Incentives and new pricing winter/spring 2025

[Brian Noble]

Similar to the Marriott system, where Elite owners can cancel & rebook points reservations (subject to availability) inside 60 days when a 30% discount applies

There is a non-trivial difference between doing this at the beginning of the home reservation period (11 months, in DVC's case), and the 60-day breakage period. At 60 days, one is truly getting the leftovers.

10% premium based on the original inception charts

The charts can (and do) change, but the chart that is in effect when you buy is fixed for that contract. '

Still, if you are looking to buy a FW I'd imagine it's important to make it a week that you actually enjoy going!

Exactly. I bought one in Season Six, which is very unlikely to go up in point value. But I didn't buy it to speculate on changes in the point charts. I bought it because (a) it's a week that normally covers my spring break week, and (b) I was concerned that Resort View studios at RIV were already hard to get, and that's while there is still a gap between inventory declared and inventory sold.

 

[Girlstar30]

We are staying at Poly next month, 1BR TPV. I think it will take a divine act for me to resist buying Poly points after that!

Lucky let us know how it is, I'm sure wonderful

 

[Girlstar30]

From https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...irect-sales-steady-for-december-down-for-2024

“Disney has sold 4,979,885 Riviera points, about 73.9% of the resort’s 6,739,966 total points. It has averaged 73,188 points in monthly sales, which includes several months in 2020 when DVC sales were markedly depressed by the COVID-19 pandemic. If future Riviera sales maintain that pace, it will be less than 23 months before the resort is completely sold out.”

It could be 2+ years before RIV sells out. It’s a pretty safe bet for at least 12 to 18 more months. I think you mentioned a Feb UY? It’s not a bad plan to keep watching incentive rounds, in the meantime keep saving up, and be ready to jump either on a great offer and if nothing stands out as being ‘too good to pass up’ the back up plan is Jan ‘26 purchase. That second option is nice because you’d still be getting 2025’s points loaded yet only start paying dues Jan 2026. It’s pretty much the same position you’d be in buying today - same amount of total contract points bought but saving 11 months in dues and giving yourself time to save and avoid as much interest as possible.

Thank you for your help, I really like these plans a lot and appreciate the reassurance that it will be okayyy lol

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Resort deluxe studios will be highly desired if for no other reason than the points required. I don’t want to worry about competing for them and a FW assures me a room. Ten more points for a FW upcharge is a cheap upcharge considering what points are required for all other seasons, and thus increased upcharge for those FW. I think you will see demand increase for the month of September at PIT if for no other reason than the points are just so much cheaper during this timeframe. YMMV.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

The fact that's it's 114 points is neither here nor there. Booking that room as a regular owner at 11 months out (or at any other time) is 104 points. You'd just be paying/buying an extra 10% on top of that for the FW privilege.

I can't argue about Labor Day being a "holiday", but it's a very unpopular holiday for (i) travel with kids and (ii) travel to Florida. It's not Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year. And it's not like Easter Week or Memorial Day Week either. Or even MLK Day or Presidents' Day...

If that works for you, that's great - but for most people with kids, Labor Day is school season and doesn't work out. Most have already taken their summer vacations in June, July or August. In fact, Labor Day week is also one of best weeks to be in the parks, because the lines are (relatively) extremely short. But again, there's a reason... It's Florida right after the summer - kids are back in school, it's still very hot and humid, and it's also during the very peak of hurricane season.

If you look at the historical availability tables, I doubt you'll find many places (aside from maybe the usual AKVJH Value and Club and BWV Resort) where Labor Day week is not available at 11 months out. So is it worth the extra 10% points to book it as a fixed week if you could almost certainly book it without that premium?

Yes as I just stated September has the cheapest points required at PIT. The resort deluxe studios at PIT may not be all that available, especially over Labor Day weekend, which will create a demand for the lower point resort studios. We mostly travel in September, so a 10 pt. Upcharge was cheap IMO for a FW and a holiday week.

 

[MartyParty]

Hadn’t seen this before. Disney Chase credit card offering $1,000 if buying 150 points from DVC.

https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...dholders-save-additional-1000-on-dvc-purchase

 

[tx911]

Hadn’t seen this before. Disney Chase credit card offering $1,000 if buying 150 points from DVC.

https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...dholders-save-additional-1000-on-dvc-purchase

Does anyone know if the D23 $500 is really a thing? And if so when it expires?

 

[CastAStone]

Hadn’t seen this before. Disney Chase credit card offering $1,000 if buying 150 points from DVC.

https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...dholders-save-additional-1000-on-dvc-purchase

They have done that a few times, seems kinda random. I wonder if they’re supposed to offer it X weeks per <time period> per their deal with Chase.

 

[atthebeachclub]

Does anyone know if the D23 $500 is really a thing? And if so when it expires?

It’s really a thing. Lasts as long as the current incentives last I believe. You can use it or a military discount but can’t stack them. I was told you need to be D23 Gold.

