Ready to buy--but need some advice!

[ImaDisneyFan]

Hello, DVC experts!

After more than a year of planning and saving, as well as daily lurking (if infrequent posting) on these boards, my family and I are ready to make our DVC purchase: 160 points at Animal Kingdom Villas, plus 30-40 points at the Grand Californian (when it becomes available) for a total of around 200 points.

I am very excited!

But I’m not crazy about the incentives being offered right now (-$8 per point at AKV). I just have this funny feeling that if we purchase today, for example, a new promotion—More of a discount? Developer points?—will start next week, leaving me feeling dumb that I wasn’t just a little more patient!

So I guess I’m looking for some advice. We’re ready to purchase at any time from this point out. If you were me, would you tread water a few more weeks/months and see what happens? Or should I just bite the bullet and get started already? If you have observed long-term DVC trends, do you expect a better promotion later in the fall? Do the incentives offered follow any noticeable pattern over time? Do new offers begin on set dates, like the first of a new month? Or am I just being silly by prolonging this?

Whatever we do, it will be great to finally be owners! Thank you for your expertise and your willingness to share it. The information I have learned from this board has been most invaluable!

 

[CPTJAK]

No one can predict if there will new incentives and/or if the price will increase if you wait.

I would try to time the purchase with when you want to vacation to insure a home resort priority if that is important to you to be able to go to AKL.

FWIW there have been specials prior to holiday times.

 

[Tinkerdreams]

Actually, if you have a Disney Visa rewards card and had it before 9/1/2007, then you can get $500 reward dollars. You will need to charge the deposit to your card but you would have 6 months at 0% financing for that. This "incentive" is good until 11/30/2007.

 

[tjkraz]

If it's of any consolation, DVC does give new buyers a 14-day period in which to cancel the agreement without any penalty. If DVC should announce new promotions while you are still in your 14-day waiting period, just call your salesperson and indicate a desire to cancel the original deal and re-write under the new terms.

Hard to tell what the future holds. DVC seems to alternate between standard deals (like now) and more agressive promotions like the Double Developer's Points that ended in August. While this time of the year usually has pretty soft sales, DVC doesn't appear to have a terribly large surplus right now with some Use Years at AKV disappearing and SSR winding-down.

If nothing else, we're probably headed for another price increase before the end of the year. IIRC, the last increase for new members was either 2/1 or 3/1. They seem to raise prices about every 10 months.

 

[DeeCee735]

JMHO, since the current incentives aren't so bad and since you are ready to buy - if it were me, I'd jump in. There is no guarantee that a better incentive will come up and if it does, there's no guarantee that the price won't go up too, making it relative.
When we bought, there weren't any incentives except that since it was the middle of the year (based on my use year) I got a full set of that current use years points. I bought in May of 2000. We didn't concern ourselves with what incentives came up after that, if any. We just knew we were ready and went for it. We were more concerned with "what if the price goes up" then we were with incentives.
Good luck with your decision - you're going to LOVE being a member!

 

[eva]

The incentives right now are pretty good. If you don't have a Disney Visa, get one for the rewards. $500 Disney Dollars plus the $8 incentive are about the best I have seen. Plus the one regret you will hear from nearly every member is that they didn't buy in earlier. If you wait too long, you could lose an entire use year of points.

 

[tjkraz]

If you don't have a Disney Visa, get one for the rewards. $500 Disney Dollars plus the $8 incentive are about the best I have seen.

I believe that one had to be a Disney Visa cardholder as of 9/1 to qualify for the $500 Disney Dollars. If OP doesn't have one, it's probably a moot point. But for current cardholders it's a pretty good deal.

The $8 alone is what I would call a "standard" incentive. Other recent programs like the Friends and Family discount last fall (approx $15 off) or the double developer's points (easily rented--if not used--for an effective discount of $20-24 per point) were better. But there's no way of knowing if a similarly-beneficial promotion is days, weeks or months away.

 

[3DisneyKids]

Just chiming in to say that it is WONDERFUL that you are doing your homework before buying in. So many folks make DVC an emotional purchase (while on vacation, immersed in the magic, etc.) and there are SO many ins and outs to DVC that you really should know what you are getting into.

As for incentives, as others have said, no way to tell. Do you already have a guide? If you have an established relationship with a guide, and you have been talking to that guide since before Aug. 31, he/she MAY be able to get you the double developer points incentive that just ended. Certainly don't quote me on this...I just have read things on these boards where members have missed a promotion and their guides were able to do some back-dating, etc. and make it happen. At least it is worth a shot.

Good luck--hope we can welcome you home soon!

 

[OKW Mom]

I thought Disney had 1st opportunity to buy your points (cause they would love to buy at our purchase price and resell at $100).

If I buy anymore points it will be through a reseller because the thought of having AKV points is nauseating. There is no glamour for our family there.

Be aware of the SIZE of some of the new resorts-you'd need a golf cart to travel them.

Read reviews at allears.net too for some honest feedback.

 

[tjkraz]

Be aware of the SIZE of some of the new resorts-you'd need a golf cart to travel them.

"New resorts"? The South Point rooms at OKW are the furthest units from the front desk of any resort. But I'm sure you already knew that, "OKW Mom".

 

[ImaDisneyFan]

THANK YOU for input so far!

Yes, I know about the $500 Disney Visa offer and am planning to take advantage of it (yes, my account predated 9/1). So I guess my self-imposed "deadline" is 11/30 when that offer expires.

Certainly, we will buy before the next overall price increase. I just wondered if it was worth waiting a few more weeks to see what comes down the pipeline.