Effective 2/25/2018, you need at least 75 direct points to qualify for Membership Extras

[kniquy]

Sooooo.... should I consider 25 points at another resort..or just forget it!! I just can't decide.. part of me doesnt want to miss out like Ziravan says.... and wish I had gotten in the "CLUB" when I could... the other is just not sure especially if I can't get AKV since that is what I own now.

If you have the money to blow and you NEED the points -- yes buy now -- but if it is just for the perks I'd say don't buy - all you are doing is spending money to save money and then you have 25 additional points that you need to pay MF on every year.

If you can't find points at your current home resort (sounds like AKV), just buy SSR in your UY since you can't combine the points until the 7-month window anyway. Might as well just buy the one with cheapest overall cost (at the moment at least).

Get points at where you want to stay a 25 point contract could be a good way to do a split stay and have the 11 month advantage 50 points with banking can get you a few nights-- but that is only if you need a studio.

The cool "I save a whole bunch of money on my vacation" club.

I am with you resale is where you can save money, keep that extra money in your pocket to then afford other vacations besides disney. some people need to step back and look at the big picture. I think DVC has done a good job at creating histaria and frantic buying when people may not actually need the points. An extra 25 point contract would mean roughly an extra $160 per year in MF - does it really make sense to spend money, to then spend more money to think that you are getting perks or benefits? If someone needs the points, has the money then go ahead and buy but other wise keep your money in your pocket and bank account

 

[kboo]

This is a big part of the DVC marketing. They do a good job at it, making you feel like you got less pixie dust sprinkled if you bought resale. You still get plenty with resale. My favorites are the magnets and access to TOTWL. I am also assuming that you will get access to the Riviera rooftop restaurant when it opens, as they will need the customer base to keep it running.

You'll still be in the cool club. The cool "I save a whole bunch of money on my vacation" club.

Remember this! 50 points at SSR is still $7,550 plus dues of $292.82 per year. When was the the last time you committed to spend that much $ sight unseen as a hedge for "benefits" that ARE NOT WORTH THAT MUCH?? For that amount of money, I will gladly make you a super cool "Supersecret DVC Club tee shirt AND tote bag, and souvenir cup!

Disney marketing is really something else.

 

[bwvBound]

Remember this! 50 points at SSR is still $7,550 plus dues of $292.82 per year. When was the the last time you committed to spend that much $ sight unseen as a hedge for "benefits" that ARE NOT WORTH THAT MUCH?? For that amount of money, I will gladly make you a super cool "Supersecret DVC Club tee shirt AND tote bag, and souvenir cup!

Disney marketing is really something else.

When I was a young adult, I drooled over the dream of attending private party events at Disneyland along the lines of Elizabeth Taylor's 60th Birthday party.
Story Links:

• https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2011/03/remembering-elizabeth-taylor-at-disneyland-park/
  
• http://articles.latimes.com/1992-02-28/local/me-3127_1_liz-taylor

My career gave me those invitations for many years ('96-2015) as IBM included a private event night across the Orlando theme parks for their annual conferences attendees. (Yippie!!!) And then DVC stepped in and continued the tradition for me ... with Member Nights at Disney's California Adventure (2016) and Disneyland (2017). I couldn't be more thrilled ... love the parks at night, with free snacks and a limited guest list of "like minded" folks. Wheeee!

Sure, one can't count on their continued future ... but I can say they are keeping DVC "sold!" for me at the present time.

 

[JimmyBean42]

Here's another thought I had, does requiring 75 direct points for member benefits now impact resale prices? Would resale prices go down as a result of this? I'd think no, that it would have no impact but since so many were adding the extra 25 to get benefits when they bought resale, would this impact prices b/c people will think "well if I have to buy 75 extra, might as well just do direct?".

 

[ziravan]

Remember this! 50 points at SSR is still $7,550 plus dues of $292.82 per year. When was the the last time you committed to spend that much $ sight unseen as a hedge for "benefits" that ARE NOT WORTH THAT MUCH?? For that amount of money, I will gladly make you a super cool "Supersecret DVC Club tee shirt AND tote bag, and souvenir cup!

Disney marketing is really something else.

