VGF or VDH?

[kboo]

VGF direct is currently the best deal direct with pretty low dues, especially for use at WDW. VGF standard rooms are lovely and hard to get at 7 mo. Preferred views and now the resort studios may be possible to get at 7 mo, but preferred view rooms are a lot of points. The point chart is tough (it's Aulani-like, but with fewer room categories), and very difficult to get at Christmas even at 11 mo, for example.*

The other resort I'd been considering was AUL subsidized to use as SAP and occasionally at AUL. But the Magical Beginnings promo is pretty hard to ignore, I think. Especially since we already own at VGF (resale, but grandfathered points), adding on a significant number would help with the Christmas trips we already know we like to take, as well as being flexible enough for SAP.

*Christmas week in a 1br standard at VGF is more points than a week during the same time at Aulani in a 1br OV room.

ETA: I'm not 100% sure we are doing this, but the options I considered were VDH direct, AUL subsidized resale (same # of points but for almost half the cost), or VGC, and then Magical Beginnings threw VGF into the mix.

 

[KalamityJane]

VGF direct is currently the best deal direct with pretty low dues, especially for use at WDW. VGF standard rooms are lovely and hard to get at 7 mo. Preferred views and now the resort studios may be possible to get at 7 mo, but preferred view rooms are a lot of points. The point chart is tough (it's Aulani-like, but with fewer room categories), and very difficult to get at Christmas even at 11 mo, for example.*

The other resort I'd been considering was AUL subsidized to use as SAP and occasionally at AUL. But the Magical Beginnings promo is pretty hard to ignore, I think. Especially since we already own at VGF (resale, but grandfathered points), adding on a significant number would help with the Christmas trips we already know we like to take, as well as being flexible enough for SAP.

*Christmas week in a 1br standard at VGF is more points than a week during the same time at Aulani in a 1br OV room.

Regular Aulani resale is really cheap right now. I couldn’t make the upcharge on subsidized work when I could get regular resale for so much cheaper (83/pp for fully loaded contract). Sun is running ~125+/pp.

 

[dvc lover 1970]

VGF. Lower long term costs, and better resale value. However, if you are west coaster, maybe VDH - but only if you do not plan on selling in the near future (next 10-15 years)

 

[Airb330]

If you're buying for WDW/Aulani, I don't see why you are buying direct at all. You can do this with resale SSR, which is only $100/point vs direct at $200/pt. It would be hard for me to use $200 points on this kind of reservation, knowing I could have just bought resale. And if you get sick of your SSR, you sell. NBD.

As a CA owner focused on DL, if you must buy direct, my obvious pick would be VDH. This keeps your options open to sell one or the other (or rent points). IMO, there won't be another entry point like this at VDH. I don't see why RIV/VGF are even in this discussion at the same pricing as VDH. Here's my math argument for that: https://www.disboards.com/threads/an-argument-for-vdl-as-direct-points-at-wdw.3916825/

And I'm not sure I agree with VGF being hard to book at 7 months, depending on when you are traveling and what you are booking.

Agree to disagree here. SSR isnt that much cheaper when you account for everything (less years etc). If one likes VGF I still subscribe to buy where you want to stay. @kboo and i are thinking alike. AUL subsidized and VGF are some pretty good deals now, VDH can be as well cuz CA is so limited. I’ll have all 3 soon, darn that addonitis

 

[RoseGold]

Agree to disagree here. SSR isnt that much cheaper when you account for everything (less years etc). If one likes VGF I still subscribe to buy where you want to stay. @kboo and i are thinking alike. AUL subsidized and VGF are some pretty good deals now, VDH can be as well cuz CA is so limited. I’ll have all 3 soon, darn that addonitis

This is a five figure discussion. It's 20K to buy 200 SSR points vs 40K to buy direct. Sure, if you think 20K in the market is worth nothing, which I don't. Or if you think 20K is worth it to stay at RIV, which I also don't.

And this is risk. There's something to be said for having less -- a whole lot less -- tied up in this whole thing. DVC feels much riskier than it did when I bought in.

I believe VDH is a good buy for some, but not because it's cheap. And buying direct is a commitment in a way SSR resale just isn't IMO. You get sick of it, you sell. Maybe it went down a hair. You buy direct, and it could take years, maybe decades, just to break even if you want to sell. That's how it goes when you drive a new car off the lot.

 

[NVDISFamily]

Thank you! Riviera was on our shortlist too and this made me reconsider it as a top contender, especially due to its location, lol.

I'd highly recommend a tour before you buy. We were about to buy a few hundred VGF points over the phone but I'm glad we visited and did a tour as it pointed us in a different direction. Ended up falling in love with Wilderness Lodge, Riviera, and Animal Kingdom Lodge.

There are other awesome DVC resorts in the Epcot/HS area, but they all expire when I'm in my early 60s so I had to stay away from the popular 2042 resorts.

 

[kboo]

This is a five figure discussion. It's 20K to buy 200 SSR points vs 40K to buy direct. Sure, if you think 20K in the market is worth nothing, which I don't. Or if you think 20K is worth it to stay at RIV, which I also don't.

I would normally agree with you except with AUL thrown in the mix. (also, VGF with magical beginnings is $35k for 200 points now. Still a lot, but better than it's been in a while).

OR - under 20k or just over 20k for AUL resale (depending on the dues situation). AUL rooms are possible at 7 mo but all that is left is oceanview, which is similar to VGF standard in terms of # of points.

Depending how one wants to use points at WDW, VGF direct *might* be a decent option (for example, if you envision primarily traveling to WDW over Xmas or fall frenzy). But otherwise, if you're traveling at any other time and don't have strong preferences where you stay, then I'd go with SSR resale for WDW points.

