Newbie DVC questions About This Page:

[phoebec]

I am a newbie regarding dvc issues and just starting to think about dvc as a possibility in maybe 2 years. I have a couple questions:

1. Are there advantages to buying from disney or is it a good deal to buy a resale from a reputable organization?

2. I was looking at dvc by resale. What is the advantage of buying more expensive points from BLT, for example, when you can get the same points for OKW for much cheaper? Am I correct that you can use the points at any resort? Is it difficult to book resorts that are not your home resort?

3. What happens when the term runs out? ( I know its many years away, but just curious.......)

[JKnott17]

I don't really have any answers for you, but wanted to wish you luck! I hope that DVC does become a possibility for you. I'd love to do it, but it doesn't seem to be in the cards yet.

Oh, and I'm not exactly sure, but I remember reading somewhere that there are cerrtain advantages or "perks" of DVC that are no longer available to people who buy them via resale. Hopefully someone else will have an answer for you!

[Donald_Quackers]

I've only recently joined the DVC family but hope to help you here:

Originally Posted by phoebec

I am a newbie regarding dvc issues and just starting to think about dvc as a possibility in maybe 2 years. I have a couple questions
1. Are there advantages to buying from disney or is it a good deal to buy a resale from a reputable organization?:

No experience here, but prices are usually cheaper resale, the timeshare store is a reputable site from what I understand.

Also, if you buy resale, you cannot use the points in the Disney Collection or the Adventure collection (basically you can't use your points for a cruise or an Adventures by Disney trip, or to use at Disney resorts.

2. I was looking at dvc by resale. What is the advantage of buying more expensive points from BLT, for example, when you can get the same points for OKW for much cheaper? Am I correct that you can use the points at any resort? Is it difficult to book resorts that are not your home resort?

You can use your points at any DVC resort, but you can book up to 11 months out at your home resort and 7 months out elsewhere. Difficulty can come with time of year and how many units the resort has. I think Beach Club/VGC are the smallest, but I'm sure someone can confirm/correct.

3. What happens when the term runs out? ( I know its many years away, but just curious.......)

Don't know myself

[HollyH]

1. As of March of this year, DVC points purchased thru resale cannot be used to book certain collections. Included in those collections are non-DVC Disney resorts (so any Disney hotel worldwide that does not have DVC units) and Disney Cruise Line.

2. You have a booking advantage at your home resort (11 mos out vs 7). Certain accomodations can be hard to book at certain times of the year so yes the 11 month window would be a needed advantage in some cases. In addition, the end date is different at different resorts. OKW was the first DVC resort opened and points there expire a good many years before those at BLT expire.

3. At the end of the term, you no longer have rights to the points. No contracts have expired yet to my knowledge, but I would presume that those points would go back on the market. I know that DVC has recently offered an extention (for purchase) to owners at OKW (I believe).

[Twain18]

This is coming from another person who isn't a DVC member, but I think I can still safely say the following:

The term does matter. Many of the older resorts have terms that expire in 2042, which if you're buying now is only about 60% of the length you'd get for a BLT or Aulani contract.

Other things to consider is that for certain times and certain accommodations, it can be difficult to get rooms at 7 months. For instance, Old Key West has cheap Grand Villas, but if you want one, you probably need to be booking with an OKW contract unless you get very lucky.

Another thing to consider is yearly dues. Some yearly dues are pretty high, especially the older resorts, and especially Hilton Head and Vero Beach. Bay Lake Tower last I paid attention was the lowest for dues. Dues won't make the difference between $140 a point at BLT and a $70 contract at Boardwalk, certainly, but it can bridge the gap somewhat when you're considering the difference is per point and potentially over 50 years.

We've looked at buying into DVC and unless some crazy thing like winning the lottery happens, the one we've looked at is Saratoga via resale. It has a term that goes until 2054, which is clearly much better than the 2042 ones, and it's considerably cheaper than buying Bay Lake @ $140 a point (minus incentives, of course)

These are some of the other things to consider. I'd definitely go with one of the big resale companies though. I often look at both dvcbyresale and resalesdvc as the two I troll most often to keep up on prices.

Check out DVCNews.com as well for all sorts of information, including the current incentives. Great resource to learn everything you'd ever want to know about the DVC program.

[tjkraz]

I'm sure this will overlap with others' responses but hopefully fill in some other blanks for you...

Originally Posted by phoebec

I am a newbie regarding dvc issues and just starting to think about dvc as a possibility in maybe 2 years. I have a couple questions:

1. Are there advantages to buying from disney or is it a good deal to buy a resale from a reputable organization?

Like another poster said, there are certain destinations which resale buyers can never access with their points. Resale buyers cannot use points for Disney cruises, Adventures by Disney, any non-DVC Disney hotel stays (like Disneyland Hotel, Polynesian, DL Paris, Tokyo Disneyland) and a handful of other non-Disney destinations.

2. I was looking at dvc by resale. What is the advantage of buying more expensive points from BLT, for example, when you can get the same points for OKW for much cheaper? Am I correct that you can use the points at any resort? Is it difficult to book resorts that are not your home resort?

Other than the 11/7 month booking windows, the ownership term and annual dues charges are based upon your Home resort. Old Key West is a little unique since Disney offered 15 year contract extensions. But most contracts at OKW end in the year 2042. Bay Lake Tower runs a full 18 years long, up to 1/31/2060.

There are absolutely locations which can be extremely difficult to book at 7 months. The list is too long and too imprecise to really go into.

Best approach (IMO) is to make sure you buy at a resort that you like and would be content staying at year-after-year. Many members will use the approach of booking their Home resort 11 months out and then trying to switch at 7 months. Many times you will be successful in booking other destinations but sometimes you will not be successful. Make sure that you at least enjoy (appreciate) your Home resort so that the trip won't be a let-down if you cannot re-schedule elsewhere.

Paying a few dollars more up-front is money well spent if it gives you the 11 month booking advantage at your preferred destination for decades to come.

3. What happens when the term runs out? ( I know its many years away, but just curious.......)

As another poster said, ownership simply reverts back to Disney. You will no longer be able to book DVC accommodations, you won't get any money back...participation in the program simply ends.

The exact procedural details are unknown since we're still 30 years away from the first resort contracts ending but if you buy into a resort which expires on 1/31/2042, expect that to be the last date on which you could ever stay using your points.

[Gary n Connie]

Originally Posted by phoebec

I am a newbie regarding dvc issues and just starting to think about dvc as a possibility in maybe 2 years. I have a couple questions:

1. Are there advantages to buying from disney or is it a good deal to buy a resale from a reputable organization?

Lots of times DVC has some special "developer points" or promotions for purchasing directly through DVC. One recent promotion was a cruise and another is an additional stay at OKW or GCV if you purchase or add on 160 points (I think).

Originally Posted by phoebec

2. I was looking at dvc by resale. What is the advantage of buying more expensive points from BLT, for example, when you can get the same points for OKW for much cheaper? Am I correct that you can use the points at any resort? Is it difficult to book resorts that are not your home resort?

We're members at SSR so we could book the Treehouses 11 months out. They seem to be tough to get into at 7 months over the summer. We also like SSR as a break from the hustle and bustle of the parks. Thus far, we've stayed at VWL and AKL (Kidani) and had no issues booking at 7 months. I understand the the BWV and BCV book up in October and BLT is tough to get into a lot of the time.

We had a fantastic DVC rep and are EXTREMELY pleased with DVC.