Disney Right of First Refusal: What To Expect When Buying or Selling A DVC Resale

Are you hoping to buy or sell a Disney Vacation Club timeshare on the resale market? If so, there are some important terms that you will need to be familiar with. The Right of First Refusal, also known as the “ROFR,” is a crucial step during the sale of a DVC resale contract. If you’re in the process of buying a DVC contract on the resale market, the ROFR could throw a wrench in your plans. If you want to learn more about Disney’s Right of First Refusal and how it works on the resale market, keep reading!

What Is Disney’s Right of First Refusal?

Any time someone sells their Disney Vacation Club contract on the resale market, DVC has the right to exercise the Right of First Refusal. In short, this means that Disney can buy back any contract being sold on any timeshare resale market. After the seller of the DVC contract accepts an offer, Disney will enter the ROFR period. On average, it takes Disney 30 days to make their decision, but it could be a little longer or even a bit shorter. So, it will take about a month for DVC to decide whether or not they want to buy back a contract.

If Disney decides to waive the Right of First Refusal, then the resale continues, and the buyer gets to purchase the contract. Dozens of DVC resale contracts are successfully sold on the secondary market daily!

However, if Disney decides to exercise the ROFR, then the buyer loses out on the contract. Disney will pay the seller the total amount of money that was previously determined in the contract. This can be a major setback for buyers. Determining whether or not a DVC contract will pass ROFR is tricky, but we can help you navigate the process.

How To Pass Disney’s Right of First Refusal

From an outside perspective, it seems like there is no rhyme or reason behind which DVC resales pass the ROFR. There is no secret formula behind which contracts Disney waives the Right of First Refusal. However, if you find a DVC resale selling for a much lower price per point than any other contract, proceed with caution. It is more likely that Disney will buy back that contract.

Doing some research on various timeshare resale forums or groups to get an idea of what type of contracts are being bought back may be helpful. Again, there is no surefire way to know exactly what contracts Disney will waive their Right of First Refusal on. This can be very frustrating for buyers! It can feel like Disney buys back every resale contract, but in reality, a large portion of DVC resales pass ROFR.

One thing to mention is that something that may affect if the DVC timeshare you are buying will pass ROFR is if the seller is international. On average, Disney is more unlikely to buy back a contract sold by an international resident. One downside of buying from an international seller is that the closing process may take a bit longer. However, if you are looking for a DVC contract with an international seller, contact us today!

What To Do If DVC Buys Back The Contract?

If you’re a seller and Disney decides to exercise their Right of First Refusal, then congratulations! You have sold your DVC contract. The only thing that changes for the seller when DVC exercises the ROFR is that Disney is now the buyer. Remember, once Disney buys back the contract, the seller can not back out or change the terms of the sale. The sale will proceed with the original terms of the contract.

If you’re the buyer when Disney exercises their Right of First Refusal, then you are effectively removed from the contract. Unfortunately, you can no longer buy that listing, and you will have to find another DVC contract to purchase. When looking for a new listing to place an offer on, we suggest you find a contract with different terms than the one that Disney bought back. If your heart is set on a certain home resort, then maybe look for a contract with a different point value or a slightly higher cost per point.

What Happens if Disney Waives The Right of First Refusal?

The best-case scenario for buyers is that Disney will waive the Right of First Refusal. This means that the sale will continue as planned and that the original contract terms will take place. This is when the closing process will begin. If you are working with a licensed brokerage, such as Fidelity Real Estate, they will recommend a trusted Title Company for you to work with. Fidelity can assist you throughout the entire closing process to make everything run as smoothly as possible.

After Disney waives the Right of First Refusal, the sale will go on as planned. The transfer of the title will then proceed per the purchase and sale contract. If you are the buyer, then this is when you can start to celebrate. You have successfully purchased a DVC timeshare on the resale market!

Once the title is out of the seller’s name, they are no longer responsible for that DVC contract. Keep in mind that you should not stop paying your maintenance fees until the title is completely out of your name.

Buy a Disney Vacation Club Timeshare Resale

Hoping to buy some DVC points? Fidelity Real Estate is here for you. Whether you’re new to the DVC resale market or are a seasoned pro, we’re ready, willing, and able to help you through the purchase process. If you’re ready to stay at a DVC resort and take the vacation of your dreams, check out our marketplace! We have listings for plenty of properties not just from DVC, but other timeshare companies like Westgate, Marriott, and Hilton Grand Vacations Club. Once you find a property you like, just make an offer. It’s really that simple!

Disney Vacation Club Resorts

If you’re planning on getting a DVC membership and are willing to navigate the right of first refusal, here are the Disney Vacation Club resorts you can look forward to purchasing points for on the resale market. No matter how you choose to spend these points, you can rest assured you’ll enjoy the magic of Disney Vacation Club.

• Aulani, a Disney Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas
• Disney’s Bay Lake Tower at the Contemporary
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s Boardwalk Villas
• Disney’s Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
• Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
• Disney’s Old Key West
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalow
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort
• Disney’s Vero Beach Resort
• Disney’s Villas at the Grand Californian

Want to learn more about Disney Vacation Club? Then check out our video, “Is Disney Vacation Club Worth it?”

Sell Your Disney Vacation Club Timeshare Resale

If you are selling your DVC contract, we can help you every step of the way. You can sell your timeshare without upfront fees with Fidelity! Fill out the form at the bottom of this page to begin selling your DVC contract. Fidelity is a proud member of ARDA, which means we follow a strict set of ethics that helps keep everyone in the industry safe. We’ve also been helping DVC members just like you for over 20 years. We’ll be able to help you navigate every step of the sales process.

Selling your timeshare can seem intimidating, but that’s why we’re here to help. If you have any questions about the DVC resale market or other details about the industry, call us today at 1-800-410-8326 or email us at [email protected].

If you’d like to know more about how to sell your timeshare, be sure to check out our video, “How to Sell a Timeshare Without Upfront Fees.”