Question about renting??

[Hillary12.8.07]

Newbie here...hope someone can help me a bit. If I have our paper confirmation from DVC, with the reservation made in our name, can I call and confirm the reservation? I know I've read we can't b/c we are renters and privacy for the member and all, but if it's in our name, I'm not sure why I couldnt??

I've had a great experience so far, but the control freak in me is a bit worried, just trying to make sure I guess. Another question...is it possible for DVC members to own at several resorts? When I gave my renter my preferences for resorts, I was told she could make our reservation at one of a few diff resorts, which I thought nothing of at the time. We went with OKW, and like I said, I have the paper confirm. But now that I've been reading more, and sat and thought about the reservation window, I don't see how this would have been possible since our reservation is for this December, thus outside of that window 7 month window for making reservations except for the home resort. And I don't know where my renter's home is, so I was wondering if maybe its at more than one...otherwise how could they have made it this early, offering BWV, AKL, AND OKW?? Maybe I'm worrying way too much, but I can't help it. I have no reason not to trust them, I even recieved references AND again, have a paper confirmation.

Can someone calm my fears? If I could call and KNOW we have the reservation made, I would feel alot better. Its a fab deal, but its still alot of money I'd hate to lose.

 

[Deb & Bill]

No, since you are not the member who made the reservation, you can't talk to Member Services about your reservation. You might be able to contact the resort directly a few days before the start of your reservation, but some have reported that the resort would not talk to them and switched them over to DVC MS who also would not talk to them.

We have owned at three, now just two. Any member can use their points at 7 months out for any resort. From 7 to 11 months out, they can only use points at their home resort.

The concerns you have are just part of the risk with purchasing a reservation from a member. You get a fabulous resort vacation for not much money.

 

[Lynne M]

The reservation is in your name, but the member still 'owns' it until you check in. That's partly why MS won't discuss it with you...they'll only speak with the person who controls the reservation. Kind of like the way CRO won't discuss a reservation with you if a travel agent booked the trip; the TA owns the reservation even though your name is on it.

Sorry, I know it's stressful not to be able to confirm your reservation. It'd make me nervous, too. But, that's part of the trade-off of renting. You save a ton of money, but you give up the security of dealing directly with Disney.

If you've gotten good references, and all's gone smoothly so far, I'm sure it'll all work out fine.

Oh, and lots of members have multiple contracts at multiple resorts. It's entirely possible that your member owns at BWV, AKL and OKW, and thus can book any of them at the 11-month window.

 

[disneynutz]

Newbie here...hope someone can help me a bit. If I have our paper confirmation from DVC, with the reservation made in our name, can I call and confirm the reservation? I know I've read we can't b/c we are renters and privacy for the member and all, but if it's in our name, I'm not sure why I couldnt??

I've had a great experience so far, but the control freak in me is a bit worried, just trying to make sure I guess. Another question...is it possible for DVC members to own at several resorts? When I gave my renter my preferences for resorts, I was told she could make our reservation at one of a few diff resorts, which I thought nothing of at the time. We went with OKW, and like I said, I have the paper confirm. But now that I've been reading more, and sat and thought about the reservation window, I don't see how this would have been possible since our reservation is for this December, thus outside of that window 7 month window for making reservations except for the home resort. And I don't know where my renter's home is, so I was wondering if maybe its at more than one...otherwise how could they have made it this early, offering BWV, AKL, AND OKW?? Maybe I'm worrying way too much, but I can't help it. I have no reason not to trust them, I even recieved references AND again, have a paper confirmation.

Can someone calm my fears? If I could call and KNOW we have the reservation made, I would feel alot better. Its a fab deal, but its still alot of money I'd hate to lose.

If you followed the info on the Rent/Trade Board you should be OK. It sounds like you didn't do your homework prior to renting. How many posts does your owner have? Are their home resorts displayed in their signature? Did you talk to the owner? If you are the worry wort type, renting may not be for you. Your upcoming vacation should be exciting and fun, not something to worry about. Call your owner and discuss your concerns.

 

[Hillary12.8.07]

Thanks for the help. I get it now.

