Question about discounts & perks

[DisneyDreamer08]

Hi everyone. My husband and I are considering buying into DVC. I’ve been looking into things for awhile now. We would likely buy about 150 points. I’ve looked into a few resale options that are in the $18,000-$20,000 range. And I’ve looked into buying direct which would be about $32,000. We would pay in full regardless to avoid interest. My question is more in regards to the perks of buying direct. I’m finding a lot of conflicting info online, basically pre-Covid vs post Covid information. I’m hoping someone here will be kind enough to just clear up a few things.
The food and merchandise discount seems to vary. I’m seeing 10-20%. Does it vary based on restaurant or time of year? Or is there a set discount that I’m just not seeing?
I realize in the past DVC used to get discount on annual passes. As far as I can tell, that is not the case right now. Are there discounts at all on tickets? We would likely only do one trip per year, 7-8 days. We live in Massachusetts so flying in multiple times will likely not happen.
As far as other perks for buying direct, I know you get discounts on parties and events, access to member lounges, the ability to book new resorts such as Riviera and the ability to use points on cruises and Adventures by Disney. Anything else I’m missing?
Thank you so much for any help

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Hi everyone. My husband and I are considering buying into DVC. I’ve been looking into things for awhile now. We would likely buy about 150 points. I’ve looked into a few resale options that are in the $18,000-$20,000 range. And I’ve looked into buying direct which would be about $32,000. We would pay in full regardless to avoid interest. My question is more in regards to the perks of buying direct. I’m finding a lot of conflicting info online, basically pre-Covid vs post Covid information. I’m hoping someone here will be kind enough to just clear up a few things.
The food and merchandise discount seems to vary. I’m seeing 10-20%. Does it vary based on restaurant or time of year? Or is there a set discount that I’m just not seeing?
I realize in the past DVC used to get discount on annual passes. As far as I can tell, that is not the case right now. Are there discounts at all on tickets? We would likely only do one trip per year, 7-8 days. We live in Massachusetts so flying in multiple times will likely not happen.
As far as other perks for buying direct, I know you get discounts on parties and events, access to member lounges, the ability to book new resorts such as Riviera and the ability to use points on cruises and Adventures by Disney. Anything else I’m missing?
Thank you so much for any help

So the big thing to remember about DVC - it is ONLY to save money on your resort stay as any perks and benefits can go away at any time. Now saying that, while we do not get "discounts" on APs anymore, we do at least get access to the Sorcerer's Pass, which would work for you as long as you don't plan on going during Thanksgiving week and Christmas when it is blocked out. It's a lot cheaper than the Incredipass.

As far as discounts. I believe that all WDW owned restaurants give you 20% off for food (no alcohol anymore like when we could buy the TiW card), but the discount varies for the non WDW owned restaurants. Some are 10%, some are 20%. There is also the 20% of merchandise at all WDW owned stores, and up to 20% at non WDW owned stores. Yes, there are also discounts on parties, events, etc. though please remember that those can change at any time, though I will say they have been good about keeping them lately.

If the ability to book not only at Riviera or any future DVC resort, then yes, you would need to buy direct as it appears that they will be restricting resales to only the current resorts, with the Riviera exception. Yes, buying direct can also use for cruises or Adventures by Disney, but some don't think that is a good use of points. We've been direct for over 16 years and have never used the points for either of those options.

The other thing about direct are the Moonlight Magic nights, but these would have to fall in line with your trip, and you may or may not get in even if it does. We've been lucky that both times it was available, we were able to get in.

If any of the above is important to you, then definitely buy direct. One other thing about buying direct. You do NOT have to buy at the current offerings - such as Riviera or Grand Floridian, unless that's where you want to stay. You can tell your DVC guide that you want to buy at any property that you like, even if not currently actively selling there. So if you would prefer to stay at the Poly or at AKL, then buy there.

One thing to note. ALWAYS book your home resort at the 11 month window and then look around at exactly 7 months for another resort that might have availability. That way, you are at least guaranteed to get your resort. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions! Always happy to help.

 

[nickys]

The food & shopping discounts do vary. 10% is typical, some places offer 15% and sometimes there are larger discounts offered.

