Every Crucial Thing You Should Know Before Purchasing a Disney Vacation Club Resale Contract in 2024

Are you trying to decide if a Disney Vacation Club resale contract is right for you? Then you’re in the right place!

In recent years, Disney Vacation Club resale contracts have become increasingly popular (as direct DVC prices have continued to soar).

I have purchased two DVC resale contracts (100 points at Disney’s Old Key West Resort and 100 points at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa). Along the way, I have learned some vital lessons!

When I was buying my first DVC resale contract, I didn’t know anyone who was a Disney Vacation Club member. So, here are the things I wish someone had told me before purchasing my Disney Vacation Club resale contracts. From expiration dates to home resorts to the dreaded annual dues and more, let’s talk DVC!

This post is all about every crucial thing you should know before purchasing a Disney Vacation Club resale contract. 

Disney Vacation Club Resale

What is Disney Vacation Club?

Disclaimer: buying a Disney Vacation Club contract is not a financial investment and is a “luxury purchase” – though it can save you money over time.

In understanding the intricacies of purchasing a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) resale contract, it’s essential to grasp the concept of Disney Vacation Club itself. 

Disney Vacation Club is Disney’s vacation ownership program, offering members access to a wide array of Disney accommodations. 

Unlike traditional timeshares, DVC operates on a points-based system, allowing members to use their allocated points to book accommodations at Disney Vacation Club resorts or other vacation destinations affiliated with the program. 

Essentially, purchasing a DVC contract grants you the right to stay at deluxe Disney resorts for a predetermined number of years (up to 50 years, but this will depend on your contract and Home Resort). 

When you buy a Disney Vacation Club contract, you pay the upfront cost and annual dues to maintain your Home Resort and, let’s face it, to make Disney money. 

If you purchase a DVC contract, you choose a Home Resort. This is where you have an 11-month booking priority (and at 7 months, you can swap your stay to a different DVC Resort – depending on availability).

However, if you buy a resale contract at the Riviera Resort, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel or the Cabins at Fort Wilderness, you will ONLY be able to stay at your Home Resort. We will speak about these awful resale restrictions later in this post).

What are ‘Disney Vacation Club Resale Contracts?

If you buy a Disney Vacation Club resale contract, you are not buying directly from Disney. Instead, you are purchasing another member’s “used” contract.

Resale contracts offer a more cost-effective alternative to buying directly from Disney. They often have lower purchase prices (and fewer years left on the contract).

It’s important to note that resale contracts come with certain limitations. For instance, you can’t ‘custom-make’ your contract. If you’re looking at a resale contract with 165 points, but you want 175 points, you won’t be able to make that adjustment. 

One of the main disadvantages of purchasing a DVC contract is the lack of benefits and restrictions (more on this later).

Disney Vacation Club Resale VS Direct’

When considering purchasing a Disney Vacation Club (DVC) membership, one crucial decision is whether to buy directly from Disney or through a resale contract. Both options offer distinct advantages and considerations that you should weigh carefully.

Buying directly from Disney typically entails higher upfront costs but has certain perks and benefits. Additionally, direct purchasers may have greater flexibility in using their points for various vacation options, including other Disney resorts, Disney Cruises, and other vacation destinations through the Disney Collection and Interval International Vacation Exchange.

On the other hand, purchasing a resale contract can offer significant cost savings compared to buying directly from Disney. 

Resale contracts are typically priced lower than direct contracts (quite significantly so), making them an attractive option for buyers looking to save money on their DVC purchase. 

However, there are some limitations to consider with resale contracts. Buyers may not have access to certain perks and privileges available to direct buyers. This wasn’t always the case (direct members and resale members used to have identical perks, but has since changed):

In 2011, DVC stopped resale members from using points on the Disney Cruise Line, Adventures By Disney and non-Disney Vacation Club rooms.

Five years later, in 2016, Disney took away EVEN MORE benefits from new resale members (current DVC resale members did NOT lose their benefits). This time, they took away merchandise, dining and annual pass discounts. New DVC resale members are unable to attend member events or go to member lounges.

Since then, in 2019, Disney added another restriction to those buying resale contracts. If you buy a resale contract at any of the original 14 DVC resorts, you will only be able to stay at those resorts. You won’t be able to stay at any of the newer DVC Resorts: Riviera Resort, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort or ANY future DVC Resorts.

