Questions from potential buyer

[rriley25]

My wife and I vacation at WDW at least once per year (always on-site). We love the entire Disney experience. Recently, we took the DVC sales tour and fell in love with the accomodations. They are much nicer than the standard resort rooms (which are great) and with a 2 year-old, having a separate living area should allow for better napping, late tv viewing, etc. So, as we think of buying into this program, I have some questions not answered in the FAQ. Why buy points from Disney if the resale market can save thousands? Does Disney offer "incentives" not referred to in the standard sales pitch? Does paying cash change the cost/point? And after the purchase, how difficult is it to reserve a 1 bedroom at your home resort during peak season? How about a resort that is not your "home"? TIA.

Bob Riley

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Welcome to the Dis.

Why buy points from Disney if the resale market can save thousands?

I agree with you if buying a resale will get you the home resort that you want. For example if you really want the BWV as a home resort, buying resale is the only game in town. But if you want the BCV's, then buying through Disney might be a lot easier since there are still not a lot of BCV resales..

You will hear it again and again on these boards, buy where you want to stay so you can take advantage of the 11 month booking window. If you do that, you will have no trouble booking a room where you want to be. The 7 month window at your non home resort will depend on the season and what you are looking for. For example don't count on standard view at BWV.

The other thing about buying through Disney is that they approve credit pretty easily. They also don't list it on your credit report if you remain current with payments.

Good luck.

HBC

 

[Cruelladeville]

Disney is pretty straight-forward: they don't offer anything on the side. They pride themselves on being straight-shooters, low key, and honest when money is discussed. It's a relief, but it also means that they don't give incentives except for the Magical Beginnings program--or whatever they call it now--that gives you $5-$10 per point credit if you sell back your points for the first year. If you are looking for a sale, you will have to go resale, where prices can be quite a bit cheaper, but where you also have to know what you are doing. It's easy in the resale market to be taken advantage of, so you have to be absolutely sure that you are dealing with reputable people.

In answer to your question about ressies for a one bedroom, I have to say, it depends. Prime season, to DVCers, is Christmas and Easter, and you need that 11 month window, for sure. The rest of the year depends on what's happening at Disney, but usually you can get your one bedroom villa at 6 months. I go to Disney on all the school vacations, and I almost never have problems going to a resort other than my own. The one problem I did have was getting ressies during Christmas time, and I was trying 4 or 5 months before Christmas. You will love DVC if you go to Disney every year, it's the most economical way to go.

 

[Disney Doll]

1."Why buy points from Disney if the resale market can save you thousands?"-- There is no reason to buy points from Disney, unless you want your home resort to be the Beach Club Villas(selling now) or the upcoming Saratoga Springs(the next DVC property being bulit near Downtown). We purchased our original Old Key West points through Disney in 1997, and just bought another OKW contract through The Timeshare Store.

2. "Does Disney offer incentives not presented in the standard sales pitch?"-Not to my knowledge.

3. "Does paying cash change the cost per point?"- Not up front when you buy. Whether you pay cash or finance, the cost per point is the cost per point. Now obviously, where you save is if you pay cash, you don't pay interest on the loan.

4. "After the purchase, how difficlut is it to reserve a 1BR @ your home resort during peak seaon?"- I have no idea, I've never been there during peak season. I will say that you have the advantage of the 11 month booking window at your home resort. You only have a 7 month booking window at any other DVC resort. My guess is that 11 months out, you should be able to get what you want.

5. "How about a resort that is not your home?"- That may be more difficult during peak season, as you only have the 7 month booking window. The best advice I can give anyone is make your home resort somewhere where you'd be happy to stay every time you went to WDW. DH and I love OKW. It is our home resort twice! If I went to WDW every year until the year 2042, and could only ever book a room at OKW, I'd be happy with that. Don't buy at OKW if you always want to stay at the BCV. Don't buy at the VWL if you are always want to stay at OKW. Buy where you want to stay. Remember to think ahead too. You're going to own this for a long time. Right now, if you have young children, you might be thinking that the VWL are the best place to buy, because of the proximity to the MK. But remember, your kids aren't always going to be small, and maybe someday the VWL will feel like they are too far "off the beaten path".

 

[crisi]

We also bought resale and had no problems. You may not end up saving that much after you pay closing costs - but "that much" will depend on if the contract has points banked or borrowed, what your deal is, if you negotiate maintence costs for the year, how many points you buy, and what value the money has to you.

Disney is often faster than a resale, and enables you to make ressies before you close.

As to getting reservations, most people have few problems if they can plan ahead. One of the complaints that does surface from time to time is that it is not necessarily as easy to stay at a different resort booking at seven months as Disney Guides make it out to be - particularly at peak seasons, and particularly at popular resorts. Likewise, spur of the moment trips - while they certainly happen - can be difficult to book - especially at those peak times.

Another thing to keep in mind is that peak DVC times are not necessarily peak Disney times. The Food and Wine festival makes BWV (and BCV) a popular destination for DVCers - making late October more difficult to book than you'd expect. Early December is a low point time, and a lot of DVCers like to vacation then.

 

[kem330]

To add to the advice:
The tricky part about resale is whether the contract has current or banked points available. When you buy from Disney, you would get a use year dated from last fall so you would get for example, 200 points, october use year. That means immediately you would have 200 points in your account. Then another 200 this coming October. Also you would pay dues prorated from date of closing, so essentially you are getting those 2002 points, dues free ( the bill you get would be for 2003 points). If you do magical beginnings, they drop the price from $84- $74/point but you would not get the oct 2002 points and still pay dues for 2003. But you can borrow the October 03 points if you need to. There are no closing costs. If you buy resale, ie an october use year again, you would have to pay approx. $450 closing costs. This comes out to $2.25/point If all the points are gone for 2002 , in order to beat Disney's price w/magical beginnings, you would have to pay less than $71.75/point. For a $69-70/point resale it is hardly worth the extra time a resale takes, unless you really want a different resort than BCV. If you find a resale with current points available or better yet banked points, in the $65 range, then you are getting a good deal.This is just one example of how to compare there are many more scenarios.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Great advice above. The only thing I might add is about availability. My understanding from reading these boards is that if your interested in a Grand Villa at either OKW, BWV, Vero or HH (?) you'll need the 11 month window to be able to get one, there aren't that many of them.

 

[dbkelly]

I always hear "buy were you want to stay" and I agree with it as long as you are not on a strict budget. My family seems to prefer Boardwalk over OKW (because of the slide), but we purchased into OKW because it was the best value for your buck! The dues are always lower at OKW. We decided if we cannot get Boardwalk at the 7 month window then we will just have to stay at the beautiful resort of OKW (Oh well)! DVC was not an easy purchase for us and OKW just made it easier.

D. B. Kelly