New to DVC purchase, how to get multiple home resorts

[sndral]

There are 2 ways to buy DVC - direct or resale.
Direct is from Disney, minimum of 150 points for your first contract (at present - in the past minimums have been lower,) quick & easy w/ ability to use points immediately, if you get a use year that has not yet started they’ll give you current years points & bank them for you, you can use your points to book your home resort at 11 months & to book every other DVC resort at 7 months, very expensive.
Resale is usually via a broker, no minimum contract size, there will be a 60+ day wait & DVC has the right to claim your contract & buy it themselves (Right of first refusal - ROFR,) the contract may have banked points or it may not - it might have no current points - it varies based on what the sellers have done w/ their points when they list, you can use your resale contract to book your home resort at 11 months & if you buy anywhere except Riviera you can book all other DVC resorts except Riviera at 7 months. If you buy Riviera resale you can only use those points to book Riviera, generally cheaper than buying direct. You do not get DVC discounts, cannot use resale points for cruises, etc., cannot go to the Epcot DVC lounge or TOTW lounge(?,) or - if it ever comes back - get a DVC discount on an AP purchase.
Note you can bank & borrow, so w/ a 50 point contract you could accumulate 150 points towards a several day stay every 3 years. We’ve owned at 2 resorts for several years & alternate our stays between the two banking the points at the resort we aren’t staying at for the next year’s stay.

 

[sethschroeder]

The main reason why I want multiple home resorts is just that having everything in one resort sounds boring and I know I would hate it.

So you want to split stay every vacation possibly?

The benefit of having everything at one resort is being able to book all together at 11 months.

If you really don't care then just buy SSR points on resale and be done with it.

 

[DisneyandBeerLover]

Hi friends I feel like maybe I need to clarify: I’m looking to have 150 points purchased directly. I don’t want resale initially as I absolutely want a blue card as the benefits are WELL worth it for me and my needs. I understand you have to keep a minimum, I would buy a resale 50 point before selling my previously owned 50 points. I want two resorts because I get bored with places and I know some places aren’t easy to book at unless you own there. If I had 50 at BCV (for example) I would go there every other year. It’s just me and maybe one other person traveling, and we’re very flexible. 50 points is sufficient for our travel needs. 150 points at one place is honestly too much for our travel needs, and I know I’m going to need to rent some of them out or something. So when there was a suggestion to essentially have 100 VGF & 50 Riviera, it’s perfect. It sounds like it’s not possible but that’s okay.

And yes I know you can book at other resorts, but I like booking far ahead of time— more than 7 months out.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

as the benefits are WELL worth it for me and my needs

What benefits? There are very few right now. You cannot buy a new AP and that is really the money benefit. And if 150 is too much for you I don't see the value of an AP.

The other benefits are quite weak.

 

[DisneyandBeerLover]

What benefits? There are very few right now. You cannot buy a new AP and that is really the money benefit. And if 150 is too much for you I don't see the value of an AP.

The other benefits are quite weak.

Idk it’s getting frustrating however every time I say something, it feels like I’m being told that I’m wrong and ridiculous .

I’m looking for help in what suits my needs and wants, not judgment on what my needs and wants are

 

[Shelle88]

I understand you have to keep a minimum, I would buy a resale 50 point before selling my previously owned 50 points.

As soon as you do this you will lose the benefits as you have to keep 150 direct points to qualify.

People are just trying to save you money. If you don't need 150 points as you say and are going to sell 50 soon after buying and lose the benefits then there is absolutely no point paying thousands extra going direct.

The best advice on here is buy where you want to stay. I suggest doing that.

 

[ajksmom]

@DisneyandBeerLover what benefits are worth it to you to have the desire to buy direct for? While I do agree there are few benefits I happen to believe that there are some worthy. But for you what are they?

 

[Her Dotness]

Idk it’s getting frustrating however every time I say something, it feels like I’m being told that I’m wrong and ridiculous .

