H-E-L-P from new AKV Kidani Owners!!

[Rileygirl]

Hi Guys

I have a 'situation' with a friend who just bought DVC. He is recently widowed (unexpectedly, and very sadly, a very good girlfriend of mine) Well, he took the kids to Disneyland by himself this past summer, and came home with 540 AKV Kidani pts! He has asked me for help regarding his points.

I am just a newbie myself, my resell contract has not even closed yet, -- so, I am hoping some vets here will help answer his questions.

1. He has 540 SSR developer points that he does not think he needs. I have told him about the rent and trade board on this site, and that points can be rented out for approx 10-12/pt, but there are a lot of pitfalls in renting (and I tried to outline them). I dont want to be responsible for renting out his points -- so I directed him to that davesdisney site where the guy buys points from owners at 10 per point, and sells them to non owners for about 13 per point. Good Idea? Any other thoughts? I wonder if SSR developer points will be ok? This daves discount disney seems to have a fairly reputable reputation, is that correct?

2. He has a december use year. I understand (I think) that he will get 540pts on Dec 1, 2008, but he is not allowed to use them (or even book anything) until May 1, 2009. Is this correct?

3. He wants to use his Dec 08 Kidani pts for a trip in August 2009. So, from what I can figure, he cannot book this until May 1, 2009. Is this correct? If this is correct, do I assume that EVERY kidani owner will be on the phone May 1, trying to book vacations on this date from May 1 to 11 months later? That sounds like it will be a freakn zoo for MS on May 1? (I somehow think I have misunderstood exactly how these future AKV Kidani pts work!)

4. If everyone is phoning on May 1 to book, I wonder how likely he will be able to get his dates in August. Any opinions? Also, am I correct in assuming that Jambo AFV owners can book Kidani right now for most of August, as their points are considered 'active'? So, he will be doing the phone olympics on May 1 PLUS competeing with Jambo AKV owners for those dates in August? I just want to be able to give him a realistic picture of the probability of him getting his dates for August.

5. I read somewhere that the Animals for Kidani are not even scheduled to hit the Kidani savannahs until late August? Is this true? Is there a a date actually set? I dont want him booking savannah view if there are no animals to look at, what would be the point in that?

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!!! I appreciate it, and I know my friend will too!!

 

[drusba]

1. He can rent but I do not know anything about the site you mention.

2-4. He can call now to reserve AKV in August 09. The rule that he cannot use the AKV points until May 1 only means you can't have a trip until May but you can reserve now up to 11 months in advance for a trip that begins on or after May 1. He can use those points from Dec 08 which will be his current use year points for that trip.

5. Animals will be in the sunset savanna. Any savanna view room he gets at Kidani will overlook that savanna. There is a new Pembe savanna that won't open until Sep 09 but the rooms overlooking that savanna also will not be open until Sep 09.

 

[JaxFLBear]

3. He wants to use his Dec 08 Kidani pts for a trip in August 2009. So, from what I can figure, he cannot book this until May 1, 2009. Is this correct? If this is correct, do I assume that EVERY kidani owner will be on the phone May 1, trying to book vacations on this date from May 1 to 11 months later? That sounds like it will be a freakn zoo for MS on May 1? (I somehow think I have misunderstood exactly how these future AKV Kidani pts work!)

They are already taking reservations for Kidani Village. Since he is an AKV owner, he can book up to 11 months in advance of his checkin date. He should call MS now to see if his dates are available and book them if they are.

 

[Muhlenberg]

I can help you a LITTLE, being a new Kidani owner.

1. He has 540 SSR developer points that he does not think he needs. I have told him about the rent and trade board on this site, and that points can be rented out for approx 10-12/pt, but there are a lot of pitfalls in renting (and I tried to outline them). I dont want to be responsible for renting out his points -- so I directed him to that davesdisney site where the guy buys points from owners at 10 per point, and sells them to non owners for about 13 per point. Good Idea? Any other thoughts? I wonder if SSR developer points will be ok? This daves discount disney seems to have a fairly reputable reputation, is that correct?

I have no idea.

2. He has a december use year. I understand (I think) that he will get 540pts on Dec 1, 2008, but he is not allowed to use them (or even book anything) until May 1, 2009. Is this correct?

Correct.

3. He wants to use his Dec 08 Kidani pts for a trip in August 2009. So, from what I can figure, he cannot book this until May 1, 2009. Is this correct? If this is correct, do I assume that EVERY kidani owner will be on the phone May 1, trying to book vacations on this date from May 1 to 11 months later? That sounds like it will be a freakn zoo for MS on May 1? (I somehow think I have misunderstood exactly how these future AKV Kidani pts work!)

He can book AT AKV 11 months out...which is now, more or less. Anywhere else, he has to wait til 7 months out. The TRIP has to be after May 1st.

