Can someone help me understand the economics of a DVC resale?

[gobble]

Quick background...I've owned timeshare for around 20 years, now own 4 weeks in Hawaii that I paid $1 per week for which trades great. Each week is ~$1000 annual maintenance fee and trades for 3-4 weeks (52 RCI points each) at nice places within RCI. So I probably have more timeshare trade value at the moment than I can really use. We've used it to go just about anywhere including a good amount of Disney back in the day when it traded in RCI. You can't always get what you want when you want it, but nevertheless it's worked out really well and my spread cost is probably $500 per week to stay in nice 2-bedroom timeshares.

Last year I put a week into II and used it to recently trade into Disney's Key West. My wife really liked it. I'm guessing my total cost (annual maintenance+trade+fees) was somewhere around $1,500 for the week.

Which gets me looking at DVC resales. An example I pulled up is 200 points Animal Kingdom for $20,000 (rounded). What does this get me? A week each year at Animal Kingdom Lodge? How large a unit? And annual dues of $2,033? Am I looking at this correct that it would cost me a $20,000 or so fixed investment to pay $2,000+ each year to stay at Animal Kingdom? Are there better ways into the system then the online brokers? Thanks in advance I'd really like to learn more about DVC tricks.

 

[ljmiii]

I'll give some perspective in a moment, but here is a link to all the DVC points charts. As an owner at AKV you are allowed to book at Jambo or Kidani at 11 months and at the other 'Original 14' DVC resorts (so not Riviera, Cabins at Fort Wilderness, VIllas at the Disneyland Hotel) at 7 months.

https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/vacation-planning/points-charts

 

[Great3]

200 points barely get you a 1-bedroom unit in low season. You will be mainly getting studios. For 1 and 2 bedrooms units, I still trade via II, since the value can’t be beat economically when comparing prices of MF dues, cheaper than even booking directly. But I do own 300 DVC points, and mainly use it to book studios for before/after the II trades to catch the cheaper airfares for 3-4 days.

If you are only looking at $$$$ and from a math point of view, than trading is hard to beat pricing wise if you are able to pretty much take any weeks/dates with a good low mf trader, but if you want ease of booking and better guarantees of availability, and everything else from owning DVC points like not having to trade a whole week thru II, than getting some points is the way to go.

Great3

 

[DanCali]

You're probably not going to beat trading via II but you're not going to stay at more than 2-3 resorts either if you trade into Disney via II.

We've owned with Westin and Marriott for close to 20 years and recently bought into DVC. We actually own at several DVC resorts - it's not cheap but have absolutely no regrets, including about the direct purchases.

When you look at DVC resales there are 2 categories - the Original 14 resorts (O14) and the ones that came after (Riviera, Disneyland Hotel, Cabin at FW). When you own a contract you can book at your home resort 11 months in advance. The O14 resales can also trade into other O14 resorts at the 7-month window. The newer resorts cannot trade into other resorts. Obviously, if you buy from Disney (whether it's O14 or not) you can trade into any other resort 7 months in advance. DVC contracts also have an expiration date with some expiring in the 2060s or later and some in 2042. Those O14 resorts will not be 14 resorts in about 15 years so if you own resale you'll have fewer trading options after that. You can find expiration dates for each resort with a simple web search.

The contract is represented as a points ownership which is very flexible - you can book any room type for any number of days based on the points charts (link). Some resorts are less costly than others. Some dates are less costly then others. Weekdays are cheaper at the vast majority of resorts. You can also bank and/or borrow points one year forward or back. Keep in mind that some room categories are VERY hard to book (like Animal Kingdom "Value" or "Club") because of low supply and high demand. It's mostly the cheap rooms with the worst views that sell out first.

Getting into the system via brokers is easy (buyer does not pay the broker anything). You can occasionally find listings for sale by owner on Facebook or Redweek but those owners usually want to save on commission without lowering the price much. So you pay about the same with a lot less handholding (the brokers move the process along so they can get paid). I tried to go the no broker route once or twice and found it wasn't worth it.

Many owners justify the ownership by comparing to rack rates (I don't like it because it's what timeshare salespeople do). When you do that you obviously break even really fast because MFs are about $8-$10/pt and cash stays are the equivalent of ~$40/pt so you break even in a a few short years. But even if you compare to the point rental rates ($18-$25/pt) ownership can be worth it for the flexibility, especially if you buy resale and don't care about the extra perks that come with a direct purchase (we do like them).

