Renting DVC points: advice please!

[acceber32]

For anyone who has rented DVC, I would like the good and the ugly of the whole process, please! DH and I are currently planning a trip for early 2014 for our family (us, DS will be 4 and then our new baby will be 10 months at the time of this trip). We have never rented DVC points and know close to nothing about the whole process. I have been trying to do some research online and have so many questions still. But DH is very, very hesitant. He is not one for change, lol. We usually stay at a moderate resort when we go and I would love to stay at one of the DVC properties. I'm currently looking at staying at BLT or BCV. BLT for the closeness to MK (monorail with an infant has to be easier than a bus for quick trips back to the room for naps) but I'm not crazy about the themeing (or lack of the Disney style with just a modern style). BCV for the closeness to EPCOT and DHS as well as having Stormalong Bay (plus, DH would like to check out the BoardWalk). Anyway, if you have any advice on either of those two resorts, I'd love to hear it. I'd also love to hear any tips, advice or warnings about renting DVC points. Did you like it? Would you do it again? Do you think it’s worth it? (We have usually been able to get pretty good deals going during value season and getting free dining, I know if we rent DVC we can add the dining plan but we wouldn't be able to get it for free so we have to take that cost into consideration). Just the thought of staying at a deluxe resort really has me hoping I can talk DH into renting so any words of wisdom or ways to persuade him would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

 

[chalee94]

I'd also love to hear any tips, advice or warnings about renting DVC points. Did you like it? Would you do it again? Do you think it’s worth it?

there are always trade-offs...

renting DVC means dealing with individuals, not disney directly. so you generally lose any ability to get a refund if you need to cancel and payment schedules are based on the individual you rent from - so you need to be very careful about having solid plans and clear communication.

i didn't like the loss of control when i rented - you'd have to contact the owner to make changes, or add the dining plan or whatever. in theory, the DVC owner still owns the reservation until you check in and could cancel it. (very rare but possible.)

so i was happier buying my own contract...(which is also a little cheaper.)

renting DVC also means timesharing and not a hotel stay. it's a home-away-from-home type deal, so if "deluxe" means daily housekeeping, DVC isn't as deluxe. you may have to take the trash out yourself (there is a towel-replacement and trash service on the 4th day but no full housekeeping visit unless you stay longer than a week).

but i like not having housekeeping in the room, so that works for me, too.

take some time to be clear on the differences...

here is one DVC rental broker with their rules and suggestions:

http://www.dvcrequest.com/faq.htm

i've only stayed at BLT - not BCV. i enjoyed BLT's location near MK - less than a 10 minute walk...(i wouldn't bother with the monorail). i loved the train whistles. had a room with a fireworks view that was great. a short walk to the MK bus hub to get to other wdw resorts was great.

the studios are kinda small, though...but i enjoyed my stay there...

 

[stargazertechie]

Here's mine

The good:

- if you plan far in advance, you can get a GREAT deal on the room of your dreams at a fraction of the cost. For our honeymoon we booked a value studio at AKL and requested a room in a section with known savannah views. It wasn't a guarantee, but we ended up with a savannah view for $95/night

-you can "try before you buy" if you've always been curious about DVC but haven't taken the plunge yet.

-You have access to great amenities at a fraction of the cost.

-the renter might be more flexible on final payment than Disney (but then again they might not)

-FREE LAUNDRY. It's wonderful to pack 1/2 as much, and come home with a suitcase of CLEAN clothing

-Access to a kitchen/kitchenette means lower food costs


The bad

- you're locked into your trip. Most renters do not offer a cancellation policy. This makes trip insurance a MUST. My father died and we had a DVC rental booked. Thank God we had trip insurance- otherwise we would have been out the $1650!

-You might have to pay up front- which could mean shelling out $1000+ 11 months in advance, vs. 45 days in advance booking through WDTC

-You're trusting a stranger with a large chunk of change in the hopes that they will actually book AND maintain a reservation with your name on it.

