Hello: Is it possible for a non-DVCer to reserve a room?

[ballroombelle]

I wondered if a non-DVC member could simply call up a DVC property and ask to reserve a room if and whenever available?

I think i remember reading about non-members buying time/points (I really know nothing about how this works and have been reading threads to get the hang of it but am still unclear!) but I wondered if it was possible to complete the transaction directly with the resort itself.

I can be flexible about when we go-just thought about trying the resort on any given available weekend...last-minute travel is really ok, too!

I guess, the bottom line is, I'm a little squeamish (and I imagine the seller would be squeamish too!) about dealing with a private seller of points and would be more comfortable dealing with the the resort directly.

Again, I may totally be misunderstanding how it all works...would anyone care to share their experiences or any other advice?

Thank you!

 

[jarestel]

Yea, just call CRO and tell them where you want to stay! Enjoy your stay!

 

[donmil723]

You can book a room at any of the Home Away from Home Resorts (DVC villas) directly through CRO on a cash basis. However, it is usually cheaper if you rent the points directly from a DVC member. You cannot call DVC directly to reserve a room unless you are an owner/member.

Donna

 

[DebbieB]

If you book through CRO, you will get daily housekeeping just like any other WDW resort. AP rates or codes are sometimes available (I have an AP rate for next Friday night as an add-on to my points stay). If you rent points, you get limited housekeeping per DVC rules, or you can pay an extra fee for daily.

 

[ballroombelle]

Thank you for such swift responses!

I wonder if the savings of point renting vs. calling CRO is significant enough for me to want to go ahead and take the plunge? ( I realize that weekends vs. weekdays, time of year etc all affect this)

In general, for a two or three night stay, I wonder if anyone could tell me how much of a price diff there is?

Thanks so much.

 

[ballroombelle]

DebbieB I didn't see you there!

I was considering either Vero or Hilton Head, not necessarily WDW, I wonder if you still get daily housekeeping by going direct with CRO (not that that's a dealbreaker by any means.)

 

[rocketriter]

I can't do the comparison for you. But I can tell you that if you go to the Reservations section of the WDW website and choose "home away from home" you'll be able to choose dates and price a villa. Since a 2-bedroom villa is nearly equivalent in value to 3 deluxe rooms, don't be surprised if the price is about the same as 3 deluxe rooms!

 

[JudyS]

Originally posted by ballroombelle
I wonder if the savings of point renting vs. calling CRO is significant enough for me to want to go ahead and take the plunge? ( I realize that weekends vs. weekdays, time of year etc all affect this)

For some nights, the savings is huge. It will depend on when you want to stay. You should be able to get prices for cash ressies from Disney or (with info on discounts) from www.mousesavers.com

For prices of DVC rentals, check the points charts (link at top of page) to learn the number of points required for the stay you want. You should be able to rent the points you need for $10 each or a bit more.

Last December, I lucked out and got a one-bedroom standard view at BWV for $180 a night, Sunday-Thursday. I think cash price would have been about $350 plus tax.

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you have a Disney VISA card, they sometimes run specials on VB and HH.

 

[ballroombelle]

A possible difference of $170 per night! That's quite a difference!

DebBill...you answered my question before I even asked it! So Disney Visa may offer discounts....I don't suppose someplace like mousesavers.com will announce seasonal discounts @ Hilton Head or Vero the way they do with the WDW resorts?

I think it may be time to get over my point renting fear, lol.