Renting DVC points vs. "regular" resort ressies

[Samsma]

It is kind of surprising how much more Fri. and Sat. cost in terms of points. We are staying the full week though, because I'm too lazy to do a split stay. It's tempting to move to the Poly for the weekend because I've always wanted to stay there, but my parents are coming with us, and I don't think my dad would be too wild about changing resorts. That, combined with the prospect of having to move all the kids' stuff, was sufficient to convince me to stay put. But we're getting a 2 br villa at OKW for about the same price as 2 rooms at a moderate, which sounds like a good deal to me.

You could always see if there is availability thru CRO for the weekend. I believe it would cost less thru Disney and then rent your points during the week nights.

 

[kimberh]

I am getting different answers directly from Disney on this one. We are thinking about renting points from a dvc member. The member (who we've not met) keeps pushing us towards SSR. We'd rather stay at a different resort and it doesn't have to be a villa. The question is...if we get her points can they be used at ANY resort or just the Villas. Can they used on any room including standard rooms or just the suites. The member is telling us we'd have to stay at one of the Villas but Disney gives us yes and no answers depending on who we speak to. IS ANYONE 100% SURE OF THE ANSWER? PLEASE clear this up for us!THANKS!

There are several things to take into account on this and I don't think I will cover them all in one post. You should probably go over to the DVC boards and read. For one: If the owner you are dealing with is a SSR owner, they have a 8-11 month booking window there, so a better chance of getting the date and room size you are wanting at SSR. If you don't want to stay at SSR, then look for another owner if you are planning to stay 8-11 months from now. If you are staying sooner, points are points. The question now is, is there availability at the smaller resorts? If you are within the 7 month window, probably not. Things change all the time, we never know what is available, until we call, it can change while we are on the phone. I have had a room leave while I was trying to book it.
2. At 7 months, the owner can book at the other DVC resorts.
3. If you are asking about the Deluxe hotels, the points to rent at these hotels are very high per night, not a good use of DVC points, plus Disney has just started charging us a $95.00 fee on top of our points. Not a good deal.

Hope this answers what you were asking.

 

[Sammie]

I am getting different answers directly from Disney on this one. We are thinking about renting points from a dvc member. The member (who we've not met) keeps pushing us towards SSR. We'd rather stay at a different resort and it doesn't have to be a villa. The question is...if we get her points can they be used at ANY resort or just the Villas. Can they used on any room including standard rooms or just the suites. The member is telling us we'd have to stay at one of the Villas but Disney gives us yes and no answers depending on who we speak to. IS ANYONE 100% SURE OF THE ANSWER? PLEASE clear this up for us!THANKS!

First off Disney is not going to have anything to do with a rental from a DVC member and any info they are giving you is irrelvant. Because to book a DVC rental you have to speak to DVC Member Service not CRO and unless you are a member you can't do that. If you wish to book with Disney you will have to pay their rates and they are much higher than rentals.

That said, you save no money trying to rent anything using DVC points other than DVC resorts with included OKW, SSR, BWV, VWL, BCV and the new AKV. You have studios, one bedroom and two bedroom units at all and Grand Villas at some.

A member can book outside of thier home,(home resort), but only 7 months before you arrival. At their home resort they can book as early as 11 months out.

If you truly want to stay somewhere other than SSR, and this member is not willing to see if she can get it, deal with someone else.

 

[brownhouse]

There are several things to take into account on this and I don't think I will cover them all in one post. You should probably go over to the DVC boards and read. For one: If the owner you are dealing with is a SSR owner, they have a 8-11 month booking window there, so a better chance of getting the date and room size you are wanting at SSR. If you don't want to stay at SSR, then look for another owner if you are planning to stay 8-11 months from now. If you are staying sooner, points are points. The question now is, is there availability at the smaller resorts? If you are within the 7 month window, probably not. Things change all the time, we never know what is available, until we call, it can change while we are on the phone. I have had a room leave while I was trying to book it.
2. At 7 months, the owner can book at the other DVC resorts.
3. If you are asking about the Deluxe hotels, the points to rent at these hotels are very high per night, not a good use of DVC points, plus Disney has just started charging us a $95.00 fee on top of our points. Not a good deal.

Hope this answers what you were asking.

