Poly DVC

[Princesspyc]

After many years as a huge Disney addict who swore I would NEVER want to be DVC, I have caved!! Poly is my all time favorite resort and our first 2 trips with our kids were spent in Tahiti. It's breaking my heart that it will be gone, but I'm putting a positive spin on it and hoping to buy into DVC and make our former "honatel" (as my son pronounced "hotel" on our first visit when he was 2) something we "own".

So, I am turning 40 in Sept. and I have put just 2 things on my list...a Sept. trip for Food and Wine and Poly DVC ownership. But I can't seem to find much info. on when we can buy in. Typically, when Disney opens a new DVC property, when can you purchase?

 

[disneynutz]

Florida timeshare law requires that x amount of the offering construction has to be completed prior to being able to market and sell.

I don't think that Disney has even stated what they are building or when they will build it.

Bill

 

[Dean]

After many years as a huge Disney addict who swore I would NEVER want to be DVC, I have caved!! Poly is my all time favorite resort and our first 2 trips with our kids were spent in Tahiti. It's breaking my heart that it will be gone, but I'm putting a positive spin on it and hoping to buy into DVC and make our former "honatel" (as my son pronounced "hotel" on our first visit when he was 2) something we "own".

So, I am turning 40 in Sept. and I have put just 2 things on my list...a Sept. trip for Food and Wine and Poly DVC ownership. But I can't seem to find much info. on when we can buy in. Typically, when Disney opens a new DVC property, when can you purchase?

I doubt it'll be selling by Sept but you never know. My suggestion is to spend time learning the system, esp looking at VGF and how it worked including prices and points costs. If you're pretty set on the Poly most trips, as it seems you would be, AND DVC makes sense of you (it may not) then I'd consider a fixed week option that best fits your needs. I'd do this even if you don't always go the same time because it will give you options that you would not have otherwise and I'd do a fixed week even if the points size you're looking at doesn't fit your usual trip. I would not buy much extra points though other than possibly a mild cushion if you're looking at smaller unit size or less than every year.

 

[bookwormde]

Disney tries not to say much publically about a new resort until the prior one's sales are well along.

Theoretically the conversion of the existing long houses should be done by September, but we do not seam to be able to get much information on how they are going, even though they are to a significant extend in plain view. They many have slowed the construction schedule intentionally. I am sure they do not feel pressured to sell them from a "empty room" perspective, since they are all studios which CRO can book very easily. Disney could hold them undeclared for quiet a while (until GFV is almost sold out).

I will be down the beginning of June so I will nose around. For someone experienced in commercial construction it is not to hard to tell what phase they are in by the materials and workmen that arrive at the site. each day

 

[CMOORE185]

I always said I would try to buy Grand Floridan if it became DVC, as it is my favorite resort, but DVC finally priced me out. At the current prices I do not think DVC is worth buying direct, unless you just have a lot of disposable income. When I paid $65 per point I thought the value was there, but not at $150+ per point.

 

[bianca]

I totally agree with PP. Disney has priced us out, as well. If we purchase more points in the future, they will be on the resale market. We also were shocked at how many more points were needed to stay at VGF than anywhere else. Can only imagine a Poly stay would be out of our point budget.

 

[Noelle]

I always said I would try to buy Grand Floridan if it became DVC, as it is my favorite resort, but DVC finally priced me out. At the current prices I do not think DVC is worth buying direct, unless you just have a lot of disposable income. When I paid $65 per point I thought the value was there, but not at $150+ per point.

Agreed! My husband and I were so excited about DVC at the Grand Floridian. We love the resort. Although we could afford to add on at the current rate, the actual amount of points needed for the room type and seasons that we travel make it not worth it. I suspect DVC Poly will have a similar point structure and resort size, so I do not anticipate staying at either. We're bought BCV when they opened, and still love staying there. SSR, we bought sight unseen shortly after BCV. Both were direct sales. Over the years, we used our SSR points at OKW and completely fell in love with the resort. Our daughters are older now and we find we need a 2 BDR for most stays so we decided to add on. With VGF being too many points for our stays, we decide to buy where we want to stay - OKW. We thought about buying direct, but we will get more points resale and I really don't want the extended contract. I figure I'll be paying over $350 a month in dues at the end of the OKW & BCV contacts (or more) + we'll have a few more years on SSR. We'll be in our 70's and on a fixed income. In our 10 years of ownership, we've only used the perk to trade out for a cruise once and it wasn't a very good value as you can read on many other posts. Resale just works better for our needs now & what I anticipate will be our needs in the future.