Assume you buy today and current trends hold even close to being true.

If you sold a 50 point contract in 10 yrs, you’ll probably recoup the entire up front cost. It probably won’t be difficult to sell a 50 point contract down the road.

And then. For MFs, you’ll have the 10 yrs worth of points AND 10 years of perks.

 

[DMOMof3]

Can someone tell me what I am missing if I don't add on 25 points direct before the new minimum? I bought resale Jan 2016, I have a blue card, so I get some extras. But exactly what am I missing with the changes made in 2011?

 

[Ben E N]

Can someone tell me what I am missing if I don't add on 25 points direct before the new minimum? I bought resale Jan 2016, I have a blue card, so I get some extras. But exactly what am I missing with the changes made in 2011?

Nothing.
Because you bought resale post 2011, you don't get trade into the Disney Collection (points used for hotel rooms, cruises, etc) but you already didn't get that and it is nothing special worth missing.

 

[DMOMof3]

Nothing.
Because you bought resale post 2011, you don't get trade into the Disney Collection (points used for hotel rooms, cruises, etc) but you already didn't get that and it is nothing special worth missing.

Thanks, worried I was missing out, but that's what I thought!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Can someone tell me what I am missing if I don't add on 25 points direct before the new minimum? I bought resale Jan 2016, I have a blue card, so I get some extras. But exactly what am I missing with the changes made in 2011?

As mentioned the 2011 restriction were for trading into the Disney collection and Concierge collection but they are not the best use of points and you still can trade into the World collection which includes RCI. If you were to purchase 25 points only those 25 points would be eligible to trade into the Disney Collection or Concierge collection and your other points would remain restricted. So nothing really for you to gain.

 

[disneynutz]

Thanks, worried I was missing out, but that's what I thought!

And the feeling of missing out is what causes people to do things, they want to be included, to be in a club. Disney is very good at marketing to that feeling. We were excited to have the Epcot event scheduled during our stay, we fought to get reservations, attended the event, thought it was okay but didn't match what we had dreamed that it would be. Same with Pandora, same with expedition everest, same with be our guest. All of these are nice but we got excited and had to attend these to not miss out and to be included.

Bill

 

[Crusader10hky]

I purchased my first contract resale (BLT) this past November with full intentions to restock the coffers and add on 25. I knew it was a loophole and that it was not guaranteed to stay that way. I did kind of think that I would have more than 3 months before I would need to make the decision though. I called yesterday AM and I'm on a wait list for AKV SSR and OKW, but 25 points to a different resort and use year was NOT the plan. Although it is possible for me to make that cash purchase, it would not be a planned or responsible decision. The only motivation for the purchase would be to save on APs (which I wouldn't buy as often as most people anyway) over the life of the contract. Although that math actually does make some sense, it also makes this the very definition of an investment. If there's one thing I haven't lied to myself about in this whole process, it is that DVC is a good monetary investment. It is not. For me, it is an investment in intangibles.

I have no plans to save and make another large contract purchase in the future. However it would makes more sense to do so and buy a usable amount of points at a future new property that excites me. Otherwise I feel like I'm purchasing a discount card. I haven't even had the pleasure of staying at DVC yet, so even if I don't get the incidental benefits, I will still have something more than the last time I was at Disney!

I'm bummed, but I'm not angry. I'm still getting exactly what I've paid for.

 

[pkrieger2287]

Well... Disney just screwed us again. If anyone is looking for 50pts AKV Feb UY there may be some available.

Disney is not licensed to do contracts by mail in the states of West Virginia and Alaska for any resort other than Aulani, Copper Creek, and Poly.

Our only 50pt option would be Aulani but now we’re looking at more money.

Debating now on whether the perks still outweigh the price. Let me know your thoughts.

To anyone that followed this saga the other day here is an update.
My wife wrote a very nice email to Disney outlining our situation and the unfortunate nature of this law. It apparently got to a high executive and then trickled its way down through the DVC Sales and Legal Team. Long story short they are letting us send closing paperwork to our Ohio business address and sign everything there. We now have a 50pt. direct contract at AKV (Feb UY - they must have still had the points available) and will add our resale contract to it when complete.

