Poll: In making a purchase decision, which of the following are your top three considerations?

[aka Charles]

So far Price is getting the most votes.
Understandable, and I agree.
I think just as important as price, but separate, is Annual Dues.

If we look at just the current direct offerings, Aulani, RIV, VGF, and compare annual dues...
Aulani = $8.67/point
RIV = $8.38/point
VGF = $7.01/point

For a 300 point contract, RIV and Aulani will cost $400-$500 more in annual dues Every Single Year over VGF.
To me, that's a lot of money that could be better used for park tickets, meals, and travel expenses each and every year.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I think just as important as price, but separate, is Annual Dues.

No argument from me. Annual Dues is a great candidate for the Other category.

Some folks may also be willing to pay a little extra on dues if they get a better underlying price on one resort over another for their points.

 

[kmedina]

Resale restrictions was my number one choice. It's the reason that we didn't add on at RIV and ended up buying 150 BWV points instead.

Location was second. It's why we own at BWV, VGF and Poly.

Deed expiration was third but not because we necessarily want a long contract. We purchased those 150 BWV resale points in spite of resale restrictions because it IS a 2042 resort. It will be good for stays at any of the O14 until it expires. After that, who cares? Our kids will be in their 50's and will be more worried about college for the kids and retirement funding. They may not want to inherit a timeshare that expires in 2070.

These are my top 3, but in a different order.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I'm surprised at how many people prioritize location. Unless you spend a huge percentage of your time at a single park, nothing is especially far from everything else.

I narrowed it down like this:

Eliminate 2042. I don't care about deed expiration beyond this.
Eliminate BLT, VGF, and RIV on theme
Eliminate PVB and CCV on price

That leaves AKV, SSR, and OKWe. I would also consider Aulani subsidized, and I'll probably consider PVB2 if we see similar incentives as VGF2.

 

[bwvBound]

I thought it might be interesting, and debate-worthy, over which are the most important variables in making a purchase decision.

I said Price, Deed Expiration and Resale Point Restrictions.

Seems the resort itself is of no consideration to me as a purchase consideration. But for booking? That is a different story: location is king.

 

[Hoppy-tn]

In this order
location
transportation
price

 

[Sandisw]

So far Price is getting the most votes.
Understandable, and I agree.
I think just as important as price, but separate, is Annual Dues.

If we look at just the current direct offerings, Aulani, RIV, VGF, and compare annual dues...
Aulani = $8.67/point
RIV = $8.38/point
VGF = $7.01/point

For a 300 point contract, RIV and Aulani will cost $400-$500 more in annual dues Every Single Year over VGF.
To me, that's a lot of money that could be better used for park tickets, meals, and travel expenses each and every year.

It is definitely an aspect people need to consider when deciding, especially if they don’t have a favorite above all else!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So far Price is getting the most votes.
Understandable, and I agree.
I think just as important as price, but separate, is Annual Dues.

If we look at just the current direct offerings, Aulani, RIV, VGF, and compare annual dues...
Aulani = $8.67/point
RIV = $8.38/point
VGF = $7.01/point

For a 300 point contract, RIV and Aulani will cost $400-$500 more in annual dues Every Single Year over VGF.
To me, that's a lot of money that could be better used for park tickets, meals, and travel expenses each and every year.

I couldn't disagree more.

Owners are much more likely to have 150 point contracts than 300 point contracts, so let's start there. Now the difference is $250. Compared to the $30,000 buy-in price, $250 to get what you really want is nothing. An extra $250 in your pocket isn't going to offer you any solace when you try to book an Aulani Standard View Studio for June at 7 months.

I agree that dues are a consideration for sleep-around points, but I think they're completely negligible for people who "buy where they want to stay."

 

[aka Charles]

I couldn't disagree more.

Owners are much more likely to have 150 point contracts than 300 point contracts, so let's start there. Now the difference is $250. Compared to the $30,000 buy-in price, $250 to get what you really want is nothing. An extra $250 in your pocket isn't going to offer you any solace when you try to book an Aulani Standard View Studio for June at 7 months.

