Curious on cost

GoofGoof

Premium Member
Will a DVC representative even talk with me though if I'm pretty sold on doing a resale rather than through Disney?

They are sales people. They will always talk to you;). Just don't be surprised when they try to sell you on the advantages of buying direct from them.

Your best bet is probably to talk to a DVC rep and then talk to a resale person. Hear both sales pitches and then combine it with the info and advice you can get online to make a decision.
 

tjkraz

Active Member
Not to deter OP, but buying resale can be a lengthy process. Disney has ROFR, so that can slow things down. They have been acting on it more as of late so they can purchase contracts and put them back into their inventory. Plus, Disney is sneaky. Buying resale, I believe they can make any changes they want at any time. At least that was part of their sales pitch to me.

Not sure that I would let a few weeks' delay heavily influence a decision which is likely to save thousands of dollars.

Changes cannot be made to the contract you receive. Changes could be made to the perks that DVC offers, (which is what they did when they removed resale from the group that could trade for ABD, Cruises, etc) but you should be grandfathered in based upon the terms presented to you when you purchased as Disney signed off on them when the deed changes hands.

Tough to accurately comment on this because a lot of it depends upon Disney's ongoing good will toward owners--both direct and resale.

Most terms of the Public Offering Statement would have to be adhered to but the POS doesn't always mirror DVC's own policies. For instance, the POS guarantees only a one month Home resort booking advantage. DVC currently grants a 4 month advantage.

In the future, could they alter this policy to favor direct buyers more so than resale buyers? Possibly.

And given that Disney controls the condo association board and manages the DVC program itself, I suspect they have authority to amend the POS as necessary. I know it's already been amended many times over the years.

There's a real danger in thinking that things "cannot" change. DVC has even re-arranged the point charts several times in the last 5-6 years, something that many owners claimed they were told would "never happen" by a DVC sales rep. (The possibility always existed so these individuals were either mislead or misunderstood what they were being told.)

Regardless of what changes Disney makes, all owners are going to be able to use their points to book DVC villa rooms. They'll get some booking advantage at their "Home" resort and later access to non-home properties. But the specifics of those processes could be tweaked and adjusted in the years to come. Perks will come...perks will go...and perks will be subject to exclusions and limitations.

Given the current disparity in cost between direct and resale, personally I wouldn't let fear of possible restrictions keep me from buying resale.
 

BigTxEars

Well-Known Member
Not sure that I would let a few weeks' delay heavily influence a decision which is likely to save thousands of dollars.



Tough to accurately comment on this because a lot of it depends upon Disney's ongoing good will toward owners--both direct and resale.

Most terms of the Public Offering Statement would have to be adhered to but the POS doesn't always mirror DVC's own policies. For instance, the POS guarantees only a one month Home resort booking advantage. DVC currently grants a 4 month advantage.

In the future, could they alter this policy to favor direct buyers more so than resale buyers? Possibly.

And given that Disney controls the condo association board and manages the DVC program itself, I suspect they have authority to amend the POS as necessary. I know it's already been amended many times over the years.

There's a real danger in thinking that things "cannot" change. DVC has even re-arranged the point charts several times in the last 5-6 years, something that many owners claimed they were told would "never happen" by a DVC sales rep. (The possibility always existed so these individuals were either mislead or misunderstood what they were being told.)

Regardless of what changes Disney makes, all owners are going to be able to use their points to book DVC villa rooms. They'll get some booking advantage at their "Home" resort and later access to non-home properties. But the specifics of those processes could be tweaked and adjusted in the years to come. Perks will come...perks will go...and perks will be subject to exclusions and limitations.

Given the current disparity in cost between direct and resale, personally I wouldn't let fear of possible restrictions keep me from buying resale.


As I understand it they can move the points chart around from resort to resort as long as they have the same total of points overall when they are done. Is that correct?

