Help!! DVC for Dummies

[CarolMN]

Because they can only get $6-7 a point worth of cash out of them when they resell them via CRO to pay for the cruise. However, they think they are worth $19 a point to DVC members looking for a few extra points. Its a service that they offer that they don't really want to sell too many of anyway, thus the high price which gives them the demand they want with the margins they want.

To say it a little differently, all DVC receives for those points (from Members) are the annual dues ($6-$7pp). The purchase price of the contract went to DVD, which is an entirely separate entity from the Club. Think of the $6-$7 as the "cost of goods sold". $19 is the retail price.

 

[CarolMN]

$19 a point to me is nuts when others who have offered (just wrong resorts) are offering for $8 - $10 a point.

Points are worthless unless there is availability. (Even DVC points a $19 each won't help you if there are no rooms left to book for the resort & dates you want). Points offered for $8-$10 are almost always points that are about to expire and availability is very limited or spotty (if there is any at all) before they do.

Know that offers that are "too good to be true" need to be examined very carefully before money changes hands. There are scammers out there using low price as bait. Don't skip the due diligence!

 

[kristenrice]

I have no idea how long of a trip you are planning, but have you considered splitting it up? Could you save points by booking (2) studios for the first few nights and then switching to a 2BR for the rest? We had to do that when there was a point reallocation and we were going to be about 20 points short. We split our 5 night stay and did (2) studios for 2 nights and then moved to a 2BR for the last 3. It worked out better than we thought because we were able to add a dining plan to the first stay (this was in 2010...we wouldn't do that at today's prices) and we didn't need the washer/dryer until the 3rd day anyways. Moving rooms within the same resort is not a big deal as long as you plan. We did the dining plan so we did not have groceries to pack and store when moving, and we packed our luggage so that our carry-ons had our stuff for the studio stay and our checked bags had our stuff for the 2BR. That way, we knew what we did not need to unpack.

...it's just a thought...

 

[KyleAfterAWhile]

Points are worthless unless there is availability. (Even DVC points a $19 each won't help you if there are no rooms left to book for the resort & dates you want). Points offered for $8-$10 are almost always points that are about to expire and availability is very limited or spotty (if there is any at all) before they do.

Know that offers that are "too good to be true" need to be examined very carefully before money changes hands. There are scammers out there using low price as bait. Don't skip the due diligence!

OP here. The $ amount I noted is from people I know personally, so there is no scamming. But, perhaps with a stranger, yes.

 

[Marionnette]

OP here. The $ amount I noted is from people I know personally, so there is no scamming. But, perhaps with a stranger, yes.

You also stated that those points were "just wrong resorts". At 7 months out, a point is a point regardless of the home resort. If you have friends that are willing to take $8-$10 per point - which is essentially giving them to you once you factor in the buy-in cost for those points + MFs - then pay them to transfer the points to you and use the points to add days to your reservation. This assumes, of course, that there is availability at 7 months. But you would be dealing with the same scenario if you were to purchase OTUPs @$19/pt.