Went on DVC tour today- now interested in buying but a bit unsure

[CookieandOatmeal]

Currently at Disney right now and went on a DVC tour at the Poly when they left a letter in my hotel room offering a $100 Disney gift card as an incentive. After going to a low pressure and pretty informative session, we are interested in buying into Poly. We are currently just a family of two with no children and in the future, may have 0-2 kids in our family. We are looking into buying a contract for 60-70 points but will take the weekend to really analyze the whole situation before making our decision. We really liked the studio layout and like the transportation options/location also. We travel to Disney every year around school vacation in Feb or in April unless we cruise in the summer since I'm a teacher.

Our guide today told us that if we buy by 4/27, we will benefit from their current incentive where they give you 60-70 points (whatever contract we go with) from the start and then we'll get another 60-70 points on Dec 1, 2016. Is this a good incentive? Is this even an incentive? Also, I've been reading about Used Year on here and really don't understand why it's so important and how it works. With my travel times, what would be a good Used Year? Do you always get to choose what it is? He also mentioned the price will go up on May 4th so I don't know if that was a sales tactic or not.

Other than staying at DVC properties, we may be interested in using the points for non-DVC options like non-Disney hotels or using them on a cruise. How would we be able to see how many points will be required for those options?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Well, that's not actually an incentI've. What they are giving you is current Use Year points, and a December Use Year. They are giving yOu the points to which you would be contractually entitled.

With a 60-70 point purchase, you would never really have enough points to trade for a cruise.

 

[Supplanter]

Use year is when your points reset. The reason it matters is if you need to cancel your trip, you need at least 4 months before your use year to allow you to roll them over/ "bank" them into the next year. So if you travel in feb/ march, you probably want a sept/ oct use year.

Yes there is a price increase in May, but the points thing isn't an incentive, it's what you're entitled to lol.

The cruises are a horrible value per point. Each point holds a value of about $15 in hotel bookings or by renting them to someone else. On cruises you get closer to a $10 per point conversion. Much better off renting out points and using the cash to buy a cruise. You can check point charts online but just so you are aware the very cheapest 3day cruises in an interior room are about 100 points per person.

 

[gharter]

I would not jump into purchasing yet. Take your time and read all you can. This site has an amazing amount of information about DVC. I spent a lot of time reading before making a decision. Look at the options for new or resale and more importantly what resort you really want to stay at.
If you choose to purchase new, you can do that at any time online or over the phone. It doesn't have to be done there in person, although the talk at times sounds like it.
I would also agree with other suggestions, that if you purchase direct through Disney, get a guaranteed week. It doesn't cost anything, but you are guaraneed that week every year,but you can change it if you want a different time.

 

[Dean]

Currently at Disney right now and went on a DVC tour at the Poly when they left a letter in my hotel room offering a $100 Disney gift card as an incentive. After going to a low pressure and pretty informative session, we are interested in buying into Poly. We are currently just a family of two with no children and in the future, may have 0-2 kids in our family. We are looking into buying a contract for 60-70 points but will take the weekend to really analyze the whole situation before making our decision. We really liked the studio layout and like the transportation options/location also. We travel to Disney every year around school vacation in Feb or in April unless we cruise in the summer since I'm a teacher.

Our guide today told us that if we buy by 4/27, we will benefit from their current incentive where they give you 60-70 points (whatever contract we go with) from the start and then we'll get another 60-70 points on Dec 1, 2016. Is this a good incentive? Is this even an incentive? Also, I've been reading about Used Year on here and really don't understand why it's so important and how it works. With my travel times, what would be a good Used Year? Do you always get to choose what it is? He also mentioned the price will go up on May 4th so I don't know if that was a sales tactic or not.

Other than staying at DVC properties, we may be interested in using the points for non-DVC options like non-Disney hotels or using them on a cruise. How would we be able to see how many points will be required for those options?

You're not ready to buy, you need to spend months getting educated. Dec is a good choice as described, Feb is better. You always get this years points and for Dec, it's still the 2015 UY which is why you'd get the points again Dec, it's not an incentive or a special. Make sure you understand UY, can plan more than 7 months in advance, can afford it (to me that's pay cash), will ONLY use for DVC options and plan to stay at the Poly most trips if you decide to buy there (if not consider something cheaper from a purchase AND fee standpoint). I would not buy planning to use points for other things, it's essentially never a good choice and 100% of the time it's a poor choice buying in but at that small of a contract you won't have enough points to really do so anyway. The points are all very high for those options. I'm not where I can point you to actual points charts right now but I'm sure someone else will do so and you'll see.

