DVC for last-minute travelers?

[Deb & Bill]

...But I like someone else's suggestion above to just rent distressed points. That is bound to be cheaper.

But distressed points are only as good as the availability. If there is nothing available, they can be giving the points away and it won't do any good.

 

[Brian Noble]

True, but the risk of those points spoiling is to the Member that owns them, not the person who might otherwise be renting them. If there is no availability the potential renter can just look for some other last-minute deal offsite, or decide not to go at all. On the other hand, if there is last-minute availability, the renter can get a very good deal---possibly less in total cost than even owning resale, depending on exactly your depreciation/time-value of money assumptions.

If "last minute travel" is a given, renting is the right way to do it.

 

[dawnball]

But I like someone else's suggestion above to just rent distressed points. That is bound to be cheaper.

It's "less frustrating" that I'm struggling with at the moment. If there's no availability, then asking people who have distressed points to find me something is just another fruitless hassle. When the only way to find availability was by calling Member Services, DVC held pretty limited appeal for me, because there was too much barrier to serendipity. But it's my understanding that you can now search live availability on the web.

That leads to "Hey, I can get us two days in a 1 bedroom at the Grand Californian next month. Want to go?" Or "There's one day at Aulani, we could do a little island-hopping..." Vero Beach and Hilton head also seem to lend themselves to shorter stays, but WDW itself I'd really want to get at least four nights, all in the same accommodations, without so much concern about -which- resort we were at.

If there's no availability 60 days out, does that mean that holding points are burned, and it's just a convenient fiction that might be able to use them?

Also, how hard is it to add/remove an associate membership? I'm thinking that having access to online availability for a few months would make this a pretty clear decision for me. (I'm specifically not asking about the "Why would any member add you as an associate?" here, just "are the mechanics difficult or time consuming?")

 

[Brian Noble]

too much barrier to serendipity

You can always stalk the Rent/Trade boards here and elsewhere. There are often reservations put up for rent that are short-notice---more so at some other boards than here.

 

[Sandisw]

It's "less frustrating" that I'm struggling with at the moment. If there's no availability, then asking people who have distressed points to find me something is just another fruitless hassle. When the only way to find availability was by calling Member Services, DVC held pretty limited appeal for me, because there was too much barrier to serendipity. But it's my understanding that you can now search live availability on the web.

That leads to "Hey, I can get us two days in a 1 bedroom at the Grand Californian next month. Want to go?" Or "There's one day at Aulani, we could do a little island-hopping..." Vero Beach and Hilton head also seem to lend themselves to shorter stays, but WDW itself I'd really want to get at least four nights, all in the same accommodations, without so much concern about -which- resort we were at.

If there's no availability 60 days out, does that mean that holding points are burned, and it's just a convenient fiction that might be able to use them?

Also, how hard is it to add/remove an associate membership? I'm thinking that having access to online availability for a few months would make this a pretty clear decision for me. (I'm specifically not asking about the "Why would any member add you as an associate?" here, just "are the mechanics difficult or time consuming?")

It's not that there might not be some availability at 60 days out, its just that one never knows if there will be. If you decide last minute to go to WDW and look online for 4 nights in a row, you may or may not get it...DVC works better when you can plan in advance so it would be frustrating as an owner to have points and want to travel and go online or call, and realize you can't get a 4 night stay without having to change resorts, or can only get 3 of your 4 nights and the night missing is in the middle.

As a potential renter, yes, if the availability is not there, then that option would also be frustration, but you would not have money invested. If you can't get a rental, you go back to being a cash guest, like you are now.

In terms of being an associate, you would still have to have an owner's password and log in information for the DVC members website in order to check availability yourself.

 

[JimMIA]

If there's no availability 60 days out, does that mean that holding points are burned, and it's just a convenient fiction that might be able to use them?

Points in holding account (caused by canceling a reservation <31 days prior to arrival) can only be used for reservations within 60 days of checkin. So if you were not able to get availability w/in 60 days, the points would expire unused at the end of your Use Year.

Also, how hard is it to add/remove an associate membership?

