Just got the Members' Exclusive Bonus/Incentives letter!

[mickeymom629]

I didn't see another thread about this. I just recieved mine yesterday, so I didn't have a chance to call my "agent", yet.
It's really tempting, but I'm a little confused on exactly how many points total you need to add on in order to get one of the Bonus offers and one of the incentive offers. Do you need to buy a total of 230 more points, do you think, to get one of each, or 130? Personally, I would love to have the Phase II and get the $10 pt. credit, and a couple of annual passes would be great (especially if they could be saved for any year in the future)!

Anyone know the specifics? Are you tempted? We just "splurged" and added another 50 VB to our 150 HH pts. last year, so I'm not sure if we can afford this again so soon.

 

[tjkraz]

With a 130 pt add-on you get EITHER 2 free Adult APs (one time use only) or a free II week. I supposed if you wanted to add 260 points, you could probably get both.

However, these points are in Phase 1 of SSR, not Phase 2. Reports from other members indicate that the $10 per point credit does not apply, but they do extend a $5 credit, making the net price $90 per point.

 

[wdwstar]

i also recieved my letter yesterday, very tempting, but of course we just added on at SSR during the Members Homecoming, darn, those annual passes would have been great instead of the framed art that we recieved.

you only need to add on 130 points for the annual passes.

enjoy !

 

[mickeymom629]

Then my letter is different, because mine says that if I add on 130 I can choose between 2 AP's or Interval International vacation.
PLUS, if I choose from Phase I, I get $5 per point credit, but if I choose Phase II pre-sale offer, I can choose between $10 per pt. credit or a compimentary vacation if I add on 100 or more points.

So that's why I question whether the 100 is in addition to the 130.

 

[OneMoreTry]

I received the same offer. It was unclear whether one could use BOTH the AP/II incentive PLUS the $10 discount for the same $130 point purchase.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Originally posted by mickeymom629
if I choose from Phase I, I get $5 per point credit, but if I choose Phase II pre-sale offer, I can choose between $10 per pt. credit or a compimentary vacation if I add on 100 or more points.
So that's why I question whether the 100 is in addition to the 130.

I understood both to be independent of each other. Others have reported buying the 130 for the free AP's on this Board.

HBC

 

[chainkid]

I assume this offer is only for SSR and not add ons at the other resorts ROFRED from resales. I would love to add on at BWV if this offer was valid there but I just don't care for SSR so No luck for us.

 

[mickeymom629]

Do you think the AP's can be activated whenever you choose to use them in the future?

It says at the bottom "the BONUS offers are available in addition to the incentive options". I'd like to think that that means that if you buy 130 points you get the Bonus and ALSO an incentive, but I guess Disney probably means you get the incentive when you ADD another 100 points to the 130. If so, at least that makes my decision a little easier. I can't justify another $10,000+ with more annual dues just to get 2 AP's. But it would be nice to ALSO
get $10 credit per point or a complimentary vacation.

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by mickeymom629
Do you think the AP's can be activated whenever you choose to use them in the future?

Yes. They have no expiration date.

It says at the bottom "the BONUS offers are available in addition to the incentive options". I'd like to think that that means that if you buy 130 points you get the Bonus and ALSO an incentive, but I guess Disney probably means you get the incentive when you ADD another 100 points to the 130. If so, at least that makes my decision a little easier. I can't justify another $10,000+ with more annual dues just to get 2 AP's. But it would be nice to ALSO
get $10 credit per point or a complimentary vacation.

If you're interpreting this correctly, I would think you could make out even better by taking the $5 off per point, receiving 2004 points, and either using or renting (at $10+ each, netting you at least $15 off per point) the 2004 points.

 

[cgcw]

Originally posted by wdwstar
i also recieved my letter yesterday, very tempting, but of course we just added on at SSR during the Members Homecoming, darn, those annual passes would have been great instead of the framed art that we recieved.

Hi wdwstar,

This is exactly what I thought when I received our letter.

Too bad, we should have held out. If we had only known. And to think, both of us had problems receiving the lithograph in one piece. Live and learn.

