Sounding Board - new purchase

[OspreyFL]

We are about to make the following DVC direct purchase. I am Looking for your help as a sounding board. Any concerns or better options I should be thinking about?

purchase 2 contracts:
— 1 fixed week riviera 120 points at $188 per point - September week
— 1 fixed week Copper Creek 118 points at $220 per point - December week

Thanks for all input!

Gary

 

[Noodlez]

My plans change every year so I haven’t considered a fixed week. Are these weeks vital to you? If you look at the recent point changes (between 2020 and 2021) some people are really fortunate as the cost has gone up so much that the fixed week premium is nothing. Other weeks have gone down so they are far better off cancelling and using the points elsewhere.
I’m mentioning this because I understand the December fixed week as it’s a really busy time, but some September weeks have actually been reduced. Is there a reason you must travel at that time in September?

The only thing I’m trying to suggest is that if the points for September go down by 20% for the year after (which is a possibility), would you be still be glad you had the week you need, or is it not essential?

 

[OspreyFL]

Thank you for the insight!

We live 1.5 hours away so we come to Disney often throughout the year and we always stay at Disney resorts.

The sep week and dec week we are targeting are weeks we have always gone to Disney for MANY years. So our thoughts are why not lock in two specific weeks that we are very likely to want every year, and then some future years we can cancel those weeks and use the points to try out some of the other DVC resorts.

 

[robinb]

Thank you for the insight!

We live 1.5 hours away so we come to Disney often throughout the year and we always stay at Disney resorts.

The sep week and dec week we are targeting are weeks we have always gone to Disney for MANY years. So our thoughts are why not lock in two specific weeks that we are very likely to want every year, and then some future years we can cancel those weeks and use the points to try out some of the other DVC resorts.

Even though you have gone the same couple of weeks every year doesn't mean that your travel won't change in the future. I've been to WDW for New Year's Eve every single year (except one) since 1999/2000. For those counting at home, that's 19 years. I have no plans for this year and probably won't make plans for 2020/2021 either.

I would HATE a fixed week. I would hate having to covert my fixed week if I wanted to use it another time.

 

[jerseyduke]

It looks like you are looking at studios. If so, I would not NOT buy a fixed week at CCV, particularly if you are planning December. I would only buy a fixed week there. I own at VGF and the intent was to go in December - studios are so hard to get even at the 11 month mark(in December), I am kicking myself for not buying a fixed week. I bought at BRV to solve that problem. If I really want to stay at VGF in December, I would probably start walking a reservation in October.....want to talk about a PITA?

It can not hurt to buy a FW at Riviera, but my GUESS is that you would not need it in Sept - there are enough studios to get at 11 months, but, if that does turn out the case you can cancel and rebook and get the extra points. Probably take an additional 5 minutes when you make your reservation, not a big deal.

I personally have trouble with Riveira because I have not stayed there, and the "Vibe" of the resort is very important to me. It may be great, IDK, but i personally can not buy at a resort until I have stayed at it (or its associated hotel), but to some this is irrelevant.

 

[SG131]

I 100% agree with a fixed week for CCV if you want to go in December. And 100% disagree with the fixed week at Rivera unless you want a tower studio which for that number of points I'm assuming you don't. During this last round of point revisions, the first two weeks of september got a little cheaper at some resorts. There is a good chance September could continue to get cheaper and you lose value in your points. Plus, September really isn't that difficult to book and I doubt it will ever become super popular because every couple years a hurricane comes through disrupting plans and reminding people why they don't like to travel to FL in sept plus with the school year just starting that limits people as well.

 

[OspreyFL]

A fewmore details.... we are currently staying at Riviera and we really like it. We got here on opening day.

We really wanted to buy a riviera tower studio week but they aren’t selling those rooms at fixed weeks. We have seen all the rooms and they are all really nice but for two people the tower studio is really cool in our opinion.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Is Disney still offering fixed weeks at CCV? I thought they had stopped due to "selling through."

