Riviera Sales by the numbers (vs CCV) for 2019 - (December added 1/16/2020)

[CanadaDisney05]

Attempting to predict the future by peering through the lens of today is pretty much guaranteed to produce myopic results at best. For those who have been around the DIS for a while, we will remember how some folks predicted the death of DVC when direct points hit the $100/PP mark, but today members are quite happy to pick up resale (not direct) contracts for $100/PP. When I purchased my first contract (some 20 years ago), the rack rate at the Polynesian was about $300/night. That seemed expensive at the time, but would be a bargain today.

Never forget about about inflation. $100 in 2000 is equivalent to $148 today. So the $165 PP (after incentives) you can pickup Riviera or Aulani direct isn't that much of a stretch.

On the other hand, the $100 resale today is equivalent to $67 in 2000.

In 10-20 years, I'm sure we will be reading posts here from someone who has just purchased a resale contract for $200/PP and feels like it was quite a deal and made great "financial sense". If I've learned one thing about us Disney fans over the years, it's that we will complain about everything under the sun, but at the end of the day, we'll still pay higher ticket, food, and room prices year after year.

I couldn't agree more. I recently went back and listened to a bunch of the Dis Unplugged podcasts from 2006 to 2008. It literally could have been a recording from 2019. The whole roundtable is constantly complaining that over the past 10 years there has been a significant drop in service level, food quality, and overall customer experience at WDW. Management should be fired. They are ruining something that was once the highest quality not that long ago.

Then whenever they travelled to Disneyland, it was such a wonderful experience.

The problem is, when you go so often, you begin to nitpick. Things that were small details suddenly become game changers in your mind.

 

[sndral]

About a year ago DVC amended the doc.s and gave themselves the ability to change use years on contracts they ROFR’ed and then resold as direct points. I assume that makes it easier to meet demand for direct legacy resort points - could we be seeing the uptick in legacy resort direct sales partly because of that change increasing supply/use year flexibility?

 

[kboo]

You can vacation to Disney without dvc and in reality the benefits are so limited now that you need to spend $40k just to get enough points to justify a gold AP.

Are you including all the costs of going to WDW and food to get to your $40k ?

They are moving out of "this is going to save you money if you're coming every year or so in the next twenty years" to a purely emotional decision, which is not what dvc was even ten years ago.

I think DVC direct has always been aiming at the emotions, though. Pixie dust while on vacation and all that. DH and I used to pride ourselves on not falling into the "buying the magic" schtick until we saw WDW through our kids' eyes. For them, it *is* still magical. We thought we were making a more rational decision by buying resale, but I guess we've gone full emotion now.

Attempting to predict the future by peering through the lens of today is pretty much guaranteed to produce myopic results at best. For those who have been around the DIS for a while, we will remember how some folks predicted the death of DVC when direct points hit the $100/PP mark, but today members are quite happy to pick up resale (not direct) contracts for $100/PP. When I purchased my first contract (some 20 years ago), the rack rate at the Polynesian was about $300/night. That seemed expensive at the time, but would be a bargain today.

In 10-20 years, I'm sure we will be reading posts here from someone who has just purchased a resale contract for $200/PP and feels like it was quite a deal and made great "financial sense". If I've learned one thing about us Disney fans over the years, it's that we will complain about everything under the sun, but at the end of the day, we'll still pay higher ticket, food, and room prices year after year.

Oh yes. Our first onsite stay with our oldest kid was at the Contemporary, garden wing, at just under $300/night (after a 30% discount). We knew we were coming back (the year before we had stayed offsite in a TS my mom had booked, and we DONE with driving back and forth every day), and certainly at the resale price point where we entered, it made financial sense. Fast forward 3 years (from buying resale) and 6 years (from staying onsite) and we've bought direct at Riviera...

I don't think I'm being a pollyanna by saying, though, that they are putting a lot of improvements into the parks so even though everything is getting more expensive, we are also getting more out of it. RotR, SWGE, all the Epcot improvements - I am very excited about those. I've been going to WDW since I was a kid. There was a time in the 80s (?) where everything felt a little static, and the rides didn't feel quite that immersive or magical. Also, on each trip we find some experience or character or CM interaction that just feels special and magical. Sometimes it is pixie dust, but often it is not. This last time was Flynn Rider/Eugene sidling up to my 4yo at Bon Voyage and giving her a smolder while we were all talking about something else - he completely surprised us. My 4yo sidled AWAY and gave him a reverse smolder (?) or something that had us ALL dying, including Eugene. There's no video or photos because it happened so quickly, but it was so hilarious and memorable. Also the New Year's dance party at MK at 12/30 - it was so unexpectedly fun and joyous.

