Purchasing strategy - RIV vs wait for Poly

[Tatebeck]

Probably because the new tower can be booked with most resale points, which wouldn't have happened if it was a new association. It also has a shorter expiration now as well.

 

[intamin]

Curious why it being part of the same association means you will not add on?

NVM, misunderstood your statement. Good point.

I'm assuming she doesn't want to add on at Poly because since it's part of the existing association it also has the points from the longhouse and bungalows attached to it, meaning it will be harder to book the tower as there is a larger pool of points vying for the 1/2BRs. It may also simply because since it's part of the same association she can 7 month into it with her existing points although I'm going to bet it's more of the former since she has predominantly direct points.

 

[Tatebeck]

Ohh, yeah that would make sense too if looking for more of the larger rooms only

 

[supercarrie]

I'm assuming she doesn't want to add on at Poly because since it's part of the existing association it also has the points from the longhouse and bungalows attached to it, meaning it will be harder to book the tower as there is a larger pool of points vying for the 1/2BRs. It may also simply because since it's part of the same association she can 7 month into it with her existing points although I'm going to bet it's more of the former since she has predominantly direct points.

As someone who wants a 1 bedroom ideally, this is actually a very good point. My guess is even at 11 months, there will be lots of competition for the 1 bedrooms at Poly. The projected number of that unit type seemed fairly low to me - I think I saw only 24 dedicated 1 bedrooms and 46 lockoff 2 bedrooms? Is that lower than comparably sized properties?

 

[intamin]

As someone who wants a 1 bedroom ideally, this is actually a very good point. My guess is even at 11 months, there will be lots of competition for the 1 bedrooms at Poly. The projected number of that unit type seemed fairly low to me - I think I saw only 24 dedicated 1 bedrooms and 46 lockoff 2 bedrooms? Is that lower than comparably sized properties?

I think the issue is there's 300+ studios worth of points from the existing association and what we'll likely have is similar to how things are at VGF and VDH currently where there's an excess of studios comparatively and more competition for 1/2BRs rather than there being an issue with the distribution of the tower itself.

 

[Sandisw]

Curious why it being part of the same association means you will not add on?

NVM, misunderstood your statement. Good point.

We are not fans of the current longhouses so we don’t want to compete with that many points at the 11 month window for tower rooms. Even if only 25% of current PVB owners want to book at the new tower…i think it will be higher.. that is about 1 million extra points competing for those rooms.

No sense in having home resort advantage if we are going to potentially get shut out and only have the long houses to choose from.

We’d rather take our chances at 7 months since we do own VGF, along with RIV and SSR. So, makes sense to make our next purchase RIV, as it is our top resort.

 

[SugarSweetLee]

90 day payment does extend time to cancel. Technically the contract does not close until the full down payment is made.

You can start booking with your points right away though, right? That's what our guide told us...

 

[Sandisw]

You can start booking with your points right away though, right? That's what our guide told us...

Yes, you get points to book right away but I would want in writing thst they will allow you to cancel the contract beyond the 10 days that the law allows.

We have always been told that the 90 days doesn’t override that. Just allows you to spread payments out.

 

[intamin]

Yeahh I did the 90 day payment on our last contract and they had the points in my account before I had even signed

 

[supercarrie]

I think the issue is there's 300+ studios worth of points from the existing association and what we'll likely have is similar to how things are at VGF and VDH currently where there's an excess of studios comparatively and more competition for 1/2BRs rather than there being an issue with the distribution of the tower itself.

Yes, when thinking about comparably sized properties, I was thinking about the totality of the Polynesian as a whole.

The idea of fighting at 11 months for a 1 bedroom really isn’t appealing. And since Poly studios are fairly available at 7 months, I wouldn’t be fully shut out of Poly.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Yeahh I did the 90 day payment on our last contract and they had the points in my account before I had even signed

This is the biggest benefit of direct imo.

 

[supercarrie]

Ok, I think I've talked myself out of Poly (for today at least, ha). Next question - we will probably buy 150, maybe 175-200 points. If we went with 200, would you split it into two contracts of 150 + 50? I think the minimum contract size at Riviera is 50?

 

[intamin]

Ok, I think I've talked myself out of Poly (for today at least, ha). Next question - we will probably buy 150, maybe 175-200 points. If we went with 200, would you split it into two contracts of 150 + 50? I think the minimum contract size at Riviera is 50?

Yes, the minimum contract at Riviera is 50. I would consider doing a fixed week even if you have no intention of using it as such just because they tend to hold higher resale value than a non-fixed week. So you would just need to find a fixed week you like or a week you think is popular and then round up to 200 from there.