 

[SugarLoaf]

I doubt it'll be selling by Sept but you never know. My suggestion is to spend time learning the system, esp looking at VGF and how it worked including prices and points costs. If you're pretty set on the Poly most trips, as it seems you would be, AND DVC makes sense of you (it may not) then I'd consider a fixed week option that best fits your needs. I'd do this even if you don't always go the same time because it will give you options that you would not have otherwise and I'd do a fixed week even if the points size you're looking at doesn't fit your usual trip. I would not buy much extra points though other than possibly a mild cushion if you're looking at smaller unit size or less than every year.

I agree, I'd be surprised if it was selling by September.

The thing that stopped us from getting a guaranteed week was that all of your points had to be in the same contract attached to the week. Which was really unappealing to us. For a guaranteed week in a grand villa we would have had to have one of our contracts be for over 1K points, instead of dividing them up for leaving to children, or sizing down in the future. Just seemed to have a lot less flexibility when it comes to those things.

I do think it works in a number of cases though, depending on your situation and what you're looking for.

 

[Dean]

I always said I would try to buy Grand Floridan if it became DVC, as it is my favorite resort, but DVC finally priced me out. At the current prices I do not think DVC is worth buying direct, unless you just have a lot of disposable income. When I paid $65 per point I thought the value was there, but not at $150+ per point.

That's the very reason I said

AND DVC makes sense of you (it may not)

because I think this is true of a LOT of people. IMO the size of the group where buying DVC retail makes sense is dramatically smaller (like less than 1%) of what it was 12-15 years ago. I believe that buying DVC must make sense financially to make it reasonable to buy. It's foolish to spend more money buying DVC than you could rent or pay cash for the same options. Plus it's a poor choice to buy simply to be part of a club paying more than if you didn't own.

I agree, I'd be surprised if it was selling by September.

The thing that stopped us from getting a guaranteed week was that all of your points had to be in the same contract attached to the week. Which was really unappealing to us. For a guaranteed week in a grand villa we would have had to have one of our contracts be for over 1K points, instead of dividing them up for leaving to children, or sizing down in the future. Just seemed to have a lot less flexibility when it comes to those things.

I do think it works in a number of cases though, depending on your situation and what you're looking for.

Not being able to break it up is the only downside I can see assuming one is going to buy VGF anyway and the points contract size is around the total desired. But for a GV I doubt you'll get that reservation even at 11 months out very often anyway so if that's what you want it may be less of a downside to have a very large contract than to not get the desired villa. An alternative would have been to get smaller components that matched the timeframe (say a 2 BR plus studio) you were looking at then you'd have a backup plan to the GV if not available. I think that's the disconnect that people have on the fixed week option. They look at it and figure it's not workable for when they think they'll travel or they don't travel the exact same time yearly and assume that a fixed week isn't a good choice for them. IMO anyone who's buying around the number of points they could get a fixed week would be better off buying a fixed week unless they were looking at a very large contract AND they weren't going to travel a single week most years. IMO this is true whether they'll use that week most years or never use it and take the points for other times.

 

[yitbos96bb]

Florida timeshare law distates that x amount of the offering construction has to be completed prior to being able to market and sell.

I don't think that Disney has even stated what they are building or when they will build it.

Bill

They haven't but then they also refused to acknowledge that big tower that was mysteriously growing next to the contemporary 5-6 years ago.


Tikiman has a great run down in the rumors including conversion of Tahiti and Raps Nui to DVC and the over the water bungalows.