We love DVC mostly because the stays are memorable. A lot of the Marriott resorts we stay at are fine - but many look just like the next one. They may have a small restaurant or pool bar that are ok and that's it... Conversely, Disney resorts are a destination on their own - they were designed with a lot of thought in mind, and are kind of unique - Animal Kingdom Villas is a great example of that (where else in the Western Hemisphere do you have a Safari outside your balcony?) Some of the resorts have dining that is also very high quality and people from all over the place go out of their way to go there (obviously you don't need to own there to dine there). Also, many resorts have "bucket list" rooms that are VERY expensive to book with points (can be 100+ points per night some seasons) but when you look at some of the Youtube videos you'll understand why... check out the 3BR Grand Villa at Animal Kingdom Villas for example or the Cabins at Copper Creek. But even places like the Cabins at Fort Wilderness or the Treehouse Villas (part of Saratoga Springs Resort) or Club Level at AKV are also special in their own way and much more affordable.

 

[ljmiii]

The points cost at the different resorts varies and generally speaking newer resorts have higher costs than older ones. And the highest demand weeks of Easter, Christmas and New Years costs about twice as much as the lowest demand weeks (September). At AKV 200 points gets you two weeks-ish at a studio and a week-ish in a 1BR.

We've bought and sold all our DVC contracts through various online brokers (thus far five purchases and two sales). When buying just choose the broker that has the contract you want. When selling we've used and been very happy with the DVC Resale Market.

 

[ljmiii]

It will be difficult if not impossible to match the cost of trading into DVC through II. And so if you are flexible about dates, always want to stay for a week, and don't care about staying at a Magic Kingdom or EPCOT/HS DVC resort then there is no real reason for you to do so. That said, my standard DVC advice follows...

When people ask me if they should buy DVC I ask three questions in return, "Do you plan on visiting WDW at least once every two years for at least the next 10 years?", "Can you plan at least 7 and ideally 11 months in advance", and "Do you really want to pay a premium to stay at a deluxe resort 'on property'?" Only if the answer to all of these questions is 'Yes' should you buy.

If I was buying DVC for the first time I would buy resale at one of the 'original 14' resorts that allow resale buyers to stay at any of them. However, I would avoid contracts that expire in 2042 - the end date is too close and the resale value of your purchase will plummet as the next decade or so goes by. And assuming that you mostly want to stay at WDW, you shouldn't buy at resorts located elsewhere.

Also, I would *never* buy resale or direct at any of the resorts with aggressive resale restrictions - Riviera, Villas at the Disneyland Hotel, and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness. Even if you buy direct you will be competing for reservations against an ever increasing share of owners who *can't* use their points anywhere else.

Which leaves three great choices next to the Magic Kingdom and three farther afield.

BLT is our favorite and has an easy walk to MK, great views, low dues, 2060 expiration, 'extra' bathroom in 1BR and 2BR villas, and great dining options in the Contemporary, the other monorail resorts, and Fort Wilderness. But the studios are small. Poly is another good choice with the addition of the Poly tower as owners are no longer limited to studios and very expensive bungalows. Similarly, many people love the themeing of VGF and the recent addition of resort studios makes VGF a more viable option for those who don't want to stay in 1BR or 2BR villas.

Sadly and unfortunately, I can't recommend any EPCOT/HS resorts. BWV and BCV have 2042 expirations and Riviera has the painful resale restrictions I mentioned.

Which leaves the three 'value' choices - AKV, SSR, and OKW (though only contracts with a 2057 expiration). Do you like animals, proximity to Disney Springs, or big villas?

 

[bnoble]

What does this get me?

I've been exchanging in to DVC villas for close to 20 years, and finally bought a little more than a year ago.

What it gets you is more choice and flexibility. Instead of waiting to see what drops in II---and hoping e.g. your week shows up and/or you aren't in OKW or SSR again. That is going to cost you low-to-mid five figures. There is no way to make this pencil out in dollars-and-cents terms, and only makes sense if you have the money hidden in a sock drawer or something. It was my "congratulations on the divorce" gift to myself, and I probably wouldn't have bought it otherwise.

