I get asked this question a lot: “Why did you buy points directly from Disney and also purchase resale”? There are a few reasons, and since this blog is supposed to be ‘personal’, I’ll share my observations.
I’m not someone who mulls over a decision for a long time (in most cases). I usually do my research, ask my questions then make up my mind and move on to the next thing. In my job, that tends to help move things along.
And while it took me years to decide to join Disney Vacation Club, I did not labor over the decision for years. Prior to this past February, I considered it regularly but decided that the time wasn’t right. But, after we started doing our DVC podcast, I literally talked myself into it. Between that and my ‘dealer’ (Jerry Sydow from DVCstore.com), all hope was lost.
Once the decision was made, the next thing to decide was ‘how and where’. The resale restrictions (not getting the ‘blue’ DVC member card) bothered me. The annual pass discount didn’t matter to me, mainly because I travel to Disneyland several times a year so I have a Premier pass (those are not eligible for the DVC discount) , I have Tables in Wonderland, which provides a far better discount on food than anything I’d get through DVC.
While I would never use points for a DVC Member Cruise or an Adventures by Disney trip, I still wanted the option to do them. I also wanted the option to attend other ‘members only’ events that required the coveted “Blue Card” (when you buy points from Disney, your membership card is blue, as opposed to when you buy resale points – you receive a white membership card that does not include many of these perks). The only way that would happen (with resale contracts purchased after Jan 2019) was to buy the minimum direct points from Disney. So, I purchased 75 points direct at Copper Creek for the princely sum of $14,100. For reference, 75 points are just barely enough to get you a studio in Adventure season for 5 nights (not including weekends). So, in other words, 75 points don’t go far.
So for REAL points, I turned to the resale market. At first, I decided on a 250 point contract at Boulder Ridge. The contract was stripped (meaning all its current use year points had been used, with no new points coming until next year). While that wasn’t ideal, the price of $89 a point was too good to pass up. Since I enjoy staying at Wilderness Lodge, having points at both Copper Creek and Boulder Ridge was a bonus. Something I should point out here – this contract was from an international seller (meaning the person selling it was not a US citizen). I thought for sure the absurdly low price of $89 per point would get taken by Disney during the Right of First Refusal period (Disney has the right to buy back any contract up for sale, and they tend to do this if they think the price on it is too low). However, my resale agent advised me that often times Disney doesn’t want to get involved with the extra paperwork that’s involved with International sellers, so those contracts get taken far less often. So, needless to say, I was very happy when Disney passed on this contract!
For me, this mix made sense. I wanted some of the perks associated with a direct purchase, but the kind of savings I would realize purchasing resale was just too great to ignore. Right now, Disney will sell direct points at ‘sold out resorts’ if they have them available. So, Boulder Ridge would have cost me $176 a point if I’d gone through Disney, vs $89 on the resale market. That’s a savings of $ 22,000. That’s not a typo. There are no perks Disney is currently offering me that would even come close to justifying that.
I realize this is an extreme example, but it effectively illustrates my point. Even on my other contracts at Bay Lake Tower and Beach Club Villas, the savings averaged over $10k on each of them.
I don’t regret buying direct for the benefits and adding on with resales. I have no intention of using points for a Disney Cruise or an Adventures by Disney trip. If I want to do any of those things, I saved enough money that I can!
$89 per point for used? We obviously got a steal Direct on Grand Californian by the time you add in the incentives we got, it was under $100 per point. Granted this was several years ago, we were litterally in the last 5 contracts or so before they sold out.
And if you really want to use them for a cruise, rent your points and use the cash to book through a travel agent and get some credits or cash card back.
I bought direct at BLT in 2009 and VGF in 2013 when they opened. I could not justify buying direct at todays prices. I also bought resale at the timeshare store for BLT before the restrictions started. My only regret is not buying more then. It was only at 91pp. 😄
Afternoon Pete,
Great Blog, we are also going through the ROFR on 250 points at Saratoga Springs and hope Disney do not buy them back but they are at a low $94 dollars a point, we will also like you look to buy an extra 75 points to also get the Blue card but we will buy from Disney for Saratoga keeping all our points in one place, would be great to read a blog about the plus points and minus points about having all you points in one place or spreading across different Disney resorts.
John from the UK.
I would love to hear more about the ability to combine points from multiple contracts. If you have 75 at Copper Creek and 250 from Boukder Ridge, can you combine to do one big trip for 375 points? I understood you could not combine points, but maybe I have that wrong. Help me out! My family has been on the fence about DVC for a while and the YouTube show has helped us a lot!
You can combine it for one big trip but you need to book it at 11 months out at the two different resorts and do a split stay. Or book one the resort you really want to stay at resort at 11 months out and hope that at 7 months out that same resort has availability to book the balance of your points from the other contract or wait list them in hopes someone cancels there. This happens because when you book 11-8 months out, peoples plans can change and open up an availability and by wait listing you are on a waiting list for the room you want. Or book 7 months out if you want to stay at a resort other than where you have points, and then you can use all the points you have available if the resort has availability. You need to be flexible and the DVC website is very easy to use to plan with.
I goofed back in Feb 1992 Disney just rolled out DVC and it was 12k for 50 years. I cane home asked my accountant what he thought and he said. Nah you think you will go every year ? I passed. Well we had a run of being in the park every year for 16 years. Kinda kick myself in the arse for not buying in
We bought VGF direct (because we did not know any better) while on a DCL cruise. For the way we travelled to WDW (mainly staying at the Poly), even buying direct we would save BIG. Our first stay was in a 2bd standard view at VGF. That one trip was enough to hook us on larger accommodations. All our add-ons since have been through resale. Then we attended our first Moonlight Magic at the Magic Kingdom. Glad we have the blue card.
So glad you wrote this! We bought direct, and now want resale. I wasn’t sure if this is normal.
Terrific show with terrific information for potential DVC owners. If I buy through resale and not directly through Disney, can I get the Tables of Wonderland discount?
Richard
Yes, if you are an Annual Pass holder or Florida resident. Otherwise, if you aren’t either of those and you didn’t buy resale before the restriction on Membership Extras went into effect, no.
After much research…I am ready to commit. And I need to do this before prices go up in June! I too am thinking of this genius move! Just need to do a little more research on how having points at different resorts affects me.Thanks for sharing!
We bought 4 contracts at VWL(sorry, old schooler here, cant bring myself to call it BRV)direct, and had no regrets doing so. We deliberated for a year at a price of $70 per pt. in 2000. So in 2001, we made the move at $72 per pt. I still kid my wife as she was the one holding back and I needed her sig and needed her onboard. 6 months. later we bought again, her still reluctant as we had yet to make that 1st trip. After that she was hooked! Then we decided to add another big contract followed by another. No regrets, buying direct was flawless, points in the system rather quick. On the other end of it, we decided as time changed our vacation habits, we really wanted to be close to the action during F&W fest, so we were ready for BWV. We looked at direct but no pts. were available so we went re-sale. Again, pretty flawless although it takes a bit longer. ROFR probably slowed it longest but we would buy re-sale again. Would love to have BLT pts. but we will soon be points poor if we keep going!! Again, times have changed, so the F&W fest is still a draw but not as much as our grandson and wanting to share MK with him, so being able to walk into the park from BLT is a big plus. May sell BWV and buy BLT. Decisions, decisions!! Its a good problem to have 🙂
Can you use your blue card if you are staying with the resale points? Or, do you need to be staying with the direct sale points to take advantage of the member only events?