I'm wanting to buy into DVC and considering buying resale for a better deal, but I know you don't get certain "perks"? The biggest perks I would want is discounts on tickets and passes. Do you still get these buying resale?
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DVC Resale vs Direct
- Thread starter disneyincinci
- Start date
nickys
Premium Member
As far as I understand it, you won't qualify for dining and shopping discounts, including the AP. Member events and the member lounge at Epcot are also excluded.
The benefits you do get are the more general ones, like access to TOTWL, the ability to add a dining plan to a room only reservation, DVD rentals, pool hopping etc. Those that actually relate to staying at the DVC resorts in other words. You can also book through RCI.
The benefits you do get are the more general ones, like access to TOTWL, the ability to add a dining plan to a room only reservation, DVD rentals, pool hopping etc. Those that actually relate to staying at the DVC resorts in other words. You can also book through RCI.
Tinkerbell397
Well-Known Member
DVC members do not get discount on tickets to the parks. They do get some discounts on special tours etc. Not sure about annual passes as I have never had those. You do get shopping ad dining discounts with your DVC card. 
nickys
Premium Member
DVC members do not get discount on tickets to the parks. They do get some discounts on special tours etc. Not sure about annual passes as I have never had those. You do get shopping ad dining discounts with your DVC card.
There are sometimes offers on discounted tickets to the parks, but there are no regular discounted rates for members.
The AP discounts are significant though. Not any use to me sadly, being from the UK
Do you know of any reputable resale sites?
lostpro9het
Well-Known Member
We've purchased both direct and resale, twice. We went with http://www.dvc-resales.com/index.htm once and https://www.dvcresalemarket.com once. Both transactions were painless and easy. The most painful part is the ROFL wait and even that isn't all that bad.
dreamfinder
Well-Known Member
If you buy resale, your points are really only going to get you stays at DVC, and the ability to trade into RCI.
Shamelessly paraphrasing from the DVCResaleMarket site:
As @EOD K9 said, resale members won't get a membership card, so have no way to prove they are a member for any discounts. This could also prevent you from being able to buy and DVC exclusive merch (typically pins). If discounts are that important to you, after you purchase a deed resale you could buy a small 25pt deed direct, and thus be eligible for benefits. (Technically only for those 25 points, so not a big issue for discounts, but a problem if you wanted to trade points for a cruise for instance)
But buying points resale could more than make up the loss of the discount for APs. Currently DVC gets a discount of $100 (I believe) on a Platinum or Platinum Plus AP. Buying resale points could easily save you $50-80 per point, for instance AKV is currently $165 direct but can often be found for about $80 resale. If you bought 100 points, that would mean you would need to buy 80 APs before buying direct would make a cost savings. Admittedly the discount may change (think it was $150 or so a year or two ago) but it helps to ball park your breakeven.
Keep in mind that any benefits are subject to change and are not guaranteed, even to owners who purchase direct. Discounts are nice, but since they may change wildly it's best not to include them in any breakeven calculation, and instead look solely at what is guaranteed, which is X number of DVC points for the duration of the contract.
Shamelessly paraphrasing from the DVCResaleMarket site:
As @EOD K9 said, resale members won't get a membership card, so have no way to prove they are a member for any discounts. This could also prevent you from being able to buy and DVC exclusive merch (typically pins). If discounts are that important to you, after you purchase a deed resale you could buy a small 25pt deed direct, and thus be eligible for benefits. (Technically only for those 25 points, so not a big issue for discounts, but a problem if you wanted to trade points for a cruise for instance)
But buying points resale could more than make up the loss of the discount for APs. Currently DVC gets a discount of $100 (I believe) on a Platinum or Platinum Plus AP. Buying resale points could easily save you $50-80 per point, for instance AKV is currently $165 direct but can often be found for about $80 resale. If you bought 100 points, that would mean you would need to buy 80 APs before buying direct would make a cost savings. Admittedly the discount may change (think it was $150 or so a year or two ago) but it helps to ball park your breakeven.
