Second contract

[ShaneDJ]

What is the likelihood of getting a theme park view in either Polynesian Tower or Bay Lake Tower on New Year’s Eve seven months out or even 11 months out?

At 7 months, very slim chance.

 

[sndral]

I think Poly direct will be great for you. Then you can access all the resorts, past and present, have monorail access, guarantee yourself a good resale if you decide to sell down the line, and blue card perks, such as they are. I like your AK as SAP+. I know the dues are higher because of the animals, but AKJ/AKK are really special, and Jambo at Christmas, the tree and animal gingerbread are GORGEOUS. If you like Wilderness Lodge at the holidays, I think you'll be thrilled with AKJ at the holidays as well. Throw in best food on property, and it's really nice. As well, we love the quiet of the resort during a busy season.

Congratulations! Can't wait to hear when your dashboard is loaded.

Returning ‘home’ to Jambo’s lobby during the holidays really is special IMO .

 

[Girlstar30]

I just hesitate recommending such a large, expensive all direct purchase to someone who has been a bit all over the map (no offense at all) Offloading it would be an unnecessary hit.

 

[PolyRob]

It depends what shes trying to do. From her owning akv and considering SSR, it seems like she likes to split stay and perhaps shouldnt buy a bunch of direct points at PVB.

She also has expressed concerns about the price and buying resale after a direct contract will lower the price, even if the delta isnt that large.

She may not even like riv or other unrestricted resorts. Her plan isnt to book one bedrooms in solely restricted resorts and she can save a ton of money booking one bedrooms with SSR if she is OK with not using those for restricted resorts and banking and borrowing her unrestricted points for one bedrooms at those resorts.

Oh yes, if she still wanted cheap SSR go all in on SSR resale. She never mentioned split stays that I remember, only one-bedrooms.

She is now considering PVB. Buying 150 PVB direct and 150 PVB resale right now would not make a lot of sense to me. 5-8k savings tops would be negated by no restrictions, immediate points, welcome home, current UY points with pro-rated dues, etc to me.

You are correct that you can bank/borrow to accomplish unrestricted one-bedrooms, but using three UYs worth of points on one reservation is extremely risky especially if it's after a banking deadline in the event you need to cancel or plans fall through. Losing 450 points would be a 9k blunder negating any resale savings.

 

[Girlstar30]

Oh yes, if she still wanted cheap SSR go all in on SSR resale. She never mentioned split stays that I remember, only one-bedrooms.

She is now considering PVB. Buying 150 PVB direct and 150 PVB resale right now would not make a lot of sense to me. 5-8k savings tops would be negated by no restrictions, immediate points, welcome home, current UY points with pro-rated dues, etc to me.

You are correct that you can bank/borrow to accomplish unrestricted one-bedrooms, but using three UYs worth of points on one reservation is extremely risky especially if it's after a banking deadline in the event you need to cancel or plans fall through. Losing 450 points would be a 9k blunder negating any resale savings.

I agree with the buying 150 pvb direct is better than 150 resale. She may have no choice but to split stay with her multiple home resorts. And yes using after banking deadline is risky. At least she can get 300 banking and using every other year. Doing either is a risk, but I dont think most people perfectly use every single point every year without having to do either at least a little bit.

 

[intamin]

Returning ‘home’ to Jambo’s lobby during the holidays really is special IMO .
View attachment 1023634View attachment 1023635

I love how much AKL is slept on as a Christmas resort. This is where my wife and I stayed when we got engaged and walking into that lobby with the tree up when it was empty at midnight was amazing

 

[melissa70]

Oh yes, if she still wanted cheap SSR go all in on SSR resale. She never mentioned split stays that I remember, only one-bedrooms.

She is now considering PVB. Buying 150 PVB direct and 150 PVB resale right now would not make a lot of sense to me. 5-8k savings tops would be negated by no restrictions, immediate points, welcome home, current UY points with pro-rated dues, etc to me.

You are correct that you can bank/borrow to accomplish unrestricted one-bedrooms, but using three UYs worth of points on one reservation is extremely risky especially if it's after a banking deadline in the event you need to cancel or plans fall through. Losing 450 points would be a 9k blunder negating any resale savings.

