Help Decide Where to Buy Resale

[PanIsMine]

My husband and I have 110 points direct at AKL. We are grandfathered in as blue card members. We are always borrowing and need more points. Our budget is around $8000. We live around 90 minutes from WDW and love going a few times a year for a few nights. We also loving staying at Disneyland and all three beach resorts.

We are due with our first baby this year and have always dreamed about taking our children on Disney trips. We also would like to invite extended family.

I’m thinking of buying Vero to get as many points as possible and then maybe sell in 4-5 years when maybe we don’t do as many weekends or could buy another resort. I know they say Vero is one of the lowest values. Should we buy Vero for as many points as possible for the next few years or somewhere else, such as Copper Creek, OKW, or SSR?

 

[intamin]

I think pretty much anyone on here will tell you not to buy Vero Beach. The dues quickly eat up any savings you have.

At the same time though, you said you really love staying at all the beach resorts and Disneyland. The only way to reliably stay at Disneyland is if you own either Grand Cal or VDH. You likely won’t be able to piece together a long stay and the only way to book VDH is if you buy directly from Disney or you use your grandfathered points. In short, you’re not going to have any better chances of booking a Disneyland resort than you already do unless you buy resale VGC which is absurdly expensive, or VDH directly from Disney.

If your goal is to get as many points as possible and try at 7 months, you’d be far better off owning Saratoga over Vero Beach. But again, you’ll be locked out of Disneyland essentially because you won’t be able to book Grand Cal due to poor availability and you simply won’t have access to VDH except through your grandfathered points.

Are you planning to go to VB during popular times on a regular basis? Because that’s probably the only way I’d even consider buying points there. 8000 dollars can still get you approximately 100 points at SSR and will be easier to sell should you decide to down the line.

 

[Sandisw]

I would not buy VB with the intent to sell in a 4 or 5 years..,you not only pay more In dues, the market for those contract will begin to get smaller and you may have to sell low.

Id buy fewer points and go with something like SSR to get a longer contract, decent dues, and the ability to trade…the direct AKV points csn then be saved to try for VDH at 7 months…left out VGC since that is tough for non owners.

 

[PanIsMine]

I think pretty much anyone on here will tell you not to buy Vero Beach. The dues quickly eat up any savings you have.

At the same time though, you said you really love staying at all the beach resorts and Disneyland. The only way to reliably stay at Disneyland is if you own either Grand Cal or VDH. You likely won’t be able to piece together a long stay and the only way to book VDH is if you buy directly from Disney or you use your grandfathered points. In short, you’re not going to have any better chances of booking a Disneyland resort than you already do unless you buy resale VGC which is absurdly expensive, or VDH directly from Disney.

If your goal is to get as many points as possible and try at 7 months, you’d be far better off owning Saratoga over Vero Beach. But again, you’ll be locked out of Disneyland essentially because you won’t be able to book Grand Cal due to poor availability and you simply won’t have access to VDH except through your grandfathered points.

Are you planning to go to VB during popular times on a regular basis? Because that’s probably the only way I’d even consider buying points there. 8000 dollars can still get you approximately 100 points at SSR and will be easier to sell should you decide to down the line.

Sounds like SSR may be the way to go. We have been ok with staying offsite at DL or paying cash at Grand Cali.

We have gone to aulani 3 times the last 5-6 years and that is one resort where we are not flexible on when we can go. We do like Vero but can be flexible on availability. I’m thinking either Aulani or sleep around points.

 

[intamin]

Sounds like SSR may be the way to go. We have been ok with staying offsite at DL or paying cash at Grand Cali.

We have gone to aulani 3 times the last 5-6 years and that is one resort where we are not flexible on when we can go. We do like Vero but can be flexible on availability. I’m thinking either Aulani or sleep around points.

Aulani can be a decent value and can be negotiated down to 70-80 per point, it's important to own if you care about going between June-August and they're better as SAP points than VB. If you're not going during that time, or don't plan to go regularly, it's likely better to own SSR over AUL.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Why not just buy more AKL?

 

[AstroBlasters]

Aulani can be a decent value and can be negotiated down to 70-80 per point, it's important to own if you care about going between June-August and they're better as SAP points than VB. If you're not going during that time, or don't plan to go regularly, it's likely better to own SSR over AUL.

70-80pp? I don’t know about that…..

 

[TinkAgainU]

I would consider SSR or Aulani first. Honestly, probably some SSR resale, and look at Marriot Ko'Olina Ocean View timeshare (nearly next door to Aulani and just as nice but obviously not Disney themed) - much cheaper buy in, not as "packed" and you get a lot of room for the money. We then just add one day at Aulani so the kids can use that pool too. If you live nearer WDW I would not bother with California DVC, there are plenty of nice hotels near Disneyland and both the California locations are currently very pricey for what you get.

Sidenote: I would never buy SAP only, I have this horrible fear I'll end up Only staying at that resort for whatever reason (there are a Lot of loopholes in the Disney documents). I still think "buy where you want to stay" is important. I purchased one Monorail and one Crescent Lake for that reason, paying a tiny bit more upfront for a resort I like, since I'm going to pay management fees on it for decades seems logical.

 

[intamin]

70-80pp? I don’t know about that…..

Doesn't Aulani hit 85 per point pretty regularly on the ROFR thread? Sorry meant to write 70s-80s lol

Edit: apparently closer to mid 80s right now based on recent ROFR

 

[AstroBlasters]

Doesn't Aulani hit 85 per point pretty regularly on the ROFR thread? Sorry meant to write 70s-80s lol

Edit: apparently closer to mid 80s right now based on recent ROFR

I would say that $90-$100 is the general range for Aulani.

