International Members - Expiring Points

[chrish2]

As an international member I feel we have been completely forgotten by DVC.Their travel advice has never once mentioned any consideration for members like us.

We have expiring banked points with no chance of been used. We have gone as far as trying to rent via broker but has stalled (application for ITIN to IRS rejected due to what we put down to kafkaesque bureaucracy). Currently the only option appears to be trade into to RCI that after doing some research appears to devalues the points.

I really do not understand why DVC hasn't yet come up with a more creative solution for international members.

Has DVC been able to help any other international members beyond just banking to RCI?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Even as an international owner your ownership is ruled by the contracts and by the real estate laws of the state where your home resort is based. They cannot do more for an international owner than they do for any other owner under the terms of the timeshare.

 

[JETSDAD]

Another option would be to rent the points privately through the rental boards here or FB rental groups.

ETA, I think David's doesn't require an ITIN

https://dvcrequest.com/

 

[Canadian Girl]

I just chatted with an agent. Apparently you can deposit into RCI for two years.

 

[Minniemoo15]

I have rented through Davids and they did not require an ITIN number. I’ve also rented through a private FB group and that was really easy as well.

 

[chrish2]

We avoided Davids when selecting broker due to how they handled the whole 2020 situation.

Even as an international owner your ownership is ruled by the contracts and by the real estate laws of the state where your home resort is based. They cannot do more for an international owner than they do for any other owner under the terms of the timeshare.

I'm not asking or expecting anything beyond what is legally allowed. More a frustration DVC hasn't even bothered to acknowledge the bind international members find themselves in never mind considering applying some creativity to solve the situation.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

We avoided Davids when selecting broker due to how they handled the whole 2020 situation.



I'm not asking or expecting anything beyond what is legally allowed. More a frustration DVC hasn't even bothered to acknowledge the bind international members find themselves in never mind considering applying some creativity to solve the situation.

My point is any solution offered you has to be offered to each and every owner. Every one.

So it has to be something that can be done for everyone without breaking the system.

The points extensions alone may have been the limits of what can be done.

This is one of the risks of fractional real estate ownership. You take the risk of loss of use, natural disasters, international issues.

 

[Ronaldo17]

You can rent them safely and easily on the DVC rent /trade board here, no ITIN required either.

 

[shaunacb]

Canadian here. If RCI doesn’t interest you (must be deposited in increments of 10, at least 45 days before expiration, valid until Dec 31 of next calendar year), you should rent them out on the disboards rent/trade forum. Easy and fast. Need PayPal.

 

[shaunacb]

But I agree with you. I wish they would at least acknowledge the problem and possibly make some individual exceptions given the border closures and travel/quarantine restrictions, which make it impossible for international owners to use their points.

 

[Travel60]

You don't have to put points over into RCI to use them for RCI resorts. Several times we have found an RCI resort we liked, called DVC and they booked it and pulled the appropriate number of points. RCI has locations in the major cities, around Lake Louise, etc.

 

[Aussie RJ]

Even as an international owner your ownership is ruled by the contracts and by the real estate laws of the state where your home resort is based. They cannot do more for an international owner than they do for any other owner under the terms of the timeshare.

I agree with this. BUT, unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. On one hand DVC are blocking locals from borrowing more than half their points while international members keep banking and push the overflow of points in the system to a problem for tomorrow. Surely DVC could come up with an inventive way for these points to be used..

 

[Sandisw]

I agree with this. BUT, unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures. On one hand DVC are blocking locals from borrowing more than half their points while international members keep banking and push the overflow of points in the system to a problem for tomorrow. Surely DVC could come up with an inventive way for these points to be used..

I happen to agree that the limit on borrowing may not need to still be in place, especially since they are returning borrowed points.

However, other than owners who have an interest at VGC, which remains closed, things for operation are normal in that the DVC resorts are open. So, there is no reason to make more exceptions.

Yes , it is frustrating that some owners can’t use it because of traveL restrictions beyond control.

However, DVCM would have to come up with a justifiable strategy that applies to all owners and not just international and I can’t think of one other than going back to all normal policy except holding.

This pandemic really did open my eyes to a lot of things and one being that my travel can be interrupted by means outside my control.

 

[sethschroeder]

We have expiring banked points with no chance of been used.

You can rent them out like any other individual. Right here on this forum you can post your points and if you price them appropriately you likely can rent them fairly quickly. You absolutely could get your MFs back and likely more.

international members keep banking and push the overflow of points in the system to a problem for tomorrow.

International members likely make up a very small portion of overall points. Its unlikely to impact the system.

Also I do wish DVC would remove the 50% borrowing limit possibly 30-60 days out. That way people who want to upgrade their stay can while still leaving open rooms possibly for individuals to book out further.

