Spring Direct Incentives 2/9-4/27

[eticketplease]

So many variables that brings up too! 200pts at SSR is a week in a 1BR or two in a Studio! Depending on view category and time of year. 150pts at Poly doesn’t go nearly as far.

Then that brings up the question of what if you’re comparing them as SAP? Which is fair since the Poly math is good, but there’s still a use case difference between 150 & 200 SAP.

I also didn’t run anything but I’m guessing 150 direct + 50 resale SSR maths out better than 200 direct, even with the new contract fee. There remains reduced benefit to direct over 150 (only saves the 50 point difference from being locked out of future resorts).

TP = Travel Period
S = Standard
P = Preferred
R = Resort
TP = Theme Park

Of course 200 points will go farther than 150 but it also matters when and where you are booking.

Looking at 2027 point charts with 200 points at SSR and using OTUP but not borrowing there are 8 opportunities to book a 1 bedroom at SSR for a week (TP 1 S/P, TP 2 S/P, TP 3 S/P, TP 4 S, TP 4 S). can stay in a SSR 1 bedroom without borrowing but buying OTUP as well 8
If I had 150 PVB points I could still get a 1 bedroom but I would be limited to just 1 opportunity (TP 1 S)
Since it would be at 7 months there is a chance that the PVB owner won't be able to stay during that time using the 150 + OTUP however since SSR has so many of these rooms it is only a small chance.

Now if we look over at PVB with the same 200 SSR vs 150 PVB and 2027 point charts.

A PVB owner is not getting a one bedroom even with OTUP.
SSR Owner does have a very slight chance to do so once in TP 1 R
Since there are only 25 of those rooms I would assume neither owner is booking with this criteria.

Now if we allow borrowing it does allow for the home booking advantage.
A PVB owner could borrow the 150 from the next year granting 300 points to use and that opens up the ability at 11 months for 5 opportunities to book a 1 bedroom (TP 1 R/P, TP 2 R, TP 3, TP 4)
An SSR Owner could borrow and buy OTUP since they are booking at 7 months taking their total to 424.
With those points the "possible" but still very unlikely booking opportunities is expanded to 17 periods (TP 1 R/P/TP, TP 2 R/P/TP, TP 3 R/P/TP, TP 4 R/P/TP, TP 5 R/P/TP, TP 6 R/P)
Even there is technically more opportunity with those extra points it is very highly unlikely as the max 1 Bed count at PVB is R 25, P 12 & TP 35.
Compare that with SSR S 264, P 168

This is why even with buying more for as @Tatebeck mentioned the SAP Tax Home Resort priority DOES Matter.

 

[eticketplease]

So why would anyone buy direct? If not for perks or to stay at the restricted resorts, then why not just buy resale always?

1. It is super easy and instant.
2. The ability to stay at every resort is an option (Might not work out for the resort, room size or time of your travel but it is available)
3. Gives you the ability to have different exchange opportunities (Not a good use of points but it is available and sometimes being easy makes more sense then crunching numbers to see if it is a good value)

 

[melissa70]

2. The ability to stay at every resort is an option (Might not work out for the resort, room size or time of your travel but it is available)

Right..but in your other post you didn’t seem to encourage a direct buy for this

 

[eticketplease]

Right..but in your other post you didn’t seem to encourage a direct buy for this

No I just stated why buying where you want to stay is important as opposed to buying VB or SSR direct if you don't really want to stay there because at 7 months there might not be availability but with O14 resale there is absolutely no availability at CFW, RIV or VDH

 

[airjay75]

Right..but in your other post you didn’t seem to encourage a direct buy for this

I think, in your shoes, having never stayed at RIV/CFW/VDH/LSL, a lot of us are steering you away from direct SSR points solely to use at those resorts because one of two things could happen.

One, you decide you love one of those resorts and, in that case, most of us are of the opinion that it would make much more sense to own direct points at one of those restricted resorts. The drive of the lot depreciation hit is no worse than direct SSR points, and you get the benefit of home resort priority which helps guarantee rooms at those resorts and gives you easier access to rooms that cost less points.

Two, you find them just meh, in which case, why not just buy some cheap resale SSR to stay at resorts you know you do like.

PVB points present a different option because, the cost of those direct are not that much more than resale, they likely won't lose their value like direct SSR/RIV points would, and so, there's much less risk in just going for it. Worst case, you buy them, use the blue card benefits to save money on APs for a few years, and if you sell those points, you probably won't have a huge loss. Can't really do that with direct SSR/RIV points - you would have a huge loss unless you keep them for much longer.

 

[ClaraOswald]

So why would anyone buy direct? If not for perks or to stay at the restricted resorts, then why not just buy resale always?

For me, the reason we bought direct was because resale at the resort we wanted (VDH) wasn't much cheaper. Plus, the resale points would be restricted to only VDH. So I will gladly pay a bit more for the ability to book all the current and future resorts.

Now, of course, WDW is an entirely different ball game than DLR. I only have resale points at BRV. I did look into direct BRV but the price difference was nuts and I definitely wouldn't pay that when there are plenty of resorts I can book with my BRV points.

I really think the main reason to purchase direct, for me, is just the ability to book whatever resort I want with those points. The "extras" like lounges, discounts, Sorcerer's pass are just a nice bonus but not a reason I would ever purchase direct.

 

[CWTC]

So why would anyone buy direct? If not for perks or to stay at the restricted resorts, then why not just buy resale always?

We have a mix of direct, grandfathered resale, and restricted resale.

