Just for fun, what could Disney do to incentivize direct purchases?

[VdoesDisney]

It seems Disney has been focused on disincentivizing resale but what if instead they made it much more appealing to buy direct? Here are my thoughts on things that would move the needle:
- Great financing terms, many car companies now offer 0%-2.9% financing in order to attract buyers, I bet if Disney offered similar terms they would probably even double direct sales.
- Fast Pass tickets
- 10-20% bonus points for your first year (I know they usually throw current UY, say 2020 points in there but that feels no different than getting a loaded contract with banked points).
- Complimentary annual perks, maybe bike rentals, or a credit for lyft?

What do you guys think would be a real incentive to go direct? vs sticking to their fear based tactics against resale

 

[princesscinderella]

I think right now all they would have to do is give a complementary annual pass for add ons of 150 points or more for the immediate family and people would buy.

 

[DL1WDW2]

Currently they have devised policy to repackage points from a buyback into different seasons. This makes me wish they could also create a new FIxed Guarantee Week packages for sale .... I would love a fixed week at BLT .

 

[Prince John Robin Hood]

What about a meet and greet with a few rare characters or a 4 hour VIP tour? The Moonlight Magic parties were really cool but for a lot of people they weren't at times of the year where they could attend or the dates were announced after trips had been booked 11 months out. Part of my going the resale route was due to the perks not really doing anything for us.

 

[Lee Matthews]

I wish they would throw some rarer characters in the DVC resorts for meet and greets.

 

[OKW Lover]

How about if they just reduced the cost of the points?

 

[VdoesDisney]

What about a meet and greet with a few rare characters or a 4 hour VIP tour? The Moonlight Magic parties were really cool but for a lot of people they weren't at times of the year where they could attend or the dates were announced after trips had been booked 11 months out. Part of my going the resale route was due to the perks not really doing anything for us.

I agree, I kept looking for reasons to go direct but just couldn’t justify it, exclusive meet and greets would be a huge factor for a lot of people I feel.

 

[RoseGold]

All they’d have to do is sell two ridiculously priced rooms at the Star Wars hotel and I’m in. And they could sell that “perk” forever.

 

[Sandisw]

Allow owners of resale to buy an equivalent number of direct points to a contract they own and all points become eligible for use at all resorts.

I have 100 restricted points, and then I buy 100 direct, I now get to use all 200 at RIV and future resorts.

 

[princesscinderella]

All they’d have to do is sell two ridiculously priced rooms at the Star Wars hotel and I’m in. And they could sell that “perk” forever.

Maybe they will make it a trade opportunity like the cruises and ABD and Disney collection.

 

[VdoesDisney]

Allow owners of resale to buy an equivalent number of direct points to a contract they own and all points become eligible for use at all resorts.

I have 100 restricted points, and then I buy 100 direct, I now get to use all 200 at RIV and future resorts.

Oh I love this, “upgrading” al your points to blue car status would get most of us to buy direct I think.

 

[Carol_]

Daily Housekeeping

 

[qwerty2k]

What about free resort refillable mugs for the length of your stays?

 

[RoseGold]

Allow owners of resale to buy an equivalent number of direct points to a contract they own and all points become eligible for use at all resorts.

I have 100 restricted points, and then I buy 100 direct, I now get to use all 200 at RIV and future resorts.

Interesting idea. I guess they could allow us to upgrade our resale points into direct. It would be a way to print some cash now with no real cost. Not like the Blue Card matters right now, and who cares if you can book at RIV.

They could even price this ridiculously high, like $20/point if you've had the contract over X time, and they'd get tons of takers. I know I'd do it on my VGF, even though I can't make a rational math argument to do it. It's a good way to get some cash out of buyers like me who aren't even considering direct. It's not like anyone wants to sell their 2018 resale contract and buy some RIV.

 

[VdoesDisney]

Interesting idea. I guess they could allow us to upgrade our resale points into direct. It would be a way to print some cash now with no real cost. Not like the Blue Card matters right now, and who cares if you can book at RIV.

They could even price this ridiculously high, like $20/point, and they'd get tons of takers. I know I'd do it on my VGF, even though I can't make a rational math argument to do it.

I remember they talked about this in one of the DVC show episodes with the old sponsor, they said Disney may come up with an upgrade fee, similar to what other timeshares do. I can’t justify it but I’m 99% sure I would do it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Allow owners of resale to buy an equivalent number of direct points to a contract they own and all points become eligible for use at all resorts.

I have 100 restricted points, and then I buy 100 direct, I now get to use all 200 at RIV and future resorts.

This could really upset a certain groups of people... Someone buys 250 resale, then 250 direct vs the person who bought 400 direct, then 100 resale.

 

[princesscinderella]

Daily Housekeeping

I like that DVC doesn’t have daily housekeeping.

 

[VdoesDisney]

I like that DVC doesn’t have daily housekeeping.

Yeah me too, that’s why I was thinking giving away a traditionally paid perk of your choice for free

 

[supersnoop]

The idea of a direct purchase to convert resale points to qualified points would have the exact opposite effect proposed in this thread. While it might encourage a few people to add-on direct, it would incentivize other people to purchase resale and then add on to qualify. Disney isn't interested in incremental sales; they want all sales. This concept only serves to bolster the resale market.

That said; what would it take for me to buy direct? Probably building BLT2.

 

[Upatnoon]

It seems Disney has been focused on disincentivizing resale but what if instead they made it much more appealing to buy direct? Here are my thoughts on things that would move the needle:
- Great financing terms, many car companies now offer 0%-2.9% financing in order to attract buyers, I bet if Disney offered similar terms they would probably even double direct sales.
- Fast Pass tickets
- 10-20% bonus points for your first year (I know they usually throw current UY, say 2020 points in there but that feels no different than getting a loaded contract with banked points).
- Complimentary annual perks, maybe bike rentals, or a credit for lyft?

What do you guys think would be a real incentive to go direct? vs sticking to their fear based tactics against resale

Any incentive would have to come with no reduction in revenue or added labor expense.

- Cheap financing? No way. Expensive financing is a huge money-maker. It probably is the most profitable part of a timeshare sale.
- A few extra Fast Passes? A possibility unless they start selling them.
- Bonus points? These would have to come from somewhere and it is more profitable to rent the excess points as hotel stays.

I think it would be more likely they would offer some free or reduced-cost tickets to spur buyers. When the parks are a full capacity, they have plenty of excess inventory they can "give away" without costing them money someplace else. They would likely be restricted to certain less-popular dates.