Yes it helps but also tells me how much I don't know! I have no idea if I'm in her "7 month window"...not really getting that! We are trying to go either the first part of November of the first part of December (which everyone is saying is very difficult to do at this time). I hear you saying the deluxe resorts are not a wise use of points but what about the standard rooms at a value resort or a moderate resort? Can I just visit a board (can you refer me?) and hunt for points at the best price and use them anywhere? I am clear on the fact that the owner has to make reservations. What's a good price for a point? Sorry for all of the questions...I am just now learning about these points and they seem like they can save you a lot of money if you use them wisely.

 

[brownhouse]

First off Disney is not going to have anything to do with a rental from a DVC member and any info they are giving you is irrelvant. Because to book a DVC rental you have to speak to DVC Member Service not CRO and unless you are a member you can't do that. If you wish to book with Disney you will have to pay their rates and they are much higher than rentals.

That said, you save no money trying to rent anything using DVC points other than DVC resorts with included OKW, SSR, BWV, VWL, BCV and the new AKV. You have studios, one bedroom and two bedroom units at all and Grand Villas at some.

A member can book outside of thier home,(home resort), but only 7 months before you arrival. At their home resort they can book as early as 11 months out.

If you truly want to stay somewhere other than SSR, and this member is not willing to see if she can get it, deal with someone else.

So I need to decide what resort we want and then find a dvc member with that home resort...is that right? We're trying to go the first week of December...maybe the first week of NOvember.

 

[Sammie]

So I need to decide what resort we want and then find a dvc member with that home resort...is that right? We're trying to go the first week of December...maybe the first week of NOvember.

If you are talking the first week of Dec of this year and possibly even Nov. you may have waited to late to rent points. Those are very busy times for the DVC resorts and most members book 11-7 months out with many having to call exactly at 11 months to get what they want.

That might be why the member is offering you SSR, that might be all that is even available.

Also you need to realize that while renting can save you money you lose the flexibilty of cancellation and changing your reservation, so you need to be sure of what you want and when you want and the member will handle everything and you will not be able to speak to Disney about it, as it is a private transaction.

 

[brownhouse]

If you are talking the first week of Dec of this year and possibly even Nov. you may have waited to late to rent points. Those are very busy times for the DVC resorts and most members book 11-7 months out with many having to call exactly at 11 months to get what they want.

That might be why the member is offering you SSR, that might be all that is even available.

Also you need to realize that while renting can save you money you lose the flexibilty of cancellation and changing your reservation, so you need to be sure of what you want and when you want and the member will handle everything and you will not be able to speak to Disney about it, as it is a private transaction.

Ok...thanks for the advice. I was hoping I might find someone who for whatever reason can't use their points and need to get rid of them at the last minute. I'll search for a message board to see what's available...if anything.

 

[mericletwins]

DVC wise, a studio room for my targeted dates (Nov. 7-12, gotta be these dates) at SSR would be 75 points, and studio room at OKW would be 66 points. Assuming I can rent for $10/point, the room would cost us $750 for SSR or $660 for OKW.

Are the sofa beds as bad as regular sofa beds anywhere else? I know that with DVC there isn't daily Mousekeeping service, and that's not a deciding factor for us. As long as we arrange for fresh towels daily we're good to go.

THANKS!

Hmmm....a Jersey weeker. I have stayed at OKW and loved it. My bro has slept on the sofa beds in the DVC resorts (OKW and BCV)many times and has been fine. I think you should rent and stay DVC.

 

[kimberh]

Yes it helps but also tells me how much I don't know! I have no idea if I'm in her "7 month window"...not really getting that! We are trying to go either the first part of November of the first part of December (which everyone is saying is very difficult to do at this time). I hear you saying the deluxe resorts are not a wise use of points but what about the standard rooms at a value resort or a moderate resort? Can I just visit a board (can you refer me?) and hunt for points at the best price and use them anywhere? I am clear on the fact that the owner has to make reservations. What's a good price for a point? Sorry for all of the questions...I am just now learning about these points and they seem like they can save you a lot of money if you use them wisely.

The 7 month window is: 7 months from the day you or the person wanting to make the reservation wants to check into the resort. Some wait until the check out date, for the 7 month window. The dates you are wanting are well within the 7 month window. To get Dec, I booked in Jan 07. Hope this make sense.

