Renting DVC - Anyone Tried It?

[MississippiMom]

I am in the very early planning stages for a Disney trip, and I've been busy reading so many threads about places to stay. However, as many threads as I have read, I still haven't found a simple (key word, there) thread that describes the experience of renting a DVC condo from an owner. I get completely overwhelmed when I start reading about points and how to buy them.

If someone out there has tried the DVC renting, will you, please share your experience? I think that it would be nice to get the "Disney-immersion" by going that route, however, it all sounds so complicated to me that it seems like it would be easier to just rent a Windsor Hills (or similar property) condo. (I would like 2 bedroom.)

 

[kreed]

This website has a whole section that has owners renting villas at the DVC resorts.
The link is:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=29#DVC-MAIN-rent-trade

If this doesn't work go to DIS home and on left hand side click on DVC and you will get a DVC forum home page scroll down about 1/2 the way and click on Rent and this will take you to the forum you want.
Kathleen

 

[kmjmom]

I rented points from a friend last summer and stayed at Saratoga Springs. It was wonderful and cost effective. I took the DVC tour since I enjoyed the resort and service so much! It was actually quite easy. We agreed on a point price and they took care of the reservations. Check in was a breeze and the service was great! Go for it! I would definitely do it again!

 

[MississippiMom]

This website has a whole section that has owners renting villas at the DVC resorts.
The link is:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=29#DVC-MAIN-rent-trade

If this doesn't work go to DIS home and on left hand side click on DVC and you will get a DVC forum home page scroll down about 1/2 the way and click on Rent and this will take you to the forum you want.
Kathleen

I appreciate you posting the link, however, I am no where near the point of that forum. I'v read through it, and I find it overwhelming. Besides, there "rules" over there do not allow me to ask the type of question that I have asked over here.

 

[standleyent1]

My DD and I have stayed DVC rentals many times and have always enjoyed the experience! Make sure you are able to talk to the owner and clarify if they have rented before also, you will want to be sure and let them make the ressie and confirm it with you, providing a number that you can call and verify for yourself that the ressie is in your name and the dates are correct. I find it very reassuring that I am able to do the money transaction via PayPal or at least by credit card that way you have some kind of a leg to stand on if for some reason they try something funny, this way you can charge back the transaction on your cc. (I work with Visa/MC so I know the rules for customer protection) but for the most part the DVC owners are very reputable people and don't want to do anything to mess with their ownership or breach their contract.
I hope this helps!
Have Fun!!

 

[chalee94]

You should definitely read the [thread=1669863]Considering Renting from a DVC Member?[/thread] thread...

 

[chalee94]

when i rented pts (before i bought in), i saw a post on the DVC-rent/trade board that a reservation was made for a 5 day period when i could travel. i pm-ed the poster, and they told me the terms (i.e. no cancellations, the deal was final). (i was also able to google him online and confirm that his contact information matched a dentist in that town, so i felt better in case i needed to follow up.) so i paypalled my payment and he faxed me the confirmation page for the reservation and set me up with DME. i got to SSR and gave them my confirmation number and checked in with no problem.

while i had no problems, i was still a little nervous since i had no control over the reservation. the DVC owner "could have" cancelled it any time before i arrived. i could not call and confirm it. if i had wanted to add the dining plan, i would have had to call the DVC owner and have them call on my behalf (the same as with DME). so be aware that it may be a little nerve-wracking for some personality types...

 

[HGD24]

...providing a number that you can call and verify for yourself that the ressie is in your name and the dates are correct.

I'm a DVC owner who has rented points out in the past. Unfortunately, renters can no longer call Member Services to verify the reservation. They stopped doing this a few years ago. MS will not talk to anyone who is not a member, so you have to take the owner's word that they have secured the reservation for you and have not cancelled it after you received the confirmation. You really have to put 100% of your trust in the owner.

We always have a contract between us and the renters and we give references of past renters we have dealt with. We also only use PayPal so that payments can be easily tracked.

It really is a simple process. Try not to get bogged down in reading too many boards or posts. The amount of information can be very overwhelming and make the process seem much more involved than it really is.

I think if you request a contract, get references from past renters and use PayPal for payments, you should feel pretty secure in making an agreement with an owner. Good luck!

 

[myjourney]

We have been renting for years and have had only good expierences. A few things:
1. Rent for 5 nights from Sun through Thurs as that is the best deal, Friday and Saturday nights double in points. I usually do not pay more than $9 a point. So for example a 5 night stay at AKL with savanah view would be 60 points @ $9 = $540 that makes staying at a deluxe resort $108 a night, which is a fanstatic deal.
2. Personally I like Saratoga Springs the best then Animal Kingdom Lodge
3. So far the owners I have rented from have me pay through PayPal as soon as I get the reservation confirmation letter from Disney.
4. When I make these reservation I do it with the expectation that I am paying for it even if I cannot go. In other words it is very difficult for the owner to cancel or change reservations.
5. The DVC rooms do not get maid service daily, I think they replace towels and sheets once or twice a week (it has never been a problem)
6. When you check in Do Not allow your credit card to be charged for extras in the Parks. This is my personal rule as I do not want anything accidently charged that would cause problems for the owner.
7. Remember when you stay on site you get Extra hours in the parks and can easily use Disney Transportation (I recommend you buy parkhopper tickets)

Hope this helps

 

[robinbutterfly]

So why wouldn't everyone rent?? What are the negatives? The deals seem too good to be true!

