resale?

Risk of what exactly? Resale restrictions? VGF can't have locked down resale, because none of the O14 can't be locked down. RIV can because they changed the contracts.

Risk of less perks? They have already taken away all the fringe benefits of value to resale they could, except I guess TOTW, and even that might be gone now. The rest (parking, laundry), they can't take away, or they would have. That goes for direct benefits too, by the way, the trend is less, not more.

To me, the risk is that theme parks don't matter or Disney doesn't matter culturally anymore. That's a hard sell right now in 2020, but if I see that trend, I'm out. Another risk if WDW continues to escalate in price to once in a lifetime level expensive. But I think that could actual increases value of my VGF. That's what happened to the 2042s, basically.

I don't need resale to keep going up. I just need it to hold or lose a little in the 15 years I plan to hold my SSR, and I'm confident about that. Heck, it can lose 30%, and it's still a better deal. And then, in 15 years, I'll make a decision about Poly/VGF. If things go the way they have for the 2042s, the point chart and the location of Poly/VGF will be looking very good next to a bloated point chart business hotel or three in the middle of nowhere.

 

[striker1064]

To me, the risk is that theme parks don't matter or Disney doesn't matter culturally anymore. That's a hard sell right now in 2020,

Really? In this year, the year of 2020, when Disney had to close, furlough, lay off, and cut back significantly on extra experiences, it's a hard sell to see?

Anything can happen. None of us can predict something like that. I know resale is strong right now, but historical downturns in resale have always lagged behind the real world.

Remember, the contracts do state this is your timeshare with or without a theme park. If the unthinkable happens, do you really think that stand-alone plantation-style building in central Florida is going to be worth anything?

 

[RoseGold]

Really? In this year, the year of 2020, when Disney had to close, furlough, lay off, and cut back significantly on extra experiences, it's a hard sell to see?

Look at resale prices, they are UP, not down. Disney owns like 1/3 of the entire box office. People are itching to go to Disney once they feel it is safe, my family included.

I mean a broader cultural shift, where Disney no longer owns pop culture, or everyone is on their holodeck or something. That would take time, but is possible.

 

[striker1064]

Look at resale prices, they are UP, not down.

Yes - as has been previously stated on these boards many times, the resale downturn lagged behind the Great Recession by nearly two years. DVC is a luxury purchase and those are often the last things to go when someone needs money.

Plus, sales are always slower in the summer, and inventory rises in the winter when annual dues come due. It happens every single year.

And what happened this year to make prices shoot up? I followed it the entire time. There were already fewer contracts for sale just because of the time of year. With Disney closed, everyone and their mother thought they could get a screaming deal, so sellers either sold or pulled their contracts off the market to wait it out. Supply is down, prices go up. My hunch based on the past is this winter and especially next winter will be a big adjustment. We'll see.

 

[Ssplashhmtn]

If the unthinkable happens, do you really think that stand-alone plantation-style building in central Florida is going to be worth anything?

Not sure I’d think of it this way. I don’t think anyone should ignore the future value of a DVC contract when making decisions about “which resort”, just because of the rare possibility of “the unthinkable”. I really don’t believe factoring expiration date into the decision is overrated.

The more likely scenario is that VGF (which expires in 40+ years) will be worth a lot more than $0.00 in 21 years, and somewhat likely it will be worth at least what it is today. Though it could decline and *still* be better, because simultaneously Beach Club will almost for sure be worth $0.00 in 21 years. That math impacts one’s overall vacation costs, and most people care about the cost of their vacations. It’s a key benefit to buying into DVC.

That said, if it’s not really about the cost comparison between the two, and you are willing to pay more for Beach Club, personally I’d go for it. It’s still a better deal than straight up room rates.