I’m looking for help in what suits my needs and wants, not judgment on what my needs and wants are

I think as owners we're simply trying to understand why you want to do something that doesn't make sense based on how the blue card works.

Not only does a new buyer need to hold onto those 150 direct points to retain the blue card perks, but you really also need to hang onto them for several years to get value from your buy-in amount.

It simply doesn't compute to me to buy direct at the price you'll pay for direct points, intending shortly thereafter to buy a 50pt resale at another resort and then sell 50 direct points.You're going to incur broker's fees and closing costs doing all that well before realizing much value from the purchase of either.

And, since you don't expect you'll actually need 150 points for how you'll be staying... As I said, I think we're baffled by why you want to buy in at all.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

You came to ask advice but what we are seeing is that we are not sure you understand the product.

 

[Sunnyore]

Like others, I think you are a bit confused on how the direct membership works so they are all trying to just offer advice on rethinking your strategy. If I understand your post correctly, you do want the direct point benefits. I think you do understand you need to buy in at 150 direct points to get said benefits, but I don't think you understand you have to KEEP those 150 direct points to keep the benefits. If you buy resale and sell some of the direct points to keep your total at 150, but you have less than 150 direct points, you won't qualify. Also people are reminding you at such a high direct price, it would never be worth it to sell it so soon when resale prices are 30% cheaper. I hear you about wanting 11 month resort advantages at hard to book resorts. That is why I bought in resale at both BWV and BCV. But I also bought and kept my direct points (I was grandfathered in at 125 points) in order to retain my direct benefits.

If you don't think you need more than 150 points, then I think you need to decide what's more important to you. Direct benefits or having 11 month advantage to different resorts. If benefits are important then your best bet is to buy in at 150 points and definitely choose a resort you would love to stay at. Most people seem to be able to book at other resorts when 7 month opens up with some luck and maybe off season timing.

If resort advantage is more important to you, then consider just buying resale because then you can buy small contracts like me so I have 11 month advantage for both BWV and BCV for those high seasons. You won't qualify for benefits anyway without 150 total direct points so why not save a bit of money and going resale from the start.

I hope this clarifies some of the confusion a bit for you.

 

[Genie+]

You need to maintain owning 150 direct points to continue access to blue card benefits.

There are owners with less points that still have their blue cards but only because they bought before the minimum was increased and were grandfathered to keep their status. If they resell those contracts the new owners do not get those privileges transferred to them.

In the last decade there has been many changes to DVC. At one point even 25 pts resale had the same benefits as direct. After resale was totally taken out of getting blue card privileges, they kept bumping up direct minimum points From 75 to 100, 125 and now 150.

 

[Sandisw]

Idk it’s getting frustrating however every time I say something, it feels like I’m being told that I’m wrong and ridiculous .

I’m looking for help in what suits my needs and wants, not judgment on what my needs and wants are

I can say there is a lot of benefits to using points everywhere which is different then membership extra which is the blue card

While the discounts are not guaranteed, going direct does make you eligible for whatever is there and resale closed the door.

For us, it’s why we do direct and find it’s with the extra. We love RIV and don’t want to be shut out of any future resorts.

We do take advantage of the AP and do when it comes back.I do think it will, we are at least positioned to take advantage of whatever special offers they do!

It’s good to know the pros and cons of resale and direct but in the end, there are some of us who do, like toy, feel direct is the best bang for our buck.

What is most important is you make the decision best for you!

 

[Her Dotness]

I can say there is a lot of benefits to using points everywhere which is different then membership extra which is the blue card

My confusion is why the OP intends to buy direct and then promptly sell a third of the points to buy a small resale at another resort.

Now, if the OP had said they wanted to buy 150 direct for the blue card perks and then add 50pts resale soon thereafter, I'd heartily applaud. Terrific idea when you've enough money to do that.

But, buying in only to sell a portion soon thereafter to fund buying a small resale makes no financial sense at all to me. You're actually losing money at the start by doing that.

