vs 

The initial investment  Consider these two opportunities:

Choosing Vero Beach means keeping an additional $5,250 in your pocket at the time of purchase.That's a substantial difference for a buyer who wants to enjoy DVC without making as large an initial investment.

The annual dues comparison

This is where Old Key West has its advantage.

Using 2026 annual dues:

Vero Beach costs $552 more annually for the same 150-point ownership. But how long does it take for that additional expense to eliminate the original $5,250 purchase-price savings?

The break-even point

Here's the math:

• Initial purchase savings at Vero Beach: $5,250

• Additional annual dues: $552

• $5,250 ÷ $552 = 9.51 years

In other words, it takes approximately nine and a half years of higher annual dues at Vero Beach to eliminate the original purchase-price advantage.

What does that look like over nine years?

After nine years, the Vero Beach buyer is still approximately $282 ahead.

That's despite paying higher annual dues every single year.

Now consider the resale opportunity

Let's assume a buyer purchases either contract in 2027 and decides to sell approximately nine years later, in 2036. Both contracts have the same expiration date: 2042. That means the buyer would be selling a contract with approximately six years remaining. This is an important consideration when evaluating the investment. If the purchase-price difference between the two resorts remains similar over time, Vero Beach could continue to offer a lower entry price for the next buyer as well. However, future resale prices cannot be guaranteed. The actual resale value will depend on market demand, remaining contract term, resort desirability, annual dues, and other market conditions. The same applies to annual dues. For this comparison, we are assuming that the difference between the two resorts remains relatively similar over time, rather than assuming that today's exact dues will remain unchanged.

The bigger picture: Who has the advantage?

For someone purchasing in 2027 with the intention of owning for approximately nine years, Vero Beach presents an interesting financial opportunity.

• You start with $5,250 in purchase-price savings.

• You pay approximately $4,968 more in annual dues over nine years.

• You still retain approximately $282 in cumulative savings before accounting for resale proceeds.

• You have enjoyed nine years of DVC ownership without the larger initial financial commitment.

There is also an important distinction between the two resorts beyond the numbers: resort location, amenities, availability, and personal vacation preferences should always factor into a purchase decision. But keep in mind for a Member who makes reservations less than 7 months in advance, (and intends to use their points at the first 14 resorts) Vero could still be the better choice.

The bottom line

Old Key West has lower annual dues. Vero Beach has a substantially lower purchase price in this example. When you look at the two together, the difference in annual dues takes more than nine years to offset Vero Beach's initial purchase-price advantage. For a buyer who expects to enjoy the membership for approximately nine years and then consider reselling, Vero Beach deserves a closer look.

The lowest annual dues don't necessarily mean the lowest overall cost of ownership. Sometimes, paying less upfront is the smarter financial decision.

Financial assumptions: This illustration uses a 150-point purchase in 2027 at $45 per point for Vero Beach and $80 per point for Old Key West, with 2026 annual dues of $14.89 and $11.21 per point, respectively. It assumes the $35-per-point purchase-price difference and $3.68-per-point annual dues difference remain relatively similar. It does not account for closing costs, resale commissions, financing, taxes, dues fluctuations beyond the stated assumption, or future resale proceeds. Both contracts are assumed to expire in 2042. Actual resale values and market conditions may differ. Disney's Resale points use regulations should be taken into consideration before purchasing any contract.