I would *never* buy resale or direct at any of the resorts with aggressive resale restrictions

I think it can make sense, but only as part of a larger portfolio---and preferably one with direct points that can be used system-wide. Those are even more expensive, but the "blended rate" cost is more reasonable. My net cost for a 50/50 direct/resale RIV account was less than what I would have paid for a Grand Floridian or Poly resale (and close to what a CCV reasle would have been), but gives me system-wide access in exchange for spending a little more than half of my points at RIV, plus all the little extras that don't really mean anything, but are fun anyway. That doesn't mean half of my time, beucase RIV has a higher-than-average point chart.

I did this because I really wanted an Epcot-ish area home resort, and I expect to travel beyond 2042. If either of those were not true, I would not have bought RIV.

My advice: keep playing the exchange game and see if that works for you. If it does, great! There is no cheaper way to stay in DVC villas. If after a few years you decide one or both of you are full-blown pixie-dust addicts, then you can think about buying something.

 

[gobble]

Wow! For a forum that hasn't had another post in the last 2 weeks I sure got a lot of great advice quickly. Thanks all! I need to run to a meeting shortly but will digest this all later. And I have no idea at this point what some of this means, like RIV.

It sounds like there is no economical secret back door into ownership, but some resorts are a better buy than others? Is a point a point, regardless of which resort its tied to (besides having first shot at your home resort)? I ask because I bought resale market into Wyndham years ago (which I've since sold)...points were points but Wyndham Pagosa Springs had the lowest maintenance fee per point so it demanded a higher price in the resale market. If I can avoid a broker/realtor I'd prefer that route and just buy direct from the current owner. The title company does all the work anyway. If someone is having a fire sale I'm a buyer.

I'll add that I have a kid in college and at Air Force Academy, but also have a 3-year old with a second marriage so Disney will probably be in our future. I love all the resorts, restaurants, shopping, etc. but absolutely hate being in the parks (with the exception of the cocktails at Epcot). I've probably traded into Orlando 100 times (Bonnet Creek, Marriott, Hilton, Vistana, Westgate, Orange Lake, etc.) but there is just something different about being on the Disney property. Off-season is also my preference vs. waiting in line for everything.

 

[ljmiii]

Also, I would *never* buy resale or direct at any of the resorts with aggressive resale restrictions - Riviera, Villas at the Disneyland Hotel, and The Cabins at Fort Wilderness...

I think it can make sense, but only as part of a larger portfolio---and preferably one with direct points that can be used system-wide. My net cost for a 50/50 direct/resale RIV account...

Yeah...as I was rereading my "standard DVC advice" I was having the same thought. Someone new to DVC (or who bought resale after April 3rd 2016), knows they love Disney, wants to stay at a EPCOT/HS resort, and can take advantage of having DVC Sorcerer Annual Passes for their family would probably do well to buy a minimum direct contract at Riviera. And combine that with resale points from one of the 'Original 14'...ideally one of the MK resorts.

 

[RX8]

Another benefit of DVC that I didn’t see mentioned is that unlike many systems, DVC doesn’t charge for making reservations, banking or borrowing. In addition, DVC doesn’t have a minimum night stay. I recently booked a single night for the night before a cruise.

DVC is also unique in that you just may end up with something that could be worth more than what you paid for it. Granted, I got lucky. I bought resale in 2018 and I would likely be able to sell it today for $100 more per point than what I paid (VGC).

 

[bnoble]

would probably do well to buy a minimum direct contract at Riviera. And combine that with resale points from one of the 'Original 14'...ideally one of the MK resorts.

My resale is also at RIV. Thanks to being a restricted resort, it's among the better deals in the system, so long as you actually want to stay there. I do, so I use two years of my resale points (plus a few direct) on my "odd-year" stays, and two years of my direct points on my "even-year" stays.

 

[chriskre]

Wow! For a forum that hasn't had another post in the last 2 weeks I sure got a lot of great advice quickly. Thanks all! I need to run to a meeting shortly but will digest this all later. And I have no idea at this point what some of this means, like RIV.

It sounds like there is no economical secret back door into ownership, but some resorts are a better buy than others? Is a point a point, regardless of which resort its tied to (besides having first shot at your home resort)? I ask because I bought resale market into Wyndham years ago (which I've since sold)...points were points but Wyndham Pagosa Springs had the lowest maintenance fee per point so it demanded a higher price in the resale market. If I can avoid a broker/realtor I'd prefer that route and just buy direct from the current owner. The title company does all the work anyway. If someone is having a fire sale I'm a buyer.