4. If everyone is phoning on May 1 to book, I wonder how likely he will be able to get his dates in August. Any opinions? Also, am I correct in assuming that Jambo AFV owners can book Kidani right now for most of August, as their points are considered 'active'? So, he will be doing the phone olympics on May 1 PLUS competeing with Jambo AKV owners for those dates in August? I just want to be able to give him a realistic picture of the probability of him getting his dates for August.

He doesn't have to wait til May 1st to phone. Kidani opens May 1st to anyone.

5. I read somewhere that the Animals for Kidani are not even scheduled to hit the Kidani savannahs until late August? Is this true? Is there a a date actually set? I dont want him booking savannah view if there are no animals to look at, what would be the point in that?

From what I understand, there WILL be animals there after May 1st. I could be wrong, though.

 

[edk35]

I would like to know too..." are animals coming on board May 1st?" LOL

 

[Rileygirl]

Thanks guys! I better tell him to phone then to book his august trip!

The site I was talking about is *************** - I thought I read about it on the disboards, I know I have seen it on two other dvc forums, -- I hope its a legit business! I didnt know what else to tell him, and I dont feel super comfortable suggesting he rent out his points himself, I dont think he has the time to do a thorough and excellent job researching how to rent points, and I dont like him getting involved with the 'risk'.

OOPS-- the site name got blocked by the dis -- I wonder if this means this site is NOT reputable! ACK!!! ACK!!!!!

 

[vicki_c]

The boards block commercial renting sites, I believe.

I know people from another board who have rented from him, and also rented their points out through him and they only have good things to say. I have no personal experience.

Commercial renting is prohibited (or at least frowned upon, but I think prohibited) by DVC and lots of the members here, so you may not get good responses.

I will probably never have enough points to worry about renting any extra ones out!

 

[np4gp]

Can you PM me that Dave's Disney Discount site? I can't find it in google??

 

[Rileygirl]

Darn- I have been politically incorrect I apologize. For the record, this person is only looking at getting rid of his developer points because he cannot use them this coming year, and they expire. He has no interest in commercial renting, and I just wanted to direct him to a safe an easy way to get rid of those developer points.

Again, I apologize to dis members and mods if any part of my posts were unacceptable.

 

[drusba]

It is not the poster they were referring to who can rent his points. The site referred to appears to be a commercial renter and it is that which cannot be posted.

 

[MiaSRN62]

5. I read somewhere that the Animals for Kidani are not even scheduled to hit the Kidani savannahs until late August? Is this true? Is there a a date actually set? I dont want him booking savannah view if there are no animals to look at, what would be the point in that?

Could he he just book a savanna view room in Jambo House to be safe ? Sorry for his loss and yours Rileygirl.

 

[JaxFLBear]

5. I read somewhere that the Animals for Kidani are not even scheduled to hit the Kidani savannahs until late August? Is this true? Is there a a date actually set? I dont want him booking savannah view if there are no animals to look at, what would be the point in that?

There will be two savanna's at Kidani Village. The Sunset Savanna (shared with Jambo House) is not scheduled to have animals from 1/15/09 to 4/15/09. From the member website:

As the development of Kidani Village continues at Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas, crews are preparing to complete the new savanna and acclimate the animals to their new habitat.

To accommodate this important process, animals are not scheduled to be on Sunset Savanna from January 15, 2009, through April 15, 2009. As a reminder, Members and Guests who reserve a savanna-view room during this time will be advised of this process, and confirmations for those bookings include a notation to that affect.

Approximately 30 days prior to arrival, the resort will determine, based on occupancy and booking date order, which Members will be assigned to a Sunset Savanna view room. Affected Members will be notified, and after their stay, will receive a Vacation Point credit reflecting the difference between a savanna view and standard view (no additional compensation will be given).

If this process is not acceptable to you, please consider alternate stay dates or resorts. Also remember that animals on the other savannas can be viewed from multiple public locations at the resort.

The second savanna will be the Pembe Savanna. The rooms with a view of the Pembe Savanna are not scheduled to open until Sept. 2009.

 

[Chuck S]

As far as renting, we are allowed to do so by the POS. However, I do not recommend using a commercial-ish website to do so. While may people have had no problems using such websites, it does require you to add the someone from that website as an associate member to your account. I personally would absolutely would not be comfortable doing that.

Another option would be for him to ask around his friends, neighbors and co-workers and see if any of them would like to rent his points for a trip. While most rentals go off without a hitch, I just would not be comfortable renting to someone I didn't know, remember that as the owner, Disney's contract is with YOU, not your renter, so if any major problems arise, or they somehow leave an unpaid room balance, you are responsible.

 

[moredisneyplease]

As far as renting, we are allowed to do so by the POS. However, I do not recommend using a commercial-ish website to do so. While may people have had no problems using such websites, it does require you to add the someone from that website as an associate member to your account. I personally would absolutely would not be comfortable doing that.

Another option would be for him to ask around his friends, neighbors and co-workers and see if any of them would like to rent his points for a trip. While most rentals go off without a hitch, I just would not be comfortable renting to someone I didn't know, remember that as the owner, Disney's contract is with YOU, not your renter, so if any major problems arise, or they somehow leave an unpaid room balance, you are responsible.