-No daily housekeeping. Which means no towel animals.


All this being said, it is now the only way we travel to Disney. We're spoiled

 

[smw]

I did it and stayed at BLT. Loved it. Used David's DVC Rentals and had no issue at all. Made a couple changes and yeah, they had to do it through the owner, but eh, whatever. No biggie at all.

I'll definitely be renting points later this year and buying into DVC via resale in the near future.

 

[thornton0511]

Not trying to take over the tread but an interesting point was brought up about no mousekeeping. If they only come on day #4 if you stay longer than one week then what about towels? If you are a family of 4 does that mean that you have to go down to the laundry room everyday to wash and dry the same four towels (if you stay in a studio there is no washer/dryer in the room right?) or do they supply enough towels to last the first four days? Also what about the in room mickey toiletries? Are they non included or like the towels do you only get one small bottle of each for everyone in the room to share for four days? Just curious?

 

[smw]

You can pay for extras of anything in the room (towels, shampoo, coffee, etc), but all we needed was more coffee. Towels? Hang them and reuse. All but studios have washer/dryers.

 

[chalee94]

If they only come on day #4 if you stay longer than one week then what about towels?

(there is a towel-replacement and trash service on the 4th day...)

if you want to change towels every day, you can do so for a fee or you can take them to the laundry room and launder them daily. studios do not have a w/d.

 

[Sammie]

Think of it like priceline, great price with limitations.

More strict or no refunds. You must communicate with the member for everything concerning your reservation.

No daily housekeeping unless you want to pay extra.

Different room decor from resorts, such as BCV versus BC resort rooms. Also DVC does not rehab their rooms as often, so some will show wear and tear before resort rooms do.

As to no towel animals, not that I can imagine that being a deal breaker, we got them when we arrived at our DVC resort.

 

[Deb & Bill]

For anyone who has rented DVC, I would like the good and the ugly of the whole process, please! DH and I are currently planning a trip for early 2014 for our family (us, DS will be 4 and then our new baby will be 10 months at the time of this trip). We have never rented DVC points and know close to nothing about the whole process. I have been trying to do some research online and have so many questions still. But DH is very, very hesitant. He is not one for change, lol. We usually stay at a moderate resort when we go and I would love to stay at one of the DVC properties. I'm currently looking at staying at BLT or BCV. BLT for the closeness to MK (monorail with an infant has to be easier than a bus for quick trips back to the room for naps) but I'm not crazy about the themeing (or lack of the Disney style with just a modern style). BCV for the closeness to EPCOT and DHS as well as having Stormalong Bay (plus, DH would like to check out the BoardWalk). Anyway, if you have any advice on either of those two resorts, I'd love to hear it. I'd also love to hear any tips, advice or warnings about renting DVC points. Did you like it? Would you do it again? Do you think it’s worth it? (We have usually been able to get pretty good deals going during value season and getting free dining, I know if we rent DVC we can add the dining plan but we wouldn't be able to get it for free so we have to take that cost into consideration). Just the thought of staying at a deluxe resort really has me hoping I can talk DH into renting so any words of wisdom or ways to persuade him would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!

One quick hint. Stormalong Bay is not that great with little ones unless you stay in the little ones area by the Yacht Club. There are some deep areas that are 8' deep with a swift current.

Go over to the DVC Rent/Trade Board and read the sticky threads at the top of the page. They should give you all sorts of information, plus more specific questions to ask.

Not trying to take over the tread but an interesting point was brought up about no mousekeeping. If they only come on day #4 if you stay longer than one week then what about towels? If you are a family of 4 does that mean that you have to go down to the laundry room everyday to wash and dry the same four towels (if you stay in a studio there is no washer/dryer in the room right?) or do they supply enough towels to last the first four days? Also what about the in room mickey toiletries? Are they non included or like the towels do you only get one small bottle of each for everyone in the room to share for four days? Just curious?