Keep in mind that any benefits are subject to change and are not guaranteed, even to owners who purchase direct. Discounts are nice, but since they may change wildly it's best not to include them in any breakeven calculation, and instead look solely at what is guaranteed, which is X number of DVC points for the duration of the contract.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
This exactly. Perks of any kind are not part of your contract and can change whenever DVC wants them to.
We bought a "main" contract resale and then recently bought 25 points direct so we get the magic blue cards. There's no way i could see paying 50% more to buy all the points direct. This way we get all the discounts- the only thing we don't get is the ability to use the resale points for the other properties outside of DVC and RCI. Not a big loss in our book. It didn't appear to be a very good deal from what we could see anyway. We think we're better off just renting the points and then using that money to go on the cruise or whatever if we want.
GoofZ
Member
Correct, you will not be able to use your points for a cruise if you are buying resale. But you will still be able to use them for Hilton Head and the Grand Californian at Disneyland.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Buy your primary contract resale and then get a small (25 pt) add on direct.
The direct prices are 100% overpriced and it’s only gonna get worse
The direct prices are 100% overpriced and it’s only gonna get worse
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Dvc points for DCL is literally the worst value you can find. One overpriced thing to pay for another ridiculously overpriced thing.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Exactly
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
As of Feb 28, 2018 that number is now 75 points. If you are going to add on direct points to a resale contract with the intention of getting a blue membership card, the minimum number of points you need to add is now 75. You can add 25, but you will not get a membership card.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
Just for the record, using your points for a DCL cruise (or ABD if anybody is considering that) is a very poor option. You could easily get more value by taking those points, renting them out through a broker, and then using the cash to pay for the cruise.
Take the cash price of a cruise and divide it by the number of points it takes to book that cruise, and you will get a dollar per point value. Most of the time it is around $6.00 a point or so. You can rent those points out for $10 each, so if I was taking a $600 cruise (good luck with that), it would "cost" me 100 points, but if I rented them out, i would only need to rent out 60.
On top of that, there is a $95 fee to use your points for a cruse, and the ability to cancel / move a cruise booked on points is more restrictive than cash. Also, if you take your cash and then book through a travel agent, you will most likely get some sort of on-board credit. You will not get that with points.
-dave
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
I agree, using the points for cruises is a poor use of points. Though many do it and love it (not going to judge) but really it isn't a great deal.
Now one does have to buy 75 points to get full perks. Would I do that? Only if I wanted a small contract anyway. I'm not sure I find the perks to be worth the extra money spent. If you are a larger family getting the APs (and wanting Gold instead of Platinum) then I can see it maybe paying itself sooner than later. I haven't done math to figure out TIW as well to see what you would need.
In general perks come and go. We like the AP discount but in general if I were to buy now for the first time and over 100 points? Hands down I'd do resale.
Now one does have to buy 75 points to get full perks. Would I do that? Only if I wanted a small contract anyway. I'm not sure I find the perks to be worth the extra money spent. If you are a larger family getting the APs (and wanting Gold instead of Platinum) then I can see it maybe paying itself sooner than later. I haven't done math to figure out TIW as well to see what you would need.
In general perks come and go. We like the AP discount but in general if I were to buy now for the first time and over 100 points? Hands down I'd do resale.
Phonedave
Well-Known Member
I have 160 points direct and 50 resale, so I have the perks. I like the perks, but would I buy direct again, I don't think so. I like the perks, but I don't think I like them that much. Especially at today's direct prices.
There was a time when TiW was a no-brainer. Back when it was $50 (and was Disney Dining Experience) and there were fewer discounts available just for being a DVC member, it was easy to justify. But now, with the price of TiW, and the potential "free" DVC discounts, it's harder to justify.
correcaminos
Well-Known Member
Ah yes, the DDE! I used that often. Again back then it was a no-brainer! Once it crept up to $100 or so, we stopped getting it. Our eating habits had changed as well (bring a baby along and you eat differently LOL). Last year we had the AP discount thanks to DVC and that gave us 20% off of all the dining we went to. That was wonderful. Even with the 10% it makes it hard for us.
I do know those who drink more or eat out more will find it worth it. We just don't.