With AUL in the mix, I think the options are whether you value having lower-cost rooms at AUL more, or having more resort options at WDW. If you don't mind "getting stuck" at SSR and in Oceanview rooms at AUL, then SSR resale is a good deal.

 

[RoseGold]

I would normally agree with you except with AUL thrown in the mix. VGF with magical beginnings in $35k for 200 points now. Still a lot. OR - under 20k or just over 20k for AUL resale (depending on the dues situation). AUL rooms are possible at 7 mo but all that is left is oceanview, which is similar to VGF standard in terms of # of points.

Of all of these choices, direct or resale, AUL direct is dead last in what I would buy. Unless you are set on actually staying at Aulani and booking rare Aulani (not OP). Even then, I would still say resale Aulani.

Maybe the Aulani fire sale was the exception, but that passed.

 

[intamin]

Of all of these choices, direct or resale, AUL direct is dead last in what I would buy. Unless you are set on actually staying at Aulani and booking rare Aulani (not OP). Even then, I would still say resale Aulani.

Maybe the Aulani fire sale was the exception, but that passed.

Agreed. AUL direct is probably the last thing that should be bought. With AUL resale you're only missing out on RIV/VDH currently and if you really care about those resorts that much you really should just buy there.

I'd also recommend visiting before you end up purchasing. I didn't do that and and was originally considering VGF because of resale restrictions but ultimately chose RIV because we like the Epcot area so much more and we're grateful we did because after staying at VGF a month later we weren't that impressed by the rooms and realized we just liked the lobby which was the curb appeal.

Also take into account how regularly you're planning to visit WDW, are these points going to be used at VGF or VDH primarily? Don't underestimate the value of the 11 month booking window in terms of securing standard view rooms vs. theme park.

 

[kboo]

Of all of these choices, direct or resale, AUL direct is dead last in what I would buy. Unless you are set on actually staying at Aulani and booking rare Aulani (not OP). Even then, I would still say resale Aulani.

I agreed with you here - AUL resale (subsidized or not) is half the price of VGF direct, but "AUL in the mix" was a response to OP saying they wanted points to go to AUL and WDW. If WDW only or primarily, I agree that SSR resale makes a lot of sense. But then buy enough SSR resale or any WDW home resort to spring for oceanview at AUL at 7mo because that's all that will be left. I keep looking at AUL resale but the dues (and the added hassle of another home resort with restricted points to manage) keep me from pulling the trigger, despite the 5-figure savings up front. That said, OP is in a different position with VGC points already.

 

[HIRyeDVC]

I agreed with you here - AUL resale (subsidized or not) is half the price of VGF direct, but "AUL in the mix" was a response to OP saying they wanted points to go to AUL and WDW. If WDW only or primarily, I agree that SSR resale makes a lot of sense. But then buy enough SSR resale or any WDW home resort to spring for oceanview at AUL at 7mo because that's all that will be left. I keep looking at AUL resale but the dues (and the added hassle of another home resort with restricted points to manage) keep me from pulling the trigger, despite the 5-figure savings up front. That said, OP is in a different position with VGC points already.

That’s why you should buy Aulani subsidized. It’s the cheapest SAP and has become my favorite contract to own, maybe even more than my VGC if I dare to say

 

[intamin]

That’s why you should buy Aulani subsidized. It’s the cheapest SAP and has become my favorite contract to own, maybe even more than my VGC if I dare to say

off topic but I like all these resort symbols people are putting in their sigs. Signature game has stepped up these past few months

 

[HIRyeDVC]

off topic but I like all these resort symbols people are putting in their sigs. Signature game has stepped up these past few months

Ha! I was only forced to do it when my previous signature links were no longer working. Before that, I had no clue as to how to change them. I just googled for resort logos and realized how easy it was to link them. Now everyone has some pzaz. I love it.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Ha! I was only forced to do it when my previous signature links were no longer working. Before that, I had no clue as to how to change them. I just googled for resort logos and realized how easy it was to link them. Now everyone has some pzaz. I love it.

Exactly...

 

[vacay77]

Thank you to everyone for your input. We decided to add on at VDH since I think it will fit our needs the most. 11 properties at WDW vs only 2 at Disneyland. Hopefully it won’t turn out to be a terrible decision

 

[intamin]

Thank you to everyone for your input. We decided to add on at VDH since I think it will fit our needs the most. 11 properties at WDW vs only 2 at Disneyland. Hopefully it won’t turn out to be a terrible decision

If you're flexible with where you're okay with staying at Disney World it's a great decision. Enjoy!

 

[DVCsloth]

Epcot is the best location especially for people who already go to DL which is essentially a larger MK.

DL is larger than WDW MK?

 

[HIRyeDVC]

DL is larger than WDW MK?

I think so. It certainly has much more rides than MK.

 

[DVCsloth]

Thank you to everyone for your input. We decided to add on at VDH since I think it will fit our needs the most. 11 properties at WDW vs only 2 at Disneyland. Hopefully it won’t turn out to be a terrible decision

If I were West Coast, I would probably add on at VDH. You should always be able to get something at WDW at 7 months, might not always be your first choice but there is usually plenty of availability at 7 months except maybe the very busiest times of the year.

 

[DVCsloth]

I think so. It certainly has much more rides than MK.

I've never been so I wasn't sure. Seems like most people that I talk to say how much smaller it is. Maybe they are thinking of all the other parks at WDW and combining them. We would like to visit someday, but probably won't add on at VDH although I would love to because it looks awesome.