Should I rent my banked points to avoid them expiring?

[3kidz4dis]

We are thinking about traveling in October and I have 150 banked points that are expiring in November. I am concerned that if for some reason there is a hurricane, sickness, ect. and we have to for some reason cancel, we would lose those banked points. I was thinking, is it a solution to rent my points now and then rent from someone else points that have a further expiration. Also, are you allowed to rent banked points?

 

[Laurajean1014]

Yes to all of your questions.

Your points are worth more than $1500, so it makes sense to rent or transfer them.

On a tricker note: you can auction them on eBay.

Try the DVC rent/trade board to view the interest.

Good luck.

 

[Laurajean1014]

Something like this post would be up your alley.


http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1136297

 

[3kidz4dis]

Thanks for your replies. I do have a few followup questions. Instead of renting out the reservation, wouldn't it be better to rent out the points themselves? I would assume the expiration would be the same so I would need to do this soon.

Also, my other question is would we still qualify for the dining plan if we use our own 150 and rented 150 from somewhere else?

 

[byoung]

I'll take them if you are just throwing them away buy letting them expire. Rent them.

 

[CarolMN]

We are thinking about traveling in October and I have 150 banked points that are expiring in November. I am concerned that if for some reason there is a hurricane, sickness, ect. and we have to for some reason cancel, we would lose those banked points. I was thinking, is it a solution to rent my points now and then rent from someone else points that have a further expiration. Also, are you allowed to rent banked points?

Rent my own points, then rent someone elses to take a vacation is waaaaaay tooo much work/hassle for very little return, IMHO.

I'd use my own points for the October trip and if I were really, really worried about having to cance (due to getting sick or hurricanes), I'd buy trip insurance. And since October is a relatively popular time to visit, I'd plan to rent the reservation if I ended up not able to use it myself. That seems a whole lot easier and a whole lot less stressful to me.

IMHO, renting (whether you are the owner or renter) is not a guaranteed risk-free, hassle free, worry free deal. That's especially true if it's your first experience and you haven't figured out how to avoid the "bargain shoppers", or "high maintenance" renters or the owners who really don't know what they are doing. My opinion. Yours may differ.

Best wishes -

 

[dianeschlicht]

Carol is absolutely right!

 

[3kidz4dis]

Rent my own points, then rent someone elses to take a vacation is waaaaaay tooo much work/hassle for very little return, IMHO.

I'd use my own points for the October trip and if I were really, really worried about having to cance (due to getting sick or hurricanes), I'd buy trip insurance. And since October is a relatively popular time to visit, I'd plan to rent the reservation if I ended up not able to use it myself. That seems a whole lot easier and a whole lot less stressful to me.

IMHO, renting (whether you are the owner or renter) is not a guaranteed risk-free, hassle free, worry free deal. That's especially true if it's your first experience and you haven't figured out how to avoid the "bargain shoppers", or "high maintenance" renters or the owners who really don't know what they are doing. My opinion. Yours may differ.

Best wishes -

I have never thought about it that way, I guess it would be a lot of hassle for something that may not happen. (the trip being cancelled). Now, do you think October is a popular time to visit? We were thinking that by going Sept/Oct would be a good time to visit as far as the crowds being low. Is that not true?

 

[kda]

October is a very busy time for DVC, particularly at BWV and BCV, because they're close to Epcot and the Food and Wine Festival.

Quieter times and reportedly lower crowds at WDW do NOT correspond with quieter times at DVC properties at WDW. There's usually wonderful things going on at Disney all year long, and when it's supposed to be less crowded at the parks, DVC members take advantage of the opportunity to book when there's lower points.

If you don't have reservations, please check on availability and try to book ASAP.

(Another very busy time for DVC is December. Less busy parks, lower points, beautiful decorations, MVMCP and CP.)

 

[3kidz4dis]

October is a very busy time for DVC, particularly at BWV and BCV, because they're close to Epcot and the Food and Wine Festival.

Quieter times and reportedly lower crowds at WDW do NOT correspond with quieter times at DVC properties at WDW. There's usually wonderful things going on at Disney all year long, and when it's supposed to be less crowded at the parks, DVC members take advantage of the opportunity to book when there's lower points.

If you don't have reservations, please check on availability and try to book ASAP.

(Another very busy time for DVC is December. Less busy parks, lower points, beautiful decorations, MVMCP and CP.)