Easy to do, but what would be the point? If you have a family member who would make you an associate on their account, you could check availability. But checking availability is a useless waste of time unless you are ready to book and have access to points.

 

[CarolMN]

.........(snip)........Easy to do, but what would be the point? If you have a family member who would make you an associate on their account, you could check availability. But checking availability is a useless waste of time unless you are ready to book and have access to points.

Associates do have the ability to use the points to make a reservation.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I am a professional late booker and the others will tell you it's a bad idea I do it a lot but there are rules you must consider

1. You are not going to get Beach club, Boardwalk or Wilderness Lodge. You have a much better shot at SSR or AKV

2. You must be prepared to waste points. For example I only need a studio but one-bedrooms often easier to get

3. You must except the cash reservations and points reservations are not always the same pool. Personal belief is that Disney will pull units back from CRO to use for late bookers, but I have no proof of this and you have to be really late for this to happen

4. You must a plan B. I use the wait list but will stay off property if it does not come through


I think the cancellations are bigger issue because the points go to holding and that really limits what you can do with them. Of course I normally have points and holding and that's what I used my living room so...... I did lose 5 points last year, but considering I had about 100 in holding at one point, not bad

Now I am not saying this is a good idea. It just works for me

 

[Missyrose]

3. You must except the cash reservations and points reservations are not always the same pool. Personal belief is that Disney will pull units back from CRO to use for late bookers, but I have no proof of this and you have to be really late for this to happen

You're talking about the DVC villas that are turned over to CRO at 60 days out, right? Because I'm pretty sure the cash villas CRO retains from the outset won't be pulled back for DVC use, they'd simply go empty instead.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You're talking about the DVC villas that are turned over to CRO at 60 days out, right? Because I'm pretty sure the cash villas CRO retains from the outset won't be pulled back for DVC use, they'd simply go empty instead.

Exactly. Just like Pop Century rooms that don't get booked. They stay empty.

 

[phorsenuf]

I'm not sure that this is the best forum, so feel free to redirect me somewhere better.

We tend to book 3-4 weeks out, and occasionally have to cancel/reschedule at close to the last minute. How hard is it to get a last minute reservation "somewhere"?

For example, we just booked a trip for Aug 25-31. We were flexible for at least four days between Aug 25 and Sept 2, and would have accepted any DVC resort. If we owned DVC, could we have found a studio or 1 bedroom with that little notice?

I know it would vary through the year, but I'm trying to get a feel for our travel schedules making DVC a "bad fit"

Thanks!

I just booked a reservation yesterday for 3 nights next week. I was looking for a 1 bedroom. Had my choice between Saratoga and the Wilderness Lodge. We always tend to book on short notice and aside from one time we've been able to get a room. But that was a one night stay, calling the same day.

 

[Dean]

Now I am not saying this is a good idea. It just works for me

There's a big difference between owning and using it this way and buying knowing this is the plan. One's a compromise, the other simply insane.

 

[hjgaus]

I just booked a reservation yesterday for 3 nights next week. I was looking for a 1 bedroom. Had my choice between Saratoga and the Wilderness Lodge. We always tend to book on short notice and aside from one time we've been able to get a room. But that was a one night stay, calling the same day.

As a DCV member is it to one's advantage to live within a short driving distance to DVC property and book last minute (such as 2 -5 months out) reservations? Also to be able to use points for Disney Collection Hotels for short stays? How about being an Annual Pass holder for the parks?

 

[phorsenuf]

As a DCV member is it to one's advantage to live within a short driving distance to DVC property and book last minute (such as 2 -5 months out) reservations? Also to be able to use points for Disney Collection Hotels for short stays? How about being an Annual Pass holder for the parks?

When we bought in to DVC we lived in NH. After we moved down to Florida my husband once mentioned about maybe not needing them any more and selling. After I whapped him up the side of the head he came to his senses.

For us, it works. There have been times we'll decide on a Thursday to go over for the weekend. So right now we use our points in bits and pieces. Once our grandbaby is older and our kids start coming down for real vacations, then we'll utilize them another way. More conventional I suppose. We've never used them for the hotel collection. We are also flexible with where we stay.

