How far in advance should I plan to rent points & price per point to expect?

[Brooknwdw]

I am "pre" planning a trip in October. We've rented points once before & I am considering it again. I have a question or two....

First of all, how far in advance of an October/early November trip should I get on here & start trying to reserve/rent? I would want to be able to pick my exact dates, & I'd want a studio for six nights (Sun-Fri). I've looked at the point charts & know basically how many would be required.

Secondly, what is the lowest price per point I can expect to pay? I've seen $10.00, sometimes $9, rarely $8..is $8 a point an unrealistic "hope" for the time of year I'm going? What should I plan for?

Just trying to a general idea of my costs versus a disney package, which I've also done. We want to purchase the dining plan either way, so I'm hoping renters can get it then.


As a side note..the first time we rented points (BWV) we did it through an ebay seller..a sun-thurs five night stay. I over-payed in a major way..I know that now that I have more knowledge of the points we used. Compared to prices on this board that is. NOT that I am dissing the person we rented from..we had a great time & everything was legit. I blame my own inexperience.

TIA for any insight you can provide!

 

[thelionqueen]

If you have exact dates and know which resort you want to stay at, you can purchase/rent points 11 months in advance. Be advised though, that you will have to pay (at least 1/2) right away. Different people charge differently, but most will want a large chunk up front before making the ressie, then the rest 30-60 days before your trip.

I think $8 a point is extremely low and not even a thought IMHO. Usually, $10 a point is average on these boards. I watched one owner list 300 points for $11 a point and didn't get even one post. In any event, hope that helps.

 

[JimMIA]

Personally, I'd plan on paying $10 or a little more, depending on supply and demand. Point costs are inching up, and I wouldn't be surprised if you encountered some difficulty getting $10. And that time of year, availability is going to be much more important than cost.

If you find points for rent for less than $10, you are probably looking at one of two situations -- either the points are distressed (meaning their use is restricted, which will impact your ability to get the ressies you hope to get), or the owner renting the points doesn't know what they are doing. Frankly, an owner who doesn't know what they are doing scares me more than distressed points. Your reservation is in their hands, and if they're clueless you're in trouble.

I see some folks trying to rent at $7.50 per point, but they're living in a dream world.

To put things in perspective, you are talking about 61 to 83 points, depending on where you stay. Even at $12 vs $10, you're only talking about a total difference of $122 to $166. In the context of the overall vacation cost, I'd be much more concerned with finding an owner you were comfortable with, and availability, than getting a rock-bottom price.

The dining package is in the works, but noone really knows how that's going to shake out yet. Hopefully, it will be available to renters as well as to DVC owners staying on points. I don't see any difference as far as Disney's economics go, but you never know.

As I understand it, the dining plan is $38 per day for an adult and you have to purchase it for every person in your party for each day of your entire stay. Before I did that, I'd sure look at other options like the DDE card. I personally never eat 3 full meals a day at WDW, nor am I sure anyone should. I think I'd gain more weight doing that than I would on a cruise!

 

[Brooknwdw]

Thanks Lionqueen!

Yes, as I said it is rare to see $8 a point but I have seen it on here. I do agree that $10 seems average, I guess I will plan on that. Then it'll be a bonus if someone rents for $9!


I am in the middle of reading another thread & I see that some feel $10 is too low..I am pretty new to the boards so I'm learning alot.

However, as I mentioned I rented through ebay, & paid I believe it was $879 or maybe even $900 something for five nights Sun- thursday which is 55 points for the time of year I went. By my calculation I paid $16/17 bucks a point!
As I said..my own inexperience. That is why I am here. Thanks again!

 

[Brooknwdw]

To put things in perspective, you are talking about 61 to 83 points, depending on where you stay. Even at $12 vs $10, you're only talking about a total difference of $122 to $166. In the context of the overall vacation cost, I'd be much more concerned with finding an owner you were comfortable with, and availability, than getting a rock-bottom price.

The dining package is in the works, but noone really knows how that's going to shake out yet. Hopefully, it will be available to renters as well as to DVC owners staying on points. I don't see any difference as far as Disney's economics go, but you never know.

As I understand it, the dining plan is $38 per day for an adult and you have to purchase it for every person in your party for each day of your entire stay. Before I did that, I'd sure look at other options like the DDE card. I personally never eat 3 full meals a day at WDW, nor am I sure anyone should. I think I'd gain more weight doing that than I would on a cruise!

I hope I did the quote thing right, I've never tried it before....

You are so right..a dollar or even two more per point doesn't add up to all that much with the amount of points we'd use (66).

About the dining plan. Earlier this year we purchased a package w/dining plan (paid for it, not the free dining). It was $35 a day for adults/ $10 for kids then. We usually eat three meals a day at home, so yes we eat three a day at disney & no we aren't overweight people. It was fun getting to do the character meals everyday & choose a different counter service..we weren't always hungry & at the end of our trip, we gave away one of our keys to an unsuspecting stanger entering the park as we were leaving on our last day. It had I think two meals left on it. We didn't have to worry about what things cost, got to try desserts/appz we wouldn't have normally, & didn't have to figure up tips at every meal. It was great!

