EXPIRED - Direct Sales Incentives - Summer 2020 - Expanded list!

[sethschroeder]

I mean the $2/point discount on an 100 point add on that gets you the blue card is better than getting hit in the head with a brick, but yes, it's bizarre.

And for new members like me the 150 points needed to get a discount is prohibitive. I'd save so much money buying 100 points direct at no discount and the rest resale and the only incentive not to do so is that I can't stay at Riviera? Please.

Okay you can update BLT its the same as the OKW where its $2/$4/ect...

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

These seem like very good discounts. I believe there was a threat recently about the "great" BLT discounts years ago that were around 10%. Here, a modest 125 points is 12% off, then 16.7% off for 150 points and 18% off 200 points. $35/point for 200 points is nearly double the $20/point off from last incentive.



I've been in a similar boat. With Reflections off it feels like the earliest we'd see something new is 2025 and that feels like pushing. DVC's energy has shifted to the new California resort that it could be later in 2020s before we see anything else at WDW. At that point I'm not sure I'd really care about the 2030s when 2042 resorts will eventually be resold.

All that said I'm considering 200 points and having it split into 2 100 point contracts should I decide to unload in the future. Buying at $160/point leaves a lot of room to resell in 10-15 years if needed.

Timing wise, I'm considering the last week before the deadline and backing out and resigning if the Fall incentive numbers work out better.

I have resale points and want a blue card, but it's more an emotional thing than a math thing, although I'd love that Gold AP for math reasons. My problem is that SSR is the most economical of the direct options, but it doesn't really have a lot of booking benefit as a home resort.

What I want is to buy in at the new Disneyland Hotel DVC, but that's a gamble. I could be patient for what I really want, but if that also falls through like Reflections appears to have, I'd be missing out on the incentives now, as well as having access to the blue card benefits for more years. There's also the risk that they raise the threshold again, to more than 100 points.

Also, I don't actually need more points right now, especially considering cancelled trips and I think booking is going to be a challenge for the next few years. Travel is also going to be iffy for a while, and the fall-back plan of renting extra points is also not a viable option....but I still want a blue card.

 

[AKNOTTS66]

I have resale points and want a blue card, but it's more an emotional thing than a math thing, although I'd love that Gold AP for math reasons. My problem is that SSR is the most economical of the direct options, but it doesn't really have a lot of booking benefit as a home resort.

What I want is to buy in at the new Disneyland Hotel DVC, but that's a gamble. I could be patient for what I really want, but if that also falls through like Reflections appears to have, I'd be missing out on the incentives now, as well as having access to the blue card benefits for more years. There's also the risk that they raise the threshold again, to more than 100 points.

Also, I don't actually need more points right now, especially considering cancelled trips and I think booking is going to be a challenge for the next few years. Travel is also going to be iffy for a while, and the fall-back plan of renting extra points is also not a viable option....but I still want a blue card.

This was our thought process. We were looking at SSR because it was the cheapest direct at $165 but then you look at Riviera and think hmm. In January I think it was $186 if you bought so many I think it was down to $179 vs $165 at SSR plus its now good till 2070 at Riviera and it offers more home advantage. Thats why we went Riviera.

 

[Lorana]

Now if you love Riviera, then go for it. If you love CCV, maybe - but you can get a big discount on resale there as well. A guaranteed week during a hard to book time of the year (like December) is worth consideration there.

I had forgotten about guaranteed weeks! Okay, that was the tipping point for us.

We just decided to pull the trigger on CCV. We bought 236 points, in 2 118 point contracts (easy to pass on to our two children), with Fixed Week 47 (most years, that's Thanksgiving week) for the first contract and Fixed Week 48 (end November to first weekend of December).

It does mean every now and again (I think 2029 is the first time we have to worry about it), Week 47 will fall AFTER Thanksgiving. But the vast majority of the time, this will give us Thanksgiving and the first week of December, and that is such an awesome period to lock in.

I DID debate trying to secure TWO studios for Week 47, so that I could leave Thanksgiving week for each son, or guarantee 2 studios for all 4 of us. But they are now 16 and 13, and thinking that if we do Thanksgiving with them, we'll take our chance with booking them an extra room or upgrading to a 2 BR. I am selfishly thinking of that period where my husband and I are traveling alone in 5+ years and/or retired in 20+ years, and having those two weeks in Disney in a CCV studio guaranteed is just so sweet. Does mean the boys will have to figure out who gets what week when we pass them on.