For example if the fixed week is 135 points like mine is, you would then add a 65 point contract to get you up to 200 then. The only downside of this is if you sell the 65 pointer down the line you will lose your direct benefits because you will have less than 150 direct points. So if you wanted to know regardless you will keep your benefits should you sell the smaller contract, you either have to find a fixed week that has more than 150 points in it and then add a 50 on top of that or just do a 150/50 split like you originally said you would and forget the fixed week altogether.

 

[DVC Gma]

We are not fans of the current longhouses so we don’t want to compete with that many points at the 11 month window for tower rooms. Even if only 25% of current PVB owners want to book at the new tower…i think it will be higher.. that is about 1 million extra points competing for those rooms.

No sense in having home resort advantage if we are going to potentially get shut out and only have the long houses to choose from.

We’d rather take our chances at 7 months since we do own VGF, along with RIV and SSR. So, makes sense to make our next purchase RIV, as it is our top resort.

I wish I had this figured out for myself! I can’t decide at all.

 

[sndral]

Your goal is to alternate 1 br. stays at Poly/Riv. every 2 years & you currently own BLT points purchased resale this year. Those BLT points cannot be used at one of your target resorts - Riviera, but could theoretically be used at 7 months at the other - Poly.
Since you are planning to use your direct points to alternate an 11 month booking w/ a 7 month booking every 2 years, I’d focus on which resort you think will be harder to get your 1 br. villa at 7 months & buy that one.
What’s working against you in the 7 month lottery is that you want longer stays, you have a child & will presumably be working around his school schedule, & you are west coast based - which IME requires a bit more planning.
In your favor - you want 1 br.s which tend to book last. That said, the addition of all of those resort studios at VGF has increased booking pressure on the VGF 1 br.s, I fully expect that the Poly will experience a similar higher than normal 1 br. demand.
The 2 resorts 1 br. comparison break down:

Riviera 6.7 million points, 2 views, 65 standard view 1 br.s + 112 preferred 1 br.s = 177 total 1 br.s.

Poly 4 million longhouse points + ? Island points (2 or 3 million or more?) 3 views - theme park, preferred, standard = 70 total 1 br.s.*

If I run the numbers, in the 11 month window there will be (once sold out) around 38,000 points eligible to book each of the Riviera’s 177 1 br.s. If I assume Poly will become a 7 million point resort, there will be 100,000 points eligible to book the 70 Poly 1 br.s. On paper it looks like Poly will be 2-3 times more likely to be booked before 7 months.
At 7 months Riviera’s resale restrictions skew things, no recent resale buyers can book there - but lots of older resale owners can & since Riviera resale buyers can only book there they’ll likely book early. Given the massive number of points both direct & grandfathered resale in the system eligible to book Riviera at 7 months, I think it will be years before we see any meaningful 7 month availability impact.
Based on those numbers, I expect getting a Riviera 1 br. to be easier at 7 months - but you’ll most likely have to settle for preferred view. Getting one of the 70 Poly 1 br. in any view category at 7 months will likely be much like getting one of the 65 Riviera standard view 1 br.s at 7 months is now.

*Projected no. of Poly 1 br.s based on this article https://dvcnews.com/wdw-resorts/pol...egories-confirmed-speculation-on-villa-makeup btw, I love the fact that they opted for 2 full bathrooms in those Poly 1 br.s v. the split bathrooms!

 

[radiodome21]

Yeah I too am in a similar conundrum. I actually reached out to my guide a few weeks ago to get pricing on Riv and VDL. Curiousity struck. I told my guide I wanted to stand pat until the new incentives come out and see what poly gets offered at. I also own at VGF but I want an Epcot resort. Restrictions aside Riviera checks that box.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

Yeahh I did the 90 day payment on our last contract and they had the points in my account before I had even signed

Literally - like before I got off the phone.

 

[DVC Gma]

Yes, when thinking about comparably sized properties, I was thinking about the totality of the Polynesian as a whole.

The idea of fighting at 11 months for a 1 bedroom really isn’t appealing. And since Poly studios are fairly available at 7 months, I wouldn’t be fully shut out of Poly.

I was sad to not get Poly this year in May, but GF was available. This was 7 months out. Last time I did get PBV.
Forgot to add we also got days over at BLT over those 2 weeks too.

 

[SugarSweetLee]

Literally - like before I got off the phone.

Is there some kind of welcome gift sent when you purchase a new contract and you aren't on site/in person? Someone mentioned it and I was just curious

 

[intamin]

Is there some kind of welcome gift sent when you purchase a new contract and you aren't on site/in person? Someone mentioned it and I was just curious

They give you the standard water bottle, cooling towel, certificate in a package sent to your house