Opinions! Does It Still Make Sense To Buy? (Resale)

[_auroraborealis_]

So, the reason I say that over time, BWV/BCV will be harder even in a 1BR is because as more people buy-to-stay-there, studios will become even harder, and as they become harder, people will probably shorten stays and size up.

 

[sanfrandizneefan]

My husband and I fully intended to buy DVC in the next year or two. Now we're really struggling with the new resale rule of not being able to book into the new Resorts. Maybe we'd never WANT to stay at the new Resorts, but it also brings down the value if we ever wanted to sell ourselves. Throw in the fact that some of the contracts will begin expiring in just over 20 years and booking at 7 months out is getting harder at anything but you're home Resort and I seriously wonder...

Will we continue to go to Disney? 100% yes, but perhaps it's better to just rent?? Thoughts?

I have the same considerations...also factoring in how they are making resale less attractive and easy (I am currently coming up on day 40 waiting for ROFR on a resale offer)...which devalues the direct purchase, too, in my view. I'm considering just renting when I want to go as well rather than commit since the variables seem to be shifting.

 

[Great3]

But if it comes down to not being able to buy at all or buying somewhere more affordable, THEN what? AK is nearly half the price resale as beach club and has a longer deed...

If it comes down to this, personally I am more financially motivated, and would just get AK at the lower price, instead of not at all. Again, this depends on if AK is good enough for you. It is for me. As Cyberc1978 said, if that will bother you, to have to always stay at AK, and not get a chance at BCV or BWV than yes, buy there. Otherwise, I would just buy AK, and start enjoying DVC sooner. Lucky for me, my desired resort is Aulani, which happen to have comparatively lower buy-in cost, and the subsidized due make it the most ideal to own (again, this only makes sense to me, since I got to Hawaii every years anyways once I learned about timesharing in 2015). Going to WDW will just be a bonus, a nice side effect for me of purchasing Aulani

Great3

 

[Carolynleanne]

If it comes down to this, personally I am more financially motivated, and would just get AK at the lower price, instead of not at all. Again, this depends on if AK is good enough for you. It is for me. As Cyberc1978 said, if that will bother you, to have to always stay at AK, and not get a chance at BCV or BWV than yes, buy there. Otherwise, I would just buy AK, and start enjoying DVC sooner. Lucky for me, my desired resort is Aulani, which happen to have comparatively lower buy-in cost, and the subsidized due make it the most ideal to own (again, this only makes sense to me, since I got to Hawaii every years anyways once I learned about timesharing in 2015). Going to WDW will just be a bonus, a nice side effect for me of purchasing Aulani

Great3

I considered Aulani as were west coasters!

 

[Great3]

I considered Aulani as were west coasters!

Well, the points requirements are high there. I don't know about the size of your family, and or long you like to vacation for, but I am mainly looking 2-4 nights in a studio to supplement my stay in Hawaii with all the other timeshares I own that allows me to stay in Hawaii. I think Aulani is cost prohibitive for many, but I look at it as points are points, just like how most people look at SSR, and Aulani subsidized is the most economical DVC resort to own if you can get your hands on one.

Although I like WDW, for me at least, I don't plan no going every year there, that's is like a once every 3-5 years kind of thing for me, but at least the points will go a lot further in WDW DVC resorts than Aulani. I understand I probably won't get a studio at the 7 months mark, but because point requirements are lower, I don't mind getting 1 bedroom unit at any DVC resort. I figured worse come to worse, I should be able to get some kind of unit at SSR when I want to go to WDW. Although I would like to try them all, especially BCV or BWV, I know the game I am playing, the risk I am taking with not owning at those desirable DVC resorts, so I don't get disappointed when things don't work out they way I want, I just take what I can get.

Great3

 

[ColinA]

I would wait until after your next stay at BWV before buying. Also gives you a chance to have a look at other resorts.

 

[Carolynleanne]

I would wait until after your next stay at BWV before buying. Also gives you a chance to have a look at other resorts.

Thanks, friend! Definitely planning to do some exploring of other Resorts while there to get a better feel. Not sure if it’s worth taking the tour again knowing we won’t buy direct?

 

[TexasChick123]

We did off-site ONCE at WDW. Never again. It completely ruined the experience for us. If I'm staying off-site it's because I'm not going to Disney and exploring other areas of Florida. But I'd still rather stay on-site and explore other areas of Florida

If you make it down to FL for a non-WDW trip, there are so many places I’d rather stay than Orlando. We have been traveling to FL since I was a baby.

