Incentives for 2009 vs. Past Incentives

[helloconnie]

Does DVC offer incentives every year? If so, how does this year measure up against past years?

 

[Ed T]

There are always incentives through out the year for encouraging people to join DVC. When we bought in 1994 they were offering 2 all park passes for the length of stay anytime you booked into a DVC resort of course OKW was the only one at the time and that was good for the next 5 years until 1999.

 

[tjkraz]

Incentive programs usually run for about 2-4 months and they are subject to end at any time. The current "free Disney Cruise" offer has been around since January or February. The extra cash discount began on April 1st. Nothing concrete at this point but both of those could end as early as May 31st.

DVC likes to keep changing the offers to appeal to different tastes.

 

[drusba]

As noted incentives have generally existed in the past but they are not always the same and there have been a number of times when you could not say they were even that enticing. For example, I remembering a time when they were selling BCV and the incentive was they would give you $5 a point off but you would have to give them your first year's points. You could have at the time paid full price and rented your first year points for close to $10 a point.

 

[gkrykewy]

I think the incentives are particularly good right now - certainly better than the $8/pp incentive for AKV when we bought in 2007 - but the other thing to remember is that they raised the prices by roughly 10% this past fall when the economy was already going downhill.

So they improved the incentives, but this just ends up keeping "net" prices flat to where they were a year and a half ago (i.e., we paid $96 per point after incentives for AKV in August 2007, which I think is exactly what you end up with under the current cash incentive).

 

[ssawka]

I think the incentives are particularly good right now - certainly better than the $8/pp incentive for AKV when we bought in 2007 - but the other thing to remember is that they raised the prices by roughly 10% this past fall when the economy was already going downhill.

So they improved the incentives, but this just ends up keeping "net" prices flat to where they were a year and a half ago (i.e., we paid $96 per point after incentives for AKV in August 2007, which I think is exactly what you end up with under the current cash incentive).

Yes, but you can't really compare the current incentives to the incentives in 2007. You make it sound like they aren't really giving incentives, and compared to 2007 you are right, however prices will not go down. So you need to consider incentives as if the prices now and the prices in 2007 were equal.

 

[gkrykewy]

Yes, but you can't really compare the current incentives to the incentives in 2007. You make it sound like they aren't really giving incentives, and compared to 2007 you are right, however prices will not go down. So you need to consider incentives as if the prices now and the prices in 2007 were equal.

No - I said that they are offering incentives, and that they are very good! You're right that prices will never go down, but they could certainly have stayed the same (given the economy), or risen by a smaller extent. That's what I meant.

What they did is essentially the equivalent of a store raising prices by 25% before having a "DOORBUSTER" 20% off sale It's good marketing though.

 

[christa112]

We were down at the World in Sept and they were basically matching your deposit and getting developer's points for AKV.

I am glad we waited a while. We got the incentives that are going on now. I think it is a better deal, we were able to purchase more points at a cheaper rate.

I guess you have to figure out what is the best incentives for you. Someone may love the idea of a free cruise, for us, we could care less about the cruise.

 

[whitfamily]

We just purchased about a week ago. When we toured in January there were developer points given on top of current $ off/pt at both AKV and BLT. Those development points are no longer available. We were able to join at Jambo AKV with a starting Dec. '08 use year. We got 200 pts now and will get another 200 pts in Dec....a nice buffer to start with

We actually came out on top by waiting until now. We got more $ off/pt and we also learned about using a DVC member referral. Like others we chose the $ off incentive over the cruise. We were told by a DVC guide when we called in that the current incentive are rumored to end June 15th. With current incentives and our member referral we got $18 off per point at AKV saving us $3600 (assuming you choose the cash incentives over the cruise). BLT would be $16 off per point with referral.

Good luck with your decision - I know we are so glad that we FINALLY chose to do it after sitting around for 3 years and watching the cost increase!

 

[pyrxtc]

when Ibought in a couple of years ago when AKV first opened, I got $8 off per point and double developer points to be used anywhere at 7 months. The rule was I could NOT use it at AKV but anything else was good. I got a week at AKV in concierge 2 bedroom in April and 10 days at BCV's 1 bedroom in January. After that, I still hd my original points that I bought.

 

[Agent P]

Agree that the current incentives negated the price increase for buying into AKV. Looked a couple of years ago and it was essentially the same cost as now.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

We were down at the World in Sept and they were basically matching your deposit and getting developer's points for AKV.

I am glad we waited a while. We got the incentives that are going on now. I think it is a better deal, we were able to purchase more points at a cheaper rate.

I guess you have to figure out what is the best incentives for you. Someone may love the idea of a free cruise, for us, we could care less about the cruise.

Myabe my math is wrong, but we bought AKV at $94 a point last September, which also included Developer Points equal to the number of points purchased. If I'm correct, even with the current discount offered, the current price per point is higher then $94.

 

[Sandisw]

Myabe my math is wrong, but we bought AKV at $94 a point last September, which also included Developer Points equal to the number of points purchased. If I'm correct, even with the current discount offered, the current price per point is higher then $94.

