Anyone else apprehensive to rent points since Covid happened?

[IndyToThere]

I am looking at confirmed reservations at Grand Californian DVC. All of the studios are listed at a nightly price higher than rack rate for a room at the Grand Californian. I booked a room for July 2-5 that, with tax, came to $911.43 per night. Reservations for these dates are anywhere from $960-1000/night in studios.

This is at the site sponsor, the DVC Rental Store.

Ah, ok... Confirmed Reservations. I wasn't familar with those. Based on DVC Rental Store's description -
"Confirmed reservations are reservations that have already been secured by a DVC Member and are just waiting on a Guest to reserve them. Booking a confirmed reservation makes the process of renting DVC points even quicker and more efficient, since you don’t have to worry about reservation availability or wait to be matched with a Member. "

I can't say I've ever used something like that. Normally, the process involves putting in your request as the rentee, and the 3rd party reaches out to prospective renters to see if they have points available. A bit more work, but much cheaper and indicative of what a typical DVC rental would cost ($20/point or less).

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I am planning a trip for November 2022 and am thinking of renting points. We really want to stay at BC and it's hard for me to justify their prices but renting points helps a lot.

I've only rented points once and it was a great experience. I rented here on the forums and had a great week during F&W at BWV. Since Covid, I'm now a bit nervous. We are 100% sure we will go on this trip IF most things are open (fireworks, more restaurants, etc.) and no masks. I think by December (11 months out) we will have a clearer picture on how WDW will look like and I can decide then but then I worry of things going backwards.

When covid hit I did not have a trip booked at that time but I do remember some rumblings of how awful some of the rental sites handled cancellations and refunds. I would prefer to book through a member here on Dis but I'm not opposed to using a company.

If you are renting points you have to go into it looking at it as a nonrefundable expense with no recourse if something goes wrong. Part of the reason points rentals are so much cheaper then rack rate is because of the fact that you are submitting yourself to those rigid rules. Honestly, I don't think renting points is worth it for that reason. Things can go great for you for, lets say 4 or 5 trips in a row, but if on trip six you unexpectedly have to cancel and lose everything, did you really end up saving over Disney's rack rate for the other 4 or 5 trips? It's why I purchased a small DVC contract and now exclusively pay to transfer in points. At least that way I know that if I have to cancel I can use the transferred points for something else, even if they end up in holding.

 

[LiveLifeLoud]

I’m pretty sure I’m going to book directly through disney. Or at least hope my TA comes out with some deals and book through her.

We are set that we won’t go until there are more offerings (fireworks, parades, shows, late hours, etc) and no masks so I want the option to cancel. Even though we’re looking at end of 2022 you just never know what could happen with covid and variants.

Also my daughter does not want to sleep on a sofa bed for 8-9 nights and neither do I. If I can’t get a good deal on BC we will do a mod and be happy with that. Hopefully POFQ opens soon!

 

[Revkate]

It seems like renting points doesn't provide much (if any) of a discount nowadays. I'd rather book directly through Disney and get a cash DVC unit with their generous cancelation policy than be locked into a rental agreement with a possibility of no refunds for cancelation.

I looked at the DVC Rental Store and their prices are just ridiculous. There is no savings there.

We want to book a 1 or 2 br at the Riviera in January. DVCrental is about $1000 less for the 1 br and $4K less for the 2br. But Dave's is much cheaper. Still I am nervous about booking through either of them due to the uncertainty of Covid. I have booked directly with Disney and hope that they will offer room discounts for January by the fall.

 

[Revkate]

It seems like renting points doesn't provide much (if any) of a discount nowadays. I'd rather book directly through Disney and get a cash DVC unit with their generous cancelation policy than be locked into a rental agreement with a possibility of no refunds for cancelation.

I looked at the DVC Rental Store and their prices are just ridiculous. There is no savings there.

We want to book a 1 or 2 br at the Riviera in January. DVCrental is about $1000 less for the 1 br and $4K less for the 2br. But Dave's is much cheaper. Still I am nervous about booking through either of them due to the uncertainty of Covid. I have booked directly with Disney and hope that they will offer room discounts for January by the fall.

I am planning a trip for November 2022 and am thinking of renting points. We really want to stay at BC and it's hard for me to justify their prices but renting points helps a lot.

I've only rented points once and it was a great experience. I rented here on the forums and had a great week during F&W at BWV. Since Covid, I'm now a bit nervous. We are 100% sure we will go on this trip IF most things are open (fireworks, more restaurants, etc.) and no masks. I think by December (11 months out) we will have a clearer picture on how WDW will look like and I can decide then but then I worry of things going backwards.

When covid hit I did not have a trip booked at that time but I do remember some rumblings of how awful some of the rental sites handled cancellations and refunds. I would prefer to book through a member here on Dis but I'm not opposed to using a company.

I am planning a trip for November 2022 and am thinking of renting points. We really want to stay at BC and it's hard for me to justify their prices but renting points helps a lot.

I've only rented points once and it was a great experience. I rented here on the forums and had a great week during F&W at BWV. Since Covid, I'm now a bit nervous. We are 100% sure we will go on this trip IF most things are open (fireworks, more restaurants, etc.) and no masks. I think by December (11 months out) we will have a clearer picture on how WDW will look like and I can decide then but then I worry of things going backwards.

