Disney Vacation Club Adds $500 Fee to All Resale Transactions

In addition to the $150 Estoppel Fee, Disney has found yet another way to extract money from the secondary market. Beginning January 1, 2026, Disney will charge a $500 Contract Administration Fee on all resale closings.

This is not the first time Disney has imposed unnecessary fees on resale transactions. The estoppel fee was their first version. Disney has never explained what that fee actually covers. Now they are adding $500 more without explaining what administrative work justifies the charge.

Disney made no formal announcement. The change was discovered when new language quietly appeared on the DVC website.

Who Pays This Fee

Disney has no control over who pays. That decision falls to the buyer and seller during negotiation. However, Disney would likely prefer that buyers absorb the cost for two reasons:

• Narrows the pricing gap. Adding $500 to the buyer's side shrinks the difference between retail and resale pricing. Disney wants the secondary market to look less attractive. If buyers pay more at closing, the savings over buying direct shrink—at least on paper.
• Avoids seller backlash. Every DVC owner purchased under a specific set of expectations. None of them were told about a $500 exit fee. Sellers will rightfully say they were never informed of this cost when they bought. Disney would rather not have that conversation.

Why This Is Happening

Disney has always been exceptional at selling its product. Their traditional buyer has three common traits: they love Disney, they have money, and they make decisions without doing research. That buyer responds emotionally on vacation, signs paperwork in a sales office, and never compares prices.

That model is failing. Today's buyers are educated. They search online. They find the secondary market. They see resale contracts offer the same booking rights at 40% to 50% less than retail. They do the math.

This is why I left a great career selling for Disney. The far majority of educated buyers do not see the value in paying 40% more for perks that add no real value to the ownership. The core product—booking rooms at Deluxe Disney resorts—is almost identical whether you buy direct or resale. Buyers on the secondary market are excluded from staying at the three newest resorts.

Disney is feeling this shift every day. This fee is the latest attempt to slow the bleeding—not by lowering direct prices, but by raising the cost of resale.

What Sellers Should Do

At DVC Sales, we are treating this as a seller expense. Passing this fee to buyers is not the answer. Resale buyers are already navigating a process that feels unfamiliar. Adding another unexpected cost creates confusion and distrust. Some buyers will walk away. Others will decide the hassle is not worth it and pay retail instead. That is exactly what Disney wants.

If you are listing a contract for sale in 2026, factor this $500 into your pricing. The secondary market remains strong. This fee is a new cost, not a crisis. But it is real, and sellers need to be prepared.