Why I Bought a DVC Resale Contract

As with many other DVC Members, Add-On-Itis® hit soon after I purchased my first DVC contract.  I loved being able to use my points to stay at my favorite Disney deluxe resorts, but I quickly learned that I would need more points for more frequent trips.  Once I decided it was time to add on more points, I chose to go with resale over another direct contract.  Here’s why:

Huge Savings

In May 2020 when I was in the market for another contract, the Grand Floridian was selling directly through Disney for $255 per point as a “sold out” resort since this was prior to the addition of the Big Pine Key building.  At that time, resale Grand Floridian contracts were selling for an average of $161 per point.  That is a significant savings of $94 per point!  Even though small contracts, like the 50-point contract I ultimately bought, tend to go for a higher price per point, I still saved $83 per point.  That’s a savings of $4,150 or 33% off the price of a 50-point direct contract! 

Ease of Finding My Use Year

Another advantage of buying a resale contract was the ability to easily find a contract with my Use Year.  This would make it easier for me to manage my points under one DVC membership and follow the same banking deadline for all of my contracts.  

When purchasing a “sold out” resort directly through Disney, you often have to go on a waitlist until they have points with your Use Year.  This was not the case with DVC Resale Market, which happened to have a few Grand Floridian contracts in my February Use Year–no waitlist needed.

Grand Floridian Lake View Deluxe Studio

A Focus on Home Resort Advantage

As I began using my DVC points, aside from learning that I would need more, I saw firsthand the real value of the 11-month booking window.  While I loved staying at my home resorts, BoardWalk and Bay Lake Tower, I also wanted to stay at the Grand Floridian regularly.  Prior to the Resort Studios in Big Pine Key being added, it was quite challenging to reserve a room at the Grand Floridian at the 7-month mark or after.  

For that reason, I intended to primarily use my Grand Floridian points to stay at the Grand Floridian.  While I understood that those points would not be eligible for stays at Riviera or any new DVC resort after that due to resale restrictions, it wouldn’t matter to me.

Four years later, I have no regrets adding on with a resale contract.  I get to stay at the beautiful Grand Floridian every year or every other year (depending on how I use my points), and with Grand Floridian room rates going for well over $700 per night, I’m already close to breaking even on the price of my resale contract.