Non-member question...

[bananiem]

Please pardon my ignorance but can someone stay in a DVC room or villa without renting the points from a member? For example, can I call and ask for a room during a slow season and ask to be upgraded to a DVC room? We would like to stay at BCV next time but are nervous about renting points from a stranger.
Thank you.

 

[spiceycat]

you can ask to be upgraded from BC to BCV - but I don't know if WDW will do it.

you can also get a villa like you get a room directly from disney. but boy you will pay.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/resorts/resortRates?id=BeachClubVillasResortRatesListingPage

you would pay $334 for a room in June with 11.5% tax - so total $372 (minus any discounts that you can find).

vs 13 points so around $130 to $182 for june 1-10
and june 11-30 14 points so around $140 to $196.

sorry I would go with the cheaper one.

 

[bananiem]

Thank you!

 

[RobDoc]

Don't count on getting an upgrade at any time, but you can certainly call CRO and make a reservation at a DVC resort right thru Disney. At times there have even been discounts available.

Cash reservations made thru CRO will have daily housekeeping included (unlike renting from a member) and you will all of the usual WDW resort amenities.

As Pat suggests, you can likely save some $$ by renting from a member, but DVC resorts are available for reservation right thru Disney.

Enjoy!

 

[tjkraz]

With DVC being a timeshare, the program is designed to see resorts run at near capacity year-round. Disney (CRO) does have access to a small supply of rooms for cash bookings as spiceycat mentioned, but I doubt they are often used for free upgrades--particularly not at the Beach Club.

 

[dianeschlicht]

To give you a small ray of hope, one January we arrived near midnight and stayed at AKL before our OKW 2 bedroom ressie started. Our friends were scheduled to stay at the All Stars. They dropped us off at AKL and took the rental car to All Stars and were going to pick us up the next morning when they came over for the breakfast/brunch. They ended up being upgraded to our 2 bedroom unit that we were checking into at OKW! It was pretty funny when they came to pick us up! They were bumming about the fact that they had reserved AS for that night when we had reserved AKL. They were pretty happy when they got into the OKW unit before we did!

 

[jmminarik]

Friends who were staying at the BWV on our points had family who had reserved a hotel room at the BW Inn. Upon check-in, the Inn people were upgraded to a studio near our friends. I guess their stars were in alignment that day, but I would rarely count on being bumped up if you have a regular hotel reservation and almost never count on being bumped up if you have a DVC reservation (points or cash).

-Joe

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

If you decide to rent points (which would be the most economical thing to do) just look for someone that has posted on the boards for awhile and even ask for references if you would feel more comfortable. Remember, it requires trust from both parties to make it work.

 

[the kabuki]

If you decide to rent points (which would be the most economical thing to do) just look for someone that has posted on the boards for awhile and even ask for references if you would feel more comfortable. Remember, it requires trust from both parties to make it work.

I have been looking at renting points . Don't take this the wrong way, but how does the owner know that the renter is on the up and up? Do you have to give references too? And how would you do that if it's your first time renting?

 

[DVCconvert]

Don't take this the wrong way, but how does the owner know that the renter is on the up and up? Do you have to give references too? And how would you do that if it's your first time renting?

This is how/why a level of trust comes into play. A rentor doesn't "know" the rentee is on the level and more or less than the rentee "knows" that the rentor is.

If you are renting, a rentor might appreciate references, but everyone know's that everyone who rents points will have a 'first time' and therefore can't give references. Honestly, I don't think many or perhaps any renter's require references.

What are the "balances of power" in a renting situation?

-Once rentor has given rentee their confirmation number, rentee can call MS direct and confirm

-If people so choose, rentor/rentee can conference call to MS to make the ressie

-If the rentee fails to hold up their end of the deal, rentor still retains control of the points

-If rentor fails to hold up their obligations you can turn them into mud here on the boards

-The rentee/rentor can use a rental agreement outlining the responsibilities of the parties, and should there be a breach, dependent on the contract, you may have legal reccourse against the offending party.


All this being said (someone pipe up here If I'm wrong) over the years, and years of renting going on here, the number of reported "problems" can be counted on less fingers then what's on one hand.

I recommend that if you think you'd like to rent from someone, check their profile, see how long they've been on the boards -- read some of their past posts to get a 'feel' for the person -- talk to them on the phone.

And remember,DVC members on the whole are folks who can/have spent thousands for their membership, love all things Disney and usually have had years of experience traveling to WDW. So it's a fair bet that the caliper and quality of this group is somewhat above the 'average con-artist'!

Give it a try! I think you'll be just fine!

 

[Dean]

I have been looking at renting points . Don't take this the wrong way, but how does the owner know that the renter is on the up and up? Do you have to give references too? And how would you do that if it's your first time renting?

This is why most people who rent their DVC points have rules. Mine are usually 25% up front with the rest due at 120 days out, all non refundable. That way if something happens, my risk is lessened. While the person renting has more risk, some have the idea that the member has little or no risk. This is not completely true and can be less true in some situations over others. If a members rents out only non banked/borrowed points, has reasonable terms for both sides and concentrates on the first half of their use year; the risk is very low. If they use banked or borrowed points, rent on short notice or later in their use year; the risk can go up dramatically.