No more add ons in the near future for us.

 

[LIFERBABE]

wdwstar and cgcw, dont feel too bad, as the points they were offering during MH were $79 after incentives and these are $85.

Take your savings and buy AP's and you have the $500 litho! LOL!

I will post what I received here:

I just received my add-on package for SSR using the incentives and Free AP's and I hadnt even looked at it until now, but this is what I received.

We did a 136 pt Add-on divided into 2 contracts of 68 points each.
(I did have to put $500 down on each this way whereas if it was one contract it would have been one downpayment of $500)


Most importantly we received: Another backpack and Litho!! LOL

We opted for the Phase II points with the $10 ppt credit. The credit was applied to our 20% downpayment. This is stated in our contract on the RECEIPT FOR DEPOSIT page.

Phase II estimated closing date is March 31, 2005 for my unit 40A.
(just an observation: they havent changed the street name to DVC Way on the paperwork yet for SSR's addy)

First payment is due May 15, 2005. (based on my projected closing date of March 15 2005).

I also received my AP Exchange Certificates (2)

They are the same cardstock and size as the regular AP's. They are lime green on the front and say:

Walt Disney World
EXCHANGE CERTIFICATE
Please redeem this Exchange Certificate for the ticket type stated on the reverse side at one of the following ticket sales locations at the Walt Disney World Resort:
Epcot
MGM
AK Theme Park
Transportation and Ticket Center at the Magic Kingdom Park.

On the reverse it says:
This is not a ticket. This Exchange Certificate is not valid for admission and requires redemption at one of the ticket sales locations listed on the reverse side prior to entrance. Nonrefundable.

ANNUAL PARK HOPPER EXCHANGE AGES (10+)
CERTIFICATE-NOT VALID FOR ADMISSION
$379 Plus Tax

With the contract there is an ANNUAL PASSES CERTIFICATE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT page that spells out that basically if for any reason you do not complete the sale, (for whatever reason) that you will return the certificates/passes or DVD will keep that portion of your deposit to cover the cost of the passes.

So in a nutshell, we took the $10 incentive on 136 SSR points. We will receive points on March 1, 2005 (our UY) Our unit will be available for occupancy on March 31, 2005. Received 2 AP EC's that have no expiration date, a backpack and a litho. After $10 incentive from DVC $85 ppt. If I subtracted the cost of the passes (which I would have purchased anyway) then $79 ppt.

We would have purchased an additional interest in SSR and the AP's anyway as the GV's are moderately priced (between OKW and BWV) and SSR would be our choice to take a large group. Love the proximity to DTD, WP's and all the recreational activities at the resort.

 

[mickeymom629]

You recieved BOTH the AP's and the $10 credit per pt. by buying "only" 136 points? (also I am curious as to why 136, and not an even amount like 130 or 135)

 

[snowwhitemom]

Originally posted by tjkraz
Yes. They have no expiration date.



If you're interpreting this correctly, I would think you could make out even better by taking the $5 off per point, receiving 2004 points, and either using or renting (at $10+ each, netting you at least $15 off per point) the 2004 points.

Such a good point.....I may have to call Randy in the am. Thanks for pushing me into it me

 

[wendydarling826]

I discussed adding on with our guide just this week. If we add on 130 pts we get the AP certificates that can be activated any time AND the $10. per pt credit. This is only for SSR points and they would become available 8/1/05 which is the beginning of our use year. I think we're going to bite.

 

[LIFERBABE]

You recieved BOTH the AP's and the $10 credit per pt. by buying "only" 136 points? (also I am curious as to why 136, and not an even amount like 130 or 135)

Yes, mickeymom629 I received both. Since we already own at SSR this add-on of 136 gives us enough SSR points to book a GV for a week in any season using banking or borrowing. (wont need it every year) That's why the odd number.

I opted for the $10 credit because we didnt need anymore points for this year. I've added on several times and never did get around to renting the points as intended. For me, points are very hard to give up even if it helps my bottom line. LOL
And the $10 credit was applied to our downpayment, so the out of pocket costs to take advantage of this offer were minimal. Plus we have until March to pay it off without interest.

