I bought a BLT resale contract in 2023 with the intention of keeping it until it expired, but here we are! My contract is all but sold because I’m using the last of my points over Labor Day (so delayed closing), but everything else is done. I thought it’d be interesting to share how much I spent while owning a contract short-term and how that translates to what I spent per stay, without the benefit of spreading the initial cost over the full life of the contract (or at least what was left of it).
I bought a fully loaded 200 point BLT contract and have used all but 12 points in 2026, so 988 points total. Between my initial purchase price plus closing costs, 4 years of dues (2023-2026), and what I’m getting back from my contract less commission and estoppel fee, I spent $13,336.60 or $13.50/pt*
Here’s how I used those points:
12/2023 - 3 nights 1-bedroom at BRV, 105 points or $472.45/night
12/2023 - 5 nights PV resort studio at GFV, 115 points or $310.47/night
8/2024 - 4 nights studio at BCV, 66 points or $222.73/night
12/2024 - 6 nights RV 2-bedroom at BLT, 264 points or $593.94/night
12/2024 - 6 nights RV studio at BLT, 100 points or $224.98/night
6/2025 - 4 nights 2 studios at BRV, 132 points (66 points/room) or $222.73/night
11/2025 - 4 nights RV 1-bedroom at BLT, 148 points or $499.95/night
9/2026 - 4 nights RV studio at BLT, 58 points or $195.73/night
*My actual cost/pt is less because I was reimbursed by family/friends for some of these stays, so excluding what I received and the points used for those stays, my out-of-pocket cost was more like $12.45/point (which makes my upcoming BLT stay ~$181/night!)
I clearly did not make a profit off of this contract, but I still think it was worthwhile owning to get these room rates, especially compared to renting/cash rates. There’s also the opportunity cost of my initial purchase price which is not factored in. But, it gave me and my friends/family the opportunity to stay in some new-to-us resorts and room types, which we loved. So all in all, #noragrets
I’m only selling because this contract convinced both my parents and my bff to buy DVC themselves so I don’t need as many points, plus I was having FOMO over being blocked out of the current/future newer resorts, so I bought Riviera direct instead
Congrats on your new purchase. Did your BLT contract increase or decrease over the last three years? Can you share how much?
I am also wondering if you can share your thoughts on buying Riviera. I know many people love Riviera but some do not purchase due to resale restrictions. As a former resale owner, you may have insights into this. Thanks!
The difference between what I paid for my BLT contract and what I sold it for was -$19/pt, so it definitely went down! I did negotiate down the initial purchase, but I probably could’ve sold it for more if I was willing to wait. It was more important to me to get it sold though than try to wait for a few more $s/pt.
I mainly picked Riviera because I want to be able to stay there regularly. With the resale contract, I did get annoyed by being a DVC member, but not actually being one when it comes to any of the membership extras. But while that was annoying, the idea that I could never use those points to stay at Riviera or Lakeshore Lodge or any other future resorts was the bigger drawback. I thought I would value the resale savings more than that, but I don’t. It may be more difficult to book Riviera at 11 months if the number of resale owners keeps going up, but I’d still rather take that chance than to keep getting locked out of future resorts. Plus I had never stayed at Riviera when I bought BLT so I didn’t know what I was missing then!
Did you consider CCV, Poly, VGF, or BLT (as a former owner)? Or did you think the lower Riviera price per point/ incentives/years of contract out weighed the resale restrictions/loss of point value?
This confused me! I’m curious to understand why that made sense to you even as you have recognized that your intent to own for the duration did not line up with your reality.
I’m curious about your thoughts as well concerning the resale restrictions and how that may overall affect your sale price if you should ever decide to sell this contract
I was only considering the actively selling resorts for direct (the others are too much $$$ for me). Or if you meant when I first bought in 2023, I kind of wish I bought VGF direct back then when the price was low! That was still more than BLT resale though and with the higher point charts, I don’t know if it would’ve made sense for me. I also can afford more now though than I could when I bought initially, so the price difference was important at the time.
I would’ve considered Poly more now, but my parents own there direct and I’m on the contract (they were originally looking at Riviera, but the resale restrictions pushed them to Poly), so I don’t need the home resort advantage as much. I did want the ability to book Riviera at 11 months though.
I don’t plan on selling this one either I understand that sounds contradictory, but it’s true! I only sold BLT to buy direct. I didn’t think buying direct was something that would’ve ever made sense to me financially when I first bought my BLT contract, otherwise I probably would’ve waited.
I’m not super concerned about the resale restrictions. Something could change in my life where I’d need to sell, but in that case, the worst thing that happens IMO is I lose money.
Ah, yes Riviera incentives were $21/pt when I bought so that was enough of a savings to sway me from other resorts
And yes, the emotional aspect of wanting Riviera was definitely a factor even though I tend to be a very logical person (I work in accounting/finance). I decided earlier this year I was going to buy Riviera, but wait and see what the new incentives were at the end of July (I have an August UY). My aunt ended up passing away towards the beginning of July after finding out she had a rare cancer at the end of April. She appeared perfectly healthy before so it was a complete shock to my family and it’s still surreal that she’s gone. Only sharing because it was a reminder that life is short and unpredictable, so might as well buy where I want. Plus she wasn’t a huge Disney person (she’d been with us a couple of times), but she followed a couple influencers who would stay at the Riviera and she said that’s where she’d want to stay next time. So I’ll be thinking of her whenever I’m there
The important point is that people like Riviera, so there will always be a market for Riviera resale points, even though they are restricted. Yes, the market will bake in a discount compared to what it would have been if there were no restrictions.
In real dollars, Riviera is lower resale value than most of the other comparable resorts (maybe Boardwalk is a good comparison?), but is more thank AKL, SSR, OKW, and Boulder Ridge. Hard to compare too directly because of the different dues and termination years.
My friends almost bought BWV points last year Paid the deposit and everything but then “something came up” in the points availability that they would’ve had to delay the closing another 4 months (apparently the seller booked another stay and didn’t disclose it), so they were able to get their deposit back and get out of it. Maybe it was divine intervention or something. Then they waited and bought Riviera direct instead
The average Beach Club contract is basically the same as what I spent in n 2023 on a 50 point (so premium) contract. Even with the shoter contract, the value has held up better than my AKV one!
I have sold two resale contracts. One was a 50 point Poly contract that I had never used or paid dues on. The price went up quite a bit, and even after broker fees, etc. I made money on the deal and turned around and bought a small direct contract at OKW.
The second was a 50 point OKW contract that I bought fully loaded. When I figured out what I spent on the contract itself, dues over (I think) two years, and seller fees, I ended up paying less than $11/point for the points I used while owning it! It was a fantastic deal!
I understand that sounds contradictory, but it’s true! I only sold BLT to buy direct. I didn’t think buying direct was something that would’ve ever made sense to me financially when I first bought my BLT contract, otherwise I probably would’ve waited.
Paid the deposit and everything but then “something came up” in the points availability that they would’ve had to delay the closing another 4 months (apparently the seller booked another stay and didn’t disclose it), so they were able to get their deposit back and get out of it. Maybe it was divine intervention or something. Then they waited and bought Riviera direct instead