As far as annual passes go, if you buy direct you have the option to buy the Sorcerer’s Pass - which is otherwise only available to Florida residents. I’ve been a member since 2010 and I can only remember once having some kind of ticket offer, but I can’t remember the details. But generally there aren’t any special deals on tickets.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

So the big thing to remember about DVC - it is ONLY to save money on your resort stay as any perks and benefits can go away at any time. Now saying that, while we do not get "discounts" on APs anymore, we do at least get access to the Sorcerer's Pass, which would work for you as long as you don't plan on going during Thanksgiving week and Christmas when it is blocked out. It's a lot cheaper than the Incredipass.

As far as discounts. I believe that all WDW owned restaurants give you 20% off for food (no alcohol anymore like when we could buy the TiW card), but the discount varies for the non WDW owned restaurants. Some are 10%, some are 20%. There is also the 20% of merchandise at all WDW owned stores, and up to 20% at non WDW owned stores. Yes, there are also discounts on parties, events, etc. though please remember that those can change at any time, though I will say they have been good about keeping them lately.

If the ability to book not only at Riviera or any future DVC resort, then yes, you would need to buy direct as it appears that they will be restricting resales to only the current resorts, with the Riviera exception. Yes, buying direct can also use for cruises or Adventures by Disney, but some don't think that is a good use of points. We've been direct for over 16 years and have never used the points for either of those options.

The other thing about direct are the Moonlight Magic nights, but these would have to fall in line with your trip, and you may or may not get in even if it does. We've been lucky that both times it was available, we were able to get in.

If any of the above is important to you, then definitely buy direct. One other thing about buying direct. You do NOT have to buy at the current offerings - such as Riviera or Grand Floridian, unless that's where you want to stay. You can tell your DVC guide that you want to buy at any property that you like, even if not currently actively selling there. So if you would prefer to stay at the Poly or at AKL, then buy there.

One thing to note. ALWAYS book your home resort at the 11 month window and then look around at exactly 7 months for another resort that might have availability. That way, you are at least guaranteed to get your resort. Good luck and let us know if you have any other questions! Always happy to help.

The food & shopping discounts do vary. 10% is typical, some places offer 15% and sometimes there are larger discounts offered.

As far as annual passes go, if you buy direct you have the option to buy the Sorcerer’s Pass - which is otherwise only available to Florida residents. I’ve been a member since 2010 and I can only remember once having some kind of ticket offer, but I can’t remember the details. But generally there aren’t any special deals on tickets.

Thank you both! As much as I would love to have discounts on food and party tickets and things like that, it’s hard to justify the difference in the cost of buying direct. I’ve been doing the math for what we would save on food and extras and I just don’t think it makes sense to buy direct. Too bad, I would love to check out that lounge in the Imagination pavilion

 

[correcaminos]

Food is typically 10% - no alcohol. 20% at many Swan/Dolphin locations and some DS. Full list is here, but wise to expect 10% for the most part https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers/#/dining
Shopping in parks/resorts is 20%
Shopping at Disney Springs varies from 10-20% https://disneyvacationclub.disney.go.com/discounts-perks-offers/#/shopping
AP offer allow you to have accesses to Sorcerer pass
After hours and parties often include a small discount date depending
Discounts on tours (not VIP) and experiences like that is typically 15% includes private fireworks cruises

I actually never book at 11 months, often closer to 10 if CCV or 8 if Polynesian. We rarely stay studios for long trips.

 

[Shellyl64]

We bought resale and never really cared about the discounts. We have a Disney visa and get some food discounts that are the same if we bought direct and got the discount through DVC. The savings buying resale are great and I don’t believe you could ever make that back with direct sale and discounts.

 

[correcaminos]

Honestly - there are very few perks for DVC owners - other than lower room costs.
There used to be - but just about all of these have vanished .
For reference - we HAVE been DVC owners. Sold, or gifted, all DVC interests. Given the current state of WDW (and DVC)? Strongly suggest that you go rack-30% discount (REAL Rack), until WDW gets serious again . Up to you, your choice.

Not sure what we had always. We have more now than when I first bought.

 

[Joe]

Here is one perk some of us are forgetting. I just bought a Sorcerer annual pass, instead of an Incredi-Pass, saving $450. So for me and my wife we saved over $900 on annual passes.

