Comparing DVC room vs hotel stay room

[ocdb8r1]

Out of curiosity, why don't you compare to the cost of renting points?

 

[Sandisw]

Out of curiosity, why don't you compare to the cost of renting points?

For us, we did not because we would never rent…we were never comfortable with all the restrictions compared to cash stays.

 

[DVCRookie2023]

Out of curiosity, why don't you compare to the cost of renting points?

Like someone below said the cancellation policies for renting points are very stringent so it’s still not an apples to apples comparison. That being said I still do compare those two just to do it.

 

[intamin]

Out of curiosity, why don't you compare to the cost of renting points?

But really seems kind of a pain and I don’t trust randos on the interwebs. I know I could go through a broker but even so, that person could cancel or change the reservation at any point and Disney would shrug their shoulders and say too bad. I like the control being a member gives me and of course the better discount.

 

[ocdb8r1]

No, I certainly understand why people buy instead of renting...injustice don't understand why some think the best savings/financial comparison is against "rack rates" or any sort of Disney cash rate.

Totally agree that it's not precisely the same as cancellation policies differ, but let's be honest, even as an owner it's not 100% flexible. The biggest thing is that if you own you're going to pay those annual dies every single year...whether you want to take that trip or not.

Bottom line, to me, comparison to points rental rates is a more realistic financial comparison. Yes, you add some risk (different cancellation policy and the minor risk someone scams you) but that can be minimized and also balanced against the complete flexibility to not plan trip in any given year.

 

[DVCRookie2023]

No, I certainly understand why people buy instead of renting...injustice don't understand why some think the best savings/financial comparison is against "rack rates" or any sort of Disney cash rate.

Totally agree that it's not precisely the same as cancellation policies differ, but let's be honest, even as an owner it's not 100% flexible. The biggest thing is that if you own you're going to pay those annual dies every single year...whether you want to take that trip or not.

Bottom line, to me, comparison to points rental rates is a more realistic financial comparison. Yes, you add some risk (different cancellation policy and the minor risk someone scams you) but that can be minimized and also balanced against the complete flexibility to not plan trip in any given year.

It’s also not how the vast majority of people travel to Disney. Most people book with either rack rates or discounted rack rates. Renting DVC points is kind of an outlier and a non traditional way of booking so while I do factor it in - I don’t really use it as my end all be all comparison.

I also wonder if Disney would ever be able to restrict that as an option down the road.

 

[Epcot Forever Forever]

I also wonder if Disney would ever be able to restrict that as an option down the road

The deed you sign says you can’t rent the points out, so if they really wanted to; they probably could.

 

[crisi]

Out of curiosity, why don't you compare to the cost of renting points?

To me, the bigger question - especially if you are going to have a car - is why don't you compare off site options. They are far cheaper. For us, we never wanted a car, so being on property and being able to get around on Disney transportation - and usually staying in a resort where we could walk to the parks - was a big deal. From buying over at Bonnet Creek to renting through VBRO to booking a cash room at a hotel, to renting points, to DVC there are tons of lodging options.

DVC is the best choice for some people - but one of the huge "if it works for you" caveats is that you need to want to be on site.

For me, doing ROI math assuming I'd ever stay at the Boardwalk Inn for a Disney trip and comparing that to my BWV stays isn't realistic. If I were paying cash, it would have been moderates - or after about 2004 - offsite where I could have gotten nicer rooms for less money than a DVC moderate. I wouldn't have paid for a hotel room at the Boardwalk Inn, so using that as a comparison is lying to myself.

 

[dez1978]

I don't compare them. DVC doesn't offer housekeeping. Its cancellation policies are far inferior. DVC studios have a pullout couch (usually) rather than two beds. DVC and hotel rooms are comparing oranges to apples.

IF DVC fits your needs (and the cancellation policy is a big deal, as well as availability, as is needing to be on site, as is making Disney resorts a primary travel destination - that's where its really falling down for us currently, but we've owned 20 years and don't really care any longer about maximizing value) and you can be disciplined in your use, DVC studios will save you money over Deluxe and likely moderate hotel rooms. But they have to meet your needs. And if you are baking apple pie - oranges just won't work. On the other hand, if you are looking for your fruit serving, an orange works just as well.

The fold out couches seem to be getting phased out and changed to murphy beds during refurbishment tho, aren't they? When I have looked at resorts outside of our home resort, seems like a majority of them have at least one regular qn bed, one murphy qn and then some may have a fold out couch or chair, or a single pull down bed. Or maybe I just pay more attention to those because we require 3 real sleeping surfaces.

 

[CarolynFH]

The deed you sign says you can’t rent the points out, so if they really wanted to; they probably could.

I believe the paperwork says we CAN rent out reservations made with our points. Otherwise, Disney, owner of the largest number of points, wouldn't be able to rent out all those villas for cash (of which we get a tiny amount as an offset to our dues).

 

[crisi]

The fold out couches seem to be getting phased out and changed to murphy beds during refurbishment tho, aren't they? When I have looked at resorts outside of our home resort, seems like a majority of them have at least one regular qn bed, one murphy qn and then some may have a fold out couch or chair, or a single pull down bed. Or maybe I just pay more attention to those because we require 3 real sleeping surfaces.

Some people are still not going to consider the murphy bed the same as two real beds. I wouldn't.