I’d go for one of the cheaper resorts if you don’t mind staying there. Also, take a good, long hard look at MF’s. The buy-in may be cheaper, but the yearly MF’s are bulk of the real cost of owning any timeshare over time.

 

[Carolynleanne]

If you make it down to FL for a non-WDW trip, there are so many places I’d rather stay than Orlando. We have been traveling to FL since I was a baby.

I’d go for one of the cheaper resorts if you don’t mind staying there. Also, take a good, long hard look at MF’s. The buy-in may be cheaper, but the yearly MF’s are bulk of the real cost of owning any timeshare over time.

Thanks! Yes, definitely have calculated all the fees involved!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks, friend! Definitely planning to do some exploring of other Resorts while there to get a better feel. Not sure if it’s worth taking the tour again knowing we won’t buy direct?

I wouldn't bother with the tour because they will show you Riviera model rooms and also have a CCV room and you still don't get a feel for the resort.

 

[Carolynleanne]

I wouldn't bother with the tour because they will show you Riviera model rooms and also have a CCV room and you still don't get a feel for the resort.

We've down the tour before. I don't care about the room tours as we've stayed at DVC's before. More so I'd love to drill them on some questions about how ownership has changes

 

[stewart715]

So, the reason I say that over time, BWV/BCV will be harder even in a 1BR is because as more people buy-to-stay-there, studios will become even harder, and as they become harder, people will probably shorten stays and size up.

BCV/BWV have been sold out for 20 years. There are no "new" buyers. Any new members means another member has left. And very few members at these resorts didn't buy to stay there (not like SSR/OKW). Most, if not all, members book their home resort anyways at 11 months. Booking at 11 months at BWV/BCV is and has been as hard as it's going get for some time now (and it's really not hard).

 

[stewart715]

To answer OP's question - yes it is still absolutely worth it, especially buying resale. The new resort restrictions will have little to no impact on the value of the O14 resorts. Think about it this way - the O14 resorts have been selling for this price for some time now...the addition of a new resort that they cannot trade into does not change that; you are still buying the same product and can still trade into O14. So the price is still good. 2042 is also still a long way off...

The renting vs. own argument is also an interesting one (as if renting was a picnic in the park). There are far more renters out there than rentable DVC points. Especially at the top resorts (BCV/BWV/BLT/VGF/PVB), you may have trouble finding points for your dates and room types. You have no flexibility to add on additional nights easily, move dates, cancel, etc. Because of this, for me, renting was never an option. The option was - pay Disney cash rack rates or buy DVC.

Finally, when you buy DVC, you absolutely should buy where you want to state - regardless of deed expiration dates. Consider this: once you join DVC, you will almost never even consider paying cash for a WDW again. You will have invested a lot of money into a timeshare and will want to stay on points every single time. Do you really want to invest all this money to be staying somewhere you're not completely happy with? And the 11 month window is so important, now more than ever.

 

[crisi]

But if it comes down to not being able to buy at all or buying somewhere more affordable, THEN what? AK is nearly half the price resale as beach club and has a longer deed...

My opinion isn't popular, but my own take is that DVC is a luxury purchase, even at the bottom price point of the resale ladder. If its VAKL because you can't afford the differential between that and BCV, don't buy, you can't afford it. There is too much financial risk, you have too much capital tied up. Try to rent points - although that isn't always going to work as contracts tend to be bought by people who want to use their own points at that resort and there are fewer people who won't be using their points this year than people who want to rent at BCV.

Over twenty years a lot can change - with Disney, with you, with the external world. Disney could become less attractive as a destination - maybe too crowded, maybe your favorite attractions close, maybe not enough money is put in to keep it up (with the changes to food and the lack of good dining at Disney over our ownership - we spend less time there). And your lives will change. There may be job changes, and changes to your family. Changes to your health. Changes to your interests. Changes to your financial situation. The external world could change - Disney could become a prime terrorist target. The economy could enter a multi year recession. Climate change could hit Florida hard - with massive hurricanes and storms. You need to be able to afford the risks of those changes when you buy.

 

[Carolynleanne]

My opinion isn't popular, but my own take is that DVC is a luxury purchase, even at the bottom price point of the resale ladder. If its VAKL because you can't afford the differential between that and BCV, don't buy, you can't afford it. There is too much financial risk, you have too much capital tied up. Try to rent points - although that isn't always going to work as contracts tend to be bought by people who want to use their own points at that resort and there are fewer people who won't be using their points this year than people who want to rent at BCV.

