I really thought I was going to buy resale first...

[MickyLynn]

...but then we got down here and it was just so easy! We now have 75 points at OKW, which is really 150 points for this winter, since we won't be back before Feb.
Honestly, I think the Wyndham timeshare presentation and the crappy hotel we're in at the moment softened us up.

 

[sethschroeder]

They had OKW points on the spot for you? You didn't need to go on a wait list?

Were you thinking of OKW as a home resort or what made you decide on OKW?

 

[MickyLynn]

They had OKW available. And really it was just the price. DH loved the Polynesian and BWV, but it doesn't make sense to buy those direct bc of the price and the contract length, respectively.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Welcome Home!

 

[MickyLynn]

Thanks!

 

[katandmouse]

Congrats!

 

[katriscari]

We did the same thing in May. We fell in love with OKW after staying there twice. We bought 100 points (enough for a studio during the season we love to go.) I've been stalking these boards for a few years, so I know direct is sky high compared with resale prices. Our next contract will most definitely be resale. The restrictions of resale getting tighter & tighter were freaking me out a little too. Just watching/waiting the last 18 months so many things have been taken away from resale buyers and so many contracts I would have thought would've fit our family were taken by ROFR. I knew if we could not get OKW extended that day we would not buy direct initially. Lucky us, they had the points. We aren't getting any younger, and our kids aren't getting any younger. This just felt like the right time in our lives to pull the trigger. We now have 200 points to use next May for our trip. Since we typically do not go at a busy DVC season, I am quite sure we will be able to easily do split stays at other resorts at 7 months . I could've waited one more year until my school loan is paid off, but prices continue to soar. I've seen resale prices increase so much over the last couple of years it makes me wish I bought sooner when I thought DVC would be perfect for us! We had so many great experiences renting from an owner we found on these boards, but it feels so good to be in control of our own vacations now! WELCOME HOME!

 

[Jason@dvcstore]

Honestly, I think the Wyndham timeshare presentation and the crappy hotel we're in at the moment softened us up.

My initial thoughts are this has to be on the top ten list of the craziest reasons someone bought directly from Disney when they had no intentions of buying.

Congrats on the ownership!!! Enjoy the points!!!

 

[MickyLynn]

LOL! We knew we were buying, but this trip was just supposed to be reconnaissance for our hypothetical resale contract. Then we saw that we could afford to start off direct, which I didn't expect.

 

[scot@dvcstore]

congrats....enjoy Old Key West and the many vacations that you will be enjoying!

 

[lovin'fl]

What UY? They just bought back my June UY I was selling. Sounds like you got Feb UY?? Congrats and Welcome Home!!

 

[bwvBound]

FWIW, we've done similarly. The last of our 3 DVC contracts (each direct) was just hours after we'd said, "No!" to a lengthy Shell Vacation Club presentation in Anaheim in Sept 2007. Our "gift" from the Shell presentation was $100 in Disney Dollars prompting us to have lunch at DLR before heading home. While at DLR, we stopped by the showroom to see the Grand Cal models. We walked out with our largest DVC contract purchase ... and never saw it coming. Didn't expect it ... it just happened.

Yes, I believe the Shell presentation warmed us up to the DVC direct add-on.

...but then we got down here and it was just so easy! We now have 75 points at OKW, which is really 150 points for this winter, since we won't be back before Feb.
Honestly, I think the Wyndham timeshare presentation and the crappy hotel we're in at the moment softened us up.

My initial thoughts are this has to be on the top ten list of the craziest reasons someone bought directly from Disney when they had no intentions of buying.

Congrats on the ownership!!! Enjoy the points!!!

 

[MickyLynn]

Yes, Feb UY. I don't think it matters that much for us long term, but it does mean we have to bank '19.

And bwvBound, yes- you claw your way out of another timeshare presentation and suddenly being at a DVC resort is all you ever wanted out of life.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

What UY? They just bought back my June UY I was selling. Sounds like you got Feb UY?? Congrats and Welcome Home!!

Now that DVC has made it so they are no longer bound to UY's they can buy back anything they should and sell it as any UY they want.

 

[js]

Now that DVC has made it so they are no longer bound to UY's they can buy back anything they should and sell it as any UY they want.

Since I have read on here about them being able to change the UY (and even before) I wondered why don't they do this? Why doesn't Disney buy back the bulk of the points instead of resale? Is it because the demand isn't there? I guess the demand eases up a little since now that they have the points, they can change to whatever UY they want and not have potential buyers waiting for a particular UY.

 

[crvetter]

Since I have read on here about them being able to change the UY (and even before) I wondered why don't they do this? Why doesn't Disney buy back the bulk of the points instead of resale? Is it because the demand isn't there? I guess the demand eases up a little since now that they have the points, they can change to whatever UY they want and not have potential buyers waiting for a particular UY.

I assume the demand isn't there nor is the economics favorable. By the time you factor in commissions to the sales guides, marketing, paperwork, etc what they buy back at resale and sell direct leaves little profit margin compared the active direct resort.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Since I have read on here about them being able to change the UY (and even before) I wondered why don't they do this? Why doesn't Disney buy back the bulk of the points instead of resale? Is it because the demand isn't there? I guess the demand eases up a little since now that they have the points, they can change to whatever UY they want and not have potential buyers waiting for a particular UY.

My belief is that they make far more money in selling the new builds. They will sell older resorts to those that just won't buy the new or to owners who want to add on a few more points but they make much more on selling points the very first time. They have raised direct prices on many of the old resorts probably to 1 - discourage people from considering them vs the new resort in sales and 2 - to make it more their while if it's the only way to make the sale. I believe OKW has an extra nuance in why it is priced the lowest direct. The general failure of most OKW owners to extend their contracts left them in a bit of a conundrum and they want to do their best to get far more of the resort into 2057 contracts.

 

[Bing Showei]

I assume the demand isn't there nor is the economics favorable. By the time you factor in commissions to the sales guides, marketing, paperwork, etc what they buy back at resale and sell direct leaves little profit margin compared the active direct resort.

A little off topic, but I thought guides didn't earn commission? I've heard that said several times by different guides. Is it that it's a goals-based "team" metric? Or do they really earn extra for each sale?

 

[crvetter]

A little off topic, but I thought guides didn't earn commission? I've heard that said several times by different guides. Is it that it's a goals-based "team" metric? Or do they really earn extra for each sale?

They get a "healthy" base salary, of course "healthy" is subjective and likely meant to offset some very small level of living conditions. Just that some timeshares and other sales people get 0 salary and pure commissions. My understanding it was a per sale by guide they got in commissions, I'd bet that the director of their team they belong also shares on their sales, which is common, but their team members don't likely share their sales. When I bought direct (I was a quick sale since I did my research and just went to buy) my guide told me that I was the quickest commission he earned.

See this job posting: https://jobs.disneycareers.com/job/lake-buena-vista/sales-guide-disney-vacation-club/391/12166974

• "See your sales skills translate into real earnings potential – you’ll have a guaranteed salary, and there’s no cap to what you can earn in commissions"