Spring Direct Incentives 2/9-4/27

[Girlstar30]

Yep! They have really expanded Grand Floridian Way the last few years, doubling the lanes and improving the flow. It’s still being worked on. Are they expecting alot more traffic to be coming thru there at some point?

View attachment 1047517

Are we going to see a new resort up in that area? I’d love it

I’ve also heard about developing behind Beach Club villas, where a new resort would have gate access to the front of Epcot.

And we’re all still waiting for Tikiman’s YC DVC to come to fruition haha. That would pair nicely with the MK gate resort.

If they went with EP gate resort as the big project, then maybe they’d want to do something smaller by MK, like flipping the Garden Roos at Contemporary into DVC? Oh, or maybe even the tower including some of the Atrium Club.

One can dream!

Even with CFW and LSL not rolled out yet, I think there’s still room for one bigger and one smaller DVC project coming for WDW within the next decade.

Why is the yacht club so popular aside from location, I know nothing about it

 

[Makai]

I need to run these new numbers for 150 points at VDH by you all to see if I missed anything or in case my math is off. My guide says this new round of incentives is better, and is going to redo my contract. No final quote given yet or incentive breakdown, so this is just from reading here and confirming these discounts with my guide. Also I plan to keep my same March UY so can split this 150 into three 50 point contracts if that is better advised than 100/50. I will keep the closing costs off the analysis since I might decline Title Insurance, and not sure what the cost will end up at.

Disneyland Hotel Villas:
$248 per point x 150=$37,200
$224 a point with $24 developer discount=$33,600

$1,000 Anniversary discount
$1,000 Disney Visa discount
$500 D23 Gold discount (free with Disney+)
Gift: Disney Art

=$31,100 before closing costs
Last Cycle it was $31,300

With $3,000 Magical Beginnings=$28,100

$843 discount with 3% Disney Inspire VISA rewards=$27,257

Edit Correction & hat tip to Flash Sloth: “You get the $3k Magical Beginnings as a rebate check after your final payment and closing. Therefore, you get 3% back on $31,100 instead of $28,100. (And 3% back on closing costs too.) So before closing costs, that will put your Disney Inspire Visa rewards at $933 instead of $843.”

$933 with 3% Disney Inspire VISA rewards=$27,167

This puts VDH direct at $181.11 per point before closing costs. If I factor in the month of annual dues pro-rated off for January 2026, it’s an additional savings of $131.75 =$180.23 per point (before closing costs).

Does this look correct?

 

[Girlstar30]

I need to run these new numbers for 150 points at VDH by you all to see if I missed anything or in case my math is off. My guide says this new round of incentives is better, and is going to redo my contract. No final quote given yet or incentive breakdown, so this is just from reading here and confirming these discounts with my guide. Also I plan to keep my same March UY so can split this 150 into three 50 point contracts if that is better advised than 100/50. I will keep the closing costs off the analysis since I might decline Title Insurance, and not sure what the cost will end up at.

Disneyland Hotel Villas:
$248 per point x 150=$37,200
$224 a point with $24 developer discount=$33,600

$1,000 anniversary discount
$1,000 Visa discount
$500 D23 Gold discount (free with Disney+)
Gift: Disney Art

=$31,100 before closing costs
Last Cycle it was $31,300

With $3,000 Magical Beginnings=$28,100

$843 discount with 3% Disney Inspire VISA rewards=$27,257

This puts VDH direct at $181.71 per point before closing costs.

Does this look correct?

Your math is correct as far as this cycles price and last cycles price and magical beginnings.

I cant comment about the visa cuz idk. I split three ways and my closing costs were roughly $31 waiving the title insurance plus the $250 doc prep free on each contract. Your closing costs may even be cheaper because youre buying 150 points, I bought 200.

With the super low closing costs by waiving title insurance, I think its worth it to split 3 ways 50 50 50. Also def go with new incentive cycle as that artwork is valued at $375 AND its $200 cheaper, score!

I actually paid $100 more this round because I wanted the artwork so purchasing 150 points is better than more points this round, which is rare. Actually the more you buy, the worst it gets! 250 was even worse!

I felt confident waiving title insurance because no one else has ever owned these points. Read contract carefully for spelling errors and make sure the math adds up. The breakdown my guide gave me was not giving me enough credit from the deposits ive already paid and I caught it.

