Rare DVC Contracts: What Makes Them Valuable and Are They Worth It?

There is a wide range of contracts on the DVC resale market from different home resorts and Use Years to variations in the number of points on a contract. There are also some rare DVC contracts, such as:

• Extended Old Key West contracts with deeds that expire in 2057 instead of 2042
• Aulani or Vero Beach contracts with subsidized annual dues
• Guaranteed week contracts (also known as fixed week or favorite week contracts) that can book you the same week every year in a specific accommodation

These special contracts are harder to find on the resale market and typically sold at a higher price per point, but is it worth paying more for these contracts?

Why Are These DVC Contracts Rare?

Supply for the resale market is related to what people have purchased directly through Disney, and for various reasons, there just weren’t very many of these types of contracts purchased from Disney.  

Old Key West Extended Contracts

When DVC offered Old Key West owners the opportunity to extend their deeds from 2042 to 2057, most owners did not opt to extend their contracts. This is why most Old Key West contracts that you will find on the resale market expire in 2042.

Subsidized Aulani and Vero Beach Contracts

Subsidies for Aulani and Vero Beach contracts were only offered to Members who purchased their contracts when these resorts were first sold. Vero Beach owners who purchased prior to January 1, 1996 were offered subsidies since lower annual dues were originally calculated based on plans for a second phase of the resort that ultimately was never built. Aulani owners who purchased prior to July 27, 2011 were offered subsidies after an accounting error led to miscalculated dues.  

Guaranteed Week Contracts

Guaranteed week contracts are not purchased as frequently as regular contracts, so the number of these special contracts hitting the resale market can be quite low. In addition, Disney only offered guaranteed week contracts for the more recent DVC Resorts, such as Aulani, Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Copper Creek, Riviera, Villas at Disneyland Hotel, and the Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness. This also contributes to their rarity on the resale market.

Guaranteed Week contracts can be especially valuable for owners who consistently travel during popular times of year, since they provide the security of having that specific week reserved without competing for availability.

Grand Floridian

Why Do Rare DVC Contracts Cost More Per Point?

Price per point can be highly influenced by supply. Considering that the rarity of these contracts makes the supply low, this can lead to higher pricing. Demand for them can be greater too, which also warrants the higher price per point. For example, annual dues can be one of the larger expenses of a DVC Membership over time, so having lower annual dues from a subsidized contract is a huge perk. That’s what makes subsidized contracts so popular.

However, a rare contract isn’t necessarily a better value for every buyer. Whether it’s worth the higher price depends on how much you’ll actually benefit from the features that make it unique.

When Is It Worth Paying Extra for a Rare Contract?

Subsidized dues DVC contracts could be worth the extra cost for just about everyone, but for extended Old Key West or guaranteed week contracts, worth it depends on your individual needs. Although most people feel that having an extra 15 years on an Old Key West contract is a great benefit since you get more years of vacations, for some buyers, a 2042 expiration date may make more sense if they do not plan to pass down their contract.  

Riviera guaranteed week contract

For guaranteed weeks, worth it can also be subjective.  Guaranteed weeks offer some flexibility in that you can opt to forgo your guaranteed week and use the points to travel another time.  For example, a Riviera guaranteed week contract currently for sale can be used for Fixed Week 40 (October 1, 2028 check-in), or it can be opted out for 194 DVC points.  However, the premium that you pay for a guaranteed week contract is to have the benefit of that guaranteed reservation.  If you foresee yourself opting out and using the points more often than keeping that Week 40 guaranteed reservation, the premium cost of that guaranteed week contract is not going to be worthwhile for you.  

Still unsure whether a rare contract is worth it or not? Talk to the experts at DVC Resale Market. With more than 200 years of combined direct Disney Vacation Club experience, they can guide you in finding the right contract for your needs.  

Access all available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.

If you’d like to make an offer or request a free consultation about buying or adding to your DVC contract, the DVC Resale Market team is here to help!