 

[Doberge]

PSA reminder that if you go resale first and later decide to add-on in the future that you'd get a better discount as an existing member (even resale) compared to being a totally new member without any points.

That's to say that if you don't think you'd take advantage of annual passes and the other benefits aren't enticing then I'd suggest starting with resale.

Minor one and not a reason to buy direct, but DVC members get a booking advantage over general public for their first booked cruise, but this is pretty small and nothing if you've already cruised or don't have any interest.

 

[Vacationeer]

These are two opposite edges of the direct vs resale spectrum.

More optimistic: The extra $12k spread over a ~40 year contract like VGF (for simple math) is $300 a year paid now upfront and doesn’t consider the potential time value of that money since it’s from your travel budget regardless. What’s a few hundred dollars extra each year to enjoy Blue Card life for families likely to keep spending over $10k there each year? Mere bagatelle . 20% off merch is quite nice along with food and event discounts. Maybe Moonlight Magic works out often enough, they get good use of renewing DVC APs with the further 15% discount, they’re able to find availability at new resorts, etc. If upsides happen on a regular basis, naturally and not feeling forced to bang return value, it can seem a no brainer. No regrets. They spent a bit more upfront and direct took them next level. Even if things change over the years it’s likely comparable perks continue. And dues are dues, doesn’t vary between resale and direct.

More pessimistic: $12k put away for 40 years with 5% interest would be almost $85,000 (though eggs may cost $2k by 2064 lol). Family doesn’t plan more than one week a year so APs don’t really matter. Or worse, DVC and discounted APs psychologically forces more than one yearly trip because the ‘investment’, and they‘re skipping other possible destinations. Moonlight Magic works best for flexible people taking frequent trips. Awesome for many. Frustrating for others. 20% discount for direct members is nice but guess what? I’m a post-2019 resale owner and CMs honor it. They ask if we’re DVC then just check for membership and not the Direct ‘Y’ notation at the end. Plenty of the same experience from others. WDW’s own system applies some DVC discounts to us online. That can change but it’s worked for years. New resorts are a good draw but direct is still limited to 7 months outside home resort which seems to only get worse every year.

To me Direct vs Resale is much like Disney Dining Plan vs out-of-pocket, just on a much larger longer scale. Both are like bonuses that squeeze more out for the spending commitment. If doing table service and character meals anyway, the plan can potentially get much more for a similar OOP budget. If spending hundreds of $1000s on frequent Disney trips over the decades anyway, Blue Card opens doors that get more for the money spent.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

These are two opposite edges of the direct vs resale spectrum.

More optimistic: The extra $12k spread over a ~40 year contract like VGF (for simple math) is $300 a year paid now upfront and doesn’t consider the potential time value of that money since it’s from your travel budget regardless. What’s a few hundred dollars extra each year to enjoy Blue Card life for families likely to keep spending over $10k there each year? Mere bagatelle . 20% off merch is quite nice along with food and event discounts. Maybe Moonlight Magic works out often enough, they get good use of renewing DVC APs with the further 15% discount, they’re able to find availability at new resorts, etc. If upsides happen on a regular basis, naturally and not feeling forced to bang return value, it can seem a no brainer. No regrets. They spent a bit more upfront and direct took them next level. Even if things change over the years it’s likely comparable perks continue. And dues are dues, doesn’t vary between resale and direct.

Well, considering that as a direct DVC owner that gives them access to the Sorcerer's Pass, which is $450 less than the Incredipass. So they would save $900/year just on those, which makes the $300/year more than worth it just for APs. I realize that they stated only a single 7-8 day stay each year, but we both know how that might change going forward. The second that you add even a short long weekend trip makes the APs worth the price - especially with the 15% renewal discount.

Depending on how they visit, the 20% discount can add up very quickly to also cover the $300/year. Mileage will vary depending on the person, but we eat at a lot of TS on every trip, and the 20% discount really helps.

