What Happens After Your DVC Resale Offer Is Accepted?

You found the right Disney Vacation Club resale contract, made an offer, and the seller accepted. Congratulations!

But what happens next?

Buying a DVC resale contract involves several steps between an accepted offer and seeing those points in your Disney Vacation Club account. While the process can seem a little unfamiliar the first time through, much of the work happens behind the scenes between your broker, the title company, and Disney Vacation Club.

Here’s what you can expect after your DVC resale offer is accepted.

Step 1: The Purchase Contract Is Prepared

Once the buyer and seller agree on the major terms of the sale, the purchase contract is prepared for electronic signature.

The contract will outline important details including:

• Purchase price
• Number of points
• Annual dues and any negotiated reimbursements
• Deposit amount
• Closing costs and fees
• Estimated closing timeline

Both the buyer and seller will review and sign the agreement.

Once the contract is fully executed, the transaction can officially move forward.

Step 2: The Buyer Submits the Deposit

Once the purchase agreement is signed, the buyer will submit a deposit to the title or escrow company handling the transaction.

At Vacation Club Life, buyer deposits start at $1,000, although a larger deposit may be required depending on the purchase price and terms of the transaction.

The deposit is held in escrow and credited toward the buyer’s purchase at closing—it is not an additional cost on top of the purchase price. If you are financing your DVC purchase, your deposit also counts toward any required down payment.

Buyers should follow the escrow company’s payment instructions carefully and submit the deposit by the deadline specified in the purchase agreement.

Florida law provides purchasers with a 10-day cancellation period for applicable timeshare resale transactions. Your purchase agreement and required disclosures will provide information regarding your cancellation rights and applicable deadlines.

Step 3: The Contract Goes to Disney for Right of First Refusal

All DVC resale contracts are submitted to Disney Vacation Club for Right of First Refusal, commonly called “ROFR.”

This gives Disney the opportunity to purchase the contract under the same terms agreed upon by the buyer and seller.

One point that can sometimes cause confusion is the ROFR timeline. Per Disney’s requirements, the purchase contract must allow Disney a minimum of 30 days to review and make its ROFR decision. Buyers should plan for this 30-day review period when estimating the overall purchase timeline, as Disney typically uses much of the time allowed, if not a little more.

If Disney exercises ROFR, Disney becomes the buyer under the agreed-upon terms and the original buyer’s deposit is returned.

If Disney waives ROFR, the resale transaction moves forward toward closing.

There’s nothing the buyer needs to do during the ROFR review. Your broker and closing company handle the submission and will keep you updated once Disney issues its decision.

Step 4: The Title Company Prepares for Closing

Once Disney issues the ROFR waiver, it also provides an estoppel with information about the ownership, including any outstanding loan balance or annual dues owed.

Meanwhile, the title company works behind the scenes to prepare the transaction for closing. This includes conducting a title search to verify ownership and help ensure the property can be transferred with clear title. If any outstanding issues are discovered, they must be addressed before the transaction can close.

The time needed to complete this work can vary depending on where the DVC property is located. Hawaii transactions typically take longer to process, and California transactions can also require additional time compared with Florida properties. This is one reason the overall closing timeline can vary from one DVC purchase to another.

For buyers, this stage is usually fairly quiet. In most cases, there is little you need to do while the title company and your broker work through these final steps and prepare the transaction for closing.

Step 5: Complete Your Closing Documents and Final Payment

Once the transaction is ready for closing, the title company will send you a closing package with the documents and instructions needed to complete your purchase.

Your closing statement will provide a final accounting of the transaction, including the purchase price, your deposit, closing costs, any applicable annual dues reimbursements or credits, and the remaining balance due.

As the buyer, you’ll typically need to:

• Review and sign your closing documents. Most buyer documents can be completed electronically, although some documents may require notarization. Remote online notary options are available in many cases, allowing you to complete the process from home.
• Submit your remaining funds. Your initial deposit is credited toward the amount due at closing. The title company will provide instructions for submitting the remaining balance.
• Complete any financing requirements. If you are financing your purchase, your lender may require additional documents or steps before the loan can be funded.
• Return everything promptly. The title company must receive all required documents and funds before the transaction can close.

If you are wiring funds, always verify the wiring instructions directly with the title company before sending money.

DVC resale closings are handled remotely, so you do not need to travel to the state where the property is located to complete your purchase.

Once your documents and funds have been received, the title company will coordinate the remaining steps needed to close the transaction.

Step 6: The Transaction Closes

Once all required documents and funds have been received and the closing requirements have been satisfied, your purchase is ready to close.

The title company will finalize the transaction and submit the new deed for recording with the appropriate county.

Once the deed is recorded, you are officially the new owner—but there is still one more step before you can access your membership and points through Disney Vacation Club.

The title company will send the necessary transfer documents to DVC so they can update their records and establish your ownership in their system.

This is an important distinction for new buyers: closing and having access to your DVC membership are not the same day. Disney still needs to complete the transfer on its end before you’ll be able to use your new membership.

Step 7: Disney Transfers the Membership

After closing, the recorded transfer information is sent to Disney Vacation Club so they can update their membership records.

Once Disney completes the transfer, the new owner can access the membership and points through the DVC Member website.

This final step is handled by Disney and can take anywhere from approximately 2 to 6 weeks, depending on current processing times.

Buyers purchasing toward the end of the year should be prepared for the possibility of a longer transfer time. Year-end volume can create processing delays, and Disney also has a period surrounding the posting of annual dues when membership transfers may be temporarily delayed.

TIP: If you’re eager to make your first reservation, remember to account for this transfer period when purchasing a resale contract for an upcoming trip.

How Long Does a DVC Resale Purchase Take?

Every transaction is different, but DVC resale purchases can move surprisingly quickly when there are no complications.

Recently, Vacation Club Life transactions have averaged approximately 35 days from accepted offer to closing.

Factors that can affect the timeline include:

• Disney’s ROFR processing time
• Financing
• Title issues
• The property location
• Document requirements, including notarization or documents that must be mailed back
• How quickly buyers and sellers return documents
• Holidays and seasonal processing delays

Some transactions will close faster, while others may take longer.

The location of the property can make a significant difference. Florida properties generally move through the closing process more quickly, while buyers purchasing at Aulani in Hawaii should expect a longer timeline due to Hawaii’s title and recording process. California transactions can also take longer than Florida transactions.

Keep in mind that these timelines refer to closing, not Disney’s final membership transfer. After closing, Disney may take approximately 2 to 6 additional weeks to complete the transfer and make the ownership available in its system.

From Accepted Offer to DVC Owner

There are several steps between having your offer accepted and seeing those points in your Disney Vacation Club account, but much of the process happens behind the scenes. Your broker and title company will guide the transaction through ROFR, title work and closing, while keeping you informed of anything you need to complete along the way.

At Vacation Club Life, we’ve been helping buyers navigate DVC resale purchases since 1998. Whether you’re buying your first DVC contract or adding on to an existing membership, our team is here to help make the process as clear and straightforward as possible.

Ready to find your next DVC contract? Browse our current DVC resale listings, or contact us if you have questions about buying through the resale market.