How important are future resorts to you?

[MyDogTink]

I get frustration that some of transportation isn’t always the way we’d like it…but, it sounded like you were saying that RIV is less deluxe simply because non deluxe users can use the Skyliner.

Just pointing out that the monorail being open to all guests doesn’t make those less deluxe because of it.

And, while it can be very busy, I personally don’t think it detracts from those resorts being a deluxe experience.

I didn’t intend to be harsh on Riviera. I do think that Disney deluxe 30 years ago is different than today. But every company is operating differently than they did 30 years ago.

 

[SleeplessInTO]

Right now? I don’t think it’s very important. There’s only Riviera, Disneyland Hotel, and Cabins at FW that resale can’t stay at. New Poly tower, Big Pine Key and all pre-Riviera resorts are open to resale buyers. That’s a lot of options and 2042 might seem close but a lot can happen in those years… who knows where you’ll be vacationing post-2042. And who knows if new builds will be restricted or not. “Reflections at Wilderness Lodge” added on to Copper Creek association maybe? (Don’t come for me, I have no inside info or arguments to support this.)

With that being said, we bought resale first and second and then decided to get direct points at Grand Floridian for our third and fourth contracts. Not specifically to stay at future resorts, but because I felt like a second class DVC member (or maybe 4th class? There’s been so many different changes and grandfathering of benefits). Is it rational? Perhaps not. But the start of the conversation with my family is “Hey I’m thinking of buying another contract for a timeshare in Florida” and then adding in that I’m weighing if I should spend an extra few thousand because Disney succeeded in making me feel bad about myself (while still loving Disney enough to visit every year) so being perfectly rational financially wasn’t ever in the cards for me. (And VGF isn’t even one of my favourite resorts! But thankfully my daughter loves it.)

We have stayed at Riviera and the FW Cabins. Don’t care for Riviera, didn’t want to pay the extra cash cost for VDH so we opted for Grand Cal instead, and mixed feelings about the Cabins. So none of the shiny new toys will be played with much.

But overall I am happy with my direct points. I am also happy with my resale points. Maybe a mix of both is a happy balance for you too?

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

I'm cabin curious, LOL. It's totally not our vibe, but we have friends that would come only if we WERE at CFW/WL/CC/BR because that's totally their thing. I'm glad our direct points get us a chance to book there, and who knows? Maybe we'll love it. In only five years of owning DVC, a lot of our views have changed on different resorts and room types -- even parks!

VDH, I would like to try it out on our way to AU, so another pro for owning direct. Do I want to own there and pay TOT? Heck no. I'd like to stay VGC, too, but since their renovations keep getting dragged on into perpetuity, I can see doing VDH before VGC at this rate.

Reflections, IDK. If they can nail the lobby and proposed Tiana's fine dining along the waterfront, I can see wanting to at least do a trip there.

Any Skyliner expansion is going to boost resale at Riviera and resorts on that line.

O14 resorts that folks rave about have somewhat fizzled out for us. VGF is beautiful, but we hated the crowds at the main lobby. I loved SS studios! Really enjoyed my girls' weekend there, adults only, with a car. Tried SS 2B and really disliked it as a group with the wonky layout and bus system.

BC, didn't love Stormalong Bay, but loved our room next to the quiet pool. BW is great, but no dedicated 2B and 2042. We loved OKW!

So, IDK what new resorts are coming, but we want to try them. Also, as a long-term planner, I do want home resort booking at 11 months for my preferred resorts. We don't have flexibility in our schedules, and I like to lock in airfare with JetBlue at 11 months out along with our reservations, pay for it all, and just sit back in excitement for our upcoming trips. Trying to piecemeal split stays (that we don't like) at places at seven months stresses me out. I know buying resale gets you the home resort booking priority, but we need enough points for a 1B/2B, which gets expensive. If I'm going to shell out the bucks, I want unrestricted points at that resort so that post 2042 we have options. 13 years of marriage and kids has flown, another 17 years of DVC/vacationing will be here before we know it.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I know too many people who never got the chance to retire. No they aren't still working, they are dead.

Retirement isn't guaranteed, tomorrow isn't either! Save a few dollars in the case you get to retire, but make sure you enjoy your life. Balance is important.

Oh and Disney could eventually start to build more interesting resorts again, then I'd be interested in future resorts.

Keep in mind, that is a very privileged point of view.

For many people, they have to do more than just "save a few dollars. Just 1 example, myself. Our son has a disability and will likely never be able to live independently. So we have to make sure we have enough money saved for him to live his entire life.

