Speculation on point requirement increase for direct benefits

[eticketplease]

These were for the lowest priced active resort as some like CCV and VDH were selling higher at the time

In 2018 the minimum for benefits was 75 direct and without incentives the price per point was $182.
2019 upped to 100 at a ppp of $188
2020 upped to 125 at a ppp of $195
2021 upped to 150 at a ppp of $201

We are now at $235 so if it was raised to 175 it would still be in the same PPP range of $6-$7 a year but doing it four to five years later $34 more per point and needing 25 more is just too big of a pill to swallow I would think.

Thanks to @Genie+ for catching my typo

 

[Genie+]

2021 upped to 150 at a ppp of $150*

I think typo from 150pts? 2021 was $201pp, and early 2022 went to $207pp.

 

[eticketplease]

I think typo from 150pts? 2021 was $201pp, and early 2022 went to $207pp.

Yes thanks for catching that. I will edited it
These were for the lowest priced active resort as some like CCV and VDH were selling higher at the time

2/6/2021 it rose to $201
2/3/2022 it rose to $207
12/4/2022 it rose to $217
1/30/24 it rose to $225
2/11/25 it rose to $235

 

[cruisehopeful]

As someone who came to the conclusion that I'd need 300-350 for a one bedroom annually (at places that I would want to stay), the 150 direct is a joke to me. I think they could easily raise it to 200 and that would be extremely fair. If they are selling based on the banking/borrowing model, lower could make sense, but the newer resorts (excluding the CFW) take a LOT of points.

They obviously have plenty of direct members. My direct "benefits" were reduced in September at Disneyland because of what I assume was a large amount of direct members participating. They were out of the tote bag for Halloween in mid September. They were walking us to our seats in the member lounge and telling us how much time we could be there. Our member magic morning coffee had signs on everything saying one per person. Just seems like they are overwhelmed with members cashing in on their "benefits".

 

[VGCgroupie]

Great thread. I can see them raising it. I think it may go back to back to back increases like shown in the past. 25 next year 25 the following year. I would say 50/50 chance of this happening come January

 

[VGCgroupie]

I was thinking to wait to go direct until Lakeshore Lodge, but now I'm a bit concerned.

If you are going direct to be able to use all the points for LSL or any of the new resorts except CFW, you really need more than 150 anyway.

 

[eticketplease]

They obviously have plenty of direct members. My direct "benefits" were reduced in September at Disneyland because of what I assume was a large amount of direct members participating. They were out of the tote bag for Halloween in mid September. They were walking us to our seats in the member lounge and telling us how much time we could be there. Our member magic morning coffee had signs on everything saying one per person. Just seems like they are overwhelmed with members cashing in on their "benefits"

This is terrible. I can see running out of tote bags, even though quite early to do so however, the fact that you’re told how much time you could stay in the lounge after you waited to get in it’s ridiculous.

 

[eticketplease]

If you are going direct to be able to use all the points for LSL or any of the new resorts except CFW, you really need more than 150 anyway.

Very true cause you know, it will most likely have a high point chart

 

[VGCgroupie]

As someone who came to the conclusion that I'd need 300-350 for a one bedroom annually (at places that I would want to stay), the 150 direct is a joke to me. I think they could easily raise it to 200 and that would be extremely fair. If they are selling based on the banking/borrowing model, lower could make sense, but the newer resorts (excluding the CFW) take a LOT of points.

They obviously have plenty of direct members. My direct "benefits" were reduced in September at Disneyland because of what I assume was a large amount of direct members participating. They were out of the tote bag for Halloween in mid September. They were walking us to our seats in the member lounge and telling us how much time we could be there. Our member magic morning coffee had signs on everything saying one per person. Just seems like they are overwhelmed with members cashing in on their "benefits".

The member direct perks at Aulani also "sell" out very very quick and my last trip I did not get to partake.

 

[juliebee]

If you are going direct to be able to use all the points for LSL or any of the new resorts except CFW, you really need more than 150 anyway.

Was hoping that LSL point charts would be better than Poly. The fixed week Poly I would purchase is 153 points so was hoping for around that for LSL. Raising the direct point benefit requirement would be another obstacle for me.

 

[eticketplease]

Was hoping that LSL point charts would be better than Poly. The fixed week Poly I would purchase is 153 points so was hoping for around that for LSL. Raising the direct point benefit requirement would be another obstacle for me.

I think they will be high, but certainly not to the extent that Poly is. Poly has two options to get to Magic Kingdom without the bus along with being able to take the monorail to Epcot.

The new resort will have boat access. I’m sure and while nice does not match boat access and monorail access.

 

[Fullchaos]

People laugh when I talked about ‘future proofing’ my points by adding on direct instead of resale. It is easy to dismiss as FOMO. But these contracts are long (other than 2042s). I’m guessing at a future where even though I have Blue Card my stays on resale points can end up locked out of important stuff. For one, the new resorts. I think we’re also going to see more and more things tied to direct points stays too.

I think the problem with locking out parts of stays on resale points comes when you end up with mixed stays. For example, I have a both a direct and resale contract for the Poly in the same use year (the direct contract has more points for context in this discussion).

I'll need to use all of those points on years I plan to book a 2BR. How are they going to determine what to restrict me on during that stay? Do I only get blue card benefits on some of the days? What if a day is mixed between resale and direct points? How could they enforce it?

It seems like a massive headache compared to allowing resale contracts to continue to fill rooms, while limiting or tiering benefits for direct members.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Was hoping that LSL point charts would be better than Poly. The fixed week Poly I would purchase is 153 points so was hoping for around that for LSL. Raising the direct point benefit requirement would be another obstacle for me.