‘Disney Vacation Club Cost’ of Purchase

The cost of a DVC contract can vary significantly depending on various factors, including whether it’s direct or resale, the Home Resort, and the size of the contract (number of points).

How many DVC points do you need?

To work out how many points you need, check out Disney’s points charts, where you can figure out how many points you would require for your vacation.

Please note that each DVC Resort has a different points chart – and some Resorts will cost more points to stay at than others.

The DVC Resorts, which typically require the LEAST amount of points to stay at, are:

• Disney’s Old Key West Resort (at Walt Disney World)
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas (at Walt Disney World)
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort (at Walt Disney World)
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas (at Walt Disney World)
• Disney’s Vero Beach Resort (in Vero Beach, Florida)
• Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort (in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina)

In contrast, the DVC Resorts, which typically require the MOST amount of points to stay at, are:

• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (at Walt Disney World)
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (at Walt Disney World)
• Disney’s Riviera Resort (at Walt Disney World)
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel (at Disneyland)

What is the DVC price per point?

If you’re making a direct purchase, the price per point will vary depending on the Home Resort. Disney is usually “actively selling” a few resorts at one time. At the time of publishing this post, Disney is “actively selling” contracts at the following Resorts:

1) Disney’s Riviera Resort

2) The Villas at Disneyland Hotel

3) Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas, in Ko Olina, Hawai’i

4) The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort

You can also buy direct contracts for any of the other Home Resorts; however, as Disney has sold the total amount of points available for the ENTIRE resort in the past, you may have to be placed on a waitlist for these contracts to become available. This is because Disney has to buy these contracts back from current members who want to sell, before they can sell it to you. Please note that if you purchase a DVC contract directly from Disney from a “sold-out” resort, this is NOT classed as a resale contract.

If you are a brand new Disney Vacation Club member, the minimum number of points you can purchase is 100.

Please note that you need 150 direct DVC points to access the direct benefits.

If you are currently a DVC member, you can add-on 25-50 points minimum at each resort (the minimum depends on which Resort you would like to add-on points at).

Here is the current 2024 price per point for each resort (at the time of publishing this post:

*Please note that this does not include any DVC direct incentives (which can save money on a direct purchase. Direct incentives tend to be better for current members, but you can often find new member promotions)*

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas (Expires 2057):

Direct: $210 per point

Resale (on average): $107 per point

Disney’s Bay Lake Tower (Expires 2060):

Direct: $275 per point

Resale: $132 per point

Disney’s Beach Club Villas (Expires 2042):

Direct: $275 per point

Resale: $128 per point

RELATED POST: Disney’s Beach Club Villas: Exploring the Many Pros and Cons of this DVC Resort

Disney’s BoardWalk Villas (Expires 2042):

Direct: $240 per point

Resale: $116 per point

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Expires 2042):

Direct: $215 per point

Resale: $103 per point

Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (Expires 2068):

Direct: $250 per point

Resale: $135 per point

Disney’s Old Key West Resort Direct (Expires 2042 or 2057 for RESALE or 2057 for DIRECT):

Direct: $205 per point

Resale (2042 expiration date): $85 per point

Resale (2057 expiration date): $115 per point

Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows (Expires 2066)

Direct: $250 per point

Resale: $156 per point

Disney’s Riviera Resort (expires 2070)

Direct: $225 per point

Resale: $126 per point (if you buy a resale contract at Riviera, you can ONLY stay at Riviera. You can’t stay at any of the other DVC Resorts).

Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa (expires 2054)

Direct: $205 per point

Resale: $104 per point

Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa (expires 2064)

Direct: $230 per point

Resale: $164 per point

RELATED POST: Unveiling the Pros and Cons of the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel (expires 2060)

Direct: $310 per point

Resale: $278 per point

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel (expires 2074):

Direct: $239 per point

Resale: (As this is a new property, we don’t have an average selling price, but you can currently find some resale listings on DVC Resale Market).

Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas (expires 2062):

Direct: $225 per point

Resale: $102 per point

Disney’s Hilton Head Resort (expires 2042):

Direct: $165 per point

Resale: $62 per point

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort (expires 2042):

Direct: $150 per point

Resale: $57 per point

Check out these sites for more information on resale and direct pricing.