Now I need to go back to our finances and figure out how to balance this in. I was able to get approval to spread it out over 90 days on my Disney Visa, so I'll get 0% financing for 6-9 months while I figure things out. May need to actually sell one of our existing contracts to help pay for this, and/or back out of one we have submitted now to ROFR, since I was NOT expecting to spend this much at this time, but this was too good a deal and gives us the direct benefits and guaranteed weeks, so I couldn't resist.

 

[Drewferin]

Looks like direct DVC sales has their online chat disabled. Im guessing they are still short staffed.

 

[Sandisw]

How does this compare to the incentives offered before the shutdown, particularly for Riviera?

I bit better I think..at least at the level I bought at in October. It was just over $170/pt for 175...I got another $1k off because my DD is a CM.

The higher levels seem better and there was never anything for 100 points I can remember.

 

[striker1064]

We just decided to pull the trigger on CCV. We bought 236 points, in 2 118 point contracts (easy to pass on to our two children), with Fixed Week 47 (most years, that's Thanksgiving week) for the first contract and Fixed Week 48 (end November to first weekend of December).

We own a runDisney GW at CCV for Wine and Dine race weekend and frankly, if that weekend weren't so close to December we'd likely buy another one for week 49 or 50.

 

[Lorana]

We own a runDisney GW at CCV for Wine and Dine race weekend and frankly, if that weekend weren't so close to December we'd likely buy another one for week 49 or 50.

I did debate about runDisney weekends, especially the Wine & Dine race. My husband has run the 5k on Castaway Cay three times, and once we are no longer tied to School Schedules, I'm hoping to get him into running at Disney, too.

 

[Lorana]

I had forgotten about guaranteed weeks! Okay, that was the tipping point for us.

We just decided to pull the trigger on CCV. We bought 236 points, in 2 118 point contracts (easy to pass on to our two children), with Fixed Week 47 (most years, that's Thanksgiving week) for the first contract and Fixed Week 48 (end November to first weekend of December).

It does mean every now and again (I think 2029 is the first time we have to worry about it), Week 47 will fall AFTER Thanksgiving. But the vast majority of the time, this will give us Thanksgiving and the first week of December, and that is such an awesome period to lock in.

I DID debate trying to secure TWO studios for Week 47, so that I could leave Thanksgiving week for each son, or guarantee 2 studios for all 4 of us. But they are now 16 and 13, and thinking that if we do Thanksgiving with them, we'll take our chance with booking them an extra room or upgrading to a 2 BR. I am selfishly thinking of that period where my husband and I are traveling alone in 5+ years and/or retired in 20+ years, and having those two weeks in Disney in a CCV studio guaranteed is just so sweet. Does mean the boys will have to figure out who gets what week when we pass them on.

Now I need to go back to our finances and figure out how to balance this in. I was able to get approval to spread it out over 90 days on my Disney Visa, so I'll get 0% financing for 6-9 months while I figure things out. May need to actually sell one of our existing contracts to help pay for this, and/or back out of one we have submitted now to ROFR, since I was NOT expecting to spend this much at this time, but this was too good a deal and gives us the direct benefits and guaranteed weeks, so I couldn't resist.

Oh! I should mention that we DID get the incentive, even with the guaranteed week, which is part of what made it a perfect deal. AND Thanksgiving week costs 123 points in 2021, but I've got it guaranteed at 118 points. The last week November/first weekend December admittedly is 110 on the chart, and the fixed week is 118, but all-told I'm only paying 3 points more for those two weeks, and now I never have to worry about getting a studio for those weeks at CCV. I'm pretty happy about that. (I'd be happier if I had enough money to guarantee those weeks in a 1 BR, but I'll take a guaranteed studio!).

We own a runDisney GW at CCV for Wine and Dine race weekend and frankly, if that weekend weren't so close to December we'd likely buy another one for week 49 or 50.

Quick question - do I need to call to change a guaranteed week if I decide not to use it, or can I make changes online? Does it show before the 11 month window, right on the 11 month day, or some time later? Thanks!

 

[striker1064]

Quick question - do I need to call to change a guaranteed week if I decide not to use it, or can I make changes online? Does it show before the 11 month window, right on the 11 month day, or some time later? Thanks!

For us we have to call MS to cancel the week, we cannot do it ourselves. However, rD GWs are unique in that they float and they are not fixed like other GWs, so I'm not sure how that would work for a normal one. It will show roughly around the usual 11 month window.

You CAN simply make your own booking before the GW is booked, and since there will not be enough points available for the GW, it will not be booked.

