Official Thread - New commercial use policy published 03/31

[VGCgroupie]

Overlap of dates/room types being mentioned means they want people to book larger rooms instead of multiple studios, which is fine IMO. That is what I usually do anyway. Though some who love separate rooms may not like it.

I wondering what people thought about the multiple rooms across overlapping dates.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this portion

A majority of reservations or Points owned or controlled by an Owner (which may take into account all Points owned or controlled by an Owner across all Resorts at any given time) are made or use respectively at Resorts with overlapping room types and/or dates, regardless of whether the Owner or Associate is named as a guest on said reservations;

 

[juliebee]

Overlap of dates/room types being mentioned means they want people to book larger rooms instead of multiple studios, which is fine IMO. That is what I usually do anyway. Though some who love separate rooms may not like it.

This one kind of gets me a little bit. For example, I have a December Poly reservation in a studio for myself and my husband. I have a second reservation for my adult child in a duo studio. Those are overlapping since it's the same dates. Since those situations are rare and easily explainable, I think most people will be able to justify it with DVC, but I don't like that people would feel the need to justify it.

 

[VGCgroupie]

This one kind of gets me a little bit. For example, I have a December Poly reservation in a studio for myself and my husband. I have a second reservation for my adult child in a duo studio. Those are overlapping since it's the same dates. Since those situations are rare and easily explainable, I think most people will be able to justify it with DVC, but I don't like that people would feel the need to justify it.

Same. I book 2 studios often for me and one for my daughter at VDH. She is often always also with me in 2 beds too so at least there is that to fall back on and they can see that we are family.

 

[Tatebeck]

This one kind of gets me a little bit. For example, I have a December Poly reservation in a studio for myself and my husband. I have a second reservation for my adult child in a duo studio. Those are overlapping since it's the same dates. Since those situations are rare and easily explainable, I think most people will be able to justify it with DVC, but I don't like that people would feel the need to justify it.

Yeah I think you are fine. Unless you do that a a majority of the time and/or do it fairly often and use all almost of your points to do that regularly, then it may not be within the limits

 

[PolyRob]

You would still be able to do that, just not the majority of the time (counted by reservations and points).

I guess that's true. If you take one trip with two overlapping rooms that isn't a majority. It would be 50/50. Any other trips with one room and an owner or associate as a lead guest would easily put that overlapping stay into the minority of bookings.

This does make me feel a little better!

 

[Carouselofplanning]

I am currently in WDW but we are going to make this the official thread.

If others are started, we will close them and continue here.

A few reminders:

Keep comments polite and respectful and related to the new policies.

The good news is that DVC had said that if they were to update the 2011 policy they would alert owners and I am happy we have it!!

Of course I just started one over on Member Services because nothing popped up. Please close it, although I’m not sure the “misc” area is the best spot for an official DVC policy roll out

 

[Genie+]

How so? Renting is not forbidden. And what if points are gifted? My aunt gifted my sister a reservation at the GF as a wedding present. Is my aunt supposed to travel 1500 miles and go on the honeymoon with my sister and her husband? That's ridiculous.

I’d guess DVC would be pretty reasonable when people explain, and it’s only when patterns emerge that they’d probably scrutinize those explanations deeper.

 

[Cyberc1978]

This is my take.

Either DVC don’t care or maybe they hope that owners don’t know the FL statutes.

The florida statutes 718.110(13) states:
An amendment prohibiting unit owners from renting their units or altering the duration of the rental term or specifying or limiting the number of times unit owners are entitled to rent their units during a specified period applies only to unit owners who consent to the amendment and unit owners who acquire title to their units after the effective date of that amendment.

IMO unless we hear about enforcement I think this is a scare tactic. Unless of course the FL 718.110 does not apply to DVC condominiums?

Since owners have been allowed to make and rent 20 reservations per 12 months per UY that’s how it’s still gonna be.

New owners can have new rental rules but current owners keep the ones they have.

