Poly is where it’s at!

[crvetter]

You could, and I would not really argue against what you say. The Poly studios are nice. Poly rooms were always among the biggest on property. The do have a nice 2nd bathroom to store your luggage

But now you have studios that are more than your "flagship" resort, and then bungalows on the monorail loop that are basically in line with the ones at CCV. That's an imbalance in my eyes. Plus the cash rooms tend to be more at the GF (although this can be problematic because so many poly rooms were taken out of cash inventory with the conversion) but I just looked randomly at Sept 2020 and GF rooms were about 100 more than Poly.

I agree that you can make the case, and do not get me wrong, I LOVE the poly, I just think making it more than GF causes other, ancillary and logistical and PR issues. A recalc would just be another way for DVC to use the bungalows to stick it to the poly owners. It basically says, we were greedy and now you are going to have to paying more.

I dont even own at the Poly (though I woudlnt mind), and I would think poly owners were being wronged if Disney did that to them to 'correct' things

Now lets not give DVC any ideas here. I maintain they can't allocate across Unit Types (Bungalows to Studios) to correct the mistake they made (even if it would benefit and hurt me as a CCV owner, at the same time). However, DVC could attempt to do what you are saying by increasing the Points required in the studios thus lowering the Bungalows to Cabin levels (which seem to have more marketability) if they want to face the backlash again from the original 2020 point charts. Your issue with VGF could be rectified by DVC because the studios there are not dedicated so any increase in their points does not need to be balanced by a decrease anywhere else (this is even laid out in the POS). Though some have argued with DVC that by selling GW they tied their hands by Florida Statute and can no longer operate that way.

 

[jerseyduke]

Now lets not give DVC any ideas here. I maintain they can't allocate across Unit Types (Bungalows to Studios) to correct the mistake they made (even if it would benefit and hurt me as a CCV owner, at the same time). However, DVC could attempt to do what you are saying by increasing the Points required in the studios thus lowering the Bungalows to Cabin levels (which seem to have more marketability) if they want to face the backlash again from the original 2020 point charts. Your issue with VGF could be rectified by DVC because the studios there are not dedicated so any increase in their points does not need to be balanced by a decrease anywhere else (this is even laid out in the POS). Though some have argued with DVC that by selling GW they tied their hands by Florida Statute and can no longer operate that way.

So, if I am understanding you correctly, they can just raise the studio rates at VGF to be equal to the new poly rates to maintain that image of "flagship/most expensive"? that would be great, the Poly Bungalows would take it further and screw VGF owners. (I know thats not what you are saying they should do)

And Disney sure as heck knew what they were doing with those Bungalows(sorry I know i sound like a broken record there) They knew it enabled them to sell a million more points, only a small fraction of which would be used at the buildings that created them

 

[crvetter]

So, if I am understanding you correctly, they can just raise the studio rates at VGF to be equal to the new poly rates to maintain that image of "flagship/most expensive"? that would be great, the Poly Bungalows would take it further and screw VGF owners. (I know thats not what you are saying they should do)

Yes any resort without dedicated studios and/or 1 bedrooms can have those increased without any decrease. That is because the legal requirement is the points required to book the entire resort must remain constant, under the assumption that all Lock-offs are booked as 2 bedrooms. Some of the people (including myself) that took DVC to task over the original 2020 point charts argued they couldn't do this. However, the VGF POS does explicitly state this as something they could do (other resorts without dedicated studios and 1 bedrooms are BLT, SSR for example), but no other resort has since (except those since have had dedicated studios and 1 beds). Also if you argue (like myself) that point reallocations have to occur within the same unit type (thus an increase on 1 night in a studio has to be balanced by a decrease on another studio night), wouldn't really apply here because again that required decrease is specifically mandated by the requirement that points to book the entire resort remain the same. Though not to get too far in the weeds there are other arguments for why DVC can't do this (they didn't try to yet, not even in the Original 2020 charts did they do this really).

