Why Would You Buy Direct Anymore?

[JETSDAD]

I wouldn't let the short term lack of access to perks during a pandemic determine whether or not I bought direct. That's not to say that I would necessarily buy direct today regardless of the perks but the affects of the pandemic wouldn't sway me either way.

 

[davedray]

If you purchased direct now, you could probably easily get the room you want for the 50th...

A little not-so-secret: If you purchase direct, they go out of their way to get you what you wanted for your "Welcome Home" trip. -- Your first trip. They will dig deeper into inventory, if necessary converting a cash room for your use. It's no guarantee. But we are still outside the 7 month window for October. If it were your "welcome home" trip, I think they would get you your room.

Sounds like my wife and I need talk so more, and work out if we want to do this sooner then later! this is a very helpful conversatio!

 

[Sandisw]

Sounds like my wife and I need talk so more, and work out if we want to do this sooner then later! this is a very helpful conversatio!

I want to add that DVD will allow you to break up the purchase too over a period of time to charge to CC that you will pay off,

Many have spread it out as far as 90 days...basically, get it now, and pay it off in 3 months, If you have a Disney Visa, you can put the charge on that and get 6 months 0%...so, if you stretched it out, you could get almost 9 months free of interest. We did this just to keep the money in savings a little bit longer!

 

[davedray]

I want to add that DVD will allow you to break up the purchase too over a period of time to charge to CC that you will pay off,

Many have spread it out as far as 90 days...basically, get it now, and pay it off in 3 months, If you have a Disney Visa, you can put the charge on that and get 6 months 0%...so, if you stretched it out, you could get almost 9 months free of interest. We did this just to keep the money in savings a little bit longer!

Thanks for the tip, we do have the Disney CC, that also gets us 2% back too I guess.

 

[havoc315]

I want to add that DVD will allow you to break up the purchase too over a period of time to charge to CC that you will pay off,

Many have spread it out as far as 90 days...basically, get it now, and pay it off in 3 months, If you have a Disney Visa, you can put the charge on that and get 6 months 0%...so, if you stretched it out, you could get almost 9 months free of interest. We did this just to keep the money in savings a little bit longer!

absolutely correct. And unlike resale, you can start using the points immediately. Even before you are fully paid off.

So 2x points for immediate use.

 

[Aussie RJ]

If you love Riviera, and want access to all resorts, then buy direct. If you don't and you're more interested in saving a few bob then I'd rent for a few years and watch the market. Not sure I'd buy a sold out resort direct until at least after the pandemic settles down. AP discounts may be a thing of the past, although I doubt it, the sales CM's will need perks in their kit bag.. otherwise we may witness a half filled Rivera for a few years to come.
I'm guessing the sunset plan of Disneyland AP's are a way for Disney to remove the cheap parking and free Maxpass perks.

 

[WDWFERN]

After much contemplation we just purchased RIV direct. We really like the villas, artwork, grounds, and restaurants so want to be able to stay there.

Also, our children are in their teens now, and both still love Disney and show no sign of that waning. So the longer contract time was important to us. And in some ways, 2042 doesn’t seem that far off anymore, and the inability to stay at RIV, any new DVC resorts, and in 2042 possibly losing the ability to stay at BC, BWV, BR if they renovate into new DVC 2.0 at those locations would be a big downside to us.

So we are hoping to be in it for the long haul and despite what perks come and go, the booking flexibility was the biggest advantage to us.

 

[Eric Smith]

I think there are really only two reasons to buy direct in the near future:
1) You really love Riviera and want to stay there - Assuming that you don't already own a contract that would let you stay at Riviera, there's no other way to be able to stay at the resort.
2) You're looking at one of the higher priced resale resorts - If you're looking at the Polynesian (average price $154 per point) or the Grand Floridian (average price $165 per point), then it's not really a big jump to the direct price for Riviera. It's a $30 to $40 per point jump before any incentives. The eventual return of some kind of perks could cover that difference.

Longer term, there may be an issue after 2042 for availability at the remaining original resorts. Once Beach Club, Boardwalk, Boulder Ridge, Hilton Head, a majority of Old Key West and Vero Beach all expire, the number of resorts where restricted members can use their points shrinks and that may make it more difficult to stay outside your home resort (if that is important to you). It's a ways off, but it's something to consider if you're younger.

