Room upgrade with on site purchase?

[fightinfire21]

Hi... in 7 days we'll be heading to WDW. We are staying at Pop Century for 14 nights on a magic your way package with deluxe dining.

This is our 5th trip in 7 years, only missing the years that our daughters were born, and we have been strongly considering DVC.

We are pretty familiar with how the program works and have decided that if we purchase we want to purchase from Disney directly.

My question is, if we take the tour while we are there (for the third time ) and decide to purchase, can we say something like "we'll purchase today if you upgrade our room to a DVC resort" would they go for it?

I can't imagine why they wouldn't? I've heard of them upgrading value resorts to DVC resorts in the past just to make more room at a value so I don't know why they wouldn't do it to get someone to purchase.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this or not?

 

[tjkraz]

DVC used to allow buyers to start using the points immediately but I haven't heard of that happening for several years.

Let's say you have a 6 night stay booked. After the 3rd night you buy DVC. The deal was they would arrange for you to be refunded 50% of your room charges for the stay you are currently on (since the trip is half over). Then you would move to a DVC and points would be deducted from your account for the nights stayed in a villa.

There was additional paperwork involved in this process. Since timeshare laws mandate a cancellation period, you had to agree to pay for the DVC nights (in cash) if the DVC purchase did not close for any reason.

But again it's been quite a few years since anyone reported this happening.

As for getting them to comp you, you could try but I wouldn't rate your chances as being very high. DVC guides do not have the authority to bargain with buyers. They might be able to get you an extra scoop of ice cream or a DVC baseball cap, but I dunno about a room upgrade valued at several thousand dollars.

There's a complicated bookkeeping process which allows CRO (Central Reservations; Disney's cash booking arm) to access unreserved DVC villas. Just because CRO uses their inventory to upgrade guests during certain times of the year, it's not a foregone conclusion that DVC Guides have similar capabilities. Particularly for a 14-night stay over a peak holiday season.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...We are pretty familiar with how the program works and have decided that if we purchase we want to purchase from Disney directly. ...

Could I ask why you plan to purchase directly from Disney instead of considering a resale, at a savings of several thousands of dollars?

 

[castleri]

I don't see them doing this as it would probably lead to abuse. People book a value resort , take the DVC tour and sign on the dotted line . They then stay at SSR as an upgrade get home and send the paperwork back saying they changed their minds. I know they have to put down a down payment but that would be returned unless Disney kept it to pay for the room. If you want to try out DVC renting a reservation from a current member could get you a room for about the same as a value or moderate depending on the villa size and location.

 

[DMKEDM]

Another thing to consider: a week from today is in T-giving week, followed by the very-busy-for-DVC holiday weeks--I would guess DVC is booked solid...even if they wanted to and were authorized to do so, I'm not sure guides could find you a villa...next week and onward are among the busiest DVC times and availability will be a huge issue...

I have no clue if they might be willing to explore this kind of incentive, but it seems unlikely given that they don't "bargain" and the only incentives (that I know about) that they offer "in public" are extra service, ice cream, fast passes, DVC "gear" (totes, caps type things) and occasionally small Disney gift cards...

As for buying direct rather than resale: I can think of a number of reasons why a first-time buyer might prefer a direct purchase over a resale, even if there is a big cost difference...I know I did! In fact, I bought direct for my first contract and my four add-on's...money isn't everything.

Ease of purchase, trust in the seller (and potential recourse if something goes wrong), comfort from knowing your guide will go to bat for you (mine will!) if I mess up (and I did!) when first learning how to use DVC all come to mind. And it's a whole lot faster (which is probably part of "easier")...Plus, the new restrictions on resale contracts do matter to me...and you have to be comfortable with renting to go with the "rent your points and use the cash to pay cash" scenario the resale supporters offer...renting is not something everyone is comfortable doing--on either side of the transaction. If you are comfortable with it, hurray for you...you can save a bunch of money. But it's not for everyone.

Yes, buying resale is cheaper (by quite a lot, depending on the resort and number of points you want), but the differential spread over the life of the contract would make me think hard about going with "ease" and "trust" and "comfort"!! It's kind of the same reasoning as "why finance when it costs so much more"...sometimes the extra cost "buys" you something that's worth the money...each person gets to make his/her own evaluation...

This is by no means an "advertisement" for either resale or buying direct...it's just an observation that money is but one factor--and I fully admit it can be a big one, but it's still only one--to consider--

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone...I head out tomorrow morning for our traditional Disney T-giving...at BCV this trip...I SO can't wait!!