I'll add that I have a kid in college and at Air Force Academy, but also have a 3-year old with a second marriage so Disney will probably be in our future. I love all the resorts, restaurants, shopping, etc. but absolutely hate being in the parks (with the exception of the cocktails at Epcot). I've probably traded into Orlando 100 times (Bonnet Creek, Marriott, Hilton, Vistana, Westgate, Orange Lake, etc.) but there is just something different about being on the Disney property. Off-season is also my preference vs. waiting in line for everything.

Probably the most "economical" way into DVC is a resale at SSR (Saratoga Springs).
They are the cheaper of the dues because there are no animals to take care of and less amenities but lots of units to share the expenses.
I believe it's the largest resort. I bought my points direct from Disney when it was being developed and the resale and retail prices were very close.
I rarely stay at SSR unless I am staying in the Treehouses or on an exchange or doing a last minute gig.

Disney does have ROFR so if you try to get a "steal of a deal" from an owner Disney will more than likely just snatch it from you.
It's probably not worth trying and is why most people use a broker who is familiar with the threshold that Disney takes those units thru ROFR.
The ROFR monster as we like to call him, isn't always active but seems to favor some resorts over others at various times and the brokers are usually familiar with that so will save you the time and aggravation and get you something you will be happy with at a fair price.
You will not be able to steal a DVC contract, Disney will steal it from you. LOL

I have been able to stay at pretty much every single DVC including all the Orlando resorts plus Aulani, Vero and HHI with my SSR DVC and Poly points.
You can purchase SSR points resale and then add on a few small direct contracts from Disney at resorts that you want to have a toe hold in.
For example buy 100 SSR resale points and bank and borrow them to stay at anything but SSR and OKW since those are easy to get thru II.
Then use your other TS's to get 2 bedroom exchanges in II and buy small contracts direct from Disney for 25 points each and bank and borrow those to stay at your favorite resorts every other year or 3. Stay with the same use year to make things simpler. Disney will be happy to sell you small point contracts.
They will ROFR someone else to get you what you want.

This isn't the simplest but might be one of the cheapest ways to do things, but if I were to do it all over again, that's what I'd do.
I own 150 SSR points and 50 Poly points. I'm happy with my ownership and have gotten much joy from it over the years.
I used to trade in with a cheap trader with BG but I gave that one back to the HOA.

Lately, we've been happy staying off site at Marriotts more and more, since my family wants to do the other theme parks.
Now when we stay at DVC it's usually to enjoy the newer resorts and do resort stays. That's going to be harder and harder to do with resale,
so having a blended ownership will be preferable going forward if you want to enjoy everything new that Disney's building.

 

[ljmiii]

Wow! For a forum that hasn't had another post in the last 2 weeks I sure got a lot of great advice quickly. Thanks all! I need to run to a meeting shortly but will digest this all later. And I have no idea at this point what some of this means, like RIV.

You are most welcome. And RIV means Disney's Riviera Resort (aka DRR).

It sounds like there is no economical secret back door into ownership, but some resorts are a better buy than others? Is a point a point, regardless of which resort its tied to (besides having first shot at your home resort)?...points were points but Wyndham Pagosa Springs had the lowest maintenance fee per point...

DVC is like Wyndham in this regard as each resort has different MFs (Annual Dues in Disney-speak). In 2026 they ranged from a low of $8.31 at the Grand Floridian to a WDW high of $12.28 at the Cabins at Fort Wilderness to an overall high of $14.89 at Vero Beach.

Disney Vacation Club Annual Dues | DVC Resale Market

View the Disney Vacation Club 2022 Annual Dues for all 15 resorts, and their average annual increases since their inception date.

www.dvcresalemarket.com

Also, villas at some resorts are less expensive than others. So if you're able to book in the 7-11 month window a point at the Boardwalk has more home resort buying power than a point at Riviera. And some resorts like AKV have "value" villas that are even cheaper...which are snapped up by owners long before the 7 month window arrives. So for example the least expensive studio at AKV costs 8 points, at BWV 10 points, and at Riviera 14 points.

