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Articcle: Why I purchased DVC direct AND resale

TravelTime

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https://dvcfan.com/2019/05/10/why-i...mail&utm_term=0_01606ee371-f97bff00de-9552973

This writer talks about his strategy and rationale as to why he purchased a combination of direct and resale points. I also own a combination for the reasons he mentioned.

Ironically, I have had 2 resale contracts with foreign sellers. One was for Marriott DPs and the other was for Grand Floridian. In both of those cases, I got a great price. The explanation given by this writer might be why.
 

IuLiKa

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Thank you for the article, I am also considering buying a DVC resale, and this board has been extremely useful to me. The only issue that I am still trying to learn is the "use year" it is a little confusing for me right now.
I am a Marriott owner, and I would like to add couple of days at Aulani so I can add it to my vacation when I go to the Marriott at KoOlina.
 

rickandcindy23

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The value of DVC doesn't go down as much as other timeshares. It's a worthwhile purchase to get discounts for a family of four or more.

Buying retail doesn't really keep up with inflation, as some people claim. But if you use it every year, $14,100 for 75 points at Wilderness is something I have considered myself. It's my favorite Disney resort. Second favorite is AKL. I would bet you cannot get 75 points anymore. I read somewhere that the minimum was back up to 160 points. That is a much bigger investment.
 

TheHolleys87

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The value of DVC doesn't go down as much as other timeshares. It's a worthwhile purchase to get discounts for a family of four or more.

Buying retail doesn't really keep up with inflation, as some people claim. But if you use it every year, $14,100 for 75 points at Wilderness is something I have considered myself. It's my favorite Disney resort. Second favorite is AKL. I would bet you cannot get 75 points anymore. I read somewhere that the minimum was back up to 160 points. That is a much bigger investment.

The minimum for new members is now 100 points except at Old Key West (50), Hilton Head (75), Saratoga Springs (50) and Vero Beach (75). Current members can add on as little as 25 points except at Copper Creek and Riviera, where minimum is 50. So people can still buy “just enough for a few nights in a studio” and then complain they can’t get a reservation during popular times because they’re competing against all the other small-contract owners.
 

icydog

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The minimum for new members is now 100 points except at Old Key West (50), Hilton Head (75), Saratoga Springs (50) and Vero Beach (75). Current members can add on as little as 25 points except at Copper Creek and Riviera, where minimum is 50. So people can still buy “just enough for a few nights in a studio” and then complain they can’t get a reservation during popular times because they’re competing against all the other small-contract owners.
I bought a 25 point okw contract from Disney two years ago for the reasons mentioned above. However, I believe the minimum Retail contracts, to get the Disney Vacation Club perks, is now 75 points.
 

Dean

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The minimum for new members is now 100 points except at Old Key West (50), Hilton Head (75), Saratoga Springs (50) and Vero Beach (75). Current members can add on as little as 25 points except at Copper Creek and Riviera, where minimum is 50. So people can still buy “just enough for a few nights in a studio” and then complain they can’t get a reservation during popular times because they’re competing against all the other small-contract owners.
They've been known to make lots of exceptions on the minimum's over the past few years including less than 100 at Boulder Ridge. I've seen reports recently where they have done so.
 

TheHolleys87

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I bought a 25 point okw contract from Disney two years ago for the reasons mentioned above. However, I believe the minimum Retail contracts, to get the Disney Vacation Club perks, is now 75 points.

Yes, to get “blue card” benefits requires the member to maintain a minimum ownership of 75 points that were purchased directly from DVD.

They've been known to make lots of exceptions on the minimum's over the past few years including less than 100 at Boulder Ridge. I've seen reports recently where they have done so.

Yes, I know that. I was responding to the statement that the minimum was back up to 160 points.

The minimum point levels for initial purchases and for add-ons, not to mention to qualify for perks & benefits, has been fluid the last few years!
 

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The only issue that I am still trying to learn is the "use year" it is a little confusing for me right now.

Use year is about when you use your pts for stays. It has nothing to do with when you call or go online to book a stay.

I have an Oct UY. I like to travel to wdw in Nov/Dec, so I have a good UY for me. My UY starts on Oct 1 and it's ideal to travel early in your UY. I don't like to travel to wdw in the summer. July/August/Sept stays would be very risky for someone with an Oct UY - if I had to cancel a stay in August, I would likely be past my banking window (which closes on May 31 in the calendar year after my UY begins) and I would risk losing points.