WHAT???? you have to add this other person to your account???? I would NEVER do that! WOW!

 

[IknowDoYou?]

Darn- I have been politically incorrect I apologize. For the record, this person is only looking at getting rid of his developer points because he cannot use them this coming year, and they expire. He has no interest in commercial renting, and I just wanted to direct him to a safe an easy way to get rid of those developer points.

Again, I apologize to dis members and mods if any part of my posts were unacceptable.

Rileygirl,

When did he buy the points? My understanding is that the dev points are good for one year, so if he bought them recently, he may be able to use the dev points for the August '09 trip...

 

[Rileygirl]

My friend bought his points in August, so it was recent. Here is the problem though - he wants to stay at AKL and not SSR. The developer points are 'surplus', and I am going to say, on a regular basis - I think he is going to have a hard time to burn 540 pts every year. He says, "if i bank the 2008 pts, how am I going to use 1080 pts in 2009?"

I know what you are all thinking about this comment, believe me, I thought it too -- why did you buy so many points? but I never voiced my opinion, cause I can totally hazzard a guess why he did.

Disney was Laura's love - in fact, that is how we sorta met, neighbours with the same obsession.

Can you not see him going in to the DVC, and thinking -- what a great thing I can do to keep a little bit of Laura in the kids lives? I will buy my kids three contracts, and then they can keep a little peice of her alive for the rest of their lives and remember the good times we had here.....

The guide sold him 3 180 pt contracts, and told him how easy it was to use the points for things other then DVC-- see, you can go to africa on points, look how easy it is!!! You can cruise on DCL too (something they did with the kids a couple of times before). I think he was taken a little advantaged of, whether or not the guide knew about his wife passing I dont know. But I still feel both sad (too many points) and glad (how sweet for laura, I am sure she is up there smiling that he did it) for him.

I believe he bought these many points as he planned to do a Disney trip in the summer, and use the extra points to do a winter trip or cruise in the winter -- not realizing what bad value it is to change out your points for anything other then DVC. So, for two trips a year (one being non-disney) 540 pts wont cut it, on the other hand, 540 pts a year just on one disney trip is quite a lot. Never mind skipping a year!

And, I feel tremendously guilty that I dont offer to help him rent out the points -- but I just dont feel qualified to do it. Frankly, the rental board here scares me and I have not figured it out. Why is everyone who works the rental board basically a 'new' poster - both the renter and the rentee? Is there a reason? How do you trust a person who has 3 posts to pay the money or not leave room charges? Its almost like a secret club in there, some sort of handshake that I have not figured out -- and if I lost my friend points or money,, how awful will I feel?????

Chuck, I am looking for someone I know who may want the points, which is truly the best way to get rid of the points, but have had no luck so far. It is the best solution, I agree. However, so far, nada - and many people who do go to disney are not planners, and want to book a few months out, and I know from reading these boards how hard it is to get something a few months out. I figure it is in his best interest to get rid of them soon, which is why I am encouraging him to look into the different possibilities.

So, its a big ugly dilema, and I am trying to do my best to make the most out of a less then perfect situation for him.

Thank you for the replies on the booking time frames, and the animals -- its good to have that information figured out for him!

I also want to thank everyone for their kind words on this thread, and from private pm's. And, I also appreciate no one blasting me for inquiring about a comericial rental site - I had no idea it was potentially a controversial topic (I always try to stay wayyyy far away from those types of topics!)

 

[edk35]

I sent you a PM with some suggetions too. Looks like he has a until next Aug. right?? Maybe he can give them to family or take an extra trip. I added a few in that pm. Good Luck.

 

[Chuck S]

WHAT???? you have to add this other person to your account???? I would NEVER do that! WOW!

Yes, some of the rental service websites require you to add them as an associate member. Basically an associate can make and cancel reeservations, bank and borrow points. They are basically "point managers."

Just not something that I woud be comfortable with, but it does work for many people.

 

[KirstenB]

Wow that's a lot of points!! I know I see timeshare rentals sometimes in our church newsletter (not just our church, but it's a newsletter for all the churches in our denomination in Va.). I always thought I'd rather rent from someone there, than just someone I don't know at all. Maybe that's a thought.

We only have 200 pts, so I've never explored doing a Grand Villa. But a week at Vero maybe in the winter, then a week at WDW in spring/summer would probably use most all those points in a GV.

Your friend's husband sounds very sweet. I'm sorry for both his loss and yours. I can imagine dh doing something like this for our daughters if anything ever happened to me.

 

[vicki_c]

To the OP - I don't have any additional advice from what you already received here.

When you first posted that's exactly what I thought - wow - his wife just died and he bought 540 points - not that he was taken advantage of, but that I thought he made an emotional decision, at a minimum.

Since he bought 3 separate contracts, he could always sell one down the line if the points are too much for him. I think you're a good friend for trying to help him. Good luck!