For us, it’s why we do direct and find it’s with the extra. We love RIV and don’t want to be shut out of any future resorts.

We bought in at the 100 minimum, adding a 25 direct a couple years later. We'll sell any of the resales before letting that initial direct contract go as long as it's still grandfathered. No question. My Basin White addiction (when DVC discounted) virtually demands it.

Seriously, I can understand merely wanting the discounts and other perks like the new TOTWL special events if that's your bent.

It's an emotional "value" for me. I know I'm not truly saving money buying bunches of Basin White stuff with the discount or getting a discount on my latest Dooney & Bourke. It just feels so satisfyingly indulgent. Yeah, completely irrational.

It’s good to know the pros and cons of resale and direct but in the end, there are some of us who do, like toy, feel direct is the best bang for our buck.

It's a longterm commitment, though, to recoup any meaningful financial value given the additional costs of buying and selling--closing costs, broker's commission, potential changes in your tax status...

Buying more points than you really need, forcing you to rent out those you can't use, simply to get the direct benefits? That's exploding your bucks to start with, IMO.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Hi friends I feel like maybe I need to clarify: I’m looking to have 150 points purchased directly. I don’t want resale initially as I absolutely want a blue card as the benefits are WELL worth it for me and my needs. I understand you have to keep a minimum, I would buy a resale 50 point before selling my previously owned 50 points. I want two resorts because I get bored with places and I know some places aren’t easy to book at unless you own there. If I had 50 at BCV (for example) I would go there every other year. It’s just me and maybe one other person traveling, and we’re very flexible. 50 points is sufficient for our travel needs. 150 points at one place is honestly too much for our travel needs, and I know I’m going to need to rent some of them out or something. So when there was a suggestion to essentially have 100 VGF & 50 Riviera, it’s perfect. It sounds like it’s not possible but that’s okay.

And yes I know you can book at other resorts, but I like booking far ahead of time— more than 7 months out.

No, none of that is how it works.

If you buy a 150 point contract, you have a single 150 point contract. You can't sell 50 or any other number of those points. You can sell 150.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Idk it’s getting frustrating however every time I say something, it feels like I’m being told that I’m wrong and ridiculous.

What you're proposing is impossible. You CANNOT buy a 150 point Direct contract and then sell 50 of the points. It can't be done. You're being told you're wrong because you're wrong.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

If you buy resale and sell some of the direct points to keep your total at 150, but you have less than 150 direct points, you won't qualify.

Comments like this are causing more confusion than they are helping. She CANNOT "sell  some" of her direct points. She can sell them all, or sell none.

 

[Her Dotness]

If I had 50 at BCV (for example) I would go there every other year. It’s just me and maybe one other person traveling, and we’re very flexible. 50 points is sufficient for our travel needs.

Clarification needed: You're going to bank these 50 BCV points and go only every other year?

Because you'll lose those 50 points if you don't use any during a given use year and don't bank them.

Also, you'll be staying for a week in September, because that's the only point in the year that you can stay in a BCV studio for a week with 100 points. Every other point in the year requires more than 100 points.

150 points at one place is honestly too much for our travel needs, and I know I’m going to need to rent some of them out or something. So when there was a suggestion to essentially have 100 VGF & 50 Riviera, it’s perfect.

Yeah, I'm agreeing with CaptainAmerica. You really don't understand how DVC works.

 

[Genie+]

Comments like this are causing more confusion than they are helping. She CANNOT "sell  some" of her direct points. She can sell them all, or sell none.

I think the idea was buy a mix of direct, like 100 at GF and 50 at RIV.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I think the idea was buy a mix of direct, like 100 at GF and 50 at RIV.

That is not possible. Minimum initial purchase is 150.

 

[Genie+]

That is not possible. Minimum initial purchase is 150.

Could it be done after a small resale contract purchase?

It would mess up savings from incentives too, right?