Question for DVC vets

[General Urko]

My wife and I are considering buying. We are mid 40's with a 10 year old and have been going every year since my daughter was 5. previous to that we went together before our daughter. We love going regardless of having a child with us. The last 5 years we have stayed at FWC. My question is if I buy resale, can I use points towards that or is it only if you buy through Disney ? Resale is obviously more economical and we would like to try the vacation club properties,but we do like the cabins. Does the extra cost of direct justify this or am I being foolish. I have the money either way but it is a big difference in price and no one likes to waste money if it makes little sense. The other question is how many points would one need if they go at Easter every year ? I was thinking 250. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[ziravan]

If you buy direct, you can use points for the cabins, but you shouldn't.

1. It does indeed cost more to buy direct in order to use the points at the cabins.

2. If costs far more to use the points outside of DVC. It's not worth it. You'd be better off renting points and paying cash with the proceeds.

More cost to buy and more points to use. So much so that it's not worth it to buy points for that purpose.

I wouldn't buy DVC with the idea of ever using points for the cabins.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you buy resale, you cannot use points for Disney Collection properties -- i.e., other Disney hotels that are not DVC. However, the point requirements for these are, frankly, ridiculous, and it is dubious if you want to pay double per point for the right to use them for moderate or value resorts. For Fort Wilderness Cabins in peak season (Easter), a cabin costs 46 points/night on weekdays, and 53 points/night on weekends.

If you like the cabins and are happy with the cabins, DVC may not be a good fit for you. If you have not stayed at a DVC property, I'd recommend doing that BEFORE buying DVC.

 

[DisneyRegulars]

What is it you like about the cabins? I'm wondering if some of the available DVC options would meet your needs, and maybe you would find you like them even more than the cabins. Like the Tree Houses at SSR or a one or two bedroom unit at Wilderness Lodge.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Buy DVC to use at DVC resorts for best value.

Using your points outside of DVC once in awhile isn't the end of the world but don't buy to do that regularly.

 

[disneynutz]

I suggest that you rent points from a DVC owner and stay at VWL in a 1 bedroom. We find that VWL is a close second to FW and it's a boat ride away to FW amenities. Disney is currently in construction mode at WL/VWL and when they finish in a year or two, it will be a bigger and hopefully better resort.

Bill

 

[Sammie]

I agree, try before you buy. I too would recommend Villas at Wilderness Lodge and the Treehouses at Saratoga Springs if you like Fort Wilderness.

 

[southerngirl528]

If you buy resale, you cannot use points for Disney Collection properties -- i.e., other Disney hotels that are not DVC

Read on another forum that it is highly likely more restrictions for resales are coming down the pike. It will be interesting to see what/if materializes.

 

[Goofy G]

Penalizing resale is pretty brutal...considering Disney won't buy back your points. Guess they want it to be a lifelong commitment?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

There are pretty limited "restrictions" Disney can put on resale points legally. They're all sound and fury, signifying nothing.

There are no current "perks" that are worth paying large amounts more per point, often at a resort that isn't the resort you want to stay at anyway. The only way to buy Boardwalk, or Beach Club, or BLT is resale, and buying Poly points at a premium to play 7-month-bingo is simply not productive.

 

[Lynne M]

A couple of important things to consider, if you plan to use your points outside of the DVC resorts (for example, at the cabins) on a regular basis.

The number of points required for a stay at a DVC resort is pretty stable. In fact, it's written into the contract that the total number of points at a resort can't change. Meaning, if they increase the points required for a stay in a studio in September, for instance, they must decrease the points for some other period or room type by a corresponding amount.

This isn't true for the exchange options like the cabins. There's no cap or limit on those point costs, and they're renegotiated every year. So they can and do increase over the years. You could buy enough points for a week's stay at the cabins today, and in a few years, you'd no longer have enough points to do that.

In fact, Disney could decide that they no longer wanted to make the cabins available for stays on points. Or put restrictions on their use. This has happened with DCL at least a couple of times - there have been long stretches where they simply don't allow points bookings.

There's also a $95 fee for exchanges, and there's nothing to stop that from going up, either.

 

[supersnoop]

Read on another forum that it is highly likely more restrictions for resales are coming down the pike. It will be interesting to see what/if materializes.

Please don't spread that rumor. It's simply not possible to restrict anything that matters. In the very least, cite your source.

 

[Madame]

Please don't spread that rumor. It's simply not possible to restrict anything that matters. In the very least, cite your source.

