What to do next? to get direct perks

[Add-On-Itis]

Looking to buy direct contract for direct perks, what would you do?

Background:
Resale only with restrictions
520 points - 360 blt; 160 poly
Family of 4
1-bedroom only atm
Do not enjoy poly, feels too crowded
Have not visited Riveria
Would like the blue card for AP
Would like to buy the AP this coming April

Some thoughts:
- 1-bedroom is rather easy to get. Between Riveria and Beach Club. I would pick Beach Club for the points chart and location alone.
- Poly - have not stayed at the PIT, but did a tour there and really like it. But the crowd issue will still be there.
- So many Riv lovers on this board. There must be something special about it.

What would you do?
1) Buy 150 points at Riveria
2) Buy 200-300 points at Riveria - sell 160 poly
3) Buy 150 points at Poly
4) Buy 150 points at Riveria now, if we like staying there sell 160 poly and buy another 150 points down the road

 

[AstroBlasters]

Looking to buy direct contract for direct perks, what would you do?

Background:
Resale only with restrictions
520 points - 360 blt; 160 poly
Family of 4
1-bedroom only atm
Do not enjoy poly, feels too crowded
Have not visited Riveria
Would like the blue card for AP
Would like to buy the AP this coming April

Some thoughts:
- 1-bedroom is rather easy to get. Between Riveria and Beach Club. I would pick Beach Club for the points chart and location alone.
- Poly - have not stayed at the PIT, but did a tour there and really like it. But the crowd issue will still be there.
- So many Riv lovers on this board. There must be something special about it.

What would you do?
1) Buy 150 points at Riveria
2) Buy 200-300 points at Riveria - sell 160 poly
3) Buy 150 points at Poly
4) Buy 150 points at Riveria now, if we like staying there sell 160 poly and buy another 150 points down the road

Have you been to RIV?

 

[Add-On-Itis]

Have you been to RIV?

No unfortunatelly not. Only passing by on the skyliner.

 

[cruisehopeful]

The only concern with Riviera is that if you ever need to sell it, the buyer can only stay there. It makes it harder to sell. If you don't care about that, I'd go with Riviera. It'll still be challenging because if you buy 150 now and then decide to add on in a year or two, the resort will be sold out and you might have to wait a while to get the right contract.

Purchasing Poly is good financially. If you can't stand the crowds and don't want to stay there, you're kind of stuck with using the points for whatever you can find at 7 months.

Watch some YouTube videos of the different room types and the property and restaurants for each resort. Make sure you watch several because some of the vloggers only say good things and you need to see/hear all the good and bad stuff about each resort.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

The only concern with Riviera is that if you ever need to sell it, the buyer can only stay there. It makes it harder to sell. If you don't care about that, I'd go with Riviera. It'll still be challenging because if you buy 150 now and then decide to add on in a year or two, the resort will be sold out and you might have to wait a while to get the right contract.

Purchasing Poly is good financially. If you can't stand the crowds and don't want to stay there, you're kind of stuck with using the points for whatever you can find at 7 months.

Watch some YouTube videos of the different room types and the property and restaurants for each resort. Make sure you watch several because some of the vloggers only say good things and you need to see/hear all the good and bad stuff about each resort.

Based on another thread "RIV selling out sometime in late 2026," Will have to somehow fit one more trip before Riv sells out.

Right, if we go with 150 poly direct. All the Poly points will be mainly used for SAP.

What negatives do you have to add for Riv? 1 downside I read is skyliner going down due to weather, and that can be a mess.

 

[airjay75]

I toured Poly and the island tower twice. I wanted to love it because it didn’t have the resale restrictions, but I just did not. The tower itself was lovely but the pools were packed to the brim, the lines seemed long, and I just did not get the relaxed, vacation vibe that I like. Our stays at RIV have been the exact opposite. We love it. And that is why I own 600 direct points there. It’s what I wanted. Poly was not. Resale restrictions be dammed.

That said, I guess the question would be what you want the direct points for. Blue card benefits come with either resort. 1 BRs are pretty easy to come by at the 7-month mark at RIV, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see resort view 1 BRs get difficult at some point in the future. You need to own there for resort view studios and 2 BRs. If you’re ok with preferred view rooms, I think it can be quite a bit easier at the 7-month mark. Of course, also going to need to own for high demand times like December. Of course, that is all subject to change. Many think, as more resale RIV is out there, it will become very difficult at 7 months for anyone.

That said, I’d rather own at a resort where there is at least the potential to get some home resort priority than pure SAP. And, if you decide you love RIV, could supplement direct points with resale RIV points.