I agree that dues are a consideration for sleep-around points, but I think they're completely negligible for people who "buy where they want to stay."

I used 300 points as an average amount needed for a one week stay in a 1-bdrm at any of these three resorts.
I know it may take a little more or less, but its a nice round number.
That being said, even at the $250 that you state, it comes to over $10,000 extra being paid to annual dues over the remaining life of the contract.
For me, $10,000 is a lot of money.
For some, an extra $250 here or there may not be a big deal, but I try to look at the full picture when I can.
And Disney already nickel and dimes us enough.

 

[Sandisw]

I used 300 points as an average amount needed for a one week stay in a 1-bdrm at any of these three resorts.
I know it may take a little more or less, but its a nice round number.
That being said, even at the $250 that you state, it comes to over $10,000 extra being paid to annual dues over the remaining life of the contract.
For me, $10,000 is a lot of money.
For some, an extra $250 here or there may not be a big deal, but I try to look at the full picture when I can.
And Disney already nickel and dimes us enough.

As long as someone is cool with owning a different resort to save MFs, it makes sense.

However, DVC is too much money to buy a resort you don’t like to save on MFs.

They could lower the AKVs MFs to whatever they want and I would not buy there because I don’t like staying there. I think that was more the point. It’s immaterial if you have a specific resort you want to stay at when deciding.

I do own 300 RIV points and the extra I spend to own there over the other resorts is worth it because it’s where I stay for part of each and every trip.

 

[Kjdisney]

Messed up quote

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I'm surprised at how many people prioritize location. Unless you spend a huge percentage of your time at a single park, nothing is especially far from everything else.

I narrowed it down like this:

Eliminate 2042. I don't care about deed expiration beyond this.
Eliminate BLT, VGF, and RIV on theme
Eliminate PVB and CCV on price

That leaves AKV, SSR, and OKWe. I would also consider Aulani subsidized, and I'll probably consider PVB2 if we see similar incentives as VGF2.

Location matters to us because if staying at BC we are walkable to 2 parks, including Epcot which is our favorite place to walk around at night. We bought at VGF and will buy at Poly to be able to walk to MK. I REALLY dislike taking the bus in the morning because they are slow and crowded so pre-COVID we would take minnie vans to AK and saved MK for VIP or when we are going to go into the parks after the morning crush. The last 2 trips we have driven to AK. Buses home are ok, though when going from MK to BC we would often take the monorail and walk through Epcot pre-COVID.

When staying at AKL we usually do AK (have to drive regardless) and will do something off-property (e.g. Universal, Discovery Cove). It's too hard to get anywhere else versus our time at BC.

 

[Kjdisney]

So far Price is getting the most votes.
Understandable, and I agree.
I think just as important as price, but separate, is Annual Dues.

If we look at just the current direct offerings, Aulani, RIV, VGF, and compare annual dues...
Aulani = $8.67/point
RIV = $8.38/point
VGF = $7.01/point

For a 300 point contract, RIV and Aulani will cost $400-$500 more in annual dues Every Single Year over VGF.
To me, that's a lot of money that could be better used for park tickets, meals, and travel expenses each and every year.

If MF’s went up the same % across the board that would be a more important variable to me, but they don’t. Look at what happened at OKW. There is no guarantee that any resort will remain with the lowest or highest MF.

 

[Dizzydizney]

Location, price, deed expiration. Room type is important to me too. If Poly2 is going to be separate from the original and will have 1 bedrooms that sleep 5 and has an expiration date like Riviera’s, I might consider selling a BLT contract to purchase. If the point chart is similar to BLT.
Walking to a park is important to me. The further away resorts are usually bookable at 7 months.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Location matters to us because if staying at BC we are walkable to 2 parks, including Epcot which is our favorite place to walk around at night. We bought at VGF and will buy at Poly to be able to walk to MK. I REALLY dislike taking the bus in the morning because they are slow and crowded so pre-COVID we would take minnie vans to AK and saved MK for VIP or when we are going to go into the parks after the morning crush. The last 2 trips we have driven to AK. Buses home are ok, though when going from MK to BC we would often take the monorail and walk through Epcot pre-COVID.