 

[disneynutz]

Many offers in the past happened because DVC wasn't a big seller. That is no longer true today and Disney only gives away what they have to. Zero chance that you will get a upgrade.

As far as buying a contract, you know the cost difference between buying direct and resale so I won't touch on that.

As far as cost savings:
Take your current vacation cost minus your room.
Add your down payment divided by 10.
Add your monthly payment times 12.
Add your yearly dues.
Add the dining plan.

This will be the cost for the first DVC vacation so compare it to what you pay now.

For future DVC costs, increase this amount by at least 5% for every year that you own.

Bill

 

[Deb & Bill]

Many offers in the past happened because DVC wasn't a big seller. That is no longer true today and Disney only gives away what they have to. Zero chance that you will get a upgrade.

As far as buying a contract, you know the cost difference between buying direct and resale so I won't touch on that.

As far as cost savings:
Take your current vacation cost minus your room.
Add your down payment divided by 10.
Add your monthly payment times 12.
Add your yearly dues.
Add the dining plan.

This will be the cost for the first DVC vacation so compare it to what you pay now.

For future DVC costs, increase this amount by at least 5% for every year that you own.

Bill

Bill, you forgot transportation costs to WDW in there.

 

[disneynutz]

Bill, you forgot transportation costs to WDW in there.

They already know what their transportation costs are but yes they should add that cost and the cost of admission tickets.

We have learned that a lot of our fellow DVC Members, bought knowing that they could come up with the money for the down payment, monthly payment, and dues. What they didn't take into account was the total vacation cost each year which really adds up.

Vacationing at Disney and owning a DVC Membership really is a luxury, at least for us it is.

Bill

 

[LisaS]

I know they have to put down a down payment but that would be returned unless Disney kept it to pay for the room.

There is some wording in the contract about that. You can book a vacation as soon as you provide your down payment. If you take the trip but then do not close on your contract the cost of your stay is deducted from your down payment.

 

[lah3hh]

Never say never these days....we have received 'upgraded' rooms when we did an add on while at WDW. One time we were staying in a studio and was moved up to a 2 bdrm for no additional points for the remaining nights.

I hope by now the OP received an upgrade special!!!!

 

[lovin'fl]

OK...now here's a question for you guys. We own 200 pts at OKW and we're going to be there 12/20-26. We're wanting to add on 75-100 points. If we went to the DVC sales center while we're down there to get more points and asked them if they'd take our 200 OKW points and use them to buy 275-300 BLT points, would they? I'd like to have all my points at BLT or we will keep our OKW points and add on some HHI points via resale.

 

[tjkraz]

Several years ago DVC was buying back points at some resorts but the offers were extremely low. This was a time when BCV was going for $90+ via resale and if memory serves, DVC was buying back in the $50s.

Assuming they are even willing to buy back the OKW points, I wouldn't expect DVC to offer you much for them. Maybe $20-30 per point.

No harm in asking but don't get your hopes up for a big return.

 

[Sandisw]

OK...now here's a question for you guys. We own 200 pts at OKW and we're going to be there 12/20-26. We're wanting to add on 75-100 points. If we went to the DVC sales center while we're down there to get more points and asked them if they'd take our 200 OKW points and use them to buy 275-300 BLT points, would they? I'd like to have all my points at BLT or we will keep our OKW points and add on some HHI points via resale.

I tried that back in 2009--I wanted to see if they would be willing to take my VWL points back so I could re-buy them as BLT points (was adding on at BLT as well).

They told me they did not do that. As mentioned, however, it never hurts to ask but I also think that any offer from DVC would be so low it wouldn't be worth it.

 

[bakerworld]

Our guide said that DVC = the cost of moderate resort staying at a premium location (which is why we bought). We check the prices and agree. So, FYI, DVC will be more $$ than staying at Value at a special rate.

 

[Callymum]

If you are there and are going to buy points then it is no loss to ask if they will upgrade your hotel this stay to a villa, a bird in the hand with them is better than 2 in the bush if you know what I mean.

Go for it and ask if you are in negotiations, they can only say No. 

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are there and are going to buy points then it is no loss to ask if they will upgrade your hotel this stay to a villa, a bird in the hand with them is better than 2 in the bush if you know what I mean.

Go for it and ask if you are in negotiations, they can only say No. 

And they may charge you points for the upgrade and refund your money.