More pessimistic: $12k put away for 40 years with 5% interest would be almost $85,000 (though eggs may cost $2k by 2064 lol). Family doesn’t plan more than one week a year so APs don’t really matter. Or worse, DVC and discounted APs psychologically forces more than one yearly trip because the ‘investment’, and they‘re skipping other possible destinations. Moonlight Magic works best for flexible people taking frequent trips. Awesome for many. Frustrating for others. 20% discount for direct members is nice but guess what?

Again the tired argument about the "value" of money compared to buying DVC. DVC is NOT and never has been an investment that you expect to make money on in the future. So if you take zero vacations over the 40 years, yes, you would have $85,000 in the bank. But if you take a single WDW vacation paying even discounted rates, you will never have any money left of the inital $12k investment. You'll spend more than that in less 10 years.

I’m a post-2019 resale owner and CMs honor it. They ask if we’re DVC then just check for membership and not the Direct ‘Y’ notation at the end. Plenty of the same experience from others. WDW’s own system applies some DVC discounts to us online. That can change but it’s worked for years.

Wow. So you cheat the system. Good for you. On our recent trip last month we were asked to show the DVC Y by every single CM we encountered.

New resorts are a good draw but direct is still limited to 7 months outside home resort which seems to only get worse every year.

Having been DVC for over 16 years, we have rarely had a problem with getting the resort we want at 7 months. It's not as big a problem as some make it out to be if you book your home resort at 11 months, and then look at exactly 7 months to the day if you decide to switch.

To me Direct vs Resale is much like Disney Dining Plan vs out-of-pocket, just on a much larger longer scale. Both are like bonuses that squeeze more out for the spending commitment. If doing table service and character meals anyway, the plan can potentially get much more for a similar OOP budget. If spending hundreds of $1000s on frequent Disney trips over the decades anyway, Blue Card opens doors that get more for the money spent.

Wow. Hundreds of thousands? Well, anyway, yes, buying direct or resale saves someone money on their resort stay versus paying cash for each stay. It has been shown that the price of maintenance dues at the DVC resorts has gone up a lot less than the cash prices at the deluxe resorts.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Hi everyone. My husband and I are considering buying into DVC. I’ve been looking into things for awhile now. We would likely buy about 150 points. I’ve looked into a few resale options that are in the $18,000-$20,000 range. And I’ve looked into buying direct which would be about $32,000. We would pay in full regardless to avoid interest. My question is more in regards to the perks of buying direct. I’m finding a lot of conflicting info online, basically pre-Covid vs post Covid information. I’m hoping someone here will be kind enough to just clear up a few things.
The food and merchandise discount seems to vary. I’m seeing 10-20%. Does it vary based on restaurant or time of year? Or is there a set discount that I’m just not seeing?
I realize in the past DVC used to get discount on annual passes. As far as I can tell, that is not the case right now. Are there discounts at all on tickets? We would likely only do one trip per year, 7-8 days. We live in Massachusetts so flying in multiple times will likely not happen.
As far as other perks for buying direct, I know you get discounts on parties and events, access to member lounges, the ability to book new resorts such as Riviera and the ability to use points on cruises and Adventures by Disney. Anything else I’m missing?
Thank you so much for any help

Before you buy, you could rent DVC and do a couple of research trips.

 

[Eeyorenot74]

Thank you both! As much as I would love to have discounts on food and party tickets and things like that, it’s hard to justify the difference in the cost of buying direct. I’ve been doing the math for what we would save on food and extras and I just don’t think it makes sense to buy direct. Too bad, I would love to check out that lounge in the Imagination pavilion

I've been to the Imagination pavilion lounge a few times. Nothing to get too excited about, think airline lounges are more relaxing. Last time they were busy enough that we had to wait to get in. You can search for an image online if you want to see it. While it is nice to stop in to get out of the heat and have a drink, it wouldn't sway me to buy direct.

 

[DisneyDreamer08]

I would like to thank everyone for their advice on this thread. I read through everything and did a lot of research. Ultimately, my husband and I decided not to buy into DVC right now. What it all came down to was that we don’t necessarily NEED to stay in deluxe resorts every time we visit Disney. We’ve stayed in resorts at all levels and we truly believe each resort has its pros and cons. So we are happy to continue to just pay out of pocket for now without the investment of DVC.
I will keep this post up as I’m sure the information here could be helpful to others
Thanks again!