A look at the differences between buying DVC resale vs direct: a special guest post written by Lauren McGee:
Disney Vacation Club is one of the most family-friendly choices when it comes to vacation ownership. Some resorts, like The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, are loved for being conveniently located near the Disney theme parks. Other resorts, like the Aulani Resort, provide unforgettable beach vacations. Every DVC resort provides world-class amenities and the hospitality that you’d expect from Disney. Choosing to become a DVC owner may seem like a no-brainer! The hard part is deciding where you should buy your vacation points from. When you’re thinking about buying a DVC membership, there are a few options to consider. Buying your DVC points from Disney directly might be the obvious choice, but buying from the resale market has its benefits as well. Either way, owners will enjoy years and years of magical vacations at one of Disney Vacation Club’s incredible resorts.
DVC Resale Pros & Cons
Every one of DVC’s 15 resorts is available on the resale market, meaning that potential buyers won’t have to sacrifice their top choice of home resort. Whether you want to stay within walking distance of EPCOT or on the shores of Hilton Head Island, you can have the vacation you’ve dreamed of with DVC. When you buy DVC resale, you can have that dream vacation at a fraction of the price.
One of the best perks of buying DVC on the resale market is the price per point. You can save hundreds, maybe thousands, of dollars when you buy DVC resale! There is also no minimum or maximum number of points you can buy on the resale market, so you can buy only the points you need. Plus, current DVC owners wanting to add points to their ownership can do so on the resale market! This is especially convenient if you only want to add a few points.
A lot of the best perks of owning with Disney Vacation Club will transfer when you buy resale points. Of course, no matter where the points were purchased, all owners will have access to all of the amazing amenities on the resort’s property. This includes access to the pools, fitness centers, transportation, and more. Every DVC owner can use Disney’s Magic Bands during their vacation and the MyDisneyExperience app while visiting Disney World. These conveniences make Disney vacations easier to navigate.
DVC Resale Restrictions
Unfortunately, some DVC benefits will not apply to owners who purchased their points on the resale market. New resale owners are unable to use their points at new DVC resorts like the Riviera Resort, unless they were purchased before January 19, 2019. Furthermore, if you purchase Riviera Resort resale points, you are only able to use them at the Riviera Resort, and they cannot be used for reservations elsewhere. The way that you can work around DVC resale restrictions is by becoming a member of the vacation exchange network, RCI. RCI allows timeshare owners to exchange their points for a vacation in a new location. That means that current DVC owners could potentially book a vacation at new DVC resorts, regardless of if they bought those points resale.
Disney Vacation Club also recently announced a new point minimum to receive a Blue Membership card, which gives DVC owners discounts on shopping, dining, and exclusive first-hand access to events or Members Only lounges. At this time, you must own at least 150 points that were purchased directly from DVC to obtain a Blue Membership card.
Disney Vacation Club Retail Pros & Cons
Of course, many people like to buy points directly from Disney because they like to be confident that they will reap all the benefits of DVC ownership. There are no pesky restrictions for owners who buy DVC points from Disney. This may give you some peace of mind if being able to use every DVC member benefit is important to you. Only members who have purchased at least 150 DVC points directly from Disney have access to special discounts and member-only events.
Of course, buying DVC points from Disney means that you’ll be paying full price. If you are looking to stay within a strict budget, it may be difficult to find points for the right price. Being a DVC member has endless magical perks and being able to share that joy with your family for years to come is truly priceless.
| Resale | Direct | |
| Cost | Significantly cheaper than buying direct – can often save thousands of dollars (you can sometimes find offers as low as $115 per point on the resale market) | Costs lot more than resale – as of October 2021, Disney was charging $201 per point |
| Amount of points | Can purchase a contract for any amount of points | Currently Disney requires a minimum purchase of 150 points (so using cost above you’re looking at a purchase of at least $30,150) |
| Home resorts | Can buy into any home resort – but if you buy DVC resale at any resort besides Riviera you can’t stay at the Riviera (if you buy resale at Riviera you can only use your points there) | Can only buy at the resorts Disney has available (typically the newest ones – right now it’s Aulani and Riviera) |
| Member perks | Very limited perks with a certain amount of points | DVC discounts, members only events, etc. |
Want to plan the right vacation for your group? Consider using Disney itinerary and planning printables – 11 pages of trip planning, including several daily itineraries, a variety of weekly itineraries, a Disney trip basics worksheet, a food plan, small pocket itineraries that you can bring to the park with you, and more!
Is DVC Resale Right For You?
It’s important to weigh out your options when making a big financial decision, like buying Disney Vacation Club points. If you’re looking to save a lot of money, then perhaps browsing the DVC resale market is a good option for you. However, if you’d like to guarantee that you will be able to have access to all DVC member benefits, buying from Disney directly might be more suitable for you. It typically takes 5 to 7 trips for owners to break even on their DVC purchase, but that number is much smaller if bought from a resale market. Many owners find it beneficial to buy their initial points from Disney directly and then buy additional points from the resale market. This way, they will get all of the benefits that DVC owners have while still saving money!
If you’re looking to purchase DVC points from the resale market, Fidelity Real Estate is a Disney Recommended Real Estate Broker for DVC resale. Their team has been connecting buyers and sellers in timeshare resale transactions for over 20 years. You can browse listings on their website for points at every Disney Vacation Club resort.
Feeling overwhelmed? A travel agent can help you book and plan your trip – and it doesn’t cost you anything! I’ve helped hundreds of people plan their magical vacations – contact me today to get started.
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Have you purchased Disney Vacation Club points from a resale marketplace? If so, what was your experience like? We’d love to know!
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