New members who buy 200 points or more can get AKV as low as $94.00 right now.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

New members who buy 200 points or more can get AKV as low as $94.00 right now.

Nice deal, but they lose out on the other items like the cruise and developer points, correct?

 

[Crystal_27]

Nice deal, but they lose out on the other items like the cruise and developer points, correct?

Yes, that is correct. Still, though, compared to the $112/point that it could be, $94/point is a significant savings (although of course not as good a deal as it was last year at that price point plus developer points).

 

[malonefamily]

Nice deal, but they lose out on the other items like the cruise and developer points, correct?

We've never been on a cruise before, but we've been loving our WDW (and occasional DL) trips. We could travel with a group of four (we'd leave our 17 year old with a friend as she really doesn't want to cruise) and travel with our 2 yr old, 9 yr old, my wife and I. My wife is highly skeptical of cruising, but I've always thought it would be a fun change of pace.

We're buying a 125 point add-on at GCV (since we live in Seattle, it will be nice to have a DVC resort on our own coast for a change!) but we can't decide whether to go with the lower $$ or the cruise. If we pay the extra $1,000 by skipping the lower price point and take the cruise, how much are we saving (roughly) by not buying a four night cruise for four people in an Ocean view stateroom?

I'm assuming that it's much cheaper to pay the $1k now than to pay for a cruise with cash in a year or two...? Frankly, unless we're saving a large amount, we'd rather conserve cash. I tried to price a 4 night cruise with the website but found it pretty confusing. I _think_ it would cost us ~2k to pay cash but didn't understand gratuities, fees, taxes, or the best available rates for children to travel...

Thanks guys.

 

[Crystal_27]

If we pay the extra $1,000 by skipping the lower price point and take the cruise, how much are we saving (roughly) by not buying a four night cruise for four people in an Ocean view stateroom?

I'm assuming that it's much cheaper to pay the $1k now than to pay for a cruise with cash in a year or two...? Frankly, unless we're saving a large amount, we'd rather conserve cash. I tried to price a 4 night cruise with the website but found it pretty confusing. I _think_ it would cost us ~2k to pay cash but didn't understand gratuities, fees, taxes, or the best available rates for children to travel...

Thanks guys.

I would say that the 4 nighter probably costs about $2,500 or so. However, keep in mind that you can upgrade to a verandah stateroom for a mere $100 (or less on some cruises) which ups the cost of the cruise (and therefore your savings) significantly - - probably $3,000-3,500+. We had actually initially chosen the cruise uncentuve but, upon looking more closely at DD's school schedule, we realized that we would have had to pull her out. Given that we are pulling her out for 6 days to cruise in September, we didn't think that the school would think too highly of us doing it twice. So, we opted for the discounted point price, saving us another $1,760. Our total savings with the $16/off per point for 220 points ended up being $3,520.

Good luck with your decision!!

 

[Silly Little Pixie]

We just purchased about a week ago. When we toured in January there were developer points given on top of current $ off/pt at both AKV and BLT. Those development points are no longer available. We were able to join at Jambo AKV with a starting Dec. '08 use year. We got 200 pts now and will get another 200 pts in Dec....a nice buffer to start with

We actually came out on top by waiting until now. We got more $ off/pt and we also learned about using a DVC member referral. Like others we chose the $ off incentive over the cruise. We were told by a DVC guide when we called in that the current incentive are rumored to end June 15th. With current incentives and our member referral we got $18 off per point at AKV saving us $3600 (assuming you choose the cash incentives over the cruise). BLT would be $16 off per point with referral.

Good luck with your decision - I know we are so glad that we FINALLY chose to do it after sitting around for 3 years and watching the cost increase!

DANG!!!! Man, you got what I wanted. I originally wanted a Dec UY... was told that since only Jambo was available, I could get NO incentives, just pay full price. Told this by the guide, AND by the supervisor I called.

Fooey!!!!! I ended up with Oct UY, which was still okay, but no '08 points since it is Kidani. Did get the member referral discounts. Yes, I just paid in full already YESTERDAY.

Can't believe they ripped me off like that! But glad for you, what a deal!!!!!

 

[jerseygal]

I don't have my numbers in front of me, but if my memory serves me correctly, wasn't it $8 off per point from $104...Net of $96 per point..I thought that was Sept,Oct 08 pricing for NEW MEMBERS.

Matching incentive points..That was a great deal!

How does that differ from say GCV now for new members? Anyone?

Thanks for any infor!

 

[christa112]

I am with you on this. I actually called my guide and was told there was no 2008 points be offered either. Total Bummer.

DANG!!!! Man, you got what I wanted. I originally wanted a Dec UY... was told that since only Jambo was available, I could get NO incentives, just pay full price. Told this by the guide, AND by the supervisor I called.

Fooey!!!!! I ended up with Oct UY, which was still okay, but no '08 points since it is Kidani. Did get the member referral discounts. Yes, I just paid in full already YESTERDAY.

Can't believe they ripped me off like that! But glad for you, what a deal!!!!!