Our DVC resale adventure!

[burton178]

Hey folks! I joined on here last Spring as I was planning a Disney vacation for my family.* I read somewhere about renting points from DVC members and asked some pretty "newb"-ish questions.* I almost went that direction but it turned out some friends gifted us their MarriottVC week at the Imperial Palms right near the "World Center." (It was a very nice and comfortable stay!).

I'll avoid making this a full "trip report" but my DW and two DSs (almost 4... and 2 yr old) had a magical time.* We had both sets of Grandparents along which had it's ups and downs... but mostly good stuff.* We were there for 7 nights, Oct 5-12 and got to experience MNSSHP on Columbus Day (which I found to be rather crowded).* I have been to Disney once every 7-8 years in my life (now 30) and have always been in love with the Magic. I'm in music and theater professionally and i think that mindset allows me to just immerse myself.* My DW isn't as much a "child at heart" but even she walked away from this trip knowing we had to bring the family back soon and often.

One of my best buddies is a DVC member and the more we talk about it, I just can't stop thinking about the possibilities(obsessive personality!). I think, probably like many DVC owners, my first thought isn't about "saving money" through dvc but more about creating the true dream vacations that would never happen for us just booking straight through Disney.

I think I've finally gotten DW on board with looking for a DVC resale... I'll keep updating this thread as our journey moves forward!

Next post: my initial thoughts and plans in starting toward a DVC purchase.

 

[burton178]

So, I consider myself to be a meticulous researcher and I've spent quite a few hours (days? Haha) this month learning all about DVC resales and just DVC in general. I'm familiar with all the resorts, "home resort" and the booking windows, point banking/borrowing, restrictions on resale owners enacted in 2011.... MF/dues... Closing costs, rofr.... I'm sure something is slipping my mind, but mainly I'm trying to show how much I've already thought this through
Having said that, part of what I'd love to hear about is advice on anything I seem to be missing or common missteps by resale buyers.

I will say that price is a bit of an issue so not every resort is available to us... Which is fine. We are more than happy to buy at SSR and 2054 seems like a reasonable end date for the contract. But we are open to any possibilities at the moment.

I've looked over the rofr thread and it seems some contracts can possibly be had in the mid to low 50's. One of my biggest questions, in fact, is where people are finding the contracts to submit a bid on... I've been on the three or four websites that list them... Are those the main source?

More questions and updates to come!!!
Thanks in advance for the help!!

 

[disneynutz]

Disney offers the DVC for one reason only, to make money. They make huge profit by selling contracts but they make even more by locking you into yearly DVC vacations.

If you would normally vacation at Disney every year or two and you normally stay in a deluxe resort then you can save money as a DVC owner. I get the feeling that many modify their vacation habits to justify their ownership, I know that we did.

Bill

 

[burton178]

Yup! I've thought through that quite a bit! In fact, that was precisely my point... I think the "modifying our vacation habits" would be in the "pros" column for us

 

[disneynutz]

Yup! I've thought through that quite a bit! In fact, that was precisely my point... I think the "modifying our vacation habits" would be in the "pros" column for us

If you have the bucks great!

Our Disney vacations cost us around $2-$3 thousand per vacation not including the cost of the DVC purchase and those costs increase each year. We feel currently that the money is worth it but we have reduced our "hay we're on vacation, lets blow some money" spending.

Bill

 

[333disneymom]

I will say that price is a bit of an issue so not every resort is available to us... Which is fine. We are more than happy to buy at SSR and 2054 seems like a reasonable end date for the contract. But we are open to any possibilities at the moment.

I've looked over the rofr thread and it seems some contracts can possibly be had in the mid to low 50's. One of my biggest questions, in fact, is where people are finding the contracts to submit a bid on... I've been on the three or four websites that list them... Are those the main source?

More questions and updates to come!!!
Thanks in advance for the help!!

If you have patience, you should be able to find a contract in the 50's. We just closed today on an SSR contract with full points for $50 per point. Use the info. on the ROFR board to give you an idea of what each resort is going for through resale. There are four popular websites, with TSS and Fidelity being the two most mentioned. Remember, the numbers you see on the sites are listing prices. Everything is negotiable. You can contact several sites and ask to be put on their email list. With Fidelity, you have to check the listings on the site regularly.

 

[burton178]

Thank you! Very helpful!

 

[ToddyLu]

Good for you in doing your homework..so many don't. We stayed at Values before buying DVC. We knew we loved our annual Disney trips and would be going yearly. We purchased our points direct and financed them through Disney. While that is not a popular way to go, it has worked out great for us and we have enjoyed 5 trips with one next week. DVC is one of the only ways a nurse and fireman can afford to stay in Deluxe accomodations yearly (once or twice a year actually) at WDW. I mean, it is a world famous resort destination and we own at a resort where a giraffe walks by my balcony. It is worth every single penny to DH and I.

 

[spencerbomar]

DVC is best value there is

 

[burton178]

Thanks, toddy and spencer.

Toddy... Your post really hit home with me. We are not a affluent family but DVC will give us the opportunity you mentioned... And I have a feeling we'll feel the same way about the results!

 

[zavandor]

I've looked over the rofr thread and it seems some contracts can possibly be had in the mid to low 50's. One of my biggest questions, in fact, is where people are finding the contracts to submit a bid on... I've been on the three or four websites that list them... Are those the main source?

I've noticed that in the past months prices for SSR (and most of the resorts) went up a bit.

I bought a 65 points loaded contract for SSR and paid 50$ per point last February, while a similar 50 points contract was just sold for 68$ per point (I know because I offered lowed price and didn't get it ).

Someone said that prices go down late in the year, when the dues statements arrive and people want to sell before having to pay. I'll wait and see.

 

[Husurdady]

I've noticed that in the past months prices for SSR (and most of the resorts) went up a bit.

I bought a 65 points loaded contract for SSR and paid 50$ per point last February, while a similar 50 points contract was just sold for 68$ per point (I know because I offered lowed price and didn't get it ).

Someone said that prices go down late in the year, when the dues statements arrive and people want to sell before having to pay. I'll wait and see.

I don't know about that....I don't think I would wait......I just saw on the "other resale"web site where a 50 point contract at OKW just sold for $74.00. I think the prices are going back up again.

 

[disneynutz]

I don't know about that....I don't think I would wait......I just saw on the "other resale"web site where a 50 point contract at OKW just sold for $74.00. I think the prices are going back up again.

You are probably correct, we just sold several contracts.

I tend to buy high and sell low.

Bill

 

[Husurdady]

You are probably correct, we just sold several contracts.

I tend to buy high and sell low.

Bill

Hi BILL,
By chance....did you sell that one? I see where there are two more contracts there at that price.....$74.00.

 

[xbrentx]

I spoke with a DVC sales agent last week, prices for direct are going up in the 3rd week of December.

 

[dvcterry]

I spoke with a DVC sales agent last week, prices for direct are going up in the 3rd week of December.

I believe December 15th is the date.

 

[moreisgood]

Just wondering what happened.