Very pleased with how Disney responded to this and showed they cared about the purchase (...and obviously the $$$).

 

[jodifla]

For 25 points I think it's worth it to have the perks. You can start to see what they are doing with the ticket prices now. They are going to get very pricey, and those DVC discounts are going to start to mean more. I'm not sure why people on the one hand want to buy into DVC, and on the other hand, don't want access to the DVC ticket discount. Annual passes are about as much as a 7 day pass with a park hopper these days.

But if you live in Florida, I think you can get by without perks, since just being a FLA resident comes with its own set of perks.

 

[skier_pete]

And the feeling of missing out is what causes people to do things, they want to be included, to be in a club. Disney is very good at marketing to that feeling. We were excited to have the Epcot event scheduled during our stay, we fought to get reservations, attended the event, thought it was okay but didn't match what we had dreamed that it would be. Same with Pandora, same with expedition everest, same with be our guest. All of these are nice but we got excited and had to attend these to not miss out and to be included.

Bill

Disney realized this in the 50s, with the Mickey Mouse Club - being "in the Club" was what every kid wanted to do - be in the club with Annette, and Bobby and Cubby. Joining the club didn't actually get you anything besides a piece of paper, but it made the kids feel special.

They kept this idea when they named this whole thing the Disney Vacation Club. You aren't buying a timeshare, you are part of a special club. Remember "Disney's Best Kept Secret"? Yes, not only a club - but a secret club.

Now they've set up a two-level club, with the standard club and the executive club, and they are hoping that more people will feel the need to be in the executive club. But it's not really about keeping people out of the club, it's more - "How much will you pay to be in the club?" "Will you buy 25 points to be in the club?" Sure! Now it's: "Will you buy 75 points to be in the club?"

Really 3 things can happen from this:
1) Less people will buy resale and more buy direct. This is a BIG win for Disney.
2) The same people buy resale that did before, and instead of X % buying 25 pts, at least one-thirdX% of them buy 75 pts. A win for Disney.
3) The same or more people buy resale that did before, and instead of X % buying 25 pts, less than one-thirdX% of them buy 75 pts - resulting in a net sales loss - a lose for Disney.

Disney has certainly analyzed this - and decided that the most likely occurance is one of the first two, not the second. People want to be part of the club. It's in our nature, and Disney is relying on it.

 

[southerngirl528]

To anyone that followed this saga the other day here is an update.
My wife wrote a very nice email to Disney outlining our situation and the unfortunate nature of this law. It apparently got to a high executive and then trickled its way down through the DVC Sales and Legal Team. Long story short they are letting us send closing paperwork to our Ohio business address and sign everything there. We now have a 50pt. direct contract at AKV (Feb UY - they must have still had the points available) and will add our resale contract to it when complete.

Very pleased with how Disney responded to this and showed they cared about the purchase (...and obviously the $$$).

So happy to hear you will miraculously able to work out your conundrum!!

 

[Ben E N]

Disney realized this in the 50s, with the Mickey Mouse Club - being "in the Club" was what every kid wanted to do - be in the club with Annette, and Bobby and Cubby. Joining the club didn't actually get you anything besides a piece of paper, but it made the kids feel special.

They kept this idea when they named this whole thing the Disney Vacation Club. You aren't buying a timeshare, you are part of a special club. Remember "Disney's Best Kept Secret"? Yes, not only a club - but a secret club.

Now they've set up a two-level club, with the standard club and the executive club, and they are hoping that more people will feel the need to be in the executive club. But it's not really about keeping people out of the club, it's more - "How much will you pay to be in the club?" "Will you buy 25 points to be in the club?" Sure! Now it's: "Will you buy 75 points to be in the club?"

Really 3 things can happen from this:
1) Less people will buy resale and more buy direct. This is a BIG win for Disney.
2) The same people buy resale that did before, and instead of X % buying 25 pts, at least one-thirdX% of them buy 75 pts. A win for Disney.
3) The same or more people buy resale that did before, and instead of X % buying 25 pts, less than one-thirdX% of them buy 75 pts - resulting in a net sales loss - a lose for Disney.

