DVC point “value” across resorts, destinations, etc.

[Takeitforgranite]

Signed our first DVC contract last week. I came into the room the other day, and the family was watching a documentary about the Disney Wish, and, suddenly, they all want to go on a Disney cruise.

My daughter was doing research, and I mentioned Tokyo Disney. We haven’t really talked about using points outside of WDW, so that wasn’t a consideration for buying DVC. So, I have no knowledge about using points across the various DVC destinations, cruises, etc.

Is there a guide on pros and cons on using points outside of WDW? For example, the cruises include food. Is that a wise use of points? I also read where DVC resorts at Tokyo are not a good value.

Our modest 200 point contract isn’t going to get us very far, but it would be nice to start planning for a few years down the road, whether we use cash or points.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I don't have dollars and cents to share with you, but after 3 decades of DVC - using points for cruises, international parks, and even domestic parks (you can use your points for most any resort at WDW, not just DVC resorts) - it is NOT a very good use of the points. The value of the points is diminished greatly over using them at actual DVC resorts. That being said, if cruising is your thing and that's where you want to use the points, it's an option many, many folks use. But there are also those who rent the points and then use the money to take the cruise. FYI - getting rooms at Tokyo Disney through DVC points is very challenging. TDR only seems to release a few rooms for that, so availability can be tough. We looked into it!

Welcome home - hope you enjoy your time with DVC, wherever it is!

 

[Brian Noble]

it is NOT a very good use of the points

And there is a structural reason for this.

Each "line of business" at Disney has its own profit and loss accounting. So, if a DVC member wants to use points to go on a Disney cruise, the DVC arm has to take those points, book rooms with them, and rent those rooms out to the general public. Some of the proceeds then goes to pay the Cruise line for the cabin fare, but some of it also go to paying for the process of booking, renting, accounting, etc. In other words, for any "internal exchange" there is some friciton in the process that reduces value.

Again, that doesn't mean you can't do it. But it usually means it's not the most efficient use of those points. For the most part, the best value proposition for a DVC point is to use it to bok a DVC room.

 

[muppets3d]

DVC publishes points charts for all of the destinations you can exchange your points into - including cruises, Tokyo Disneyland, etc.

Typically the breakdown works out to basically exchanging what you pay in dues when you compare the number of points it takes versus what you'd pay if you just booked on your own paying cash.

If you compare that to say, using your points to book a DVC resort versus paying cash on disneyworld.com - you'll see that exchanging typically values your points far less.

Of course, nobody pays rack rates for anything anymore (cruises ebb and flow but discounts are starting to be more common, and WDW resorts in particular are nearly always discounted these days) so the comparisons are sort of meaningless. But you can see that the greatest value in terms of dollars for your DVC points is to use them to book DVC villas.

 

[MyDogTink]

There are other options such as renting out your points for cash and then booking a cruise or doing a cruise swap program (info link below). Also, if exchanging your points directly with DVC for a cruise, those points become reservation points which means if you change or your mind or cancel the cruise, you can’t switch the points back for use at DVC resorts.

https://dvcrentalstore.com/members/cruise/

 

[Moonspinner]

There are other options such as renting out your points for cash and then booking a cruise or doing a cruise swap program (info link below). Also, if exchanging your points directly with DVC for a cruise, those points become reservation points which means if you change or your mind or cancel the cruise, you can’t switch the points back for use at DVC resorts.

https://dvcrentalstore.com/members/cruise/

This is the way to go

 

[Sandisw]

As mentioned, the exchange rate for trades is not as high as you can get by choosing other options.

However, there are a lot of owners who find value…newest info is about 20% of points get exchanged out. and it really all depends on how you want to value them.

The biggest con of using points outside of DVC for the exchange options, IMO, is the reservation status they stay in if you have to cancel.

Once you exchange, they become reservation points and can no longer be used for a DVC stay…you have to use them for something else.

There is also the $95 exchange fee unless you have MMB, then it is waived.

You can book with both cash and points but it gets paid in full at time of booking.

I have a cash cruise booked for August…the current value of my points, if I use, is $11/pt, based on today’s pricing.

For me, that would be high enough to trade, and I might still go that route.

But, I am not a fan of renting so I’d rather trade if I have extra points, even if my $ amount is not as high.

Good luck!