Poly Resale owner, talk me out of Riviera Direct

[Brian Noble]

I'd be cautious of basing decisions on current availability, particularly at a restricted resort in active sales.

I don't personally believe that resale points will play a significant role---at least, not for many many years.

But a resort in active sales does have the potential for misleading availability during the home resort window. There are consistently more points declared than there are points sold, so the ratio of owners looking to rooms available is lower than it will be once the resort reaches sold out status. There is already some fairly stiff competition for Resort/Standard view studios, and that will only get worse as the resort reaches saturation. That may (or may not) be less of a problem in Preferred views or larger units; only time will tell.

This is the reason I went with a FW at RR.

Ditto.

 

[Jwaire]

We tend to get wrapped up resale value here, but you need to do what's best for your family. If you like and prefer Riviera, then purchase it. I would do so directly.

I was a Riviera skeptic. I was a little underwhelmed by the theming and sort of preferred the sprawling, grandioseness of the original resorts like Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian and Polynesian.

However, after three stays at Riviera, it is my opinion that it's currently the best run resort in the DVC portfolio at Walt Disney World.

Will that change? I don't know, but they are a class above right now in staff friendliness, dining quality and room maintenance.

I was talking with one of the staff members and he told me "We are considered elevated."

I don't know if that's because of their GM (who I have been told comes from the Four Seasons and actually worked in housekeeping), pressure from DVC or other management, but I'll take it and wish it would rub off on some of the other resorts (cough, cough Boardwalk).

 

[jakecaputo]

Just to update everyone here. You all did a terrible job of talking me out of it and we bought 150 direct at Riviera. Thanks for nothing everyone!

 

[Chili327]

Just to update everyone here. You all did a terrible job of talking me out of it and we bought 150 direct at Riviera. Thanks for nothing everyone!

Realistically, that's what we're here for. lol

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

We really are the most enabling supportive group even if it’s the enabling support you didn’t know you wanted but really needed



Congrats and welcome home! Did you end up splitting into 2 contracts?

 

[Brian Noble]

You all did a terrible job of talking me out of it and we bought 150 direct at Riviera.

Welcome, neighbor!

 

[BamaGuy44]

Just to update everyone here. You all did a terrible job of talking me out of it and we bought 150 direct at Riviera. Thanks for nothing everyone!

 

[Sandisw]

Congratulations!!!!

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

Welcome, neighbor!

I know you previously mentioned you were thinking of maybe jumping (back?) into DVC, are you a RIV owner now, too??

 

[Brian Noble]

 

[MerlinandtheMouse]

Aw nice, congrats! And welcome back home

 

[AstroBlasters]

Yes… Welcome Back Home!

What made you decide to buy vs just renting or trading into DVC?

 

[Brian Noble]

So, it is not welcome back home. Just welcome home. I've never been an owner of any stripe. Instead, I was one of the Unwashed Masses who exchanged in. I did so very successfully, and it was very affordable. And I could have kept doing that, but decided it was time to treat myself. As a good friend put it: "Thrifty 'til Fifty, then Spend 'til the End."

It was a DVC purchase or a manual-transmission convertible Mustang, and the latter was a little too cliché for a white guy in his mid-50s.

 

[radiodome21]

Funny update! I was actually, considering buying Riviera direct as well or going with the Polynesian direct for 100 points. We just did our first DVC trip at New Years ( one took once vacation to realize we need more points) But I ended up just buying at the Polynesian because we love that resort. We bought direct (again) because my guide emailed me about grabbing more points before my February use year kicks in so I could roll them over. We’re going back in July for six nights and doing a split stay at the Polynesian and the Riviera and I can’t wait to see the Riv.

 

[atthebeachclub]

You really want Riv? I probably wouldn’t advise anyone to buy there without a fixed week. I think it could more and more prove useful as the years go by and availability becomes more difficult.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

I love RIV too, but have not purchased because of the restrictions. tossed around buying resale, but then if i don't use it at RIV i am out of luck. I don't know, RIV resale is almost half the price of direct - it will never have the value of the other resorts. Also if the new resorts are placed in a trust, then that really leaves RIV as an island onto itself. if you love RIV buy there. since you already own at PVD, break the contract into smaller units (maybe 75 and 75 points so that if you decide to sell part you can, and then purchase 75 direct elsewhere. Do not buy it in one 150 pt contract as i think resale will be a little better for the smaller contracts

 

[Brian Noble]

I probably wouldn’t advise anyone to buy there without a fixed week.

Funny you should mention that...

RIV resale is almost half the price of direct - it will never have the value of the other resorts.

Part of this purchase, for me, was that it absolutely did not need to make dollars-and-cents sense. It was a toy, and a gift to myself after many years of significant personal difficulty. So I bought the thing I wanted, without regard to whether or not it was a good deal relative to the other options. That's partly because, for me, there were no options that were a good deal relative to what I was already doing, which was using RCI or II exchange to book villas at an all-in cost that was lower than an owner would pay only in Dues.

 

[WeIcomeHome]

Funny you should mention that...

Welcome Home! What week did you end up going with?

 

[bakerworld]

Part of this purchase, for me, was that it absolutely did not need to make dollars-and-cents sense. It was a toy, and a gift to myself after many years of significant personal difficulty. So I bought the thing I wanted, without regard to whether or not it was a good deal relative to the other options. That's partly because, for me, there were no options that were a good deal relative to what I was already doing, which was using RCI or II exchange to book villas at an all-in cost that was lower than an owner would pay only in Dues.

Just to update everyone here. You all did a terrible job of talking me out of it and we bought 150 direct at Riviera. Thanks for nothing everyone!

Congratulations & Enjoy, jakecaputo

Shortly after we were married DH asked me if I bought anything that wasn't on sale or in clearance. It took us many years, but now I do, occasionally. Conversely DH rarely buys anything for himself. I've seen him freeze in FL and try to do without. We were sitting on the Boathouse dock & I walked off to return with a long sleeve tee for him. The bartender laughed. Joining DVC was one of the rare times I've seen him instantly purchase. The guide laughed at my amazement. LOL

 

[Brian Noble]

Welcome Home! What week did you end up going with?

Week 9 Resort Studio. I expect that will cover my U-M "spring" break most years through retirement, and that's a time of year I imagine I will enjoy even after that. It's part of a small hole between P-Week and the onset of the real spring break rush. Weather is usually great there and terrible here!

And, that's another example of this:

it absolutely did not need to make dollars-and-cents sense. It was a toy, and a gift to myself after many years of significant personal difficulty. So I bought the thing I wanted

It's not during Fall Frenzy. It's not likely to go up in point value during a re-balancing---if anything, it is likely to go down. It's a "dumb" choice for a fixed week. I probably won't need it most years unless the Doomsday predictions of RIV availability come to pass.

But it was the one I wanted!

It did not hurt that I also wanted a Feb UY, and I was buying in mid-January. About a month before the upcoming price increase, and with two weeks left in my 2024 UY.