 

[jswoodard]

Fixed weeks? I'm clueless! Is this when you buy Riviera direct?

 

[Doberge]

Does anyone have the Riviera guaranteed week chart to share?

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Fixed weeks? I'm clueless! Is this when you buy Riviera direct?

Fixed weeks are an option at some of the newest resorts. I believe the following information is correct:
- You pay a 10% premium in number of points for the week you want. Example: if you were to book the week normally at 100 points, you'd need to buy 110 points to buy a guaranteed week.
- That week is reserved for you annually without you needing to book, using the full allotment of 110% that you bought. However, you can choose not to book that week and you'd have all the points you purchased available.
- If the points charts change for your week, you still only use the allotment you purchased for that week - you may come out ahead.
- They will only sell a fraction of the available points for each week as a guaranteed week. It's a maximum of (I think) 35% of the available points.

 

[i<3riviera]

͏

 

[Lorana]

Fixed weeks? I'm clueless! Is this when you buy Riviera direct?

Fixed weeks are an option at some of the newest resorts. I believe the following information is correct:
- You pay a 10% premium in number of points for the week you want. Example: if you were to book the week normally at 100 points, you'd need to buy 110 points to buy a guaranteed week.
- That week is reserved for you annually without you needing to book, using the full allotment of 110% that you bought. However, you can choose not to book that week and you'd have all the points you purchased available.
- If the points charts change for your week, you still only use the allotment you purchased for that week - you may come out ahead.
- They will only sell a fraction of the available points for each week as a guaranteed week. It's a maximum of (I think) 35% of the available points.

Where’sPiglet? Captured most of it, but the cost of the Guaranteed/Fixed Week is based on a 10% additional cost of the week as was determined when the resort opened. So those prices are “fixed” even if the point chart changes - which for popular times of year can work in your favor. (but it can also work against you)

A great “loophole” for CCV was that Thanksgiving fell on week 46 that year (75-80% of the time it falls on week 47), so the GW for 47 is at essentially a discount, which is why I was so excited it was available and I could book it. As I noted, in 2021 it will be 123 points, but my fixed week cost is 118.

The biggest benefit is that I’m always guaranteed this week and Disney prebooks it for me, so I don’t have to worry about needing to walk a reservation or the mad dash at 8am at the 11month mark. And I have all the points available if by chance I decide I want to use them for something else that year.

 

[striker1064]

So those prices are “fixed” even if the point chart changes - which for popular times of year can work in your favor. (but it can also work against you)

This worked out very well for us, as we bought Wine and Dine race week last year (which I think is week 44) for 118 points (107 for the week + 10%). On the new 2021 points charts, that week now costs 114 to book, so the GW would be 125 points. My guess is fall will continue to go up.

The real value remaining right now is week 50 or 51. Those weeks didn't go up in points cost, but if DVC is truly going to keep re-balancing weeks based on demand, early December has to be the next target.

 

[Lorana]

This worked out very well for us, as we bought Wine and Dine race week last year (which I think is week 44) for 118 points (107 for the week + 10%). On the new 2021 points charts, that week now costs 114 to book, so the GW would be 125 points. My guess is fall will continue to go up.

The real value remaining right now is week 50 or 51. Those weeks didn't go up in points cost, but if DVC is truly going to keep re-balancing weeks based on demand, early December has to be the next target.

I agree with you! That’s partly why we did week 47 and 48. We originally debated closer to Christmas but then decided we wanted back to back weeks so that we could choose to go for 2 weeks from Thanksgiving into Christmas holidays if we wanted, or choose to alternate years. All told, were only paying 3 points more for the two weeks to be guaranteed for us in 2021: 236 total to purchase, but in 2021 those two weeks are 233 points!

 

[jlb727]

Let me know what you hear about DVC allowing you to buy 25 points direct at Riveria instead of 50. If DVC removes Riveria restrictions due to covid and a bad economy maybe they will get alot of add on sales.

Now that Reflections is out, I would really consider adding on at Riv if they got rid of the resale restrictions. Otherwise, no way.

 

[ChipNdale8887]

Now that Reflections is out, I would really consider adding on at Riv if they got rid of the resale restrictions. Otherwise, no way.

Reflections was going to have the Resale restrictions also.

 

[SomePixiedust]

I was able to do an online chat with a guide today. I asked about pricing for new members for AKL and SSR. The pricing was the same as OKW reported on the first page. Nothing off under 150 points, $5 off 150-199, $8 off 200-299, $10 off 300-499, $15 off 500-900