NEW VGF Building

[tidefan]

but skyliner >>> monorail.

Not sure about that. We stayed at RIV last Thanksgiving and had to wait forever in the morning to get to Epcot. It may have been the COVID restrictions, but it was taking forever as every car that arrived from CBR was already taken and they wouldn’t load more on. The line was crazy backed up and we waited almost 45 minutes before we could board.

 

[Paul Stupin]

That's because until recently the sales guides could offer far more benefits from buying direct than they can now.

Buy direct and you can book at our new resorts coming online soon or in the future. Well you'd have to be living under a rock as a DVC buyer not to know that prospect is likely dead in the water for a long, long, time.

Buy direct and you'll get a nice fat discount on your Annual Pass. Dead.

Buy direct and you'll get nice merch discounts if you happen to be in the parks on the fifth Tuesday of the month between this time and this time. Disney: the masters of LOOKING like they're giving the members something when in reality they're giving almost nothing (unless you're lucky).

And the big one: buy direct and you're buying from DISNEY - the "gold standard" - you're REALLY in the club now and get the blue card. If the pandemic has done one good thing - it is my hope that this illusion has been forever shattered. Yet judging by some of the comments on this board, there appears to be more than a few cases of confirmation bias regarding direct purchase. However, on the flip side, I have read a number of threads where there is plenty of acknowledgement that direct purchase ain't what it used to be - and there's far more value in resale.

My point is: DVC buyers are not stupid. You gotta offer something to get most buyers to shell out an extra $75 a point - and they don't have a lot to offer right now over resale.

We are relatively new direct owners at RIV (we also own a resale contract from earlier). Other than being able to book at the 11 month mark for the resort we own at (which is a bit crazy calling this a benefit) - I have been mightily struggling to name one benefit received by buying direct from Disney. No annual passes for newbies - so no DVC discount on AP's. For our upcoming June trip, had to pay for individual tickets, and the 4+2 discount we did receive EVERYONE received. For the dining reservations we have booked, I've been praying there's one that ONLY offers DVC discounts (to make me feel better about my purchase) - but a quick look thru our reservations shows we'll get the same discounts with our Disney Visa. Transportation to and from airport: all resort guests get it (until none of us get it next year). Merch discounts: again our Disney Visa card appears to give the same benefit. Go to Top of the World Lounge? Nope, closed. Some special care or concern from DVC about the AP issue? Nope, pretty much got ignored and peed on.

What benefit did we get from becoming a direct DVC owner? None. We'd been better off buying a BLT resale at about $40 a point cheaper and spending the savings on a new car.

One of the reasons I hang around these boards is to keep singing this song - although there's no need for most buyers - as I said, they're not dumb (but they do have different choke points).

I own quite a few resale contracts, the savings as well all know are phenomenal, but recently I’ve also bought direct. And, contrary to your viewpoint, there are concrete benefits.
1. The resale process can drag on forever, and buying direct offers instant gratification. My March UY is hard to find, and with resale availability currently so limited, for some resorts its the only option if you want to add on. Sure, you can stalk all the resale sites every day for months to eventually find what you want, but not everyone wants to go through the effort.
2. Down the line it’s nice to know your points can be used to book new DVC Resorts. You won’t be shut out of the newest and nicest.
3. You also won’t be shut out of the O14 resorts after they expire in 2042 and are refurbed and resold. And 2042 isn’t that far away.
4. Though it’s value is indeed kinda dubious, I still like having the blue card. Moonlight Magic is fun, the AP discounts are pretty good, and I don’t believe either are gone forever. I’m fully aware that these perks are pretty small, and more emotion than logic based, maybe even a bit irrational. But so what!

 

[sssteele]

Ugh no 1 bedrooms. Quick flip like the Poly rooms.

People want studios.

 

[Brett Wyman]

People want studios.

Not us.

 

[klcts]

I think is a great business decision for disney. I believe it will sell out within a year if they price it that same amount as RIV. Guess time will tell. With all that said, I really wanted to see them build reflections. Maybe one day....