I would do the dining again if I could, even if we rent points.

 

[JimMIA]

You are so right..a dollar or even two more per point doesn't add up to all that much with the amount of points we'd use (66).

That's for a standard view studio at BWV. To get that accommodation, you had better make ressies as soon as you possibly can. There are not many of those units and they go very quickly as soon as the 11 month window opens...and it's already open

October (as I suspect you already know) is Food & Wine Festival, and that is probably the busiest time of the year for the Epcot resorts. If you want to stay within crawling distance of F&W, you will want to rent from an owner at BWV or BCV and you'd better reserve in a hurry!

Good luck!

 

[Brooknwdw]

OMG!! I thought I had all kinds of time to think about all this... no one on the rent/trade board is renting for that far ahead that I can see.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[thelionqueen]

Info. on the dining plan. We are renting points from a DVC member (almost joined ourselves, but long story short, didn't) and he checked on the Dining plan for us. Here is what MS told him.

Dining plan will be available to whomever the reservation is made for. You may add the Dining plan beginning Jan.1, 2006 for reservations after April 1, 2006. This charge is for every person in your party for every day of the stay. The cost is $38 for adults $11 kids. You do not need to pay for the dining plan until you check in.

If you are staying during F&W I would say do it now, from what I've read, they go fast. Good luck. We've rented in the past, and the person we're dealing with right now is wonderful also. Good luck!

 

[JimMIA]

The only caution I would give you about booking WAY early like this has to do with cancellations. You can't change dates, cancel, etc. with DVC like you can with a cash reservation. There can be a number of factors you are not aware of which drastically limit the DVC owner's ability to make changes...especially last-minute changes.

So, to prevent troublesome issues, you need to be sure of your vacation dates. Some people can plan that far out; other people don't have that flexibility.

When you rent from someone, be sure you understand their cancellation policies clearly.

 

[thelionqueen]

make sure you know your exact dates and don't plan on changing them. When certain ressie's are made, the points may be borrowed or banked and the owner cannot change without losing them or having them restricted.

I guess the best policy is to be sure of dates and to give respect and courtesy to the person you're renting from.

 

[Brooknwdw]

So I would have to know NOW what EXACT dates I can go practically a year from now? What is the cancellation/change date policy for DVC members?

Canceling would be highly unlikely for us but what if I need to change the date by a day or two? Is that not possible even if you do it months in advance?

Thanks again...

 

[thelionqueen]

Usually making a change by a day or two wouldn't be a problem. However, only if the rooms are available could that be done.

I've noticed that the more popular times are gone very quickly and even changing one day could be a challenge.

IMHO, DVC is for people (like me) that do plan months or years in advance. Unfortunately, most everything worth doing @ WDW requires serious pre-planning and months advance notice escpecially when booking popular times @ a DVC resort.

So, a round about way of answering your question, is you should have your dates as solid as you possibly can before renting points IMHO. If changes come about that are unforseen, there may be opportunity to change days or dates, but again, they may not be able to be changed.

It may seem foreign to some that this advanced planning is necessary, but to get what you want, honestly, it is absolutely essential. I learned the hard way, hope this helps you.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

It may or may not be possible...especially if you managed to snag a reservation at Beach Club or Boardwalk. SSR and OKW are probably "getable". I've made all my reservations at relatively last minute occasions and only got burned once...MLK weekend...that was a total surprise.

Anyway before renting points you should know pretty precisely exactly when you want to go. The person you are renting from won't be expecting to have to make a number of changes for you. Also if you rent a number of points and then want to add a day later on your "landlord" may not have the extra points available to rent to you.

If you want a high demand location you might want to rent at 11 months to be sure. Elsewhere you probably could wait to just prior to 7 months.

All that said you might want to read some of the information about banking and borrowing points as well as cancellation reservations on this forum since that goes directly to the heart of where you might find renting to be more difficult than dealing with Disney.

 

[Brooknwdw]

Thanks for all the helpful info!

 

[mikesmom]

This is probably repetitious, but if you want to get into one of the Epcot resorts (BWV or BCV), better start working on it NOW. By the 7 month window you could be shut out of those resorts. The problem with changing your dates a day or two either way later is not always a problem, BUT, there has to be availability and you are talking about what has become a high demand time of year. If you change the reservation and - this is key - there is a waitlist, they actually have to cancel the ressie and remake it. If there is a waitlist, whoever is next in line moves up to the reservation you just cancelled and you no longer have a room.

Your best option if you can only pick your dates later (particularly within the 7 month window) is to look on the Rent/Trade Board for someone who has an already existing reservation that they will rent during the times you want to go. Again, it would be virtually impossible for them to switch the dates if there is a waitlist.

Because of the high demand during October and November it is unlikely someone would rent for $7 or $8 dollars. Unless they are very desperate, it's just not worth the hassle. I'm not saying it's never been done, it's just not likely.

