Summer 2024 Direct Incentives

[crvetter]

We shared WL with CR to Epcot last year. It was awful.

Weird it has always been FW for Epcot for me. I assumed I never shared with CR for Epcot because they had monorail access and wouldn't run a bus, but that was just an assumption.

 

[CastAStone]

Weird it has always been FW for Epcot for me. I assumed I never shared with CR for Epcot because they had monorail access and wouldn't run a bus, but that was just an assumption.

That’s what made me so mad!

 

[smileyanna]

That’s what made me so mad!

Of all my secret never-gonna-happen DVC fantasies, a walking path from WL to the TTC tops the list.

 

[Mikey15]

Of all my secret never-gonna-happen DVC fantasies, a walking path from WL to the TTC tops the list.

Don’t even need a fancy walking path, just a sidewalk! Though I know Disney’s never going to sanction a simple crosswalk at the single intersection that would need one. Contemporary one only seems to be allowed because it’s past the bus loop.

If Disney ever did it they’d probably spend millions on a pedestrian bridge like Disney Springs, even though it’d be complete overkill for the application.

 

[LadySarathano]

I’ve noticed there’s not been a flurry of activity like the GF deal last summer. Obviously the base price has increased across the board. Do we think this is the best deal we’ll get with Riviera moving forward?

 

[E2ME2]

It's actually a fairly cool experience. We stop by and say "hi" to him when there isn't a line and we are leaving the lounge. The actor they have playing him is a big person and he kind of scared my wife when she wasn't expecting him to walk up and get the kids


AKV seems like an okay deal but not close enough to the delta where buying direct makes sense. Not sure if 50 bucks more a point is worth it but it is nice to have more direct points......

Still holding out hope that CCV direct points will drop that low some day.

Don’t know about cookies but you can meet Darth Vader in Tomorrowland at DLR.

He is a Big Guy! I had fun at that photo shoot. There was no one else around while I was there, and I took a good bit of time mugging for the camera. I don't know if he smiled behind the mask, but I got the photographer and the assistant to laugh out loud as I was leaving. As I exited, I flashed DV the peace sign, bounced it off my chest twice, and shouted "Later Vader"
(totally unrehearsed, and I stood outside laughing with my self for a couple minutes)

 

[Jason&Michael]

I’ve noticed there’s not been a flurry of activity like the GF deal last summer. Obviously the base price has increased across the board. Do we think this is the best deal we’ll get with Riviera moving forward?

It’s anybody’s guess, but it’s pretty darn good! With the current incentives, Disney Visa credit, welcome home, and magical beginnings, 150 points at RIV comes to $171.33 per point.

That’s the lowest we’ve seen for RIV in recent years. We have an October use year, so we pulled the trigger to be able to sell back those 2023 points!

 

[LadySarathano]

It’s anybody’s guess, but it’s pretty darn good! With the current incentives, Disney Visa credit, welcome home, and magical beginnings, 150 points at RIV comes to $171.33 per point.

That’s the lowest we’ve seen for RIV in recent years. We have an October use year, so we pulled the trigger to be able to sell back those 2023 points!

I think it’s about the same as the deal they had around Christmas - which had an extra $1000 for Riviera only instead of the now extra $1000 for Disney Visa - and maybe the higher base price is mostly offset by not paying the extra months of dues.

We have March and October UY, both resale. I thought I didn’t care about Riviera until my mom wanted to stay there for a night on the Skyliner to end our trip this past winter, and now I care! So I’m trying to decide whether this is a great deal or whether it might pay to wait (literally and figuratively). FOMO is real

 

[Jason&Michael]

I think it’s about the same as the deal they had around Christmas - which had an extra $1000 for Riviera only instead of the now extra $1000 for Disney Visa - and maybe the higher base price is mostly offset by not paying the extra months of dues.

We have March and October UY, both resale. I thought I didn’t care about Riviera until my mom wanted to stay there for a night on the Skyliner to end our trip this past winter, and now I care! So I’m trying to decide whether this is a great deal or whether it might pay to wait (literally and figuratively). FOMO is real

It’s our favorite We didn’t “get it” either until we checked it out in person. Such a relaxed vibe! Another thing thing most folks don’t realize is that the studios are quite large compared to others (only Poly’s are bigger on property).

 

[CastAStone]

I’ve noticed there’s not been a flurry of activity like the GF deal last summer. Obviously the base price has increased across the board. Do we think this is the best deal we’ll get with Riviera moving forward?

I think they might have a similar net price in the future, like next year or the year after, but after they take 1-2 price increases, so it will be a “bigger” savings. I would expect the next price increase over the winter.

I would be surprised if they beat the current savings this calendar year. But I was surprised that they beat the last savings with this savings. So my opinion is educated, but also very possibly wrong.

 

[sarahlord]

If my use year is February, which it is and I wanted to buy another direct contract and use magical beginnings could I buy it in January 2025 and still sell back my 2024 points?

