Resale then buy direct?

[Gothemi]

Looking to buy resale for Aulani because we are on the west coast and will visit there and DL much more than WDW. But let’s say I buy resale for 100 points. Now that I’m an owner, can I buy a direct contract for as little as 25 and get a blue card? I’m a bit confused by that. I’d like to have the perks of direct, but not willing to pay direct for 100 points at Aulani.

 

[Chrisizzle]

Unfortunately for you, you will need to purchase 100 points directly from Disney to get the perks.

Resale points do not count towards the perks.

I’m kind of in the same boat. I bought resale and am quite happy. Now, I am debating a direct purchase for the perks. However, I am thinking Saratoga Springs because I believe it is $165 per direct point. I may have to sit on a wait list but the new resorts on offer (plus the price) don’t appeal to me.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

The requirement for perks of a blue card are now 100pts but as an owner, you can buy 25 points direct if you want but it won't get you any perks.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It used to be 25 so if you read old info it maybe confusing.

 

[limace]

However, little benefit for direct for us West Coasters that don’t do WDW often. 10% discounts and $20 off an annual pass will take a loooong time to equal resale savings.

 

[Gothemi]

The requirement for perks of a blue card are now 100pts but as an owner, you can buy 25 points direct if you want but it won't get you any perks.

So that’s what I’m considering. If I have “X” amount of resale, can I now contact DVC and buy 50 points, then a few years later buy another 50 points (assuming the 100 pt minimum doesn’t change) and now I have a total of 100 points so I get a blue card?

I agree it doesn’t benefit us much on the west coast because the 1 or 2 DVC nights they have here are usually busier than the after hour special events. But I could see us visiting FL more for cruises as that seems to be our new favorite.

 

[E2ME2]

So that’s what I’m considering. If I have “X” amount of resale, can I now contact DVC and buy 50 points, then a few years later buy another 50 points (assuming the 100 pt minimum doesn’t change) and now I have a total of 100 points so I get a blue card?

I agree it doesn’t benefit us much on the west coast because the 1 or 2 DVC nights they have here are usually busier than the after hour special events. But I could see us visiting FL more for cruises as that seems to be our new favorite.

I think that could work - just note that the points used for cruising is not the best bang for your bucks, point-wise.
I have read where others use a rental company to trade their points, and come out ahead on the cruises.
ET

 

[CanadaDisney05]

However, little benefit for direct for us West Coasters that don’t do WDW often. 10% discounts and $20 off an annual pass will take a loooong time to equal resale savings.

The biggest benefit for DL goers of going direct could be the ability to book "new" resorts if the new DL DVC gets built.

 

[Bing Showei]

The biggest benefit for DL goers of going direct could be the ability to book "new" resorts if the new DL DVC gets built.

Then the recommendation would be to wait for when/if that resort opens and buy there.

New resale restrictions really drive home that you should buy where you want to stay. Depending on resort composition and user needs, 7-month booking may be nothing more than marketing.

Buying today for a potential benefit tomorrow is placing a lot of faith in a system that has shown a propensity for changes that will first serve the bottom line.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

Then the recommendation would be to wait for when/if that resort opens and buy there.

Possibly. But I believe the OP was suggesting that they would be travelling the majority of the time to Aulani, and sometimes to DL. In that case, Aulani direct might actually make sense. Or possibly buying half the required points at Aulani resale + wait for the new DL resort to open and buy direct there.

 

[Gothemi]

Possibly. But I believe the OP was suggesting that they would be travelling the majority of the time to Aulani, and sometimes to DL. In that case, Aulani direct might actually make sense. Or possibly buying half the required points at Aulani resale + wait for the new DL resort to open and buy direct there.

well, we would do DL more often because how easy it is for us to go. But, we are kinda getting tired of that whole experience (crowds, costs, etc) and are looking much more at DCL, Aulani and non Disney experiences.

I know getting a DVC room at GCH will be near impossible so I’m not counting on that.

 

[Bing Showei]

Possibly. But I believe the OP was suggesting that they would be travelling the majority of the time to Aulani, and sometimes to DL. In that case, Aulani direct might actually make sense. Or possibly buying half the required points at Aulani resale + wait for the new DL resort to open and buy direct there.

Unless buyer just really doesn’t care to deal with the hassle of resale, Aulani direct rarely, if ever, makes sense.

It sounds like OP is completely new to Disney’s timeshare and has maybe never even been to Aulani, wants to do WDW and other non-Disney places. In that case, buying a low annual dues WDW resort direct would make more sense.

I maintain that buying direct today primarily for the benefit of staying at a future resort, with the contract stating clearly there is no guarantee of a future resort, with booking challenges increasing with every new, more informed owner entering the system, is a risk not worth the price of admission.

ETA: low dues make most sense for OP intended use.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Don't buy DVC to cruise. If you want to stay at a WDW resort and transfer to Port Canaveral, DVC points work great for that. But as a means to pay for a cruise, they are a rotten value.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

well, we would do DL more often because how easy it is for us to go. But, we are kinda getting tired of that whole experience (crowds, costs, etc) and are looking much more at DCL, Aulani and non Disney experiences.

If your goal is to do more cruises, Aulani here and there, and non Disney experiences, DVC probably doesn't make sense at all.

It sounds like OP is completely new to Disney’s timeshare and has maybe never even been to Aulani, wants to do WDW and other non-Disney places. In that case, buying a low annual dues WDW resort direct would make more sense.

Unless DL or WDW are part of the plans to visit regularly, I don't agree that a low annual dues WDW resort make sense. No DVC probably makes the most sense, and just rent or pay cash for the handful of times they visit.

I maintain that buying direct today primarily for the benefit of staying at a future resort, with the contract stating clearly there is no guarantee of a future resort, with booking challenges increasing with every new, more informed owner entering the system, is a risk not worth the price of admission.

I don't disagree in principal, but the caveat is that this is not an all or nothing scenario. You can always buy some resale, and some direct. Enough direct to book "new resorts" every other year, or once every three years. In that scenario, the delta may not bee too large.

Lets say someone is buying 200 points. 100 resale + 100 direct @ Aulani. The delta on the 100 direct is ~ $90 PP, or $9K. While 9K is not a small number, amortized over 42 years, its $215 per year. I am not suggesting this is risk free. There is definitely risk involved, but then again, buying a timeshare is never risk free. But if DVC ever builds a new resort in DL over the next 42 years, it would be nice to have access to that especially if you live nearby. I don't think you will be able to spend 9K to get access to the new resort of it does ever come to fruition.

 

[Gothemi]

Don't buy DVC to cruise. If you want to stay at a WDW resort and transfer to Port Canaveral, DVC points work great for that. But as a means to pay for a cruise, they are a rotten value.

No! I completely agree to not use points for cruises. Huge waste of points. But I might use the points for a few nights prior to the cruise at WDW.