I think they will be on par with Poly. I had no idea you could get a Poly FW so cheap!

 

[eticketplease]

I think the problem with locking out parts of stays on resale points comes when you end up with mixed stays. For example, I have a both a direct and resale contract for the Poly in the same use year (the direct contract has more points for context in this discussion).

I'll need to use all of those points on years I plan to book a 2BR. How are they going to determine what to restrict me on during that stay? Do I only get blue card benefits on some of the days? What if a day is mixed between resale and direct points? How could they enforce it?

It seems like a massive headache compared to allowing resale contracts to continue to fill rooms, while limiting or tiering benefits for direct members.

Whoever has to sleep on the Murphy bed is restricted.

 

[Brian Noble]

They need to encourage current DVC owners to buy direct

They don't need to. And the resale restrictions also play that role. But, they certainly could do this too.

if they would remove the "Benefits can go away at any time" stipulation but I don't see that happening.

Will never (ever) happen. They are all part of the marketing budget, and no company in their right mind would ever commit to "we promise to never change our marketing budget allocation ever."

I think the problem with locking out parts of stays on resale points comes when you end up with mixed stays.

This isn't a problem at all. Wyndham already does this---VIP benefits only accrue for "developer"-booked stays. A stay that is on all developer points is a developer stay. A stay that has any portion booked on resale points is a resale stay, no matter how many developer/how few resale points are involved.

It is not complicated from an owner's perspective---my developer-coded* and resale points are clearly separated, and it is easy for me to tell how a particular booking is going to be classified.

------------
*: This isn't the same as "developer", but that's a long and uninteresting story.

 

[Genie+]

I think the problem with locking out parts of stays on resale points comes when you end up with mixed stays. For example, I have a both a direct and resale contract for the Poly in the same use year (the direct contract has more points for context in this discussion).

I'll need to use all of those points on years I plan to book a 2BR. How are they going to determine what to restrict me on during that stay? Do I only get blue card benefits on some of the days? What if a day is mixed between resale and direct points? How could they enforce it?

It seems like a massive headache compared to allowing resale contracts to continue to fill rooms, while limiting or tiering benefits for direct members.

That is definitely a hiccup but something I can see their gentle and gradual changes overcoming.

 

[Sandisw]

This is terrible. I can see running out of tote bags, even though quite early to do so however, the fact that you’re told how much time you could stay in the lounge after you waited to get in it’s ridiculous.

They were out of them end of September at MK too. They gave out the Mummy shaped rice Crispy treats which to be honest, I was happy about!

Didn’t need another tote and the kids loved these!!

 

[Fullchaos]

This isn't a problem at all. Wyndham already does this---VIP benefits only accrue for "developer"-booked stays. A stay that is on all developer points is a developer stay. A stay that has any portion booked on resale points is a resale stay, no matter how many developer/how few resale points are involved.

It is not complicated from an owner's perspective---my developer-coded* and resale points are clearly separated, and it is easy for me to tell how a particular booking is going to be classified.

------------
*: This isn't the same as "developer", but that's a long and uninteresting story.

Point taken, you just hose everyone and it's easy!

I'm sure if you did this, especially at any rate of rapidity, or without exemptions for grandfathered contracts, you'd see an incredible devaluation of resale contracts. Wyndham resale contracts get mentioned with phrases like "pennies on the dollar". If you are using these contracts to stay with Disney, a 50% devaluation from today's resale prices would be incredibly difficult to offset without some form of positively irreplaceable direct benefit. And let's be real, a 50% reduction in the cost of resale purchase today could buy a lot of annual passes that could unlock comparable direct DVC benefits for many years to come - MM, magnets, and lounges be damned.

In addition, it would completely change the risk calculation for people looking to join - especially anyone who feels they're only going to use it in the Disney bubble for 10-20 years. It feels like unless DVC had plans to expand to a broader area of properties like Wyndham, this would be untenable (especially with no one knowing what will happen with properties like Vero / HH).

 

[Genie+]

That is definitely a hiccup but something I can see their gentle and gradual changes overcoming.

Thinking about this further, they might not even have to fully cut out resale points Wyndham style to make a big impact if qualifying terms depended on majority of points being resale or direct. The higher ratio of resale points owned to direct, the harder to repeatedly circumvent.

I got a taste when I booked our first direct stay for my niece while I had a split stay on rented and resale points. We wanted Wicked Wind Down to see the MK Christmas fireworks but my stay didn’t qualify even though we were finally blue card. Only because my niece had room occupancy left on her reservation to put us was I able to book.

A gentle gradual evolution? Maybe it never comes to this but it seems likely because DVD is not really making money from resale. While resale may be good for brand image, direct purchases must continue filling the coffers to fund these marketing perks. There’s a limit to this budget and DVC has prevent new or big owners from getting crowded out by savvy owners like me! Trying to take the most advantage of perks while paying the least

 

[pzw90]

A little in a different direction, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them roll out a "just bought" benefits where new direct purchases over a certain amount come with perks for a limited time (6m-1y). Which wouldn't be out of their wheel house, they've done it before with the free tickets in the 90's, and do it now with the Welcome Home booking. Some ideas for perks which vary from minimal to some cost to DVC:

• one guaranteed Midnight Magic entrance
• one tier view upgrade on one stay up to x amount of nights
• additional discounts for merch/food
• a couple free LL passes
• discount on Minnie vans
• discounted park tickets
• ADR booking further out

Get people used to some of the perks and wanting to keep purchasing in order to keep.