Prices below initial offering price

[ELMC]

We've seen this information scattered throughout different threads, but I think it would be helpful to have in one location. So if you bought DVC direct and paid a price that was lower than the initial offering price (due to incentives) can you please post that information here? Thanks!

 

[Lambekel]

We've seen this information scattered throughout different threads, but I think it would be helpful to have in one location. So if you bought DVC direct and paid a price that was lower than the initial offering price (due to incentives) can you please post that information here? Thanks!

We bought last year at AKL. The advertised point value was $135. With all the incentives we got it down to $108 per point. Or, on a an actual per point basis before maintenance fees, it was about $2.75 per point.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We've seen this information scattered throughout different threads, but I think it would be helpful to have in one location. So if you bought DVC direct and paid a price that was lower than the initial offering price (due to incentives) can you please post that information here? Thanks!

We bought OKW in 1997. We paid $50 a point. I'm not sure what the regular price was at the time, but it was somewhere in the 60's. We were able to use our stay at the Polynesian as the down payment and we sold back some points from our 1997 UY. We bought 175 points.

 

[wdrl]

We've seen this information scattered throughout different threads, but I think it would be helpful to have in one location. So if you bought DVC direct and paid a price that was lower than the initial offering price (due to incentives) can you please post that information here? Thanks!

To make your query meaningful, I think you need to post the initial offering price for each resort. You also need to specify if the initial offering prices were dependent on a specific number of points being purchased.

For example, I have a DVC price list from DVCNews dated August 22, 2009, showing the following prices for add-ons at AKV and BLT:

Animal Kingdom Villas***
$112 per point 25-49 points
$112 base price less $13.00 promotional discount; 50-99 points
$112 base price less $19.00 promotional discount; 100-124 points
$112 base price less $21.00 promotional discount; 125+ points
Alternate Offer: $500 Disney Visa Reward Dollars for purchase using Chase Disney Visa card; 100+ points; lesser cash discount offered when coupled with this incentive; offer expires 9/15/09​

Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Villas****
$112 per point 25-49 points
$112 base price less $5.00 promotional discount; 50-99 points
$112 base price less $11.00 promotional discount; 100-124 points
$112 base price less $13.00 promotional discount; 125+ points
Alternate Offer: $500 Disney Visa Reward Dollars for purchase using Chase Disney Visa card; 100+ points; lesser cash discount offered when coupled with this incentive; offer expires 9/15/09​

These prices, however, were probably not the lowest prices for either resort. For a brief time in early to mid 2009 DVD was offering an incentive worth $6 a point if new buyers had referrals from an existing Member, on top of other incentives.

 

[Breyean]

These prices, however, were probably not the lowest prices for either resort. For a brief time in early to mid 2009 DVD was offering an incentive worth $6 a point if new buyers had referrals from an existing Member, on top of other incentives.

I think that's true. I referred my sister around that time, I think, maybe a little later, and I think she got a discount from being referred plus some more $$ off for buying 220 points, plus a cash card. I think her price netted to $99/point after all was aid and done.

 

[cseca]

Bought GCV on a cruise (in 2010? maybe or 2011? I don't even remember anymore) $89/pt ... I think the incentive was to purchase 300+ and get $20 off per point.

 

[tjkraz]

For SSR, the initial price (and lowest direct price) was $79 per point. I believe it was actually $84 per point less a discount of $5.

If memory serves, back in those days (2003) DVC didn't offer much in the way of incentives. Most of the time, the only way to get a cash price reduction was via its "Magical Beginnings" program in which the first year's points could be sold back to DVC for $5-10 each.

As for AKV, according to my records the initial offering price was $101 less $8 discount for add-ons of 100+ points. I have years worth of incentive notices on DVCNews.com if anyone feels like searching all of the posts for the lowest offer. The $112 minus $21 noted above by wdrl is probably a leading contender.

 

[ELMC]

Very helpful info, thanks. Now the real question is whether or not we think that the same patterns will apply to VGF...

 

[wdrl]

I know what you are hoping to accomplish but, like tjkraz says, it would take a lot of research to pull together the necessary historical information to see whether DVD ever lowered the price AFTER the initial sales period.

When Aulani sales began in July 2010, the base price was $114. If memory serves me correctly, there was a $6/point incentive on purchases of 50+ points. I don't recall incentives for larger purchases. Back in July 2010, our Guide told us that DVD would never lower the price for Aulani after the initial sales period. To my knowledge, DVD held true to its word and Aulani was never cheaper than during the initial sales period. But there have been many incentives since July 2010 for Aulani, including getting 20 "free" points for every 100 points purchased. I've never tried to calculate the net effect of these incentives.

The best thing to do is to document pricing starting today and going forward. And if you want to really be rigorous in your approach, you'll need to get feedback from different sales points, such as promotions offered aboard DCL cruises. At least you won't have to worry about special promotions at the Doorway to Dreams locations!

 

[calypso726]

Back in 2006 we toured SSR and it was $101 per point. A couple of months later thay did a friends and faily promotion that brought it down to $86 per point and that was when we initially purchased.

A few years later AKV was at $115 per point. We attended a D23 event and were offered AKV at $100 per point which was still lower than the incentives on the cruise we had just been on a day or two before.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Don't forget about the original DVC members who got free park hoppers for half their occupancy of the villa for the length of stay until about 1996 or so. I know they didn't offer that in Oct 1997.