 

[jomik1]

Liferbabe

Thanks for the explanation. I received my letter on Friday and was a little confused also. DH and I are thinking of adding on and Phase II would be fine for us and the annual passes would be an awesome bonus along with the $10/point discount.

I'm planning on calling MS in the morning to get all the details but we're seriously considering doing this especially with the AP's. We want to add on before the price goes up again!!

Thanks for letting us know what you received. Thses boards are such a wealth of information!!

 

[mickeymom629]

Thanks for your replies.

 

[senecabeach]

My 2 cents...

Its hard to believe that everyone is chomping at the bit to pay all this up front incentive?? discounted?? money ...not to mention the higher mtc fees.!!

I just feel that since OKW is a much cheaper re-sale + the lowest mtc fees and has wonderful, larger rooms and I can still stay @ SSR if I choose, since its the largest of the DVC....why be conned??

"Nobody gives you something for nothing"

Sorry.....

 

[tjkraz]

Originally posted by senecabeach
Its hard to believe that everyone is chomping at the bit to pay all this up front incentive?? discounted?? money ...not to mention the higher mtc fees.!!

....why be conned??

1. Price. Within the last month DVC has consistently begun to exercise ROFR on contracts unless they meet criteria similar to this:
a. Price per point of $72-74 assuming current year's points available (slightly higher if banked, lower if borrowed.)
b. Buyer pays closing costs.
c. Buyer reimburses current year maintenance.

If we take $72 per point, add $4 for closing costs (on roughly 130 pts) and $3.68 maintenance, that's $79.68 per point. Compared to paying $85 per point for 130 pts direct from DVC, the difference comes to $691 more paid by purchasing direct from DVC.

Now factor in the APs. Two adult APs have a current value of $403 each. That's over $800 in tickets received "free" as part of the DVC purchase.

Buying direct from DVC sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Regarding the dues, OKW is only $.12 less than SSR, and I suspect that gap will narrow in 2005 with the added costs for lifeguards and maintenance on the pool upgrade at OKW. Even still, $.12 per point is a whopping $15 per year on 130 points.

2. Convenience. To buy SSR points:

Me: "Hi. I'd like 130 points at SSR."
DVC: "Read me your credit card number. OK, you're all set!"

Resale: Try to find desirable contract (number of points, resort, Use Year). Make offer. Haggle with owner and/or broker. Sign contract. Wait for ROFR. If contract does not pass, start all over again. If it does pass, wait for closing and for points to be registered with DVC. Net time to completion: minimum of 6 weeks.

3. Duration.

SSR contract ending date: January 31, 2054
OKW contract ending date: January 31, 2042

 

[gopherit]

While I do agree the "nobody gives it for free" maxim, I also don't necessarily think those who jump on this are poor saps, per se.

What is the diff in fees between OKW and ssr, anyway? 12 cents? (We pay those lovely BWV fees, so trust me when I say that anything below 4 bucks sounds great to moi!) And SSR does have an extra 12 years on its lifespan versus all the DVC I offerings. Some people like the easy financing that Disney offers too, versus paying all out of pocket at once for a resale or finding their own means of delayed payment. You call Disney, they send the papers, you sign and boom -- you're done. There's a lot to love about that. SSR is lovely in its own different way from OKW, and for some folks, it's not about the space, anyway. It has some lovely views of DTD, and it has a spa. THose aren't "better" than OKW offerings -- just different. Different folks, different strokes -- and DVC resorts.

Personally, we have stayed in both SSR and OKW, and I'd gladly take points in EITHER. (And if anyone has 11K or so they wanna give me for a resale, I'd glady move towards an OKW direction!)

I have been intrigued by my DH's interest in this letter. He is normally not one to bite on such things, but I can tell by his many questions -- he is weighing it out for himself. I somehow doubt we will "bite" -- but congrats to all those who do, you're getting a piece of a wonderful new home!