Resale through timeshare.com or new through disney

[Leleluvsdis]

Good morning al!!

DH and I have recently been looking into the option of purchasing a DVC and we came across timesharestore.com. The re-sales there are much less in cost than through Disney, however, our concern is the benefits that are cut by not purchasing through Disney. For anyone who has had experience with re-sales, would you do it again? For those of you who contemplated both, why did you chose one over the other?

We are looking to purchase around 200 points.

 

[chalee94]

DH and I have recently been looking into the option of purchasing a DVC and we came across timeshare.com.

i would look into DVC specialists like the timeshare store, a DIS sponsor. (when i bought my resale contract, that's who i used.) but suit yourself.

The re-sales there are much less in cost than through Disney, however, our concern is the benefits that are cut by not purchasing through Disney.

there are no real "benefits" that are cut by buying a resale. you would lose some very expensive trading options (for wdw hotels and cruises, mainly) but anything that DVC can take from a resale buyer, they can also take from a direct buyer.

the main reasons to buy direct are that you want pts immediately (resale can take around 2 months to close) or you need financing (which is expensive).

i should add that i would only buy resale at this point as direct pricing is way too expensive for me. the real benefit of DVC is in booking onsite stays at wdw...the other stuff is basically perks that can come and go.

and remember that if you buy into DVC and your circumstances change and you suddenly need to sell, you will be selling at resale prices even if you paid extra to buy direct originally.

 

[zavandor]

The only thinks that's really guaranteed with the DVC buying is the possibility to book your own resort before anyone else not owning there.
Everything else can be removed. As some perks were removed in the past, both to direct and resale.

Would you pay double the amount in order to have a perk that can be removed?

Will resales be limited more in the future? Maybe. Will it stay the same? Maybe.

Moreover, as PP said, the actual perks exclusive to direct purchaser are of a low value (to book a Cruise or an Adventure By Disney the requirement in point is shocking). Unless you are going to buy a lot of points, it would be difficult to impossible to use those options.

Just an example: there is a special offer for the annual passport at the moment: it's for both resale and direct purchasers. The same for the 100$ discount, TIW, pool hoping, discounts and many other perks.

 

[Anna114]

I have used TSS 3 times now. Scot has been great,that's who I always deal with. I have nothing bad to say about them I've also used DVCbyResale.com . I had a hiccup with them. I had to remind them to send my paperwork and they failed to tell me all of the information if I wanted to wire the money. It wasted over an hour of my time. All in all they were fine just a couple of annoying things. Resale is great for price and we wanted to buy at VWL and that wasn't an option through Disney when we bought.

 

[nolanboys]

We bought resale before they imposed the restrictions. When we add on in the future, we will also purchase resale. The cost difference is just too large. We only use our points to travel to WDW, so the restrictions on cruises is a non-issue for us (the points needed for cruising is really high). The only way we would buy direct was if a new resort opened that we really wanted to own at was built.

 

[jstarcze]

I've had no problems with TSS doing an add-on with them. I also did an add-on direct with Disney because I needed financing. If I had a choice I'd prefer resale because there are reputable companies like TSS to work with, the reduction in cost and I don't really plan on using my points other than to visit Disney with family and friends.

 

[ToddyLu]

We purchased direct in 2009...next time will go resale. As pp stated Disney is beginning to price folks like us (meaning DH and I) out...I am a nurse and he is fireman...we can only do so much. I do not regret going direct but now have educated myself and feel like it is a great deal.

DH and I know that we are going to go to a DVC resort only. When people say that other options for staying off property are "point expensive"...they are not kidding. A trip to Ireland a couple of years ago was 400 points for one person for the week with ABD (we only own 210 points), a night at the nice hotel in Asheville was 70 points a night. I think a 3 day cruise was just over 100 points....not going to do that when I can get a studio twice a year for one week each time. If we ever decide to travel outside of Disney--it will not be with our precious, prized DVC points.

Good luck and I hope you have wonderful trips ahead.

 

[DizBub]

Bought direct, added on direct and recently bought resale. Would only buy resale again. Saved nearly $7000 buying BCV resale over what Disney would have sold it for. We are extremely happy with our purchase. Yes, it does take longer and the waiting can get to you but the savings are worth it. We used Fidelity resales.