I’m considering PVB for the 11 month advantage and buying resale vs direct isn’t too much different price wise when you break everything down (even though 10k is enough to think about) but it’s the restrictions. Maybe I’ll care about it, maybe I won’t ..I’m not sure! And I’m thinking we will be shut out of the 2042s eventually. Maybe I’ll be too old to care

 

[melissa70]

At 7 months, very slim chance.

What about 11 months?

 

[Girlstar30]

I’m considering PVB for the 11 month advantage and buying resale vs direct isn’t too much different price wise when you break everything down (even though 10k is enough to think about) but it’s the restrictions. Maybe I’ll care about it, maybe I won’t ..I’m not sure! And I’m thinking we will be shut out of the 2042s eventually. Maybe I’ll be too old to care

None of us knows whats going to happen, you just gotta be okay with them expiring and booking whats left.

Im perfectly happy with what will be left at that time and also know that I can always sell my resales and get into something else without taking a bigger hit if I dont like how things are evolving.

So far I am cautiously optimistic and very interested in a potential point washing program in the future. But that may or may not happen so I dont bank on it and its OK to me.

With my eventual 150 direct I will stay at Riv every few years and be totally happy, i also want to try the cabins but i know thats not my cup of tea annually. Vdh looks great but disneyland is not my preferred theme park. How you feel about these new resorts may be totally different where a bunch of direct is really making sense to you right now.

Now if they resale bwv, say bye to one of my resales. I'll be very happy with the 16 years I got to use it But you gotta be happy with your purchase, just consider what everyone is saying and do what makes you happy

 

[Wedgeout]

So..300 points direct

If you can budget that big of a direct contract, adding it to an already large contract, (By the way, you haven’t even had the chance to test drive that one yet), and have no issues with the upwards to $6k annual maintenance fee, then by all means go for it.

At the same time, ask yourself: Are you currently spending over 6k per year average on a Disney vacation?

 

[melissa70]

If you can budget that big of a direct contract, adding it to an already large contract, (By the way, you haven’t even had the chance to test drive that one yet), and have no issues with the upwards to $6k annual maintenance fee, then by all means go for it.

At the same time, ask yourself: Are you currently spending over 6k per year average on a Disney vacation?

I will never go 300 points direct. I probably won’t even go direct at the end of the day..but it is tempting . Do you go to WDW often? Would you say you would be spending that or more ?

 

[AstroBlasters]

I vote Poly direct. Please see @airjay75 ’s reasons for why direct over resale.

It’s nice to feel like a “full” member and to have a bucket of points that you know you can use anywhere.

 

[ShaneDJ]

What about 11 months?

https://dvcfieldguide.com/availability-tables

 

[melissa70]

None of us knows whats going to happen, you just gotta be okay with them expiring and booking whats left.

Im perfectly happy with what will be left at that time and also know that I can always sell my resales and get into something else without taking a bigger hit if I dont like how things are evolving.

So far I am cautiously optimistic and very interested in a potential point washing program in the future. But that may or may not happen so I dont bank on it and its OK to me.

With my eventual 150 direct I will stay at Riv every few years and be totally happy, i also want to try the cabins but i know thats not my cup of tea annually. Vdh looks great but disneyland is not my preferred theme park. How you feel about these new resorts may be totally different where a bunch of direct is really making sense to you right now.

Now if they resale bwv, say bye to one of my resales. I'll be very happy with the 16 years I got to use it But you gotta be happy with your purchase, just consider what everyone is saying and do what makes you happy

This too. 16 years is a long time and who the hell knows if i will even be alive! Never mind going to Disney lol

 

[melissa70]

https://dvcfieldguide.com/availability-tables

I’ve seen those tables but I like to hear from people and their experience

 

[Wedgeout]

I will never go 300 points direct. I probably won’t even go direct at the end of the day..but it is tempting . Do you go to WDW often? Would you say you would be spending that or more ?