Welcome home, neighbor!!! ️

 

[Flash_Sloth]

I'm also not convinced that restricted resorts will face the availability problems that so many predict. But, if that problem does start to materialize, there are many ways Disney can get creative to help fix it. They have a vested interest in selling direct points. And direct points aren't going to have much appeal if the ability to use them at non-home resorts is only a theoretical possibility, but next to impossible in practice.

I generally agree, but I have a feeling that there will be a higher percentage of unused points as more resale contracts pop up at restricted resorts. I don't know how big of a problem this will become.

Those who own resale points at a restricted resort can have some of the same unfortunate life events as everybody else and may have to cancel a reservation on short notice. If those points go into holding, or if it is past their banking deadline, or even if it is just within the 7 month window when others can book, it could be very difficult to find availability when limited to 1 resort. And even if there is some availability, it doesn't necessarily mean it is usable based on schedules for work, school, holidays, travel, etc.

But with DVD having a vested interest in selling direct points, maybe they don't care so much about bad luck for resale owners at restricted resorts?

 

[Flash_Sloth]

I need to run these new numbers for 150 points at VDH by you all to see if I missed anything or in case my math is off. My guide says this new round of incentives is better, and is going to redo my contract. No final quote given yet or incentive breakdown, so this is just from reading here and confirming these discounts with my guide. Also I plan to keep my same March UY so can split this 150 into three 50 point contracts if that is better advised than 100/50. I will keep the closing costs off the analysis since I might decline Title Insurance, and not sure what the cost will end up at.

Disneyland Hotel Villas:
$248 per point x 150=$37,200
$224 a point with $24 developer discount=$33,600

$1,000 Anniversary discount
$1,000 Disney Visa discount
$500 D23 Gold discount (free with Disney+)
Gift: Disney Art

=$31,100 before closing costs
Last Cycle it was $31,300

With $3,000 Magical Beginnings=$28,100

$843 discount with 3% Disney Inspire VISA rewards=$27,257

This puts VDH direct at $181.71 per point before closing costs.

Does this look correct?

You get the $3k Magical Beginnings as a rebate check after your final payment and closing. Therefore, you get 3% back on $31,100 instead of $28,100. (And 3% back on closing costs too.) So before closing costs, that will put your Disney Inspire Visa rewards at $933 instead of $843.

 

[Makai]

Your math is correct as far as this cycles price and last cycles price and magical beginnings.

I cant comment about the visa cuz idk. I split three ways and my closing costs were roughly $31 waiving the title insurance plus the $250 doc prep free on each contract. Your closing costs may even be cheaper because youre buying 150 points, I bought 200.

With the super low closing costs by waiving title insurance, I think its worth it to split 3 ways 50 50 50. Also def go with new incentive cycle as that artwork is valued at $375 AND its $200 cheaper, score!

I actually paid $100 more this round because I wanted the artwork so purchasing 150 points is better than more points this round, which is rare. Actually the more you buy, the worst it gets! 250 was even worse!

I felt confident waiving title insurance because no one else has ever owned these points. Read contract carefully for spelling errors and make sure the math adds up. The breakdown my guide gave me was not giving me enough credit from the deposits ive already paid and I caught it.

Welcome home, neighbor!!! ️

Welcome home neighbor! I also was tempted by the Saratoga Springs offer, but happy to see you stayed with VDH too! I think we made the right choice here! With only two California DVC properties, I believe it will hold strong resale value, and that home priority there is going to become more & more important. If Disneyland ends up expanding all around the DLH, I will feel even more vindicated for this choice. Even if it doesn’t happen, I still prefer this historic hotel & tropical vibe to VGC most of the year.

 

[Makai]

You get the $3k Magical Beginnings as a rebate check after your final payment and closing. Therefore, you get 3% back on $31,100 instead of $28,100. (And 3% back on closing costs too.) So before closing costs, that will put your Disney Inspire Visa rewards at $933 instead of $843.

Thank you for catching that! Even better news!! I will edit that in to my post!

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Thank you for catching that! Even better news!! I will edit that in to my post!

You're welcome, and welcome home, neighbor! We've just added some VDH points, too.

 

[Makai]

You're welcome, and welcome home, neighbor! We've just added some VDH points, too.

Love it! Happy to be in the VDH family!

 

[Girlstar30]

Welcome home neighbor! I also was tempted by the Saratoga Springs offer, but happy to see you stayed with VDH too! I think we made the right choice here! With only two California DVC properties, I believe it will hold strong resale value, and that home priority there is going to become more & more important. If Disneyland ends up expanding all around the DLH, I will feel even more vindicated for this choice. Even if it doesn’t happen, I still prefer this historic hotel & tropical vibe to VGC most of the year.

