Disn3yVision
*See Magic*
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2016
- Messages
- 344
After returning from our first big family trip to WDW, my family decided to join DVC. Of course that decision was followed by an even tougher one: should we buy resale or buy direct? After doing tons of research on the Interwebs, it became clear to me that the consensus "best choice" was to buy resale. Almost all advice I came across from most sources seemed to overwhelmingly point that way. The impression I formed was that most long time DVC owners considered it ludicrous to buy points for $170 when you could get them as low as $55, and I can see the basic sense in that. So, I decided to buy resale, and even put in a few bids. Then Disney made their big announcement on April 4th about losing benefits if you buy resale, and I started to think... Is buying resale really the best option for my family?
Some background: We are a young middle class family from So Cal with 2 boys, age 1 and 3. We are hoping to try for a little girl soon
We live 20 minutes from Disneyland and have been going there our entire lives. When it came to choosing our home resort, theming was really important to us. By large margin the two resorts we like most are AKV and PVB. When I was going to buy resale I was going to get AKV, and that would have been great... except I firmly believe the Poly is a better fit for my family. Not only that, but buying direct was also better fit for us, and here's 5 reasons why:
1) Length of contract is very important to us. We are big on tradition, and by joining DVC are buying something memorable that we can share with our our children. Not only for when they are kids, but also for when they are adults and have kids of their own, and maybe even when their kids have kids. We are in our early 30's, so by the time this contract is up our children will have children almost as old as us. We want to pass this gift down to them and have it be something we can all share and bond over for decades to come. With most resale contracts ending at earlier dates, we did not feel we were getting the maximum value out of our investment (and when I say value I am not just talking monetarily) buy buying a contract with a date that expired earlier than the full term, and pretty much the only way to get the full term is to buy a new resort through Disney.
2) The Polynesian was the best fit for our family, and being so new it just doesn't make sense to buy it resale (for numerous reasons). Being the biggest studios, and having two bathrooms and sleeping five, we feel we could comfortably fit into that studio until our oldest is 12 or 13 without being forced to get a 1 bedroom. After that, or if we want some privacy on a trip before then, we can just get two studios and connect them. Once the kids are gone we can be comfortable in a studio since their will only be 2 of us, and we believe Poly offers the best DVC studios currently available. PVB has the single best OVERALL location of all the resorts, and the best transportation options as well (I know Epcot resorts are better for Epcot, and BLT is better for MK, but I am talking overall between all the Disney destinations on site). It has arguably the best views. It has amazing theming that will engage our kids. It has Trader Sams and Dole Whip. I could go on.
3) Since very few Poly owners are going to use their points to book the Bungalows, most are going to book studios, which leads me to believe competition will be fierce for those at 7 months. So, if we want any hope of getting our top room choice in all of Disney for our point budget, especially in Oct-Nov when we like to travel, Poly HAS to be our home resort. Its very unlikely we could get any monorail resort consistently during that time at 7 months. Also, AKV being our second choice, I realized that it is MUCH easier to get into at 7 months, one of the easiest in fact. It seems silly to make that my home resort when I can get into it at 7 months so much easier, almost as if I am wasting my 11 month priority.
4) All points are not created equal. By buying at a resort thats cheaper, and I do not want to stay at, I am essentially giving up my 11 month priority window. That is a huge benefit and of huge value to us, especially traveling Oct-Dec. If my home resort is one of my bottom choices (which the cheaper ones were), I am going to be relegated to being stuck scrambling at 7 months to get whatever other resort that is available during the times I want to travel, or, being forced to travel at specific times in order to get the resort I want. I'm sorry but the price tag is too high to have to settle on major decisions like when to travel. Also, although AKV points can be bought for $80 dollars, they can also only be sold for $80. I believe PVB points are going to be worth more in the long run, and always sell for more dollars per point, a la the Grand Cal and Grand Floridian.
5- This was not a financial investment. It was an emotional one. We aren't seeing this as a business transaction to maximize our cost savings on future vacations. We see this as an investment in our happiness and everyday quality of life. Knowing that we are not privy to the same rights and benefits as somebody who bought direct would take away a lot of the emotional value in this purchase. And for us, that value is just as important as the financial value. While its true that all the perks they have taken away no way justify the difference in price at the moment, who is to say what else may change over the next fifty years. They may make more restrictions or offer some amazing benefits and it makes me feel better to not have to worry about missing out on anything. My wife told me something that really stuck with me... She said, "I would hate to spend all this money only to feel like a second class citizen." And while its silly, deep down inside if I bought resale there would always be part of me that would feel like that. Not to mention the ease and service you get buying direct can't be matched. For instance, I originally bought a December use year and after getting my points and making a reservation, a week later I realized October would be better for my family. I called up my guide and asked if there was any way I could change. She talked to her manager and that same day called me back and sent out a new contract for me with an October use year. Im sorry but that is not going to happen buying resale.
