Resale Question?

[Chtinaz74]

I am considering purchasing a DVC resale. What is the maor difference between buying a cheaper location with more points, such as Animal Kingdom, or purchasing a more expensive one for less points such as Grand Californian? I know you can reserve from your "home base" more time in advance but my thinking would be buy the Animal Kingdom for 240 points rather than pay more for Grand Califorian for only 160 points unless I am just not seeing something important. Any advice will help....thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I am considering purchasing a DVC resale. What is the maor difference between buying a cheaper location with more points, such as Animal Kingdom, or purchasing a more expensive one for less points such as Grand Californian? I know you can reserve from your "home base" more time in advance but my thinking would be buy the Animal Kingdom for 240 points rather than pay more for Grand Califorian for only 160 points unless I am just not seeing something important. Any advice will help....thanks!

If you live closer to DL and want to stay there, you really need GCV points so you can book during the seven to eleven month advantage time. It is a very small resort and books up fast. But if you are more likely to go to WDW, you probably want points at WDW.

 

[ColinBlair]

Keep maintenance dues in mind. For 2015, 240 points of AKV would cost you $1,511.74 and 160 points of VGC would cost you $823.73.

 

[sgrap]

I am considering purchasing a DVC resale. What is the maor difference between buying a cheaper location with more points, such as Animal Kingdom, or purchasing a more expensive one for less points such as Grand Californian? I know you can reserve from your "home base" more time in advance but my thinking would be buy the Animal Kingdom for 240 points rather than pay more for Grand Califorian for only 160 points unless I am just not seeing something important. Any advice will help....thanks!

We just went through this a few months ago. Our decision was based on the fact that we love to go to Disneyland and we love the Grand Californian. Everyone we talked to said that if we want to stay there, we needed to buy there to get in. It does also, for now at least, have a lower end maintenance fee. Good luck with your decision!

 

[JimMIA]

Availability depends on where you want to stay, and when. If you can make plans 11 months out, and keep them, your home resort gives you a big booking advantage. At some resorts, and for certain time periods, that booking advantage is huge. Other resorts or slow times of the year, maybe not so much. Certainly for VCG, I think you would need to own there to get in.

(However, I would compare the cost/benefits of VCG with other timeshares in the area that you can buy literally for pennies, and the same goes for ALL of the non-WDW DVC resorts: VB, VCG, HHI, and Aulani. Those locations are not "onsite" like the WDW resorts, and there may be much better options in those areas than DVC.)

The financial considerations are purchase cost (including financing costs if you finance) and maintenance fees (annual "dues"). The annual costs actually will comprise the main cost of ownership if you hold the account for a few years, so those are at least as important as the initial purchase price. When you see a low-priced per point contract, you will often see some eye-popping dues which negate the "savings" you got and cost you more in the long run.

 

[Dean]

I am considering purchasing a DVC resale. What is the maor difference between buying a cheaper location with more points, such as Animal Kingdom, or purchasing a more expensive one for less points such as Grand Californian? I know you can reserve from your "home base" more time in advance but my thinking would be buy the Animal Kingdom for 240 points rather than pay more for Grand Califorian for only 160 points unless I am just not seeing something important. Any advice will help....thanks!

There's the difference between retail and resale, some options might not be available for one or the other. I"d agree with looking at the long term costs, usage and risks, not just the up front costs. Then look at how you want to use the points. One isn't likely to be succcessful buying elsewhere and using for VGC along with VGF or BCV. For general use, SSR will be the best value long term but don't put yourself in a position to be frustrated and stressed routinely is you can't get what you want.

 

[DisneyGirlFlorida]

As others have said, annual dues and where you want to stay play a big factor. I went through a lot of hand wringing and angst facing the same dilemma you are. In the end, I went for a VGF contract which is my favorite resort vs. a cheaper contract with more points at SSR. I felt that if I wanted to reserve in VGF and couldn't, I would probably end up regretting my DVC purchase.

The other factors that played heavily into my decision was annual dues and expiration date of the resort. While the upfront cost is a significant factor, the way I looked at it was the upfront cost was a ONE time deal. In 5, 10, 20 years, would I resent (or have much difficulty) paying $6.30 per point at AKV vs. $5.52 per point at GFV year after year? To me, the lower dues meant more money I had available for each trip. With the expiration dates, SSR expires 10 years earlier (2054) than VGF at 2064. To me, that extra 10 year represents another 10 years of cost savings, thereby adding more value to my contract.

My best advice is to try to look down the road beyond the initial upfront cost. In 5, 10, 25 years when the upfront costs are spent and forgotten about (relatively speaking), what will you be most content living with?