 

[crisi]

I believe the paperwork says we CAN rent out reservations made with our points. Otherwise, Disney, owner of the largest number of points, wouldn't be able to rent out all those villas for cash (of which we get a tiny amount as an offset to our dues).

Yep, what it says is that commercial activity isn't permitted. Now, if Disney wants to see what Wyndham's court case comes out as, and if it comes down in Wyndham's favor, Disney could very narrowly define "commercial." Disney could also, and much more easily, go out of their way to make renters feel like second class citizens - very late room access, giving people not on the membership the rooms that we see as not desirable. And they could tie on site perks to having have paid DISNEY for the room - i.e. you have a blue card or you are staying on a CRO reservation - no resale and no renters for extra hours, free theme park parking, etc. Or they could offer discounts or make Genie + free for DVC members (with blue cards), CRO guests, and AP holders but make it expensive for renters, day guests and resale owners. There are a lot of levers they can pull that don't involve forbidding renting should they decide they need to capture the revenue they've lost to renters.

 

[robinb]

I have been trying to compare the rates of each. Pretty easy to find out what your “cash value” would be for the DVC room based on your contract value and such.

However when I want to compare it is kind of difficult to find a comparable room on the hotel side of things. This is assuming I am trying to compare to a 1BR DVC room.

We just came back from a hotel stay at Poly and stayed in a standard lake view room. Hard to really compare that truly w the 1BR (even though that room rents for more than the 1BR).

I am essentially trying to find what type of room would best work for my “break even” spreadsheet.

Thanks for any insight!

Just to be clear, there are no 1BRs at the Polynesian DVC right now. I’m not sure is there will be any in the new expansion.

 

[CarolynFH]

Yep, what it says is that commercial activity isn't permitted. Now, if Disney wants to see what Wyndham's court case comes out as, and if it comes down in Wyndham's favor, Disney could very narrowly define "commercial." Disney could also, and much more easily, go out of their way to make renters feel like second class citizens - very late room access, giving people not on the membership the rooms that we see as not desirable. And they could tie on site perks to having have paid DISNEY for the room - i.e. you have a blue card or you are staying on a CRO reservation - no resale and no renters for extra hours, free theme park parking, etc. Or they could offer discounts or make Genie + free for DVC members (with blue cards), CRO guests, and AP holders but make it expensive for renters, day guests and resale owners. There are a lot of levers they can pull that don't involve forbidding renting should they decide they need to capture the revenue they've lost to renters.

Yes, but then they'd have to suffer the backlash from owners who book reservations for their kids' honeymoons or other family/friends when the owner won't be there, unless they had some way for the owner to indicate it was a "gratuitous" guest reservation as opposed to a rental. I know you probably remember the many discussions here of how difficult it would be for DVC to separate "rental" guests from "non-rental" guests.

PS what Wyndham court case? I must have missed that. From reading on TUG, I know that Wyndham has done a very good job of reducing rentals - but also of causing problems for owners booking stays for family and friends.

 

[crisi]

Yes, but then they'd have to suffer the backlash from owners who book reservations for their kids' honeymoons or other family/friends when the owner won't be there, unless they had some way for the owner to indicate it was a "gratuitous" guest reservation as opposed to a rental. I know you probably remember the many discussions here of how difficult it would be for DVC to separate "rental" guests from "non-rental" guests.

PS what Wyndham court case? I must have missed that. From reading on TUG, I know that Wyndham has done a very good job of reducing rentals - but also of causing problems for owners booking stays for family and friends.

They would. But would they care? I doubt it. It will be spun as a benefit to members - reducing rentals and allowing members to get those harder to book rooms at seven months. And honestly, I think most members would be willing to have their guests suffer a bit if they thought it would give them better chances of booking rooms that are booked now on spec.

 

[CarolynFH]

They would. But would they care? I doubt it. It will be spun as a benefit to members - reducing rentals and allowing members to get those harder to book rooms at seven months. And honestly, I think most members would be willing to have their guests suffer a bit if they thought it would give them better chances of booking rooms that are booked now on spec.

As much as I’d love to get rid of those spec reservations (especially the ones booked by the large professional flippers), I’m hoping we never find out what the reaction would be. The older I get, the more I want to be able to send my family there without me!

 

[crisi]

As much as I’d love to get rid of those spec reservations (especially the ones booked by the large professional flippers), I’m hoping we never find out what the reaction would be. The older I get, the more I want to be able to send my family there without me!

Yep, I get that. But I'm not sure how many members are actually gifting points to their kids - rather than taking their families. And again, I'm not really sure Disney cares. If they decide they need to recapture revenue lost to renting, they'll make it unattractive to rent and spin it as something members have been requesting (and we have been requesting they do something about renting for years) - even if they don't forbid renting itself. And your family would still get to go without you - the perks would just be bigger if they went with you.

 

[dez1978]

Some people are still not going to consider the murphy bed the same as two real beds. I wouldn't.

It has the same mattress as a "real" bed so Idk why it wouldn't count.

Adding I am talking about the queen size murphy beds, not the single size ones that are under the TV.

 

[crisi]

It has the same mattress as a "real" bed so Idk why it wouldn't count.

Adding I am talking about the queen size murphy beds, not the single size ones that are under the TV.

Because you need to pull it up and down. I don't mind the sofa bed mattresses - all mattresses at Disney are horrifyingly bad to my own taste (I like VERY firm mattresses and my husband likes NO DIVOT), so the sofa bed isn't any worse. Its the convertibility that makes it not a real bed to me, not the mattress.