I agree it is worth waiting for resale if it makes the most sense. Especially if your not going to WDW during that wait period. We waited and while it sucked it did not effect any of our trips at Disney.
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
How long does the resale process take around?
It depends on how long it takes to get the paperwork done. It's a real estate transaction so there are documents that need to be signed by both parties. The longest wait is for Disney's right of first refusal (ROFR). After you agree on a price with a seller and have a deal in hand then Disney has 30 days to decide if they want to exercise ROFR. If they decline to exercise ROFR then the deal can close. Disney doesn't need to take the full 30 days, but they have a right to if they choose. Overall, a conservative estimate for the full process is probably 60 days.

I did all of my paperwork through e-mail so I didn't have to go down to Orlando in person. I'm assuming that most people elect to do that unless they are local.
 

EOD K9

Well-Known Member
As I understand it they can move the points chart around from resort to resort as long as they have the same total of points overall when they are done. Is that correct?

The points are not moved from one resort to another, the points stay constant at one resort. Meaning, lets just say SSR has 1000 points for the year. A studio may be 16 points and a one bedroom may be 25. DVC can decide to jack up the price of a studio to 20 points...now a one bedroom needs to come down to 21. That was only a made up example. At the end of the day, the total number of points at SSR needs to remain at 1000 though. I hope that makes sense of some level.
 

BigTxEars

Well-Known Member
The points are not moved from one resort to another, the points stay constant at one resort. Meaning, lets just say SSR has 1000 points for the year. A studio may be 16 points and a one bedroom may be 25. DVC can decide to jack up the price of a studio to 20 points...now a one bedroom needs to come down to 21. That was only a made up example. At the end of the day, the total number of points at SSR needs to remain at 1000 though. I hope that makes sense of some level.

It did and that is how I understood, I just expressed it poorly. :)
 

dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
There's a real danger in thinking that things "cannot" change. DVC has even re-arranged the point charts several times in the last 5-6 years, something that many owners claimed they were told would "never happen" by a DVC sales rep. (The possibility always existed so these individuals were either mislead or misunderstood what they were being told.)

I'm thinking they misunderstood or were possibly mislead. We were told during our initial meeting, as well as in the paperwork/documentation provided that the point charts could indeed be modified.

In addition to the total number of points needing to remain consistent, there is also a maximum amount of shift allowed to happen in a given year. When they rebalanced the point charts a few weeks ago (tweaked the weekend costs primarily) I believe it was a 2-3 year process so that they didn't exceed the limits.
 

TXDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Pretty sold on a resale. Now it's to decide at what "home" resort. We're newlyweds (Jan.2014) we want kids in the next few years. Probably 2 lil ones. So our disney trips will be a lil different then the way we have done in the past. We just stayed at the Boardwalk but walked around and really liked the Yacht and Beach Club. But with kids the location of these are Epcot which I'd think would be kids least favorite park. So a Bay Tower is the other we're looking at. Similar in price to Beach Club but location is by Magic Kingdom which I'd think is better for kids. We'd go for a week at a time, so we'd hit up all the parks and some multiple times, just looking for some input as to what might be better for a couple in our situation.
 

BigTxEars

Well-Known Member
Pretty sold on a resale. Now it's to decide at what "home" resort. We're newlyweds (Jan.2014) we want kids in the next few years. Probably 2 lil ones. So our disney trips will be a lil different then the way we have done in the past. We just stayed at the Boardwalk but walked around and really liked the Yacht and Beach Club. But with kids the location of these are Epcot which I'd think would be kids least favorite park. So a Bay Tower is the other we're looking at. Similar in price to Beach Club but location is by Magic Kingdom which I'd think is better for kids. We'd go for a week at a time, so we'd hit up all the parks and some multiple times, just looking for some input as to what might be better for a couple in our situation.

I agree MK is better for the little one due to it's placement near MK.

But with recent moves at Ecpot and now it looks like DHS is about to build something new, BCV or BWV are solid choices as well for little ones perhaps.

