Riveria direct

[CVTmarie23]

Also, when buying direct, is Disney willing to negotiate on price, if so, do they budge much? I’ve always been locked into buying resale, and I probably still am, so I haven’t spent time researching a direct buy. Apologize if answers to my questions have been addressed in other threads.

I don't know the answers but I appreciate your questions because I have so many questions as well. I also assumed I'd always be locked into resale but this made it seem like the gap was closer than we expected.

 

[npatellye]

Also, when buying direct, is Disney willing to negotiate on price, if so, do they budge much? I’ve always been locked into buying resale, and I probably still am, so I haven’t spent time researching a direct buy. Apologize if answers to my questions have been addressed in other threads.

They do not negotiate on direct pricing.

 

[CVTmarie23]

Another option is to get a fixed week. If there's a particular week that you're interested in and worried about availability for that time period (like in the fall for food and wine, christmas, etc.). They'll automatically book that week for you every year. Great thing is there's a lot of flexibility with the fixed week. You don't have to actually book that fixed week and can use those points however you'd like. I'm missing a lot of details (amount of points required, "sellability" of a fixed week in the future) that you can probably look up through searches on this forum, but just wanted to throw that out as an option since I haven't seen it brought up yet.

So we don't tend to ever stay more than 3 nights. Unless we are meeting a non local family our stays are more often 2/3 nights that fall over a weekend. We like to go during lower crowd times but have consistently gone the end of Sept, beginning of Dec and mid January. Is the fixed week cheaper? Can you break that contact up into smaller ones? Does this make it harder or easier to rent out our points?

 

[Disneynewb0001]

This current deal is good until Dec 14th. Not sure how long it's been going on. We honestly went in to see the deal on boardwalk villas and from what we were told this was the better contract for us because of the length of the contract. We also love the riveria rooms much more.

If you are going to keep the contract for it’s duration, the length is definitely a big plus. The restrictions on resale are a bummer if you plan on selling at some point, and I imagine it will keep the resale for riv relatively less active than the other resorts. And who knows what happens as 2042 approaches and beyond, and if all future resorts will have similar resale restrictions.

 

[Disneynewb0001]

We are within 2 hours and sometimes plan trips further out but more often than not we are within a few months...

How much availability is there at 2/3 months out? We tend to go in Sept and Dec and jan each year so those we can book ahead but I'd love to be able to view the availability for 2/3 months out and do random available nights in addition to that. We have stayed at most resorts and certainly have our favorites but really like being able to stay at a variety of places.

At 7 months out, all points are equal. You really only get a benefit of “home” resort points when booking 11-8 months out before others can book. Granted you can‘t book RIV if you don’t have blue card, so that would be out, but if all of your bookings are within 7 months, you might want to contemplate getting the cheapest resale points you can get with a duration that works best for you. You could look at OKW or SSR resale for example.

 

[RoseGold]

With three kids, poly won’t work for long, and the RIV chart is EXPENSIVE. If I’m paying that point cost, Im doing it at VGF, which is what I did.

A good longer term option might be BLT or AKL, which both have an extra bathroom in the 1BR. You can rent points to stay at RIV now and then with the five figures you save buying resale.

You are also a good person to book the distressed points on the boards for people who need to use or lose them. That would be how I go to RIV.

DVC’s charts are inflating over time, and BLT already looks retro. This is good for you, because the point requirement is low.

 

[Disneynewb0001]

A good longer term option might be BLT or AKL, which both have an extra bathroom in the 1BR.

I’ve read on other threads that 1BR at BLT tend to be available at 7 months. So if you went the cheap resale point route, this could be a good option for you.

We stayed in a 1BR at BLT this past summer and really loved the easy walking access to MK and the monorail. Also, hate to admit it, but the kids loved chef mickeys. It’s all my 4 year old talks about when we talk about our last trip.

 

[Disneynewb0001]

From what we were told this was the best value with the current incentives. If we purchase less the price pp. is higher.