If one goes that often, then would be spending that or even more. The whole idea for the vacation club, is have the points that match you as an individual, for your current vacation habits, saving money or paying the same as you normally do but now at a deluxe resort upgrade.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I’m considering PVB for the 11 month advantage and buying resale vs direct isn’t too much different price wise when you break everything down (even though 10k is enough to think about) but it’s the restrictions. Maybe I’ll care about it, maybe I won’t ..I’m not sure! And I’m thinking we will be shut out of the 2042s eventually. Maybe I’ll be too old to care

The difference is too small between direct and resale right now. When you start traveling and using it, you'll appreciate the direct points. If you happen to arrive on a Moonlight Magic day, you'll save on a ticket. If you are hot and sweaty, you can get inside the lounge and get a cold drink.

If you miss a year of traveling, you can use those points to buy an annual pass when you're ready again. Like you, I have no idea if I'll keep traveling after 2024. Honestly, no one knows. If we are, isn't it great to be able to stay at any resort. $45k is a lot of money, but if you think of it as a turn key vacation home, it's a very inexpensive vacation home.

 

[Sandisw]

You dont have to buy all those points direct, just buy the 150 for direct benefits and the rest resale if price is a concern, I think thats what most people do and what im def going to do.

You do not need to spend 45k to own a direct contract, you can make your direct purchase way lower with incentives and buying the minimum as others have said

As long as someone isn’t buying for use at the restricted resorts.

The 150 makes you eligible for membership extras but it only gives you 150 to use at those newer resorts.

So, buying just 150 and the rest resale isn’t quite the same as getting all direct in terms of future use.

 

[🍀TwinsMom]

If you can budget that big of a direct contract, adding it to an already large contract, (By the way, you haven’t even had the chance to test drive that one yet), and have no issues with the upwards to $6k annual maintenance fee, then by all means go for it.

At the same time, ask yourself: Are you currently spending over 6k per year average on a Disney vacation?

Soooo, we are perhaps outliers on the whole WDW/DVC thing, but we bought on our first trip to WDW when the kids were 5 and 6. We were staying at Caribbean Beach, and there's NO WAY we would have become repeat visitors. We truly were on our "once-in-a-lifetime trip." There was no thought of ever spending $6k per year.

Fast forward almost seven years, and we most years buy APs, airfare x 4 at least twice a year, plus food and miscellaneous shopping (although we REALLY have cut down on the merch at this point. Aside from pins and ears, we're all good on gear.)

IDK if you'll become regulars to use those 300+points, but we started at 100, added 200, then added on last year another 100. We do 1Bs and were fine, but now we're doing 2Bs and the 400 points has us borrowing every year. Not the end of the world -- I do think it's great to use the points and figure out what/how/where you want to stay. We really do love DVC.

We totally go more often than we ever would if we didn't own, so I don't know if it's a fair comparison when folks talk about their pre and post DVC travel habits and saving money. IDK if saving money is a factor for you anyway. For whatever we save in flying COO and cooking some meals in the room, we blow on signature dining and Owners Lockers, LOL. It's worth it to us because of how enjoyable it is traveling this way.

Do you plan to travel with extended family or friends? Take nieces or nephews or perhaps kids' friends? We LOVE to bring folks with us, so that bumps us into the 2Bs now, and boy, those are NICE. 300 is great for 1Bs. You may not need more points for a little bit of time.

I'd try to get over to Riviera and Poly Tower ASAP to check them out and tour the rooms and go for a vibe check. It sounds like both resorts have another year of direct sales, so you can check the incentives. The next deadline is around 12/10, and then I think they run quasi quarterly. You can get your points loaded and take a trip and tour the resorts. Kidani's started its refurbishment and should have rooms open to use starting in January that have been redone.

Our dues are about $3500 a year, and that's enough for us at the moment. We have two in braces, and soon two driving, then two figuring out college/adulting. Dues of $6000+ is the real killer over the life of the contract, not the initial painful purchase. The contracts were paid off long ago, so we sort of have amnesia about laying out that chunk of cash, LOL.

At this point the dues are what matters and the initial buy-in is a sunk cost. However, we broke even a long time ago. If we had to sell Riviera today at a "loss," so be it. We have had six years of amazing trips and memories that we never would have if we hadn't bought in. Zero regrets. And we still would get money back from selling! It's not like it's worthless. We could rent our points and cover the dues, too, if there's years that the kids are meh about going or we can't make it for some reason.