 

[intamin]

True - it's easy to do and not a lot of effort, but how many owners actually bother to do that in practice, or do they just let it stay on "autopilot" and pay the extra 10%?

Similar to the Marriott system, where Elite owners can cancel & rebook points reservations (subject to availability) inside 60 days when a 30% discount applies, and get back 30% of the points in a holding account. It happens (I certainly do it if I can) but I suspect the vast majority of owners don't even try that at 60 days out.

I never let mine do autopilot and pay the 10%. If I know I'm not going to use the fixed week that year, I book something with those points first so I don't have to do anything to cancel the fixed week like call in and etc.

 

[Cfabar1]

There is a non-trivial difference between doing this at the beginning of the home reservation period (11 months, in DVC's case), and the 60-day breakage period. At 60 days, one is truly getting the leftovers.


The charts can (and do) change, but the chart that is in effect when you buy is fixed for that contract. '


Exactly. I bought one in Season Six, which is very unlikely to go up in point value. But I didn't buy it to speculate on changes in the point charts. I bought it because (a) it's a week that normally covers my spring break week, and (b) I was concerned that Resort View studios at RIV were already hard to get, and that's while there is still a gap between inventory declared and inventory sold.

I think given the restricted nature of RIV, buying a FW is an additional hedge on resale points in the future that will be all fighting for the same popular weeks at RIV since they can’t be traded out elsewhere…

 

[Sandisw]

I think given the restricted nature of RIV, buying a FW is an additional hedge on resale points in the future that will be all fighting for the same popular weeks at RIV since they can’t be traded out elsewhere…

Except it’s still only beneficial for those who will travels full week…if you don’t, it does nothing.

It’s why we didn’t bother buying because we won’t do 7 nights Sunday to Sunday.

Yes, you can cancel but if you are doing that then it’s not getting you a benefit for a hard to get room if you don’t see yourself using it.

But, I agree that if one does and travels during a popular week, then it could be

 

[tx911]

Except it’s still only beneficial for those who will travels full week…if you don’t, it does nothing.

It’s why we didn’t bother buying because we won’t do 7 nights Sunday to Sunday.

Yes, you can cancel but if you are doing that then it’s not getting you a benefit for a hard to get room if you don’t see yourself using it.

But, I agree that if one does and travels during a popular week, then it could be

Agree, really only beneficial if you want that specific room type on those exact dates and for the full week.
I can see the appeal, but I feel like I wouldn't be using it 99% of the time.

 

[Girlstar30]

My wife gave me the clear tonight to buy direct Riv in June if the incentives are right! Praying for some Summer Incentive Pixie Dust ️

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Agree, really only beneficial if you want that specific room type on those exact dates and for the full week.
I can see the appeal, but I feel like I wouldn't be using it 99% of the time.

It’s impossible to say for sure, but I think fixed week contracts for restricted resale will get more than a 10% premium on resale (probably more than that for popular holiday weeks but also if the point chart shifts in your favor)— it may have no value to the majority of buyers but it will have a lot of value for certain kinds of buyers (those who plan to stay a specific week each year).

 

[MartyParty]

My wife gave me the clear tonight to buy direct Riv in June if the incentives are right! Praying for some Summer Incentive Pixie Dust ️

Ok, always looking for some positive mentoring. How did you get your wife to ‘yes’?

 

[tx911]

I think given the restricted nature of RIV, buying a FW is an additional hedge on resale points in the future that will be all fighting for the same popular weeks at RIV since they can’t be traded out elsewhere…

At 11 months, aren't you always only competing with other RIV owners though?

 

[DVCsloth]

In particular, the idea that Disney does better by renting the rooms rather than selling them seems odd given that they built timeshares and not hotels.

They probably don't do better by renting, but with DVC they are always at capacity or close to it. Disney knows how much they need to sell DVC for so no need to lower the price too much if they are fairly able to rent and have all of their expenses covered.

 

[Tatebeck]

At 11 months, aren't you always only competing with other RIV owners though?

Yes, but because it is one of the first restricted resorts, once there are a large number of resale owners who can ONLY use their points at that resort, they may be more likely to book at the 11 month window than someone with unrestricted points that may just wait and see what is available at all of the resorts later.

The restricted resale points are at a higher risk of expiring unused if not used at 11 months, other points are not.

 

[DVCsloth]

Yes, but because it is one of the first restricted resorts, once there are a large number of resale owners who can ONLY use their points at that resort, they may be more likely to book at the 11 month window than someone with unrestricted points that may just wait and see what is available at all of the resorts later.

The restricted resale points are at a higher risk of expiring unused if not used at 11 months, other points are not.

Riviera seems constantly booked at 11 months for Resort Studios for a full week stay. I've been checking fairly regularly for the last few months if not longer. We alternate home resorts and Riviera is going to be our next visit, so I'm just trying to pay attention. Luckily, we are mostly looking to book 1BR's.