I am concerned about availability. I would hate to do this and never be able to actually use it. Currently, we do not plan ahead that far. We are within 2 hours and sometimes plan trips further out but more often than not we are within a few months. We are very flexible and have been renting points for years. We basically pick a date range and then go with whatever rental we can find for those dates. I'd love to have the flexibility to book on my own vs having to play the waiting/booking game of trying to rent points. Sometimes we have been very lucky and found people who have aggressively searched for us and we have had some very good deals. For example, I'd love to be able to look and say here's a random Tuesday at riveria or poly, let's go then and we have the flexibility to do that. Right now we rent about 10 nights a year. We would do more if it was easier to book.

How much availability is there at 2/3 months out? We tend to go in Sept and Dec and jan each year so those we can book ahead but I'd love to be able to view the availability for 2/3 months out and do random available nights in addition to that. We have stayed at most resorts and certainly have our favorites but really like being able to stay at a variety of places.

We are basically trying to figure out if it's worth owning vs continuing to rent forever. We have been successful with renting for the most part but prices are getting higher and it seems like it really depends on the person booking for us as to availability. Many times I've been told no availability at all but one person and then one person will get back to me saying they found it and held it for me and I confirm and take it. I definitely think we would use to a lot more if I was able to view the availability on my own.

This thread showed availability charts that might help you, granted this was pre pandemic.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/p...-bd-charts-september-2019-2-bd-added.3689931/

 

[RoseGold]

Allow me to pitch an idea to you, AKL club level. The 1BR is not impossible, it pops up sporadically last minute. It’s available here and there at 8 months right now. If you can plan around a Monday in club level last minute or at 8 months, AKL might be a very fun place to buy points.

AKL club level for five is a fun way to spend RIV level points IMO.

 

[rubybutt]

Another option is to get a fixed week. If there's a particular week that you're interested in and worried about availability for that time period (like in the fall for food and wine, christmas, etc.). They'll automatically book that week for you every year. Great thing is there's a lot of flexibility with the fixed week. You don't have to actually book that fixed week and can use those points however you'd like. I'm missing a lot of details (amount of points required, "sellability" of a fixed week in the future) that you can probably look up through searches on this forum, but just wanted to throw that out as an option since I haven't seen it brought up yet.

https://www.dvchelp.com/uploads/RVA_GuaranteedWeeks.pdf Look especially at 44 and the late Nov early Dec, and week 1. These are the best times to get a fixed week right now. Also get a referral if you haven't already contacted Disney and save $500

 

[CVTmarie23]

With three kids, poly won’t work for long, and the RIV chart is EXPENSIVE. If I’m paying that point cost, Im doing it at VGF, which is what I did.

A good longer term option might be BLT or AKL, which both have an extra bathroom in the 1BR. You can rent points to stay at RIV now and then with the five figures you save buying resale.

You are also a good person to book the distressed points on the boards for people who need to use or lose them. That would be how I go to RIV.

DVC’s charts are inflating over time, and BLT already looks retro. This is good for you, because the point requirement is low.

Yeah we love the poly right now but long term it isn't where we would want to be. If at some point the kids don't want to go we would want to be somewhere with easy access to Epcot. We would love beach club but the 1 bedrooms only sleep 4. I also don't love the idea of being shut out of riveria or new resorts. We are planning on this for long term so the resale value isn't really an issue. I'm more concerned about availability than anything else. I haven't had any luck being able to book the riveria at all by renting points I think we would plan for our 2/3 trips well in advance but then the rest would be based on available rooms.

I really fell in love with riveria so now I feel like if we don't buy there I'll have major fomo and regret lol. But also more money

 

[CVTmarie23]

How would it work if we were to buy resale (not riveria) and then add on direct for the benefits of being able to book riveria and new resorts? Would buying resale first and then adding on have a less point requirement?

 

[JETSDAD]

How would it work if we were to buy resale (not riveria) and then add on direct for the benefits of being able to book riveria and new resorts? Would buying resale first and then adding on have a less point requirement?

Yes, as an owner you would then be able to buy less than 150 direct but only the direct points would be able to be used at Riviera and beyond.

