Renting DVC Points Questions

[Laura's Dad]

My wife and our family are considering a large WDW vacation in early/mid December of 2019. We are considering renting DVC points through the on-line rental stores. We will have 8 in our party (2 kids) and will include a young lady from Chile who stayed with us as a foreign exchange student a couple of years ago. We will be celebrating her college graduation and my wife's retirement. For this reason we are looking for a two bedroom villa. This is our first time doing and have some questions about the rental process:

1. Do the rentals come open on the first of each month or do they come exactly on the day of the reservation? For example, if we wanted to rent a trip for Dec. 9, do we put in our request on January 9th or January 1st?

2. Would it be advisable to try to use two or more rental sites in order to secure the reservation? Would we have a better chance of getting exactly what we want?

3. Would you recommend using the DIS Rent/Trade Board vs. using the on-line rental stores? I'm pretty sure that I could figure it out if I really looked at the process.

4. How does booking a Dining Plan work with a rental? Not sure if we will do this, but we might.

5. Will there be any special papers that our Chilean guest will need?

 

[Psychodisney]

My wife and our family are considering a large WDW vacation in early/mid December of 2019. We are considering renting DVC points through the on-line rental stores. We will have 8 in our party (2 kids) and will include a young lady from Chile who stayed with us as a foreign exchange student a couple of years ago. We will be celebrating her college graduation and my wife's retirement. For this reason we are looking for a two bedroom villa. This is our first time doing and have some questions about the rental process:

1. Do the rentals come open on the first of each month or do they come exactly on the day of the reservation? For example, if we wanted to rent a trip for Dec. 9, do we put in our request on January 9th or January 1st?

2. Would it be advisable to try to use two or more rental sites in order to secure the reservation? Would we have a better chance of getting exactly what we want?

3. Would you recommend using the DIS Rent/Trade Board vs. using the on-line rental stores? I'm pretty sure that I could figure it out if I really looked at the process.

4. How does booking a Dining Plan work with a rental? Not sure if we will do this, but we might.

5. Will there be any special papers that our Chilean guest will need?

1.Rentals come available 11 months to the day of the reservations for points owned at that resort. 7 months for points owned at other resorts.
2.All depends on what the owners have available.
3. Either way. I think you'll hear horror stories either way.
4. The owner needs to book the DP or DME. For my rentals on the DIS, I'm always happy to help.
5. No idea

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Also worth mentioning: The first two weeks of December are the highest demand for DVC units of the year. While owners can book anything available 7 months to the day from check-in, if that is really your time period, you want to be booking promptly at 11 months, and be flexible as far as resort and unit type. Do not price out AKV Value, BLT Standard or BWV Standard, because you have little chance even with a private rental for those units.

 

[Marionnette]

My wife and our family are considering a large WDW vacation in early/mid December of 2019. We are considering renting DVC points through the on-line rental stores. We will have 8 in our party (2 kids) and will include a young lady from Chile who stayed with us as a foreign exchange student a couple of years ago. We will be celebrating her college graduation and my wife's retirement. For this reason we are looking for a two bedroom villa. This is our first time doing and have some questions about the rental process:

1. Do the rentals come open on the first of each month or do they come exactly on the day of the reservation? For example, if we wanted to rent a trip for Dec. 9, do we put in our request on January 9th or January 1st?

2. Would it be advisable to try to use two or more rental sites in order to secure the reservation? Would we have a better chance of getting exactly what we want?

3. Would you recommend using the DIS Rent/Trade Board vs. using the on-line rental stores? I'm pretty sure that I could figure it out if I really looked at the process.

4. How does booking a Dining Plan work with a rental? Not sure if we will do this, but we might.

5. Will there be any special papers that our Chilean guest will need?

1. Owners can book a reservation exactly 11 months before the check in date but only for their home resort and only for up to 7 consecutive nights. However, for early December, I would recommend contacting the rental agency at least a week prior to that. If renting directly from an owner thru the RTB. you may want to line one up earlier than that because the first couple of weeks in December are very popular with DVC owners.
2. There's nothing to keep you from contacting more than one agency. Availability is the same whether you are dealing with an agency or directly with an owner. The big difference would be whether that agency has someone who owns at your desired resort and if they have offered up enough points to cover the reservation. Some agencies require a deposit that is only refunded if they cannot get you the reservation that you want, so make sure that you understand the terms before you commit.
3. Using the RTB is a way to ensure that you are dealing with someone who owns at the resort you want. They are often a little more flexible with their terms than the agencies. However, the agencies do provide you with an added layer of security in the event that the owner does something that results in you losing your reservation. It's all a matter of trust and if you are averse to risk, then using the RTB may not be for you. Generally speaking, I recommend using an agency for first-time renters.
4. Dining Plans must be added by the owner thru Member Services. They must be paid for in full at the time that the plan is added. At least one of the agencies recommends purchasing a Disney GC and they will offer the info from the GC to the owner so that the dining plan can be paid for in that manner.
5. Your guest may need to provide a passport upon check in. Although, there are no questions on the reservation form as to citizenship. Only an address is needed for all adults on the reservation. So it may not be necessary.