 

[CanadaDisney05]

Just to clarify for OP because it doesn't look like they factored it in. The fixed week is not a free add-on. You pay a 10% premium to have it so that Riviera contract would actually be $206.80 per point, and the Copper Creek would be $242 per point.

I'm not 100% sure of all the details, and I seem to recall Riviera having a special where they gave the fixed week as a free add-on. I'm not sure if that is still going on. I'm also not sure if you can even buy a fixed week for Copper Creek anymore since it's sold out.

 

[SG131]

Just to clarify for OP because it doesn't look like they factored it in. The fixed week is not a free add-on. You pay a 10% premium to have it so that Riviera contract would actually be $206.80 per point, and the Copper Creek would be $242 per point.

I'm not 100% sure of all the details, and I seem to recall Riviera having a special where they gave the fixed week as a free add-on. I'm not sure if that is still going on. I'm also not sure if you can even buy a fixed week for Copper Creek anymore since it's sold out.

I thought they started selling fixed weeks without the premium at Riviera.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

I thought they started selling fixed weeks without the premium at Riviera.

I vaguely remember that they did, but I'm not sure if that was a limited time thing or not. I can't seem to find anything on the website

 

[Royal Consort]

Fixed weeks at Riviera require the premium, however, they now qualify for incentives. They always required the extra 10%.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

And if a fixed week were available at CCV, it would be a change from prior precedent. Once a resort is "sold out" they no longer sell fixed weeks direct and you have to try to find one resale. Which is pretty hard, because when you look at how many are allowed to be sold, there are a very small number for any given week.

 

[rg35]

It looks like you are looking at studios. If so, I would not NOT buy a fixed week at CCV, particularly if you are planning December. I would only buy a fixed week there. I own at VGF and the intent was to go in December - studios are so hard to get even at the 11 month mark(in December), I am kicking myself for not buying a fixed week. I bought at BRV to solve that problem.

This is really fascinating. You bought a product (at significant cost) that was unsatisfactory, and then to solve the problem with that product you gave the same company more money as a way of solving it. Basically, DVC providing a bad customer experience wound up netting them additional money.

 

[OspreyFL]

Yes limited number of fixed weeks available but there are some for CC and a Riviera per my original post. I believe The premium is on how many points you have to buy to lock in the fixed week. The cost per point is what I listed in the original post.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

Yes limited number of fixed weeks available but there are some for CC and a Riviera per my original post. I believe The premium is on how many points you have to buy to lock in the fixed week. The cost per point is what I listed in the original post.

The math is technically the same. The only real difference is the amount of points you get if you cancel the reservation

 

[jerseyduke]

This is really fascinating. You bought a product (at significant cost) that was unsatisfactory, and then to solve the problem with that product you gave the same company more money as a way of solving it. Basically, DVC providing a bad customer experience wound up netting them additional money.

Not in the least.
I bought a product (without doing my homework - i.e. educating myself about fixed weeks). It then seemed problematic about getting into the GF in December, so I used my GF contract for my September stay instead of paying cash for that stay, then bought a resale contract (no additional money for DVC) at Boulder Ridge to cover my December Stay.
I do not feel that my purchase was unsatisfactory in any way, so everything you inferred about my experience is incorrect. The only thing correct was that my first purchase was at a significant cost.
I have been virtually nothing but happy with both of my purchases.

 

[crvetter]

Just to clarify for OP because it doesn't look like they factored it in. The fixed week is not a free add-on. You pay a 10% premium to have it so that Riviera contract would actually be $206.80 per point, and the Copper Creek would be $242 per point.

I'm not 100% sure of all the details, and I seem to recall Riviera having a special where they gave the fixed week as a free add-on. I'm not sure if that is still going on. I'm also not sure if you can even buy a fixed week for Copper Creek anymore since it's sold out.