Anything below $90 is generally a distressed seller, a stripped contract, or a large contract. It might also be an Intl seller because the $ is so high.

Emily921---$100-$25219-220-AUL-Aug-0/22, 0/23, 275/24, 220/25- sent 3/24, passed 4/13

Grapefruit---$115-$19470-160-AUL-Jun-0/23, 15/24, 160/25-Subsidized Dues- sent 4/15, passed 5/1

Emily921---$105-$26327-220-AUL-Aug-0/22, 0/23, 440/24, 220/25-International Seller- sent 4/8, passed 5/1

mrp416---$88.33-$29653-300-AUL-Dec-0/22, 0/23, 236/24, 300/25- sent 5/3, passed 5/21

JoshF---$87-$18127-190-AUL-Jun-0/23, 115/24, 190/25, 190/26-Split Closing Costs- sent 5/4, passed 5/22

DonMacGregor---$105-$9587-75-AUL-Dec-0/22, 0/23, 75/24, 75/25- sent 5/14

FrancisK7---$90-$12272-115-AUL-Dec-102/22, 115/23, 115/24, 115/25- sent 5/24

 

[intamin]

I would say that $90-$100 is the general range for Aulani.

Anything below $90 is generally a distressed seller, a stripped contract, or a large contract. It might also be an Intl seller because the $ is so high.

Emily921---$100-$25219-220-AUL-Aug-0/22, 0/23, 275/24, 220/25- sent 3/24, passed 4/13

Grapefruit---$115-$19470-160-AUL-Jun-0/23, 15/24, 160/25-Subsidized Dues- sent 4/15, passed 5/1

Emily921---$105-$26327-220-AUL-Aug-0/22, 0/23, 440/24, 220/25-International Seller- sent 4/8, passed 5/1

mrp416---$88.33-$29653-300-AUL-Dec-0/22, 0/23, 236/24, 300/25- sent 5/3, passed 5/21

JoshF---$87-$18127-190-AUL-Jun-0/23, 115/24, 190/25, 190/26-Split Closing Costs- sent 5/4, passed 5/22

DonMacGregor---$105-$9587-75-AUL-Dec-0/22, 0/23, 75/24, 75/25- sent 5/14

FrancisK7---$90-$12272-115-AUL-Dec-102/22, 115/23, 115/24, 115/25- sent 5/24

Seems like things have trended up since when I bought, makes me feel not as bad about my contract lol, regardless, my statement otherwise stands

 

[intamin]

Sidenote: I would never buy SAP only, I have this horrible fear I'll end up Only staying at that resort for whatever reason (there are a Lot of loopholes in the Disney documents). I still think "buy where you want to stay" is important. I purchased one Monorail and one Crescent Lake for that reason, paying a tiny bit more upfront for a resort I like, since I'm going to pay management fees on it for decades seems logical.

Same, it has to be at least somewhere I like. I probably place more value on home resort priority than most. You probably wouldn't think it based on my portfolio with RIV, AKL and AUL having lots of inventory and generally not being the hardest resorts to book but they have the duration we want and where we want to stay most frequently and it keeps us out of resorts we would not want to use our points at. I like SSR but the only issue I have with it is there really isn't any benefit to having home resort priority there.. or at least IMO since I don't remember the last time a room category was unavailable prior to 7 months barring maybe a Moonlight Magic or marathon weekend. But if going for maximum value and bang for your buck, SSR along with CCV/BLT is definitely at the top of that list.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

My husband and I have 110 points direct at AKL. We are grandfathered in as blue card members. We are always borrowing and need more points. Our budget is around $8000. We live around 90 minutes from WDW and love going a few times a year for a few nights. We also loving staying at Disneyland and all three beach resorts.

We are due with our first baby this year and have always dreamed about taking our children on Disney trips. We also would like to invite extended family.

I’m thinking of buying Vero to get as many points as possible and then maybe sell in 4-5 years when maybe we don’t do as many weekends or could buy another resort. I know they say Vero is one of the lowest values. Should we buy Vero for as many points as possible for the next few years or somewhere else, such as Copper Creek, OKW, or SSR?

Under no circumstances should you buy VB. Very real chance it becomes worthless and/or impossible to get rid of very soon. The dues are just going up too fast and it’s already so expensive. If you just want SAP get SSR.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Why not just buy more AKL?

This is also way better than VB.

 

[starsaber25]

I also agree that you should stay away from VB. The savings will be gone before you know it after you start paying dues and then you will have a hard time selling it very soon.

Looking at current contracts that are around your budget your best bets are SSR, OKW and AKL. You may be able to get close to 100 points at those.

CCV/BLT are still the best overall values in my opinion but you are only looking at around 60 points in your price range.

 

[FrancisK7]

After renting the loaded points my effective acquisition cost for those 115 AUL is $51 so you can definitely find good deals right now and for maybe another year still.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I also agree that you should stay away from VB. The savings will be gone before you know it after you start paying dues and then you will have a hard time selling it very soon.

Looking at current contracts that are around your budget your best bets are SSR, OKW and AKL. You may be able to get close to 100 points at those.

CCV/BLT are still the best overall values in my opinion but you are only looking at around 60 points in your price range.

I agree with this 100 percent. If I had it all to do over again I would have gotten BLT instead of SSR for SAP.