 

[Shellyred8]

You can rent them out like any other individual. Right here on this forum you can post your points and if you price them appropriately you likely can rent them fairly quickly. You absolutely could get your MFs back and likely more.




International members likely make up a very small portion of overall points. Its unlikely to impact the system.

Also I do wish DVC would remove the 50% borrowing limit possibly 30-60 days out. That way people who want to upgrade their stay can while still leaving open rooms possibly for individuals to book out further.

I wish they would remove the 50% borrowing limit too. There is a fair amount of availability out there right now for people that can go. We plan to go more this year and then take a lot of 2022 off. So, it would be nice if we could borrow more of those 2022 points for trips this year. Then when 2022 rolls around and the people that couldn't go in 2020/2021 and had to bank their points there is more availability because I've already used my 2022 points and won't be trying to book anything. That's just my very basic thoughts on this matter.

 

[Dancing Accountant]

With new restrictions my Feb 2021 stay has to be cancelled. I Have banked points set to expire at end of Feb 2021. Was looking at putting them to R CI . Has anyone had luck doing this after the 45 days before expiry..

 

[sethschroeder]

With new restrictions my Feb 2021 stay has to be cancelled. I Have banked points set to expire at end of Feb 2021. Was looking at putting them to R CI . Has anyone had luck doing this after the 45 days before expiry..

I think I have read success about the RCI piece even after the deadline as an exception. That being said my first choice would be just renting out the points unless you have something in mind for RCI.

Even at this point you likely can get someone for a last min stay. You probably still can get $10-$13 per point.

Maybe RCI gets you a little more value but it's also locked in that system instead of cash.

 

[chrish2]

International members likely make up a very small portion of overall points. Its unlikely to impact the system.

The numbers are not insignificance. I've seen a breakdown by country during some member event years but could not find the stats. I've included 2019 VisitFlorida stats below that show 11% of visits from international visitors. In simple terms assuming that matches DVC membership* it would make up a significant amount of points.

* If you was to model it you would need to take into account domestic tourists less drawn to Orlando, international tourists visiting less frequently but for longer, disposable income and other factors.

But I agree with you. I wish they would at least acknowledge the problem

Yes, even a simple email sent to international members acknowledge the problems would buy some favour.

Surely DVC could come up with an inventive way for these points to be used..

100% this. The world has changed. The risks around ensuring the efficient usage of DVC member points has changed (and DVC has take steps to manage that risk).

I don't know enough about the technicals about banking but some kind of "donor banking/borrowing" that would in effect allows members to use borrowed points in the 50%-100% range subject to there been a donor member having past banked points to offer. In exchange the donor is provided a future years points. In a more extreme version it could be this mode is used for all borrowing first if available otherwise the current 50% borrowing limit applies.

 

[Sandisw]

The numbers are not insignificance. I've seen a breakdown by country during some member event years but could not find the stats. I've included 2019 VisitFlorida stats below that show 11% of visits from international visitors. In simple terms assuming that matches DVC membership* it would make up a significant amount of points.

* If you was to model it you would need to take into account domestic tourists less drawn to Orlando, international tourists visiting less frequently but for longer, disposable income and other factors.


Yes, even a simple email sent to international members acknowledge the problems would buy some favour.


100% this. The world has changed. The risks around ensuring the efficient usage of DVC member points has changed (and DVC has take steps to manage that risk).

I don't know enough about the technicals about banking but some kind of "donor banking/borrowing" that would in effect allows members to use borrowed points in the 50%-100% range subject to there been a donor member having past banked points to offer. In exchange the donor is provided a future years points. In a more extreme version it could be this mode is used for all borrowing first if available otherwise the current 50% borrowing limit applies.


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There is nothing to prevent owners from trying this on their own. But, for DVCM to create such a program would require a lot of management, assuming it is something legally allowed.

Those would not be minimal and would become part of dues. Again, being able to set something up would have to be made available to everyone. They could not set it up for certain owners and not others because points and usage is tied to ownership.

No doubt it’s not an easy situation for those that can not travel. Because every owner has the ability to deposit into RCI..even though it is not why they purchased..there is technically a way to extend the life of points.

 

[Evita_W]

I think I have read success about the RCI piece even after the deadline as an exception. That being said my first choice would be just renting out the points unless you have something in mind for RCI.

Even at this point you likely can get someone for a last min stay. You probably still can get $10-$13 per point.

Maybe RCI gets you a little more value but it's also locked in that system instead of cash.

If you can't rent, RCI is indeed an option. If you are past the deadline, you can still book an RCI vacation up to two years in advance I believe. You can book it online, just know if you ha e to cancel that reservation the points would go back to the RCI account and keep the two year expiration.

Alternatively it appears you can now deposit points in an Adventure By Disney account, not sure all of the details on that, but it is another option