 

[ktmo]

You are on the right track. Ask a lot of questions and read, read, read. Someone just posted why they went with Poly Direct.

If you are sure you want Poly, I don't see a reason not to buy. My only concern with Poly is the lack of 1 bedrooms. We are a family of 4 with preteen girls. When we travel, we like to book 1 bedrooms. So, that is why we didn't consider Poly.

As for use year. I think December would be a good use year for you with the dates you travel. And like others have pointed out, Disney isn't giving you an incentive, just giving you your current points. If they didn't do that, you wouldn't get points until the end of the year.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I agree that you should take some more time. The "incentive" is not anything more than normal getting current points as you always should when buying direct, something you seemed to be catching on to. Study UY, Poly limitations with studios and high priced bungalows and take a look at resale too and see if that make some sense. You could buy more at another resort for the same and have the options of larger rooms or longer stays or pay less for number of points you are considering. Using PVB points to stay at other resorts, while an option, is one of the more expensive ways to use DVC. You may still end up deciding that DVC makes sense for you and that 60-70 points at the Poly (where you intend to stay virtually every time on vacations that you book 11 months out) may be exactly what works for you but I'd take time to consider all the options.

 

[jerseyduke]

Pause.

You got some fancy sales talk about the "incentive".

Use Year gets confused by many. There is a simple rule around it. IF you tend to travel at or around the same time of year, it would be best if that time was toward the beginning of your use year.

If you TEND to go in December, February is the WORST possible UY. November or December is best. When you travel in the last 4 months of your UY, having to cancel your reservation leaves you with a lot fewer options. If you are traveling in the beginning of your UY and have to cancel, you have a lot more options.

There are point brokers that will enable you to rent out your points. It is almost always better (from a financial numbers stand point) to rent out your points, and use the cash you get from that to book a cruise or a hotel room. Using points to do those things will actually cost you more.

While the price is going up, I think 3$ per point, even at 70 points, that is only a 210$ price increase. Yes, that is 200 bucks, but not worth making a hasty decision in my point of view.

If The Poly is the place for you, I would buy direct. Be aware that there is a resale market for "older" properties. A resale BLT contract might also be a good idea, if you like that resort.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Here are some DVC point charts for Not DVC Rooms(tm):

• RCI Trades: https://secure.cdn3.wdpromedia.com/.../rci/rci/2016_2017_Web_RCI_Pt_Chts_102815.pdf
• Cruise Point Charts by destination: https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/destinations/list/cruise/

The cheapest cruise is 61 points for one person, so to book two into a cruise you'd need 122 points. It goes up rapidly from there. With a 60-70 point purchase, you wouldn't realistically be looking at cruise trades unless you booked every 3 years and paid cash for one (two?) of you. You would get the DVC negotiated rate, which is often higher than the public rate.

People will say "they're your points!" in support of using them however you want. This is true. But DVC is not a good value purchase beyond intending to use them 90%+ for staying in DVC resorts, largely on WDW property.

 

[Lynne M]

That "incentive that's only good till the 27th" bit is meaningless. Don't fall for it. You're not getting free points, you're getting exactly what everybody gets when you buy across a use year. They just spin it to sound like you're getting something special if you buy before you go home and have a chance to really think about it. You'll get the same points for the same amount if you buy on the 27th, 28th, or a month and a half from now.

I'm not saying the DVC salespeople are scam artists. They're not, at all. But they do shade the truth, do a lot of spinning, and omit critically important information, and they'll push you to buy the resort they're told to push. Come home from your trip, let the pixie dust wear off, and do lots of research. Not a weekend's worth. There are other ways to buy DVC, and other resorts, and taking the time to find what's right for you can mean thousands of dollars, and a much better experience with DVC.

 

[CraigInPA]

There is, in fact, a $4 per point price increase scheduled for May 4, 2016 for Poly points. The April 27th cut off date is a made up deadline.

Even though the sales pitch is soft sell, the guides (sales people) will use every trick in the book to get your signature on a contract.

 

[kniquy]

We are looking into buying a contract for 60-70 points but will take the weekend to really analyze the whole situation before making our decision. We really liked the studio layout and like the transportation options/location also. We travel to Disney every year around school vacation in Feb or in April unless we cruise in the summer since I'm a teacher.

