Thinking of buying - want advice

[cobenz]

Hi guys,
I'm thinking of buying DVC within the next year or two (once I have more saved up) and am definitely thinking of buying at least partially direct from Disney. I think I would need 150 pts total in order to do all the vacations I am dreaming of. Wondering if you guys know how much stock Disney usually has of older resorts (because I'm not very interested in Aulani or Riviera). Also, I have debated potentially purchasing 100 from disney and 50 from resale. What are the potential benefits/drawbacks? I realize I would have to purchase at an older resort in order to get those 50 points applicable to most resorts. But is it inconvenient to try to book resorts when you have points from multiple contracts? Is there ever confusion about whether you are a direct buyer or not in terms of perks? I have heard people mention getting their 'blue card' when buying direct. What does that exactly mean? Do you not get a member card when you purchase resale? I'd love some help clearing these things up. Thanks!

 

[Lumpy1106]

Good luck finding a 50 point resale contract - those are hard to find. As long as you have the same resort and the same use year, points are points. Suggest you find that smaller resale contract first, then go to Disney and buy the 100 point contract to match the resale contract. Blue card comes with the min 100 point direct contract and entitles you to discounts and perks. It does not matter where the points came from (direct vs. resale) when booking the resort. Only the direct points can be used at Riviera and newer (future) resorts. Disney does not necessarily have any older resort contracts on hand to sell direct - they get older resort contracts by buying them back through ROFR.

Those are the quick answers. IMHO, if you do not purchase annual passes and you do not have any interest in Riviera or newer resorts, you'll probably just want to buy resale. You'll save thousands and you'll probably never use the direct perks enough to make up the difference.

 

[macman123]

Blue card is where you get perks - annual pass discounts, lounge access etc.
You get a white card if you buy resale. You need 100 points to get a Blue card and perks

 

[LTJoeFlo]

When weighing the options of purchasing resale or new, I would focus on 2 things:
- Stage of Life (family size, age, etc)
- Use (When you visit, size of room)

Resale contracts restrict you to the "legacy" (pre-Riviera) DVC resorts. If you purchase a resale contract you will not be allowed to book the newer resorts and those that haven't been built yet. We are a young family and can easily go for the next 30 years. We enjoy staying at all the resorts and want to be able to do that in the future. We also go at least once a year. Disney has already built 3 new resorts since our original purchase in 2013. Buying through Disney will provide more flexibility many years from now.

Additionally, if you buy through Disney you will get issued a "Use Year." There is a very high likelihood that a resale contract will not have the same use year. This will make it somewhat difficult to use all 150 points, depending on how often you go. Your booking window will determine what is available. If you are only looking at studios and plan on going every year, I would strongly recommend not buying separate contracts.

We looked at resale, inventory, and new contracts last year. We ended up going with new because of our age and desire for flexibility. If you only see yourself going every other year, and are not worried about which resort you stay at, I would recommend resale.

 

[heynowirv]

Blue card is where you get perks - annual pass discounts, lounge access etc.
You get a white card if you buy resale. You need 100 points to get a Blue card and perks

What about Moonlight Magic?

 

[heynowirv]

Additionally, if you buy through Disney you will get issued a "Use Year." There is a very high likelihood that a resale contract will not have the same use year. This will make it somewhat difficult to use all 150 points, depending on how often you go. Your booking window will determine what is available. If you are only looking at studios and plan on going every year, I would strongly recommend not buying separate contracts.

The UY is up to you when you but direct ,when looking for a resale contract make sure you find a contract with the same UY ,it just makes things easier to organize your points.

 

[Marionnette]

What about Moonlight Magic?

Only with a blue card.

 

[heynowirv]

Only with a blue card.

Yea, that's what I thought just wanted someone else to second it for OP

 

[CastAStone]

Hi guys,
I'm thinking of buying DVC within the next year or two (once I have more saved up) and am definitely thinking of buying at least partially direct from Disney. I think I would need 150 pts total in order to do all the vacations I am dreaming of. Wondering if you guys know how much stock Disney usually has of older resorts (because I'm not very interested in Aulani or Riviera). Also, I have debated potentially purchasing 100 from disney and 50 from resale. What are the potential benefits/drawbacks? I realize I would have to purchase at an older resort in order to get those 50 points applicable to most resorts. But is it inconvenient to try to book resorts when you have points from multiple contracts? Is there ever confusion about whether you are a direct buyer or not in terms of perks? I have heard people mention getting their 'blue card' when buying direct. What does that exactly mean? Do you not get a member card when you purchase resale? I'd love some help clearing these things up. Thanks!

Where *do* you want to own?

 

[cobenz]

Where *do* you want to own?

I have no real resort preference (I will likely book at the 7 month mark and will be able to choose multiple different resorts to stay at regardless, so thinking of Old Key West and Animal Kingdom Lodge in terms of price and expiration year

 

[cobenz]

Follow up question:
Is there a benefit to buying a resale contract at a different resort? Say I get direct points at one resort and then buy resale at another resort. Will I be able to book the full amount of points at either resort at the 11 month window? Or will I have to keep my direct points at that resort and the resale points at that resort until the 7 month window?

 

[Carol_]

Follow up question:
Is there a benefit to buying a resale contract at a different resort? Say I get direct points at one resort and then buy resale at another resort. Will I be able to book the full amount of points at either resort at the 11 month window? Or will I have to keep my direct points at that resort and the resale points at that resort until the 7 month window?

The latter. And get the same use year

 

[Sandisw]

Follow up question:
Is there a benefit to buying a resale contract at a different resort? Say I get direct points at one resort and then buy resale at another resort. Will I be able to book the full amount of points at either resort at the 11 month window? Or will I have to keep my direct points at that resort and the resale points at that resort until the 7 month window?

Points never change home resorts, Doesn’t matter if you buy resale or direct,

I won SSR, RIV and soon BLT again, I can only use my RIV points at RIV at 11 months, my SSR points at SSR, and my BLT points at BLT.

Because some of my SSR points are in the same membership as my RIV points, I can use them together at 7 months, but not before.

 

[CastAStone]

I have no real resort preference (I will likely book at the 7 month mark and will be able to choose multiple different resorts to stay at regardless, so thinking of Old Key West and Animal Kingdom Lodge in terms of price and expiration year

Between the two you’ll probably have better luck finding a small AKV contract for resale. It’s a pretty large resort and Disney was ROFRing contracts for it in significant quantities earlier this year (before the whole, you know, everything), so I’m betting they have some direct points to sell you right now, although no promises.