DVC for wedding week?

[kkfl2m]

I know there is a DVC forum but I think this one is a little more active.

My FI and I are planning a week at WDW for our wedding in Dec 2012. He has a large family that wants to stay on resort property. They want to do a 2bedroom and then either 2 (1) bedrooms or another 2 bedroom, but to do that through Disney is quite expensive.

The DVC rentals seem to be a more affordable option, but I am curious about others' experiences using DVC rentals for your own accomodations and as recommendations for family/guests? I am nervous about the potential for the reservation to be changed by the owner.

Also, can anyone comment on their experiences at DVC properties/ how they compare to the traditional hotel-type properties (especially in terms of comfort and transit time)? Any recommendations? TIA!

 

[tinkerbell 766]

Hi and welcome!!! Congratulations on your forthcoming wedding!!
I speak as a DVC owner, and next year (after the expense of this years VR) we will not be using our allocation of points. We are from the UK and the price of flights is making a trip to Florida more of a two-yearly thing rather than annually (as I would like).
We have listed our points for rent with Dave at this site

http://www.dvcrequest.com/

He is a sponsor of the Disboards, and his service is highly thought of here. He has excellent reviews from both owners and renters. I think, by going through somebody like Dave, you have some come-back and redress than you would by seeking an owner to rent from on your own. It may be cheaper to go it alone, but not as safe, and since it is for your wedding, the last thing you want is any hassle with reservations!!! I think Dave charges $13.00 per point whichever resort you choose.
Good luck sweetie!!

 

[MrsDuck]

Hi! I don't have any experience renting my points out but I am a DVC owner.

DVC offers amazing accomodations and I can guarantee will meet your standards.

Let me know if there's anything you want to know about a property in particular!

PS. I'm a December 2012 bride too!

 

[lurkyloo]

The DVC rentals seem to be a more affordable option, but I am curious about others' experiences using DVC rentals for your own accomodations and as recommendations for family/guests? I am nervous about the potential for the reservation to be changed by the owner.

We did two separate DVC rentals on our honeymoon and have done several others since. It was a fabulous way to save money. The thing to remember is that, while the owner does maintain control of the reservation, s/he runs the risk that you will not pay/will damage the room/will cancel when it's too late for them to bank their points. So mutual trust is required and usually keeps things on track. Using the service mentioned above is the easiest, but the per-point charges and minimum number of points required to rent make it more expensive than going directly through an owner. We've been able to rent for $10/point in the past by working directly with owners we found on the DIS Rent/Trade Board.

Also, can anyone comment on their experiences at DVC properties/ how they compare to the traditional hotel-type properties (especially in terms of comfort and transit time)? Any recommendations? TIA!

Transit time depends on which resort you pick. Whether you stay at Beach Club Villas (DVC) or regular Beach Club, it's still only a 5-minute walk to Epcot. If you stay at Saratoga Springs, it'll be a longer trip. BoardWalk Inn is the only one that might have a noticeable travel-time discrepancy between hotel rooms and DVC accommodations, since it's so sprawling and the the DVC units are on the far side of the resort from Epcot (on the other hand, they're much closer to DHS!).

We didn't really notice a difference in the amenities til we went back to staying in non-DVC Deluxe accommodations, and now we're kinda less keen on DVC. For one thing, most Deluxe hotel rooms have two sinks under the bathroom mirror, whereas a DVC unit has one, plus a kitchen sink with no mirror. Also, the Deluxe Hotels have more accessories and decorative touches in the rooms—DVC accommodations can be a little spartan. On the flip side, DVC rooms come with free laundry (can't beat that!) and mini or full kitchens.

Our favorite DVC resort is Bay Lake Tower, both for the location and the better amenities than we've found at other DVCs. We like Beach Club Villas for its location, but we prefer the non-DVC rooms in that resort.

 

[kkfl2m]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I think we plan to go with the dvcrequest site just for a little added peace of mind.

lurkyloo thanks for the details! (and for writing the amazing wedding guide that I have been re-reading for the past 2 weeks!)

Right now we are thinking BWV because the idea of having a 1bedroom sounds nice for wedding-getting ready & leftovers. My FI said proximity to Epcot & HWS is a priority to him. Can you guys compare BCV and BWV? We don't mind the walking but would prefer a little more luxury if one is better than the other!

 

[lurkyloo]

No problem!

If you're doing DVC, there's little difference in the amenities at BoardWalk Inn vs. Beach Club, although BWV's rooms have been renovated more recently. BCV has access to Shipwreck Beach and is soooooooo close to Epcot, so that always edges out BWV in my book. Oh, and parking is closer. But I love the atmosphere of the BoardWalk and easy access to Friendship Boats at BWV, and the pool, while not a mini-water park like Shipwreck Beach, does have a fun slide (if you're not creeped out by ginormous clowns!)

 

[PrincessTinker11]

I also agree renting DVC points will save you so much and enhance the vacation experience! I have rented (for my wedding in 3 weeks) points for my parents stay at OKW at 11/point from Scott on facebook...I then traded in my timeshare through RCI and my Fiance and I got a 2 bedroom at OKW for a week, all I paid was transfer fee of 75 I believe and when I get there I pay a small fee to access the buses I believe...

I also rented personally from someone and paid 10 dollars/night to add on a few nights to our week stay.


Good luck on the planning!