New $500 Resale DVC Transfer Fee

[Stank]

People act like there’s all these bright lines with timeshare laws and dues, and there really, really aren’t. Housekeeping dues up 17% when housekeeping wages are publicly 4.35% posted year over year, huh? So the rooms that are cleaned 1-2 times a week are suddenly using 900% more Clorox, huh?

Just as this $500 “cost recovery” that was just stumbled upon after 30+ years of DVC won’t result in lower fees or pricing for those entities who shouldered the burden for 30+ years subsidizing what resale was getting “for free.”

Can we stop pretending the world and timeshare laws really are that precise? Nonprofits or revenue neutral organizations have no profit, but often have quite interesting budgets.

 

[Sandisw]

I think it was within the Member Administation budget, but now they are passing some of the expense along to the resale members by instituting the fee. When I bought resale in 2023, it took 2-3 weeks to get the contract loaded and another few days to get the points loaded. They probably needed to add to staff to account for more buy/sell transactions.

MA has always done the work but just to clarify for others MA is funded by DVD for the tasks related to the creating and transferring of memberships.

MA also could do work for owners that is partially funded via the 12% management fee when it’s not related to this.

 

[pzw90]

People act like there’s all these bright lines with timeshare laws and dues, and there really, really aren’t. Housekeeping dues up 17% when housekeeping wages are publicly 4.35% posted year over year, huh? So the rooms that are cleaned 1-2 times a week are suddenly using 900% more Clorox, huh?

Just as this $500 “cost recovery” that was just stumbled upon after 30+ years of DVC won’t result in lower fees or pricing for those entities who shouldered the burden for 30+ years subsidizing what resale was getting “for free.”

Can we stop pretending the world and timeshare laws really are that precise? Nonprofits or revenue neutral organizations have no profit, but often have quite interesting budgets.

Please, not again

 

[Stank]

Please, not again

No thanks. Next.

 

[mkatsy]

Orange County Comptroller charges $19.20 to transfer (gratuitous) ownership of a timeshare. Where is Disney getting an extra $480.80 worth of expense for virtually the same task … are the hallways paved with gold?

 

[VGCgroupie]

Just as this $500 “cost recovery” that was just stumbled upon after 30+ years of DVC won’t result in lower fees or pricing for those entities who shouldered the burden for 30+ years subsidizing what resale was getting “for free.”

This is interesting take that I had not considered before.

 

[eticketplease]

Please, not again

I was thinking the same thing lol

 

[Tatebeck]

Please, not again

I was thinking the same thing lol

Yeeeeep
-----
Adding to the discussion, I am glad we got most of the resale we will ever need already. It really is going to suck for any new members looking for a large/diverse resale portfolio though. If I were to buy by contracts again today instead of in 2023 it would immediately be an extra $2,500 which is rough. (plus whatever the resale price increase has been since then too)

It is going to be a good thing for DVC themselves though and I get it. They get a piece of every resale transaction, even if most/all of the fee is going towards the contract modifications (which I personally don't think they are). And if the price of resale decreases to account for the extra fees, then DVC can get slightly cheaper ROFR as well. And the more direct sales they make, the more possible resale transactions there may be in the future. Years from now if they keep making new resorts, the $ they get from fees could continue to increase greatly

They now get a piece no matter what, and ROFR may be more attractive for them, as I doubt they have to pay themselves the fee to ROFR it back. I just hope they use the extra for something that benefits all the normal members.

It also does put a thorn in the paw of heavy stripping/flipping renters/companies, which is a good thing in my view. But every resale purchaser/seller may also hit by the fee now too.

 

[Sandisw]

Orange County Comptroller charges $19.20 to transfer (gratuitous) ownership of a timeshare. Where is Disney getting an extra $480.80 worth of expense for virtually the same task … are the hallways paved with gold?

It really doesn’t matter does it? The title companies decide what their time is worth to hand a transfer, brokers charge fees to sell, and on and on.

I mean, they charge direct buyers an extra $250 to split contracts…is there really much more work?

Sure, $500 seems a lot but I paid $475 in 2019 for First American to add my adult kids to my deeds when LT transfers would be $150.

It certainly seems a big jump from $0

 

[mkatsy]

It really doesn’t matter does it? The title companies decide what their time is worth to hand a transfer, brokers charge fees to sell, and on and on.

I mean, they charge direct buyers an extra $250 to split contracts…is there really much more work?

Sure, $500 seems a lot but I paid $475 in 2019 for First American to add my adult kids to my deeds when LT transfers would be $150.

It certainly seems a big jump from $0

But the difference is that the brokers and title companies are not monopolies. The market drives the price (minus the doc stamps which are standard) and some people choose their broker based on price. I prefer a specific title company even though they are not the cheapest because I like their customer service. Every resale I buy is contingent on me using my preferred title company. Edited to add: technically you don’t even need a title company if you are paying cash. I have no idea what happens if you have a lender. But you are trading money for security, because it could come back to haunt you down the road. You are choosing to purchase the service of a title company for convenience, and presumably their expertise.