Disney has certainly analyzed this - and decided that the most likely occurance is one of the first two, not the second. People want to be part of the club. It's in our nature, and Disney is relying on it.

There is no way I will ever make it down for a moonlight magic event. I am completely tied to the school calendar, and at the rate things are going, I will be lucky to ever go to the Typhoon Lagoon one. Still, I enjoyed reading about the previous MK moonlight magic, thinking to myself "That could have been me!" I think that's the exact sort of club mentality that DVC is looking to build. Even though it had no effect on me, I felt like I was part of a club. If I had not bought direct, I would have instead thought "there's something I can never do", even though I will never do it anyway.
I nap midday and never plan to go to the Epcot lounge, but will probably stop by there during my trip later this summer, just because I get to be "in the club". It's never anything that interested me in the past, but if I had only bought resale, I am sure it would call to me like a siren every time I went to Epcot.
Disney does a good job knowing just how to get to us, and our wallets.

 

[southerngirl528]

I nap midday and never plan to go to the Epcot lounge, but will probably stop by there during my trip later this summer, just because I get to be "in the club". It's never anything that interested me in the past, but if I had only bought resale, I am sure it would call to me like a siren every time I went to Epcot.

While the EPCOT member lounge is nothing fancy, it's a great place to get out of the (oppressive) heat, have a free beverage and sit for a bit. Lots of folks need to recharge their devices, and one can surely do that there as well. It's kind of a nice little respite from the crowds and heat IMHO.

 

[Crusader10hky]

For 25 points I think it's worth it to have the perks. You can start to see what they are doing with the ticket prices now. They are going to get very pricey, and those DVC discounts are going to start to mean more. I'm not sure why people on the one hand want to buy into DVC, and on the other hand, don't want access to the DVC ticket discount. Annual passes are about as much as a 7 day pass with a park hopper these days.

But if you live in Florida, I think you can get by without perks, since just being a FLA resident comes with its own set of perks.

I don't entirely disagree, but looking at the numbers here's how this affects me.
7 Day park hopper per person = 490 + tax
Gold Pass with DVC = 589 + tax

The cost of 25 points and their maintenance fees for the ability to give Disney an extra $100 per person is quite high. If I were in a position that I was capable of going more than once in a a calendar year, then it makes more of a difference.

7 Days is really going to be my max trip for 2 adults and 3 kids with 200BLT points anyway. If 25 pts to BLT in my UY were available I would consider it more, that was the plan anyway. But they aren't available and the time isn't right financially for me, so I'm not going to just jump on whatever grenade they throw my direction. Would be nice to have, but not enough to compromise my original intentions.

 

[disneynutz]

Disney realized this in the 50s, with the Mickey Mouse Club - being "in the Club" was what every kid wanted to do - be in the club with Annette, and Bobby and Cubby. Joining the club didn't actually get you anything besides a piece of paper, but it made the kids feel special.

They kept this idea when they named this whole thing the Disney Vacation Club. You aren't buying a timeshare, you are part of a special club. Remember "Disney's Best Kept Secret"? Yes, not only a club - but a secret club.

Now they've set up a two-level club, with the standard club and the executive club, and they are hoping that more people will feel the need to be in the executive club. But it's not really about keeping people out of the club, it's more - "How much will you pay to be in the club?" "Will you buy 25 points to be in the club?" Sure! Now it's: "Will you buy 75 points to be in the club?"

Really 3 things can happen from this:
1) Less people will buy resale and more buy direct. This is a BIG win for Disney.
2) The same people buy resale that did before, and instead of X % buying 25 pts, at least one-thirdX% of them buy 75 pts. A win for Disney.
3) The same or more people buy resale that did before, and instead of X % buying 25 pts, less than one-thirdX% of them buy 75 pts - resulting in a net sales loss - a lose for Disney.

Disney has certainly analyzed this - and decided that the most likely occurance is one of the first two, not the second. People want to be part of the club. It's in our nature, and Disney is relying on it.

What's next, club 33?

Bill

 

[Ben E N]

What's next, club 33?

Bill

That one does sound like it is coming, but it priced out of our range. Isn't it $25,000 a year after the initial buy in? I don't blame them for taking money from people if they were willing to shell it out.