“Should I buy direct or resale?” This is one of the biggest decisions a potential Disney Vacation Club member has to consider. Post this question in the DVC Fan Facebook Group, and you’ll receive quite passionate responses for either side.
The question is typically posed as an “OR” – should I buy DVC direct OR resale? I’d like to propose a third option – buy both, and become a hybrid DVC member! A hybrid membership is one in which you own a mix of direct and resale contracts.
Many DVC members end up as hybrid members, typically after their first bout of add-on-itis. In my case, I chose to become a hybrid member from the start of my membership. I purchased a resale contract at Bay Lake Tower and then nearly immediately purchased a direct contract at Riviera Resort.
Below are the things I weighed up when I chose to purchase a mix of direct and resale points to kick off my DVC journey:
Considerations
- How many points do you need? To be eligible for Membership Extras, as of June 3, 2021, you must own 150 or more points purchased directly from Disney. If you plan to purchase more than 150 points, a hybrid membership may be right for you.
- What resort(s) do you want to buy? Do you want to have more than one home resort? Most resorts, even those with active incentives from Disney, can be purchased for considerably less money on the resale market. Buying a portion of your points direct and the remainder on the resale market will allow you the “best of both worlds.”
Hybrid Membership Pros
Access to Membership Extras
By purchasing the minimum number of points required by Disney, you gain access to the full suite of Membership Extras. These include discounts, access to DVC lounges, and eligibility to attend member events, among others. Note that these benefits can vary from year to year. I value these perks, so I bought the minimum number of points needed. You may not value them as highly. For example, if you only visit once a year, you may not have the flexibility to attend member events. Also note that many of the current discounts offered to direct members are also available to Disney Visa cardholders. Nevertheless, if you decide to buy direct for the Membership Extras, consider purchasing only the minimum 150 points needed to obtain these perks.
Access to Unrestricted Resorts
Direct points allow you the ability to book any Disney Vacation Club resort. Currently, three DVC resorts (Riviera Resort, Cabins at Fort Wilderness, and the Villas at the Disneyland Hotel) can only be booked with direct points, unless your contract was grandfathered in prior to 2019. I knew that I would want at least a portion of my points to be unrestricted. This way, I can enjoy the full variety of resorts in the Disney Vacation Club network.
Counterpoint – if you only plan to occasionally stay at the newer resorts, consider buying solely on the resale market. You can then rent those points out when you choose to stay at one of the newer resorts.
Cost Savings
The biggest reason to buy at least a portion of your points on the resale market is the cost savings. While this can vary based on current incentives and market conditions, you can often save thousands of dollars. I chose to purchase my resale contract at Bay Lake Tower. Bay Lake Tower bought direct is currently $275 per point. In comparison, as of April 2025, the average resale price is $133 per point. By purchasing a resale contract as part of my membership, I saved over $14,000!
“Add On” Member Savings
Disney Vacation Club generally offers additional financial incentives for owners adding onto their membership. I purchased my resale contract first. This decision allowed me to receive the member-only additional savings on my direct point contract. You are eligible for the direct add-on incentives as soon as your resale contract closes and you are an active DVC member in Disney’s system.
Hybrid Membership Cons
Holding Both Restricted and Unrestricted Points
One of the challenges of holding both direct and resale points is the restrictions on the resale points. I have to carefully watch my math to ensure I save my direct points for my stays at the newer resorts. The direct points feel like precious treasure at times, given they access the full spectrum of DVC resorts. Thankfully, DVC makes it easy to select which contract(s) you will use when booking a trip.
When considering a hybrid membership, I encourage you to think about how many unrestricted points you will need. How often will you stay at the newer resorts? A general rule of thumb is to buy 10% more points than you think you will need. This will allow some flexibility to travel in different seasons or for any annual changes to the points charts. I would apply this logic to both direct and resale contracts.
Resale Timeline
The resale process timeline is considerably lengthier compared to buying direct from Disney. On average, it can take 60 to 90 days to complete a resale contract purchase. When buying direct, the points are loaded nearly immediately. As an eager new member, I not so patiently waited for this process to be completed.
Hybrid Membership Tips
Direct or Resale First?
Once you’ve decided to become a hybrid member, consider whether you will buy your direct or resale points first. As mentioned, I purchased my resale contract first. At the time, the current incentives offered by Disney were not particularly strong compared to historical incentives. I found a great Bay Lake Tower contract on the resale market and purchased it. As soon as I closed on this purchase, the new Disney incentives came out and were much stronger, so I was glad I waited. I was also able to access the special member pricing for add-on direct contracts.
The downside to this strategy is the length of the resale buying process. I did not have an upcoming trip planned, so I was happy to wait. If you have an upcoming trip planned, it would be better to purchase direct first as the points load nearly immediately.
Note that Disney’s direct prices and incentives change regularly, so this is an individual determination to make.
Consider the Use Year
As a new member, it is generally easier to keep all points within the same use year. Buying resale first will allow you to pick the use year that works best for your personal situation. Once you own a contract, Disney will match your existing use year when adding on any future contracts. If you buy direct points first, often Disney will direct you to a specific use year that they are promoting, offering less flexibility.
Contract Names
In order to keep your contracts listed under one membership, they must be listed under the same name(s) and be the same use year. Whether you buy resale or direct first, provide the same names on each contract. Ensure that the spelling and initials are identical on each contract.
Home Resort Considerations
I chose to purchase two different home resorts. This gives me access to the 11 month home resort advantage at both properties. I do not mind split stays, so I bought one resort in the Magic Kingdom resort area and one in the Epcot resort area. I was also comfortable with banking and borrowing points each year. This is the strategy you can use when you need more points to be accessible at the home resort priority window.
However, to keep it simpler, you may choose to buy all of your points at one home resort. If you buy a newer resort, such as Riviera or the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, remember that a resale contract will only allow you to stay at that specific resort.
A Disney Vacation Club membership is an individual decision, and there is no one “right” way to be a member. Having a hybrid membership can open up the best of both worlds, balancing direct membership flexibility with significant resale cost savings. However, whether you are a direct, resale, or hybrid owner, we are all part of the same DVC community.
Let us know in the comments – what type of DVC member are you? Have you ever considered becoming a hybrid DVC member? If so, where would you buy?
Donna Witte
May 14, 2025I went hybrid. Bought resale 1st at Polly 150 pts. Then a month later bought Disneyland Hotel direct 150 pts. I wanted the perks and the flexibility. Also wanted to be able to book out on the west coast and the grand cal is too hard to get. I thought the resale might be better at Disneyland too since there’s still limited options. ( Look how low Riviera sells now due to restrictions). Disney has tried different ways to discourage resale contracts but the restriction to only use home resort for the new resort takes away considerable value.