We bought direct when VGF opened in 2013, direct after my FIL died (long story, needed points somewhat quick so MIL could stay with us rather than her own room which she couldn’t find on her own and would get lost frequently), but more recently direct VGC points twice. The recent direct VGC purchases boiled down to finding VGC on the resale market in the right amount/right UY is challenging. Each direct purchase we have made there was a reason we went direct. For our SAP+ and our original/early contracts we bought resale. It is nice to see the points show up within hours though with a direct purchase.

I agree with everyone else - the perks can go away. The primary direct perk we use is the APs and we too never let them lapse during covid (even when WDW stopped selling them).

 

[melissa70]

Does SAP+ mean they are sleep around direct points?

 

[Add-On-Itis]

Does SAP+ mean they are sleep around direct points?

the + is for a place you don't mind sleeping at. BLT for me is SAP+. It's sleep around points, but I'm fine staying there.

 

[airjay75]

I view the + slightly differently. Points where you get some benefit out of having home resort priority. Whether you will get that depends on your use case.

For example, I would not view BLT or CCV as SAP+ if all you ever plan to book at those resorts are 1 BRs in lower demand seasons (and you don’t care about getting the resort view 1 BRs at BLT). If you plan to use either of those points during December or you want studios and/or resort view rooms at BLT, then I’d call either of them great SAP+ options.

 

[eticketplease]

Does SAP+ mean they are sleep around direct points?

No @Tatebeck trademarked SAD for those

 

[Sandisw]

So why would anyone buy direct? If not for perks or to stay at the restricted resorts, then why not just buy resale always?

Perks are different than where points can be used.

One is a function of the DVc Resort Agreement and one is related to incidental benefits.

Membership extras are incidental and can be removed at any time. So, the discount and the Sorcerer Pass, MmB, lounges, etc can be removed.

So, when buying, one should understand that. However, buying resale means you are not entitled at all.

Having at least 150 direct points bought today allows you access to any of those when they exist.

So, as long as there is a Sorcerer Pass option, you can buy it!

For restricted resort, that applies to the points and how that home resort DVC resort agreement is done.

For RIv and beyond they entered with rules that said only direct points (or grandfathered resale) can trade in in exchange for only direct points trading out.

That does not and can not change, unless an entire resort leaves BVTC…which can only happen on certain situations like eminent domain, casualty, etc.

Basically, perks enhance a direct purchase.

 

[Girlstar30]

1. It is super easy and instant.
2. The ability to stay at every resort is an option (Might not work out for the resort, room size or time of your travel but it is available)
3. Gives you the ability to have different exchange opportunities (Not a good use of points but it is available and sometimes being easy makes more sense then crunching numbers to see if it is a good value)

#1

 

[tidefan]

Never buy for the benefits as they can go away at any time.

We never let go of our passes and weren't affect by Disney stopping AP Sales (although our renewal dates were screwed up when they added months to them).
If you were a person who tries to double dip and squeeze two years worth of points in one year to use the AP then let the AP go and then sign up again you soon found out that this wasn't possible as AP's were no longer for sale.

Not to say this isn't going to happen again but it could.

If you are going to buy direct do so for the sole reason of being able to book at all resorts but also remember even that is not guaranteed as there might not be availability at 7 months at the resort you are trying to stay at.

This is sage advice. Lots of perks come and go. For instance, we used to also get a discount on what was then the Premier Pass (now called the Incredi-pass), but that has been taken away. Here is a great history of some of the perks...

https://www.dvcnews.com/disney-news...aring-more-than-a-decade-of-membership-extras

 

[VGCgroupie]

Right..but in your other post you didn’t seem to encourage a direct buy for this

If you read the thread the poster that it was in response to said that they didnt want to stay at Poly because the point chart was too high. All future resorts will have a high point chart compared to older resorts. So then it became they wanted a blue card for sorcerer's pass not for future resorts. It was not a blanket statement for everyone it was for the people who dont want to stay at new resorts.

 

[Girlstar30]

So why would anyone buy direct? If not for perks or to stay at the restricted resorts, then why not just buy resale always?

Someone cited buying the sorcerer pass as one of the reasons they bought ssr. That can save thousands in the coming years or not if its taken away. I dont think it will be taken away anytime soon, but it could be negating savings on that end

 

[maui22]

In case anyone is looking for an image of the VDH Small World print, @tjkraz has an article with the image.

https://dvcnews.com/dvc-program-men...ld-print-offered-with-disneyland-hotel-add-on

 

[Girlstar30]

I will repeat with what everyone is saying that you may spend more points and be stuck in a one bedroom with ssr that if your looking to upgrade to 1 bedrooms and thats why you want extra points, I think ssr RESALE is a great option. I prefer one bedrooms so that aspect of owning ssr doesnt bother me. There are many aspects of buying it direct that are negative that have been mentioned many times.

 

[CWTC]

Does SAP+ mean they are sleep around direct points?

For us this means inexpensive resale points/dues at a resort we like but bought with the intent to frequently change at 7 months. We are perfectly happy to stay at BLT (and have upcoming stay for TP GV) but would not be happy at SSR.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Does SAP+ mean they are sleep around direct points?

My SAP+ is my Aulani subsidized contracts. I adore Aulani and I love to stay there. I have enough points there that I can use them to stay other places too. Actually my CCV is used as SAP+ as well. I have stayed so many places with that CCV contract, even Aulani before I owned there. But if DVC shifted and I could only book my home resort of CCV I would be very happy there. Thats the +