If you had to do it over again, would you change your direct/resale strategy?

[RoseGold]

Great description @Sandisw. If VGF2 had the extra points, I might have bought when it went for sale. They couldn't do it because it bought in an existing association. (DVC did have some VGF1 contracts, which seems like could have? But they never offered this option. I directly asked about it.)

If you bought RIV right when it went for sale, it also didn't have extra points, because they didn't exist. But, if you bought late in the year, you still got the prorated dues.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

I am a keep your car a minimum of 10 years person. I am also what I call an incrementalist. I do not wade into things full force. I take small steps over time.

I tried to keep a car for ten years it cost way to much money.

I tend bull dozes what’s in my way.
Then I have time to relax with my kids and family.

 

[RaymOOOnd]

Yes, we made a recent big mistake.

We started with 200 points at AKV which we bought for $69pp back when there were no restrictions.
We then added on BLT (still no restrictions), later bought a Poly contract for 175 points ($139pp) AFTER restrictions had been introduced, and VGF new direct purchase last year.

No regrets re: the BLT nor the VGF purchases but to support the new VGF purchase we sold our AKV contract for a nice profit. In retrospect however I gave up something golden, i.e. resale points with the potential to be used at all past and future resorts. I wish we'd sold the Poly to support this instead, and kept the AKV.

Thinking to remedy this that we should sell Poly to support buying Riviera direct, since we have more children now and should outgrow the studios eventually, and since we love Riviera, and IF Riviera gets another nice promotional period corresponding with the upcoming new direct Poly 2 sales -- but I feel like now (and probably later) is a bad time to try and sell Poly 1.

 

[Sandisw]

Great description @Sandisw. If VGF2 had the extra points, I might have bought when it went for sale. They couldn't do it because it bought in an existing association. (DVC did have some VGF1 contracts, which seems like could have? But they never offered this option. I directly asked about it.)

If you bought RIV right when it went for sale, it also didn't have extra points, because they didn't exist. But, if you bought late in the year, you still got the prorated dues.

I inquired as well and what they said is that all points they would be selling would be deeded to the new building and thus, only 2022 UY points since the building itself did not exist in 2021, even though the original VGF one did....would have been messy to sell from both....they currently are still only deeding to BPK..

 

[vdangelo239]

I have 300 points - all resale across three different resorts - no regrets at all.

I suppose I could have bought in sooner, but financially I was unable to many years ago.

My only regret over the years prior to owning DVC was not renting DVC points but instead paying for Moderates - wish I had done that at the time.

No regrets at all though - coming from Boston it is near impossible to get there for a MM night or other special event - we wanted DVC to stay on the monorail and it has given us that - so we're more than thrilled.

Now when APs go back on sale....maybe my opinion will change, but not yet.

 

[skippytx]

I bought 160 points resale about 6 years ago I think, and added on 25 direct points for the blue card. Back then the 1000 dollars extra I paid for direct points (compared to a 25 point resale contract) easily made sense. I broke even pretty quickly with the more generous discounts on a trip in 2018, and we bought a couple gold AP's for 2 of us back then as well.

For me, there is no way I would buy direct points right now. Not interested in the resorts currently on sale, or the current direct pricing. I bought DVC points to stay at BLT and that's all I care about. I don't visit enough now to worry about AP's, MM events, or anything else. I just want to use my points for a 2 bedroom at BLT every other year right now. I don't care about other resorts, future resorts, or really much of anything except using my points at my home resort. I'll be 80 when the contract expires, if I even keep it that long.

DVC is super exciting when you first get it, but the shine wears off over the years. Thoughts of adding more points are gone. We won't sell, but we're not adding a new contract.

 

[RoseGold]

I inquired as well and what they said is that all points they would be selling would be deeded to the new building and thus, only 2022 UY points since the building itself did not exist in 2021, even though the original VGF one did....would have been messy to sell from both....they currently are still only deeding to BPK..

I think this makes sense and they will sell the VGF1 deeds when they declare VGF "sold out" again, which doesn't necessarily even mean all the VGF2 is totally sold.

 

[pineapplepalms]

DVC is super exciting when you first get it, but the shine wears off over the years. Thoughts of adding more points are gone. We won't sell, but we're not adding a new contract.