 

[Sammie]

Ok...thanks for the advice. I was hoping I might find someone who for whatever reason can't use their points and need to get rid of them at the last minute. I'll search for a message board to see what's available...if anything.

It wouldn't make a difference about needing to get rid of thier points if everything is booked for the time you want.

You can check the Rent/trade board but as I said if you are wanting to book something in Nov or Dec with DVC points there might not be anything available as most booked months ago for that time period.

Someone might have a reservation that they have already booked that they can't use, that they could sell you.

Use year means you can book 11 months before you arrive and for hard to get times such as the first of December and Nov. because of Food and Wine; many booked 11 months prior to when they wanted to go.

 

[BCV23]

Sammie, I believe all villas at BCV have the new sleepers too. I know ours did in May and all other reports have been the same.

A renter can use the DDP. The owner has to add it to the reservation and the renter pays upon check in. However, no free DDP. As of January, renters can add the deluxe plan as well according to reports. Owners can for sure.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I agree with Sammie. Fire sale points (someone who needs to rent their points now or lose money) are probably not going to help you at this point unless the member also has a reservation to go with those points and can't use it. People can offer you all sorts of points at ridiculous prices, but if they don't already have a reservation, you are out of luck.

If you do find a member with a reservation to purchase, they may charge a premium (more than $12 or $13 a point) to get that reservation since most of the resorts are sold out. SSR may be the only one that still has availability.

It sounds like you may need to do a little more homework on renting from a member because it sounds like you still don't understand the process. You might want to forget about renting a reservation this time and look into it for a future stay where you can get to know the member you are purchasing the reservatio from and feel more comfortable.

There is a Rent/Trade Board on the DIS with FAQs at the top of the page to help you learn a little more.

 

[Lynne M]

I am getting different answers directly from Disney on this one. We are thinking about renting points from a dvc member. The member (who we've not met) keeps pushing us towards SSR. We'd rather stay at a different resort and it doesn't have to be a villa. The question is...if we get her points can they be used at ANY resort or just the Villas. Can they used on any room including standard rooms or just the suites. The member is telling us we'd have to stay at one of the Villas but Disney gives us yes and no answers depending on who we speak to. IS ANYONE 100% SURE OF THE ANSWER? PLEASE clear this up for us!THANKS!

I think part of the confusion here is that 'renting points' is a misnomer. What you'd actually be doing is renting a reservation from a DVC member. Kind of like renting your neighbor's house at the shore for a week.

You, yourself, can't get points or do anything with points. The member will need to make the reservation and all of the other arrangements (DME, DDP, etc.) for you.

And, as others have said, it's important to understand that you will NOT be dealing with Disney. At all. It's a private transaction between you and the member, and Disney does not and will not get involved.

As for where points can be used....they can be used at any of the DVC resorts, of course (OKW, SSR, BWV, BCV, VWL, AKV, HH, VB). As members, we also have the ability to use points at the moderate and deluxe WDW resorts, but it takes a lot more points to stay at those resorts. For a renter, there wouldn't be any savings at all, in fact, it'd cost you a good bit less to pay cash in most cases. If you're going to rent points, it only makes sense to stay at the DVC resorts.

 

[mikesmom]

I am getting different answers directly from Disney on this one. We are thinking about renting points from a dvc member. The member (who we've not met) keeps pushing us towards SSR. We'd rather stay at a different resort and it doesn't have to be a villa. The question is...if we get her points can they be used at ANY resort or just the Villas. Can they used on any room including standard rooms or just the suites. The member is telling us we'd have to stay at one of the Villas but Disney gives us yes and no answers depending on who we speak to. IS ANYONE 100% SURE OF THE ANSWER? PLEASE clear this up for us!THANKS!

OK, here's the 100% sure answer. You can't "get" her points. All you can do is have her make a reservation and put it in your name.

Disney can't give you the answer because they don't handle the DVC rooms, unless there are some available for cash. You don't have to have a reservation at the Villas, the member can reserve a regular resort for you, but they cost a LOT more than on cash - not worth it for you.

The member is pushing you toward SSR because everything else DVC is sold out that week - actually I'm surprised she even got consecutive nights at SSR. If you want a different resort - DVC or other WDW resort - you are going to have to go through CRO and pay cash this time. If you want to shoot for November next year, start looking to rent points in December, when the 11 month window for DVC opens up. Hope this helps.