Can it be better to sell points than use them?

[foxinsox]

I am looking at a 7 night Disney Cruise, Category 8. Using points will cost 203 points per person. This cruise with AAA costs $999 plus tak per person. If point renting is at $10, it seems I would be better off renting my 406 points for $4,000 and paying the $2,000 cash price at AAA. Am I missing something?

That brings me to the second question. It appears many people are buying and selling points on the other discussion board. Is it really as easy as it looks, or is the risk that I really can't sell off these points greater than it may appear?

 

[RweTHEREyet]

if you follow the posts on the Rent Board for a few days, you will see that things tend to move very quickly. I have been watching this myself.

I think you are right on the money about renting out the points and paying cash for for your cruise. Look at all the spending money you will have.

Watch the posts for a few days and see what you think.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

Originally posted by foxinsox
. . . Am I missing something? . . .

1) I think you have it !
2) Money is still money.
3) Use of DVC points for nonDVC-resorts is pretty expensive.
4) There are usually less expensive alternatives.

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by foxinsox
If point renting is at $10, it seems I would be better off renting my 406 points for $4,000 and paying the $2,000 cash price at AAA.

You also won't have to pay the $75 booking fee if you go through AAA or DU(DreamsUnlimited). DVC also charges you for any changes even if it is 10 months out.

 

[Dean]

Not only that. If you had to cancel the cash reservation but more than 60 days out, you'd get a full refund with no issues. If the price went down, so would what you paid. If you had to cancel the DVC points reservation your points would go into a reservations points status and expire at the end of your use year. Frankly, even if it were a value of $10 pp, I'd consider renting the points for the other pretections and benefits.

 

[foxinsox]

I guess my real concern is on the stability of actually always finding buyers for the points. Worse case for me would be to spend $2000 for the cruise then can't find a buyer and lose the points at the end of the year. I have also noticed that points on the board seem to be moving quite quickly, has anyone had a bad experience of trying to sell points but not getting them to move before expiration?

 

[mom2rb]

I just rented out points to pay for our cruise. It has been pretty easy. It would have taken 383 points for our cruise but it only cost $1965. Plus we were able to book now for a Sept. 2005 cruise.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

When renting out your points for other vacation options, it is good to do early in the use year for the points. That way, you maintain the most flexibility for those points if something unforseen happens and you need to re-rent your points to another party. Put the details of your transaction in writing so both parties understand what is expected.

 

[Cruelladeville]

Try to rent them now, and see what you get! There have already been a few people looking for as many as 400 pts for May and June. I have rented before, and now I don't even advertise (Thanks, Ross!) I started out renting small amounts to several people, and they refer others when they have a good experience, so it works out well. I go at Christmas, and can get a room at Beach Club for $169 per night. This year my total cost was $1560. But I rented out 320 pts that I was going to use to stay in the villas, so I made money. The biggest down-side to doing this was that I had to request a refrig and a coffee pot to use in the room, which comes with the studio. There was also the negative of daily maid service, but I talked to housekeeping, and was able to have the maid stay away till the afternoon, when we were always away from the room, so that worked out well. She never disturbed us once! And I still have plenty of points for my spring and summer trips, when it's a better value to stay on points.

 

[Maria395712]

cruelladeville ,could you tell us how you get a room for $169 @bc
thanks
maria

 

[Disney Doll]

WOW!!! $169 at the BC!!!! I am paying $216 at the end of this week for 3 days, and I thought that was a great price!!!!!

From a financial standpoint, the best use of points is to stay at a DVC resort. When you start using points to stay at regular WDW hotels or to go elsewhere in the system, you don't get a s much "bang for the buck", so to speak.

That being said, I purchased the points to pay for vacations, so that's what I use them for. If I decide I want to go out of the DVC resorts to stay elsewhere on points, I will. Having to come up with $2000 cash is still not ewasy, and if, by using points you have to come up with no cash, well, then points may be the way to go.