We are in our 6th year of ownership and I’ve gotta say we love it more than ever and are still looking to add points at new resorts. From what I’ve seen others say, a lot has to do with stage of life in addition to how much you want to go to Disney. We bought when our oldest was 1yo. Our kids are now 2, 4, and 6 and we are still in that magical age where everything is exciting. We’ve been staying at VGC a lot and every time we walk in, I appreciate that we get to stay in a 2BR and I would never be willing to pay the rates for a cash 2BR suite there, plus I love the full kitchen and washer/dryer. I get that it’s not the same for everyone though, and that things will change as the kids (and us) get older. I just think we’ll always want to go even after the kids are grown, since we went a lot before kids too.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

We have both direct and resale and I wish we had not bought direct. We bought for APs and you see where that got us. Also, the whole buy where you want to stay, just a sales pitch— just buy the cheapest points. I cannot tell you how many times we’ve had to cancel and rebook within 7 months.

 

[DL1WDW2]

I bought 160 points resale about 6 years ago I think, and added on 25 direct points for the blue card. Back then the 1000 dollars extra I paid for direct points (compared to a 25 point resale contract) easily made sense. I broke even pretty quickly with the more generous discounts on a trip in 2018, and we bought a couple gold AP's for 2 of us back then as well.

For me, there is no way I would buy direct points right now. Not interested in the resorts currently on sale, or the current direct pricing. I bought DVC points to stay at BLT and that's all I care about. I don't visit enough now to worry about AP's, MM events, or anything else. I just want to use my points for a 2 bedroom at BLT every other year right now. I don't care about other resorts, future resorts, or really much of anything except using my points at my home resort. I'll be 80 when the contract expires, if I even keep it that long.

DVC is super exciting when you first get it, but the shine wears off over the years. Thoughts of adding more points are gone. We won't sell, but we're not adding a new contract.

I had to doublecheck that was not my post Since it matches my exact opinion . I might consider a fixed guaranteed week at BLT if they ever convert the other building . I hate “walking” for NYE trip every year.

 

[SkampyOne]

Also, the whole buy where you want to stay, just a sales pitch— just buy the cheapest points

Yikes. It was only on here that I heard the buy where you want to stay, and so that's what I did & definitely not the cheapest points, in fact, one of the more expensive in the long term... Wondering if that will be my regret down the road! But at least (for now) I'm feeling really good about not buying direct. I came sooooooo close! My original plan was to add a 2nd resale contract that was the cheapest long term option but I might just sit tight for now and see how this all plays out. Just hope I don't miss the firesale window...

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Yikes. It was only on here that I heard the buy where you want to stay, and so that's what I did & definitely not the cheapest points, in fact, one of the more expensive in the long term... Wondering if that will be my regret down the road! But at least (for now) I'm feeling really good about not buying direct. I came sooooooo close! My original plan was to add a 2nd resale contract that was the cheapest long term option but I might just sit tight for now and see how this all plays out. Just hope I don't miss the firesale window...

If you plan your vacations far in advance and do not alter them, then buying where you want to stay works. But I have found for us it has not worked at all. We bought Vero for example for the 3 bedroom. Well forget it. I didn’t think ahead that with the 3 bedroom, there are even more variables because there are even more people who have lives! We also bought RIV and every year book something at that 11 month window just to have it. Always ends up getting cancelled. It’s just too far in advance. We end up at places where we do not own almost always! It’s just what’s available when we finally realize ok we can go ___ week. I think we end up at Kidani and Boardwalk the most and we do not own at either of those. We also don’t mind where we end up, but I just wish we’d bought the least expensive points for all of our points. We do own some Saratoga and those are our favorite points- just use them anytime anywhere. Another thing that happens when you have several contracts is you try to save your most valuable points. So it just gets messy. In the end we usually just have to throw those in the pot and use them wherever. We also hate certain points for the dues. So I would recommend cheapest points+cheapest dues. You really feel the difference in dues when you own at Saratoga verses Vero for example. But you were very wise not to buy direct!! Fool’s game.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

DVC is super exciting when you first get it, but the shine wears off over the years. Thoughts of adding more points are gone. We won't sell, but we're not adding a new contract.

Not sure, that is true for everyone.

I have first purchased in 2005 and have added more points and resorts every few years.

I usually need that “new car smell” to be happy, but I get the same excitement just walking into the room.

Membership extras are also a huge bonus

I still enjoy going to all my home resorts and staying at other resorts.

Each one is used for a different style of trip.

 

[ciaoaloha31]

Most of my trips revolve around runDisney race weekends which are announced well in advanced. So I did buy where I would want to stay as it can be hard to switch at 7 months for race weekends. I added on at VGF2, while not my first choice (that's CCV,) the new resort studios are the perfect setup for a race weekend splitting with 2 other adults while also being on the monorail for the half marathons that start/end in Epcot. Even though there are a lot of resort studios, I like not having to sign on at 7 months in hopes there is a standard view available for the dates I need. VGF2 also makes great sleep around points where dues are at currently.

