After almost a year of stay-at-home
orders and lockdowns across the country, you're probably craving a vacation
right now.
Safe travels may be off the cards for the foreseeable future, but there's nothing to stop you
from dreaming of your next magical escape. While you're considering your
options, why not look into Disney's Vacation Club concept.
Find out more about how to get in on all the action of the Magic Kingdom with this comparison between DVC resale vs direct DVC sales.
What's
the Difference Between DVC Resale vs Direct Sales?
Disney Vacation Club works on
similar principles to conventional timeshare. For starters, you buy a week at a
home resort that you can book up to eleven months in advance.
Your home week's also worth a
certain number of points that you can use to visit other equivalent resorts in
Disney's portfolio by booking within seven months of your occupation date.
You can use these weeks every year
provided you pay an annual fee that covers the upkeep of your space and time at
the resort.
You'll find more about the DVC use year explained on this page.
You can buy into this shared
vacation scheme by purchasing your week directly from Disney Vacation Club or
via a third-party broker.
Since DVC weeks constitute real property,
only licensed real estate agents or the registered owner can offer them for
sale.
Most DVC owners who want to sell
their interest do so via a broker since these professionals have the resources
to market and sell their weeks more efficiently.
DVC resale weeks are much cheaper
than the original since they don't come with all the perks of a DVC membership.
DVC
Direct vs Resale Perks
There are a few differences in the
benefits associated with buying DVC direct vs resale contracts. When you buy
your points directly from Disney Vacation Club, you'll pay much more but you'll
also get more perks.
Members buying resale points have
certain limits associated with their membership that don't apply to direct
sales members. They can't make reservations for the Concierge or Disney
Collection options like Adventures by Disney, Disney Cruise Line, or certain
Disney resorts.
Some of the other exclusions are
member discounts on shopping, dining, and annual passes, some special member
offers, and exclusive member events.
Resale members can't book
accommodation at any of the new Disney resorts.
Resorts
Available to DVC Direct vs Resale Members
You can still book the original 14
Disney resorts. These include the following resorts at Walt Disney World:
- Animal Kingdom Villas
- Bay Lake Tower
- Beach Club Villas
- BoardWalk Villas
- Wilderness Lodge Boulder Ridge
Villas
- Wilderness Lodge Copper Creek
Villas and Cabins
- Old Key West Resort
- Saratoga Springs Resort &
Spa
- The Villas at Disney’s Grand
Floridian
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Villas & Bungalows
You can also book at Aulani Villas
in Hawaii, Vero Beach Resort in Florida, Hilton Head Island Resort in South
Carolina, and the Villas at the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa at Disneyland
Resort.
You also have access to over 500 international
resorts via RCI's World Collection.
The
DVC Membership Card
A major perk of buying DVC direct is
that you'll receive a DVC membership card.
This is your golden ticket to a host
of ever-evolving savings wherever you travel with DVC. You can get regular
discounts on shopping and meals as well as reduced ticket prices and the
ability to pool-hop between resorts.
Concerning making bookings at the
restricted resorts, when you do the math, you'll usually conclude that it's
cheaper to pay cash for these reservations than to go to all the expense of
buying a direct membership.
Remember, you can also rent these
resorts direct from DVC members at a fraction of the cost of booking with the
resort.
This is especially true when you
consider that, if you vacation once a year, it's going to take you 14 years
just to experience the resorts you can book via a DVC resale membership.
Cost
Comparison of Resale DVC vs Direct
You can save up to 50% on the price
of your original weeks when you buy a resale membership. You can also purchase
a minimum of 25 points as opposed to the 100 lower limits imposed by direct
sales to new buyers.
You'll have to pay closing costs on
both types of membership, although these will be around 10% of the total cost
of your membership, so they'll be less when you buy resale points.
The annual fees are the same for
both options.
Finance
Options When Buying DVC Resale vs Direct
You can finance both types of
purchases. Most members opt for small home equity or signature loan with their
bank. These two options provide the best interest rates.
You can also contact a few lenders
who specialize in timeshare loans. These are:
- Monera Financial mortgage loans
for home resorts located in Florida
- Vacation Club Loans which are
personal loans applicable to all DVC properties
- The online lending division of
SunTrust Bank called Light stream for unsecured timeshare financing
Members who buy direct from DVC can
take advantage of vacation club loans provided by DVC themselves.
Choosing
the Best Options for Your Family
Have you made up your mind about DVC
resale vs direct DVC sales yet? Either one offers boundless opportunities for
family fun during your vacation time.
The choice depends mainly on your
needs and (most importantly) what you can afford.
Keep browsing our blog for more interesting information on a wide range of topics, including the world's best vacation destinations.