And Disney sure as heck knew what they were doing with those Bungalows(sorry I know i sound like a broken record there) They knew it enabled them to sell a million more points, only a small fraction of which would be used at the buildings that created them

Yeah I mean I think a lot of people on the DIS agree that DVC knew it. Even if they truly didn't know at PVB and thought they would be booked by other owners at 7 months. They had knowledge for the Cabins at CCV to suggest that they did it deliberately (at least the Cabins are more "affordable" and IMO a little nicer with the seclusion and hot tub vs cool dipping pool).

 

[Frederic Civish]

Easy access to Epcot? I disagree on that. . . . . Poly is a long stinky monorail trip away.

No, you are wrong. It is TWO long monorail trips away. At least it is if you take the monorail from Poly to the TTC, instead of walking to the TTC.

 

[MJB62676]

I would personally be quite pleased to see them re-categorize the studios into true lake view (2nd and 3rd floor Moorea facing lake), Beach front? (1st floor moorea facing bungalows), Garden view, pool view, and standard (pago facing parking lot)...to be able to re-allocate the points, and lower the Bungalows.

But, I have serious doubts they are worried about it. Just think it would be neat to see the Bungalows in use more often. Right now, it's hardly justifiable to book one.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I have stayed at all 3, and if someone can walk to TTC, it is easier/faster from Poly than the other 2. Granted, it’s not like BWV or BCV, but I agree that it has a pretty easy way to get to Epcot.

Completely agree. PVB Epcot access isn’t like the othe MK monorail resorts because it takes a walk of about 1-2 more minutes to eliminate an entire monorail line due to the TTC proximity. And even MK has one other pretty efficient means of access because of walking to the TTC for the Ferry.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I definitely did not purchase DVC as a “financial investment” in the sense of making money- that would be crazy. But it will definitely save our family huge amounts of cash that we would have otherwise spent.
I think that all of the DVC resorts will continue to hold their value and I think that the combination of continued price increases at the resorts in combination with the massive amounts of improvements at MK and EPCOT will put the monorail resorts in a special position for resale over the next 5-10 years. Seriously, in 5 years who is going to be able to pay $900/nt cash for a studio?!
I do have some concerns about shifting points from bungalows to the studios. This is already taking place in 2021 for October/Nov (2020 price studio 1 week is 130 points. Increasing to 139 in 2021). The bungalow prices are, I think, artificially high, and have a lot of room to drop in price while raising studio prices.
Anyways, Poly is great, we’ll break even in 4 trips I think

The studio point change was between seasons, not between Bungalows and studios.

 

[DebbieB]

We stayed at Poly on our second WDW trip in 1996, hated it. Seemed dark and musty. Since DVC opened, have stayed there 3 times and have grown to like it. The 2 bathroom setup works great with friends, transportation is good, like Captain Cooks (wish Boardwalk had).

 

[DVC92]

First, If all you ever want is a studio, POLY is OK, but having all of the extra points in the system from the bungalows will make it difficult for all POLY purchasers to book during the year because the bungalows aren't being used. As to park access via walking like going into EPCOT, walking into MK is easy from BLT, soon to be easy from VGF, and even from POLY if you like a long walk. I don't know why anyone would use the monorail to get to TTC from POLY instead of just walking to TTC.

 

[Ben E N]

No, you are wrong. It is TWO long monorail trips away. At least it is if you take the monorail from Poly to the TTC, instead of walking to the TTC.

I really doubt many people would take the first monorail, get off of it, walk down one ramp and up another, and wait for another monorail to show up just to save 5 minutes of walking from the DVC units to the TTC. I consider it to be one ride away.
With that being said, BLT beats the heck of out Poly. Just a short walk to the most popular theme park in the world, and only one stop on one stinky monorail to hop onto another one to Epcot. About as easy as it is to get from Poly to the Magic Kingdom.

 

[DVC92]

I really doubt many people would take the first monorail, get off of it, walk down one ramp and up another, and wait for another monorail to show up just to save 5 minutes of walking from the DVC units to the TTC. I consider it to be one ride away.
With that being said, BLT beats the heck of out Poly. Just a short walk to the most popular theme park in the world, and only one stop on one stinky monorail to hop onto another one to Epcot. About as easy as it is to get from Poly to the Magic Kingdom.