The only thing I would change is that I wish I had been able to buy sooner but it wasn't in the cards financially when CCV first went on sale

 

[mort1331]

All points bought resale 2012, after 1st round of restrictions (no cruises) but good for all others,,dvc-y.
Wish I had bought more,,,,being Canadian dollar kills us,,,2012 dollar at par,,,savings bigtime. Not even looking at direct or resale when I then need to tack on 30% more. But for us the points work, we are SSR and love it there. But have stayed many other places,,VGC 7 nights it is doable. This past summer 10 nights at Aulani,,love it.
WIfe will not go back to reg room now,,,need the washer and dryer and full kitchen. So keep her happy.

 

[robinb]

I just remembered another mistake I made while buying resale. I bought OKW and then BWV by resale. The two contracts were different use years so I could not combine the points within the 7 month window. I had to book whole days and then have Member Services note they are connected. It was doable but a PITB. Once I bought AKV direct I realized how much of a PITB it really was.

 

[bwang123]

we bought direct without knowing about resale. along the way, we used many discounts associated with buying direct and we can get more than we paid then if we sold today. wouldn't change a thing.

 

[Robbie Cottam]

If you plan your vacations far in advance and do not alter them, then buying where you want to stay works. But I have found for us it has not worked at all. We bought Vero for example for the 3 bedroom. Well forget it. I didn’t think ahead that with the 3 bedroom, there are even more variables because there are even more people who have lives! We also bought RIV and every year book something at that 11 month window just to have it. Always ends up getting cancelled. It’s just too far in advance. We end up at places where we do not own almost always! It’s just what’s available when we finally realize ok we can go ___ week. I think we end up at Kidani and Boardwalk the most and we do not own at either of those. We also don’t mind where we end up, but I just wish we’d bought the least expensive points for all of our points. We do own some Saratoga and those are our favorite points- just use them anytime anywhere. Another thing that happens when you have several contracts is you try to save your most valuable points. So it just gets messy. In the end we usually just have to throw those in the pot and use them wherever. We also hate certain points for the dues. So I would recommend cheapest points+cheapest dues. You really feel the difference in dues when you own at Saratoga verses Vero for example. But you were very wise not to buy direct!! Fool’s game.

I have found that I get what I want most of the time by. Booking what I want 11 months to the day, at 9am EST. The only time I try to change a reservation is 4 months later if I can switch all or part of my trip to a none home resort.

I will do spilt stays, but they have to be a realistic. I will NOT do three resorts in a nine day trip.

I have not had an issue.

If poly 2 is really a separate resort I will be adding there and will have no need to ever book at a non home resort.

Dvc has become less flexible as it has become more popular.

 

[BrianLa]

We own 780 points across 4 contracts, 2 use years all at AKV. All of our points are were purchased resale prior to 1/19/19 "existing 14 Disney Vacation Club Resorts" restriction. Our first contract is eligible for "member extras" so that covers us as long as we never sell that contract.
Regrets:
1 - We should have bought more points earlier at the lower price just knowing that we would want 1BRs and 2BRs down the road.
2 - We should have purchased half of our points at Bay Lake when the point differential wasn't so great.

When we decided that DVC was for us we looked at the price points for the resale contracts and the number of years remaining on the contract. AKV was the clear winner as there were plenty of contracts available selling at reasonable prices relative to years remaining. Additionally it was easy to find the use years we wanted (March for Spring Break/Easter and October for November and Early December trips when parks are decorated for Christmas).
It also came down to deciding what was the "minimum" property we would be happy with when inevitably we were "forced" to stay at our home resort. Once again AKV (while not our favorite resort due mainly to location) was our choice over SSR and OKW due to the layout and amenities. While BCV is my favorite by far, the price point and remaining years just didn't make sense to us.
We tend to go to WDW for Easter break, late summer and either Early November or Early December. Easter and summer we typically can get reservations at BLT, BWV, BLT RIV pretty easily at 7 months so that is not the concern for booking. Its the November and December where at 7 months there is not much available. That's where I would have liked the BLT points. That being said, since we purchased our first contract in 2014, we have stayed at DVC resorts for 181 nights and only 8 of them have been at AKV. So it really does come down to when you travel on whether or not you do need to buy where you want to stay. There are some websites with charts that project out availability 11 months and in which can give you an idea what may be available at 7 months.
I am looking forward to Poly 2. It is by far may favorite resort but we outgrew the Studios. We would consider buying direct there if #1 separate association (I want no part of the Bungalow points mess) and #2 does not have the same restriction as Riviera on resale. I don't plan on selling but if I ever needed to I wouldn't want the limitations hurting the resale.

 

[crazycatlady]

I'm confused about the 2022 points buying direct. Do you get them at either RIV or GFL right now? That "free points" was part of my pitch to DH for buying direct.