If I can avoid a broker/realtor I'd prefer that route and just buy direct from the current owner. The title company does all the work anyway. If someone is having a fire sale I'm a buyer....

DVC is unlike any other timeshare system. Owners can easily rent out their points at a substantial profit (usually through a broker) so there isn't the same 'I can't pay my MFs' situation as exists elsewhere. And generally speaking, resale prices have steadily risen over time (though 2042 expiration dates will one day put a stop to that). Lastly, the DVC salesmarket is quite liquid.

Every DVC contract I've sold has been at a profit...in the cases of BCV and VGC a substantial one. Even though I priced my BCV and VGC contracts very aggressively they both had offers at asking the same day. Only my AKV contract lasted on the market for over a week (but less than two) and I accepted an offer at 95% of asking. And so almost all DVC contracts are sold through a broker...and even if you did find a fire sale price from an uninformed seller DVC would ROFR it.

I'll add that I have a kid in college and at Air Force Academy, but also have a 3-year old with a second marriage so Disney will probably be in our future. I love all the resorts, restaurants, shopping, etc. but absolutely hate being in the parks (with the exception of the cocktails at Epcot). I've probably traded into Orlando 100 times (Bonnet Creek, Marriott, Hilton, Vistana, Westgate, Orange Lake, etc.) but there is just something different about being on the Disney property. Off-season is also my preference vs. waiting in line for everything.

There is undeniably something different about being on Disney property. I would add that it's even more magical to walk to the parks rather than having to deal with Disney transportation or a car. We originally bought at BCV and added on at BLT a couple of years later because we couldn't get in at 7 months during school holidays. Ever since we've done 'split stays' and walked to MK, EPCOT, and HS.

When our kids were young we would walk 'home' for naps. When their grandparents got a bit older they would walk back to our villa when they needed a break. And once our kids were in their later teens they could stay in the parks long after we went to bed...3AM at MK once upon a time.

And as for cocktails at EPCOT, I would add that the bars at the monorail and EPCOT/HS resorts are well worth visiting. And being able to walk home (or ride the monorail back from Trader Sam's at the Poly or the Enchanted Rose at the Grand Floridian) makes enjoying a cocktail or two much more pleasant.

 

[Dean]

I"ve owned DVC since 1994 and other timeshares since 1996. DVC makes sense only for DVC stays esp for studios and 2 BR. The fact that 1 BR are basically double a studio makes 1BR tough to justify. If one has good exchange options and are OK with the 2 or 3 resorts that come up there and are flexible, that is the best way to go even if you only stay 5 or 6 days of the 7. But owning DVC gives more control and flexibility. Over the years most of our stays have actually been on exchanges even though we've owned as many as 885 points at one time currently 593. One comparison is simply paying cash for Disney resorts vs DVC, not as a timeshare per se. An even better comparison is simply renting privately. I generally assume a 10% discount on Disney hotel rooms including DVC on cash. DVC will never be cheaper but it can be a controlled splurge if one has the discretionary funds to pay cash.

 

[gobble]

Has anyone ever tried to calculate the all-in price of staying a week in a 1 bedroom at Old Key West, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, etc. using DVC? If you prorate your buy-in (could use interest cost as an estimate if you finance) plus annual fees plus trade fees, etc. best case how much does that week end up costing you? You can tell I'm thinking practical and not timeshare salesman lifetime of vacations fantasy.

I know if you look up that week through Disney's reservation site the cost is mind blowing. We tend to take a lot of "cheap" (is there such a thing now) short notice trips vs. saving for that every few years vacation where you splurge and drop $10k+.

I've figured an RCI trade week into Bonnet Creek costs me about $500-750 when you consider % of points used / annual maintenance plus RCI trade fee. Again, there is just something different about staying on the Disney property but at what cost?

 

[rickandcindy23]

I am a big fan of Disney. We go to Disney World 4-6 weeks a year, always during cooler weather. DVC exchanges are great for us. I take advantage when I can but I also love Marriott resorts. It's getting tougher to go after visiting Maui 4-6 weeks each winter. Maui is taking precedent over Orlando. BUT, I love the off-season times of year and will probably do most of November at Disney, hopefully via exchange.

