Just when you think you have a strategy...

[prncssjas]

Are you planning to stay mainly in studios or 2BRs? Then I think Riv direct with the current incentives pencils out well enough. It’s more than I was willing to spend but I don’t think it’s crazy.

If you think you will mainly stay in 1BRs, then I implore you to please either buy resale or just rent points. Even with the incentives, it’s hard to make the math work for 1BRs.

We actually stay in varied categories. If it's just DH and I, which is typical, we are ok with a studio. But we usually end up bringing family, especially during race weekends so we need the 2BR. I do love the one bedroom space but would not necessarily blow a huge wad of points just to have access it. I get what you are saying -- and hence, my continued dilemma of going back and forth.

 

[prncssjas]

Thanks to anyone who might know these answers! And sorry to OP that I don’t have more helpful info! You’ve got us thinking now haha.

Don't be sorry! It's why we are all here!! And I posted this specific thread because I keep going around in circles...trying to make the best decision. The irony is that no matter which call I make, I will likely still add more points later...

 

[RuntheMouse]

OTOH, I'm intrigued by Poly, but most of all interested to see what will come of Reflections. I can really see myself buying Reflections points if they ever build it.

So feeling this!

 

[Disney_escape]

What's the cost of RR right now and what's the incentives? What minimum? I love RR. Would a 50 pointer get incentives?

ETA: I see it's 150 min. And that saves $13 pp plus another $1K.

150 points using Magical beginnings I think is $178??
$225 - $17 incentive, -1500 welcome home ($10) - 20 Magical beginnings (sell back points) -$178

 

[tx911]

150 points using Magical beginnings I think is $178??
$225 - $17 incentive, -1500 welcome home ($10) - 20 Magical beginnings (sell back points) -$178

Minus $1000 Disney Visa offer brings it down to $171.33. That is for existing members though.

For new members I think $198.67 might be the best you can do for 150 pts. ($225- $13- $1000 WH- $1000 Visa)

 

[SugarSweetLee]

$195.33 with the extra $500 referral off

 

[Jack Kerouac]

Well, I was relatively happy with our 220 PVB points and now that we sold that contract and used the funds to buy 150 OKW direct and 160 AKV resale, I now have addonitis. Just put in an offer for another 100 points at AKV. I’m not liking this trajectory.

But truthfully, I do…

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Maybe add proximity to your favorite parks as a factor?

We just returned from a 10 day stay in WDW - first 7 at Crescent Lake, last 3 at CCV. Our favorite parks are EPCOT and HS - most nights we will end up at one of the two.

Even though Riv is not Crescent Lake - close, I would 100% rather a quick skyliner trip than dealing with the buses, monorails, boats from CCV or really any monorail resort given how often we find ourselves at EPCOT/HS.

After 1 day of navigating the Transportation & Ticket Center, it felt all too similar to my daily subway commute into Grand Central Station…not really the vaca vibe I am looking for. (I say this as someone who owns GFV and CCV in addition to RIV - love both but really only use them for resort-focused stays around the holidays. Love that I can walk from GFV to MK but we are rarely there).


This is obviously a non-issue for some folks - they may drive or aren’t as bothered by the longer treks. But if you do at all, maybe add some weight to that consideration.

 

[intamin]

Well, I was relatively happy with our 220 PVB points and now that we sold that contract and used the funds to buy 150 OKW direct and 160 AKV resale, I now have addonitis. Just put in an offer for another 100 points at AKV. I’m not liking this trajectory.

But truthfully, I do…

Jambo neighbor! Those AKV points will be seem like the biggest bargain once the resort gets refurbed next year

 

[Chili327]

add proximity to your favorite parks as a factor?

Definitely has weight!!
I love the idea of spending more time at which ever park is local to the resort I’m staying at.

 

[kboo]

Do you feel like this situation caused you to buy more points than you otherwise would have at RIV because of the restriction from using any of your resale points at RIV?

Although our resale points could be used at RIV, it's hard-to-impossible to get a standard view at 7 mo. I think I have found the issue to be: no one ever buys points to stay in 1-2br and then decides to go down to studios. We are always "expanding" how we book, so I look back on the pre-opening prices and think, why didn't we get more points then? We'd planned to use them for epcot/hs splits with our BLT points but it hasn't tended to work out that way. Instead, we like being at RIV around New Years, and when we think about bringing my dad (mom passed in 2021), we "need" a 2br... I would love to stay longer at RIV than we have tended to, but I'm really bad at budgeting my RIV points.

Also: during COVID we toured a grand villa there. #DVCgoals
Don't do that unless you want chronic addonitis. I look at my points and think, how many nights in a grand villa will that get me in [month]? And the answer is never enough.

Sure I can get it.. if you let me buy more points..

um yeah, that's what happened last spring with Aulani. First it was WDW, THEN I GOT VGC at 7mo and THEN they were like, let's go to Aulani! In Hawaii, we went to the DVC party and I considered AUL direct (and resale) and then VGF had that great sale, and ... not sure I can do that 2 years in a row.

Also: despite saying how hard it is to get VGC or AUL at 7mo, I have managed to get both. So now my family is like, "make it so... "

I mean…. they are superior locations …..

not disagreeing with you. I still stalk for "perfect" VGC contracts ...

Don't be sorry! It's why we are all here!! And I posted this specific thread because I keep going around in circles...trying to make the best decision. The irony is that no matter which call I make, I will likely still add more points later...

This is the way.

After 1 day of navigating the Transportation & Ticket Center, it felt all too similar to my daily subway commute into Grand Central Station…not really the vaca vibe I am looking for. (I say this as someone who owns GFV and CCV in addition to RIV - love both but really only use them for resort-focused stays around the holidays. Love that I can walk from GFV to MK but we are rarely there).