What are the other upfront costs you should know about?

If you’re buying a resale contract, you will have to pay some other upfront costs.

This is similar if you buy a direct contract, so it’s not really an added disadvantage of purchasing a resale contract.

For a resale contract, here are the other upfront costs:

• Closing costs (these can be higher than direct closing costs. For more information on approximate DVC resale closing costs, check out this post).
• Annual dues – Typically, these will be paid by the buyer for that year’s allotment of points.

To find out more about DVC direct upfront costs (including closing costs and documentation preparation fee, check out Disney’s cost calculator).

RELATED POST: Breaking Down the Disney Vacation Club Cost of Membership

Can you finance your contract?

Yes, there are options to finance resale and direct contracts. 

I have never financed a DVC contract and don’t plan to in the future, so admittedly, I don’t know much about this topic.

However, if you want a breakdown of the numbers when it comes to financing, here is a helpful video (this is aimed mainly at financing a direct contract, but it covers some of the reasons why someone may finance and why it may not be a good option in general). 

Disney Vacation Club Resorts – The Importance of Your Home Resort

Earlier, we discussed the price of membership – depending on your Home Resort.

Price is definitely a factor for many Disney Vacation Club Resale members. It was the primary reason I purchased contracts at Old Key West and Saratoga Springs.

Another thing to consider is which Resort you would like to stay at the most. 

For example, if you only ever want to stay at the Grand Floridian Villas, but buy a resale contract at Boulder Ridge Villas, this may not make sense. 

After all, there is no guarantee that you will be able to book the studio/villa you want for the dates you want seven months out.

If you don’t really mind where you stay, this may be less of a big deal (like me, which is why I chose my Home Resorts).

However, I will say that I like Saratoga Springs significantly more than Old Key West, and I get more excited about the prospect of staying there.

So, if there’s a Resort you really dislike, I wouldn’t recommend buying a contract there – even if the price is low. Although I usually switch the resorts I’m staying at, at the 7-month mark, there is no guarantee that you’ll be able to. 

After all, you don’t want to pay a lot of money for a DVC contract, and then become disappointed when you have to stay at your Home Resort.

RELATED POST: All the Disney Vacation Club Locations of Resorts: A Complete Guide

What makes Disney Vacation Club accommodation special?

DVC offers a range of accommodations, from Studios to multi-bedroom Villas, all designed to provide guests with spacious, comfortable, and home-like settings during their Disney vacations.

Compared to traditional hotel rooms, DVC Studios offer several advantages.

Firstly, DVC studios are quite comparable to regular Disney hotel rooms. However, most DVC studios (excluding the Resort Studios at the Grand Floridian) often come equipped with convenient amenities such as kitchenettes, allowing guests to prepare meals and snacks, saving time and money.

You can also choose to stay in a 1, 2 or 3 Bedroom Villa.

*Please note that some DVC Resorts do have 3 Bedroom Grand Villas.*

Villas provide kitchens and living areas, as well as washers and dryers (though the new Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort will NOT include washers and dryers inside the cabins).

(If you stay in a Studio, you can use the washers and dryers for free – regardless of whether you are a direct or resale member. However, you will not have a washer and dryer in your Studio).

Where to Look for Disney Vacation Club Resale Listings

When considering purchasing a DVC resale contract, it’s essential to know where to look for reliable listings. Several reputable companies specialize in facilitating DVC resale transactions and offer a wide range of listings for prospective buyers to explore.

I have purchased Disney Vacation Club resale contracts from The Timeshare Store and DVC Resale Market. Fortunately, I had positive experiences with both companies.

Before you purchase a DVC contract, I recommend reading plenty of Disney Vacation Club resale reviews of these companies to find the best option for you.

I also recommend viewing each company’s listings to find the best deals.

How long does it take to purchase a DVC resale contract?

One of the main cons of buying a Disney Vacation Club resale contract is the lengthy process, which can typically take up to 2-3 months.

One of the main reasons for this is Right of First Refusal (ROFR).

After you make an offer on a DVC contract, which is accepted, Disney can review this, and exercise their right to buy that contract back (meaning that you could lose it).

I have not experienced this, but there are times where ROFR is a problem.