We stayed at BW in June, we walked to Epcot and then rode the Monorail from Epcot to MK and then the reverse to get back to BW. So MK is easy to reach from BCV or BWV as well :)
 

GoofGoof

Premium Member
Pretty sold on a resale. Now it's to decide at what "home" resort. We're newlyweds (Jan.2014) we want kids in the next few years. Probably 2 lil ones. So our disney trips will be a lil different then the way we have done in the past. We just stayed at the Boardwalk but walked around and really liked the Yacht and Beach Club. But with kids the location of these are Epcot which I'd think would be kids least favorite park. So a Bay Tower is the other we're looking at. Similar in price to Beach Club but location is by Magic Kingdom which I'd think is better for kids. We'd go for a week at a time, so we'd hit up all the parks and some multiple times, just looking for some input as to what might be better for a couple in our situation.
I'm a BLT owner so maybe a little biased, but here's my take:

The BLT location is the best for convenience. You can walk to and from MK. If you have a small child who falls asleep in their stroller it's a short stroll back to BLT. It's also really convenient when Wishes ends and you want to get back to the hotel. No huge crowds getting on the monorail, buses or boats. You have monorail access to both MK and EPCOT as well. You only need to take a bus to AK or DHS. You can also take a boat over to the campground or Wilderness Lodge. Chef Mickeys is one of the best character meals with most of the classic characters. The villas at BLT are large and include an extra bathroom compared to the older resorts. If you have a 1BR villa you get 2 full bathrooms. This comes in handy when the kids are bathing or using the bathroom. The 2BR villa has 3 full bathrooms and sleeps 9.

The downside to BLT is some people don't like the decor and the theme (or lack of theme). The theme is not as popular as places like Poly, WL or AKL. The rooms have that attempt at modern which works for some people and not others. I have no problem with it, but I've heard some people say they don't like it.

One final thing to consider. BLT is not as easy to trade into at 7 months as some of the other resorts, especially at popular times. It's generally pretty popular. If you own there you can book at 11 months with no issue. It's usually easier to trade in to BWV, AKV, SSR and OKW. Right now BLT has lower maintenance fees than some of the older resorts, but we have had steeper percentage increases the last few years. This was partially due to the dedicated checkin desk being added, but it's still something to think about.
 

lostpro9het

Well-Known Member
I'll just say this, we've been trying out DVCs before we buy and this is how my DW and DD have them ranked so far:
1. AKL: great pools, animal interactions, kid activities, and food.
2. BCV: Outstanding pool, walking distance to some of the best food in the bubble, close proximity to EC and HS.
3. Saratoga Springs: very quiet and peaceful, great up front parking, and spacious rooms.
T-4. Bay Lake Tower: walking distance to MK and lobby smell.
T-4. Boardwalk: similar pluses as BCV but the scary clown pool was "meh" for us and the rooms were the same.
6. Old Key West: we just had a really run down room with many problems.

I know many folks will fault AKL for not being close to anything outside of AK but we didn't find the bus trip to any other park long at all. AKL is also the only resort where our DD, then 11, said she'd rather spend more time at the hotel swimming and watching the animals than be at a park.
 
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TXDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I'm think the Beach Club Villas me and my wife will like more bc of location to Eocot our favorite park, but when we take kids in the future, I think they'll like bay lake tower more bc it's closer to MK. BLT is walking distance to MK and not far from the monorail. But BCV are walking distance to Eocot and HS, can walk through Epcot to get to MK. It's gonna be a tough decision. Wish they weren't pretty much priced the same so that could make my choice for me, but it's only a difference if a few dollars I believe a month.
 

tjkraz

Active Member
I'm thinking they misunderstood or were possibly mislead. We were told during our initial meeting, as well as in the paperwork/documentation provided that the point charts could indeed be modified.

In addition to the total number of points needing to remain consistent, there is also a maximum amount of shift allowed to happen in a given year. When they rebalanced the point charts a few weeks ago (tweaked the weekend costs primarily) I believe it was a 2-3 year process so that they didn't exceed the limits.

That is all correct. But the main reason I brought it up is to illustrate that there's often a disconnect between what people THINK Disney can do to alter the program and what is legally permitted. Unless a buyer has read every word of the POS, they really don't fully grasp all of the possibilities. (And even if they have read every word, many portions are ambiguous to the point of inviting multiple interpretations.)

For instance, the current POS leaves the door open for the Home resort priority booking to be just ONE month rather than the current four months. It also gives Disney the right to impose a minimum stay if they wish--I believe it states that there will never be a minimum stay of "more than 3 nights."

