Incentives and new pricing winter/spring 2025

[tx911]

DVC is the long game. It’s ok not moving too fast. There’s many different strategies, and the best fit depends on our individual priorities and travel patterns.

We ended up starting with a smaller resale contract. That helped in 2 ways. It gave us the experience to see what we found important, plus we saved money adding on direct with the existing member incentives. Another advantage to buying resale first is having choice from many UYs, then direct seamlessly matching it later. Quite a bit different the other way around starting with direct then being limited to 1 UY resale to match.

It worked out ok for us. The resale contract tided us over until something came along that gave us full confidence to buy. We were watching resale to add a monorail resort when direct came out with such great incentives for VGF it was too good to pass up.

If you’re not totally feeling it or unsure what direction to go, getting your toes wet with a smaller resale contract can be a good place to start. In the meantime you can keep saving up because you’ll probably want more

Yeah, I love the idea of DVC being the long game.

But then my tiny, dopamine-starved brain starts thinking:
If I don't buy more RIV direct now, I will only be able to get restricted RIV points, and that window is shrinking fast.
This is the last chance to own direct points at Poly, one of the OG best resorts.
Everyone is saying how great fixed weeks are, which are easy to get direct and nearly impossible via resale.

UGH.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Yeah, I love the idea of DVC being the long game.

But then my tiny, dopamine-starved brain starts thinking:
If I don't buy more RIV direct now, I will only be able to get restricted RIV points, and that window is shrinking fast.
This is the last chance to own direct points at Poly, one of the OG best resorts.
Everyone is saying how great fixed weeks are, which are easy to get direct and nearly impossible via resale.

UGH.

I think FW’s and PIT are the wild card here. The earlier FW at Poly can only be used in the long houses ( OG Poly). The current FW are for PIT only. Also, looking at the points chart, I can not believe DVC is letting a FW resort deluxe studio go for 114 pts. Over a holiday week ( Labor Day) in addition to the month of September.

I think week 39 is sold out because for a couple of months I kept inquiring and it was never available. I just purchased week 36, which is over Labor Day holiday. I feel this is a steal for a FW, and no other season for a deluxe resort studio comes close to 114 pts.

I look for this FW timeframe to increase in points sooner rather than later.

 

[tx911]

I'm for sure buying more points than I need.
Ah but those memories.
I'm holding on to those like precious pieces of gold. The money means less and less the older I get.

I think FW’s and PIT are the wild card here. The earlier FW at Poly can only be used in the long houses ( OG Poly). The current FW are for PIT only. Also, looking at the points chart, I can not believe DVC is letting a FW resort deluxe studio go for 114 pts. Over a holiday week ( Labor Day) in addition to the month of September.

I think week 39 is sold out because for a couple of months I kept inquiring and it was never available. I just purchased week 36, which is over Labor Day holiday. I feel this is a steal for a FW, and no other season for a deluxe resort studio comes close to 114 pts.

I look for this FW timeframe to increase in points sooner rather than later.

They're for PIT, but if you cancel your FW booking you can use them anywhere, right?

 

[DanCali]

I think FW’s and PIT are the wild card here. The earlier FW at Poly can only be used in the long houses ( OG Poly). The current FW are for PIT only. Also, looking at the points chart, I can not believe DVC is letting a FW resort deluxe studio go for 114 pts. Over a holiday week ( Labor Day) in addition to the month of September.

I think week 39 is sold out because for a couple of months I kept inquiring and it was never available. I just purchased week 36, which is over Labor Day holiday. I feel this is a steal for a FW, and no other season for a deluxe resort studio comes close to 114 pts.

I look for this FW timeframe to increase in points sooner rather than later.

The fact that's it's 114 points is neither here nor there. Booking that room as a regular owner at 11 months out (or at any other time) is 104 points. You'd just be paying/buying an extra 10% on top of that for the FW privilege.

I can't argue about Labor Day being a "holiday", but it's a very unpopular holiday for (i) travel with kids and (ii) travel to Florida. It's not Thanksgiving, Christmas or New Year. And it's not like Easter Week or Memorial Day Week either. Or even MLK Day or Presidents' Day...