 

[chalee94]

You would still need 150 direct pts to qualify as a full "blue card" member (for whatever good that might do for you.)

 

[Disneynewb0001]

Yes, as an owner you would then be able to buy less than 150 direct but only the direct points would be able to be used at Riviera and beyond.

Is there a minimum number of points or set block amounts (e.g. 25 point blocks) that can be bought direct via this route?

 

[Lorana]

If you have a fixed week, do you still have to book it at 11 months to guarantee that you get it? Are there any downsides to a fixed week?

How much more is a fixed week?

If you have a Fixed Week (DVC calls them Guaranteed Weeks), you don't have to do anything to get it. MS books it for you between 11-12 months in advance - AHEAD of the 11 month window - and you'll get a confirmation and it'll appear in your dashboard. If you have a runDisney event, they SHOULD call you to confirm what you want your check-in/check-out date to be, as runDisney FWs have the benefit of a flexible check-in/check-out date (FWs are otherwise Sun-Sun).

FWs cost 10% more points than the cost of the week the resort opened. So purchasing a FW in the Fall right now is a huge benefit, as those weeks have gone up in price. I own runDisney Food & Wine Fixed Week #44, week #47 (Thanksgiving most years), and week #48 (week after thanksgiving most years/holiday season) in a Studio at Copper Creek. Each of these weeks cost 118 points to purchase, which was 11 points more than the cost of those weeks when the resort opened (they cost 107 to book then), but I purchased them in 2020, during the huge incentives. Now, to book those weeks in 2023, it is 123, 127, and 118, respectively. So I am no longer paying a premium, and in get my weeks "cheaper" if I use them.

Note that the reverse is also true: if you had FWs in Sep (say, week 39 at 118 points), the cost of your weeks has gone down (it's now 95 points), and you'd still pay 118 points if you keep the week. Of course, you can also cancel your FW and rebook it at the lower rate if there is availability.

They are only allowed to sell a max of 35% of a villa type for any given FW, so it's possible there may not be availability. FWs can be purchased at Copper Creek, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Riviera, and Aulani. Since VGF2 is entering the same condo association as VGF1, it stands to reason you can purchase FWs in those rooms once sales open, and there should be plenty of availability.

From my perspective, there is no downside, especially as FWs should increase your earnings if you sell later on. But if you buy during a timeframe Disney is seeking to increase in cost, it can be a real savings. You can cancel your FW and use the points elsewhere -- and if you already use the points in a future earning, at the ~12 month mark, Disney will consider it "canceled," so you don't need to call them if you know you have future plans.

You cannot modify a FW (aside from runDisney events), so if you want to stay shorter than 7 days, or you want to add on days, that has to be a separate reservation, or you have to cancel and rebook the FW. Likewise, you need to call to cancel to ensure you get the right number of points back, which can be a minor hassle with the wait times these days.

 

[JETSDAD]

Is there a minimum number of points or set block amounts (e.g. 25 point blocks) that can be bought direct via this route?

It can vary with new resorts but in general the minimum is 25 if paying cash and 50 if getting a loan with Disney.

 

[What-r-ya Goofy?]

We have several small contracts, all resale, and all at different resorts including Riviera. We use our RIV points to reserve RIV with the home advantage and the other unrestricted points to stay at other resorts. It works for us.

 

[Lorana]

With three kids, poly won’t work for long, and the RIV chart is EXPENSIVE. If I’m paying that point cost, Im doing it at VGF, which is what I did.

Just for clarity to the OP, the RIV chart is expensive in comparison to, say, SSR, OKW, BWV, BCV, BRV, CCV. But it IS less expensive generally than the Monorail resorts (PVB, BLT, VGF).

 

[Disneynewb0001]

It can vary with new resorts but in general the minimum is 25 if paying cash and 50 if getting a loan with Disney.

Also, if hypothetically one was to go this route (buy resale and then pick up small contracts direct over time), would you receive blue card once you reach 150 points direct? Also I assume all the direct points would need to be same use year to count towards blue card?