I'm wondering what the source is as well. I checked dvcnews, ***********, wdwmagic & can't find the topic. Granted I could have missed it.

The only place I have seen it recently was a FB post on a group I'm a member of, informing a potential buyer to stay away from resale as it's likely resales will be restricted to home resort only in the near future.

 

[ziravan]

Rumors of more restrictive resale rules come and go. At the end of the day, it's to DVC's advantage to have a vibrant resale market; it's a big selling point for many.

Oh sure, the pixie-dusted guests that stumble into DVC while on vacation don't care about resale value. But. There's a reason why DVC markets heavily to current owners.

The current restrictions are just enough to give an otherwise uninformed buyer pause without crimping the resale market. It's a good balance.

Now. If DVC wants to encourage direct buys, they should use carrots not sticks:

1. Free park tickets for two members and half off for two more for a decade if you buy at least 160 points. That would cost them so not likely.

2. One extra FP for each member and guest when member checks in and stays for each 100 points bought. Free to DVC, would strongly encourage direct buys, especially at the current resorts.

Would you buy Poly resale for $150 when you could get extra FPs for years by buying direct at $171?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'm pretty sure DVC cannot pull the 11/7 month options legally on resale contracts.

 

[malba2366]

Read on another forum that it is highly likely more restrictions for resales are coming down the pike. It will be interesting to see what/if materializes.

They would be the target of a massive lawsuit if they did anything to materially reduce the value of the exiting timeshares, or if they enacted policies to limit the ability of owners to sell their timeshare. The only way they could really slow down resales is by exercising their right of first refusal more aggressively.

 

[disneynutz]

They would be the target of a massive lawsuit if they did anything to materially reduce the value of the exiting timeshares, or if they enacted policies to limit the ability of owners to sell their timeshare. The only way they could really slow down resales is by exercising their right of first refusal more aggressively.

Massive lawsuit by who? Disney/DVC makes all kinds of changes that members don't care for and while they post their upset feelings others post that "hey we're at Disney"!

Bill

 

[Sammie]

Rumors of more restrictive resale rules come and go. At the end of the day, it's to DVC's advantage to have a vibrant resale market; it's a big selling point for many.

Oh sure, the pixie-dusted guests that stumble into DVC while on vacation don't care about resale value. But. There's a reason why DVC markets heavily to current owners.

The current restrictions are just enough to give an otherwise uninformed buyer pause without crimping the resale market. It's a good balance.

Now. If DVC wants to encourage direct buys, they should use carrots not sticks:

1. Free park tickets for two members and half off for two more for a decade if you buy at least 160 points. That would cost them so not likely.

2. One extra FP for each member and guest when member checks in and stays for each 100 points bought. Free to DVC, would strongly encourage direct buys, especially at the current resorts.

Would you buy Poly resale for $150 when you could get extra FPs for years by buying direct at $171?

Since DVC isn't the division of Disney that oversees Fast Pass, this would not be free to DVC either. Something would have to be negotiated between the two.

Actually DVC has very little in house that would be free to offer. Which is why perks come and go and change.

 

[Brian Noble]

Resale is obviously more economical and we would like to try the vacation club properties,but we do like the cabins.

The poster below asks a good question:

What is it you like about the cabins? I'm wondering if some of the available DVC options would meet your needs, and maybe you would find you like them even more than the cabins. Like the Tree Houses at SSR or a one or two bedroom unit at Wilderness Lodge.

You sound like a good candidate for a 1BR or 2BR Villa, or perhaps even a tree house villa at SSR. I'm of like mind: we never book just a hotel room if we are traveling with kids, and frankly we rarely do it if it is just the two of us. The DVC Villas all have a private master bedroom, a living room with a sleep sofa, full kitchen, washer/dryer in the unit, and a whirlpool tub. The 2BRs add a second bedroom with two beds (either "real" or one real/one pullout) that sleeps four if you squeeze.

However, there is only one reason to buy DVC points, and that's to primarily use them to stay in DVC resorts. If you are predominantly using them for other things, you'd probably have been better off just using cash.

I agree with many of the prior posters. Rent a stay at a 1BR or 2BR villa from a Member, and see if you like it. I think you will.

 

[malba2366]

Massive lawsuit by who? Disney/DVC makes all kinds of changes that members don't care for and while they post their upset feelings others post that "hey we're at Disney"!

Bill

If they do anything to significantly devalue the timeshares (ie. subject resales to different reservation windows) or try to prevent people from selling (other than their ROFR) they would be subject to a class action lawsuit.