Over twenty years a lot can change - with Disney, with you, with the external world. Disney could become less attractive as a destination - maybe too crowded, maybe your favorite attractions close, maybe not enough money is put in to keep it up (with the changes to food and the lack of good dining at Disney over our ownership - we spend less time there). And your lives will change. There may be job changes, and changes to your family. Changes to your health. Changes to your interests. Changes to your financial situation. The external world could change - Disney could become a prime terrorist target. The economy could enter a multi year recession. Climate change could hit Florida hard - with massive hurricanes and storms. You need to be able to afford the risks of those changes when you buy.

You make a fair point. I guess I shouldn't have said we couldn't 'afford' that BCV contract. We could. But we can't stomach spending that kind of MONEY on it. We live in Vancouver, Canada, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world. We do Disney every OTHER year and use the alternate to travel elsewhere. We dont want $30,000 tied up there, but we'd be fine with $20,000.

 

[stewart715]

But if it comes down to not being able to buy at all or buying somewhere more affordable, THEN what? AK is nearly half the price resale as beach club and has a longer deed...

You can't really compare prices/deed expiration dates. That is factored in to the market price already. If resort A has a price of $150 per point with 50 years remaining and resort B has a price of $150 per point with 25 years remaining, that simply means that resort B is valued twice as more valuable than resort A. If BCV/BWV were completely resold today for 50 years, it would sell easily on resale for over $200 per point.

 

[Wakey]

You can't really compare prices/deed expiration dates. That is factored in to the market price already. If resort A has a price of $150 per point with 50 years remaining and resort B has a price of $150 per point with 25 years remaining, that simply means that resort B is valued twice as more valuable than resort A. If BCV/BWV were completely resold today for 50 years, it would sell easily on resale for over $200 per point.

That’s very optimistic!

Edit as I clicked reply you changed it from 250 to 200, optimistic now, maybe not very so much.

 

[stewart715]

That’s very optimistic!

Edit as I clicked reply you changed it from 250 to 200, optimistic now, maybe not very so much.

Sure, and obviously would depend on size of contract. But my point is, if you polled this forum if they would purchase Beach Club Villas right now for $200 per point with an expiration of 2069, it would be nearly a unanimous yes. There's 23 years left and they are still going for sometimes $180 per point for small contracts.

Edit: haha yeah, I realized 250 was a bit overzealous.

 

[crisi]

Which brings the question to "Is it worth $10k to be assured that you stay where you WANT to stay rather than where you won't mind staying" $10k over 20 years to stay where you want to stay - say if you take annual week long vacations and ignoring the time value of money - is only $500 a trip. Less than $100 a night. Would you pay $100 a night to stay in the Epcot area. (And yeah, that isn't even napkin math....)

I don't worry about 20 years out when the contracts expire. My crystal ball isn't great for next week, and gets really foggy when we talk decades. In twenty years, will you even want to go to Disney?

Make sure to stay at VAKL before you make any decisions - add a night for your next trip if possible. I've stayed out there and enjoyed it. But home is Boardwalk and I'm REALLY glad I own that contract - yes its worth $100 a night to me to stay there and not at VAKL unless I want VAKL for that trip (we did it with a six year old - perfect place for the friends we brought). VAKL is easy to get into. Boardwalk is where we want to be for the majority of our vacations. (And I like it better than BCV for all the reasons mentioned above. We did one BCV stay when the kids were SAB age - and never again).

 

[Brett Wyman]

You make a fair point. I guess I shouldn't have said we couldn't 'afford' that BCV contract. We could. But we can't stomach spending that kind of MONEY on it. We live in Vancouver, Canada, which is one of the most expensive cities in the world. We do Disney every OTHER year and use the alternate to travel elsewhere. We dont want $30,000 tied up there, but we'd be fine with $20,000.

We are in a very similar boat as you. We looking to buy in next 1-2 years. For us we are looking at around 165 points so we can stay studio 7 nights a year, adventure and choice seasons. The gives us a coast of roughly (17k Ak or 21k Poly) resale or 32k direct for CCV/Riviera. That's a BIG money jump. Its 40% off to buy resale for our choices. Plus it can easily be argued that Poly as more perks than CCV or Riviera while AK is nearly 50% off. I have a feeling when all is said and done we will forfeit the membership perks and availability to book into the new resorts. If we simply must stay at a new resort we can always rent points.