Advice re Renting Points from DVC Members

[NotSoMini]

Maybe not the right board to post this on, but in the interests of our budget, I am considering renting points from a DVC member and sure would like other budget minded folks to offer their opinions on this possibility.

It appears to me that it will cost us in excess of $185 a night for CBR, the nights we are looking for in late April/early May 2006 ($155 plus $30 for 18 and 20 year old "big kids", plus taxes) versus $110 (based on 11 points at $10 per point) a night for a studio at BW - and I think that includes taxes and there's no extra person charges.

If this is the case, then it is a real bargain.

My quandry? I don't really know how this works (are my assumptions about taxes and extra person charges correct?), I am afraid I might rent from a not-so-respectable DVC member (who pockets my money and doesn't make my reservation), and having never seen BW or (our other possibility) OKW, the theming might be less than at the resorts where we've previously stayed (value and moderates).

I would value your opinions and advice greatly

 

[beattyfamily]

If you go to the DVC rent/trade board you will have better luck with getting the info you need.

Yes, there are some risks involved. But many DVC renters have references and have done it before with other DISers. If they have a high post count, they are probably safe as well.

You can draw up a contract with what you both want from the rental. A Confirmation letter, when to expect the money etc...

Some renters will do 3-way calling between you, them and DVC member's services to confirm they've made the reservation.

I rented for the first time to a fellow DISer and so far so good for the both of us. She's getting a great deal and I get some extra cash.

Sounds like a GREAT deal. There will be no other charges. Just know that there will be no Mousekeeping until the 4th day. I prefer that though but some don't.

The BWV is a beautiful resort! You can walk to MGM and Epcot or take the boat.

Good luck deciding. Make sure you decide before 11 months out so they'll be sure and have availability.

 

[rkandmjsmommy]

We rented points from a DVC member and stayed at BWV, it was a WONDERFUL trip, we are doing CSR for the free dining in August and I hope DH has fun anyway, he LOVED LOVED LOVED BWV.

What I did was have the DVC memeber make the reservation, then she sent me the confirmation, then once I received that, I could call and check and make sure at any time it was still valid, then I sent her my deposit, it went wonderfully. We were going to rent from her again this past January but plans changed.

The DVC rent/trade board is great, if we dont buy DVC after I graduate school, we will DEFINItely rent again.

good luck

 

[Cheeky in TN]

I recently rented my points from TOR and it has gone great. I am leaving in 30 days and he has sent me my ressies in paper. I was nervous about this at first, but he agreed to use paypal. Since Paypal is linked to my chargecard, if he scammed me I could deny the charge and get the money back. But Tom is first class. Once we agreed I wanted the points, we stayed in contact via phone to get the money to him, he emailed me my ressie # as soon as he made it, etc. I would definetly go this route again to stay at Disney.

 

[ccgegg]

We're renting pts for the first time for our trip this December. Staying in a 1br condo at BWV for an average of $164/night. You can't beat that! The trick is to avoid the costly nights, like Fri and Sat nights. We're staying Sun-Thu nights. If you want a Fri or Sat stay, you could switch to a different resort, but that's not much of an option for us with the little ones.

I agree with Beattyfamily that there are things you can do to ensure an honest transaction. Look for their number of posts. Do a search for their username to see if anyone ever had a problem. Ask for references. And do a contract to make sure both parties are on the same page. Renters typically do not require payment before making the reservation. That way, I could call to verify the reservation was made prior to sending payment. After all, you gotta make sure its available before any money should change hands. Sure, the renter could call to cancel the reservation, but that's where the contract and trust enters into play.

 

[NotSoMini]

Bit by bit, you're making me feel more confident!

I posted here, rather than the DVC board, just because I wanted the opinions of those who've gone this route.

What we're looking at is Sunday, April 30 with check out on Friday, May 5, so all of those look like low point nights.

Also, are there any studios, besides BW, where you get two queen sized beds (versus one, and a pull out couch)?

Thank you, everyone, for your input!

 

[LeftCoaster]

BW studios only offer a queen with a pull out couch. The only resort to offer the two queen beds in the stuiods is OKW.

 

[laurabelle]

I'm renting DVC points for a one night stay for the first time this trip to give it a try. I met a couple of wonderful Disers who made the whole transaction very smooth. I think that is the key...if you get a bad vibe about someone, don't do business with them. There are some wonderful people on the DVC boards who are legit and great to deal with. HTH

 

[jesszac610]

I know what you're saying, it can be alittle (alot) scarey! We have rented points from a DVC member 2 times now and have had good luck with the whole process!! The Boardwalk Villas are awesome! I was amazed at how much more room even the studios had compared to the all-stars and even the Dolphin resort! Having the mini-fridge, toaster, microwave helped save us alot of food money too!

 

[ccgegg]

Oh, another tip. Get the renter's phone number and actually talk to him/her when deciding. I think that will give you a certain comfort level. I spoke to 3 different renters when I was looking for points and one guy just seemed kind of arrogant. I was trying to pay $10/point and he was kind of abrupt... "I always get $12 per point. Do you want them?" Well, I did not-- and I soon found the $10/point I wanted. I don't have a problem with owners wanting to get the most for their points, but the "hard sell" tactic could have been left out of the equation.

Have you done your homework on renting pts? Make sure you try to find a BWV owner and rent/book more than 7 months in advance. After that 7-month window passes, any DVC owner can book at BWV and things start filling up faster.

Also, make sure you understand the cancellation policy, as renting DVC pts is not as lenient as booking a room directly thru CRO. Cancellation terms should also be a part of your contract.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. I, like you, was hesitant at first, but other DISers made me feel very comfortable-- as did my renter.

