Renting points or buying more?

[jberndt10]

We recently purchased 50 direct points at AKV, hoping to go every 3 years and with OTU POINTS possibly get a 2 bed value during adventure season. We were aware there are only a few of these. What our guide neglected to tell us that the OTU points can only be applied at the 7 month window. My question is if I rent from an outside party, AKV, same use year can I make my reservation at 11 months...Or should we just look for a small resale contract

 

[Bing Showei]

The rental points wouldn't even have to be the same UY. As long as your reservation falls within the UY of both direct and rented point sets, you can book 11 months out.

The big caveat is with a different UY, you'll have to phone in to be able to access those points. This means while others gunning for those AKV value rooms are online at 7:55 ready to pull the trigger right at 8:00am when the booking window opens, you'll be staring at the clock for another hour before speed dialing Member Services.

The maximum number of OTU points you can buy is 24 and they expire at the end of your UY, regardless of whether or not you are able to use them. There are a lot of restrictions with OTU points.

Waiting for a small resale contract for a specific resort and a specific UY is setting yourself up for disappointment. The wait may be a short one, but more likely would mean stalking all the resale brokers, getting on their mailing lists for some time. You're reaching out IMMEDIATELY should that exact contract come up. Assuming you're able to put in an offer, you're going to pay a heavy premium for small resale contracts. Most on the boards would argue the price difference is not worth the hassle of resale, and with the closing cost disparity (DVD charges MUCH less for closing on small contracts), the cost savings of resale are minimal.

It might make sense to just buy another 25point contract direct for AKV from DVD directly. The added benefit of buying direct is that as soon as you pass your 10 day rescind window, that resale contract you're looking for will immediately become available.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You wouldn't be renting points from another member. You'd be transferring in points from another member and you are limited to one transfer in or out per UY. And unless the points you transfer in are exactly the same UY and resort, you won't be able to see them online. So you can't book online like Bing said.

 

[disneynutz]

I would give yourself some time to learn the system, the resorts. Then you can decide how many points you really need and which resort is really your favorite. Often what looks good initially will change with experience.

Bill

 

[CraigInPA]

You could use your present points to book the start of the vacation, and line up a rental from someone like David's to book the last few days of the vacation. What you're describing is a transfer. It would be tough to line up a transfer for your resort and UY to make it work seamlessly. You'd have to do this every 3 years, and I just don't see either of these two scenarios as being workable.

I assume you are looking at a 6 night stay, since 6 nights at a 2 bedroom value in adventure season is 155 points. This would require 5 OTU points. If you extended it to 7 nights, you'd need 35 points. But, since you're limited to 24 OTU points, you couldn't do that.

The smallest DVC contract is 25 points. If you bought a 25 point contract, you'd have a total of 225 points every 3 years. That would be enough to book a 2 bedroom value in Adventure, Choice, and Dream seasons without any need to use OTU points.

However, you won't be finding a lot of 25 point contracts coming up for sale resale. Those that do will be fairly close in price to buying the same points direct, due to the higher closing costs. And, you'll be waiting potentially a long time to get a 25 point contract that matches your resort and UY. For a small contract like this, it's often better to just bite the bullet and buy it direct.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I think trying to use a small contract for an every 3 year stay is only a good strategy if using a 7 month booking window and OTU points. The problem is, you're trying to get AKV value with that strategy....and it's not super likely to work.

The problem with just going and buying more points and using the 11 month window only is that you are almost always going to leave stranded points by vacationing every 3 years. If you bought 25 more, you'd have an extra 70 points. Even if you just book standard, you'd have an extra 40. I guess you'd have to be willing to rent them...? Or split stay somewhere with higher points req's and 7 month availability?

I think you're probably going to be stuck booking your AKV value (assuming you have lots of date flexibility to get that for sure) for five nights and then using the remainder of your points plus OTU points at the 7 month window for wherever you can find and afford. I personally wouldn't change rooms for 1 night. So, I'd try to switch out my 1st night or last night and add one to it. So, 4 nights in AKV value and 2 nights somewhere else (likely SSR or OKW...maybe a BWV standard if you're lucky enough to find). There's also always a slim chance you'll get your AKV since it's just one night.

OR you just plan on staying 5 nights standard view (exactly 150 points Sun - Thurs) (and book a 6th night on cash?)

OR book 5 on value and 6th night on cash (I don't know if you can get a value room on cash...?) - renting out your handful of leftover points to help cover the cost?

OR....or....or......I'm out of ideas.

Good luck!

 

[CarolMN]

We recently purchased 50 direct points at AKV, hoping to go every 3 years and with OTU POINTS possibly get a 2 bed value during adventure season. We were aware there are only a few of these. What our guide neglected to tell us that the OTU points can only be applied at the 7 month window. My question is if I rent from an outside party, AKV, same use year can I make my reservation at 11 months...Or should we just look for a small resale contract

Depending on the dates within Adventure Season that you plan to visit, getting a 2 bedroom value villa will be a challenge. There is no certainty that you will be able to get one even at 11 months. There is a LOT of competition for those rooms and some of the weeks within Adventure season are among the most popular times of the year for DVC Members to visit. Some members believe DVC will eventually reallocate the point charts to make those weeks more expensive. It is very rare to find a value villa available at 7 months.

If you are set on that particular time of the year, consider purchasing enough points to book standard view - those are much more likely to be consistently available to you at 11 months.

All that said, if you are able to arrange a transfer into your account of AKV points with your same use year, you will be able to use the points to book online. Keep in mind that it may be difficult to find another member with those points who is willing and able to make a transfer. Most will offer points for transfer want the recipient to take all of their available points (due to the one transfer per year per membership restriction).

While I agree with CraiginPA that you may be better off renting the last few nights of the vacation, the brokers must have have an AKV owners who is willing & able to make the reservation for you when your 11 month window rolls around. Due to the popularity of the value villas and rental demand that exceeds the supply, the odds of your success through a broker is quite low (IMO).

In summary: It's best not to count on consistently getting a value villa - better to consider it as a bonus when it happens.

Good luck!

 

[jberndt10]

We knew going into this the chances of getting a 2 bed Value villa were slim, and realistically may only need it once given the ages of our children, just trying to increase my chances. Thanks for all the ideas.

 

[jberndt10]

Bit the bullet and bought another 50 resale. I have no patience and it’s only money, right??