 

[SpectroMan71]

What I'm getting worried about is that they're going to put stipulations on resale buyers, i.e. you can't stay at the new Grand Flo villas or future Poly villas unless you own there. Do the bylaws allow them to enforce something like that?

 

[Leleluvsdis]

I'm thinking, resale it is without a doubt. I don't think we would ever use it to travel abroad or go on a cruise because we do not plan on buying more than 240 points because we only go every other year, although I hope we can eventually add on.

 

[Missyrose]

What I'm getting worried about is that they're going to put stipulations on resale buyers, i.e. you can't stay at the new Grand Flo villas or future Poly villas unless you own there. Do the bylaws allow them to enforce something like that?

The possibility exists. But some of the more knowledgeable people on these boards have said it would be difficult for Disney to do (unless they create a whole new system of points for the upper-tier DVC -- Poly and GF). So without getting into the ins and outs of what could happen...

Your best bet is to make your decision on whether to buy DVC based on how things are presently constructed. Would you be happy with your purchase if you were limited to the resorts that are currently built? Because GF isn't built and Poly is still just a rumor at this point. You can fall down the what if? rabbit hole and never make a decision one way or another about DVC.

 

[chalee94]

What I'm getting worried about is that they're going to put stipulations on resale buyers, i.e. you can't stay at the new Grand Flo villas or future Poly villas unless you own there.

they can also put the same limitations (or others) on direct buyers. there's a long list of things that DVC "could" do...

 

[Dean]

What I'm getting worried about is that they're going to put stipulations on resale buyers, i.e. you can't stay at the new Grand Flo villas or future Poly villas unless you own there. Do the bylaws allow them to enforce something like that?

IMO, there is little they could do related to current DVC resorts. They could start a new timeshare system that resale buyers might not have access to but if that happened, current members would also not have access unless DVC created an exchange system from old to new and then restricted resale buyers which they could do for ALL resale buyers. They could NOT include a given resort in the current club and create such restrictions. Regardless, buying retail for any limited protections is a very expensive insurance that offers very little protection at around double the buy in. Likewise, there are no currently restricted options that make buying resale reasonable even if the price difference were much smaller. Put another way, NONE of the current exchange options that are excluded are reasonable to use points for from a $$$ standpoint unless the points are restricted. While someone may have extra points they don't plan to use and thus use for the exchange options, one buying in has the ability to plan better, buy the number of points they need and avoid $$ & value losing situations.

 

[k3chantal]

I just wanted to 'point' out that it's all how you look at the 'cost' of points on whether it's an expensive trade. My family of five went on a 7 night Disney Wonder cruise last year to Mexico for around 500 points. Yes, at first, you gasp at the point usage but then you have to consider what you are getting. All food, all on board entertainment, and accommodations (for us that was two adjoining cabins with port holes on deck 7). We drove to the port of LA so the cost of gas was around 150 dollars.

Living in California, I can't get myself and my family through a trip to WDW under five thousand dollars. The cost of airplane travel hovers around $2500.00 and our food and other costs for a week at WDW is around 2500.00 and THEN I still am using basically a full year's worth of my points for a stay at one of the resorts.

So, I am happy that I bought direct (even though I completely understand that these 'perks' may be yanked away) at least I get to consider using them for as long as they are there.

What would I do in the future if I wanted to increase my amount of points? I would probably buy resale. Why? I would be purchasing just to make sure I could get a room at xxx resort at the 11 month window, I wouldn't need the points immediately so I can wait the two + months it would take to close and I currently have enough points direct that if I want to use them on a cruise, I can. So I would have the best of both worlds.

 

[Brian Noble]

our concern is the benefits that are cut by not purchasing through Disney

Those "benefits", if looked at carefully, generally cost more if "paid for" with points than they would if you rented out some points, and paid for the cruise, guided tour, or hotel stay with cash.

From where I sit, there is absolutely no reason to buy directly from Disney unless you absolutely must own at the newest resort right when it opens.

 

[ELMC]

I just wanted to 'point' out that it's all how you look at the 'cost' of points on whether it's an expensive trade. My family of five went on a 7 night Disney Wonder cruise last year to Mexico for around 500 points. Yes, at first, you gasp at the point usage but then you have to consider what you are getting. All food, all on board entertainment, and accommodations (for us that was two adjoining cabins with port holes on deck 7). We drove to the port of LA so the cost of gas was around 150 dollars.