We totally did! After the rush of feeling like we got a good deal wore off i would be sad i didnt buy my direct contract where I loved!

And now we can excitedly track Disneyforward's progress for years to come!

Ive gotten to know some of the cm's that work at vdh and it just really feels like home! Its small enough to feel personal and I like that. Even ran into an old high school friend that happens to be a bellman at vdh and vgc! Small world! Free valet parking for me when hes there is a mega bonus

Im with you on the vdh preference, I just feel so happy when im there! As soon as we walk near and see the pixie dust on the floor turn into a shooting star and enter the butterfly gate, we know were going to have some fabulous and fun days ahead!!

 

[airjay75]

I generally agree, but I have a feeling that there will be a higher percentage of unused points as more resale contracts pop up at restricted resorts. I don't know how big of a problem this will become.

Those who own resale points at a restricted resort can have some of the same unfortunate life events as everybody else and may have to cancel a reservation on short notice. If those points go into holding, or if it is past their banking deadline, or even if it is just within the 7 month window when others can book, it could be very difficult to find availability when limited to 1 resort. And even if there is some availability, it doesn't necessarily mean it is usable based on schedules for work, school, holidays, travel, etc.

But with DVD having a vested interest in selling direct points, maybe they don't care so much about bad luck for resale owners at restricted resorts?

That's a really good thought. I know I've previously thought to myself, look, just because your'e a RIV resale owner doesn't magically mean you're the super-DVC-booker ready to go at 11 months and never attempting to change it - you're human just like the rest of us and, as you state, life happens. But, because those points are not as flexible - e.g., you won't be able to use them for a last minute SSR stay - more of them may go unused. If there are more points within the DVC ecosystem that aren't being used, that may actually help overall availability for direct DVC owners. That said, my mind is also going toward the whole breakage concept and what ability DVC has to rent out rooms for cash that haven't been booked - I'm not the most well versed in that, but there is probably a way in which Disney benefits from this too by being able to rent out more rooms for cash if they want to. Or, if they don't, then they find a way to let resale owners use points where they're ineligible and try to make money that way.

So many things to work their way through the system as to how resale restrictions will ultimately play out.

 

[Brian Noble]

But with DVD having a vested interest in selling direct points, maybe they don't care so much about bad luck for resale owners at restricted resorts?

Ding ding ding ding ding!

In the limit, it is also possible to drop unused points into Interval. There are a lot of bad deals there, but there are some good ones as well. With restricted points, the cost basis is lower, so the threshold of "good deal" is not so drastic. I've done a number of exchanges through them using my unbranded trader, and while I'd rather use that than DVC points, there are definitely a few exchanges where the points would not have been a terrible tradeoff.

I did a trade power test a few days ago between my unbranded, high-season silver week, deposited one year in advance, and my DVC points. The points definitely see more high-demand inventory, but they also have a downward quality filter that prevents me from seeing some of the less posh options. For example, I'm using my trader week for a 2BR here this summer, and DVC does not see the resort, probably because it is "too basic." Fine with me!

https://www.kenanikai.com

Because DVC uses a fixed grid that is independent of destination, there are some good deals in e.g. Hawaii or some of the in-city locations that are otherwise quite expensive. There is a meaningful restriction on that: you have to deposit at least 45 days prior to the end of the UY.

If push came to shove, and I had to cancel a trip very late in my UY, I'd jjust put it up as a confirmed rental. Again, because the cost basis of restricted poitns is lower, having to rent it at distressed rates still probably keeps me at break-even if it came to that.

Are there more risks? Sure! And it is definitely not for everyone, which is part of the reason they are cheaper. But, I'm saving around $90/pt vs. a developer purchase. That's not small potatoes for points at a resort I love.

 

[RuntheMouse]

I generally agree, but I have a feeling that there will be a higher percentage of unused points as more resale contracts pop up at restricted resorts. I don't know how big of a problem this will become.

Those who own resale points at a restricted resort can have some of the same unfortunate life events as everybody else and may have to cancel a reservation on short notice. If those points go into holding, or if it is past their banking deadline, or even if it is just within the 7 month window when others can book, it could be very difficult to find availability when limited to 1 resort. And even if there is some availability, it doesn't necessarily mean it is usable based on schedules for work, school, holidays, travel, etc.