If you buy points, buy enough to rent half each year and use half each year. That way, you will go to Disney for free on half of your points. You can rent reservations using an outlet like DVC Rental Store. $20 per point. If your points are under $10 per point in MF's, it's a no-brainer. Free stays are always better.

Exchanges are a great way to go as well.

We thought about being seasonal workers at Disney, part time work during fall or winter. That's how much we love the weather and the experience. Maybe that would have been bad to see the inside of things from a cast member perspective.

 

[gobble]

Some have said buy a cheap package then rent more points. Others have said buy more points than you need and rent them to others for a profit?

 

[Dean]

Has anyone ever tried to calculate the all-in price of staying a week in a 1 bedroom at Old Key West, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, etc. using DVC? If you prorate your buy-in (could use interest cost as an estimate if you finance) plus annual fees plus trade fees, etc. best case how much does that week end up costing you? You can tell I'm thinking practical and not timeshare salesman lifetime of vacations fantasy.

I know if you look up that week through Disney's reservation site the cost is mind blowing. We tend to take a lot of "cheap" (is there such a thing now) short notice trips vs. saving for that every few years vacation where you splurge and drop $10k+.

I've figured an RCI trade week into Bonnet Creek costs me about $500-750 when you consider % of points used / annual maintenance plus RCI trade fee. Again, there is just something different about staying on the Disney property but at what cost?

It's been done many time. You can easily do it yourself. Finding the points charts, resale costs, retail costs and yearly fees online is not difficult. It is highly dependent on the home resort (both up front cost and fees), resale vs retail and time of year. But assuming one wants to get a studio or 1 BR on the cheap but assume WDW access if reserved early (11 months out usually) then a rough number buying Saratoga Springs and reserving there will cost around $11K up front ( or just over) for a studio yearly with fees of $850 (100 pts) or slightly over. I'd assume a return on investment of 10 years so will put it around $2K for a week at SSR, basically double for a 1 BR and triple for a 2 BR. If one buys a more expensive resort the up front costs AND the yearly costs will both be more per points and it will take more points for most other resorts. Also, assume you can't get the cheaper options like value at AKV or Resort view at BWV. And keep in mind that fees WILL go up over time.

 

[bnoble]

Has anyone ever tried to calculate the all-in price of staying a week in a 1 bedroom at Old Key West, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, etc. using DVC?

My approach is based on the MouseSavers analysis, which is one of the few that considers the time value of money. You are not going to do it more cheaply than exchanging. You can talk yourself into buying by carefully curating the assumptions in your analysis, but you could also save yourself some time and just buy it if you have the cash. IMO, renting out conventionally is not worth doing; the ROI is comparable to the after-tax long-term rate of return in a low-fee stock index fund. You can do better if you buy-strip-flip, but that appears to have garnered Disney's attention, so I would definitely not start such a business today.

Disney Vacation Club Info - MouseSavers.com

Disney Vacation Club Membership information and advice, including resale versus direct purchasing, and tips and tricks to maximize the value.

www.mousesavers.com

 

[Dean]

Some have said buy a cheap package then rent more points. Others have said buy more points than you need and rent them to others for a profit?

IMO it's a poor choice to buy with the main purpose of renting. Renting is an option and can be a good one on off years or if you'll need more points later but not right now, especially if if allows you to buy a more reasonable contract. Maybe you only need 110 right now but there are a lot of slightly larger contracts, esp like 160 points. Use Year is also important and likely more important. If you travel a certain time of year UY is VERY important, if you travel throughout the year fairly equally and don't have a time that's more risky to y our personal situation, UY is not as much of an issue. Many buy more than one one resort to give broader 11 month access.

 

[rickandcindy23]

We are renting just enough to stay free or almost free at Disney's Aulani and Vero Beach. We also use our points for Old Key West.

Definitely don't buy to rent. Disney is scrutinizing rentals at the current time, but renting half is still fine, until it's not. I am prepared for changes to their policies. I just wish Disney would build on Maui.

I also want Wyndham to build on Maui but that isn't happening, either. Maui is not open to more timeshares.

 

[TheHolleys87]

And the highest demand weeks of Easter, Christmas and New Years

Off-season is also my preference

You’re getting lots of good advice above, so I won’t comment on those posts. I just wanted to add two things.