The ROFR process can take Disney up to 30 days, so it can be really frustrating if you wait all that time only to find out that Disney decided to buy the contract back.

For more information on ROFR, check out this post.

Alternatively, if you purchase a direct contract, the process may only take a couple of weeks.

(I have not purchased a direct contract, but those who have purchased direct and resale contracts often say that the process is quicker and easier with a direct contract).

Are there additional ways I can save on a DVC resale contract? 

One strategy to save on a DVC resale contract is to consider loaded and stripped contracts.

Loaded Disney Vacation Club Resale Contracts

A loaded contract has banked points from a previous year. Both of my DVC contracts have been ‘loaded contracts’.

I bought my Old Key West resale contract (with a 2042 expiration date) in 2023. It had 100 points from 2022, 200 in 2023 and 100 in 2025 to the end of the contract.

I paid $95 per point, but these banked points have given me so much extra value. I even got to stay in Two-Bedroom Villas at Grand Floridian and Beach Club!

Similarly, I bought my Saratoga Springs contract at the beginning of 2024.

It had 95 banked points from 2022 (expiring this year), 200 points coming in 2024, and 100 points in 2025 to the end of the contract.

For this contract, I paid $110 per point.

These prices are pretty great considering the tremendous amount of value I have received from the banked points.

Also, if you won’t use these additional banked points, you could rent out these points (you can often receive $16-$18 per point you rent out).

RELATED POST: Disney’s Old Key West Resort VS Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa – Which DVC Resort is Better?

Stripped Disney Vacation Club Resale Contracts

A stripped contract means that a contract has no points for the current year. That means you won’t have points you can use until the next year.

These can sell for less, as buying a stripped contract is less appealing to most buyers.

However, if you’re not visiting Disney until the following year and want to save on the initial price of your contract, this can be a good option.

Is Purchasing a Disney Vacation Club Resale Contract a Good Idea?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a “one-size fits all” kind of answer to this question.

In general, if you visit Disney World at least every other year and stay in Moderate or Deluxe Resorts, buying a Disney Vacation Club resale contract will probably save you money in the long run.

This video demonstrates the savings of owning a DVC contract:

RELATED POST: Is Disney Vacation Club Worth It?: 8 Things to Consider Before Becoming a DVC Member

Personally, I don’t regret buying Disney Vacation Club resale contracts. If it is your first DVC contract, a smaller financial commitment feels less stressful.

In the future, I would like to own some direct, unrestricted DVC points that I could use at the Riviera Resort, The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and future DVC properties.

Additionally, some of the perks can help you save. For example, if you’re not a Florida resident (like me) and you want an Annual Pass, you can only purchase the Disney Incredi-pass, which costs a staggering $1,449 + tax!

DVC members are eligible for the Disney Sorcerer Pass, which costs $999 + tax.

The option to save $450 on my Annual Pass would be pretty nice. These savings can be substantial if you purchase Disney World Annual Passes for multiple members of your family each year.

RELATED POST: Can You Save Money by Becoming a Disney World Annual Passholder in 2024?

The DVC member lounges (especially the one in Epcot with “complimentary” drinks and snacks!) is also pretty appealing – for someone who doesn’t want to pay Disney prices for drinks and snacks!

But then again, it will probably be a long time until I’m in a position to pay Disney prices for a direct contract. 😂

And Disney’s perks are subject to change, meaning that the current perks and discounts may not be around forever.

That being said, I would be surprised if these were completely scrapped by Disney, as they need to give people some valid reasons to justify purchasing a direct contract. But then again, it really is anybody’s guess.

If you have your heart set on a direct DVC contract, keep looking for direct Disney promotions.

Some promotions, like Magical Beginnings (which is essentially the same as buying a “stripped” resale contracy, however Disney refunds you $22 per point if you “forfeit” your first years’ points).

*Please note that this is currently only available for US purchasers and you still have to pay for those points that you are essentially “selling back” to Disney.*

Ta Ta For Now

To summarise, purchasing a DVC resale contract can offer an excellent opportunity for individuals and families seeking a more affordable and flexible way to enjoy Disney vacations in Deluxe accommodations.

Do you plan on purchasing a Disney Vacation Club resale contract?!

This post was all about every crucial thing you should know before purchasing a Disney Vacation Club resale contract. 

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