This is a good thread to bookmark for reference:

https://www.disboards.com/threads/understanding-use-year-updated-march-10-2019.1942668/
 

chriskre

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I bought both contracts direct and looks like I can sell them both for more than I paid.
I've owned for a while now and Disney gave me a rebate, extra points and no closing
costs, so I actually paid less than the asking price with the incentives.
I like having the cruise option available even though I haven't done it yet.
I'm sure I'll be using it at least once in the future.
 

IuLiKa

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Thank you for the DISboards link on UY. I will try to educate myself. It will be best to travel in the summer because of school brake. As the kid grows will be harder to pull him away from school in the low season.
Thinking to get about 160-200 points; I do not think I will be buying direct maybe couple of years from now. I will also read on the benefits of blue card, however I have a AP at Disneyland where I get some of the discounts.
 

kanerf

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I have 315 points at 3 different resorts, but only 50 direct. I purchased before the 75 point requirement, so I still get all the bennies. I am seriously considering a small add-on to Riviera though. I expect that this will be a great place eventually and the Skyliner will make it a choice spot. Of course it depends on how that works out. I will do the tour this weekend (1 day until arrival, whee!) and talk to them about cost and such. I have seen a cost chart, but still want to discuss.
 

chalee94

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I have 315 points at 3 different resorts, but only 50 direct. I purchased before the 75 point requirement, so I still get all the bennies. I am seriously considering a small add-on to Riviera though. I expect that this will be a great place eventually and the Skyliner will make it a choice spot. Of course it depends on how that works out. I will do the tour this weekend (1 day until arrival, whee!) and talk to them about cost and such. I have seen a cost chart, but still want to discuss.

Personally, I would never buy Riviera direct because of the recent changes to the resale rules. I do expect Riviera to take more of a hit on resale value. But as long as you know the risks and want to roll the dice on it, feel free.
 

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I am a neophyte to this timeshare stuff - I own a fixed week but I do not understand “points”... what does buying a minimum of 100 points at DVC mean ? Is that good for 7 nights ? How do I know what it means ?
Can I buy Disney weeks straight out or only points ?
Can I buy resale without restrictions ?
Thanks all !
 

rickandcindy23

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You can look at point charts online. A studio at Disney's Old Key West can be as little as 78 points for 7 nights. One bedrooms are almost 2X that price, but they are twice the size.

The newer resorts require more points. I have no idea why they chose to increase the points because when people have a small number of points, they will use the ones that are older and require less points. Boardwalk Villas is an amazing place to stay, right by Epcot, and it's pretty inexpensive to book and stay there.
 

TheHolleys87

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I am a neophyte to this timeshare stuff - I own a fixed week but I do not understand “points”... what does buying a minimum of 100 points at DVC mean ? Is that good for 7 nights ? How do I know what it means ?
Can I buy Disney weeks straight out or only points ?
Can I buy resale without restrictions ?
Thanks all !

Well, I tried to answer a lot of your questions but accidentally deleted it! Can I just say “it’s complicated”? To add to what rickandcindy23 stated, our 300 BWV points gets us a preferred view 2-bedroom villa there for Thanksgiving week (well, it used to) but only buys a standard view 1-bedroom at Grand Floridian for the same week. DVC is a deeded RTU contract that is valued in points, and each resort has its own point chart and expiration date. Disney recently implemented resale restrictions related to the new Riviera resort. Resale buyers at the “legacy 14” resorts can’t use those points at Riviera or any future resorts, and buyers of resale Riviera points can’t use those points anywhere but at Riviera.

You might find it useful to read the DIS boards re Purchasing DVC (https://www.disboards.com/forums/purchasing-dvc.28/), particularly the Information thread at https://www.disboards.com/threads/the-dvc-resource-center-updated-april-2019.3655476/.
 
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chalee94

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I am a neophyte to this timeshare stuff - I own a fixed week but I do not understand “points”... what does buying a minimum of 100 points at DVC mean ? Is that good for 7 nights ? How do I know what it means ?
Can I buy Disney weeks straight out or only points ?
Can I buy resale without restrictions ?
Thanks all !

There is a learning curve - the DVC resource center link is a great place to start.

Points are used to pay for stays. They renew every "use year" until the expiration of your contract. The DVC resource center has a list of point charts for the different resorts. So if you owned a 200 pt contract at BWV, you could book 2 weeknights in Dream season in a 3BR Grand Villa (93 pts per night) or go small and book a standard view studio for 20 weeknights in Adventure or Choice seasons (10 pts per night) during that same UY.