But with DVD having a vested interest in selling direct points, maybe they don't care so much about bad luck for resale owners at restricted resorts?

Agree with this. We understood the risk with buying resale RIV, resale is a very small portion of what we own there. We use those points close to our UY and try hard not to bank those to allow maximum flexibility. Another things we’ve considered is what impact renovations are going to have on availability. Things might get rough!

 

[muppets3d]

Agree with this. We understood the risk with buying resale RIV, resale is a very small portion of what we own there. We use those points close to our UY and try hard not to bank those to allow maximum flexibility. Another things we’ve considered is what impact renovations are going to have on availability. Things might get rough!

Speaking of, based upon the 7 soft goods / 14 hard goods refurb schedule, Riviera's first soft goods refurbishment should be coming up in the next year or so. It'll be interesting to see what they do to the resort.

 

[Brian Noble]

Here's an example of one of the things that would not be a bad deal. This is an oceanfront resort in Maui----a very nice one. A late spring week in a studio here on Maui is exactly one point more than a week in a Preferred Studio at RIV.

In September.

 

[MonorailCoral]

that home priority there is going to become more & more important.

Agree with this, and also just add my view on Disneyland/DVC in general. The California rack rates for Disneyland Hotel/Grand Cal are generally really high. They tend to run less sales on hotels, and more ticket sales deals, given it is a "local" park. So much of the year the only option for staying "on property" is paying the rack rates.

Even with the sales, I have priced out trips for a week and you realize how expensive the hotels can be, and we spent our money elsewhere. DVC really helps keep the cost down out there, so for my family who like to go to Disneyland and need a room that can sleep 5, buying VDH was an easier decision.

Contrasting, in Florida, with or without DVC, there are so many more options/sales, that the hotel component never really sticker shocked me as much as in California. I don't mind spending money on vacations, but when really nice hotels come in relatively cheaper, you hold off on booking that trip. VDH had a lot of appeal in fixing that issue for me.

 

[Makai]

Here's an example of one of the things that would not be a bad deal. This is an oceanfront resort in Maui----a very nice one. A late spring week in a studio here on Maui is exactly one point more than a week in a Preferred Studio at RIV.

In September.

View attachment 1047640

I stayed there in September on Interval certificate (came to around $490 for an entire week), and it’s our new favorite at Ka’anapali. We had the best snorkeling and beach there, with sea turtles in the same spots all week. Very peaceful resort, and beautiful grounds. Walking distance of Duke’s. I wouldn’t hesitate to trade DVC points on some of those Marriott Hawaii properties when I can’t get them on certificate. Our other favorite is Marriott Beach Club Ko’Olina, on Oahu. My hubby prefers it to Aulani (I do not agree with him!). Being able to trade into Interval was one of the reasons I was able to get my non-theme park spouse to agree to DVC.

 

[Makai]

Contrasting, in Florida, with or without DVC, there are so many more options/sales, that the hotel component never really sticker shocked me as much as in California. I don't mind spending money on vacations, but when really nice hotels come in relatively cheaper, you hold off on booking that trip. VDH had a lot of appeal in fixing that issue for me.

This is why I chose VDH over Poly. If I can’t get into Poly at the 7 month mark, no big deal. I love all the DVC resort options at WDW, even Saratoga Springs. Excited to stay in a Tree House Villa there in the future. I am also happy to pay cash rate at Port Orleans Riverside (really hope they make it DVC in the future!). It’s where we have stayed on most last minute trips, and we would rank it as a Deluxe level in how much we love it. At Disneyland though, we only want to stay on property with only 2 DVC options. I would be disappointed to be stuck staying offsite, with the exception of the Westin. Even though we moved from SoCal to the East Coast, it matters enough to me to have that home advantage for our California trips, even if we only went every couple years. It’s killing me that we didn’t buy into DVC sooner when we lived in California my entire life paying cash rate onsite having to get two connecting hotel rooms to fit our large family.

Another California factor is the parking fee! It cost me $225 for 5 nights just to self park two weeks ago at the DLH staying cash rate!

 

[tx911]

Why is the yacht club so popular aside from location, I know nothing about it

Location is the big one. Good TS restaurants. Getting a new 50 year contract at Crescent Lake.

 

[muppets3d]

Why is the yacht club so popular aside from location, I know nothing about it

It's popular with cash stays because it's dog friendly.