Ultimately the decision to buy direct or buy resale is going to depend on innumerable variables and whats right for one family may not be right for another. After reading so much advice on why you should buy resale I just wanted to put out my thoughts on the benefits of buying direct, especially for my family. I'm interested to hear what DVC and DISboard veterans have to say on the topic.
Some background: We are a young middle class family from So Cal with 2 boys, age 1 and 3. We are hoping to try for a little girl soon
We live 20 minutes from Disneyland and have been going there our entire lives. When it came to choosing our home resort, theming was really important to us. By large margin the two resorts we like most are AKV and PVB. When I was going to buy resale I was going to get AKV, and that would have been great... except I firmly believe the Poly is a better fit for my family. Not only that, but buying direct was also better fit for us, and here's 5 reasons why:1) Length of contract is very important to us. We are big on tradition, and by joining DVC are buying something memorable that we can share with our our children. Not only for when they are kids, but also for when they are adults and have kids of their own, and maybe even when their kids have kids. We are in our early 30's, so by the time this contract is up our children will have children almost as old as us. We want to pass this gift down to them and have it be something we can all share and bond over for decades to come. With most resale contracts ending at earlier dates, we did not feel we were getting the maximum value out of our investment (and when I say value I am not just talking monetarily) buy buying a contract with a date that expired earlier than the full term, and pretty much the only way to get the full term is to buy a new resort through Disney.
2) The Polynesian was the best fit for our family, and being so new it just doesn't make sense to buy it resale (for numerous reasons). Being the biggest studios, and having two bathrooms and sleeping five, we feel we could comfortably fit into that studio until our oldest is 12 or 13 without being forced to get a 1 bedroom. After that, or if we want some privacy on a trip before then, we can just get two studios and connect them. Once the kids are gone we can be comfortable in a studio since their will only be 2 of us, and we believe Poly offers the best DVC studios currently available. PVB has the single best OVERALL location of all the resorts, and the best transportation options as well (I know Epcot resorts are better for Epcot, and BLT is better for MK, but I am talking overall between all the Disney destinations on site). It has arguably the best views. It has amazing theming that will engage our kids. It has Trader Sams and Dole Whip. I could go on.
3) Since very few Poly owners are going to use their points to book the Bungalows, most are going to book studios, which leads me to believe competition will be fierce for those at 7 months. So, if we want any hope of getting our top room choice in all of Disney for our point budget, especially in Oct-Nov when we like to travel, Poly HAS to be our home resort. Its very unlikely we could get any monorail resort consistently during that time at 7 months. Also, AKV being our second choice, I realized that it is MUCH easier to get into at 7 months, one of the easiest in fact. It seems silly to make that my home resort when I can get into it at 7 months so much easier, almost as if I am wasting my 11 month priority.
4) All points are not created equal. By buying at a resort thats cheaper, and I do not want to stay at, I am essentially giving up my 11 month priority window. That is a huge benefit and of huge value to us, especially traveling Oct-Dec. If my home resort is one of my bottom choices (which the cheaper ones were), I am going to be relegated to being stuck scrambling at 7 months to get whatever other resort that is available during the times I want to travel, or, being forced to travel at specific times in order to get the resort I want. I'm sorry but the price tag is too high to have to settle on major decisions like when to travel. Also, although AKV points can be bought for $80 dollars, they can also only be sold for $80. I believe PVB points are going to be worth more in the long run, and always sell for more dollars per point, a la the Grand Cal and Grand Floridian.
5- This was not a financial investment. It was an emotional one. We aren't seeing this as a business transaction to maximize our cost savings on future vacations. We see this as an investment in our happiness and everyday quality of life. Knowing that we are not privy to the same rights and benefits as somebody who bought direct would take away a lot of the emotional value in this purchase. And for us, that value is just as important as the financial value. While its true that all the perks they have taken away no way justify the difference in price at the moment, who is to say what else may change over the next fifty years. They may make more restrictions or offer some amazing benefits and it makes me feel better to not have to worry about missing out on anything. My wife told me something that really stuck with me... She said, "I would hate to spend all this money only to feel like a second class citizen." And while its silly, deep down inside if I bought resale there would always be part of me that would feel like that. Not to mention the ease and service you get buying direct can't be matched. For instance, I originally bought a December use year and after getting my points and making a reservation, a week later I realized October would be better for my family. I called up my guide and asked if there was any way I could change. She talked to her manager and that same day called me back and sent out a new contract for me with an October use year. Im sorry but that is not going to happen buying resale.
Ultimately the decision to buy direct or buy resale is going to depend on innumerable variables and whats right for one family may not be right for another. After reading so much advice on why you should buy resale I just wanted to put out my thoughts on the benefits of buying direct, especially for my family. I'm interested to hear what DVC and DISboard veterans have to say on the topic.
Last edited:
.
, but it shouldn't be a choice made based on bad info from a guide 
, or lack of knowledge of other options 
.
Bill
