Is there a savings using DVC rent option vs other options?

[Leolyss]

We own a few timeshare weeks through Starwood so I understand the timeshare concept. We cannot trade via II so my only option would be to rent DVC points from this or other similar forum. We tare advantage of our other timeshares by renting a car, buying local groceries, cooking our own meals.
We have stayed at Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando and took our own food into the park and then returned home in the evening for dinner.
I‘d like my family to have the on-property experience in fall 2020 and am considering renting DVC points or just renting a resort hotel room. I’m thinking a hotel room is out of the running because we are used to the separate bedrooms and additional space of a timeshare (the cost of a suite is out of our budget) plus I don’t want to be forced to eat all of our meals in restaurants (for cost reasons and for the sheer convenience of taking packed lunches into the park and eating when it suits us). So I am left with the DVC rental option or just returning to the Sheraton (off-property) Timeshare.
My question is: is there truly cost savings by staying at a DVC resort if I still rent a car, get groceries, cook most of my own meals? I’m trying to learn and calculate the cost of renting DVC points but I am new to this so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[dclpluto]

We own a few timeshare weeks through Starwood so I understand the timeshare concept. We cannot trade via II so my only option would be to rent DVC points from this or other similar forum. We tare advantage of our other timeshares by renting a car, buying local groceries, cooking our own meals.
We have stayed at Sheraton Vistana Villages in Orlando and took our own food into the park and then returned home in the evening for dinner.
I‘d like my family to have the on-property experience in fall 2020 and am considering renting DVC points or just renting a resort hotel room. I’m thinking a hotel room is out of the running because we are used to the separate bedrooms and additional space of a timeshare (the cost of a suite is out of our budget) plus I don’t want to be forced to eat all of our meals in restaurants (for cost reasons and for the sheer convenience of taking packed lunches into the park and eating when it suits us). So I am left with the DVC rental option or just returning to the Sheraton (off-property) Timeshare.
My question is: is there truly cost savings by staying at a DVC resort if I still rent a car, get groceries, cook most of my own meals? I’m trying to learn and calculate the cost of renting DVC points but I am new to this so any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

For cooking meals you at least want a 1 bedroom. To rent let’s say it’s 30 points a night at 18 dollars a point. That’s 540 a night. That’s a lot more money than you will be spending on a hotel room. That extra savings can pay for your food at restaurants. So do you want a better place to stay and you cook your meals or a cheaper place and you get to try out some of the nice restaurants that Disney has?

 

[crvetter]

Vistana is definitely going to be much cheaper with equally (if not nicer in some regards) rooms and grounds. DVC is all about access to the resorts. For a Fall 2020 booking depending on desired resort and dates you could be running into some availability issues as Fall is the busiest DVC times. I would Check out DVCRequest.com for pricing of resorts and etc. I also recommend as a first time renter to go through the broker (there are 2 large ones) as opposed to the DIS. It will be easier and they do a lot of footwork and answer more questions.

I would say to stay DVC if you really like the ability to go back to your rooms mid-day for breaks or want a really heavy theme (think AKL or WL). However, if you don't want either and plan to spend rope drop to close in the parks you might find Vistana is really all you need. Also you will find OKW and SSR to be the most similar to Vistana; however, I personally feel Vistana is nicer than either from a ground perspective and even the rooms. (Note I have stayed at Vistana many many times as growing up that is how my family did and still does Disney, I just bought DVC). I love DVC and Disney onsite over Vistana because of the ability to take Disney transport back to the room to relax and it allows parties to break up more easily rather than coordinate someone coming back to pick up those that don't stay all day (if there is only 1 car). But I also loved Vistana for other reasons.

Also look into Vistana Resort Villas (as opposed to Vistana Resort Villages) as they rooms are slightly larger (in the older sections which are newer refurbs) and there is a bit more restaurants and slightly easier access to Disney.

 

[loves to dive]

You would just have to look into some of the prices for points to see. I've found it isn't better if you are renting a studio, you are much better off just getting a room. I think where people save it the one and two bedrooms. Other than if it would save money, which it wouldn't for me because I only need one room, there is the issue of if you rent points you have to pay up front and in 85 to 90% (or maybe higher) of the time it is non-refundable. You also almost always have to rent 7 to 10 months in advance, personally I don't know 2 months in advance if I'm going. I don't like to cook or clean on vacation. Having said that, we do own a RV and we do eat 95% of our meals in the RV, even at WDW when staying in the fort but I don't cook, my honey grills.

 

[Chuck S]

I assume you are flying to Orlando and renting a car. However, with a DVC reservation, you could save the cost of the car rental, unless you specifically needed it for other things. Disney provides free bus transportation to/from the airport, as well as bus transportation to/from the theme parks. For groceries, you could use a service like Amazon Prime Now (different from regular Amazon Prime), instacart or even Walmart will deliver to the resorts. Plus, if you rent a car and drive to the parks from Vistana, you'll need to pay parking fees. Even if you rent a car and stay on rented DVC points, you would not need to pay parking.

We usually have breakfast in the room, a table service lunch in the parks, and dinner in the room, or sandwiches in the room if we stay until park closing.

 

[Brian Noble]

My question is: is there truly cost savings by staying at a DVC resort if I still rent a car, get groceries, cook most of my own meals?

Cost savings compared to what? To Vistana? No way. To renting the same room from Disney directly? Usually yes (though there are odd times when it's close to a push.)

 

[Sandisw]

The other piece to know about renting is that there is usually a no refund or cancellation policy and that the reservation stays in control of the owner until you check in.

Savings compared to renting that same room though Disney can be great, but you do give up a few things In addition to the restrictive cancellatio.

DVC reservations do no get daily mousekeeping like you’d get with Disney, but since you stay at other timeshares, it’s probably something you are used to.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The refrigerators in a DVC studio may or may not have a tiny freezer section. They are undercounter refrigerators, so storing a week's worth of groceries might be tough, especially if you plan on eating all your meals in the studio. You will only have a microwave, a toaster and a coffee pot. If you can prepare everything you plan on cooking in those, you might be able to do it. Each DVC resort also has a few barbeque grills (most are charcoal grills, a few are gas grills depending on the resort). But storing a lot of fresh meat to cook on the grill might be tough. Unless you have a really good cooler that you bring along on your trips. A one bedroom will give you a full kitchen, stove, oven, larger refrigerator with freezer section, dishwasher, plus pots and pan, dishes, glassware, flatware. A washer and dryer in your villa to use.

 

[drusba]

You would need at least a 1BR to do the things you contemplate. Renting DVC is typically significantly less than getting the same room through Disney, but more than getting a Disney value or moderate hotel and definitely more than something like Vista. If comparison you are making is to WDW hotels in general, there is also one huge advantage to renting a DVC resort through a DVC owner. The daily resort parking fees for guests staying at WDW resorts are not charged to anyone with a DVC reservation.