Mickey bars, Fantasyland, fireworks--oh my! It sounds like the best family vacation ever, right? All magic comes with a price. If you love to visit Walt Disney World or other Disney destinations you're probably somewhat familiar with the Disney timeshare. Disney Vacation Club (DVC) uses a point based system where members financially commit to Disney resort stays for many years in advance. Compared to paying full website price or booking rooms through a travel agent, Disney Vacation Club provides a much better price on deluxe hotel accommodations at Disney. Still, paying up front for all those fabulous trips, while it's absolutely worth it, can be pricey. The big price tag might have you thinking about DVC sales, price fluctuations, specials or discounts. Does Disney Vacation Club go on sale? Are there DVC sales? Read on for exactly how to get Disney Vacation Club points for the best price possible.

Spoiler: Resale DVC points are the best value you'll find.

Disney Timeshare Best Price: Are there DVC sales?

Disney Vacation Club does not technically go on 'sale.' There are incentives the company offers from time to time when buying DVC directly through Disney. These promotions are usually only available on specific contracts Disney is eager to sell. This typically means contracts Disney is actively selling. These resorts are also referred to as those that are not yet sold out.

In 2024, the resorts being actively sold are:

Aulani, Disney Vacation Club Villas

The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort

The Villas at Disneyland Hotel
Disney's Riviera Resort

It's also good to note that incentives or sales on DVC may be greater for those who are already Members compared to those seeking out their first contract.

DVC Sales Incentives 2024

Let's look at an incentive Disney Vacation Club is offering in 2024. We've seen similar special offers like this over the years, typically following a buy more, save more model. DVC prices continue to trend up as prices per point rise nearly every year. So if you're considering, the sooner you buy, the better. This offer is available for all of the properties being actively sold and the savings vary by property. We are considering Disney's Riviera Resort.

From DisneyVacationClub.com:

"This spring, save $3,250 when you become a Member at select Resorts and experience magical vacations near and far for decades to come. Plus, act quickly to receive up to $6,000 in additional savings with the Welcome Home Offer*, for a total savings of up to $9,250!"

"Disney’s Riviera Resort

Welcome Home Offer: Act quickly and enjoy up to $5,500 or more in additional savings! Terms apply.

The savings below are valid for purchases now through June 24, 2024."

DVC Sale: Welcome Home Offer at Disney's Riviera Resort

When You Purchase...You'll Save...For a Total Savings of...150 to 199 Vacation Points$13 Per Vacation Point + an additional $1,000 with our Welcome Home Offer$2,950 to $3,587This is from the Disney Vacation Club website, illustrating the savings on a 150 to 199 point contract at Disney's Riviera Resort.

Comparing DVC Sales to DVC Resales

While $2,950 seems like a large discount, it's far from the best price you can get! You can buy a smaller point value from Disney directly, a minimum of 100 points, but you won't receive the promotional discount on contracts of that size.

There is a separate offer for those who are already Members looking to add on. The promotions offered to current members adding on can be better than the promotions for non members just buying in.

Example of Riviera DVC Sales vs Resale

I'm going to toss some rough numbers around here that don't include any fees. This is nowhere close to a final number for either of these scenarios but a starting point for comparison purposes. Even in such a vague calculation the savings when buying resale vs. direct is apparent. We'll look at an overview of what 150 points might cost in a few different scenarios. Remember this is for the current limited promotion and incentives in the future may look different.

150 points at Riviera for a new member with the Welcome Home Offer through Disney directly is listed at $30,800150 points at Riviera for a potential buyer on the resale market is around $19,350**Resale price based on a recent DVC Resale Experts sale.

New listings pop up all the time as DVC members sell DVC points for various reasons. At the time this blog post was written, this was an estimated DVC resale per point price. If you want to buy a Disney Vacation Club membership at the absolute best rate, what you're really looking for is resale DVC points.

What is Magical Beginnings at DVC?

There is another DVC discount to consider. Magical Beginnings is a purchase offer that provides you with a cash rebate. From Disney: "Eligible purchasers may exchange their full allotment of Vacation Points from the first Use Year for a cash rebate to be determined by Developer, currently $20 per point, subject to change." This basically means that instead of starting your contract right away, you would kind of sell your points back to Disney the first year. This can come in handy if you're already on your annual Disney trip when purchasing and don't plan to come back until next year. Maybe you already have your next trip planned so waiting to use your points for a lower cost overall makes sense.

What DVC resale doesn't come with

With savings like these, is there a catch with DVC resale? There is one thing to consider. DVC resale comes with a different price tag but also some restrictions. Buying directly from Disney does come with some additional perks. This is only if, as a new member, you purchase the minimum amount of points to get those perks. At this time, the number of points need to become eligible for Membership Extras is 150.

These perks include some small discounts and a chance to maybe attend some neat events at the parks throughout the year. These events are far from guaranteed though. Unfortunately the DVC events for Members are few and far between. If they don't happen to fall on your trip dates, it's not exactly convenient to attend. Some members choose to buy the minimum number of points needed direct from Disney in order to get those perks. Then they buy resale points after that to get to their desired number. It's an option. However, with the amount people save buying resale DVC points it can be really hard to justify spending thousands of extras dollars.

Frequently Asked Questions About DVC Sales

Can you buy DVC resale from Disney?

While Disney does buy contracts back through various methods like the Right of First Refusal, you can not buy resale DVC from Disney. Disney Vacation Club does not have a resale department. They do not help Members buy or sell DVC resale. We can assume when someone defaults on payments, Disney acquires the contract and sells it as new. Disney occasionally offer to buy certain contracts back from Members. Still, these contracts are sold at full price through DVC. There are no discounted rates on contract. Only the incentives, sales or discounts you may be eligible for.

Are there discounts on Disney Vacation Club?

There are also discounts on DVC from time to time. You may be eligible for a discount on DVC points as a Disney Chase Visa holder. Always ask your Disney Vacation Club Guide about discounts that might be available to you.

Another way you might be able to get a discount on DVC points is through a current member. Members can refer others to the Disney timeshare through the Dream It Forward program. In this case, they may be able to receive an additional purchasing offer.

Can you finance DVC?

If the cost of Disney Vacation Club is what's holding you back, it's possible to finance a contract. You don't have to pay for it all upfront. Putting ten percent down and financing the rest makes DVC much more attainable. A DVC loan can still help you save on Disney hotel stays. Especially when there are no fees for paying your loan off early.

Resale DVC Points Have the Best Value

Weighing the difference between buying Disney Vacation Club direct vs. resale shows the incredible savings you can get through buying resale DVC points. Prices can vary greatly with each resort depending on the popularity of that property, when the resort was built, when the contract was purchased and other factors. Overall there's no doubt the best sale you'll ever find on DVC is resale! 

Want to learn more about buying DVC at the best possible rate? DVC Resale Experts team members are available by phone, email and live chat on this site. Count on the experts to help you find a resale DVC contract that's a great fit for your magical vacation plans. To see what's available right now, view current resale DVC listings.

Talk to UsFor more information on Disney Vacation Club, its resorts, and the magical vacations you can have at great value by becoming a member through DVC resale, feel free to talk to any of our friendly professionals with DVC Resale Experts at 844-DVC-FANS (382-3267) or email us at Info@DVCResaleExperts.com.