Your points have an 11 month booking window at that home resort. (To book standard view studios at BWV, you would definitely need to book right at 11 months during parts of the year to get what you want. If you purchased a SSR contract to go with your BWV contract, the SSR points would not have access to booking BWV until the 7 month window.) At this time, a point is a point at 7 months out - if there is availability anywhere in the DVC system (including Hilton Head, Oahu, Disneyland and Vero Beach), you can book it. Certain times of year (fall at WDW) and certain room types (cheaper studios especially) book up very early, so understand that it can be competitive.

A very few DVC resorts have fixed weeks (they sell for a premium but can be converted to points to use more flexibly) but 98% of DVC contracts are for points.

No, you cannot buy resale without restrictions. And be aware that the current DVC executives have shown signs of following other timeshares' lead in sketchy business practices... For nearly 30 years, the point charts at each resort have been fixed. Points could be reallocated between weekends and weeknights but not increase willy nilly. Last year, the DVC execs put out new point charts that increased studios and 1BRs across the board (due to a "lock off premium" language in the contracts, which had never been interpreted that way in the past). After complaints and threats of lawsuits, they backed down but may still be looking to pull similar shenanigans. As a result, I am much more careful in recommending DVC than I used to be...
 

TheHolleys87

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And be aware that the current DVC executives have shown signs of following other timeshares' lead in sketchy business practices... For nearly 30 years, the point charts at each resort have been fixed. Points could be reallocated between weekends and weeknights but not increase willy nilly. Last year, the DVC execs put out new point charts that increased studios and 1BRs across the board (due to a "lock off premium" language in the contracts, which had never been interpreted that way in the past). After complaints and threats of lawsuits, they backed down but may still be looking to pull similar shenanigans. As a result, I am much more careful in recommending DVC than I used to be...

Charles is entirely correct!
 

CPNY

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There is a learning curve - the DVC resource center link is a great place to start.

Points are used to pay for stays. They renew every "use year" until the expiration of your contract. The DVC resource center has a list of point charts for the different resorts. So if you owned a 200 pt contract at BWV, you could book 2 weeknights in Dream season in a 3BR Grand Villa (93 pts per night) or go small and book a standard view studio for 20 weeknights in Adventure or Choice seasons (10 pts per night) during that same UY.

Your points have an 11 month booking window at that home resort. (To book standard view studios at BWV, you would definitely need to book right at 11 months during parts of the year to get what you want. If you purchased a SSR contract to go with your BWV contract, the SSR points would not have access to booking BWV until the 7 month window.) At this time, a point is a point at 7 months out - if there is availability anywhere in the DVC system (including Hilton Head, Oahu, Disneyland and Vero Beach), you can book it. Certain times of year (fall at WDW) and certain room types (cheaper studios especially) book up very early, so understand that it can be competitive.

A very few DVC resorts have fixed weeks (they sell for a premium but can be converted to points to use more flexibly) but 98% of DVC contracts are for points.

No, you cannot buy resale without restrictions. And be aware that the current DVC executives have shown signs of following other timeshares' lead in sketchy business practices... For nearly 30 years, the point charts at each resort have been fixed. Points could be reallocated between weekends and weeknights but not increase willy nilly. Last year, the DVC execs put out new point charts that increased studios and 1BRs across the board (due to a "lock off premium" language in the contracts, which had never been interpreted that way in the past). After complaints and threats of lawsuits, they backed down but may still be looking to pull similar shenanigans. As a result, I am much more careful in recommending DVC than I used to be...
That’s a bit scary. I’ve been thinking of riviera resale as that would be the resort I’d most want to stay at. Then again, I may want to stay at GF on occasion. I’m wondering if a small contract direct would be best. An information rep at a kiosk inside the park said “owners who book 11 months out can get FP 11 months out when they book” is that true? When do owners get to book fast passes? Same 60 days as regular hotel guests?
 

TheHolleys87

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That’s a bit scary. I’ve been thinking of riviera resale as that would be the resort I’d most want to stay at. Then again, I may want to stay at GF on occasion. I’m wondering if a small contract direct would be best. An information rep at a kiosk inside the park said “owners who book 11 months out can get FP 11 months out when they book” is that true? When do owners get to book fast passes? Same 60 days as regular hotel guests?

That information rep was spreading exceedingly false information! DVC owners book FPs at 60 days, same as all other Disney resort guests. All we get at 11 months out is the right to book at our home resort.

Be aware that some categories of rooms are so popular and in such short supply that they book up within minutes if not seconds after the 11-month window opens. Given that there are only 24 of the Riviera's Tower Studios, it's widely expected that they will fall into that category, so I would not recommend buying so few points that you don't have enough to book anything else. In fact, studios in general are so highly sought after (for a variety of reasons) that I'd suggest looking at buying enough points for a 1-bedroom at whichever resort you choose, because they are (currently) easier to book.