 

[Huskerpal]

I wondering what people thought about the multiple rooms across overlapping dates.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this portion

A majority of reservations or Points owned or controlled by an Owner (which may take into account all Points owned or controlled by an Owner across all Resorts at any given time) are made or use respectively at Resorts with overlapping room types and/or dates, regardless of whether the Owner or Associate is named as a guest on said reservations;

Remember that this is the second bullet under #3 Policy Regarding Use of Vacation Homes for Commercial Purposes:

I would guess this has to do with how commerical renters are able to snag all the high demand room types.

 

[Huskerpal]

This is my take.

Either DVC don’t care or maybe they hope that owners don’t know the FL statutes.

The florida statutes 718.110(13) states:
An amendment prohibiting unit owners from renting their units or altering the duration of the rental term or specifying or limiting the number of times unit owners are entitled to rent their units during a specified period applies only to unit owners who consent to the amendment and unit owners who acquire title to their units after the effective date of that amendment.

IMO unless we hear about enforcement I think this is a scare tactic. Unless of course the FL 718.110 does not apply to DVC condominiums?

Since owners have been allowed to make and rent 20 reservations per 12 months per UY that’s how it’s still gonna be.

New owners can have new rental rules but current owners keep the ones they have.

You would have to sue DVD. They have very deep pockets and they also now have much improved political connections in Florida.

 

[Cyberc1978]

Same. I book 2 studios often for me and one for my daughter at VDH. She is often always also with me in 2 beds too so at least there is that to fall back on and they can see that we are family.

I understand that as if I have multiple reservations of ie Sept 1-7, 4-10, 8-15.

 

[Sandisw]

I've heard the 20 reservations part mentioned widely before. But this seems to say that if you have 20 or more reservations and the majority are not for your own use, that is commercial renting. The majority of 20 is 11. So 11 rentals max in a rolling 12-month period.

View attachment 1060888

I would not assume they will use 11…that’s why they didn’t give a number.

But what this does is clarify language that did not exist in the previous version.

So, it clearly states info about over and under 20…so less interpretation by owners needed

 

[Carouselofplanning]

This is my take.

Either DVC don’t care or maybe they hope that owners don’t know the FL statutes.

The florida statutes 718.110(13) states:
An amendment prohibiting unit owners from renting their units or altering the duration of the rental term or specifying or limiting the number of times unit owners are entitled to rent their units during a specified period applies only to unit owners who consent to the amendment and unit owners who acquire title to their units after the effective date of that amendment.

IMO unless we hear about enforcement I think this is a scare tactic. Unless of course the FL 718.110 does not apply to DVC condominiums?

Since owners have been allowed to make and rent 20 reservations per 12 months per UY that’s how it’s still gonna be.

New owners can have new rental rules but current owners keep the ones they have.

The one thing that jumped out at me regarding any member pushback on this (or the OKW 2042 end date stuff) came up when I was on mydisneyexperience last week and it made me agree to updated terms which included mandatory arbitration and a waiver of any right to bring a class action against Disney for any dispute with them. When any part of the DVC crew pushes back you bet they will be trying to cram it into arbitration to avoid dealing with FL courts. They won’t be as kind as they were when the family sued over the Raglan Road allergy issue a few years ago.

 

[Tatebeck]

This is my take.

Either DVC don’t care or maybe they hope that owners don’t know the FL statutes.

The florida statutes 718.110(13) states:
An amendment prohibiting unit owners from renting their units or altering the duration of the rental term or specifying or limiting the number of times unit owners are entitled to rent their units during a specified period applies only to unit owners who consent to the amendment and unit owners who acquire title to their units after the effective date of that amendment.

IMO unless we hear about enforcement I think this is a scare tactic. Unless of course the FL 718.110 does not apply to DVC condominiums?

Since owners have been allowed to make and rent 20 reservations per 12 months per UY that’s how it’s still gonna be.

New owners can have new rental rules but current owners keep the ones they have.