If you stay seven nights or less, you get your trash removed and towels replaced on day four (check in is day one). They also provide one additional bottle of shampoo, conditioner, shower gel for each bath. If you stay eight nights or more, you get a full cleaning on day four and trash and towel service on day eight. Then the cycle repeats for longer stays.

I'm in a dedicated two bedroom villa at VWL right now and we have two bottles of shampoo, two conditioners and two shower gels. So either bring from home or buy more from Housekeeping. Each bathroom will get four bath towels, two hand towels, four face cloths and one tub mat. So basically, you get a towel per person in the villa.

DVC villas take longer to clean so towel animals seldom happen. You might have one in the villa when you arrive, but that will be all. And it will probably just be a Mickey head on the bed (so you get one more bath towel and two more hand towels).

 

[DebbieB]

Not trying to take over the tread but an interesting point was brought up about no mousekeeping. If they only come on day #4 if you stay longer than one week then what about towels? If you are a family of 4 does that mean that you have to go down to the laundry room everyday to wash and dry the same four towels (if you stay in a studio there is no washer/dryer in the room right?) or do they supply enough towels to last the first four days? Also what about the in room mickey toiletries? Are they non included or like the towels do you only get one small bottle of each for everyone in the room to share for four days? Just curious?

You can pay $15 per day for towels to be changed daily, trash removed and toiletries replaced. $30 for a full cleaning incl towel service. I almost always get a towel animal on arrival.

Housekeeping
Trash & Towel Service
For stays of seven or less nights, Trash & Towel Service is provided on day four, regardless of whether you're using Member-discounted cash, Vacation Points or a combination of both.

With Trash & Towel service, Housekeeping will:

Empty trash and replace liners in trash bins.
Provide fresh bathroom linens.
Replace shampoo, facial soap and bath soap.
Replenish facial tissues, paper towels and toilet paper.
Replenish coffee, sugar, cream and sweeteners.
Replenish dishwashing liquid, dishwashing detergent, sponges and laundry detergent as needed in one-, two- and three-bedroom Vacation Homes.

Full Cleaning Service
For stays of eight or more nights, Full Cleaning Service is provided on day four and Trash & Towel Service is provided on day eight. After that, the cycle begins again on day 12, regardless of whether you're using Member-discounted cash, Vacation Points or a combination of both.

With Full Cleaning service, Housekeeping will provide everything included with the Trash & Towel Service, plus:

Change the bed linens.
Vacuum and dust the Vacation Home.
Clean the bathroom(s).
Clean the kitchen/kitchenette and wash the dishes.

Pay As You Play
With Pay As You Play service, you'll be provided with the following amenities free of charge at the start of your stay. After that, you may purchase more for the following fees:

Toiletries Package, $5.00 - 1 facial soap, 1 bath soap, 1 shampoo, 1 conditioner, 1 shower gel
Coffee Package, $3.00 - 1 package of coffee, 8 sugars, 8 creamers, 8 artificial sweeteners
Towel Package, $6.00 - 4 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 4 washcloths, 1 bath mat
Laundry Detergent (only in One-, Two-, and Three-bedroom Vacation Homes), $1.00 - 1 box

Additional Full Cleaning Rates:


Studio/Inn Room - $30.00 per day requested
One-Bedroom - $45.00 per day requested
Two-Bedroom - $60.00 per day requested
Three-Bedroom - $75.00 per day requested

Additional Trash & Towel Rates:


Studio/Inn Room - $15.00 per day requested
One-Bedroom - $20.00 per day requested
Two-Bedroom - $25.00 per day requested
Three-Bedroom - $35.00 per day requested

Room Change Fees:
Room change fee will apply for Member requested room changes after check-in for a different view or room location.

Deluxe Studio - $30
One-Bedroom Villa - $45
Two-Bedroom Villa - $60
Three-Bedroom Grand Villa - $75

Note: Rates are subject to change

 

[rutgers1]

I am a DVC owner. Although I am technically the one holding the cards as stated above, even I am leery of the rental process. As an owner, I would probably prefer to work directly with another owner who wanted extra points, as opposed to rent to someone who might mess up the room (I am liable).

