Moonlight Magic: Worth Direct?

[summerw]

Man, you guys are making me doubt my choices. LOL.

From the people who answered, is there anything about buying direct that would entice you? For me, being able to trade into the new resorts does.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Because the new resorts are totally new builds, I wouldn't spend thousands extra today in hopes that I actually like the new builds. There's no history, like the last couple of opens. CCV was built in an existing resort. Poly was conversion at an existing resort. VGF was a building at a resort. We knew the resorts.

We know literally nothing about the currently announced new ones, and there is very little conversion opportunity left at existing resorts. So anything new will be truly new.

I would opt to hang onto my money, and see what the new resorts are like when they happen. IF they end up nice, I could then buy in at one or buy some qualified points.

But the price differential on the monorail resorts, let alone the 2042 group, between direct and resale is absurd. The money saved would go far in 10 years buying more points if the new resorts were worth the effort, or doing a couple cash stays just to say I'd stayed there.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Man, you guys are making me doubt my choices. LOL.

From the people who answered, is there anything about buying direct that would entice you? For me, being able to trade into the new resorts does.

First I’d have to set aside the resale restrictions because I have to always give consideration to selling something should the need or want arise and it’s better to already have the resale discount built in vs taking the hit for it and any new restrictions DVC might throw in. Ie, resale restriction mean there’s virtually no chance I’d buy direct from DVC again.

But, setting that aside if the newest resort was the one I intended to stay at the majority of the time that would have me buying direct because there wouldn’t be many resale contracts or the price difference probably would be tiny. I might consider 75 points direct if I had a large family and intended to take long trips to Disney or multiple trips each year that the Gold Aps made sense. That’s a relatively easy calculation to make. And that’s about it.

 

[stewart715]

I bought direct not because of MLM but the Gold AP (which I am personally confident is a perk that will not go away) as well as now trading into new resorts. The food and merch discounts are nice, not sure how much they will add up to. If you have a large family and need an AP...direct probably makes more sense but it really depends on a lot. I also think at some resorts, the difference in price direct vs. resale is greatly exaggerated. I've found it to generally be basically one cash rack rate visit to WDW. It's not not a lot of money but it's not so much it can't be made up with the AP discount (again for a family of 4+). Maybe that doesn't hold true now though after the recent price hikes though.

 

[stewart715]

Additionally, I bought direct because DVC/DVD seem hell bent on screwing over resale buyers and I knew I wanted to add on points. I didn't want to have 6 sets of points with 6 different sets of rules on them (some that can book everywhere some that can book some places). Direct solves that problem. The argument continues to be "direct perks can go away at any time" and while this is true, it's proved to be mostly fear mongering thus far. The perks have really only gotten better over time. And if they are really trying to solve this "resale problem" that they think they have, they will only continue to entice direct buyers further.

They have to be able to go away/change at any time because DVC/DVD is not in control of WDW/DL. Events change, passes change, merchandise changes. It has to be a fluid program. It doesn't mean they're just gonna wake up one day and strip all direct benefits and just laugh at all of us.

Again, all of this depends on your finances. Everyone is different. Go with what works for you. For me, the difference was again a single rack rate stay and I'm going to have 30+ stays, so whatever. I just paid it.

 

[chicagoshannon]

Additionally, I bought direct because DVC/DVD seem hell bent on screwing over resale buyers and I knew I wanted to add on points. I didn't want to have 6 sets of points with 6 different sets of rules on them (some that can book everywhere some that can book some places). Direct solves that problem. The argument continues to be "direct perks can go away at any time" and while this is true, it's proved to be mostly fear mongering thus far. The perks have really only gotten better over time. And if they are really trying to solve this "resale problem" that they think they have, they will only continue to entice direct buyers further.

They have to be able to go away/change at any time because DVC/DVD is not in control of WDW/DL. Events change, passes change, merchandise changes. It has to be a fluid program. It doesn't mean they're just gonna wake up one day and strip all direct benefits and just laugh at all of us.

Again, all of this depends on your finances. Everyone is different. Go with what works for you. For me, the difference was again a single rack rate stay and I'm going to have 30+ stays, so whatever. I just paid it.

I think it depends on what property you're looking at buying. If you want GFV than yes the difference might be one rack rate room (which most of us buying into DVC don't actually pay) but if you're looking at SSR or ALK that's a difference of 8 grand if you're buying 100 points. That's more than 1 rack rate room.

 

[stewart715]

I think it depends on what property you're looking at buying. If you want GFV than yes the difference might be one rack rate room (which most of us buying into DVC don't actually pay) but if you're looking at SSR or ALK that's a difference of 8 grand if you're buying 100 points. That's more than 1 rack rate room.

That’s crazy wow. I had never looked really at SSR direct vs resale. The reason I brought up rack rates is because there are plenty of people who pay those rack rates and go on trips on whims before they join DVC. That was us. And I actually had one booked before I decided to join. So I cancelled that and joined direct. Now I’ll never book a cash res again.

 

[msjprincess]

Man, you guys are making me doubt my choices. LOL.