First of all, off-season for WDW parks is not the same as off-season for DVC resorts and competition for reservations. The single most competitive week (fastest to book up) for DVC is the first week of December; the second is Christmas week; and the third is the second week of December. To book those weeks requires being online at 8 AM Eastern precisely 11 months before desired check-in date, and you still might not get your desired reservation. Some owners walk reservations for those dates, which is an entirely different discussion.

Secondly, DVC can and does re-allocate the points charts. They are required to do so, increasing costs of some nights and decreasing others to balance out demand. In recent years they completed a multi-year reallocation that lowered costs for summer and raised them for the most popular months (October through December, plus Easter), and it’s possible they’ll do it again in future. So if you expect to visit in summer, the current points charts will give you an idea of how many points you’ll need, but if you’ll most often visit in the fall, then buy a cushion of more points than the current charts say you’d need.

 

[Janann]

I love all the resorts, restaurants, shopping, etc. but absolutely hate being in the parks (with the exception of the cocktails at Epcot).

Saratoga Springs (SSR) may be for you. My husband and I go to SSR in a one bedroom unit every one to two years with our 150 point resale purchase. You have a young child, so you'll probably be in the parks at least some of the time. At any DVC resort, you have the advantage of being able to return to the resort by bus, boat or monorail whenever you want. It sounds like this would be useful in your situation.

My husband is not in love with the parks, so he sometimes "stays home" for the day. He goes to the golf range, pool or gym at SSR, or takes the boat (although you can walk) to Disney Springs. I have tried to convince him that we need to try other resorts, but I haven't been successful. I stayed at Old Key West and Kidani Village (Animal Kingdom) back when RCI trades were available.

Some have said buy a cheap package then rent more points.

If you need just a small number of extra points once in a while, you can rent 24 points per year (also known as one-time use points) from Disney for around $22 per point. There was a recent price increase from $20.

 

[elaine]

Thanks in advance I'd really like to learn more about DVC tricks.

Trading a low cost TS via RCI (now II) is THE trick. We traded via RCI 10X over 10 years--it was a very good gig while it lasted. Sadly, no II TS. Trading in beats owing, even using a higher cost annual fees trader. Ex., DVC annual dues for 1 week in a 1 bedroom OKW (190 points) in the summer are $2,200. Even with II and DVC fees, you're still way ahead with your trader with ZERO capital outlay/commitment to DVC. Spring weeks are even higher dues. Other than buying resale at a very good price, there are no tricks in DVC.
We do own DVC and like its flexibility. It is great for booking studios and partial weeks. I booked a Christmas studio for 13 points ($130 annual fees)- Disney.com "rack rate" is $800 (don't know who pays that--but even with a 30% off deal, still very high). And, unlike most other TS, one will likely recoup a decent amount of a well-priced resale. I've bought/sold DVC a few times, always making $. The market keeps pace with economy/uncertainty, so it's down about 20% (resale) from the 2021/2022 highs, but up 20% from 2015 pricing.

 

[ljmiii]

Has anyone ever tried to calculate the all-in price of staying a week in a 1 bedroom at Old Key West, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, etc. using DVC? If you prorate your buy-in (could use interest cost as an estimate if you finance) plus annual fees plus trade fees, etc. best case how much does that week end up costing you? You can tell I'm thinking practical and not timeshare salesman lifetime of vacations fantasy.

It's been done many times. You can easily do it yourself....

I can tell you that owning at VGC and BCV worked out quite well for us. I bought 100 points at VGC in 2019 for $170/point ($18,197.25 after closing costs) and sold at the end of 2025 for $270/point ($24,759.45 after closing costs). Our Annual Dues over those six years were $4,375.37 so over that time I cleared $2,186.83.

Loosely speaking, 100 Points is a week in a 1BR villa every other year so our three weeks of vacation at Disney (some WDW some DL) generated $728.94 profit per week. Our BCV ownership had similar though not quite so spectacular results but I was only able to sell AKV for slightly more than what it cost after counting closing costs in both directions. So I actually had to pay to cover the Annual Dues for the vacations we took using our AKV points.

We tend to take a lot of "cheap" (is there such a thing now) short notice trips vs. saving for that every few years vacation where you splurge and drop $10k+.

You hadn't mentioned "short notice trips" before. I wouldn't recommend buying DVC if you aren't able to plan your vacations at least 7 (and ideally at least 11) months in advance.