 

[deedisneydream97]

Back in fall 1997 we purchased BWV points for 62/pt. 150 pt contract. The incentive at the time was....we had booked a one bedroom at BWV (a friend told me about a nice new resort)....we were upgraded to the beautiful one bedroom boardwalk view right above the grocery/souvenior shop when we checked in. DH talked me into going on the tour/sell and we bought. We were reimbursed for our out of pocket $$ spent on our reservation. Over $1,200 if I remember correctly. We have never, EVER....regretted this purchase. Oh...we also got the very nice canvas DVC beach bag (that we handed down to our DD).

Friends of ours purchased Old Key West when it was first introduced. They told us their incentive was 10 YEARS of annual passes for their immediate family. Don't know what their initial price per point was.

In 2002 we purchased 100 BCV points...not exactly sure what we paid...maybe $80/pt. I do not recall ANY incentive for that purchase, except we received a very nice DVC leather/canvas backpack that I adored (but it finally fell apart) and we also received a limited edition, matted artist's rendering of the BCV. We sold those points in 2008 (we just never really liked the BCV and only stayed there once....used our points to stay at BWV) for about what we paid for them......we sold those points to buy BLT.

In 2004 we purchased 130 SSR points....the paperwork I am looking at says we paid $95/pt....this is a printout that the new DVC office at BWV community hall gave us a couple weeks ago. I don't think we paid that much...will have to look for our original paperwork on that. The incentive at that time was to either take a week at one of the RCI places or two annual passes. We took the annual passes, as there were lots of restrictions for the other offer. We also received a limited edition matted artist's rendering of SSR.

We purchased BLT in 2008....again, conflicting paperwork. I thought the initial offering was $109/pt....but we were told to wait until after Christmas for a slight price reduction. I thought we bought at $107/pt. The incentive at the time was free stays at SSR (days depended on number of points purchased). I think we also badgered and nagged at our wonderful sales guy (we've been with him since 1997 BWV purchase) to give us one of the nice, new, bigger canvas DVC beach bags!! Oh....and the other thing was we were within the first 1000 purchasers, so we have a "family tile" on the fountain by the pool.

I have to say....I am not inclined to add-on, purchase or use points to stay at the new VGF. We love the one-bedrooms at BLT because of the two full baths and the easy walk to MK. We purchased there with the intent of always having a theme park view. But we have stayed there many times and am okay with going with standard view to be able to bank points.....we can go see fireworks at the top of the world....and use the saved points for a longer stay another time.

We've done a few add-ons via Time Share store. Have never regretted any of those purchases either.....except that we should have jumped on some smaller contracts 6 months ago.

 

[quirty30]

I had to go dig up my sale documents for the exact details. I purchased 360 BLT points in June 2009 for $112 a point, less a $21 incentive for a net price of $91 a point. I believe this was pretty much the lowest price BLT sold for (and probably the only time in my life I ever timed something so perfectly.) My guide also got me a 2 BR lake view reservation for a long September weekend even though it was only a few months away.

A few months later in August, I added on 100 AKV points. Again, priced at $112 a point; this time with a $19 incentive for a net price of $93. At the time, I thought it was a pretty decent incentive for a 100 point purchase. And my guide once again came through with our first AKV CL reservation at less than 9 months out.

 

[frank808]

Bought Aulani on black friday Nov. 2010 for $91.80 per point. I remember it was $120 minus $12 with purchase of 320 points or greater. And got 10% off of $102 for net $91.80 with no closing costs and paying 1/3 maintenance fee for 2012 points.

 

[JimMIA]

We initially purchased OKW resale in mid-2005, but a few months later there was a special members-only promotion at SSR which was selling at $98 at the time.

We got a 15% discount, which dropped the price to $83.33 per point, plus we got an actual, authentic (no smoke & mirrors) truly-free 100 one-time points.

Shortly thereafter, DVC offered the Friends and Family promotion which I recommended to a co-worker. They got $83.33 per point and we got $200.

 

[Nabas]

Very helpful info, thanks. Now the real question is whether or not we think that the same patterns will apply to VGF...

Since you asked ...

VGF has significantly fewer points than other recent properties that offered incentives. My guess is that it will not follow the same pattern.

 

[kshark1958]

Purchased SSR July 2008. Was 100 dollars pp with incentives of 10 pp got it down to 90. Or maybe it was 105 pp incentive got it down to 95. They gave us December 2007 UY.Plus 500 dollar gift card.

 

[JimMIA]

Very helpful info, thanks. Now the real question is whether or not we think that the same patterns will apply to VGF...

My guess is no. There is a huge difference, from a sales perspective, between SSR and VGF.

• Most importantly, VGF is a very small resort and SSR is DVC's largest resort. That's a huge advantage to VGF in half of the supply/demand equation that determines price.
• Location, location, location -- there is no comparison. SSR was beaten up for being "remote" from the time it was announced until DVD started selling AKV. VGF's location speaks for itself, although it's not as convenient as BLT to MK.
• The Grand Floridian resort -- without VGF -- is a beautiful resort...probably the prettiest Disney resort. So the setting of VGF adds even more to the location advantage.

The resort size alone makes me doubt they'll use any huge sales incentives with VGF. They gave major incentives at SSR because they HAD to. They couldn't sell it at the pace they wanted without major incentives. They're didn't have that problem at VGC, and they're not going to have it at VGF.

 

[tjkraz]

Very helpful info, thanks. Now the real question is whether or not we think that the same patterns will apply to VGF...

Remember the universal astonishment five days ago when VGF pricing was announced at $145 (rather than $165, $180 or $200)? Do you really think they will go even lower than that?