What Happens If Disney ROFR Buys Back the Membership?
When Disney exercises their Right of First Refusal on a DVC resale, they step in at the agreed purchase price and take the buyer's place in the transaction. The seller still sells. The buyer does not receive the contract. And then the process ends cleanly for everyone involved, with no financial loss to the buyer and no change in outcome for the seller.
ROFR is built into every DVC deed, so it is not avoidable or negotiable. It is simply a permanent feature of how the resale market works. Understanding what actually happens when Disney exercises it removes the anxiety around a situation that is genuinely not that difficult for any party involved.
What ROFR Means for Sellers
If you are selling and Disney exercises ROFR, your financial outcome is identical to a normal sale. You receive exactly the price you agreed to. The 6.9 percent commission, the $150 estoppel fee, and any other closing costs remain the same. Disney buying the contract does not change your net proceeds.
In practice, a Disney ROFR closing often moves faster than a standard buyer closing. Disney has established relationships with title companies, does not require financing approvals, and processes these transactions routinely. You may receive your proceeds on a shorter timeline than a typical buyer closing would produce.
The process from your side looks like this: Disney notifies the title company of their decision to exercise ROFR, paperwork is updated to reflect Disney as the buyer, and the closing proceeds on the original or a faster timeline. You receive your proceeds as expected.
What ROFR Means for Buyers
If you are the buyer and Disney exercises ROFR, your contract is cancelled through no fault of yours. You receive a complete refund of your deposit, typically within five to ten business days. You have not lost any money. The time spent waiting through the 30-day ROFR period was frustrating, but it is recoverable.
The immediate next step is resuming your search. You can start looking at other available contracts right away. Many buyers who experience ROFR find a comparable contract within a few weeks, often at similar pricing.
There are also strategic adjustments you can make to reduce the odds of ROFR on your next attempt:
- Price your offer closer to recent market comps rather than at the absolute minimum you can find
- Consider contracts above 200 points, which Disney exercises ROFR on less frequently
- Look at resorts with historically lower ROFR rates if flexibility on resort choice is acceptable
- Consider different use years that may have lower ROFR activity
We maintain data on ROFR patterns across resorts and price points from our transaction history. If you experience ROFR and want to approach your next contract search differently, that data helps us give you targeted guidance rather than general advice.
Why Disney Uses ROFR
Disney's Right of First Refusal serves several business purposes. It gives them a mechanism to reclaim resale inventory and potentially resell contracts through their direct sales program. It also helps them maintain some influence over resale pricing, since deeply discounted resale contracts can make their own retail prices harder to justify to prospective direct buyers.
Every DVC deed includes ROFR language as an original condition of the purchase. It is not something that was added retroactively or that can be waived by the parties to a resale transaction. It is simply part of how DVC contracts are structured, in the same way that many homeowners associations include right of first refusal clauses for property sales within their communities.
Disney currently charges around $160 to over $300 per point for contracts purchased directly, depending on the resort. When a resale contract is priced significantly below that range, Disney may see reclaiming it as economically worthwhile. When a contract is priced at a level closer to current market reality, the incentive for Disney to exercise ROFR is lower.
The Timeline and Communication
Disney has exactly 30 days from receiving the contract package to make their ROFR decision. They typically respond within 15 to 25 days, though they can take the full 30-day window if needed.
We stay in communication with the title company throughout this period and notify you as soon as we receive Disney's decision. If they exercise ROFR, we initiate your deposit refund immediately and can begin discussing your next steps the same day.
There is no way to pressure Disney into making a faster decision. The 30-day window is theirs to use as they see fit. Most buyers find the wait manageable once they understand that the outcome is binary, Disney either takes the contract or they do not, and that they have nothing to lose financially if Disney exercises their right.
Moving Forward After ROFR
If you are a buyer who has been through ROFR, do not let it discourage you from continuing to pursue DVC ownership. The resale market is active and there are generally multiple contracts available at any given time at most major resorts. Most buyers who experience ROFR close successfully on their second attempt.
Our current available listings are a good starting point for identifying new options. If you want guidance on which resorts or price points have the best track record for passing through ROFR in current market conditions, reach out through our contact page.
For sellers, Disney exercising ROFR is essentially a validation that your contract was priced attractively. You get paid the same amount, often faster, and with slightly less paperwork complexity than a standard buyer transaction. It is not the worst outcome in a DVC sale.
Common Questions About Disney ROFR
Does Disney exercise ROFR often? The rate varies significantly by resort and price. At popular resorts with aggressive pricing, rates can run 15 to 25 percent of submitted contracts. At older resorts at reasonable prices, rates are much lower, sometimes under 5 percent.
Can I negotiate around ROFR? No. ROFR is a provision in the deed that both buyer and seller are subject to. It is not waivable by either party.
How long after ROFR does it take to get my deposit back? Usually five to ten business days. The title company processes the refund once Disney's exercise of ROFR is confirmed.
If Disney takes my contract, can I buy it back from them? Not directly. Disney would sell any reclaimed contracts through their direct sales program, at their direct pricing. You could purchase a similar contract from them, but not the specific one you contracted to buy.