From the people who answered, is there anything about buying direct that would entice you? For me, being able to trade into the new resorts does.

Nope. If I really wanted to stay in one of the new resorts I would rent out my points to pay cash for one of the resorts. Or maybe buy a very small contract direct, to bank and borrow so I could stay at a new resort every few years. But probably not.

I've always been in the "buy where you don't mind staying" camp. I own at OKW and SSR. Direct pricing for those two are $156 and $160. That's crazy.

 

[msjprincess]

I think it depends on what property you're looking at buying. If you want GFV than yes the difference might be one rack rate room (which most of us buying into DVC don't actually pay) but if you're looking at SSR or ALK that's a difference of 8 grand if you're buying 100 points. That's more than 1 rack rate room.

ITA

I've been vacationing at WDW regularly for almost 30 years. Even before purchasing DVC I never paid rack rate, nor would I. If there wasn't a discount available for the dates I wanted, I moved my dates.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I bought direct not because of MLM but the Gold AP (which I am personally confident is a perk that will not go away) as well as now trading into new resorts. The food and merch discounts are nice, not sure how much they will add up to. If you have a large family and need an AP...direct probably makes more sense but it really depends on a lot. I also think at some resorts, the difference in price direct vs. resale is greatly exaggerated. I've found it to generally be basically one cash rack rate visit to WDW. It's not not a lot of money but it's not so much it can't be made up with the AP discount (again for a family of 4+). Maybe that doesn't hold true now though after the recent price hikes though.

And some people downplay the difference. Even a 100 point VGF contract can be $9,000 difference. Make it a larger contract and that's more than 1 trip for what I'd plan to pay Disney for a room.

Every time I look at that .80 cent or $1.30 discount off of my Resort QS or my $3.00 off of a sit down meal all I think is that I'm glad I didn't pay more than necessary for my DVC contract.

 

[stewart715]

And some people downplay the difference. Even a 100 point VGF contract can be $9,000 difference. Make it a larger contract and that's more than 1 trip for what I'd plan to pay Disney for a room.

Every time I look at that .80 cent or $1.30 discount off of my Resort QS or my $3.00 off of a sit down meal all I think is that I'm glad I didn't pay more than necessary for my DVC contract.

That is true, but also $9,000 is a different amount of money to everyone also (yes there are DVC members who bought direct and couldn't care less about the extra $9k). Which is why everyone should just do what is right for them with all the facts on the table. At the same time, $9,000-10,000 is roughly what a 2 bedroom at VGF costs for a week rack rate after taxes. A rate that many people pay regularly and don't bat an eye. Many new DVC members have been paying these rack rates for years and then figured out "wait a second..." Everyone's financial situation is different which is why I hate when I see financial advice here, it's really all about having the facts and making the decision for yourself.

 

[chicagoshannon]

That’s crazy wow. I had never looked really at SSR direct vs resale. The reason I brought up rack rates is because there are plenty of people who pay those rack rates and go on trips on whims before they join DVC. That was us. And I actually had one booked before I decided to join. So I cancelled that and joined direct. Now I’ll never book a cash res again.

I've never paid rack rate. But I do have to admit that I might want to buy into Reflections depending on how this new rule pans out the next couple of years. That would be more for nostalgia reasons than anything though. ( I only have 25 points that can be traded into the new resorts so might need more when that time comes.)

 

[stewart715]

I've never paid rack rate. But I do have to admit that I might want to buy into Reflections depending on how this new rule pans out the next couple of years. That would be more for nostalgia reasons than anything though. ( I only have 25 points that can be traded into the new resorts so might need more when that time comes.)

If you're staying in studios, sure. But if you're looking for a 2 bedroom at BWV or BCV in October, you're either renting DVC points or paying cash rack rate because there are really no discounts for 2 bedroom villas on the cash side. It kinda is what it is.

 

[chicagoshannon]

If you're staying in studios, sure. But if you're looking for a 2 bedroom at BWV or BCV in October, you're either renting DVC points or paying cash rack rate because there are really no discounts for 2 bedroom villas on the cash side. It kinda is what it is.

That's true. I was comparing a hotel room price.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

That is true, but also $9,000 is a different amount of money to everyone also (yes there are DVC members who bought direct and couldn't care less about the extra $9k). Which is why everyone should just do what is right for them with all the facts on the table. At the same time, $9,000-10,000 is roughly what a 2 bedroom at VGF costs for a week rack rate after taxes. A rate that many people pay regularly and don't bat an eye. Many new DVC members have been paying these rack rates for years and then figured out "wait a second..." Everyone's financial situation is different which is why I hate when I see financial advice here, it's really all about having the facts and making the decision for yourself.

Nobody actually forces anyone to do anything. Everyone knows their own situation and can take the numbers and apply them as it works for them. When no numbers are given though, just a generic statement that it is not as much as some people portray, then it’s advice without full information IMO. The nice thing is it’s actually easy to find numbers and share what someone might be looking at. Some might not even know what the difference can be.