When staying at AKL we usually do AK (have to drive regardless) and will do something off-property (e.g. Universal, Discovery Cove). It's too hard to get anywhere else versus our time at BC.

Maybe I've just been very lucky but in dozens of trips I've never had any of the nightmare bus scenarios that people talk about, other than a Caribbean Beach stay when a lightning-induced Skyliner closure met a pandemic-induced bus driver shortage.

I get walking to Epcot if you love Epcot, but for me, on an average 8 night trip, I'm in Epcot only 2 or 3 times, and World Showcase only 1 or 2 times. I also think the convenience of the walk to DHS is exaggerated. That walk is long, hot, and ugly. I don't mind a 15 minute bus ride or driving myself.

I wonder what percentage of members rent a car or drive themselves, since that obviously affects all of this too.

 

[gopacers]

Location
Location
Location......
No but seriously,
Location.

Dang beat me to the real estate joke. But really, every time I plan a trip I think about either being close to MK or Epcot International Gateway. I've considered AKV so many times but never pull the trigger because I can't get over the location.

 

[Ashlotte]

Price, deed length, and resale restrictions.

I am buying resale only (or, I am at least buying resale for my first contract).

Resale restrictions rules out RIV. When buying I am also thinking about my exit strategy, and I don't want to have to sell a resort that is so limited.

Deed length rules out BCV, OKW, BWV, HH, VB, and BRV.

We won't be doing studios (fifteen years of our other timeshare ruined us... we like space!), so Poly is out (until we hear more about the new building).

I guess location could also be added in there in that I prefer a west coast resort, since that's where I live, which leaves VGC and AUL. Price rules out VGC. I'd probably like to go to Hawaii twice for every one WDW trip. WDW is a once or twice a decade thing for me, vs Disneyland, which was annually when the kids were little. I want the option of WDW, but don't really want to own there. We already have a different timeshare that has two resorts in Anaheim and has had no trouble trading into SSR (which, based on price, was the winner WDW resort for me).

Aulani for the win!

 

[Jrobo]

Dang beat me to the real estate joke. But really, every time I plan a trip I think about either being close to MK or Epcot International Gateway. I've considered AKV so many times but never pull the trigger because I can't get over the location.

We enjoy ending our nights at Epcot and spend a bunch of time at HS so BWV made the most sense for us. It was between BW and OKW and my Wife finally talked some sense into me.
Every time I walk around the Boardwalk area at night I can't believe we are there.
It all comes down to personal taste And I really like hearing the different things that makes others tick!

Our Bw contract is resale if we were to buy direct for full member "privileges" it would most def be Okw.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Dang beat me to the real estate joke. But really, every time I plan a trip I think about either being close to MK or Epcot International Gateway. I've considered AKV so many times but never pull the trigger because I can't get over the location.

If you start at Bay Lake Tower and I start at Jambo House and we race to the front gate of Epcot, I'll beat you by about 20 minutes.

The thing that's off by itself at WDW isn't Animal Kingdom, it's Magic Kingdom and Magic Kingdom resorts. The Polynesian has the advantage of being walkable to the TTC, but the rest of the Magic Kingdom resorts penalize your short transit times to MK with long transit times to anywhere else.

The Epcot resorts, on the other hand, are legitimately centrally located and more convenient than anywhere else, but it's not nearly to the degree that DAKL-phobia would have you believe, especially if you're renting a car. Give it a shot. I've stayed at every US Disney resort except for Vero Beach, and DAKL is easily my #3 after Aulani and Grand Cal.

 

[Jrobo]

First contract is for the love.
Second contract is for the money lol

I'd give Akl a serious look if I bought resale again.