When covid hit I did not have a trip booked at that time but I do remember some rumblings of how awful some of the rental sites handled cancellations and refunds. I would prefer to book through a member here on Dis but I'm not opposed to using a company.

We are in the same boat. I have booked a 1br standard view at the Riviera for January through WDW, but if David's is able to find an owner selling their points, we could book through them and afford a two br preferred view. (We made it half way through their two-step process. The rooms are apparently available, but no owner is selling David's their points.) I don't care so much about the view, but the space would be nice since we are a family of five. If we are able to get a 2br through David's, I can cancel the room we booked through WDW. But I am worried about taking the risk since you have to pay for the room up front. Pre-pandemic, I would have booked through David's or DVCrental without giving it a second thought.

 

[hcortesis]

For the first time ever, I rented out some points for this September. I used Davids. I only briefly read the contract but I'm pretty sure that it is me, not the renter that is on the hook should something like Covid happen again, and rooms become unavailable. It hasn't got me worried much and I don't think renters need to worry much either.

 

[BayGirl22]

I am looking at confirmed reservations at Grand Californian DVC. All of the studios are listed at a nightly price higher than rack rate for a room at the Grand Californian. I booked a room for July 2-5 that, with tax, came to $911.43 per night. Reservations for these dates are anywhere from $960-1000/night in studios.

This is at the site sponsor, the DVC Rental Store.

I think the economics of GCV are different than the WDW resorts though, so not a clear comparison. There are very few DVC rooms at DL, the point values are very high, and that's going to drive the rental price up. The price per point to rent is the same formula between DL and WDW but WDW will have more options and lower point values. The price directly through Disney is driven by hotel prices and overall room availability.

With DL there are so many more options to stay within walking distance - mainly that GC Hotel and DL Hotel have like 10x the rooms than DVC, then all the options on Harbor. I can't see renting DVC ever being a more economical option at DL, its more about securing a specific DVC layout at a premium instead of a hotel room.

Renting at WDW is a very different comparison, and villa rates through Disney are high enough that for me its always come out ahead. As others said, time of year and discounts may change that.

 

[Sandisw]

For the first time ever, I rented out some points for this September. I used Davids. I only briefly read the contract but I'm pretty sure that it is me, not the renter that is on the hook should something like Covid happen again, and rooms become unavailable. It hasn't got me worried much and I don't think renters need to worry much either.

Renters will only get a voucher for a future trip. For some, it might be okay, but for others, they may prefer an actual refund.

But thst is only for closure. They get nothing if they can’t travel due to circumstances out of their control, like new travel restrictions, etc.

 

[Happy2BMommy0812]

I’d rent only if I bought trip insurance. That extra $200 or so can be handy if needed. But, I also don’t like being roped in 11 months out. Plans change, events pop up. That’s kinda why we ended up buying 2 DVC contracts ourselves - if I canceled I could use the points another time and I liked feeling in control of my vacation. That said, not everyone wants to make that kind of an investment, and I think trip insurance is a good solution.

Edited to add: I have used the boards here to rent points for 1-2 nights when I am short or have run out. But, I’ve only done that for trips that are within a month or so (last minute by Disney standards) and I feel confident there are no conflicts. I also realize I run the risk I could lose all my money if I bail for whatever reason. Both times it worked out fine, thanks goodness.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

I'd only rent for maaaaybe a trip planned last minute, when I was pretty sure details were nailed down. We talked to an agent before Covid about renting points for Aulani in May 2020. I don't remember every detail exactly, but trip insurance was somewhere around an additional $2/pt. We opted to not rent and instead moved our trip up a few weeks to take advantage of the Spring cash discount. It cost us a little more, but not a ton, and we got 100% back when Covid hit easy peasy. I'd much rather do a transfer and have total control over the points.

 

[gparr]

I have rented out some of my points during this pandemic without any issues — and have had repeat rentals as well.

 

[Yinn]

I am planning a trip for November 2022 and am thinking of renting points. We really want to stay at BC and it's hard for me to justify their prices but renting points helps a lot.

I've only rented points once and it was a great experience. I rented here on the forums and had a great week during F&W at BWV. Since Covid, I'm now a bit nervous. We are 100% sure we will go on this trip IF most things are open (fireworks, more restaurants, etc.) and no masks. I think by December (11 months out) we will have a clearer picture on how WDW will look like and I can decide then but then I worry of things going backwards.

When covid hit I did not have a trip booked at that time but I do remember some rumblings of how awful some of the rental sites handled cancellations and refunds. I would prefer to book through a member here on Dis but I'm not opposed to using a company.

I used to rent out my points via some rental sites. The one I used was so terrible to me and my renters that I stopped using them altogether and started using this site instead. Granted it was early on and I heard they got better, but for me it was too late.

When I rent out on the boards I usually browse around first to make sure I'm pricing my points appropriately. One thing I'm seeing more and more of is that there is a mix of owners who are willing to put refund clauses in.

