Will the Disney direct points minimum ever be lowered?

[wfjny]

I also think it depends on the economy.
Disney lowered point minimums during the Great Recession right?

Disney always has the upper hand.

Years ago, DVC offered some short term deals on APs. For a while, our APs gave us a 20% off discount instead of the current 10%. Lets face it, it is what Disney does. They lower the cost of hotel rooms when they are not booking enough. They offer "Free Dining" when they are not booking enough.

And with the reservation system, they know exactly how many people will be in the parks.

If Direct DVC Sales slow down, they will offer more incentives. Perhaps some extra discounts, perhaps "Bonus Points" (which we all know is just lowering the price, without lowering the price).

Again, Disney always has the upper hand.

 

[Brian Noble]

The studios are much more "efficient" in terms of value-per-point, and people aren't stupid.

I went back to look at this, and for a week this March at SSR, the "point value" of a reservation is wildly different based on what size room you book. Averaging across views:

A studio reservation has a rack rate "value" of about $40/pt
A 1BR reservation has a rack rate "value" of about $24-$25/pt
A 2BR reservation has a rack rate "value" of about $31/pt

And people wonder why studios are in such high demand...

 

[hhisc16]

Disney always has the upper hand.

Years ago, DVC offered some short term deals on APs. For a while, our APs gave us a 20% off discount instead of the current 10%. Lets face it, it is what Disney does. They lower the cost of hotel rooms when they are not booking enough. They offer "Free Dining" when they are not booking enough.

And with the reservation system, they know exactly how many people will be in the parks.

If Direct DVC Sales slow down, they will offer more incentives. Perhaps some extra discounts, perhaps "Bonus Points" (which we all know is just lowering the price, without lowering the price).

Again, Disney always has the upper hand.

When did DVC allow 25 point new member purchases?
I know this took place at some point because people on the forum have discussed getting a blue card with purchasing 25 points direct.

 

[hhisc16]

That's true, but IMO the real source of competition for studios is the point charts. The studios are much more "efficient" in terms of value-per-point, and people aren't stupid.


I don't think so. They did stop ROFR though.

I knew they stopped ROFR for most of 2020, but I did not know they stopped during the GR.

 

[Sandisw]

When did DVC allow 25 point new member purchases?
I know this took place at some point because people on the forum have discussed getting a blue card with purchasing 25 points direct.

I don’t think they ever let new owners in with it that low. But, when they announced the change for membership perks in 2016, those buying resale then could then add on 25 points direct and get the blue card.

It went up again in 2018 to 75, 2019 to 100, 125 in 2020, and then 150 in 2021.

For a long time, the official minimum for buying as a new member, blue card aside, was 100 points, but they would allow people to buy less, even if it didn’t get them that…I have read as low as 50 points.

Now, from most reports, they won’t sell less than the 150, even if someone doesn’t care about the blue card.

Current members can still go as low as 25, but must get to the 150 to get the blue card. If one wants a different UY, even as a current owner, it’s 150, since it’s a new membership.

 

[hhisc16]

I don’t think they ever let new owners in with it that low. But, when they announced the change for membership perks in 2016, those buying resale then could then add on 25 points direct and get the blue card.

It went up again in 2018 to 75, 2019 to 100, 125 in 2020, and then 150 in 2021.

For a long time, the official minimum for buying as a new member, blue card aside, was 100 points, but they would allow people to buy less, even if it didn’t get them that…I have read as low as 50 points.

Now, from most reports, they won’t sell less than the 150, even if someone doesn’t care about the blue card.

Current members can still go as low as 25, but must get to the 150 to get the blue card. If one wants a different UY, even as a current owner, it’s 150, since it’s a new membership.

Makes sense now! Thanks!

 

[EYL]

I also think it depends on the economy.
Disney lowered point minimums during the Great Recession right?

I think the fundamental difference between now and that Great Recession is that there is a "minimum buy-in to DVC" and a "minimum buy-in for the Blue Card". Right now, both stand at 150 points for new members. If they do lower any point requirements due to the economy, I can see them lower the minimum to become a DVC member, but still require 150 points to qualify for membership magic. It's gonna be messy, but it might entice people to get their foot into the door by buying 100 points direct and withholding the Blue Card until they can afford to buy 50 more points.

That said, I think the more likely way DVC will proceed if the economy tanks is to add incentives. Much like when sales opened back up in June 2020, you can buy 150 points at the Riviera for $170/point with incentives.