 

[disneylandtour]

MA has always done the work but just to clarify for others MA is funded by DVD for the tasks related to the creating and transferring of memberships.

MA also could do work for owners that is partially funded via the 12% management fee when it’s not related to this.

If I had to take a guess, after 30 years, I think we're seeing a saturation point in terms of how many contracts are changing hands now. Age-related lifestyles of original owners (who bought in the 1990s). Changing interests. Limited number of new experiences (presently) at WDW. Kids grow up and move out. Etc. And as much as this fee sucks, the other option, to direct these costs toward umbrellaed operation budgets that are absorbed by existing members through MFs probably wasn't ideal either. It's at least an attempt to direct fees toward those receiving a particular service--though $500 seems to be a lot more than this actual service costs.

Elsewhere, I'm pretty glad that I have most of the points I think I'll need for life. I may still dump some OWK (MFs too high) and buy something else (maybe more CCV or Poly). I'm also looking for a small piece of Disneyland. But the overall costs of buying resale--through actual contract costs and this new fee--is significantly higher than it was just a couple of years ago.

 

[disneylandtour]

I would presume it means exactly what it says - for closings on or after 1/1/2026, $500 will have to be paid to transfer the contract. So, if you close before then, I don’t think it would have to be paid.

So does this affect contracts in process--started before the new fee was announced but officially closed after 1/1? That part, if true, seems problematic.

 

[airjay75]

So does this affect contracts in process--started before the new fee was announced but officially closed after 1/1? That part, if true, seems problematic.

All we have so far is the language in the FAQs. If you read the language plainly, if you close 1/1/2026 or later, it has to be paid by someone. Disney isn't a signatory to resale purchase contracts, so I think they are pretty much within their rights to do that if they so choose. And, accordingly, buyers/sellers could see their deals fall apart if one or both of them aren't willing to come up with the $500.

 

[disneylandtour]

All we have so far is the language in the FAQs. If you read the language plainly, if you close 1/1/2026 or later, it has to be paid by someone. Disney isn't a signatory to resale purchase contracts, so I think they are pretty much within their rights to do that if they so choose. And, accordingly, buyers/sellers could see their deals fall apart if one or both of them aren't willing to come up with the $500.

Yes, and that's the problem ahead. Clearly, it's within Disney's purview to do this, but also, they should do it in such a way, leaning toward good will, that doesn't disrupt or end current agreements. The one-month warning probably wasn't a very good path for them to choose. Three months, I think, probably would've been fine.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Yes, and that's the problem ahead. Clearly, it's within Disney's purview to do this, but also, they should do it in such a way, leaning toward good will, that doesn't disrupt or end current agreements. The one-month warning probably wasn't a very good path for them to choose. Three months, I think, probably would've been fine.

The craziest thing is this was an on the down low warning. Who browses the FAQ's daily? If it weren't for social media I bet 10 people would know about this.

 

[mkatsy]

The craziest thing is this was an on the down low warning. Who browses the FAQ's daily? If it weren't for social media I bet 10 people would know about this.

Some of those sales contracts are about to become very important. Specifically about unforeseen expenses. How could anyone attempt to mitigate an expense that was purposefully hidden?

 

[AstroBlasters]

The craziest thing is this was an on the down low warning. Who browses the FAQ's daily? If it weren't for social media I bet 10 people would know about this.

This also only impacts buyers/sellers of resale contracts. It doesn’t impact anyone just holding and using points unless they decide to sell.

 

[disneylandtour]

The craziest thing is this was an on the down low warning. Who browses the FAQ's daily? If it weren't for social media I bet 10 people would know about this.

My guess - it was leaked by DVD to someone to post on socials. I saw it on FB. No one checks that faq daily. But likely DVD didn't want to make an official announcement to draw too much attention to it. Welcome to corporate media at the end of 2025.

 

[Genie+]

It’s possible this fee was set to cover upcoming years, without changes for simplicity’s sake.

On some level I can understand they were absorbing the cost here and now they aren’t.

In the big picture just another clue to the direction DVC is going. They’ve added resale restrictions and blue card. Turned rofr activity down to a drip. Added transfer transaction fee. The path continues to differentiate direct from resale. They seem keen on cutting off anything that supports financially or improves resale. Put all those eggs back in the main basket.

I’d only be surprised if this evolution doesn’t slowly trim how resale points still qualify for perks.

 

[VGCgroupie]

This also only impacts buyers/sellers of resale contracts. It doesn’t impact anyone just holding and using points unless they decide to sell.

Yeah thats why I am kind of aloof about it, it's not impacting me directly right now. If I had signed and was in process Id be pretty mad. But I really do think at minimum an email should have been sent rather than just posting it to the FAQ's.