As for annual passes, we had those even when we lived in NH. We'd get down 3-4 times a year. Now we get the Florida resident annual passes.

So for now, it works. May not be the way some people look at it, and maybe we are the exception to the norm, but it works and we are happy.

 

[Sandisw]

As a DCV member is it to one's advantage to live within a short driving distance to DVC property and book last minute (such as 2 -5 months out) reservations? Also to be able to use points for Disney Collection Hotels for short stays? How about being an Annual Pass holder for the parks?

I'm not sure that there is an advantage to it. I think for someone who does live close and wants to do last minute trips, it might be easier in terms of the flexibility to change things around for a time when there is.

The points needed for staying at the Disney resorts, not DVC, are high so its really not a great use of points...for an occasional situation, when there is no DVC choice, but, I wouldn't buy DVC with this in mind..

In terms of an AP, we buy one and did so before we owned DVC and we live in NY! We simply book our trips 51 weeks apart and then get two 6 day trips from one pass.

Now, I will say that our plans are changing, at least for me, and I will be visiting WDW at least twice a year so I will probably need to get one yearly now, but there are ways to make it work, even when you live far away!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

As a DCV member is it to one's advantage to live within a short driving distance to DVC property and book last minute (such as 2 -5 months out) reservations? Also to be able to use points for Disney Collection Hotels for short stays? How about being an Annual Pass holder for the parks?

We're 850 miles from WDW and we usually buy an AP. We schedule our trips to get at least two trips on a pass. Disney Collection is not worth the points. We did stay at the Contemporary Resort once on points once, that we bought from another member who cancelled a cruise and was stuck with reservation points she couldn't use. She sold them to us for $5 a point, so it was cost effective. But when you can get a studio or even a one bedroom at most of the resorts for less than a moderate or deluxe hotel room, it's not worth it. And you can't make a last minute reservation during the last four months of your UY for that same time period (rule of four) when you can't get a DVC resort.

 

[hjgaus]

We are Southern Californian (Local) DVC owners with PAP's so like phorsenuf we like how DVC works for us at different times of our lives. 20 minutes away from DLR - no flights to plan so using points on Disney collection (DLH,PP & once again GCH) is not a waste for us. I get waived the $95 fee and get 1 or 2 night stays WHILE using my annual pass (no blockouts). Although we recently still chose to pay cash w/AP discount for a last minute holiday stay due to no points left for this year we were happy to do it! This year has been great for us by getting a few days in the grand villa of VGC AND going to Aulani for a week! We have an overnight in a 2 bdrm villa coming up (partaking in Early Entry hours & choice of park- YEAH!) but it's the last of my 2012 points. New for us will be using our 2013 points for a few once a month (1 bdrm villa) stays while having our AP's. We have not been to WDW (BCV) in 3 years but will be back there in 2014! At one time I thought owning VGC sounded so silly considering we live so close but I found it was the best decision we ever made! Overall I feel we do have a little bit of advantage but everyone should make the most out of whatever thier membership in DVC allows them to! It's an investment to YOUR OWN happiness!

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

There's a big difference between owning and using it this way and buying knowing this is the plan. One's a compromise, the other simply insane.

Well I guess I qualify as "insane"

Just because you don't like it does not make me insane

 

[Dean]

Well I guess I qualify as "insane"

Just because you don't like it does not make me insane

I don't care what others do, only that they have the info. What's done is done but for anyone to buy for that intended use is insane. Far too many limitations and risks for a program that barely brings reasonable savings even when one does not put themselves in this situation.

 

[LvsTnk]

I have just read the first page of this but I do think it is about expectations.

We rarely book more than 60 days out. Never have booked 11 months or even 7 months out. I have always expected to stay at SSR and have yet to do so. I have definately been on wait lists and have had pts. in holding. My use year is Dec. (400 pts.)with the expectation we will be staying over the holiday season sometimes. I have booked AKV for Christmas day itself about 3months out.

My upcoming trip I booked about 46 days out 10 days over Labor Day at AKV.

Of course there are alot more variables but I really am thinking it's about expectations and a whole lot of Pixie Dust for my special needs son after reading this thread.