Renting points help

[JamiLeigh]

Hello there! I'm in the early process of planning our fall 2015 trip. I realize that's 2 years away but there will be 8 of us and we all need to start budgeting costs. It will be myself, DH, DS 7, DS 5, DM, DFIL, DMIL, and DBIL. We will do 2 rooms with my mom staying with us and my in laws in another room. My DH wants a monorail resort and is insisting he is okay getting a Poly or CR standard room and sleeping in the same room as my mom. I feel like getting 2 one bedroom villas at BLT will work best. Can someone tell me all the ins and outs of renting points? Pros/Cons. I know I'll have to purchase tickets separately. We plan to go when they offer free dinning, can I get that with a ticket purchase or do I need to book a room as well? Does Disney ever offer discounts on a DVC rental or is it always cheaper renting points? Also, I read that if you rent points you won't get cleaning service, just trash and towel on 4th day. That is totally fine, we wouldn't be in the room much anyway, so do I just wash our towels? Can we just request extra?
I just need all the ins and outs on this.
Thanks!!

 

[DMKEDM]

First, you can't get free dining (or any other discount) when you rent points--the free dining promo is tied to paying full rack rate for your room--plus, when you rent points, you aren't paying Disney for your room, you're paying the DVC owner you rent from...you can have the DVC member you rent from add a dining plan for you--but it has to paid for in full (Disney rules) at the time it's added, so you'll have to work out a mutually agreeable payment plan w/the owner you rent from...

Second, you're correct that DVC on points gets you trash & towel service on day 4, and full cleaning on day 8...you can request extra towels, but they're not "free" (haven't checked prices recently, but used to be $6 for an extra set of four)...in a one-bedroom you'll have a washer & dryer in your villa so you can do a load of laundry any time you want...one load's worth of detergent will be there on check-in, and you'll get another on trash 'n towel day--otherwise, you can bring (or buy onsite) detergent if you want to do more laundry than that...

Third, points rentals are private transactions between the DVC owner and the renter (even if you use a service like David's, all he's doing is putting the owner and the renter together and handling the money--the owner still has to do the reservation)...so each owner will have different processes and procedures...most have little to no flexibility with respect to cancellations; many require payment in full up front. A great deal of trust is required, on both sides (the owner remains liable for any damage the renter may do to the villa).

You can read all about renting on the rent/trade boards, or go to David's website--he's got a good explanation of the process there.

Good luck.

 

[deakam]

You can also book rooms at DVC through Disney. It is quite a bit more expensive than renting but they have offered discounts and currently free dining when you book through Disney. A stdio at BLT for 2 adults for 6 nights with 7day tickets and free dining is running about $4000.00. With this option you also get the regular daily maid service.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...Secondd, you're correct that DVC on points gets you trash & towel service on day 4, and full cleaning on day 8...you can request extra towels, but they're not "free" (haven't checked prices recently, but used to be $6 for an extra set of four)...in a one-bedroom you'll have a washer & dryer in your villa so you can do a load of laundry any time you want...one load's worth of detergent will be there on check-in, and you'll get another on trash 'n towel day--otherwise, you can bring (or buy onsite) detergent if you want to do more laundry than that.......

If you stay seven nights or less, you get your towels replaced and trash removed on day four. If you stay eight nights or more, you get a full cleaning on day four and trash removed and towels replaced on day eight. Then the cycle repeats for longer stays.

DVC members pay for everything they get. So if you request more towels, you'll pay for them. If you request more shampoo, you'll pay for that. If you request more coffee, you'll pay for that.

And if you purchase a reservation from a member and your guest suddenly cannot go, you still have a reservation that you must pay for. Or you lose whatever you have already paid the member. Most require at least half payment to make the reservation. Many require full payment to make it.