If that works for you, that's great - but for most people with kids, Labor Day is school season and doesn't work out. Most have already taken their summer vacations in June, July or August. In fact, Labor Day week is also one of best weeks to be in the parks, because the lines are (relatively) extremely short. But again, there's a reason... It's Florida right after the summer - kids are back in school, it's still very hot and humid, and it's also during the very peak of hurricane season.

If you look at the historical availability tables, I doubt you'll find many places (aside from maybe the usual AKVJH Value and Club and BWV Resort) where Labor Day week is not available at 11 months out. So is it worth the extra 10% points to book it as a fixed week if you could almost certainly book it without that premium?

 

[Girlstar30]

Yeah, I love the idea of DVC being the long game.

But then my tiny, dopamine-starved brain starts thinking:
If I don't buy more RIV direct now, I will only be able to get restricted RIV points, and that window is shrinking fast.
This is the last chance to own direct points at Poly, one of the OG best resorts.
Everyone is saying how great fixed weeks are, which are easy to get direct and nearly impossible via resale.

UGH.

I totally think so too I am scared that it sells out and then I'm stuck with restricted which I won't buy so that pretty much means that I won't get to own there at all. I'm hoping that riv is still available later this year I think it will be and I'm just going to pull the trigger. I love that resort and what's a few hundred more, in the end I would still be paying WAY MORE out of pocket to stay there even if the price goes up

 

[Brian Noble]

So is it worth the extra 10% points to book it as a fixed week if you could almost certainly book it without that premium?

The good news is that if it remains easy to book, it is no effort to opt out of the fixed week and book it conventionally, using the other points for something else. The fixed week is a hedge against future availability concerns.

 

[DanCali]

The good news is that if it remains easy to book, it is no effort to opt out of the fixed week and book it conventionally, using the other points for something else. The fixed week is a hedge against future availability concerns.

True - it's easy to do and not a lot of effort, but how many owners actually bother to do that in practice, or do they just let it stay on "autopilot" and pay the extra 10%?

Similar to the Marriott system, where Elite owners can cancel & rebook points reservations (subject to availability) inside 60 days when a 30% discount applies, and get back 30% of the points in a holding account. It happens (I certainly do it if I can) but I suspect the vast majority of owners don't even try that at 60 days out.

 

[tx911]

True - it's easy to do and not a lot of effort, but how many owners actually bother to do that in practice, or do they just let it stay on "autopilot" and pay the extra 10%?

Similar to the Marriott system, where Elite owners can cancel & rebook points reservations (subject to availability) inside 60 days when a 30% discount applies, and get back 30% of the points in a holding account. It happens (I certainly do it if I can) but I suspect the vast majority of owners don't even try that at 60 days out.

To clarify for me, if you leave your FW as booked, you will end up paying 10% more points than it would cost if booked in the conventional manner?

Never mind, I found the answer (yes).

 

[supercarrie]

To clarify for me, if you leave your FW as booked, you will end up paying 10% more points than it would cost if booked in the conventional manner?

This depends on the FW chart. There is typically a roughly ~10% premium, but in the case of my FW (week 7, standard deluxe studio at Riviera), I actually am currently using fewer points to book the FW compared to if I booked it the traditional way.

The FW chart is set and doesn't change once you purchase, but as the points charts can fluctuate in small amounts each year, it isn't always a 10% premium. There are some sweet spots and some that cost WAY more than 10%. (Christmas week at Riviera, I'm looking at you!)

The DVC Field Guide this year has a great chart showing the FWs and the % premium (or discount) you get based on current point charts.

 

[DanCali]

To clarify for me, if you leave your FW as booked, you will end up paying 10% more points than it would cost if booked in the conventional manner?

That's my understanding (we don't own a FW). 10% premium based on the original inception charts, which sometimes vary a bit over time.

You are also limited to a Sunday-Sunday reservation.

