Riviera, Disneyland Hotel Help Boost Overall Direct Sales in January 2024

[BrianLo]

Riviera restrictions may or may not have a limited impact in sales, but they 100% impact resale prices (just look at the trend, and it's not going to get better as more sellers come online and supply increases).

I don’t disagree that they impact resale prices. That’s the whole point of restrictions, to drive down resale and make it less desirable to purchase. So that Disney can ROFR to its hearts content and has an easier sales pitch.

But I also don’t think this is a settled issue to the degree in which it drives down resale prices.

What happens when RIV is sold out? What happens when Disney starts ROFRing. Neither of these things are case tested. Likewise, what happens if a non-desirable ‘home resort’ has restrictions. Something like Saratoga. Only then do we see the full impact. But unlike you I don’t think it’s going to be that big of a downward modifier on actual price. Maybe 10%.

Location and exclusivity probably matters most, then maybe maintenance fees, then the overall appeal of the resort, then length of contract, then points charts. Somewhere down at the end are if the points are restricted.

 

[intamin]

I think those that are choosing RIv direct want the best of all worlds in having home resort and flexibility.

But, those who love RIv like me have bought resale because it’s where we want to be!!

I’m in the former group. I love Riviera but I also like knowing that all of my points are available for whereever and the difference between direct after incentives and MB compared to resale was worth paying in order to have the points unrestricted for the remaining 46 years but to each their own. I have toyed with the idea of just buying 100-150 resale to round out our RIV contracts and get that extra bit of points to bump us into the semi regular GV category but I just feel bad knowing I’m still paying the same dues regardless.

 

[DougEMG]

I have more than enough points that I can use to book anywhere, so having restrictions at RIV doesn't bother me at all. The 250 points I have at RIV I will happily use only at RIV.

I don't think resale restrictions have anything to do with DVC trying to drive down resale prices. If resale prices drop further at RIV I will happily buy more points there.

The perfect scenario for DVC is that direct has some kind of benefit that resale doesn't, while not costing DVC anything to provide that benefit and that prices between resale and direct remain close so that the direct benefit out weights the resale discount. I think resale restrictions are a perfect way to do this. It plays on peoples FOMO about not being able to book everywhere with costing DVC anything and so far it doesn't seem to be effecting resale pricing of RIV that much.

 

[AstroBlasters]

Speaking of Riviera, a red hot deal for my use year for only 114 a point. I just don’t know how people justify Riviera or Aulani direct for 2x the cost of resale. At this price point I would be tempted to buy into this resort but I must remain strong for future unrestricted direct points.

I can use my Aulani direct points at VDH…. that makes them more valuable than my resale AUL points.

I also will never book VDH within the 7-11, as I would use my VGC. So home resort priority is actually more valuable to me at AUL than VDH.

I also locked in the membership extra discounts.

So, to me that was enough to justify buying a bucket of direct Aulani points.

I’ve already been able to stay at VDH multiple times, so I won’t accept any arguments that it’s impossible to book VDH within 7m.

 

[Dobermanns]

I do have to say that home resort advantage was the reason I added on direct at VDH. When the new race weekend Halloween Surprise Half marathon was announced, it was in the 7-11 month window. I found out a few hours after runDisney announced it, and prefer view studio was the only category open at the time for the race dates. I booked mine. Then a couple days later all were booked. (And of course VGC was fully booked before VDH)

 

[BrianLo]

I do have to say that home resort advantage was the reason I added on direct at VDH. When the new race weekend Halloween Surprise Half marathon was announced, it was in the 7-11 month window. I found out a few hours after runDisney announced it, and prefer view studio was the only category open at the time for the race dates. I booked mine. Then a couple days later all were booked. (And of course VGC was fully booked before VDH)

I own specifically to go to D23 every 2 years and time my DLR visits around the event. In Duo studios no less… Likewise beyond necessary to have 11 month advantage for the length of my usage of the contract. I also missed that announcement by half a day and barely secured preferred views for the weekend of.

Unfortunately there is an extreme overlap with DVC members and those who go to these specialty events (run Disney, d23 etc).

 

[Cfabar1]

I own specifically to go to D23 every 2 years and time my DLR visits around the event. In Duo studios no less… Likewise beyond necessary to have 11 month advantage for the length of my usage of the contract. I also missed that announcement by half a day and barely secured preferred views for the weekend of.

Unfortunately there is an extreme overlap with DVC members and those who go to these specialty events (run Disney, d23 etc).

Yes, and even more unfortunately is a fixed week won't guarantee you anything because Disney, at least with D23 moves the dates around... Maybe Disney should consider start selling a fixed D23 contract! LOL

 

[Dobermanns]

I own specifically to go to D23 every 2 years and time my DLR visits around the event. In Duo studios no less… Likewise beyond necessary to have 11 month advantage for the length of my usage of the contract. I also missed that announcement by half a day and barely secured preferred views for the weekend of.

Unfortunately there is an extreme overlap with DVC members and those who go to these specialty events (run Disney, d23 etc).

LOL yeah runDisney was the reason we bought into DVC