 

[MJ NH]

RIV seemed really busy last week. The day I went on the members tour it was booked and had a waitlist. After the tour the guides were all busy with folks crunching numbers or adding on. Just an observation but could indicate good numbers coming this month for RIV.

 

[Ben E N]

Did anybody else just get an email from the guide specifically trying to push a sale at Riviera before the price increase tomorrow? My guide may be going rogue, but I have never gotten an email like that from him before.
The content of the sales email is as follows:

"
Hey there folks,

I hope that you are having a magical day, and that all is well. I also hope that you are enjoying being DVC Members. It is that time of year again that if you add on points at Aulani or Riviera before March 1 2020, Disney is going to give you points from MARCH 1ST OF 2019!!! That means you will get points from 2019, and you will get points again on this coming March 1st, 2020. That is 2 years' worth of points for you to enjoy immediately which is a great way to do bigger and better for the upcoming year. Our prices will be INCREASING TOMORROW, so call me TODAY if you can!

As a member, you can add on 50 points or more. We are currently selling at Aulani and Riviera. If you want more points for your family, contact me ASAP!!! I do hope to hear from you. Just call or email me if interested. Talk soon, and welcome home to DVC!!"

I find it interesting that the email only mentions selling at Aulani and Riv. It could be just a new attempt at sales, could be their new normal operating procedure, or could be a desperate attempt to get some extra Riviera sales in there.

 

[TexasChick123]

Did anybody else just get an email from the guide specifically trying to push a sale at Riviera before the price increase tomorrow? My guide may be going rogue, but I have never gotten an email like that from him before.
The content of the sales email is as follows:

"
Hey there folks,

I hope that you are having a magical day, and that all is well. I also hope that you are enjoying being DVC Members. It is that time of year again that if you add on points at Aulani or Riviera before March 1 2020, Disney is going to give you points from MARCH 1ST OF 2019!!! That means you will get points from 2019, and you will get points again on this coming March 1st, 2020. That is 2 years' worth of points for you to enjoy immediately which is a great way to do bigger and better for the upcoming year. Our prices will be INCREASING TOMORROW, so call me TODAY if you can!

As a member, you can add on 50 points or more. We are currently selling at Aulani and Riviera. If you want more points for your family, contact me ASAP!!! I do hope to hear from you. Just call or email me if interested. Talk soon, and welcome home to DVC!!"

I find it interesting that the email only mentions selling at Aulani and Riv. It could be just a new attempt at sales, could be their new normal operating procedure, or could be a desperate attempt to get some extra Riviera sales in there.

I didn’t. My guide is old school though. I’ll get an email from her once in a blue moon, but not very often. She is based in CA though, so maybe I’ll get one from her later on today.

 

[Soap_1984]

Never forget about about inflation. $100 in 2000 is equivalent to $148 today. So the $165 PP (after incentives) you can pickup Riviera or Aulani direct isn't that much of a stretch.

On the other hand, the $100 resale today is equivalent to $67 in 2000.



I couldn't agree more. I recently went back and listened to a bunch of the Dis Unplugged podcasts from 2006 to 2008. It literally could have been a recording from 2019. The whole roundtable is constantly complaining that over the past 10 years there has been a significant drop in service level, food quality, and overall customer experience at WDW. Management should be fired. They are ruining something that was once the highest quality not that long ago.

Then whenever they travelled to Disneyland, it was such a wonderful experience.

The problem is, when you go so often, you begin to nitpick. Things that were small details suddenly become game changers in your mind.

I'd just be careful with slapping 2% on inflation and stating that would be the price today; wage growth since 2000 had been something like 5% so it is more expensive than you state. Rates are just low allowing people to live the same way (except they aren't low at disney financing dvc).

 

[Five of Five]

I am waiting to add on at RIV until after the increase tomorrow (Wednesday). I know that seems counterintuitive, but my instincts tell me the incentives will be improving along with this price increase (at least at the number of points I am planning to purchase).

 

[crvetter]

I am waiting to add on at RIV until after the increase tomorrow (Wednesday). I know that seems counterintuitive, but my instincts tell me the incentives will be improving along with this price increase (at least at the number of points I am planning to purchase).

You can do both. If you purchase today with the current incentives and tomorrow’s are better you can cancel the sale and purchase under tomorrow’s pricing. But if you wait exclusively until tomorrow you’ll be stuck if it’s just more expensive.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

I'd just be careful with slapping 2% on inflation and stating that would be the price today; wage growth since 2000 had been something like 5% so it is more expensive than you state. Rates are just low allowing people to live the same way (except they aren't low at disney financing dvc).