As a BLT owner, the monorail is easier going than returning since you can't walk to BLT from TTC. However, being able to walk to all the bus stops at MK from BLT, one can always enter or exit the rear of EPCOT and bus to MK from BC or Boardwalk. Just one nice advantage of BLT. I also own at VGF and always walk back to it from TTC, so the walk to POLY is nothing from TTC.

 

[Ben E N]

As a BLT owner, the monorail is easier going than returning since you can't walk to BLT from TTC. However, being able to walk to all the bus stops at MK from BLT, one can always enter or exit the rear of EPCOT and bus to MK from BC or Boardwalk. Just one nice advantage of BLT. I also own at VGF and always walk back to it from TTC, so the walk to POLY is nothing from TTC.

Good idea. I was just thinking about how long the return from Epcot can be and that's a smart "hack".
Really the beauty of being DVC owners is that we can bounce around deluxe accommodations to fit that trio's needs, for the most part. Last year we stayed at BLT and did mostly MK. This summer, it will be Beach Club for almost all Epcot and Hollywood Studios.

 

[MJB62676]

I find the Ferry and the direct to Epcot Monorail quite convenient. We rarely, if ever, use the resort monorail.

Just wish the Skyliner had a stop at the "front" of Epcot to transfer onto easily from Monorail. I'm staying at GF this summer, and hope to stay at BLT at some point to have first hand experience at these two resorts to try to understand why their enthusiasts are so demonstrative about the respective resorts. GF is pretty, but the villas appear to be at least as removed from everything as the DVC buildings at Poly, and BLT location does seem good as far as MK goes, but in my (admittedly, VERY brief) experience, it feels like a SpringHill Suites in the lobby. Contemporary seemed very dingy. I'm sure the views from BLT are quite good, but Poly beach is amazing as well.

Of course, I loved OKW and AKL as well, so I'm a believer that there's something for everyone. Just find Poly to be extremely convenient.

 

[Yinn]

No, you are wrong. It is TWO long monorail trips away. At least it is if you take the monorail from Poly to the TTC, instead of walking to the TTC.

Why would one do that? The walk from Pago Pago to TTC is shorter than the walk to the Lobby...

I was told by a DVC resale rep that the points will probably be selling 10-15% higher in 2 years

Kind of a shot in the dark without specifics, but based on my calculation it stands a good chance to hold it's value or increase. At it's current price point and annual dues; it's very competitive for the value alone and pulls from the SSR/sleep around crowd.

I don't know about that. Poly reached an average resale high of $163 per point in July 2018 and has since dropped to $149 per point for the just completed month of November. That is an 8.6% drop.

Those may just be the averages. It's a shot in the dark without contract specifics. I bought mine for $128/ppt in Sept. Meaning mine has "gone up" 15% in value (on paper) compared to the averages. The OP's specific contract may go up by that; but chances are it's just sales BS.

 

[SCDVC2000]

We have just recently purchased our Poly contract. With Tron opening at MK, and easy access to EPCOT, this resort is going to in even higher demand in 2021 and beyond. I predict difficult 7 month reservations for non-home resort DVC members.
I was told by a DVC resale rep that the points will probably be selling 10-15% higher in 2 years

He was right…purchased DVC resale 2 years ago- could be sold today ~20% more

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

If your DVC resale rep had an actual crystal ball that worked, they would be able to get a higher paying job than DVC resale rep. No one knows what the future holds. Prices may appreciate or they may not. I’m paraphrasing but I think other PPs also said it’s better to focus on the happiness your DVC purchase will bring you and think of that as your return on investment.

That being said, I think the Poly is a fabulous choice. I love everything about it. Congrats on your new purchase!

 

[Yinn]

He was right…purchased DVC resale 2 years ago- could be sold today ~20% more

Those may just be the averages. It's a shot in the dark without contract specifics. I bought mine for $128/ppt in Sept. Meaning mine has "gone up" 15% in value (on paper) compared to the averages. The OP's specific contract may go up by that; but chances are it's just sales BS.