And be sure to compare the cost of the necessary Riviera points bought direct or resale with the cost of resale points at BWV or BCV, both of which are walking distance to Epcot and the Studios as well as the boats and Skyliner that will get you to the Studios and will allow you to book GF (if you buy enough points - we spent one week in a standard view 1-BR at GF in February 2018 and it cost more BWV points than a Boardwalk view TWO-bedroom at Thanksgiving).

Finally, the 2021 points charts are expected out at the end of December or early January at the latest. You might want to wait for them before deciding how many points to buy - DVC tried to make significant changes (increasing costs of studios and 1-bedroom villas) to the 2020 points charts last year, was forced to retreat and reissue charts basically identical to 2019, and is expected to try again with 2021 charts.
 

CPNY

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That information rep was spreading exceedingly false information! DVC owners book FPs at 60 days, same as all other Disney resort guests. All we get at 11 months out is the right to book at our home resort.

Be aware that some categories of rooms are so popular and in such short supply that they book up within minutes if not seconds after the 11-month window opens. Given that there are only 24 of the Riviera's Tower Studios, it's widely expected that they will fall into that category, so I would not recommend buying so few points that you don't have enough to book anything else. In fact, studios in general are so highly sought after (for a variety of reasons) that I'd suggest looking at buying enough points for a 1-bedroom at whichever resort you choose, because they are (currently) easier to book.

And be sure to compare the cost of the necessary Riviera points bought direct or resale with the cost of resale points at BWV or BCV, both of which are walking distance to Epcot and the Studios as well as the boats and Skyliner that will get you to the Studios and will allow you to book GF (if you buy enough points - we spent one week in a standard view 1-BR at GF in February 2018 and it cost more BWV points than a Boardwalk view TWO-bedroom at Thanksgiving).

Finally, the 2021 points charts are expected out at the end of December or early January at the latest. You might want to wait for them before deciding how many points to buy - DVC tried to make significant changes (increasing costs of studios and 1-bedroom villas) to the 2020 points charts last year, was forced to retreat and reissue charts basically identical to 2019, and is expected to try again with 2021 charts.
Excellent info. Thank you! I will def wait to see what the resale restrictions DVC places on resale contracts with RR does to the price on the resale market. I’d assume it would be extremely low compared to other point contracts
 

pedro47

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Good information by the OP, purchase the lowest number of required DVC points and then acquired resale point. Excellent strategy.
 

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Good information by the OP, purchase the lowest number of required DVC points and then acquired resale point. Excellent strategy.
Only if one would make up the difference in cost with the pass discounts in a reasonable amount of time, I'd say 7 years would be my cutoff as you don't know what will happen to that option long term as it's not guaranteed. At 100 pt minimum to get the perks that's a lot to makeup.
 

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We have been throwing the idea of purchasing DVC for years and have yet to make the big purchase. We are currently members of the HGVC system and have enjoyed it.

Reading over the posts in this forum brings up a few questions. If you own 2 different resorts, can the points be shared between them? Say you purchased 150 points at VGF need an additional 50-100 points. Can you pull from your other contract if they are under the same name? How about if you have 1 direct and 1 resell?

Im thinking probably not, but it never hurts to ask!
 

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If you own 2 different resorts, can the points be shared between them? Say you purchased 150 points at VGF need an additional 50-100 points. Can you pull from your other contract if they are under the same name? How about if you have 1 direct and 1 resell?

If you have both contracts under the same UY and titled with the same owner(s), you can pool the points at 7 months out (subject to availability).

If you buy 150 VGF pts and are trying to book VGF at 11 months out, you can only use VGF pts to book that stay. Any SSR or other resort points will stay on the sideline until the 7 month window. It is the points themselves that really have the "home resort priority" and not you as an individual. (It would definitely cheat owners at VGF if someone could own 25 pts at VGF and use a 1000 pt SSR contract at VGF at 11 months out.)

If you have both contracts under different UYs or titled with different combinations of owners, you are essentially treated as 2 separate owners and cannot combine points from different contracts without transferring pts (and that would still be only at 7 months out). You can book 3 nights at VGF with the VGF contract at 11 months out and then try for 2 nights at VGF at the 7 month window with the non-VGF contract and ask Member Services to link the reservations so that you can stay in the same villa.

Direct or resale makes no difference for booking at this point.
 

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Makes sense. I saw this as a way to get around the new 2019 rules. Thanks!
 
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