I used a US inflation calculator

 

[€lairebear]

Nope have not heard from my guide. Rarely hear from my guide purchased with him 3 times within a year that’s between 2018 and 2019. No email/postcards etc. Even when I called to purchase, bought over the phone, he was not pushy. Never calls to follow up unless I’m ready to pull out my cc to buy more points. I recalled one time he mentioned Disney doesn’t need to be pushy with sales as the product sells itself. He’s been there for over 20 years. I did ask him how’s riviera sales he said he’s been so busy with add ons. He doesn’t do face to face sales I think he does phone sales. I think each guide works differently. Some may be more aggressive some more laid back. I won’t read too much into it. And I just see it as a courtesy notice. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Sandisw]

I am waiting to add on at RIV until after the increase tomorrow (Wednesday). I know that seems counterintuitive, but my instincts tell me the incentives will be improving along with this price increase (at least at the number of points I am planning to purchase).

You know you could start the process today and lock in current. If the incentIves are better, you just ask to have it redone.

I did that during the last change at end of October.

 

[Five of Five]

Did anybody else just get an email from the guide specifically trying to push a sale at Riviera before the price increase tomorrow? My guide may be going rogue, but I have never gotten an email like that from him before.
The content of the sales email is as follows:

"
Hey there folks,

I hope that you are having a magical day, and that all is well. I also hope that you are enjoying being DVC Members. It is that time of year again that if you add on points at Aulani or Riviera before March 1 2020, Disney is going to give you points from MARCH 1ST OF 2019!!! That means you will get points from 2019, and you will get points again on this coming March 1st, 2020. That is 2 years' worth of points for you to enjoy immediately which is a great way to do bigger and better for the upcoming year. Our prices will be INCREASING TOMORROW, so call me TODAY if you can!

As a member, you can add on 50 points or more. We are currently selling at Aulani and Riviera. If you want more points for your family, contact me ASAP!!! I do hope to hear from you. Just call or email me if interested. Talk soon, and welcome home to DVC!!"

I find it interesting that the email only mentions selling at Aulani and Riv. It could be just a new attempt at sales, could be their new normal operating procedure, or could be a desperate attempt to get some extra Riviera sales in there.
[/

You can do both. If you purchase today with the current incentives and tomorrow’s are better you can cancel the sale and purchase under tomorrow’s pricing. But if you wait exclusively until tomorrow you’ll be stuck if it’s just more expensive.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[Five of Five]

You know you could start the process today and lock in current. If the incentIves are better, you just ask to have it redone.

I did that during the last change at end of October.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[kboo]

Nothing from our guide, and I was just emailing him about something else last week.

 

[Ben E N]

Nothing from our guide, and I was just emailing him about something else last week.

I could just be in that sweet spot of having a March UY, so starting the process now would have gotten me in by March, and would have also locked me into the lower price.

 

[AVmatt]

...
I hope that you are having a magical day, and that all is well. I also hope that you are enjoying being DVC Members. It is that time of year again that if you add on points at Aulani or Riviera before March 1 2020, Disney is going to give you points from MARCH 1ST OF 2019!!!
...

Is this normal for Disney to offer this kind of bonus around this time of year (every year)?

 

[larry47591]

Is this normal for Disney to offer this kind of bonus around this time of year (every year)?

It's not a bonus you should get the 2019 points because you are still in the 2019 use year. They just like to make you think it is.

 

[Sandisw]

Is this normal for Disney to offer this kind of bonus around this time of year (every year)?

It is not a bonus. But rather the way the phrase it to make you think it is.

When you buy direct at the resorts in active sales...currently RIV or AUL..you are entitled to current UY points. Right now, we are still in the March 2019 UY, and those why you get those points.

As soon as we hit March 1st, then those bonus points would no longer available because the current UY would now be tho March 2020 UY.

So, ideally, adding on or buying toward the end of a UY is a good way to get those points

 

[vnovabri]

It is not a bonus. But rather the way the phrase it to make you think it is.

When you buy direct at the resorts in active sales...currently RIV or AUL..you are entitled to current UY points. Right now, we are still in the March 2019 UY, and those why you get those points.

As soon as we hit March 1st, then those bonus points would no longer available because the current UY would now be tho March 2020 UY.

So, ideally, adding on or buying toward the end of a UY is a good way to get those points

So if I want a SEP UY I can wait until AUG to buy and still get 2019 points?