Points brokers and availabilty

[mickeyman]

I bought AKV cheap resale but intend to stay mostly at other resorts. Staying 8 nights in lake view poly in January. I always book AKV at 11 months though in case I can find availability but so far I haven't had a problem switching at 7 months since we go end of January or early february

 

[crisi]

Well, and to be fair, a lot of would-be-renters have completely insane ideas on the timelines. Some learn when they ask; some decide it's a scam and never return.

The people who want a Value Studio at AKV on 5 months notice. People asking now for VGF rentals for marathon. Etc. They're teeming on Rent/Trade. A few of the owners there are very kind not to be saying "ha, no."

But a lot of them learn - and learn quick - that they need to plan ahead - and next year or the year after are looking for an owner at 12 months out. They still might not get an VAKL value studio......

 

[LadyLvsTramp]

I actually prefer to transfer my points it is so much less complicated! I have rented successfully many times but it is always a teaching process and requires patience.

 

[drusba]

Yes, transfer is easier but it has downsides. You cannot transfer banked or borrowed points, but can use such points when doing rentals of reservations you make in the renter's name. You can transfer only to another member, thus limiting the potential group of renters. You can transfer only once per use year. And if there is anything Disney could take further action to prevent, it is transferring points for money, since the official documents provide, "Club members are expressly prohibited from receiving compensation for any transfer activity." See Multisite POS, Home Resort Rues and Regulations, §II.6 (9).

 

[Sammie]

It is more prevalent because social media is more prevalent. As Bill said I am sure in the past many points went un-used.

 

[DebbieB]

I do not appreciate Disney allowing this broker renting! I thought the intention of the DVC was to create family memories they still use that concept. If we as owners choose to rent or use our points we have paid for that right let the brokers purchase points to rent. I complain each time I talk to member services but since it fills the parks I do not expect this to change.

The broker does not make the reservation, they just match owners and renters up, write up the contract, transfer the money. The member still makes the reservation with their points. DVC has no knowledge that there is a broker, on their end it's a member booking a reservation for another party. The member is getting an assist with the process, like having a travel agent.

One reason I don't think Disney will do anything is renters are potential future owners. I know I had no intention of becoming a member until I stayed in a 2 bedroom with a friend and we paid the member staying in the other bedroom who booked it (friend of my friend). Six months later I was signing up.

 

[MPS516]

I don't think the renting points causes the booking issues. Selling properties like Aulani to people who have little or no intention of using points there and instead are booking mostly at WDW. It is similar to overbooking a flight or overselling concert admission, once the original ticket holders are in (home resort at 11 months) the idea is to fill the plane or seats by letting oversells in (7 month window). The problem comes when a home resort owner tries to get accommodations at their home resort after the 7 month window opens. The advantage falls to those of us who purchased at our preferred resort, we just have to plan ahead.

 

[dbavis]

Hey guys... i don't want to hijack the conversation but this raises a questions/concern for me... i just made an offer on a resale contract over the weekend. i'm waiting on the contract documents to come at some point today. i'm assuming that we won't be done with everything and able to book until early December. we'd be looking to book in late July/early August as that is when we usually go to WDW. I'm starting to get a little concerned about whether i'll be able to find something at that point. we'd be looking for a studio for around 10 nights. Wilderness Lodge will be our home resort. We're more than happy to stay there but i'd be willing to go somewhere else if needed. i just don't want to end up (forgive me) at someplace like SSR or OKW.

Based on your experience/knowledge... how concerned do you think i should be?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hey guys... i don't want to hijack the conversation but this raises a questions/concern for me... i just made an offer on a resale contract over the weekend. i'm waiting on the contract documents to come at some point today. i'm assuming that we won't be done with everything and able to book until early December. we'd be looking to book in late July/early August as that is when we usually go to WDW. I'm starting to get a little concerned about whether i'll be able to find something at that point. we'd be looking for a studio for around 10 nights. Wilderness Lodge will be our home resort. We're more than happy to stay there but i'd be willing to go somewhere else if needed. i just don't want to end up (forgive me) at someplace like SSR or OKW.

Based on your experience/knowledge... how concerned do you think i should be?

It's not the busiest time but if those other 2 are off the table getting 10 nights in one location might be a bit of a problem if booking studios at less than 7 months.

 

[Missyrose]

As a SSR owner, 2 contracts, I take a little offence to this.

No need to take offense. The PP was talking about people who bought at the larger/cheaper resorts with the intention to never stay there and only attempt to book the close-to-park resorts. If you love your home resort and don't mind staying there every once in a while, then the PP wasn't talking about you. But there are a ton of people who come on these boards and say "if I buy SSR, do I really have to stay there?"

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I am in the camp of "points brokers" are commercial renting and Disney needs to shut that down. I know I am a minority however.

I do think they are impacting availability for the rest of us as I think more people are renting thanks to them.

 

[DenLo]

No need to take offense. The PP was talking about people who bought at the larger/cheaper resorts with the intention to never stay there and only attempt to book the close-to-park resorts. If you love your home resort and don't mind staying there every once in a while, then the PP wasn't talking about you. But there are a ton of people who come on these boards and say "if I buy SSR, do I really have to stay there?"

