IF I were shopping for resale RIV…

[🍀TwinsMom]

I am staying at BCV for a week in May. I was able to waitlist a 7 day stay with SAB closed and that is probably the last time as a non - owner that I will get a studio week in May. I like the pool by BCV but hate SAB as a solo adult. I agree it looks better from the outside than when you try to use it.

Getting back to RIV - it is so hard to explain to others when it looks so much like a bad choice on paper. The benefits of RIV have to be experienced. The slower pace, the less stressful environment, the staff and management are better. The adult pool and hottub are relaxing ( even if it looks plain) . And the tower aspect of being able to run to the lobby and get a drink / coffee in minutes. I use a step tracker and the walking is significantly less at RIV vs SSR / POLY or VGF. Also the room mix having lots of dedicated 2br / Tower / Lockoffs so much easer for large family groups than BW.

The fellow guests are just different from what I experienced at Poly, nearly all DVC and I had multiple pleasant conversations in the pool where as at Poly or GF there were a lot more unhappy people and griping about Disney.

If I had to do it all over I would have passed on Poly and BW and just added resale RIV to my direct RIV as I could easily stay at RIV 100% of the time.

Thank you! Yes to everything. My DH and I just did Valentine's at PIT studio, and we enjoyed the tower/room very much and Wailulu, but OMG, the hectic pace, kids running everywhere, packed walkways and hot tubs (with almost all kids +/-5,) cramped walkways outside Captain Cook's/Tambu/Ohana/Trader Sam's -- it's just BUSY. We ironically found the monorail very pleasant this trip, but we also never rope dropped or did fireworks.

I don't *regret* buying a small Poly contract, but I'm *glad* we bought a small Poly contract. I canceled our Poly waitlist for Thanksgiving in favor of staying at Riviera. We just exhale and RELAX when we're there, and we felt like we had a chronic low-grade irritation, like a pebble in your shoe while you're rushing to get somewhere when at Poly. It's just not restful like how we feel at Riviera.

We brought friends to check out Riviera, toured the grounds and restaurants, lobby, shop, and ended at sunset outside Topolinos with a perfect cotton-candy sky, light breeze, no one caring we were out there just enjoying the view. They were blown away how perfect it was.

It's a vibe!

 

[BrianLo]

As another data point, I work backwards from what I think ‘washing points’ would be worth it to me to see how much restrictions impact value. Maybe, maybe 20$. But the more points you own the less valuable I actually find 7 month access is. I actually place far more value where the 11mo booking window gets me.

So that said, since I feel a small loaded contract at CCV at 140 was a great price, I personally put RIV 11mo access on a similar plane of existence and would jump without thinking on a small 120 loaded. I’d even maybe consider 130. For larger contracts I’d want another 15-20$ off and I just find the market doesn’t value stripped contracts correctly so don’t shop in that wheelhouse. But I’d want 15$ off pp regardless of what resort I’m buying for every missing year of points and 7.50 if I would have to pay maintenance fees on it.

 

[BrianLo]

100%. And if $120 makes locked in Riv resale a steal, I can’t imagine what that makes current CCV and BLT prices. Absolutely outrageously cheap? They offer a lot more flexibility and expire within a decade of Riv.

Whoops, making my way through this thread. Yes, CCV and BLT have (IMO) been a total steal. When I said 120 above I meant against small loaded contract, which also means 100 for the larger contracts that you guys are likely referring to. Huge proponent that CCV and BLT have had a buying moment that I don’t expect to last.

Basically, if going RIV, I want 20$ off CCV/BLT. For a similar size, load, etc. Which RIV still isn’t doing. I’d also never actively recommend it for someone’s first or even second contract. You need a tradable base before the 7 month lock doesn’t really matter as much.

If Disney offered me the ability to wash resale RIV points for 30pp, I legitimately wouldn’t take it. Far too much asking for a benefit I don’t really need anymore due to having a semi-lean and wide portfolio.

 

[Brian Noble]

If it happens, it will be more than $30 (in 2025 dollars)

Marriott charges about 17% of the retail base price, which at current DVC prices would mean just about $40. And I bet Disney charges a higher percentage of base than Marriott.

 

[BrianLo]

If it happens, it will be more than $30 (in 2025 dollars)

Marriott charges about 17% of the retail base price, which at current DVC prices would mean just about $40. And I bet Disney charges a higher percentage of base than Marriott.

Oh for sure, it would most certainly be more. Just mentioning what I would personally value it as.

The market still doesn’t even value the OKW extension for what people paid for it. Certainly not what people paid in a post inflationary sense. That’s been framed as a no brainer offer but really logic dictates it wasn’t… but the value is what the market pays for it, not what Disney arbitrary sets it at. I don’t think the market is ever going to value restrictions significantly more than a 20$ discount… if they do… well then I’m taking advantage of it and buying.

 

[atthebeachclub]

If it happens, it will be more than $30 (in 2025 dollars)

Marriott charges about 17% of the retail base price, which at current DVC prices would mean just about $40. And I bet Disney charges a higher percentage of base than Marriott.

I’d pay that on one my largest BLT contract, especially if it got me member benefits.

