Late Summer/Early Fall Incentives

[Girlstar30]

AKL direct is very tempting.

If I didnt already own there i would be tempted as well! I like to mix it up

 

[Girlstar30]

What is akv with MB and d23 discount?

 

[Girlstar30]

Keep in mind your use year - Mine is September, so if I wait until the next cycle, I lose out on a full year of points. I don't see the Riv being $20 points better in incentives so this will the the cycle I go for it. Once you lose that year of points (for magical beginnings or just for the points), a better deal might be a worse deal overall still.

True I am December so I could do the Wobbler thing, but I kind of wanted to push for an Oct UY i want to be able to walk for Christmas grr. I already have three memberships, what's another lil month lolll

 

[Hypaflex]

True I am December so I could do the Wobbler thing, but I kind of wanted to push for an Oct UY i want to be able to walk for Christmas grr. I already have three memberships, what's another lil month lolll

So at this point in the year with it being July, if you are not a current member, do you know if it is possible to get an October use year? Wasn't sure since we are kind of close to October

 

[Disney.dad]

So at this point in the year with it being July, if you are not a current member, do you know if it is possible to get an October use year? Wasn't sure since we are kind of close to October

Yes it is possible. You just have to insist that it is the one you want and that it is the one that works for your travel needs. They won’t let you walk. They will try and push you into an Aug or Sept use year which are frankly the 2 worst.

 

[jksung5295]

Trying to wrap around my brain on whether Riv Direct would ever make sense between AKL and RIV. If those are the ones you are considering.

$181 per point at RIV vs $170 per point at AKL
Slightly lower MF at RIV versus AKL
resale price about the same
Riv has 13 more years left on contract

I'm sure no one is thinking about buying with selling in mind, but you can't totally ignore it either in case life happens. If resale price remains similar, you would lose similar amount of money so why wouldn't someone buy RIV instead of AKL as AKL points are readily available as resale and not totally restricted.

If only considering resale vs buying direct, PVB is better value as it will hold its value better than both of the above, but personally I like VGF and BLT better than PVB.

 

[Disney.dad]

Trying to wrap around my brain on whether Riv Direct would ever make sense between AKL and RIV. If those are the ones you are considering.

$171 per point at RIV vs $170 per point at AKL
Slightly lower MF at RIV versus AKL
resale price about the same
Riv has 13 more years left on contract

I'm sure no one is thinking about buying with selling in mind, but you can't totally ignore it either in case life happens. If resale price remains similar, you would lose similar amount of money so why wouldn't someone buy RIV instead of AKL as AKL points are readily available as resale and not totally restricted.

If only considering resale vs buying direct, PVB is better value as it will hold its value better than both of the above, but personally I like VGF and BLT better than PVB.

Between Riv and AK direct I would question what rooms you are trying to book. You buy AK resale or direct for club level studios or value rooms, you can get almost anything else at 7 months if you book at 7 months. Riviera you are not going to be likely to get a Resort view (likely Epcot view) studio or a tower studio without owning there. If someone really wants AK the resale prices are so much better for about the same product. So team Riviera here.

 

[jess2022]

Trying to wrap around my brain on whether Riv Direct would ever make sense between AKL and RIV. If those are the ones you are considering.

$171 per point at RIV vs $170 per point at AKL
Slightly lower MF at RIV versus AKL
resale price about the same
Riv has 13 more years left on contract

I'm sure no one is thinking about buying with selling in mind, but you can't totally ignore it either in case life happens. If resale price remains similar, you would lose similar amount of money so why wouldn't someone buy RIV instead of AKL as AKL points are readily available as resale and not totally restricted.

If only considering resale vs buying direct, PVB is better value as it will hold its value better than both of the above, but personally I like VGF and BLT better than PVB.

How are you getting RIV down to $171 per point? My calculations have it at $184 after D23 and MB.

 

[DonkeyHoTay]

Anyone else make a decision or actually proceed on buying points today given the incentives just released? Curious to know what contracts (if any) everyone else chose to buy today.

 

[Mouseforward]

Trying to wrap around my brain on whether Riv Direct would ever make sense between AKL and RIV. If those are the ones you are considering.

Too many factors - wanting a blue card and they like AK is the #1 in my mind

Basically I think that none of the 3 WDW current and proposed restricted resorts are or will be in the top 5 of many buyers. So the pressure to purchase a sold out non restricted resort direct is simply not that much of a driver.

But nearing 2042 ( my guess 2035 ) it will be a huge driver for Epcot fans. Then we will see more demand for RIV as a bargain Epcot area resort.

What I do know is that BW2 or BC2 will not be 207 a point and the point charts will probably match Or exceed RIV.

 

[jksung5295]

How are you getting RIV down to $171 per point? My calculations have it at $184 after D23 and MB.

sorry, i had my base price at 225. it should have been 235.

 

[Tumnus]

Trying to wrap around my brain on whether Riv Direct would ever make sense between AKL and RIV. If those are the ones you are considering.