 

[wilkydelts]

I went back to look at this, and for a week this March at SSR, the "point value" of a reservation is wildly different based on what size room you book. Averaging across views:

A studio reservation has a rack rate "value" of about $40/pt
A 1BR reservation has a rack rate "value" of about $24-$25/pt
A 2BR reservation has a rack rate "value" of about $31/pt

And people wonder why studios are in such high demand...

Can you explain the math behind this information? Are you just dividing standard room rate against points need to book?

 

[hhisc16]

I think the fundamental difference between now and that Great Recession is that there is a "minimum buy-in to DVC" and a "minimum buy-in for the Blue Card". Right now, both stand at 150 points for new members. If they do lower any point requirements due to the economy, I can see them lower the minimum to become a DVC member, but still require 150 points to qualify for membership magic. It's gonna be messy, but it might entice people to get their foot into the door by buying 100 points direct and withholding the Blue Card until they can afford to buy 50 more points.

That said, I think the more likely way DVC will proceed if the economy tanks is to add incentives. Much like when sales opened back up in June 2020, you can buy 150 points at the Riviera for $170/point with incentives.

Basically creating a tiered DVC member system right?

 

[EYL]

Basically creating a tiered DVC member system right?

I think that "tiered system" already exists with the white card and the blue card. In my scenario, if DVC allowed someone to buy in for 100 direct points, then they'd just get a "white card." The "Blue Card" wont be issued until 50 more direct points are purchased.

 

[Sandisw]

I think that "tiered system" already exists with the white card and the blue card. In my scenario, if DVC allowed someone to buy in for 100 direct points, then they'd just get a "white card." The "Blue Card" wont be issued until 50 more direct points are purchased.

And, that was the case when they went from 100 to 125 for blue card benefits. There were still people who were able to get 100 points, but didn't get the blue card. I don't think it was in play the entire time, but for at least the first few months??

Once it went to 150, all became equal so as a new owner, if you buy the minimum, we will be a blue card member regardless. It is only current owners who add on who can have direct points, but still not be a blue card owner. However, those direct points will still be good at RIV and future resorts since that aspect has nothing to do with blue card as that only allows one to be eligible for membership magic...officially anyway since we now know that sometimes white card owners are getting discounts.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Aulani is 10 years in and less than 2/3 declared. Aulani is a bit of an albatross from a developer standpoint.

 

[Brian Noble]

Can you explain the math behind this information? Are you just dividing standard room rate against points need to book?

Exactly.

I think that "tiered system" already exists with the white card and the blue card.

Disney is just getting started. Wyndham has five different tiers of "ownership," each with increasing perks.

 

[kenyoncad]

I have a kind of related question…. Say i own 75 direct points bought when the min for direct perks was 100 points. Would buying 25 more direct now get me to blue card status, or would i need an additional 75 to get to the current level of 150 direct points? Assuming everything is in the same use year.

 

[Sandisw]

I have a kind of related question…. Say i own 75 direct points bought when the min for direct perks was 100 points. Would buying 25 more direct now get me to blue card status, or would i need an additional 75 to get to the current level of 150 direct points? Assuming everything is in the same use year.

You would need to get to 150. But, the 75 you own do count toward getting to that level, so it’s just another 75.

 

[The Jackal]

Just to be clear, there are two different minimums, 150pts is min to get direct perks, a member adding on can do so as low as 25 pts or 50pts depending on resort.

Will this go back down? Who knows, they should have said buy 50 for the 50th as a short term deal.....I know, I know, I should work in Disney marketing

They are all 25 now.

 

[RoseGold]

Disney is just getting started. Wyndham has five different tiers of "ownership," each with increasing perks.

I think Disney is at 5 now. Direct, resale pre-2016, resale pre-2019, resale post-2019, resale RIV. But with decreasing perks, haha! DVC isn't into increasing perks.

 

[Brian Noble]

I mean five tiers where the benefits are different. Right now there are only two "tiers": Has benefits, and does not have benefits. If they follow the standard Timeshare Developer Playbook, they will introduce higher levels with additional perks: Owners with 150 qualified points have one slate of benefits. Owners with 250 qualified points have those plus something else. The perks will be relatively meaningless, but they will still be effective at helping to generate sales.

You can see what I mean by looking at what Wyndham does here:
https://clubwyndham.wyndhamdestinat...ndham/us/en/club-benefits/vip-by-wyndham.html

 

[RoseGold]

If there were ever a chance to put in an expensive upsell and a VIP DVC, it's DL Tower. I look forward to the next two tiers. Then everyone will want to be black card, haha. Just to make the Blue Card even more worthless.

 

[EYL]

I mean five tiers where the benefits are different.

Disney can't even communicate out to the CMs on the correct benefits between the 2 tiers in their system now. Imagine if it did go to 5?