According to the May resales report, PVB averaged $175/pt, a 36.7% increase for me for 1.75 years.
Source: https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/dvc-resale-average-sales-prices-for-may-2021/

What's fascinating is that there's always the discussion of does it pay off? What about capital costs, etc. The popular thing nowadays is index investing. Mr. Buffet says to put it in the SP500 index and just leave it be...

A fun look back and benefit of hindsight... In that exact same timeframe of my purchase the SP500 index has increased 40.6%. Assuming instead of purchasing DVC I put it into the SP500, my SP500 would be worth roughly $1028 more than what my DVC is worth today.

But what about dues? Surely that increases the spread. The dues were covered by renting out points. In fact the rentals not only covered the dues but closes that gap by nearly $800 making the difference only $250 or so between the two.

Obviously both are subject to market fluctuation, which is why the look back is fun. Also important that who actually knows what the remaining 40+ years will do to either pricing. But those who cited opportunity costs were right, my money as an investment is better off in the stock market by roughly $250 total ($125 per year or 0.50% APR)

The big difference though? The SP500 doesn't let me spend Christmas week at the Poly...

 

[sethschroeder]

He was right…purchased DVC resale 2 years ago- could be sold today ~20% more

Sales tactic that just happened to be right. I am not putting much stock in it and there was a very legitimate chance that things could have ended differently looking back at a year ago.

In fact looking at December 2019 vs May 2021 based on the Average Resale Price charts:

• Highest increase: SSR 25.7%
• Highest MK increase: BLT 24.4% (3rd highest)
• POLY: 20.6% (4th highest)
• Lowest increases: BRV 8%, BWV 9%, BCV 12%

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

According to the May resales report, PVB averaged $175/pt, a 36.7% increase for me for 1.75 years.
Source: https://www.dvcresalemarket.com/blog/dvc-resale-average-sales-prices-for-may-2021/

What's fascinating is that there's always the discussion of does it pay off? What about capital costs, etc. The popular thing nowadays is index investing. Mr. Buffet says to put it in the SP500 index and just leave it be...

A fun look back and benefit of hindsight... In that exact same timeframe of my purchase the SP500 index has increased 40.6%. Assuming instead of purchasing DVC I put it into the SP500, my SP500 would be worth roughly $1028 more than what my DVC is worth today.

But what about dues? Surely that increases the spread. The dues were covered by renting out points. In fact the rentals not only covered the dues but closes that gap by nearly $800 making the difference only $250 or so between the two.

Obviously both are subject to market fluctuation, which is why the look back is fun. Also important that who actually knows what the remaining 40+ years will do to either pricing. But those who cited opportunity costs were right, my money as an investment is better off in the stock market by roughly $250 total ($125 per year or 0.50% APR)

The big difference though? The SP500 doesn't let me spend Christmas week at the Poly...

There is also a ~9% fee selling your DVC contract through any of the major brokers. Selling an index fund is zero fees through most major brokerages.

 

[Yinn]

There is also a ~9% fee selling your DVC contract through any of the major brokers. Selling an index fund is zero fees through most major brokerages.

True, but these are paper gains we're talking about. There's no selling fee if nothing has been sold.

One could also do a private sale to avoid the 9% or simply choose another broker. DVCrealestatemarket.com is the highest at 8.9% but there are plenty of other brokers that go as low as 6.5%. The reality is that's today's rates and we have no idea what the commission might actually be in a future sale. It could very well be 10% or maybe even higher. Or maybe competition hits and they go down like traditional real estate did (as low as 1% commission vs 4%-7% traditional).

Either way that's a future thing that's not a consideration when doing a look back. I'm not projecting that nor the prices of either the index nor the value of PVB. Not speculating about other peoples preference for a broker, financial planner, trading platform. I'm also not changing history (could have paid dues with more discounted gift cards, rented more, rented less, etc.)

On paper this is where I am today vs where I would be if I used the same bucket of money and bought the SP500 index on the same day.