 

[Nabas]

We recently stayed in a VGF Studio in May for the second time in 3 years and greatly enjoyed it!

We're thinking of buying a small (80 or 100 points) contract to be able to consistently book a 4 or 5 night stay in May at VGF. (Our current DVC contracts are elsewhere.)

We are debating whether to buy direct or resale.

We already have 2 blue card memberships so no advantage there. And we can book the Riviera using our existing contracts so no advantage there as well.

Haven't decided between 80 or 100 points. This really depends on whether we decide we want our May trip to be 4 or 5 nights. (We usually stay at a DVC resort 5 or 6 times a year. Shorter stays work well for us since we have Annual Passes and usually are ready to go home after 4 nights. Still, for our most recent VGF stay, we would have remained a fifth night if we could have.)

For these smaller contracts, resale seems to be selling for around $190 per point with about $600 more in closing costs.

I'm guessing VGF2 direct will go for somewhere between the RIV current $201 and the VGF's $255 direct. (I wish they would announce a price.)

If we assume 80 points, we're taking about a difference of $880 to $5200.

If we assume 100 points, we're talking about a difference of $1100 to $6500.

The price difference might be very small. Conversely, we see this exclusively as our "May VGF" DVC stay, and we have plenty of points to book elsewhere.

Any thoughts on which way we should go?

 

[CastAStone]

I suppose by this logic, Pop is deluxe in location as well? Pre-Covid, I expected Skyliner expansion to Coronado/Blizzard Beach next, along the lines of your thinking. The skyliner certainly allows huge, far-flung resorts in cheap locations, which is why I expect Coronado 2 to be a possibility for the next big build.

Skyliner 2.0 buzz has picked up among “people who know things” but so far it doesn’t sound like Disney has landed on the exact plan.

 

[CastAStone]

Skyliner vs Monorail:
To/from Epcot: Skyliner (specifically from Riviera) is better midday when you can just walk on and is always better that transferring monorails from VGF and BLT. At park close, the wait/walk to the Poly from the TTC is probably faster than waiting for a Skyliner...if you’re already at the front of Epcot, which you probably aren’t. Hard not to give this to the Skyliner.

To/from the other park it connects to (MK for Monorail, DHS for Skyliner): Skyliner is clearly superior midday, when you can just hop on with no waiting for a train to arrive. OTOH Monorail’s hourly capacity in the morning/at close is significantly higher and you’re not fighting with guests from 3 gigantic resorts. Also you can take the boat. Also you can walk. So here overall I think the monorail is better.

So, take your pick. Do you prefer easy access to Epcot or MK? What resort do you prefer? Do you get to the parks early, which negates some of the Skyliner’s advantages? Or are you leisurely strolling to the parks midday?

There’s definitely no one size fits all solution

 

[DVCsloth]

Not seeing ths as being anything positive for current VGF owners except maybe a somewhat better chance for hard to book dates and staying a little closer to the main building and transportation?

 

[Nabas]

Not seeing this as being anything positive for current VGF owners except maybe a somewhat better chance for hard to book dates and staying a little closer to the main building and transportation?

The advantage of the current VGF is that you can drive up and drop off or pick up your luggage, and then easily bring it to your room. Also, the VGF parking lot seems a bit closer. Also a covered walkway to the main building & Monorail.

I'm going to use Bell Services a lot more at the new VGF building.

And I'm going to dislike the new VGF building when I'm trying to get back to the room in a rain shower.

 

[Bjaiken77]

Skyliner 2.0 buzz has picked up among “people who know things” but so far it doesn’t sound like Disney has landed on the exact plan.

I’ve heard ideas are Disney Springs or Animal Kingdom, with Disney Springs being slightly more plausible. DS would give a jump to SSR and OKW desirability; and AKL would probably go through the roof. The only complaint I ever hear about AKL is transportation, so if that goes away, look out! Plus, all low point charts at all these resorts.

