Spring Direct Incentives 2/9-4/27

[Dafoo17]

You did two tours at Aulani and they didn't tell you about the promotion of buying while on site there? Wow, that's a more laid-back approach I guess, even for Aulani.

Naw, WDW. Thought the comment said all active resorts

 

[VGCgroupie]

Naw, WDW. Thought the comment said all active resorts

Oh the tour has to be at Aulani but you can apply the extra $1000 Aulani incentive towards any active resorts.

 

[Dafoo17]

Oh the tour has to be at Aulani but you can apply the extra $1000 Aulani incentive towards any active resorts.

Ohh! I misunderstood, thanks!

 

[Girlstar30]

Damn, I did two in person tours in January and this never came up.

I almost even asked as a joke if there were any in person incentives! But thought it was too dad-jokey. "No, Dafoo, don't say that"

Does anyone get a thank you letter with mickey and minnie driving in the mail everytime they look at a guide. I appreciate the gesture, but I have like 10 of them at home

 

[intamin]

Off topic but did they stop giving out that gold water bottle with the towel and certificate and etc. for add ons? I presume they decided it wasn't worth like 10 trees with all that packaging?

 

[VGCgroupie]

Does anyone get a thank you letter with mickey and minnie driving in the mail everytime they look at a guide. I appreciate the gesture, but I have like 10 of them at home

Nope. Don’t even have one

 

[VGCgroupie]

Off topic but did they stop giving out that gold water bottle with the towel and certificate and etc. for add ons? I presume they decided it wasn't worth like 10 trees with all that packaging?

I thought they came with all purchases of 150 or more

 

[Girlstar30]

Off topic but did they stop giving out that gold water bottle with the towel and certificate and etc. for add ons? I presume they decided it wasn't worth like 10 trees with all that packaging?

I'll let you know in a couple months (hopefully)

 

[tx911]

little rascals reference, couple pages back.

I didn’t know that was a legitimate question mark! I thought @eticketplease was joking.

 

[Flash_Sloth]

Off topic but did they stop giving out that gold water bottle with the towel and certificate and etc. for add ons? I presume they decided it wasn't worth like 10 trees with all that packaging?

When I added-on during the VGF fire sale a couple of years ago, I got them. I'll close on my new VDH contract in a few weeks, and if they send one, I'll let you know.

 

[BuzzLightyr]

I've got a case of add-on itis and tempted to get my blue card.

I see at a lot of value in SSR as direct SAP. I don't mind staying at SSR. I like reasonably priced 1 or 2 bedrooms (not studios). I would like to try CFW once. I'd like to stay at the new Lakeshore product once we know more. I'm East Coast based and would primarily travel to WDW. I own BWV resale and won't use those points anywhere else - and have gotten good value with standard/resort view bookings.

I've read through all 40+ pages so far. I'd argue that many are not accounting for the time value of money and arrive at their assumptions of you can just buy one of the other direct properties for the same price.

Here is how I would look at things differently:

• SSR comparison needs to be done at 200 points, there is a huge value of stretching that you don't have at RIV/PVB/VDH. If you could afford 150 PVB at $29,750 after MB you can afford 200 SSR at $30,000
• I'd take the $20/point Magic Beginnings. This is an advantage to SSR as you pay less upfront and get the same back
• Expiry years - I'd give $1/year upfront benefit for each additional year longer than SSR. Each $1 of value in 2054 (difference between point rental rate and dues) is only worth 19c today at a 6% discount rate (1/(1.06^28). By 2074 each dollar of benefit is worth 6 cents in 2026. This $1 per year gives roughly a $10 value/year in the difference in point value and dues
• Dues - using an annuity formula, i'd value each $1 of additional dues per year to be worth $14 today.

Here are my results:

Option	Cost $ (w/ MB and all incentives)	Cost / Pt	Expiry	$/Point Adj for Expiry ($1/year)	Dues	$/Point Adj for Dues (x14)	Adjusted Price with Dues
SSR-150	24,000	160	2054	0	9.19	0	160
SSR-200	30,000	150	2054	0	9.19	0	150
RIV-150	28,100	187	2070	-16	9.46	+4	175
RIV-200	37,300	187	2070	-16	9.46	+4	174
PVB-150	29,750	198	2066	-12	8.33	-12	174
PVB-200	39,700	199	2066	-12	8.33	-12	174
VDH-150	27,500	183	2074	-20	10.54	+19	182
VDH-200	36,900	185	2074	-20	10.54	+19	183
AUL-150	27,050	180	2062	-8	10.96	+25	197

Takeaways

• SSR 200 is a great value and about 16% cheaper per point than RIV/PVB
• RIV/PVB are priced equally once you adjust for dues
• VDH and AUL seemed like a slight increase in buy-in for 150/blue card but the higher dues actually make them the most expensive on the list if you don't actually plan to go stay in California or Hawaii.