DVC Resale Pros and Cons

If you’re a fellow list maker and researcher before you make a big investment, you’ll like it here. The DVC Resale Experts blog has lots of answers, definitions, statistics and, of course, magic. If you’re considering buying Disney Vacation Club but not sure if resale or direct is the right fit for you, let’s talk about it. More information can help lead you to the right choice and a pros and cons list can be a great help in decision making. Let’s weigh the DVC resale pros and cons.

DVC Resale Pros and Cons

DVC Resale Pros

Resale Costs Way Less for the Same Idea

Being a Disney Vacation Club Member is all about annual stays at Deluxe Disney resorts. In that respect, resale works the same. You get to pick a home resort and you get the eleven month booking advantage there. When it comes to the price, that’s where everything is different. Buying Disney Vacation Club directly from Disney can be very costly. DVC is always pricey but the amount you save buying resale might shock you! These days, the price per point for Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort direct from DVC is $245. If you were to look at resale prices per point for Bay Lake Tower at the time this post was written, you’d see a price of around $165 per point. At this rate, on a purchase of 100 points you’d save $8000 if you bought DVC resale instead of direct. That could buy a lot of Mickey bars. Savings vary by resort, point value and other details but it’s absolutely worth considering resale before buying direct.

Resale Points Let You Book at Almost All DVC Resorts

The original fourteen Disney Vacation Club resorts can be booked interchangeably meaning if you buy at one you can use those resale points to book at the others. Those resorts include Aulani, A Disney Resort and Spa, Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows, Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Disney’s Vero Beach Resort. See the part about Disney’s Riviera Resort in the cons…

You Park for Free with Resale DVC

When you’re on a stay booked with resale DVC points you don’t have to pay for parking at your resort. Disney introduced overnight parking fees for guests over the last few years. It really makes a difference at $25 per night for guests of Deluxe tier resorts! The planDisney panel says, ‘Members also receive complimentary overnight parking when staying in Deluxe Villa Accommodations when paying cash.’ As always, resort guests don’t pay for parking at the theme parks so with resale DVC there are no self parking fees on your trip.

DVC Resale Cons

DVC Resale Doesn’t Include DVC Discounts

There are a few different Disney Vacation Club  Member discounts like shopping, dining and recreation. To qualify for those you would need a blue DVC Membership card which resale does not come with. Note that if you already qualify for the extra perks like discounts, adding on resale points won’t affect your status. You can get similar discounts with an Annual Pass or the Disney Visa card.

Resale DVC Isn’t Eligible for Member Events

Disney Vacation Club hosts special events for Members. In order to qualify today, a new Member would need a blue DVC Membership card which today requires the purchase of 150 points directly from Disney. Resale DVC Members aren’t able to attend special DVC events. For consideration, these events can include offerings like Moonlight Magic which is an after hours event in a theme park, often with lots of characters, sometimes with special fireworks or other fun. Even for eligible Members, these events aren’t guaranteed, though, and as we saw over the last few years, can go away at any time. These events also sell out, making attaining entrance an extra challenge. Some events require you to have a room booked at the time of the event in order to attend. So while the events sound fun, they may not always match up with your plans. There’s also a Disney Vacation Club Member cruise and those who buy resale aren’t eligible to attend.

Resale DVC Points Alone Don’t Qualify You to Visit Top of the World Lounge

Top of the World Lounge is an exciting venue at Walt Disney World Resort. This Disney Vacation Club Member exclusive space is a bar and lounge with one of the best views in town. It sits atop Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort on the sixteenth floor with firework views. This may be a big perk of DVC for some but unfortunately those who purchase resale DVC alone are unable to visit.

Disney’s Riviera Resort and Other Booking Restrictions

Things are different with Disney’s Riviera Resort. Before opening Riviera Disney Vacation Club changed the rules for using your points to book at resorts other than your home resort. If you buy resale at Disney’s Riviera Resort you can only use your points to book there. If you buy resale DVC with a home resort other than Riviera, you can’t use your points to book at Riviera. The moral of the story is, only buy resale at Disney’s Riviera Resort knowing you love it and look forward to staying there and only there with those points. It’s a beautiful resort with a great pool, excellent restaurants including Topolino’s Terrace character breakfast and firework viewing fun and a fantastic location with Skyliner access for quick trips to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. However, if you prefer the flexibility of booking different resorts, another home resort is the best choice with resale. Buying resale also means you can’t use your points for all other options outside of DVC. 

DVC Resale Experts

DVC Resale Experts can help with all of your resale DVC needs. Whether you’re buying a Membership, adding on or selling DVC points, the Experts will be happy to guide you through the process. As former Disney Vacation Club Guides, our licensed real estate agents made magic for guests. They continue to do so selling resale DVC. Have a look at what’s available right now on our resale DVC listings page.