You are not seeing rentals for 11 months out now, partly because I think the moderators have a rule about posting rentals outside the 7 month window. I belive we can respond to a request, but not offer with an ad (I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong). Also the only ones who can rent a BWV or BCV right now are owners and they are making their own ressies - I know I am. The other resort owners probalby aren't in as big a hurry. Do be aware, though, that although the non Epcot resorts don't sell out as fast, they DO sell out for great chunks of that time, so don't take too long picking dates.

 

[JimMIA]

Canceling would be highly unlikely for us but what if I need to change the date by a day or two? Is that not possible even if you do it months in advance?

Your problem in this scenario is not what an individual DVC owner might agree to, nor is it Disney cancellation policies. Your problem, at those resorts during that particular time, will be availability -- and the owner you rent from has zero control over availability.

The problem you will face -- with BWV or BCV during October -- is that they will be completely sold out months prior to October, and people will be on wait lists for most dates and types of accommodations. It's not a simple matter of just "changing a date by a day or two." You will have to cancel the original reservation, and when you do, the wait list folks will be ahead of you.

If you were going to another resort, or at a different time of year, you might be able to shuffle a day or two in either direction, but I think the likelihood of that happening at the Epcot resorts in October is pretty darn remote. I'm sure there are individual anecdotes where people have succeeded, but I sure would not bet my vacation on that happening.

You are trying to rent points in almost the worst-case scenario there is. You really need to have your dates set in concrete. I'd hate to see you and the DVC owner who rents to you disappointed.

 

[JandD Mom]

I disagree with the prices posted ...

Last year in Oct and Nov (during the F&W festival) the Epcot resorts were booked solid and I read very little about people getting in off the wait list. Since this is a high demand time and you are asking a DVC owner to tie up their points 11 months out, I think it might be unrealistic to expect to pay $10.

Given that all the resorts experienced a major increase in membership fees this year, I think it will be hard to find $10 per point that far in advance. I know many people who are very reputable owners who have been asking for $12-$13 per point or MORE and getting it.

 

[JimMIA]

I disagree with the prices posted ...

Last year in Oct and Nov (during the F&W festival) the Epcot resorts were booked solid and I read very little about people getting in off the wait list. Since this is a high demand time and you are asking a DVC owner to tie up their points 11 months out, I think it might be unrealistic to expect to pay $10.

Given that all the resorts experienced a major increase in membership fees this year, I think it will be hard to find $10 per point that far in advance. I know many people who are very reputable owners who have been asking for $12-$13 per point or MORE and getting it.

I think JandD Mom may very well be right. My OKW dues just went up almost 10%, and if I were renting points, that increase would certainly be reflected in my price. And, as noted, this is a time when demand far outstrips supply, so it's a seller's market.

I'm sure all DVC owners who rent points are reputable people, but I do see a number of folks who are just learning. I'd be very cautious with someone who didn't fully understand all the ramifications of renting during such a busy period. They certainly would not intentionally do anything to hurt you, but accidents are often quite painful.

If an owner told me their change/cancellation policy was "...don't worry about it, we'll work it out," I would run, not walk, away! That might be doable during a low-demand period, but not at an Epcot resort during October...and no amount of wishful thinking is going to change that.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Just wanted to reiterate that you want to KNOW pretty exactly what dates you want. That time of year is VERY popular for DVC members, and wanting the Epcot area resorts is especially popular because of the proximaty to the Food and Wine festival and the low point seasons. As noted above, changing a reservation date isn't so simple as all that with DVC. You have to make an entire new reservation, and the closer you get to the date, the more difficult it will be. You will end up giving up the reservation and taking your chances with getting new dates at your chosen resort. If you are looking at standard view at BWV, definitely make those 11 months ahead of the trip. If you will take preferred view, you can probably wait until 8 months ahead of the trip, but I would NOT wait as long as 7 months ahead. I also agree that I would expect to see rental rates going up with the increase in dues. Since you are renting a trip that the owner has already paid for and now must pay maintenance on, the increase in maintenance fees SHOULD result in rental points costing more.

 

[crisi]

You are also renting far in advance, a sure thing. But you are not a DVC member yourself. I don't go over to the rent/trade board often, but I've noticed people who are selling below $10 are either:

1. Selling "distressed" points or at least less desireable points. Distressed points need to be used quickly. Less desireable points are points where the home resort tends to have availability farther out due to size (to stop a resort war, not that the resorts are less desireable, but the size of the resort makes booking late earlier).

2. Want to transfer to DVC members only. Transferring points in a rental takes a lot of stress off the member - they get all their money up front, don't need to call member services, don't need to ever bother again with the points. The transferree wants to switch reservations around, that is now their problem, not the original member. So often people are willing to transfer for less than they rent for.

You want something that there is very limited quantity for. You need to make your plans well in advance. There is no reason for anyone to rent to you at any sort of discount, and every reason to rent to you at a premium. However, all this is sort of moot, as I have doubts that a standard view studio is going to be available still. I know when we booked our October 2005 trip, we booked right at the eleven month window and were told we were "lucky" anything was left in the SV category.