Since you're dealing directly with owners, we have the ability to gauge our own habits, borrowing/bank capabilities, as well as specific banking windows in regards to your rental. If I'm renting bankable points as an example, I may allow a full refund until my banking deadline. Or if it's points that are expiring, I may make it non-refundable but offer it at a lower $/pt.

The terms will vary with each owner, but mine for example is now refundable if the resort and/or all of the parks are closed. But that doesn't protect against a change of mind. But it's certainly something to consider and to try to negotiate/ask for if you still want to rent but don't want to use the companies.

 

[pkrieger2287]

I feel that DVC Rental Store has been the most reactionary to the effects of the past year in terms of a realistic cancellation policy. Even though it is not money back, it is much better than how many members and guests were treated by others as a result of the pandemic.

 

[jdkdorn]

For the first time ever, I rented out some points for this September. I used Davids. I only briefly read the contract but I'm pretty sure that it is me, not the renter that is on the hook should something like Covid happen again, and rooms become unavailable. It hasn't got me worried much and I don't think renters need to worry much either.

The way I handled it was I would rebook anytime for you or another guest, David resold the reservation when the original guest wanted money back...people cannot expect their money returned by the renters, we rented to get the money for another vacation, but I was happy to help get the guest another vacation. I moved my reservation 4 times to 3 different families.

 

[Yinn]

The way I handled it was I would rebook anytime for you or another guest, David resold the reservation when the original guest wanted money back...people cannot expect their money returned by the renters, we rented to get the money for another vacation, but I was happy to help get the guest another vacation. I moved my reservation 4 times to 3 different families.

Except they didn't get to that point until later - much later. In the beginning they collected a refund from the owners and didn't return the refunded cash to the renters.

 

[Marionnette]

Except they didn't get to that point until later - much later. In the beginning they collected a refund from the owners and didn't return the refunded cash to the renters.

It was my understanding that David's never refunded money to the renters. They were given vouchers that were good for 2 years but only after other brokers lead the way by being more proactive.

 

[jdkdorn]

Except they didn't get to that point until later - much later. In the beginning they collected a refund from the owners and didn't return the refunded cash to the renters.

Really? They gave me the option of refunding to the renter or rebooking, I chose rebook because I could not refund, and I am guessing many owners could not refund. I know it sucks what happened, and it is a big risk with renting, but David's was very communicative and reached out frequently and posted on their website the options available. I never heard that they were taking money back and not giving it to the renters, I can see them not refunding and offering to only rebook, since they had the no refund policy and still had to pay the owners no matter what. The whole thing was a **** show and I think all the companies did the best they could under the circumstances. No one thought we were still going to be dealing with this a year later.

 

[Yinn]

It was my understanding that David's never refunded money to the renters. They were given vouchers that were good for 2 years but only after other brokers lead the way by being more proactive.

They didn't introduce the vouchers until later in the process. Early on they asked owners to basically show compassion and issue a refund.

Really? They gave me the option of refunding to the renter or rebooking, I chose rebook because I could not refund, and I am guessing many owners could not refund. I know it sucks what happened, and it is a big risk with renting, but David's was very communicative and reached out frequently and posted on their website the options available. I never heard that they were taking money back and not giving it to the renters, I can see them not refunding and offering to only rebook, since they had the no refund policy and still had to pay the owners no matter what. The whole thing was a **** show and I think all the companies did the best they could under the circumstances. No one thought we were still going to be dealing with this a year later.

I chose to refund and I dont recall being given a choice. As far as I was aware I was doing the decent thing. It wasn't until later that my renter found me and asked if I'd be willing to refund that I realized they didn't see a penny of it. Understandably they were furious they haven't gotten any money, as was I since I had returned it. When I contacted David's they assured me the money was returned to the renter. It was a fun back and forth and I sent my communications to my renter.

Last time I spoke to the renters they were going to go after David's for it and asked for permission to use the emails. I don't know if they were eventually rebooked, offered a voucher, or given the money as I haven't heard from them after I gave them permission.

 

[jdkdorn]

They didn't introduce the vouchers until later in the process. Early on they asked owners to basically show compassion and issue a refund.



I chose to refund and I dont recall being given a choice. As far as I was aware I was doing the decent thing. It wasn't until later that my renter found me and asked if I'd be willing to refund that I realized they didn't see a penny of it. Understandably they were furious they haven't gotten any money, as was I since I had returned it. When I contacted David's they assured me the money was returned to the renter. It was a fun back and forth and I sent my communications to my renter.

Last time I spoke to the renters they were going to go after David's for it and asked for permission to use the emails. I don't know if they were eventually rebooked, offered a voucher, or given the money as I haven't heard from them after I gave them permission.

Wow, I'm so sorry. we could have been in a different situation since we booked a cruise with the money through them. They knew the money was gone. I feel for everyone that has reservations, that is why we rebooked so many times...we want people to get their trips.

 

[howardlee2]

I rebooked all renters , some 2 and 3 times but in the end I didn't lose any points and renters all got the vacation of their choice. can't say it was fun but it was the right thing to do! soon our grand daughters will be old enough to enjoy Disney and we won't be renting much!!