 

[SugarLoaf]

Not being able to break it up is the only downside I can see assuming one is going to buy VGF anyway and the points contract size is around the total desired. But for a GV I doubt you'll get that reservation even at 11 months out very often anyway so if that's what you want it may be less of a downside to have a very large contract than to not get the desired villa. An alternative would have been to get smaller components that matched the timeframe (say a 2 BR plus studio) you were looking at then you'd have a backup plan to the GV if not available. I think that's the disconnect that people have on the fixed week option. They look at it and figure it's not workable for when they think they'll travel or they don't travel the exact same time yearly and assume that a fixed week isn't a good choice for them. IMO anyone who's buying around the number of points they could get a fixed week would be better off buying a fixed week unless they were looking at a very large contract AND they weren't going to travel a single week most years. IMO this is true whether they'll use that week most years or never use it and take the points for other times.

Interesting. We don't foresee it being an issue at all getting a GV 11 months out for a week during the months we like to go. Even after they're sold out.

We've already got two weeks booked in one for various times of the year. And one of them we could have even made about three months before, as they were still available.

Yeah, they're not sold out yet. But I really don't see it being a big issue. As long as we're on top of things. It's much more important for us to have the flexibility.

 

[Dean]

Interesting. We don't foresee it being an issue at all getting a GV 11 months out for a week during the months we like to go. Even after they're sold out.

We've already got two weeks booked in one for various times of the year. And one of them we could have even made about three months before, as they were still available.

Yeah, they're not sold out yet. But I really don't see it being a big issue. As long as we're on top of things. It's much more important for us to have the flexibility.

When in active sales there is always more inventory than points being used. You might be OK for May, Sept, early Oct but I'd suspect any other time will be hit or miss for a GV even day one 11 months out. We'll see.

 

[Sammie]

Florida timeshare law requires that x amount of the offering construction has to be completed prior to being able to market and sell.

I don't think that Disney has even stated what they are building or when they will build it.

Bill

They announced it last Sept. but did not provide any details.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...disney-world-time-shares-disney-vacation-club

 

[dvc at last !]

subbing...

 

[Frank The Tank]

Yes, supposed to open sometime in 2015 according to the press release above. My DVC sales person mentioned something about them being built right on the water and the link below shows pictures from 2/20/2014 of docks being built with framing going up...i think they're supposed to be for bungalows on the water but we will see. Will probably cost 1000 pts to stay at those for a week....


http://www.wdwmagic.com/resorts/the-villas-at-disneys-polynesian-resort/gallery/20feb2014-polynesian-resort-dvc-villas-construction/20395.htm

Here is a more recent photo of walls going up also from Tikiman's facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=722456057799071&set=a.196782227033126.52354.116549335056416&type=1&relevant_count=1

 

[SpaceMountain77]

I do wonder if the bungalows will exceed the cost of the VGF grand villas.

 

[Sammie]

I do wonder if the bungalows will exceed the cost of the VGF grand villas.

My guess would be yes. It will be interesting to see what size they will be, as there are not lots of rumors about that.

 

[oldfastpassxpert]

What is fixed week? We bought BLT in 2010 a 200 pt contract and a 100. I've never heard of a fixed week is that just for grand Floridian?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

What is fixed week? We bought BLT in 2010 a 200 pt contract and a 100. I've never heard of a fixed week is that just for grand Floridian?

They were first an option with Aulani. At the time rational was that the Japanese market would prefer the fixed week. With that resort the week points option was priced with a 10% premium on the equivalent point purchase.

A little surprisingly they are offering a fixed week option for VGF but it's a little different in that they require you to purchase 10% more points than the same option would require if just booking without the fixed week. With both resorts you are allowed to cancel the fixed reservation and use your points as any other owner would. With VGF that means you have the complete 110% points to book. For Aulani it was just paying a premium price and you do not have additional points. In both resorts they have limited the number of fixed weeks that they can sell (35% in each room category of any single week I believe).

Personally I was disappointed they brought that option into VGF and I'd be disappointed if they offered the fixed weeks for the Poly.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

My guess would be yes. It will be interesting to see what size they will be, as there are not lots of rumors about that.

Yes, depending on the websites you follow, the rumored number of bungalows has ranged from 18 to 30. Although there has been discussion of the bungalows being studio-sized, it seems odd that such a fantastic offering (i.e., theming, location) would be so limiting (e.g., 5 guests, one room).