I think the Skyliner is great. But, it has its detractors. And, like all Disney transportation, you can find a horror story if you want to. I think it works pretty well the vast majority of the time.

Best thing to do is probably try to stay there for at least one night to see what you think. I booked a 1-night cash stay before my first direct purchase and then stayed again (and toured the island tower again to rule it out) before buying my second round of points.

 

[Brian Noble]

What would you do?

Nothing just yet.

I would not let the AP purchase in April drive a multi-decade decision. Buying APs (or not) can be a separate decision from buying a direct DVC contract. Yes, if you buy the Incredipass for four people, it's an extra $2200, but maybe that's okay.

For me, the reason to buy a direct resort is primarily because you want to own at that resort. You do not like Poly, and it seems unwise to buy direct at a resort you've never visited beyond "flying by." It is one thing if you know you like it based on what you know so far, but it sounds like you know that other people like it, but you don't know that you do.

 

[TheThousandthSoul]

I own at BLT and SSR.
If I was in your shoes I'd buy 200 RIV and sell 160 Poly.
I'd still have my points at a Monorail Resort + I'd have access to a Skyliner DVC Resort for more than 2042.

But that's just me.
"Just me" means my wife and I have visited RIV and loved it.
"Just me" also means if I want a "Polynesian" vacation, I'll go to Aulani.

 

[Wedgeout]

You have a solid BLT contract portfolio base. If in the market today for direct, I wouldn’t be picking RIV. You don’t know enough about it. Getting reviews here and seeing it as you pass by on the Skyliner isn’t enough.

I’d sit & wait on the Lakeshore project completion, for that direct possibility. You have not enjoyed PVB. If can get even or make something off that contract, sell it. Wouldn’t buy direct there. Otherwise just hold it and use it there occasionally.

For buying direct now, my choice would be looking into VDH or AUL. With all those resale points, I’d rather have a home resort where I can use them. That’s why I’d prioritize AUL, of those two resort choices. Either one though might be the way to go.

Have fun choosing…will be many opinions flooding in!

 

[Add-On-Itis]

I toured Poly and the island tower twice. I wanted to love it because it didn’t have the resale restrictions, but I just did not. The tower itself was lovely but the pools were packed to the brim, the lines seemed long, and I just did not get the relaxed, vacation vibe that I like. Our stays at RIV have been the exact opposite. We love it. And that is why I own 600 direct points there. It’s what I wanted. Poly was not. Resale restrictions be dammed.

That said, I guess the question would be what you want the direct points for. Blue card benefits come with either resort. 1 BRs are pretty easy to come by at the 7-month mark at RIV, although I wouldn’t be surprised to see resort view 1 BRs get difficult at some point in the future. You need to own there for resort view studios and 2 BRs. If you’re ok with preferred view rooms, I think it can be quite a bit easier at the 7-month mark. Of course, also going to need to own for high demand times like December. Of course, that is all subject to change. Many think, as more resale RIV is out there, it will become very difficult at 7 months for anyone.

That said, I’d rather own at a resort where there is at least the potential to get some home resort priority than pure SAP. And, if you decide you love RIV, could supplement direct points with resale RIV points.

I think the Skyliner is great. But, it has its detractors. And, like all Disney transportation, you can find a horror story if you want to. I think it works pretty well the vast majority of the time.

Best thing to do is probably try to stay there for at least one night to see what you think. I booked a 1-night cash stay before my first direct purchase and then stayed again (and toured the island tower again to rule it out) before buying my second round of points.

I agree with you on all your points. The only thing I can't do it 1-night cash stay, wife hates split stays. But will scheudle a tour while on site before purchasing.

Nothing just yet.

I would not let the AP purchase in April drive a multi-decade decision. Buying APs (or not) can be a separate decision from buying a direct DVC contract. Yes, if you buy the Incredipass for four people, it's an extra $2200, but maybe that's okay.

For me, the reason to buy a direct resort is primarily because you want to own at that resort. You do not like Poly, and it seems unwise to buy direct at a resort you've never visited beyond "flying by." It is one thing if you know you like it based on what you know so far, but it sounds like you know that other people like it, but you don't know that you do.

Right. But the annual pass is a draw to buy the direct points. Without that perk. I am fine owning only resale, and will probably add on more at BLT as SAP. I should add that I could wait till I am there and do a tour at Riv before making the purchase.

 

[cruisehopeful]

What negatives do you have to add for Riv? 1 downside I read is skyliner going down due to weather, and that can be a mess.

I haven't stayed at or visited Riviera. After watching many resort walk through videos, it looks like paradise to me. I wouldn't count on the skyliner and only think of that as a bonus if it's available.

