Hubby finally ready to buy...direct or resale?

[DonMacGregor]

How do I talk to another guide? When I spoke with this guide she made a point of checking to see if the guide we spoke with a 3 years ago was still with DVC (which she’s not), so it sounds like guide I spoke to is our guide. Should I ask her to double check and make it clear that’s the UY we want with current 2021 points?

Are you talking about VGF direct points here? If so, then yes, they are not giving anyone 2021 points for ANY use year, and are starting with 2022. The logic being that the converted villas ("VGF2") didn't exist in 2021. Everyone who has purchased VGF direct since it started selling again as a current resort has received 2022 UY points only.

 

[aka Charles]

I did some math. Leaning towards 200pts Grand FL direct now. Spoke with DVC and we'll receive an additional price/point discount and $1K off on a 200 point contract for GF or Riviera since we just took a Disney Cruise. It brings the lifetime points cost difference between resale and direct to like $0.54 (give or take), which while not insignificant, I think long-term is worth having the flexibility and benefits that come with a direct purchase. Anything I'm not considering? I realize the point chart for Grand FL is higher, but since we will likely use the points for other resorts as well, I think we can make 200 points work for our travel needs. And we wouldn't mind splurging for a GF villa if we travel at a high demand time and need to book in the 11-month window.

The Grand Floridian is a great choice for direct. It has very low annual dues and a historically high resale demand. I am a bit bias though, that's where I got my direct points earlier this year, lol.

As far as additional things to consider...

You might want to split the 200 points into two contracts, one with 150 points and one with 50 points.
The 150 point contract will give you full membership privileges while the 50 point contract gives you the ability to sell it off in the future should the need arise.
Its nice to have that option to sell some of your points without losing your membership privileges, just in case.
Small point contracts are in high demand on the resale market and sell for the highest prices.
You will still get the incentives for purchasing 200 total points, but you will have to pay closing costs on the second contract as well.

The other thing I would suggest is to go ahead and put a small deposit down by Nov 16 (the last day of the current incentive program) to lock in those promo incentives.
When Nov 17 comes, the incentives may get better, worse, or go away.
If they get worse or go away, you will already be locked in and lose nothing.
If they get better, they will be happy to update the contract with the better pricing, just ask.
Either way, you will have the 10 days to change your mind without penalty, as required by Florida law.

Full disclosure, I started with getting 200 points in two contracts (150/50) like I described above, but changed it to 300 points (150/150) on the day before closing to get the additional savings at the 300 point level. They updated the 50 point contract to 150 points and changed the pricing on both contracts that day, no problem. I am happy I got the additional points when I did.

 

[MamaBear12]

The Grand Floridian is a great choice for direct. It has very low annual dues and a historically high resale demand. I am a bit bias though, that's where I got my direct points earlier this year, lol.

As far as additional things to consider...

You might want to split the 200 points into two contracts, one with 150 points and one with 50 points.
The 150 point contract will give you full membership privileges while the 50 point contract gives you the ability to sell it off in the future should the need arise.
Its nice to have that option to sell some of your points without losing your membership privileges, just in case.
Small point contracts are in high demand on the resale market and sell for the highest prices.
You will still get the incentives for purchasing 200 total points, but you will have to pay closing costs on the second contract as well.

The other thing I would suggest is to go ahead and put a small deposit down by Nov 16 (the last day of the current incentive program) to lock in those promo incentives.
When Nov 17 comes, the incentives may get better, worse, or go away.
If they get worse or go away, you will already be locked in and lose nothing.
If they get better, they will be happy to update the contract with the better pricing, just ask.
Either way, you will have the 10 days to change your mind without penalty, as required by Florida law.

Full disclosure, I started with getting 200 points in two contracts (150/50) like I described above, but changed it to 300 points (150/150) on the day before closing to get the additional savings at the 300 point level. They updated the 50 point contract to 150 points and changed the pricing on both contracts that day, no problem. I am happy I got the additional points when I did.

So helpful! Thank you! Do you happen to know how long the $1K off cruise promo typically is good for?

 

[aka Charles]

Are you talking about VGF direct points here? If so, then yes, they are not giving anyone 2021 points for ANY use year, and are starting with 2022. The logic being that the converted villas ("VGF2") didn't exist in 2021. Everyone who has purchased VGF direct since it started selling again as a current resort has received 2022 UY points only.