 

[Bjaiken77]

Skyliner vs Monorail:
To/from Epcot: Skyliner (specifically from Riviera) is better midday when you can just walk on and is always better that transferring monorails from VGF and BLT. At park close, the wait/walk to the Poly from the TTC is probably faster than waiting for a Skyliner...if you’re already at the front of Epcot, which you probably aren’t. Hard not to give this to the Skyliner.

To/from the other park it connects to (MK for Monorail, DHS for Skyliner): Skyliner is clearly superior midday, when you can just hop on with no waiting for a train to arrive. OTOH Monorail’s hourly capacity in the morning/at close is significantly higher and you’re not fighting with guests from 3 gigantic resorts. Also you can take the boat. Also you can walk. So here overall I think the monorail is better.

So, take your pick. Do you prefer easy access to Epcot or MK? What resort do you prefer? Do you get to the parks early, which negates some of the Skyliner’s advantages? Or are you leisurely strolling to the parks midday?

There’s definitely no one size fits all solution

Great post. There are advantages to both, so pick what you like and understand it may not be the same for others. Ideally, grab a skyliner resort AND a monorail resort.

 

[Marionnette]

The advantage of the current VGF is that you can drive up and drop off or pick up your luggage, and then easily bring it to your room. Also, the VGF parking lot seems a bit closer. Also a covered walkway to the main building & Monorail.

I'm going to use Bell Services a lot more at the new VGF building.

And I'm going to dislike the new VGF building when I'm trying to get back to the room in a rain shower.

Those are the existing advantages to VGF1. I wonder what benefit, if any, this VGF2 brings to those who already own at VGF?

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Someone mentioned it’s grayed out on the website? I have not looked yet.

ETA. It is no longer there for me when I go to the add on tool. I have a feeling you can no longer add on.

Wow, I guess I got in under the wire. What then does this exactly mean?

 

[Marionnette]

I’ve heard ideas are Disney Springs or Animal Kingdom, with Disney Springs being slightly more plausible. DS would give a jump to SSR and OKW desirability; and AKL would probably go through the roof. The only complaint I ever hear about AKL is transportation, so if that goes away, look out! Plus, all low point charts at all these resorts.

One negative to a DS Skyliner is that it will encourage offsite guests to park at DS for free and then take fast, convenient transportation to the theme parks. Disney is not going to leave money on the table. The DS merchants and restaurants would either have to pony up or else the parking garages will no longer remain free.

 

[Bjaiken77]

Those are the existing advantages to VGF1. I wonder what benefit, if any, this VGF2 brings to those who already own at VGF?

The ability to sleep 5 in a studio may appeal to some current VGF owners.

 

[CarolMN]

It's fun to speculate and plan for a purchase. I did it for Riviera and decided no when I saw the points charts, dues and resale restriction. I'm now wanting to purchase VGF, LOL. But I know I have to wait to see the point charts - if for no other reason than to determine the size of the contract I'll need. I'm not too worried about dues or resale restriction for VGF, but I do expect to see a separate booking category & point chart for the new Big Pine studios. Hoping they won't be too much more expensive than the current studios. I am so spoiled by the BWV standard view point charts and find it difficult to spend a lot more to stay elsewhere, but I'm willing to splurge a bit to stay at the VGF.

 

[Bjaiken77]

One negative to a DS Skyliner is that it will encourage offsite guests to park at DS for free and then take fast, convenient transportation to the theme parks. Disney is not going to leave money on the table. The DS merchants and restaurants would either have to pony up or else the parking garages will no longer remain free.

True, but couldn’t you also argue that it’ll make it easier, and therefore more likely, for resort guests to get out to DS and spend money?

 

[JETSDAD]

The ability to sleep 5 in a studio may appeal to some current VGF owners.

You can sleep 5 in the current VGF studios.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

Those are the existing advantages to VGF1. I wonder what benefit, if any, this VGF2 brings to those who already own at VGF?

I think the biggest benefit for existing owners is that it will be easier to book a studio in the peak periods like December or Food and Wine.