Also, any person could become disabled at anytime. Again, myself as an example. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease when I was 34 years old and it has effected my in many ways and could definitely make me unable to work at a much younger age than the average, healthy person.

I'm not saying people should never do fun things. I agree there needs to be a balance. But I think it's wise to do more than just save a few dollars.

At least with buying DVC, there is still a market to sell if the cost ends up being too much. It's nice that there's an "out" if we were to ever need more savings or something.

 

[Sandisw]

I didn’t intend to be harsh on Riviera. I do think that Disney deluxe 30 years ago is different than today. But every company is operating differently than they did 30 years ago.

I was just trying to understand how who the transportation riders are changes the pros and cons of RiV being deluxe when the MK resorts all have a similar situation with non deluxe guest riders.

 

[Sandisw]

Keep in mind, that is a very privileged point of view.

For many people, they have to do more than just "save a few dollars. Just 1 example, myself. Our son has a disability and will likely never be able to live independently. So we have to make sure we have enough money saved for him to live his entire life.

Also, any person could become disabled at anytime. Again, myself as an example. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease when I was 34 years old and it has effected my in many ways and could definitely make me unable to work at a much younger age than the average, healthy person.

I'm not saying people should never do fun things. I agree there needs to be a balance. But I think it's wise to do more than just save a few dollars.

At least with buying DVC, there is still a market to sell if the cost ends up being too much. It's nice that there's an "out" if we were to ever need more savings or something.

I didn’t take that post that way. I took it more that sometimes overanalyzing every element of the financial nuisances of a DVC purchase is not always needed or the right way.

Everyone’s situation is different and for us, balance in life is where it is all about. Savings and enjoying life can be done in the same light, without having to make sure every penny of a decision is accounted when purchasing something like DVC.

 

[SugarSweetLee]

I know too many people who never got the chance to retire. No they aren't still working, they are dead.

Retirement isn't guaranteed, tomorrow isn't either! Save a few dollars in the case you get to retire, but make sure you enjoy your life. Balance is important.

Oh and Disney could eventually start to build more interesting resorts again, then I'd be interested in future resorts.

Yep, this this this. My father worked long past retirement age when he didn't have to. By the time he finally retired, my mother had gotten very sick and now they can't do any of the things they had planned to do after retirement.

Plan for the future, sure, be sensible- but live your life while it's happening. Tomorrow may not come.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

Yep, this this this. My father worked long past retirement age when he didn't have to. By the time he finally retired, my mother had gotten very sick and now they can't do any of the things they had planned to do after retirement.

Plan for the future, sure, be sensible- but live your life while it's happening. Tomorrow may not come.

Same here. My DH is still working but needs a scooter to get around. My parents are only 74, but dad is Stage IV and my mother can't afford to do anything and wouldn't want to travel anywhere without him anyway. My aunt retired at 65 as a nurse during beginning of Covid and was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. Thank God she's still kicking and doing treatments weekly for years now at Dana Farber (and traveling in between treatments! Amazing!) but I see how much folks slow down in their 60s v 70s v 80s, and I am trying to cram as much in during our 50s as we can while we can enjoy it with the kids.

My plan is certainly to work until 67 (FRA) and possibly 70 to shore up retirement and help the kids as much as possible, but I am also aware how quickly things can change when cancer strikes.

Take the trips. Do the things. I'll gladly work a second job if it means there's traveling or going to see the Olympics in 2028, or whatever. Getting together at Disney, traveling with friends and family, has been a great distraction during Covid and beyond.

 

[MsChristy12]

I know too many people who never got the chance to retire. No they aren't still working, they are dead.

Retirement isn't guaranteed, tomorrow isn't either! Save a few dollars in the case you get to retire, but make sure you enjoy your life. Balance is important.

Oh and Disney could eventually start to build more interesting resorts again, then I'd be interested in future resorts.

Well said, all true!

 

[matt_in_nh]

I am currently in the market for my second DVC contract. I am 30 years old, and the more I look into it, the more direct points are attractive to me due to future resorts being built that will likely be unavailable to book with resale points (I’m looking at you, rumored Adventureland gate resort).

Conversely, of course the resale market looks more attractive financially. How do you navigate your DVC decisions and how important is access future resorts for you?

For me, paying thousands or tens of thousands more for something that might happen in the future sounds silly.

 

[patm95]

Our contract is at BWV. We bought resale and have no regrets. However we love RR and will likely buy direct there soon. The perk of the sorcerer annual pass is attractive to us as well.