 

[myjourney]

I think it is because there is a risk (however I think it is very slight) and many people do not want to take it. I started off renting from a person I knew and then when he ran out of points I used the DVC thread on this site. I have even rented from an owner in England and she was great.
Look for an owner who has rented before and use PayPal to pay, make sure they at least give you the confirmation # before you pay and then I ask them to send me the Disney confirmation letter with my name on it.

I am always amazed at the number of people who pay a lot more money to stay at the budget resorts. BTW I rent a studio which can have up to 4 adults, it has a mini fridge, microwave, toaster, and coffeepot so you can eat some things in your room if you like.

I do not know of any negatives, other than possibliy someone who wants maid service daliy or not being able to cancel. To me the advantages far outweigh the risk.

So why wouldn't everyone rent?? What are the negatives? The deals seem too good to be true!

 

[chalee94]

So why wouldn't everyone rent?? What are the negatives?

*loss of control = fear of fraud (it's very rare but when you can't contact disney directly to confirm anything, people get nervous).
*usually no cancellation allowed
*sometimes can't use a credit card
*no daily mousekeeping
*studios other than OKW do not have 2 "real" beds - only one queen and one sofabed
*costs are much higher on fri and sat nights
*you're dealing with an individual and not disney, so if you have a problem, you are on your own

it's a great deal but there are tradeoffs.

 

[jimaok]

Be careful renting. I have rented from a DVC member many times. We have always stayed at OKW- and love it. The reason I say be careful is because once you stay at a deluxe resort you will never want to go back to a value or offsite. Needless to say, we are now DVC members.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

I stay at Deluxe a lot and still love the Values. In fact when I pay the bill I love the values that much more.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

I've often thought about renting those, but don't feel comfortable with doing it without knowing if the owners are reliable. I'm not sure it's worth the stress of wondering if everything will go okay, but a little over $100 per night for a deluxe would make me look into it. Maybe someone can recommend DVC owners, but I doubt that's allowed. Good luck.

 

[HGD24]

I've often thought about renting those, but don't feel comfortable with doing it without knowing if the owners are reliable. I'm not sure it's worth the stress of wondering if everything will go okay, but a little over $100 per night for a deluxe would make me look into it. Maybe someone can recommend DVC owners, but I doubt that's allowed. Good luck.

You can always ask the owners for referrals before giving them any money.

 

[myladyisatramp]

I rented Boardwalk Villas last year 2 bedroom it was terrific. No problem at all I rented from someone of this Disboard

 

[kristenrice]

The biggest risk of renting from a DVC owner is that you may end up becoming one yourself.

I rented twice from the same owner and I was hooked. I had no problems at all with either rental transaction and we did not use a contract. We stayed in touch via e-mail and phone conversations. I never once had that "bad gut feeling" about any part of the process. It was very simple: I gave the dates and resort I wanted, he told me how much I owed him. When he received the confirmation from DVC, he scanned a copy to me and mailed the original.

Although it can be a painless and simple process, there will ALWAYS be the element of risk. In addition to an unscrupulous owner that may cancel your reservation, there is also the possibility of an "honest" mistake. For example, if an owner falls behind on their annual dues, any reservations they have may be cancelled.

An owner assumes risk too. For example, if a renter decides to smoke in the room, the owner can (and probably will) be held responsible for the fines. Any damage to the room and DVC will come after the owner, not the renter. So the owner wants to be just as comfortable with who they are renting to as the renter who is doing the renting.

To the OP...here's the process that I went through when I rented.
1) Found an owner with points for rent.
2) Looked at the points chart and figured out how many I needed (84, in my case)
3) Owner confirmed that he had that many to rent and required $12/point ($1008); no refunds
4) Owner made my reservation in my name
5) Owner e-mailed me a scanned copy of the reservation and snail-mailed the original.
6) When I received the e-mail, I sent the owner a personal check for 25% of the agreed-upon payment.
7) 60 days before our trip, I sent him a check for the balance.
8) Somewhere in there I had him add our DME info and the DDP to our ressie also.

I arrived at the Animal Kingdom Villas in October and enjoyed 6 nights in a savanna view studio for a hair over $1000. Rack rate for that stay was $440 + tax per night!

The bottom line is that you can save a lot of money, but you also must assume the element of risk. Think of it as a priceline-type transaction. If you think you may need to cancel or you aren't able to deal with the lack of control, then a DVC rental is probably not for you.

Enjoy!

 

[MississippiMom]

To the OP...here's the process that I went through when I rented.
1) Found an owner with points for rent.
2) Looked at the points chart and figured out how many I needed (84, in my case)
3) Owner confirmed that he had that many to rent and required $12/point ($1008); no refunds
4) Owner made my reservation in my name
5) Owner e-mailed me a scanned copy of the reservation and snail-mailed the original.
6) When I received the e-mail, I sent the owner a personal check for 25% of the agreed-upon payment.
7) 60 days before our trip, I sent him a check for the balance.
8) Somewhere in there I had him add our DME info and the DDP to our ressie also.

This was a great list! Thank you so much for providing the detail. This is sounding like a very promising option.

 

[mermaidwannabe]

You can always ask the owners for referrals before giving them any money.

Thanks, that's a GREAT tip!