Thread 'All About Fixed Weeks (RIV/CCV/AUL/VGF/POLY/TOWER/VHD/FWC Charts)'

Jul 8, 2020

Most Recent FW Charts last updated - October 2024

You can find historical Fixed Week Point Charts at this post (Post #9 below) and this post (Post #13 below)

If you have any updated FW point charts drop them and tag me and I will look to update.

Note that some suggestions may have changed in the first 19 pages of this thread based on the change from Fixed Weeks to "Favorite Weeks" in March 2022. We are through 57 pages as of Oct '24 as well.


Why a fixed week?

• There is no requirement to use it.
• Fixed weeks resolves issue...

• sethschroeder
• ccv fixed week guarenteed week poly riviera vgf
• Replies: 1,337
• Forum: Purchasing DVC

• 
• 

 

[tx911]

This depends on the FW chart. There is typically a roughly ~10% premium, but in the case of my FW (week 7, standard deluxe studio at Riviera), I actually am currently using fewer points to book the FW compared to if I booked it the traditional way.

The FW chart is set and doesn't change once you purchase, but as the points charts can fluctuate in small amounts each year, it isn't always a 10% premium. There are some sweet spots.

The DVC Field Guide this year has a great chart showing the FWs and the % premium (or discount) you get based on current point charts.

Thanks. Still, if you are looking to buy a FW I'd imagine it's important to make it a week that you actually enjoy going!

 

[Genie+]

Yeah, I love the idea of DVC being the long game.

But then my tiny, dopamine-starved brain starts thinking:
If I don't buy more RIV direct now, I will only be able to get restricted RIV points, and that window is shrinking fast.
This is the last chance to own direct points at Poly, one of the OG best resorts.
Everyone is saying how great fixed weeks are, which are easy to get direct and nearly impossible via resale.

UGH.

Great points! I feel that same urgency.

Then I force myself to think about all the fleeting opportunities thru DVC history where it seemed like nothing will ever be as good again, yet great things still kept popping up around the corner anyway. The key seems to be lucky timing or patience.

While I may have missed the chance to get RIV at $155 with 50 years left, a few years later I did get VGF at $161 with 41 years left and potentially better salvage value with OG trading. And if I missed that, who knows? Maybe I would’ve jumped on AKV flash sale. Maybe Lakeside Lodge ends up being our cup of tea and having a great offer at some point. Or something entirely new comes out, like a trust model, and DVC decides to build excitement with attractive pricing. Helps put that fomo in check lol, and the best time to buy DVC is after I am ready and certain, not before.

 

[Genie+]

The other good thing about FWs is locking in points/week. At least you know your capped cost even if that season gets increased years later. I remember CCV and PVB1 buyers who bought weeks that were later increased beyond the 10% premium. They chose well!

 

[tx911]

Great points! I feel that same urgency.

Then I force myself to think about all the fleeting opportunities thru DVC history where it seemed like nothing will ever be as good again, yet great things still kept popping up around the corner anyway. The key seems to be lucky timing or patience.

While I may have missed the chance to get RIV at $155 with 50 years left, a few years later I did get VGF at $161 with 41 years left and potentially better salvage value with OG trading. And if I missed that, who knows? Maybe I would’ve jumped on AKV flash sale. Maybe Lakeside Lodge ends up being our cup of tea and having a great offer at some point. Or something entirely new comes out, like a trust model, and DVC decides to build excitement with attractive pricing. Helps put that fomo in check lol, and the best time to buy DVC is after I am ready and certain, not before.

So it’s down to luck for me

 

[RivGirl]

Helps put that fomo in check lol, and the best time to buy DVC is after I am ready and certain, not before.

Love this perspective. Part of me hated to downsize our recent purchase from 300 to 150 points, but one of the supporting reasons was that we knew we wanted and could use 150 right away. 300 was a bit of an all-in gamble. And this way, who knows, we might decide we want a second home resort, or be able to jump on some great offer if/when it comes.

 

[Girlstar30]

So it’s down to luck for me

Same here, lsl doesn't really appeal to me, I'm not really a woodsy outdoor person and neither does poly, I know I'm weird and people love it. I feel like riviera is my last hope lol