Is there a limit on months left in the use year to buy direct points and use MB?

 

[Tatebeck]

If my use year is February, which it is and I wanted to buy another direct contract and use magical beginnings could I buy it in January 2025 and still sell back my 2024 points?

Is there a limit on months left in the use year to buy direct points and use MB?

Yes, that should work (since you would still bein the 2024 use year for a Feb contract) as long as you buy with at least a few days before the end of the month so the contract closes before the end of January. Just make sure your guide knows that is what you are trying to do.

 

[Lorana]

It’s anybody’s guess, but it’s pretty darn good! With the current incentives, Disney Visa credit, welcome home, and magical beginnings, 150 points at RIV comes to $171.33 per point.

We felt the same -- when we were on the DVC Charter Cruise to Lookout Cay in June, 150pts was offered at $171/point (which included Magical Beginnings) and we decided to pull the trigger and pick up Week 46 (Food & Wine, week before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving some years -- we already have Week 47 at CCV). Admittedly, we when we first bought RIV, it was during the fire sale of Summer 2020 where we could combine incentives with CCV and RIV, and so we got RIV for the ~$141/point as a result.

I briefly debated when the new incentives came out to switch to AKV, which we love more, since with MB it came out to $170/point, and we really love AKV, more than RIV. But part of our desire to get more Direct points was for DVC member cruises, and we'd rather use RIV points for that and save our direct CCV and AKV points for trips. Also, the FW was a strong incentive. But I'm still over here debating if I made the right choice, lol, because that's just how my brain works.

If the incentives at AKV had been better - like the OKW incentives - absolutely I would have bought at AKV over RIV.

 

[LadySarathano]

We felt the same -- when we were on the DVC Charter Cruise to Lookout Cay in June, 150pts was offered at $171/point (which included Magical Beginnings) and we decided to pull the trigger and pick up Week 46 (Food & Wine, week before Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving some years -- we already have Week 47 at CCV). Admittedly, we when we first bought RIV, it was during the fire sale of Summer 2020 where we could combine incentives with CCV and RIV, and so we got RIV for the ~$141/point as a result.

I briefly debated when the new incentives came out to switch to AKV, which we love more, since with MB it came out to $170/point, and we really love AKV, more than RIV. But part of our desire to get more Direct points was for DVC member cruises, and we'd rather use RIV points for that and save our direct CCV and AKV points for trips. Also, the FW was a strong incentive. But I'm still over here debating if I made the right choice, lol, because that's just how my brain works.

If the incentives at AKV had been better - like the OKW incentives - absolutely I would have bought at AKV over RIV.

We have AKV resale, I was very tempted during last year’s flash sale to convert to direct points but couldn’t justify it financially. I don’t have direct points yet and have been watching for the best point to take the leap. The GFV flash sale last summer was also very tempting (esp with the low dues there), but the resort just isn’t my style. I’m a fan of owning for the 11-month advantage, which now that mom had us go and stay there, I want for RIV My other debate is getting (2) smaller point contracts for flexibility down the road, or getting a fixed week for the convenience since who knows what booking a standard studio will look like in 10 years. But that’s probably a topic for a different thread!

 

[Sandisw]

If my use year is February, which it is and I wanted to buy another direct contract and use magical beginnings could I buy it in January 2025 and still sell back my 2024 points?

Is there a limit on months left in the use year to buy direct points and use MB?

I believe you have to buy at least 5 days before the ends of the month.

The only drawback to waiting is they stop offering MB as an incentive.

 

[Lorana]

We have AKV resale, I was very tempted during last year’s flash sale to convert to direct points but couldn’t justify it financially.

same! I stepped away from Disboards for a bit to resist the temptation and then missed the AKV flash sale entirely. I absolutely would’ve sold my SSR then for direct AKV points — but if I had done that I couldn’t have sold them for direct VGC points so I guess I’m not crying too much, lol.

I’m over here still holding out for Reflections. I think CMs are trolling me by hinting there will be a River Country Lodge. ;-)

 

[SugarSweetLee]

I’m over here still holding out for Reflections. I think CMs are trolling me by hunting there will be a River Country Lodge. ;-)

I kinda wondered...the little promo video they showed us for the Cabins talked about River Country as a design inspiration/reference point to one of the artworks that is in the Cabins, iirc.

 

[Lorana]

I kinda wondered...the little promo video they showed us for the Cabins talked about River Country as a design inspiration/reference point to one of the artworks that is in the Cabins, iirc.

Right? On one hand, great nostalgia callback. On the other, why use something that doesn't exist anymore?
And that's what FW CMs keep hinting at, that Reflections is coming back as the River Country Lodge and the theming in the cabins will tie into it. Also fuels the speculation that the cabins will be part of the Reflections/River Country Lodge if they ever build it.

 

[CastAStone]

Is this new? I don’t remember it being a part of the original incentive package this cycle.

 

[Cfabar1]

I don't remember seeing it either, but I don't really pay attention to the cabins pricing structure.