A studio may work for you now, but if you end up with the 2 kids that you are planning then as they get older it might get more cramped -- Poly only has studios or the over priced bungalows so no in between options.

I am not sure why you chose your point amount of 60-70 points, but that would only get you a few days at poly. If you want to go for a week every year (not sure if that is what you typically do) then you would need somewhere around 150 points + to stay at some of the higher points times of the year. Like someone else mentioned that low a point amount would not give you access to the other benefits of buying direct - cruises, ABD. Those typically require a lot of points. I would seriously consider taking some time, looking into resale and be able to purchase more points for the same amount of money. At this point i think during your travel times (Feb or april) you should still be able to book poly at 7 months. There is a lot to learn. I recently bought resale last year and i still look at this forum almost daily because there is always something new to learn about the DVC system.

 

[Supplanter]

There is, in fact, a $4 per point price increase scheduled for May 4, 2016 for Poly points. The April 27th cut off date is a made up deadline.

Even though the sales pitch is soft sell, the guides (sales people) will use every trick in the book to get your signature on a contract.

I'm sure the 4/27 is the "developer bonus" that you only get within 7 days of an in person tour or 30 of a phone tour. Big secret... Every time you call them it's a "phone tour" hahaha

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Thank you everyone for your input and advice! We will definitely take the time necessary to research DVC before we make a decision. We understand that using points other than on DVC properties is not a good idea now. The guide pointed us to a 60-70 points contract due to our habit of staying 4 nights (max) each year. They showed us how we can use those points at VWL or AKV since those are the two deluxes we have stayed but now I see that would a waste if we are buying into the Poly. When we went back to WL after the tour, we asked to tour the WL DVC rooms and we both liked the studios more at Poly so we are ok with staying at the Poly for all/most of our stays. And yes, if we take the plunge we will be paying cash. We almost fell over when we heard what the interest rates were from the Bank of the Mouse!!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

The guide was definitely looking out for his/her interests. Buying Poly for VWL or AKV is not a good approach. You pay premium for the Poly points and an 11-month booking window at Poly that you wouldn't use. You would rarely have a legitimate crack at AKV Value accommodations, which may be what was being priced with your points.

 

[pmaurer74]

Thank you everyone for your input and advice! We will definitely take the time necessary to research DVC before we make a decision. We understand that using points other than on DVC properties is not a good idea now. The guide pointed us to a 60-70 points contract due to our habit of staying 4 nights (max) each year. They showed us how we can use those points at VWL or AKV since those are the two deluxes we have stayed but now I see that would a waste if we are buying into the Poly. When we went back to WL after the tour, we asked to tour the WL DVC rooms and we both liked the studios more at Poly so we are ok with staying at the Poly for all/most of our stays. And yes, if we take the plunge we will be paying cash. We almost fell over when we heard what the interest rates were from the Bank of the Mouse!!

try not to finance if at all possible. If you like the WL then buy resale at WL or they are opening WLVII within the next few years. For the price of Poly you could likely get 120 WLV points resale but a much shorter contract time. Good luck!

 

[freediverdude]

I say if you really like the Polynesian then go for it. Where you stay and are comfortable makes a big difference. And if you were mostly stuck in the future with staying somewhere else because you couldn't get what you want at 7 months, you won't be happy, I've met other members in that situation. Buy where you want to stay most of the time, unless you just don't care.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

The "bonus" 70 points that is really from UY 2015 that we get- when do they expire? I know usually they expire at the end of Nov but since this is a little different, do they last longer?

 

[cdnjason]

The "bonus" 70 points that is really from UY 2015 that we get- when do they expire? I know usually they expire at the end of Nov but since this is a little different, do they last longer?

You can bank your 2015 UY points and use them in your 2016 UY. In your 2016 UY, you can bank your leftover points to 2017 and so on. But, you have to use all banked points within the next UY.

I'm sure someone can explain it better than I just tried.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The "bonus" 70 points that is really from UY 2015 that we get- when do they expire? I know usually they expire at the end of Nov but since this is a little different, do they last longer?

The 2015 current UY points will expire Nov 30, 2016 if not used or banked. As long as you bank them into your 2016 UY prior to July 31, 2016 they will then be available for stays from Dec 1, 2016 to Nov 30, 2017. If you do not use them by that time they will expire as any point can only be banked forward once. This all is no exception from the norm just as the points are no exception from the norm.