$171 per point at RIV vs $170 per point at AKL
Slightly lower MF at RIV versus AKL
resale price about the same
Riv has 13 more years left on contract

I'm sure no one is thinking about buying with selling in mind, but you can't totally ignore it either in case life happens. If resale price remains similar, you would lose similar amount of money so why wouldn't someone buy RIV instead of AKL as AKL points are readily available as resale and not totally restricted.

If only considering resale vs buying direct, PVB is better value as it will hold its value better than both of the above, but personally I like VGF and BLT better than PVB.

I just ran the numbers for myself and AKL vs Riv doesn't make sense to me to go AKL.

Initial costs for 150 points - you save $2,400 by going AKL with current incentives.
Dues for Riv are 9.06, average increase over the last three years was 2.6%.
Dues for AKL are 9.64, average increase over the last three years was 5.4%.
If both kept up that pace, AKL passes Riv in total costs in 2033. By 2057 (AKL expiration), AKL cost 150,809 to 97,849. By 2070, Riv gets to 146,145 - still doesn't cross AKL.
You take a small savings now but spend a lot more in the long haul.

If you assume an equal 3% on both for dues increase, AKL passes in 2042 but it does stay lower overall - so this could change if the Riv starts to see more of a dues increase than AKL or equals. I assume AKL will stay higher due to the cost of upkeep of the animals though.


Last thought is resale - AKL is at $106, Riv is at $119 (per a website that tracks). Riv might be a big fall off, but it currently has a better value than AKL, so theoretically that should hold.

In short - the math says AKL is not the play over Riv despite current savings if you plan to hold or if you plan to sell after holding for a few years, assuming that AKL continues to see higher rates of due increases and keeps below Riv in resale.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Trying to wrap around my brain on whether Riv Direct would ever make sense between AKL and RIV. If those are the ones you are considering.

$171 per point at RIV vs $170 per point at AKL
Slightly lower MF at RIV versus AKL
resale price about the same
Riv has 13 more years left on contract

I'm sure no one is thinking about buying with selling in mind, but you can't totally ignore it either in case life happens. If resale price remains similar, you would lose similar amount of money so why wouldn't someone buy RIV instead of AKL as AKL points are readily available as resale and not totally restricted.

If only considering resale vs buying direct, PVB is better value as it will hold its value better than both of the above, but personally I like VGF and BLT better than PVB.

The delta between AK resale vs direct even with this incentive is way too large to justify direct in my opinion.

 

[Mouseforward]

Anyone else make a decision or actually proceed on buying points today given the incentives just released? Curious to know what contracts (if any) everyone else chose to buy today.

I have my trips planned out through next May, so my drop dead date for a decision is not until Sept 20th since I have an October year year. That gives me a good thinking and Cooling off period before I blow an extra 14 grand on buying RIV direct instead of resale.

If you like the new incentives, there’s really no reason to jump and buy at the beginning. Only people who did better under the old incentive and set up a tentative contract should be buying today.

 

[Tumnus]

Anyone else make a decision or actually proceed on buying points today given the incentives just released? Curious to know what contracts (if any) everyone else chose to buy today.

I likely locked in Riv at 160 points, just need to confirm with the wife. All our trips are booked through next May and we don't need the points, so not a rush to do it today, each day is like a free Dole Whip in saved dues (as someone said earlier)!. I'll be doing MB and then banking all 160 points in 2025 UY.

 

[jksung5295]

thank you all for everyone's thoughts! It seems like I'm thinking about it similar to others.

None of these resorts are top choices, so I will continue to hold onto my resale and enjoy them the best I can. Maybe I can convince my wife to take a tour of Riviera at our end of Sept trip to see if we like it? It would be right around the time of the incentive switchover.

 

[Mouseforward]

thank you all for everyone's thoughts! It seems like I'm thinking about it similar to others.

None of these resorts are top choices, so I will continue to hold onto my resale and enjoy them the best I can. Maybe I can convince my wife to take a tour of Riviera at our end of Sept trip to see if we like it? It would be right around the time of the incentive switchover.

Take it from a RIV owner - if you end up liking it, you’ll be doing what I am doing and selling your resale for direct.

Once your own RIV and your family decide where they want to stay. Those resale contracts just don’t have the value they used to.

 

[VGCgroupie]

thank you all for everyone's thoughts! It seems like I'm thinking about it similar to others.

None of these resorts are top choices, so I will continue to hold onto my resale and enjoy them the best I can. Maybe I can convince my wife to take a tour of Riviera at our end of Sept trip to see if we like it? It would be right around the time of the incentive switchover.

This is the best plan.

 

[Tumnus]

Does a second direct contract give you some booking magic from Disney? I.e. I have a waitlist for august that has not hit, could they help me out?

 

[davidhr]

According to the coupon that comes with your card, which took about two weeks for me to receive you’re supposed to show the card and the couponto your DVC guide. I have read on here that some guides have accepted the email which includes your D 23 number as proof that you joined. I have also read that some guides insisted that you have the card.

I sent a screenshot of my d23 profile page. No questions asked.