Living in California, I can't get myself and my family through a trip to WDW under five thousand dollars. The cost of airplane travel hovers around $2500.00 and our food and other costs for a week at WDW is around 2500.00 and THEN I still am using basically a full year's worth of my points for a stay at one of the resorts.

So, I am happy that I bought direct (even though I completely understand that these 'perks' may be yanked away) at least I get to consider using them for as long as they are there.

What would I do in the future if I wanted to increase my amount of points? I would probably buy resale. Why? I would be purchasing just to make sure I could get a room at xxx resort at the 11 month window, I wouldn't need the points immediately so I can wait the two + months it would take to close and I currently have enough points direct that if I want to use them on a cruise, I can. So I would have the best of both worlds.

This is a good example of the flexibility of use. One question though, in all fairness, what would the cash cost of that cruise have been?

 

[k3chantal]

This is a good example of the flexibility of use. One question though, in all fairness, what would the cash cost of that cruise have been?

I think somewhere in the 5 to 6 thousand range (of course, depending on when I booked and what 'deal' I found). Thanks to these boards I am going to be much more aware of checking what the 'cash' price would be before committing my points, but I believe, in this specific case, I got at least an equal deal had I rented my points at 10 or 11 dollars and used the cash..


In food alone, if we had to pay the bill each evening ,we would have had a hefty bill. My 9 and 12 year old boys are foodies and quickly told our server they never wanted to see the children's menu. Instead, they took advantage of the filet mignon, lobster, etc....something we keep in check when we have to pay at the end of each meal. It kind of reminded me of the rat Templeton in Charlotte's Web at the fairground. They couldn't believe that they could get whatever they wanted (and they wanted the 'higher end items') At the end of the trip they announced that they would choose a Disney cruise over WDW any day and they love WDW.

 

[ELMC]

I think that as in the past, you have been savvy in making your membership work for you. I think it's important to note that although it definitely can be done, it doesn't always work out this well. Yes, there are times where cruising on points is the same as renting out the points and paying cash. But there are also many times when it is much more expensive. I think it's important for prospective buyers to know that there is a difference between what is possible and what is likely.

Again, buying DVC in order to stay at your home resort offers you the greatest chance at a "successful" ownership and the least possibility for disappointment. The further away you get from that, the greater the possibility for problems. And if you're buying to stay at your home resort, I think that resale is the way to go.

 

[k3chantal]

I think that as in the past, you have been savvy in making your membership work for you. I think it's important to note that although it definitely can be done, it doesn't always work out this well. Yes, there are times where cruising on points is the same as renting out the points and paying cash. But there are also many times when it is much more expensive. I think it's important for prospective buyers to know that there is a difference between what is possible and what is likely.

Again, buying DVC in order to stay at your home resort offers you the greatest chance at a "successful" ownership and the least possibility for disappointment. The further away you get from that, the greater the possibility for problems. And if you're buying to stay at your home resort, I think that resale is the way to go.

I totally agree with you however I also believe that people purchase DVC for different reasons (whether that is for the right or wrong reasons really is a personal decision) and for my husband the ability to take 'non Disney or other Disney trips cause him to decide 'yes' we would buy a membership. For me, I would be happy to only go to WDW but I would not be happy if I was restricted to only my home resort. So, if DVC in the future makes a decision to restrict our access to other DVC properties, we would most likely sell. Because there is a difference between being able to get a reservation at the 11 month mark (which is why I would own at multiple resorts) and being able to go at all and have different experiences.

"Savvy" owners know that they need to fully understand what they are buying and work within the system.

I know, you know ELMC, that nowhere in my previous post in this thread did I say that success was likely if you go outside of the system; my point was that it was possible to have success. I think it is equally important for perspective buyers to know it can be done.

 

[ELMC]

I know, you know ELMC, that nowhere in my previous post in this thread did I say that success was likely if you go outside of the system; my point was that it was possible to have success. I think it is equally important for perspective buyers to know it can be done.

I completely agree. I wasn't meaning to suggest that you said this, rather I was thinking about the perspective of the reader who might read about it happening and assume that it was the norm.