How Risky?

[BarbaraMB]

After reading many messages in many forums I have read that it would save me money to rent points for a 2 Bedroom Villa at the Beach Club for 6 nights any time in July instead of getting 2 rooms at the Beach Club (family of 6). How much risk is there in planning your vacation this way? How easy is it? There are so many plans and options it is diffcult planning our vacation with the least amount of pain. Any advice?

 

[anniet]

Reading this thread might help a little.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=325262

Good Luck.

 

[Gary K. D.]

Most of the regular renters on this Board would rather be drawn and quartered than have their name circulated as one who has not upheld their end of a rental agreement. In short, there is little risk. In fact most of us feel that it is riskier for us dealing with guests who want to vacation at Disney World using our points. Because of the strict DVC rules, which most renters do not understand, once our points are comitted to a reservation, the flexibility to reuse those points should someone cancel or not follow through on a promise is greatly reduced.

If you want the luxury of canceling a reservation right up to the last minute, you are better off dealing directly with Disney. If you plans are firm, you are comfortable with the level of trust that you need renting points and are familiar with the limited maid service you will receive at a DVC Resort, renting points is the way to go. The best thing is that you will be treated no differently than a DVC member or a full paying resort guest.

 

[Puffy2]

I recently did this and it was stressful for me considering the risk involved (basically that the owner could cancel the reservation at ANY TIME). I got some comfort in checking the reservation twice with member services (once when after we booked and again just prior to the trip to make sure it was still there) member services will not tell a non member much but they will confirm the reservation if you supply all the info.

I suggest renting from a person with a HISTORY here on the DIS - someone who has more than just a few posts and someone who has been on these boards awhile - ask for a reference or two of people who have rented in the past.

You WILL save a lot of money and the accomodations are GREAT. Good luck. By the way, some offer contracts of sorts - Shontell Crawford was one who offered one to me although I ended up renting elsewhere (due to the person's DVC home).

Just wondering, Gary, if the renter pays up front for the reservation and you have a "no money back" policy - is there any problem for the DVC owner if the renters can't go on the trip? Looks like the DVC ower would have their money in any case. Are there considerations that I'm not aware of?

 

[Gary K. D.]

You are correct...that is a downside for the renter. I wll give the renter an additional 6 months to use the points if they have to cancel. If the cancelation is less than 30 days from check in , the renter is subject to the 60 day holding point rule which will not allow use of those points for reservations more than 60 days in advance. If the renter has to cancel on the check in day, they will lose everything. The renter has to be subject to the same DVC rules that we as owners are.

There is insurance that the renter can buy which will partially compensate them in the event of a cancellation or delay. In the five + years I've been doing this, I have only had one problem after the reservation has been made. I think that was more of a case where the people that the renter was sharing the accommodations with backed out on them on the DVC Resort and chose to stay off site for $49.00 per night. I don't feel that is my issue.

Another coonsideration certainly is to use an owner who has multiple contracts at multiple Resorts. The flexibility that they have to rebook a canceled reservation is much greater than someone who is selling points with limited time remaining. My suggestion is to fully discuss the terms before a reservtion is made. I always assume that when someone obligates themselves to comit to a reservation, they are not going to back out. If they want that freedom....book directly through the CR.