Think Twice Before Purchasing a Resale - New DVC Policy Set to Take Effect in March

[Ian]

I found this pricing info on the DVC News site this morning showing what Disney currently charges for points at older/sold out resorts:

*BCV - $115 per point
*BWV - $115 per point
*HHI - $80 per point
*OKW - $101 per point
*SSR - $120 per point (incentives offered)
*VB - $80 per point
*VGC - $120 per point
*VWL - $101 per point

AKV and Aulani are currently selling at $120 per point and BLT is at $130 (incentives offered), although the site also says that BLT is going up to $140 per point as of March 7, 2011.

A quick look at some resale listings show contracts available for OKW as low as $57 per point, BCV as low as $75 per point, BWV as low as $64 per point, HHI as low as $48 per point, SSR as low as $62 per point, VB as low as $42 per point, and VWL as low as $60 per point. So, in some cases, buying resale would save about half the cost of buying direct from Disney!

Not to point out the obvious here, but this is insanity. :shakehead:

[laprana]

SSR @ $120 with incentives and considered sold out? Something doesn't smell right with that one.

I don't think SSR is officially sold out yet. (I lumped it in with the others because it is one of the "older" DVC resorts). I could be completely wrong, but I think SSR was sold out and then they added points when they added the THVs and they have not sold out those points yet. But, again, I'm not positive on that.

[laprana]

Not to point out the obvious here, but this is insanity. :shakehead:

Absolutely. Even with the restriction on resale points, it's still well worth the savings to buy a resale contract if you know you're going to use your points at a DVC resort in WDW or VGC. To me, paying double just to use points on things that are a terrible use of points anyway is just plain dumb.

[UCJen]

I've never priced these direct from Disney, but if this is true it's near outrageous. Those prices are like double what they get on the open market.

Maybe I'm crazy, but this almost seems a bit like price fixing on Disney's part. The true value of what they're selling isn't anywhere near what they are charging for it, so they're using artificial means to prop up prices so they can continue to reap additional, unwarranted profits.

I find that extremely distasteful.

Yes, it certainly does look like price fixing. Because the only possible scenario I could think of was Disney responding to consumer demand. While not impossible, I find that highly unlikely in the current economic climate.

[LilOrmstonViolet38]

I don't think SSR is officially sold out yet. (I lumped it in with the others because it is one of the "older" DVC resorts). I could be completely wrong, but I think SSR was sold out and then they added points when they added the THVs and they have not sold out those points yet. But, again, I'm not positive on that.

this is true. we just bought SSR in jan when we were there from dvdi. but i felt like they were having issues selling. when we bought we went on a tour for the freebies (and have a few times on other trips...) it's just dh and i so we don't need much in points and knew that going in. we always go to wdw in jan (anniversary, and get away from snow!!) and only for 6 nites about every other year. so i told them we weren't interested in 100 points. the guide left the room and came back with a special for us. only 50 points. i thought i would have to buy resale to get that few of point. so i assume they are having issues selling if they are willing to sell so few of points... for first time buyers.. it was crazy.

[Brownie54]

As someone who has been "setting on the fence" about purchasing DVC for 2 - 3 years now, this thread has been very enlightening. So Disney can RORF a resale at SSR for $70 and then resell it for $120! Gee, if timeshares didn't already have a bad reputation. I better get a cushion because it looks like I'll be on this fence for quite a bit longer.

[DizneyRox]

As someone who has been "setting on the fence" about purchasing DVC for 2 - 3 years now, this thread has been very enlightening. So Disney can RORF a resale at SSR for $70 and then resell it for $120! Gee, if timeshares didn't already have a bad reputation. I better get a cushion because it looks like I'll be on this fence for quite a bit longer.

Yes... They would pay the $70 to the seller however. Not sure why this would/should have any bearing on your decision however.

[Brownie54]

Yes... They would pay the $70 to the seller however. Not sure why this would/should have any bearing on your decision however.

It has a bearing on my decision because of the way Disney tries to inflate their value. I understand why Disney does it. It just makes me trust them a little less. Disney wants SSR to sell for $120 when the true value is more like $70. It reminds me of our housing fiasco(somewhat).
Trust is very important because of the way DVC contracts are written. As I understand them Disney has a right to change things a lot. I'm no expert on this so I invite anyone to correct me if I'm off base.

[DizneyRox]

Oh, if you're talking about trust, then I'm afraid you might be barking up the wrong tree.

I don't "trust" Disney anymore. I don't think they have done anything that isn't spelled out in the agreements that everyone signs when they buy into DVC. The "problem" is, the language is legalease and is mostly open to interpretation. I don't think anyone thought that Disney would do the major restructuring of points they have been doing the past few years (weekends vs weekday point costs) but they are/were completely within their right to do that. It's in black and white with everyone's signature not far behind.

Disney will do whatever they can to shake every last dollar out of every guest's pocket that steps foot on property. That is a 100% fact in my mind. I am on guard during my whole trip to prevent that from happening, and I've been mostly successful.

Understanding that will make your trips more enjoyable. I know a lot of people who have come back from WDW lately with a bad taste in their mouth. It just catches them off guard.

If you feel that SSR is worth $70 a point, then that's what it's worth and buy it at that. If you feel it's worth $120 a point, buy it at that. When I was selling my house, I thought it was worth a lot more than I got for it. That didn't stop me from selling it, and it didn't stop someone else from buying it.

[Brownie54]

Thanks for your response DizRocs. I just hate to think there are some people who spend hard earned money buying SSR from Disney's inflated price and later learns they could have gotten a resale for much, much, less.

[DizneyRox]

Agreed, and Disney has been able to keep that idea going for a bit. A lot of poepple ask, which makes me think that it's somehow being reported, that Disney points are better than resale points. I don't understand how they think they can maintain the price with the dimished value. For example, AKL points expire the same time if you bought them year one or now. Plus, I've always thought the initial cost of the points was to pay for building the resort, so how could new points go up in cost once the resort is complete? Sounds like Hollywood math to me.

I've alweays seen reslae as a better value, even when the new changes go into effect. Spending your points on anything other than DVC resorts really takes any value out of your membership. While it's nice to be able to get away, the ROI really doesn't make a lot of financial sense.

I just wish my AKL points were available at resale when we purchased.

[Zone Stop]

Just to clarify, Saratoga DID sell out before they opened the Treehouses.