 

[ChipNdale8887]

I think there are really only two reasons to buy direct in the near future:
1) You really love Riviera and want to stay there - Assuming that you don't already own a contract that would let you stay at Riviera, there's no other way to be able to stay at the resort.
2) You're looking at one of the higher priced resale resorts - If you're looking at the Polynesian (average price $154 per point) or the Grand Floridian (average price $165 per point), then it's not really a big jump to the direct price for Riviera. It's a $30 to $40 per point jump before any incentives. The eventual return of some kind of perks could cover that difference.

Longer term, there may be an issue after 2042 for availability at the remaining original resorts. Once Beach Club, Boardwalk, Boulder Ridge, Hilton Head, a majority of Old Key West and Vero Beach all expire, the number of resorts where restricted members can use their points shrinks and that may make it more difficult to stay outside your home resort (if that is important to you). It's a ways off, but it's something to consider if you're younger.

I'd also add the 3rd reason is you want to be able to stay at all new resorts after Riviera. If you are younger that could be a significant part.

 

[Eric Smith]

I'd also add the 3rd reason is you want to be able to stay at all new resorts after Riviera. If you are younger that could be a significant part.

True, also if you want to stay at Beach Club and Boardwalk after 2042 as I'm very sure those will come back quickly as "new" resorts.

 

[ChipNdale8887]

True, also if you want to stay at Beach Club and Boardwalk after 2042 as I'm very sure those will come back quickly as "new" resorts.

Good Point also. We are ones to like to stay at different places so this is a big reason. Also a big reason we bought into DVC in the first place, we got tired of staying at Pop and CBR and AS Movies and Riverside and buying DVC made more sense than staying at Deluxes every single year and paying those prices.

 

[Pens Fan]

Thanks for the tip, we do have the Disney CC, that also gets us 2% back too I guess.

Yes, it will! We purchased an add-on contract in Aug, and ended up with a nice amount on our redemption card which we made very good use of during our Oct trip. Food and Wine with a card loaded with Mickey Bucks is fun!!

Last year I used our rewards earned from our original contract to pay our dues for a couple of months.
It's a nice bonus, and does help to bring down that direct price a bit.

 

[Brianstl]

Riviera on re-sale is selling for about $135-$145 per point. So far, the value is holding up much better than expected, better than many other resorts. AKL direct costs more than RIV direct -- But you'll lose more re-sale value by buying AKL.

The last three Riviera contracts on the ROFR thread sold at $116, $133 and $110. The $133 and $110 contracts had double points with the previous UY banked.

 

[ChipNdale8887]

The last three Riviera contracts on the ROFR thread sold at $116, $133 and $110. The $133 and $110 contracts had double points with the previous UY banked.

Everytime I see a riviera contract sold I just feel so bad for those sellers. Took a huge hit and obviously something terrible happened financially for them to sell so quickly. Just sad.

 

[ElizabethG]

I have 500 points that I bought direct. Often, the new resorts on sale are not much more than resale. Also, buying resale requires a lot of time looking for the right contract.

My first contract was at BLT. I bought direct at $97/pp. We only added on a couple of years ago at CCV. I wanted 300 points at CCV split into two 150 point contracts in my current use year. Who knows how long that would have taken to find on resale (especially in 2018). I paid $163/pp. That is not too much more than what the resale costs are now. I got exactly what I wanted and the points were loaded right away. I was willing to pay more for that.

 

[Donna M]

Why would you buy direct anymore? If using the term in a general way, I think there are tons of people who buy direct because they don´t realize that there is a resale market. We have 500 points in two contracts that we bought direct because we didn´t know.

It doesn´t bother me though since we got our points for about $87pp.

 

[sethschroeder]

With APs seemingly becoming a thing of the past

Says who from Disney? They will be back.

 

[ChipNdale8887]

Says who from Disney? They will be back.

I agree they'll be back. No reason to not bring them back, if they want to make more $ they'd raise the AP prices like they have been over anything.

 

[sethschroeder]

It doesn´t bother me though since we got our points for about $87,

Got my RIV points for $155. In the same boat when I look at other park adjecent resale prices.

I agree they'll be back. No reason to not bring them back, if they want to make more $ they'd raise the AP prices like they have been over anything.

Or possibly restrict days more.

 

[mattpeto]

True, also if you want to stay at Beach Club and Boardwalk after 2042 as I'm very sure those will come back quickly as "new" resorts.

This is an interesting theory. Is there a good discussion thread on this?