As others stated the premium is on the number of points required not cost per point. So if the week is really 100 points thus to exercise your FW you need to spend 110 points (therefore they require you to buy 110 points). If the buyer chooses not to exercise then they get 110 points in exchange.

The math is technically the same. The only real difference is the amount of points you get if you cancel the reservation

So the advantage here is if one doesn't exercise they get the extra 10 points (as opposed to charging more per point where you are out the money always). So the math is only the same if the person always chooses to exercise the FW. Some years it might be point advantageous to exercise and other years it might not be. Depending how the weeks falls vs where it fell when you bought.

I thought they started selling fixed weeks without the premium at Riviera.

The 10% point premium counts, you just qualified for incentives, which previously they did not. The point premium is actually a "buffer" used by DVC to pay for the FW when the point charts move and someone's FW costs more than what it originally did (thus the 10% buffer). Though eventually say at VGF they will eat through their buffer quickly because most FW there were sold in the first couple weeks of December which should 100% be more expensive than they are (over 10% more probably).

And if a fixed week were available at CCV, it would be a change from prior precedent. Once a resort is "sold out" they no longer sell fixed weeks direct and you have to try to find one resale. Which is pretty hard, because when you look at how many are allowed to be sold, there are a very small number for any given week.

People on here have stated to me that they could by fixed weeks at VGF after the resort sold out and same with PVB. I thought what you had stated to be true but was corrected by those that bought.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

As others stated the premium is on the number of points required not cost per point. So if the week is really 100 points thus to exercise your FW you need to spend 110 points (therefore they require you to buy 110 points). If the buyer chooses not to exercise then they get 110 points in exchange.

Which is actually worst. Your now paying dues on 110 points rather than 100. Assuming you actually are buying the fixed week to use it, the purchase price would be the same in both scenarios.

1) 100 x (188 x 1.1) = 20,680
2) (100 x 1.1) x 188 = 20,680

So your effectively paying $206.80 PP for Riviera, and paying dues on 110 points, but really only getting 100 points of "value". I can see the value for some who really have to travel at the same time every year, to the exact same resort. My take on OP's post was that they were kind of treating it like a free add-on. They didn't need the fixed week, but why not take it if it's offered?

 

[crvetter]

Which is actually worst. Your now paying dues on 110 points rather than 100. Assuming you actually are buying the fixed week to use it, the purchase price would be the same in both scenarios.

1) 100 x (188 x 1.1) = 20,680
2) (100 x 1.1) x 188 = 20,680

So your effectively paying $206.80 PP for Riviera, and paying dues on 110 points, but really only getting 100 points of "value". I can see the value for some who really have to travel at the same time every year, to the exact same resort. My take on OP's post was that they were kind of treating it like a free add-on. They didn't need the fixed week, but why not take it if it's offered?

That is very true with MF. It really depends if a FW owner is really proactive and behaves rationally. Ideally you can buy a FW and only exercise when the cost to book without the FW is higher than FW points (times around the edges--Nov to December for example--allow this to happen). Or CCV the first two weeks of December is a good hedge against rising cost and hard to book rooms (though I've been successful with my bookings at CCV). They are likely raising the cost there thus the FW is probably going to be cheaper point wise (even with the premium) then the 2022 point charts. I know for some people the premium disappeared already in 2021 (but DVC didn't touch December for CCV yet).

I opted against a FW because I wouldn't have qualified for any incentives by purchasing (and would have lost 4k which was about 20 points). The OP doesn't qualify for any incentives since only Riviera is included in that consideration. So a FW is a good buy if they operate rationally and only utilize the FW when availability is sparse (CCV) or the week to book without the FW is more than the points the FW requires. So in a sense it is free (or worth it) if the OP does those two things. The OP should realize FW can not be modified except guests. So if any modifications are wanted to the check-in or check-out days they would be required to opt out of the FW and be subject to the normal 11 month window like all other guests.