 

[DVCsloth]

Any chance Disney would refund some money to people who bought direct as the only way to get membership extras?

 

[Brian Noble]

Whatever you are smoking, I will have some*.

But I also don't think Disney will follow in Marriott's footsteps. I think instead they will either stand pat or go the Diamond route and require one to buy new points to bring old points into the system. And, I'd guess that such a program would start at whatever the current Membership Extras level is.

---
*: Kidding. I'm sober, not California Sober.

 

[DVCsloth]

Whatever you are smoking, I will have some.

Pixie dust.

 

[Sandisw]

Any chance Disney would refund some money to people who bought direct as the only way to get membership extras?

Not sure what you mean. Why would anyone get a refund?

 

[DVCsloth]

Not sure what you mean. Why would anyone get a refund?

Mostly joking. Not a big fan of making a set of rules and selling millions of dollars worth of points and then changing the rules for resale points. I get it though that the legal wording most likely allows all kinds of things that I'm not aware of.

 

[Sandisw]

Mostly joking. Not a big fan of making a set of rules and selling millions of dollars worth of points and then changing the rules for resale points. I get it though that the legal wording most likely allows all kinds of things that I'm not aware of.

Well, all that is spelled out that they can change the rules in that way, in terms of restrictions.

They can remove, put back and even some level of cash situina. Basically, they have themselves the power to do what they want.

 

[Mouseforward]

If they were going to wash points I feel like Poly tower would have been the time. If they made it separate and restricted but offered a point wash for existing poly resale it would have had multiple takers.

 

[Brian Noble]

While they certainly can, I do not think they will suddenly make it cheaper to obtain Membership Extras.

 

[Girlstar30]

I don't think Riv is going to go down much lower than it is now for a while. Once it sells out, current members will be going resale if they want it i believe, because direct price is going to jump too high and with no incentives, forget it. I would go resale myself.

People will buy resale with all the restrictions for the same reason they're buying now knowing if they sell it there will be all these restrictions. They like the resort and it will be harder to book it once sold out and resale people can only book there as well. This will create the need to buy to book there at 11 months. Because of this i presume the price may even go higher. There's not as many rooms as AKV and other resorts, resort studio is not guaranteed now at 11 months even, imagine when a bunch of resale can only book there. We haven't seen what this looks like yet, but Disney knows there stuff. They're not going to want the first restricted resort Riv to be unfavorable to potential buyers because this is the new model that will probably be the standard from here on out. Supply and demand, I think Riv resales are going to be hot. Riv is also going to be the last contract a lot of buyers sell off due to the restrictions. This is great for Disney because resale being too high means more new owners wanting direct for memebrship perks and it's great for Riv owners as well because there will also be less resale contracts on the market so they can sell higher. No matter what, resale will always be cheaper so there will be demand. A lot of people already owning direct are not going to buy direct again. Disney will exercise ROFR so it doesn't go down too low and retain value if necessary if I'm wrong and people aren't buying. They want their product to be attractive all around.

If this was years ago I would guess that BCV and BWV would be worth way less because it's expiring way sooner, yet here it is holding it's own with resorts with way longer expirations because they're popular and close to Epcot and low points. Riv will hold it's own because it's going to be harder to stay there otherwise without an 11 month booking window among other things. And sure it costs less points to stay at those BCV and BWV so people go for it, but the higher Riv points makes sense given the luxurious rooms and other offerings. The Skyliner is kind of a ride in itself and the only connecting deluxe resort right now that connects to two parks. People's choices for an epcot resort is going to be ones that are expiring in around 15 years when it sells out or Riv which has way more time left.

As someone who is planning to buy direct Riv this year, if for some reason it wasn't in active sales anymore, I would still want it and opt for another resort direct and then go Riv resale. That's just my two cents. People will justify the purchase, oh If I want to stay at other resorts or don't feel like staying there one year I'll just rent the points for cash and stay somewhere else, etc or they'll just buy somewhere else direct and add Riv resale! The smaller contracts especially will be super hot which makes me think I really should split my 150 contract into two or three upon purchase.

 

[jolynne28]

but OMG, the hectic pace, kids running everywhere, packed walkways and hot tubs (with almost all kids +/-5,) cramped walkways outside Captain Cook's/Tambu/Ohana/Trader Sam's -- it's just BUSY. We ironically found the monorail very pleasant this trip, but we also never rope dropped or did fireworks.

We felt this so much the one time we stayed there, before the tower was completed. Small kids running everywhere, crowded hallways, very hard to get a quick service table just to sit down and eat. We definitely appreciate a more relaxed vibe.

 

[Girlstar30]

We felt this so much the one time we stayed there, before the tower was completed. Small kids running everywhere, crowded hallways, very hard to get a quick service table just to sit down and eat. We definitely appreciate a more relaxed vibe.

Same here, I really think this resort is more geared towards families with children with all the quick service/no fine dining/no king bed one bedrooms etc which is why as a couple with no children it has never been appealing to us. We also want the option to go with extended family and Poly doesn't have that option except for the outrageously priced bungalows. I think they were trying to attract more adults and extended family with the island tower and the bar and grill dining concept, but while the rooms are nice, the overcrowding is still an issue for us.