I did do my homework, I read all the threads w/info, spoke to others who have rented points, checked references and all that, and have talked with the renter quite a few times. I AM a worrywart though, and got a little paranoid. I think they do just own at a few different resorts, at least I hope so. They do have quite a few posts here as well, just no indication of the home resort, and I never thought to ask.

I'm sure everything is fine, just letting my worries get the best of me...thanks for all your help!!

 

[ZekeKelso]

Unless someone is engaged in very active fraud and has counterfeited the letter, it tells you exactly what you want to know - that you have reservation.

 

[crisi]

Knowing yourself is one of the peices of advice that doesn't tend to show up on the threads. Certain members have the personality to rent their points and do great, others don't. Certain renters have the personality to let go, others find it too stressful.

Anyway, sounds like this one is done, so take a deep breath, confirmation in hand, and know that almost every single time this goes off without a hitch. The risk that anything is going to happen is very low.

 

[LisaS]

There has been a recent change to the reservation systems and in some cases DVC reservations are now showing up under people's disneyworld.com accounts. There is at least one case (discussed here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1810694) where someone rented a reservation from a DVC member and saw their reservation online! I don't know whether this will happen in every case because it's not clear what information they are using from the reservation to tie it to the renter's disneyworld account since the renter was not directly involved in making the reservation. It also appears that DVC reservations are listed in a strange way -- the confirmation/reservation numbers are different and the reservation shows a large "balance due"!

 

[mygirl]

a fellow renter here. just wanted to tell you that my ressie that i rented from another dvc member is showing up on the wdw website as well...

along with a balance due!
what a wonderful thing it is to rent; we saved a bundle on accomodations!

 

[abner1776]

I would assume your concern is that the DVC member will cancel your ressie without you knowing it and leave you high and dry. That is a valid concern but one in which I think you can be proactive in calming your "tied up in knots" gut.

Once you are within the 60 day period prior to your trip, request a new dated copy of the ressie from the DVC member. Ressies cancelled within the 60 day period cause those points to be restricted and very limited in use and value to the DVC member, so it is highly unlikely a DVC member would cancel your ressie within the 60 day period.

If the DVC member is not willing to send you an updated confirmation, then that is a sure tip off that you may not be dealing with an upstanding member of the DVC community.

On the other side of the coin, if you for some reason have to cancel your ressie within that 60 day period, don't be looking to the DVC member for a full refund because now he is stuck with points that he probably cannot use.

Remember, renting is a two way street.

 

[crisi]

I would assume your concern is that the DVC member will cancel your ressie without you knowing it and leave you high and dry. That is a valid concern but one in which I think you can be proactive in calming your "tied up in knots" gut.

Once you are within the 60 day period prior to your trip, request a new dated copy of the ressie from the DVC member. Ressies cancelled within the 60 day period cause those points to be restricted and very limited in use and value to the DVC member, so it is highly unlikely a DVC member would cancel your ressie within the 60 day period.

If the DVC member is not willing to send you an updated confirmation, then that is a sure tip off that you may not be dealing with an upstanding member of the DVC community.

On the other side of the coin, if you for some reason have to cancel your ressie within that 60 day period, don't be looking to the DVC member for a full refund because now he is stuck with points that he probably cannot use.

Remember, renting is a two way street.

30 days. They can cancel 31 days out without repercussions.

 

[LisaS]

Once you are within the 60 day period prior to your trip, request a new dated copy of the ressie from the DVC member. Ressies cancelled within the 60 day period cause those points to be restricted and very limited in use and value to the DVC member, so it is highly unlikely a DVC member would cancel your ressie within the 60 day period.

If the DVC member is not willing to send you an updated confirmation, then that is a sure tip off that you may not be dealing with an upstanding member of the DVC community.

It's actually 30 days not 60 days. If a member cancels a reservation between 30 days and 1 day prior to check in the points go into the holding account. On the other hand, depending on the member's Use Year cancelling even three to four months prior to check in might actually be past the member's banking deadline and cause the member to lose the points.

I'm not sure what you mean by an updated confirmation. If the member offers a printout of the reservation as it appears on the members' website, it wouldn't be that difficult to generate a fake one so that doesn't offer any real protection. It would be more difficult to fake a hard copy confirmation letter but I wouldn't like to encourage renters to insist that members request updated letters from MS because that cost comes out of pockets of all of the members.