It was the same thing with VB and HHI, as a lot of members bought those resorts with no intention of staying at those resorts.

The only way it could be fixed IMO is for DVC to restrict usage to your home resort. And while they are promoting a new resort DVC sure wouldn't be interested in that. And I am for one hope they never make that change as I like the option even though the majority of the time we stay at one of our home resorts.

 

[DougEMG]

Back in 2012 when I bought one of my BWV contacts, the contract came fully loaded with three years of points and the broker told me that the owner had also had 3 years of points expire without using them. If that owner had of known about brokers all those points could have been rented out instead of the owner paying for them and not using them. Now I suppose that if you didn't own at BWV you'd be thinking this was great as it would give you more chance to get into BWV.

DVC is meant to be full all year long and DVC has been increasing the number of members and points in the system by a huge amount, but there is still only the same number of AKV value rooms, or BCV studios, etc. So you've got more competition for the same number of "premium/preferred" rooms. Basically if everyone wants to go at the same time and wants the exact same room, then a lot of people are going to be disappointed.

I've got no interest in ever going to Alauni, VB or HH, but I'm pretty sure owners at those resorts exchange into WDW.

 

[LadyLvsTramp]

Hey guys... i don't want to hijack the conversation but this raises a questions/concern for me... i just made an offer on a resale contract over the weekend. i'm waiting on the contract documents to come at some point today. i'm assuming that we won't be done with everything and able to book until early December. we'd be looking to book in late July/early August as that is when we usually go to WDW. I'm starting to get a little concerned about whether i'll be able to find something at that point. we'd be looking for a studio for around 10 nights. Wilderness Lodge will be our home resort. We're more than happy to stay there but i'd be willing to go somewhere else if needed. i just don't want to end up (forgive me) at someplace like SSR or OKW.

Based on your experience/knowledge... how concerned do you think i should be?

Personally I love SSR we own there and AKL also. It is so convient to all the free entertainment and great food at Disney Springs! We plan to visit in Jan or early Feb this year. We have stayed at AKL a few times since being at SSR and it is a pleasure to go back. Many memories of our kids riding the boats back and forth between SSR and downtown Disney!

 

[jngwright]

Thank you for your friendly conversation and input on this thread!

 

[Sammie]

Back in 2012 when I bought one of my BWV contacts, the contract came fully loaded with three years of points and the broker told me that the owner had also had 3 years of points expire without using them. If that owner had of known about brokers all those points could have been rented out instead of the owner paying for them and not using them. Now I suppose that if you didn't own at BWV you'd be thinking this was great as it would give you more chance to get into BWV.

DVC is meant to be full all year long and DVC has been increasing the number of members and points in the system by a huge amount, but there is still only the same number of AKV value rooms, or BCV studios, etc. So you've got more competition for the same number of "premium/preferred" rooms. Basically if everyone wants to go at the same time and wants the exact same room, then a lot of people are going to be disappointed.

I've got no interest in ever going to Alauni, VB or HH, but I'm pretty sure owners at those resorts exchange into WDW.

So do you only book your home resort every trip to WDW?

 

[Novakm]

I have never used a broker, but I'm glad to know they are out there in case I ever need to to rent excess points, or get extra points.

before brokers, people rented out their points on their own when they did not need them. If they could not rent them, they likely gave them away to friends or family. I suspect very few points went unused.

At worst, brokers might make things fill up a week or two faster since it's faster to rent now. But overall, they can't be having a big impact.

The real problem is there are no huge DVC projects with lots of unsold inventory. When AKV was selling, there were hundreds of rooms no one owned. This relieved capacity in the system. Poly is MUCH smaller, so it does not help as much. If they ever stop building completely, it will be very difficult to get the reservations you want. We might have trouble getting the time we want even at our home resorts.

 

[DougEMG]

So do you only book your home resort every trip to WDW?

Probably 75% of the time at a home resort, why?

 

[Sammie]

Probably 75% of the time at a home resort, why?

Not you in particular but many on here seem to blame booking issues on members from SSR or Aulani, HHI, Vero Beach. To me personally unless one always stays at their home resort; at 7 months trading out is all the same. Also there would be no openings at 7 months unless others at that resort were not also trading out.

 

[DougEMG]

Not you in particular but many on here seem to blame booking issues on members from SSR or Aulani, HHI, Vero Beach. To me personally unless one always stays at their home resort; at 7 months trading out is all the same. Also there would be no openings at 7 months unless others at that resort were not also trading out.

I personally think that the reason it is harder to book at 7 months is that there are just a lot more members now and they all want the same rooms at the same time, so more competition. Demand is just not split equally across rooms and times. Plus as members buy older resorts now, lots of them are buying the specific resort because that is where they want to stay where as the original owners bought because that is what DVC was selling. No one buys BWV/BCV/BLT now because they want to trade out a lot, they buy that location because they want to stay there.

For my Oct-Nov 2015 trip at BWV, it took me 3 days calling right at 11 months to get a room. Luckily I didn't care what my first day was, but that was only other BWV owners that had booked everything up ahead of me. Pity the person trying to get that room for those dates at 7 months.

I personally wish I had of bought a BLT contract a few years ago just so I'd have an easier time getting in there now.