This is correct!

When I got my VGF2 contracts I got full 2022 points, but no 2021 points.
The nice surprise was they only charged a prorated rate for my 2022 annual dues.
My use year is October so only had to pay for Oct, Nov, and Dec.
Full 2022 points for 1/4 of the annual dues.

 

[aka Charles]

So helpful! Thank you! Do you happen to know how long the $1K off cruise promo typically is good for?

I do not know, but I think it should get locked in as well when you put down a deposit.
That is a great question for your guide.
You should ask her in an email so her reply is recorded (just in case).

 

[MamaBear12]

This is correct!

When I got my VGF2 contracts I got full 2022 points, but no 2021 points.
The nice surprise was they only charged a prorated rate for my 2022 annual dues.
My use year is October so only had to pay for Oct, Nov, and Dec.
Full 2022 points for 1/4 of the annual dues.

Oooo. Fantastic! So if we buy an October UY in November, we’ll only have 1-2 months of dues for 2022 points? Nice!

 

[Sandisw]

Plot twist. I asked DVC about purchasing a Dec UY and getting 2021 points and she said they aren't doing that right now because of the pandemic. I could receive and bank 2022 points with prorated dues for April, June, August, or September UY, but if I purchase a Dec UY, it will start with Dec 2022 points. Guess I'm back to an October UY. Maybe Sept. April banking window wouldn't work for winter and spring travel.

What resort? VGF didn’t come with 2021. Any sold out resort is based on what is in stock and doesn’t always work because even though they can change UY, the one they have would need 2021 points in itt

Since all others are in the 2022 UY already there are none that would still have eligible 2021 points.

That leaves RIV and AUL. They did give out lots of RIV points during the pandemic to international owners and those with banked points expiring in 2020 during and shorter after the closure.

Last year at this time, there were some who wanted Dec UY points this late and couldn’t get them.

But if RIV is what you want and want a Dec UY with 2021 points, tell them you won’t buy before then if you don’t get them since there is no real incentive to do now vs waiting.

The bigger issue is the price increase rumored to go into effect first week of December

 

[busyizzy]

Plot twist. I asked DVC about purchasing a Dec UY and getting 2021 points and she said they aren't doing that right now because of the pandemic. I could receive and bank 2022 points with prorated dues for April, June, August, or September UY, but if I purchase a Dec UY, it will start with Dec 2022 points. Guess I'm back to an October UY. Maybe Sept. April banking window wouldn't work for winter and spring travel.

This is def not true - we just bought RIV last month and got Dec UY and got 2021 points.

Perhaps it’s specific to GFV tho.

 

[Sandisw]

Oooo. Fantastic! So if we buy an October UY in November, we’ll only have 1-2 months of dues for 2022 points? Nice!

Dues are calendar year and not UY so buying in November you pay from date you sign the contract until end of year.

You then get the 2023 MfF bill in December which is then due in January..or can be set up as a monthly payment.

 

[Sandisw]

This is def not true - we just bought RIV last month and got Dec UY and got 2021 points.

Perhaps it’s specific to GFV tho.

VGF didn’t give 2021 points because everyone buying deeded to BPK which did not exist in 2021.

I bought a Dec UY and first set is 2022. Though I only have dues for one month.

My June UY points also started with 2022 but those dues were from resort opening until end of the year

 

[aka Charles]

Oooo. Fantastic! So if we buy an October UY in November, we’ll only have 1-2 months of dues for 2022 points? Nice!

I just had a thought, and I would suggest you ask your guide about this...

The timing of when you close may have a great bearing on dues.
If you close in December or later, you should have to pay your 2023 dues up front, but you may not have to pay your 2022 dues at all.
I think they would consider it a 2023 contract and give you the 2022 points without dues.

Please ask your guide to verify that and let us know.

 

[Sandisw]

I just had a thought, and I would suggest you ask your guide about this...

The timing of when you close may have a great bearing on dues.
If you close in December or later, you should have to pay your 2023 dues up front, but you may not have to pay your 2022 dues at all.
I think they would consider it a 2023 contract and give you the 2022 points without dues.

Please ask your guide to verify that and let us know.

Buying direct, dues are based from the day you sign the contract. You don’t have to pay the next years dues upfront…like with resale..but buy anytime before 2023 will trigger at lease some number of dues.

