Teach me!

[Hopingforpixiedust]

I'm new here! We're thinking of buying DVC direct from Disney. I want to start with 120 points. I figure to try to buy Old Key West because it's the cheapest and from what I hear it doesn't really matter where your home base is. I spoke with an agent at Disney and he was trying to convince me to go with Riviera. What do I need to know? Tips?

 

[sethschroeder]

It matters and will matter more than ever your home resort. We have basically about 6 months worth of extra points that will now be in the system in the future. Home resort stays should be fine but moving resorts is going to be tougher.

You want a place at the very least you are happy staying at the next 30-50 years.

 

[Hopingforpixiedust]

Do you mean moving resorts will be hard because of all the cancellations from COVID?

 

[Carol_]

Watch Jen Lefforge’s YouTube videos.
She explains all the ins and outs.
Buy where you want to stay.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgvZMQtWPcPtCY21-L1wg_f6eawPfj97d

 

[AnnaS]

Nothing to do with COVID,

It has always mattered. You really need to choose a resort you don't mind staying in all the time or most of the time. Have you stayed or visited any of the DVC resorts? I would look at some youtube videos and look at lot's of pictures for each resort. Look at location - close to park? DS? Style - hotel style/condo style & theme.

How many points are required for the season you might be going for the foreseeable future? What are the maintenance fees? OKW, SSR & AKV are best in value and larger resorts - but you need to be happy staying there. Trying to stay at a different resort when the 7 month window opens up can be very hard depending on when you travel and size of accommodation.

Buy what you want and not what the sales person is telling you.

Good luck! Let us know how you make out.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Open thee a spreadsheet and run some numbers. OKW is nice but they all are. MF's at OKW are on the steep side, but nothing compared to Riviera (those are S-T-E-E-P!!). Ultimately you will pay a lot more in MF's than you will the initial $/point. Jen's Youtube videos are great, as are the DIS guys. If you want a look-see at each of the resorts without much commentary, look up "Here With the Ears".

Why are you buying direct? If you are not buying AP's you will never make back the difference in cost to resale. I HIGHLY suggest you contact a resale broker anyway. We bought from DVC Resale Market - IMHO, the best, certainly the biggest. Resales DVC is also good. They are both former Disney direct brokers and really know their stuff. Both have lengthy contract listings on their websites, but I would not buy anything right now until you spend some time on the ROFR thread in these message boards.

Into the rabbit hole you go...

 

[Carol_]

Our salesperson was great. We bought direct after we listened to her advice. She was right. We did buy too few points. We bought another contract the same size within a year of the first.... They call it Add-on-itis around here.

 

[Hopingforpixiedust]

What is MF and ROFR?

Thanks for all the tips so far!

 

[Sandisw]

What is MF and ROFR?

Thanks for all the tips so far!

MF is maintenance fees, or your annual dues. ROFR is what happens when people buy on the resale market. Disney always gets to review the sale and can step in as a buyer if they want.

I do think you need to be sure that whatever you buy, it is a resort you like. Trading elsewhere is getting harder and if you travel at busy times, like September to mid January...and want studios, pretty much figure you will be at your home resort.

I own RIV and loved it. However, I also own a total of 800 points so plenty to trade in an out.

The point cost to stay at RIV Is a higher than OKW, and you will get a lot less nights there for sure. While I don’t think resale value should play a role when buying, know that RIV will be a lot lower since resale buyers can only stay at RIV.

Good luck.

 

[crisi]

Buy where you don't mind staying. If you are flexible, over time you will be able to stay in most of the DVC resorts at seven months. But flexible means you might not get your first or second or third choice that year. It means you might need to go in February rather than October. It means you might need to book one bedrooms instead of studios. It means you might need to split your stay. Or use the waitlist, or stalk the website. It may mean all of the above - a one bedroom split stay at your third and fourth choice resorts instead of the studio you wanted at your first choice resort that it took you four months of logging in to check availability to secure. It means that you will want to be on the website at 7am Eastern Time (if that's when it opens, I can't remember because I almost always stay at my home resort) to try and get that reservation. And it means recognizing that people are not paying that much more per point for BCV points to stay anywhere other than BCV - those expensive resorts are going to have very little availability - and very high demand - each year when the window opens - or everyone would buy the cheapest resorts.

Also, do the math on resale - assume perks are worth ZERO, none of the direct perks are contractually guarenteed - ALL have changed over my own two decades of ownership.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

For instance, that Gold AP benefit? Ask people who want to buy one right now how awesome a perk it is.

(Don't, actually, ask, because members are wildly unhappy about the AP situation today. Bottom line is that Disney have shut off all ticket sales to DVC right now, including any color or type of AP. Don't go in thinking that owning DVC gets you treated better by Disney. Don't go in counting on benefits -- Moonlight Magic is almost certainly cancelled all of this year, and at least some of us will be surprised if they announce any for next year right now, and it may be gone forever, Clementine.)

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'm new here! We're thinking of buying DVC direct from Disney. I want to start with 120 points. I figure to try to buy Old Key West because it's the cheapest and from what I hear it doesn't really matter where your home base is. I spoke with an agent at Disney and he was trying to convince me to go with Riviera. What do I need to know? Tips?

Buy OKW if you don't mind staying there if you can't book anything else that you want at seven months out. You'll want to book your home resort at 11 months out. Look at the annual fees that are paid at each resort. That might make you change your mind as well. When the salesperson tells you that you can book any non-home resort at seven months out, figure they are telling you a lie. Many times you won't be able to book something else, especially a studio.

 

[soTinkalicious]

I'm new here! We're thinking of buying DVC direct from Disney. I want to start with 120 points. I figure to try to buy Old Key West because it's the cheapest and from what I hear it doesn't really matter where your home base is. I spoke with an agent at Disney and he was trying to convince me to go with Riviera. What do I need to know? Tips?

There is a lot that goes into choosing your home resort! Everything that's been mentioned here and more.
A few things to consider - how do you vacation? Do you see yourself coming annually, semi-annually, every three years? How old are your kids? Where do you spend your times when you are at the park? Do you try to pack things in or are you more mellow in your days. How big is your party?
1. Party size matters. Make sure your home resort has plenty of the types of rooms that you want. I really, really wanted to by DVC at Polynesian. But we always book 2 & 3 Bedroom rooms. Poly only has smaller rooms and over-priced point Bungalows. That resort was not a fit for how we travelled.
2. Some resorts are near theme parks and have multiple transportation options. My home resort is Animal Kingdom Villas. I love the room variety and the number of rooms. It is a long way from everywhere but Animal Kingdom so transportation takes some time. At the 7 month mark 2 & 3 bedroom rooms are typically not available as we travel at peak times. So AKV it is. Fortunately we love it there. We just plan in travel time so that we're not rushed.
3. Be aware of the end dates for the properties that you are buying. Several have a 2042 end date. Lots of speculation about what happens in 2042.
4. I've bought most of my points direct. We have blue cards. I've titled my properties so that my kids are included as they get older and move out. I have contracts that I can use everywhere. Buying resale has perks in price. Make sure you understand the restrictions. Also - if you buy Riviera (I own some Riviera too) make sure you understand that on resale, the buyer can only use those points at Riviera - so it might impact your ability to sell if you need to sell quickly.
I can't say enough about watching the Youtube videos. I've watched several recently and picked up some things that I didn't know, and I've been a member 12 years.