How ya doin' NYC neighbor! We have been doing split stays since the kids were babies, and it's only gotten easier. Even so, this last stay was too short for a split and I found our VGF - Epcot commute to be quite the shlep. Also: I have walked from MK - VGF *once*. The rest of the time it's monorail to MK and boat home. Except when it's raining ...

 

[sarahlord]

Minus $1000 Disney Visa offer brings it down to $171.33. That is for existing members though.

For new members I think $198.67 might be the best you can do for 150 pts. ($225- $13- $1000 WH- $1000 Visa)

I paid 179.99 a point as a new member at riviera with MB for 150 points.

$2,500 (WH, visa and $500 military discount instead of dream it forward)

$3,000 MB

Total price after I get my rebate check will be $26,999 which includes closing costs.

Maybe I’m doing my math wrong?

 

[sarahlord]

Also how do people calculate how much each point is worth?

Here’s what I‘be been doing to try to explain the savings to my husband. My total buy in, divided by the years left on the contract, plus my yearly dues, divided my yearly allotment of points.

So
$26,999 / 45yrs = 599.97
$599.97 + 1329 (yearly dues) = 1928.97
$1928.97 / 150 = $12.85

So I’m using 94 points in October for a trip so that trip costs me 94 x 12.85 = 1208.82

Am I way off?

 

[intamin]

Also how do people calculate how much each point is worth?

Here’s what I‘be been doing to try to explain the savings to my husband. My total buy in, divided by the years left on the contract, plus my yearly dues, divided my yearly allotment of points.

So
$26,999 / 45yrs = 599.97
$599.97 + 1329 (yearly dues) = 1928.97
$1928.97 / 150 = $12.85

So I’m using 94 points in October for a trip so that trip costs me 94 x 12.85 = 1208.82

Am I way off?

That looks right. Are you including closing costs? Because if so I don't think most people include that?

But basically

(Total buy in/(number of years left on contract*number of points)) + maintenance fees per point per year = cost per point per year not accounting for inflation

 

[Blerghityblergh]

Also how do people calculate how much each point is worth?

Here’s what I‘be been doing to try to explain the savings to my husband. My total buy in, divided by the years left on the contract, plus my yearly dues, divided my yearly allotment of points.

So
$26,999 / 45yrs = 599.97
$599.97 + 1329 (yearly dues) = 1928.97
$1928.97 / 150 = $12.85

So I’m using 94 points in October for a trip so that trip costs me 94 x 12.85 = 1208.82

Am I way off?

This is how we do it also.

 

[sarahlord]

That looks right. Are you including closing costs? Because if so I don't think most people include that?

But basically

(Total buy in/(number of years left on contract*number of points)) + maintenance fees per point per year = cost per point per year not accounting for inflation

I did include the closing costs.

Yeah I didn’t account for inflation, every year I’ll have to update my calculations based on those year dues.

 

[Chili327]

Also how do people calculate how much each point is worth?

Here’s what I‘be been doing to try to explain the savings to my husband. My total buy in, divided by the years left on the contract, plus my yearly dues, divided my yearly allotment of points.

So
$26,999 / 45yrs = 599.97
$599.97 + 1329 (yearly dues) = 1928.97
$1928.97 / 150 = $12.85

So I’m using 94 points in October for a trip so that trip costs me 94 x 12.85 = 1208.82

Am I way off?

I did include the closing costs.

Yeah I didn’t account for inflation, every year I’ll have to update my calculations based on those year dues.

Basically correct, especially when comparing to other resorts, but to compare to cash or renting, etc to see "savings" you'll want to make sure you include everything... and don't forget to include taxes & resort fees on the other side of the comparison (hotels come with all kinds of fees & parking, etc).

 

[intamin]

I did include the closing costs.

Yeah I didn’t account for inflation, every year I’ll have to update my calculations based on those year dues.

You can do it with or without, I personally don't include it when comparing the price per point to resale because it's not like resale pricing that you see on the sponsor site includes closing costs.

On the other hand I DO include it in my total costs when calculating my break-even.

 

[CastAStone]

Also how do people calculate how much each point is worth?

Here’s what I‘be been doing to try to explain the savings to my husband. My total buy in, divided by the years left on the contract, plus my yearly dues, divided my yearly allotment of points.

So
$26,999 / 45yrs = 599.97
$599.97 + 1329 (yearly dues) = 1928.97
$1928.97 / 150 = $12.85

So I’m using 94 points in October for a trip so that trip costs me 94 x 12.85 = 1208.82

Am I way off?

So that’s definitely how most people do it.

A financial advisor would tell you that you should use a discount rate for the up front investment, which for a resort with as long of a future life as riviera would roughly cut the number of years in half. You do this because while a year at Riviera today is expensive, with the magic of compounding interest, you could put a relatively trivial amount of money into a high yield savings account or an S&P tracking fund today to have enough money to rent a hotel room at Riviera in 45 years. So year 45 should count a lot less than year 1. And all the years in between are in between.

So I’d say $26,999/23 + $1329 = $2502 / 150 = $16.68 * 94 = $1,568 is probably an estimate that’s more fair to your full financial picture.

 

[CastAStone]

You can do it with or without, I personally don't include it when comparing the price per point to resale because it's not like resale pricing that you see on the sponsor site includes closing costs.

On the other hand I DO include it in my total costs when calculating my break-even.

I don’t think you have to account for dues inflation unless you think there’s a reason that dues would grow faster than the room rates at the hotels, since ultimately that’s really what you’re comparing to, not broader inflation as a whole