 

[aka Charles]

Buying direct, dues are based from the day you sign the contract. You don’t have to pay the next years dues upfront…like with resale..but buy anytime before 2023 will trigger at lease some number of dues.

I signed my Oct use year VGF2 direct contracts in March, closed in May, used points to stay in a new resort studio in June, but only had to pay 2022 dues for Oct-Dec.
I just payed them last week, as the dues were not billed to my account until the first week in Oct.
The bill was exactly 1/4 of the full 2022 dues.
My guide explained it to me when we were doing the contracts, and it happened exactly how he said it would.
It may have been because of the unusual timing and circumstances of the VGF2 launch, which is why I suggest verifying everything with the guide.
Waiting to close until Jan 1 could result in some nice savings, so its worth asking about.

 

[busyizzy]

I just had a thought, and I would suggest you ask your guide about this...

The timing of when you close may have a great bearing on dues.
If you close in December or later, you should have to pay your 2023 dues up front, but you may not have to pay your 2022 dues at all.
I think they would consider it a 2023 contract and give you the 2022 points without dues.

Please ask your guide to verify that and let us know.

Signed contract for RIV direct points last month, got Dec UY, got 2021 points, no 2021 dues owed, was able to bank the 2021 points to 2022 by calling member services. just got the bill for 2022 dues for approximately 1/4 of what would be the 2022 annual dues which makes sense since there is about a quarter of the year left. No 2023 dues charged yet which makes sense since they haven’t finalized the rates for 2023 yet.

 

[NVDISFamily]

I can also confirm when I started my direct purchase negotiations in June/July 2022 that there was no way of getting 2021 points for VGF. For some background when we flew out to WDW in July to do our tour I was 90% certain we would love VGF and want to buy some points there but I wanted to check out the others to make sure. We rented some points at SSR for a good deal and made a last minute trip for the 4th of July holiday (our first family trip to WDW).

My guide was super cool and really worked some magic to get me exactly what I was looking for (I asked for member prices as I was already in, and likely to pass ROFR, on our first points for VGC). He had to work some magic to get approval for this and I'm pretty sure if there were any way he could have gotten me 2021 points for VGF he would of at least asked. But when I tried to push for 2021 VGF points he didn't even hint that he could/would try for that. Just seemed like it wasn't an option at all.

In the end @MrsNVDISFamily and the kiddos liked Riviera way more when we did our tour (heck I did too....) and that ended that conversation. I got Riviera/CCV and a load of 2021 points to have some fun

 

[Sandisw]

I signed my Oct use year VGF2 direct contracts in March, closed in May, used points to stay in a new resort studio in June, but only had to pay 2022 dues for Oct-Dec.
I just payed them last week, as the dues were not billed to my account until the first week in Oct.
The bill was exactly 1/4 of the full 2022 dues.
My guide explained it to me when we were doing the contracts, and it happened exactly how he said it would.
It may have been because of the unusual timing and circumstances of the VGF2 launch, which is why I suggest verifying everything with the guide.
Waiting to close until Jan 1 could result in some nice savings, so its worth asking about.

I should have clarified that with a new resort, you do not pay until the resort opens, or your first set of points start, whichever is later,

With VGF, since the first set of points for you was Oct 2022 UY, you didn’t owe until that began,

Someone buying an Oct UY now, since that UY has started for VGF, would pay from day they sign the contract, It would be the same for any other resort bought direct,

So, the year a resort opens is different. I paid 2022 dues for my June UY starting the date the resort open, but have not yet been billed for my Dec UY since there were no 2021 UY points given, even though I bought in March.

Someone buying a Dec UY today at VGF would not be billed until Dec 1st.

 

[MamaBear12]

Someone buying an Oct UY now, since that UY has started for VGF, would pay from day they sign the contract, It would be the same for any other resort bought direct.

Thanks for clarifying! Would they still be prorated though?

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

Thanks for clarifying! Would they still be prorated though?

Yes, you woukd only be billed for the portion of the calendar year of dues during the term that you own in that calendar year. For the VGF direct example, this would include ownership dates that occur after the beginning of your use year till the end of the calendar year In which the use year originates.

 

[RoseGold]

RIV absolutely has 2021 points. I don't understand what OP is doing at this point.

 

[Sandisw]

RIV absolutely has 2021 points. I don't understand what OP is doing at this point.

She is considering VGF…there are no 2021 points.