If I were a non-owner looking to rent, I would probably go through one of the companies that acts as a middle man. It is more expensive, but I would want someone else to go to if there was an issue.

From a price standpoint, it can't be beat.

 

[FantasiaMagic]

I can't tell you anything on the topic of renting points - because my family is an owner of DVC.

I have never stayed at BLT but know some stuff about it and have stayed at BCV - which is one of my faves.

BCV as you already know is in such a great location with it being so close for walking/boat to EPCOT/HS. You also know about the great pool. The location also allows you to get to Boardwalk.

BLT also has a very nice pool and is in a great area too. You are on the monorail with the other three monorail resorts. YOu can walk to MK/monorail. You can also take the monorail to the TTC and get to EPCOT from there.

Where you stay depends on what location you want to be in and what interests you.

Good Luck!

-FantasiaMagic

 

[FantasiaMagic]

I can't tell you anything on the topic of renting points - because my family is an owner of DVC.

I have never stayed at BLT but know some stuff about it and have stayed at BCV - which is one of my faves.

BCV as you already know is in such a great location with it being so close for walking/boat to EPCOT/HS. You also know about the great pool. The location also allows you to get to Boardwalk.

BLT also has a very nice pool and is in a great area too. You are on the monorail with the other three monorail resorts. YOu can walk to MK/monorail. You can also take the monorail to the TTC and get to EPCOT from there.

Where you stay depends on what location you want to be in and what interests you.

Good Luck!

-FantasiaMagic

 

[acceber32]

Thanks for the advice! We would use a broker/middle man to rent the points thru, no way could I talk DH into renting thru a person we didn't know. I've found two sites that have come highly recommended and I'm looking into those. They do require full payment to make a reservation, which is a negative for him but not me (I'd like having that paid off and not worrying about it).


The housekeeping is not an issue for us. We actually don't like having it done daily and will usually put a do not disturb sign out or let the housekeeper know before hand. The trash/towel service would be plenty for us. Plus, with little ones and naps the timing for cleanings never seems to work (we've taken our DS on 2 cruises and to Disney several times and always seem to be trying to get him to nap when they come to clean).

I did have a follow up question someone on another board brought up. If we rent points, will we have access to the Top of The World Lounge at BLT or is that for owners only? This would effect the type of room we would get. If we can just go up there I might just get a standard view or Lake view room rather than pay for the MK view (which is more expensive and I've heard not a good view during the day since you look at a parking lot, the only perk is the fireworks).

Thanks everyone for your input! DH is still hesitant but I'm hoping I can talk him into it. This trip will be to celebrate our 10 year anniversry and I'd love to make it special by staying at a deluxe resort. And if it works out smoothly maybe I can always talk him into staying by renting points or maybe, just maybe buying into DVC (which is what I would love to do!!!).

 

[smw]

I've found answers to the top of the world question to vary. In my personal experience when we stayed at blt last year, we asked the waitress at the wave about it and she checked with a manager. Showed him our room key and were told it was missing something that noted we were owners as opposed to renters, and therefore could not go to the top. Maybe we could've if we tried, but we weren't very concerned and just forgot about it.

 

[patty57]

I rented points at BLT and was allowed to use ToTWL, but that was almost two years ago. From what I've been reading on the DIS and another board, it sounds like they may have tightened up the restrictions now to DVC owners only.

 

[Deb & Bill]

... I did have a follow up question someone on another board brought up. If we rent points, will we have access to the Top of The World Lounge at BLT or is that for owners only? ....

No, they ask for a DVC member card as well as the KTTW that shows you are staying on points at a WDW resort. In fact, that request is pretty much universal at WDW now for the DVC perks. If you don't have a DVC blue member card, you probably won't get any DVC perks.

The KTTW no longer says DVC member. It just says DVC room.