 

[Bing Showei]

For example, if we wanted to rent a trip for Dec. 9, do we put in our request on January 9th or January 1st?

People will often put in their peak-DVC season (Oct-mid Jan) request in ahead of their dates of interest so that the broker can get them into the system. Owners that are a match are then sent out a blast before the booking day that says something along the lines of, "Looking for owners to book studio for Dec 9-15, x points, at CCV, please respond immediately if you can..." The owner then accepts with the understanding that this booking will require jumping online as soon as that opens.

Not as much an issue with dedicated 2BRs, but if the resort you're interested in uses 2BR lock-offs, BWV uses only lockoffs, for example, a portion of those 2BRs will go very quickly and you'll want to track the studios on this thread: Predicted DVC booking patterns - Studios & 1-bedrooms (June 2018 Update). It'll give you a sense for how much ahead you should reach out to the broker.

It wouldn't hurt to call the broker sooner rather than later, to understand the process, as it relates to your specific needs. Also if you rent on the boards, this is a great link as well. Attention Potential Renters - PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE ...

 

[crisi]

Understand the room configurations - a DVC two bedroom will sleep eight - perhaps nine, and the most likely configuration is one king bed in the master bedroom that sleeps two, one pullout full sized sofa in the living room, and two beds (queen sized) in the second bedroom, one which may be a pullout. Perhaps a sleeper chair or a slightly smaller than twin murphy bed.

There will be no daily housekeeping (they should take your trash daily, but no one makes beds or gives you towels every day).

Also understand that the transaction is generally final - if some of your party decide that they can't afford this trip and back out in August for a December trip, it is unlikely you will be able to drop to a smaller unit. A private rental may be able to be more flexible, but there are a lot of reasons that reservations cannot be changed (availability, points expiration) that aren't in the owners control.

There must be an owner with points available the match your reservation. This is not guaranteed, as there is a lot of interest in rentals, and most owners use their own points. So have alternate plans if you cannot secure a reservation.

 

[robinb]

1. Owners can book a reservation exactly 11 months before the check in date but only for their home resort and only for up to 7 consecutive nights. However, for early December, I would recommend contacting the rental agency at least a week prior to that. If renting directly from an owner thru the RTB. you may want to line one up earlier than that because the first couple of weeks in December are very popular with DVC owners.
2. There's nothing to keep you from contacting more than one agency. Availability is the same whether you are dealing with an agency or directly with an owner. The big difference would be whether that agency has someone who owns at your desired resort and if they have offered up enough points to cover the reservation. Some agencies require a deposit that is only refunded if they cannot get you the reservation that you want, so make sure that you understand the terms before you commit.
3. Using the RTB is a way to ensure that you are dealing with someone who owns at the resort you want. They are often a little more flexible with their terms than the agencies. However, the agencies do provide you with an added layer of security in the event that the owner does something that results in you losing your reservation. It's all a matter of trust and if you are averse to risk, then using the RTB may not be for you. Generally speaking, I recommend using an agency for first-time renters.
4. Dining Plans must be added by the owner thru Member Services. They must be paid for in full at the time that the plan is added. At least one of the agencies recommends purchasing a Disney GC and they will offer the info from the GC to the owner so that the dining plan can be paid for in that manner.
5. Your guest may need to provide a passport upon check in. Although, there are no questions on the reservation form as to citizenship. Only an address is needed for all adults on the reservation. So it may not be necessary.

Great advise! I would actually contact an agency at least a MONTH in advance of when the reservation can be made so they have time to work with their members.

 

[Laura's Dad]

Thanks for the wonderful advice. Is it easier to rent a dedicated two bedroom instead of a lock-off? We have stayed in a 2 bedroom dedicated at the BCV several years ago in September. We really liked the two queens in the extra bedroom vs, the sleeper sofa.

 

[Matty B13]

Thanks for the wonderful advice. Is it easier to rent a dedicated two bedroom instead of a lock-off? We have stayed in a 2 bedroom dedicated at the BCV several years ago in September. We really liked the two queens in the extra bedroom vs, the sleeper sofa.

No, because the lock-off consists of a 1-bedroom unit connected to a studio unit, chances of the studio 1/2 of the 2-bedroom unit being available at the 7 month mark is slim at BCV. You would have to find an owner at BCV with the 11 month booking advantage to have a chance of booking it.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for the wonderful advice. Is it easier to rent a dedicated two bedroom instead of a lock-off? We have stayed in a 2 bedroom dedicated at the BCV several years ago in September. We really liked the two queens in the extra bedroom vs, the sleeper sofa.

The dedicated 2BR is probably easier to book.

 

[crisi]

I'd just ask for either and be content with whichever you get.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I'd just ask for either and be content with whichever you get.

I think I'd recommend asking for the dedicated 2BR at a couple different resorts that were acceptable. Or maybe with the broker it's better to stick with one resort?