I think they are aware of that and were quite brilliant actually!

IMO they were/are still able to define what they consider commercial renting. And if you read carefully they never give an exact number of times you are allowed to rent during a specified period, which is what that law says they cannot do. They smartly made it a sliding scale, where the more reservations and points you use, the more reservations and points you can technically rent out, as long as it is still a minority of your total points and reservations.

All along it has said that commercial renting is not allowed, and then the previous 20 reservation rule was specifically NOT all encompassing, and there still could be other things they could "at their discretion" use to determine you were breaking commercial renting rules. The only thing they can't do really is ban renting all together at this point as that is allowed both in their original rules and the florida laws.

TLDR: They aren't technically adding any rules, just clarifying previous ones. and even then they do not limit the exact number of times you can rent which is what would not be allowed.

 

[Cyberc1978]

You would have to sue DVD. They have very deep pockets and they also now have much improved political connections in Florida.

Maybe I’m naive but I assume that everyone is equal in the eye of the law.

Just because you got deep pockets doesn’t mean you can get away with anything.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I don't like this if you're traveling with people and book an additional room even if they're on the deed or listed as an associate. I guess it doesn't say the "lead guest" so that should be fine and it's only one of many scenarios, but still.

This one kind of gets me a little bit. For example, I have a December Poly reservation in a studio for myself and my husband. I have a second reservation for my adult child in a duo studio. Those are overlapping since it's the same dates. Since those situations are rare and easily explainable, I think most people will be able to justify it with DVC, but I don't like that people would feel the need to justify it.

I believe it won't be an issue at all. It might trigger a question as to why you have those rooms, but it's also completely normal and reasonable that you would travel with friends and family. My understanding of what I've read is that they would send a letter acknowledging the commercial renting prior to taking additional action. Your situations won't look like commercial renting at all. I think they are just covering all the bases for the people and businesses that they are trying to shut down.

 

[sndral]

This one kind of gets me a little bit. For example, I have a December Poly reservation in a studio for myself and my husband. I have a second reservation for my adult child in a duo studio. Those are overlapping since it's the same dates. Since those situations are rare and easily explainable, I think most people will be able to justify it with DVC, but I don't like that people would feel the need to justify it.

When I had a 2 br. for my brother’s family + a studio for mine for the same dates 2 months ago at VGF I noted ‘traveling w/‘ & requested we be located near each other + our MDE’s were linked for ADRs & LLs, so it would have been pretty easy to prove I was gifting the stay to his family which the FAQs makes clear is fine.
I’ve been toying with the idea of picking up just a few more points - I’ll need to start following the resale market again .

 

[juliebee]

I still think if someone rents more than 11 reservations out a year they should start counting all their reservations and be concerned. That leaves the regular once a year renter out of this issue.

 

[Tatebeck]

Ironically enough this actually makes me want to maybe pick up some more mega deal points now that I know I can rent as long as it is a minority of my points and reservations. I was very hesitant to rent anything previously just because the rules were so murky!

 

[PolyRob]

I believe it won't be an issue at all. It might trigger a question as to why you have those rooms, but it's also completely normal and reasonable that you would travel with friends and family. My understanding of what I've read is that they would send a letter acknowledging the commercial renting prior to taking additional action. Your situations won't look like commercial renting at all. I think they are just covering all the bases for the people and businesses that they are trying to shut down.

When I had a 2 br. for my brother’s family + a studio for mine for the same dates 2 months ago at VGF I noted ‘traveling w/‘ & requested we be located near each other + our MDE’s were linked for ADRs & LLs, so it would have been pretty easy to prove I was gifting the stay to his family which the FAQs makes clear is fine.
I’ve been toying with the idea of picking up just a few more points - I’ll need to start following the resale market again .

Very true! That would be a strange commercial renter if you wanted connecting rooms

It's just hard when trying to curb abuse. I don't want to be negatively affected (or even get a letter) doing something legitimate.