And even beyond that, Disney does have the right to amend the POS. One example comes immediately to mind. The POS used to state that DVC was obligated to provide owners with a printed copy of the yearly budget and notice of the annual Condo Association meetings. Two years ago that rule was amended to allow Disney to distribute these items electronically.

Sure that one was a pretty innocuous change but it was made without any feedback from or approval of owners. And I doubt that will be the last POS amendment to occur.

So be careful when you say that "changes cannot be made to the contract you receive." That has already proven to be false. Realistically all you can do is have faith that Disney won't make any changes which materially damage your enjoyment of the product.

Pretty sold on a resale. Now it's to decide at what "home" resort. We're newlyweds (Jan.2014) we want kids in the next few years. Probably 2 lil ones. So our disney trips will be a lil different then the way we have done in the past. We just stayed at the Boardwalk but walked around and really liked the Yacht and Beach Club. But with kids the location of these are Epcot which I'd think would be kids least favorite park. So a Bay Tower is the other we're looking at. Similar in price to Beach Club but location is by Magic Kingdom which I'd think is better for kids. We'd go for a week at a time, so we'd hit up all the parks and some multiple times, just looking for some input as to what might be better for a couple in our situation.

Short and sweet: Do NOT take into account the (perceived) preferences of a (possible) family which does not even exist yet.

Assuming you do have children, they will grow faster than you believe and their tastes will change constantly. And unless you decide to sell at some point, you'll still own the points long after they have left for college and started their own families.

Home resort choice is a decision for adults...not for the fickle tastes of children who haven't been born yet.
 

bubster

Member
We own at BCV but bought a couple years ago at $72pp. Prices are $20+ higher these days. Not sure I would buy resale there today. If you do buy there you must be prepared to book at 11 months especially during F&W or the holidays. Personally I would look into SSR and take my chances at 7 months to stay at all of the other resorts.

BCV has routinely gotten a bad rap because it is so run down and in need of a refurbishment. It was due for an update in 2014 but it hasn't happened yet. Location cannot be beat if you are interested in being close to Epcot and parking there is much better than at BWV. Pool is awesome but ultimately it's still just a pool but then again we aren't big pool people.

It's been a while since we actually stayed there. Checking in the Saturday after Thanksgiving for a week, I'll let you know how I feel then. ;)
 

TXDisney

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I mean I've visited Disney now 5 times in the last 2 years. So obviously we love going there. Just these last 3 visits have been onsite. My parents own a timeshare so we stay there sometimes. But the pain is we can only go when they want to, and they have no plans in the foreseeable future of going back to Disney. They want to use it at other places. We have always wanted to stay at the Boardwalk mainly bc of location, which we did 4 weeks ago. We found out we liked the Boardwalk but walked around to a lot of hotels and think we'd like the Beach Club more. Now I've never seen their villas rooms or anything so like you said they could need updated really bad. We also were looking into Bay Lake Tower. Bc we do plan on having kids soon, and obviously being close to MK will be a priority, plus it's along the monorail so it's easy to access our favorite park Epcot.
 

bubster

Member
If you like BWV you will find that their resale prices are lower and the upside is that the standard view villas are a real bargain. Check out the point charts. But you pretty much need the 11 month booking advantage to get them consistently. Downside to BWV is that they have the highest dues on property. Good news about BCV is that it will get it's refurbishment eventually but it needs a hard refurb too meaning appliances and tile work. A soft refurb is what most have been getting, bedding, curtains, carpet, reupholstered sofas and chairs.

We own most of our points at BLT, the only reason to own there is to get the standard views at 11 months. I am a bit of a point miser trying to stretch our points to go more often and stay longer. Be prepared to book early there too. We don't have small kids but we do have grandkids....they have stayed in a 2 bedroom with them at BLT, SSR and OKW so far and SSR is their absolute favorite. Favorites change too. My daughter just got back from BLT with their 3 year old and they want to stay at AKV or OKW next year.

I agree that there is nothing like having your own membership and having the freedom to do what you want to do. If you know you're going anyway, why not?
 

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