 

[poohj80]

the nights we are looking for in late April/early May 2006 ($155 plus $30 for 18 and 20 year old "big kids", plus taxes) versus $110 (based on 11 points at $10 per point) a night for a studio at BW - and I think that includes taxes and there's no extra person charges.

Even though you can fit 4 people in a DVC studio, please consider the comfort of your family members. Your 18 and 20 yr old big kids will be sharing a sleeper sofa with this plan. Also, your 11 point estimate may not be available as the standard view rooms are limited and sometimes very hard to come by. You may want to budget for a preferred view room just in case.

You are correct in assuming there are no extra person fees or taxes when staying in a DVC room.

 

[snappy]

I have had a very good experience with renting points from a DVC owner. Just today I called the renter to see if we could push our trip next week back
until the next week due to hurricane Dennis being smack in our way getting to Orlando for Sunday. The owner responded so quickly to my call that I was able to get it switched (there was very limited availability).

I will definitely be renting points again. In fact, I really want to buy DVC.
Once you stay DVC it sort of ruins you for the average hotel room.

One tip I read on mousesavers I think was in addition to picking a renter with lots of posts to actually review the renter's posts. Look for a renter who posts to Dis discussion threads in addition to the Rent/trade board. I agree with this idea, and to talk to the renter over the phone.

 

[beattyfamily]

Even though you can fit 4 people in a DVC studio, please consider the comfort of your family members. Your 18 and 20 yr old big kids will be sharing a sleeper sofa with this plan. Also, your 11 point estimate may not be available as the standard view rooms are limited and sometimes very hard to come by. You may want to budget for a preferred view room just in case.

You are correct in assuming there are no extra person fees or taxes when staying in a DVC room.

I agree about the one bedroom! I didn't even think of that. For probably the same price as the CBR room, you could get a one bedroom and have a whirlpool, a bedroom with a King size bed, a washer and dryer and a kitchen.

Again, you should decide soon because of DVC Boardwalk standard view availability is limited...the longer you wait, the less availability there will be as the standard rooms are cheaper so they go faster...

 

[InstImpres]

I agree with the other poster. I am a DVC owner and whenever I rent I give my home and cell phone number to the renter. Generally, I have 1 phone call from them before renting. It is definetly a trust issue on both sides so be sure you are comfortable.

 

[2kidsnutsfordisney]

We rented from a DVC member last June (unfortunately before I found out about this board) but had a wonderful transaction. We took an even bigger leap of faith and purchased it off of Ebay but it worked out great! I would agree that once you stay using DVC points you will never go back the other way We gave our owner a couple of different dates and ranked them and then she called to see what was available. We ended up getting our second choice but it worked out better. She sent us the confirmation paperwork, which then enabled me to call and confirm the reservation. I also spoke with her on the phone several times. We will be heading back next year - June 2006 and will definately be renting points again (unless we can talk my parents into purchasing a DVC membership for themselves) By the way we stayed at the BCV and it is beautiful, close to Epcot and has an awesome pool!!

 

[Candace]

I agree about the one bedroom! I didn't even think of that. For probably the same price as the CBR room, you could get a one bedroom and have a whirlpool, a bedroom with a King size bed, a washer and dryer and a kitchen.

Again, you should decide soon because of DVC Boardwalk standard view availability is limited...the longer you wait, the less availability there will be as the standard rooms are cheaper so they go faster...

Yes, one bedroom villas are wonderful, but again, you only get the one king bed in the bedroom and a sleeper sofa in the living room. If you go with OKW instead of BWV, the living room is huge, so a blow up mattress would easily fit when the sofa is folded out. Not such an easy fit at BWV (even in the living room). This is not to bash BWV or any DVC resort, because I own points at both BWV and OKW, I'm just pointing out size differences for you. HTH

 

[mcgrawfan]

I am working with someone right now for our Oct/Nov stay this year. It is going really smoothly. I already have a copy of the ressie and she sent a contract. We are staying in a 1 bedroom at SSR for $1940 for 7 nights.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

There have been very few cases reported on these boards about rental deals turning sour. But it really depends on your own comfort level. If renting points from a stranger makes you feel uncomfortable or causes you any anxiety prior to your visit to WDW...just don't do it.

The main thing is to educate yourself as much as possible about how DVC works and what type of accomodations are available. For instance, a lot of people don't know there is no daily maid service (unless you pay extra for it). With the length of stay you are considering, they would come in once at the half-way point and empty the trash/bring fresh towels/etc. Is that something you could live with or would it bother you? Anyway, it can (and should) be a win/win situation for both parties if handled correctly.

You will need to decide fairly soon which resort you would like to rent at and try to find someone that owns that location as their home resort...that will give you a slight advantage. Once you are at the 7-mo. mark, any member can make ressies at that location and there may be a lot more competition for the type of room you are requesting.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[LSchrow]

& a few more words of advice :
~ once you find the points you want, work with that one seller. all members have access to the same inventory.
~ try to have your dates fairly certain
~ keep your options (views, resorts) open, there's more likelihood of the DVCer getting you what you want

~ & just reiterating what others have said cos it is soooooooo important: check post count, read their posts, get home phone & addy, check their feedback (on ebay, etc) and/or references.

i'm renting out some of my pts again this year ( to mcgrawfan), & having a reasonable, flexible renter has made the process very pleasant. (btw, i had "rejected" a few potential renters, BOTH sides need to feel comfortable with the transaction).

good luck, & hope you have a wonderful vacation!

 

[NotSoMini]

Thank you DISers! Having this huge, extended family is simply wonderful! I feel I can rent with some degree of confidence now - and will contact someone on these boards.

-