 

[Cyberc1978]

The majority of my points are resale, I don't really care about future resorts. The cabins I really don't care about. I have enough points to book a week long stay at Riviera, I'd like to stay there once.

But really since Riviera is not close to any parks, I think it will be a while before I'm wasting points there.

VDH, I'm not booking either and that's solely because of the tax, I pay my dues that should be enough. DVC should have included the tax in the owners dues - but hey that's just my opinion.

If DVC comes with a new resort that's really extraordinary, then who knows. For now I'm all good, and enjoy what I have.

 

[Bearval]

I am currently in the market for my second DVC contract. I am 30 years old, and the more I look into it, the more direct points are attractive to me due to future resorts being built that will likely be unavailable to book with resale points (I’m looking at you, rumored Adventureland gate resort).

Conversely, of course the resale market looks more attractive financially. How do you navigate your DVC decisions and how important is access future resorts for you?

The "new" resorts ( RIV and the Cabins at Fort Wilderness) didn't exist when I bought into DVC so I don't have any FOMO. My first contract was 75 direct points at AKL ( I did not know resale existed at the time) just to test it out at the time and figured we would just go like once every three years by banking and borrowing so we would have 225 points to use which was enough for 6 or 7 nights in a 2 bedroom for Food & Wine in November at the time ( points for this period have gone up some since then). Well that plan went south pretty quickly and we have added enough resale points to go yearly for those 6 or 7 nights now.

 

[muppets3d]

The annual dues are the same direct vs resale and the longer you own your contract the more of your money will be in dues vs. the initial buy-in. So think carefully.

 

[LittleBitGoofy]

We booked RR for a weekend stay this spring and that got me thinking how only 1/3 of our overall points are usable for future resorts. Then watching the cranes across the way during our latest CCV stay really made me think about how our 400+ resale points would be ineligible. I love me some O14, but if they're popping up future off-limits-to-resale-points resorts every few years I'll be bummed to have limited options for staying there when it means we can either go to VGF or the new place that year.

I can't imagine buying a 200-pt contract at some of these direct prices (for the sold out ones, at least), but if I need to top off anything with a small contract then I'm going to be mighty tempted to go direct and start padding that future-resort points pool. Well, maybe not for all of them (I'm looking at you, 2042's and my beloved BCV).

 

[Bearval]

The annual dues are the same direct vs resale and the longer you own your contract the more of your money will be in dues vs. the initial buy-in. So think carefully.

That is true but it all depends on how long you plan on keeping your DVC timeshare what would be most cost effective. I couldn't find any "hard" data but have see 7 to 10 years in several post as the average holding time which wouldn't surprise me since that would fall into a time period where your children would be old enough to full enjoy the parks and end when other family expenses (college) start.

 

[jcolvin5]

I think it's important to be diversified with both direct and resale. I would never want all of our eggs in one basket, so to speak. Both offer value now and in the future.

For us, we envision our girls owning/using these points someday. I would want them to have all opportunities available to them to do as they see fit. That could mean future restrictions or it could mean resale value if they decide they no longer want part or all of the points.

Having direct, at least today, gives them some additional benefits and protects them with future offerings. Having resale gives them additional points for longer stays, but also offers value if they decide to sell them.

As with any of this, it can vary for each person and each situation, so plan wisely.

 

[muppets3d]

That is true but it all depends on how long you plan on keeping your DVC timeshare what would be most cost effective. I couldn't find any "hard" data but have see 7 to 10 years in several post as the average holding time which wouldn't surprise me since that would fall into a time period where your children would be old enough to full enjoy the parks and end when other family expenses (college) start.

There are a lot of things that each individual must take into consideration when deciding how to purchase DVC, or frankly whether to purchase it at all. The calculus is different for everyone.

 

[davidhr]

That is true but it all depends on how long you plan on keeping your DVC timeshare what would be most cost effective. I couldn't find any "hard" data but have see 7 to 10 years in several post as the average holding time which wouldn't surprise me since that would fall into a time period where your children would be old enough to full enjoy the parks and end when other family expenses (college) start.

That 7-10 years comes up a lot. It’s good to remember that’s for contracts that have been sold in the resale market. Contracts that were bought directly and never sold are not considered. Which I believe is a significant majority of them.

 

[MikeOhio]

Very important. Also keep in mind that in 18 years, resorts that re-sale can currently stay at will start to expire. So as time passes, those with resale only points will lose access to more and more resorts. So it's not just about being able to stay at brand new resorts but also being able to continue to stay at existing resorts.