I like @Wedgeout 's thought about waiting for Lakeshore. Also, keep in mind that you can buy any of the sold out resorts. The pricing is a little more, but if it's something that you're excited to own and would love to stay at, it's worth paying for the pride of ownership and the ease of booking.

Are you able to schedule a short resorts only trip to get a feel for each property? @VGCgroupie did that and it helped her clarify what she loved about some resorts and what she couldn't tolerate at others.

 

[AstroBlasters]

No unfortunatelly not. Only passing by on the skyliner.

Many people love RIV, I know many other people who are underwhelmed.

I would not buy a resort that will take a huge hit on the resale market because the points fundamentally change unless you KNOW you love the resort.

I’d buy more Poly points. It will make it easier to book a 1bd at 11m at Poly when combined with your resale points and then you can modify the reservation to something different at 7m if you so choose.

 

[Brian Noble]

150 direct RIV points will cost about $15K extra vs. O14 SAP resale points---and that $15K is gone once the ink on the contract is dry. It will save you $2200 in the years you will buy an AP, but the lost interest on the $15K is about $600, so now you are saving about $1600. It will take about ten years to cover it.

You can talk yourself into that, but I'd want to also really love RIV before I did.

The Poly points have a lower incremental cost. I could almost talk myself into selling the existing Poly resale points and buying some direct. List them. If you get $165 for a not-stripped/not-loaded contract, you'll have about $150 after sales costs. Buying 160 new Poly points at the end of the UY is net $230--$210 if you use MB (but be sure you are comparing apples to apples---you should have used those points out of your resale contract.).

 

[AstroBlasters]

Based on another thread "RIV selling out sometime in late 2026," Will have to somehow fit one more trip before Riv sells out.

Right, if we go with 150 poly direct. All the Poly points will be mainly used for SAP.

What negatives do you have to add for Riv? 1 downside I read is skyliner going down due to weather, and that can be a mess.

My wife thought it looked like they “threw up a generic building and tried to make it look nice by adding some fake iron to the balconies”. Personally, I liked it… but I am less attentive to certain details than she is…

I also know owners who have tried to get back when the Skyliner was down and they said it was an awful experience.

The biggest thing for me is the substantial hit you could take if you need to sell in the future that you would not take if you get Poly…. which you already own. Selling your current Poly on the resale market will also take a big hit with commissions and fees.

 

[VGCgroupie]

You already own 160 points somewhere you dont want to stay. Is it worth having that problem again at RIV or having even more where you dont want to stay?

How soon do you NEED points? Not want but need? I would hold off to see what becomes of LSL if you dont have an immediate need for them. Yes that could mean no more RIV direct option w/ incentives but would be worth the risk to myself personally.

 

[Brian Noble]

How soon do you NEED points? Not want but need?

This is a really good question.

 

[Add-On-Itis]

This is a really good question.

That's a great question. I don't need the extra points anytime soon. Actually have plenty of points at 520 at the moment

 

[thanxfornoticin]

That's a great question. I don't need the extra points anytime soon. Actually have plenty of points at 520 at the moment

You probably can resolve this issue by changing you thread name to HappyWithCurrentDVCPoints..... it'll save you money and headaches!!

 

[tidefan]

As to RIV, since you mention 1 bedrooms, one thing we do not care for is the Galley-style kitchens in RIV and CCV. We use the kitchen quite a bit and don't care for the Galley-style setups. YMMV...

 

[Sandisw]

We didn’t think RIv would be for us because of restrictions.

Then we visited and fell in love. It’s our must stay resort every trip and typically pair with VGF or SSR split stays.

However, I do think that it can be import to visit.

Once we get to 2042, and yes, it’s 15 years away, there is strong chance that RIv will be the most affordable in terms of being an Epcot area resort.

I will add that perks are nice and the ability to get Sorcerer Pass is really nice, especially now that we can use points if we have extra!

But, perks can come and go and they could change that being an option down the road…I don’t think they will, but it’s important to understand.

What we love about RIV is the relaxing feel after time in the parks…the coffee shop and the quick service food is tops for us.

We also love that we have CBR for additional food options with a quick walk, or get to the Boardwalk area as well via Skyliner.

We have even used the Skyliner to go AOA and POP for something different to eat or drink.

Restrictions and resale value were not important to us because value is in its use and not what might happen if we had to sell sooner rather than later.

We tried to have restricted points but found it frustrating when something opened at RIV for a last minute trip or a night we wanted to change and couldn’t get it because we only had restricted points.

Last month I was able to swap a VGF night for a RIv night in December because I had used unrestricted points.

I definitely am not a fan of having points at resorts I don’t like being at which is why I have bought and sold in my 16 years of ownership.

Good luck!