How is November at DVC resorts? Is that a better time to go?

 

[dianeschlicht]

How is November at DVC resorts? Is that a better time to go?

Define "better", and define WHEN in November. DVC resorts operate on a the premise that they will be at or near 100% occupancy at all times. This is true of most timeshares. It helps keep the maintenance fees down for the owners. Much of November is still Food and Wine, and the end of November has the MNSSHP which is a BIG draw for DVCers. Do you have a December use year? If so, you have to use the points prior to November 30. If you are concerned about the possibility of needing to cancel the trip, then I guess I would go for an earlier time that would allow me more time to rent out the ressie, should I be unable to use it.

For What it's worth, we are pushing 60 (DH is already there), and while health issues are always a concern, we don't every "plan" on having our trip interrupted. We plan as if we will always be fine. We have had health concerns come up, but on those times, I rented an ECV and took in the parks on wheels instead of feet.

With the exception of September and to a lesser degree January, DVC resorts will be busy most of the time. Some of those times are popular enough with owners, that they need to be reserved at the first possible date in the 11 month window (holidays and the first 2 weeks of December as well as F&W). If you are thinking in terms of this year, you need to nail down a date and get your reservation ASAP. As it is, you might not have a lot to choose from if you are thinking in terms of one of the smaller DVC resorts.

 

[3kidz4dis]

Define "better", and define WHEN in November. DVC resorts operate on a the premise that they will be at or near 100% occupancy at all times. This is true of most timeshares. It helps keep the maintenance fees down for the owners. Much of November is still Food and Wine, and the end of November has the MNSSHP which is a BIG draw for DVCers. Do you have a December use year? If so, you have to use the points prior to November 30. If you are concerned about the possibility of needing to cancel the trip, then I guess I would go for an earlier time that would allow me more time to rent out the ressie, should I be unable to use it.

For What it's worth, we are pushing 60 (DH is already there), and while health issues are always a concern, we don't every "plan" on having our trip interrupted. We plan as if we will always be fine. We have had health concerns come up, but on those times, I rented an ECV and took in the parks on wheels instead of feet.

With the exception of September and to a lesser degree January, DVC resorts will be busy most of the time. Some of those times are popular enough with owners, that they need to be reserved at the first possible date in the 11 month window (holidays and the first 2 weeks of December as well as F&W). If you are thinking in terms of this year, you need to nail down a date and get your reservation ASAP. As it is, you might not have a lot to choose from if you are thinking in terms of one of the smaller DVC resorts.

I do not intend to mislead so I need to clarify. This trip we are referring to is not this Fall but fall of 2008. Crazy as it seems I need to get the time of the year we are going ironed out now because we own Marriott vacation club as well on the opposite years of going to DVC and I am trying to nail down our vacation dates at the Marriott for next year but can't do so until I know what I am doing with Disney. The reason is this: we traveled last month and thought that we would go back May to Disney in 2008 however we want to use our Marriott in the fall of 2007 and if we do that we cannot take the kids out of school in the fall of 2007 and then go to Disney May 2008 because it is the same school year. So now we are trying to decide on when we want to go to Disney and plan our Marriott trip around that. We thought that we may want to try Disney in the fall instead of May but maybe we should just stick with May which means our vacation with Marriott would need to be May because of the school situation. We would rather use Marriott in the fall of 07 because we would be going to Disneyland which would be better than going in May (Memorial Day week.) We own at SS, stayed at BWV last month and would like to try BCV next trip. I did talk to member services and she said that my chances of getting BCV in May is the same for the fall. So I thought I should explain further what my question is all about. We would like the fall because of the crowds and are flexible in the fall. Last 2 weeks of Sept thru the middle of Dec. In May we are not as flexible, only the first two weeks works for us. Sorry this is so long, I thought I should explain. Thanks for your input!

 

[dianeschlicht]

May is a great time to go to either WDW or DL. I was just at DL the last week of May, and the crowds were non-existant.

If you can book right at the 7 month window, you may be able to get BCV for October/November, but you would need to be quick and probably try booking day by day right at 9 AM each day.

 

[bpmorley]

That is exactly what you should do.

 

[paults]

We are thinking about traveling in October and I have 150 banked points that are expiring in November. I am concerned that if for some reason there is a hurricane, sickness, ect. and we have to for some reason cancel

we go in oct every year and if we worried about storms or sickness and having to cancel then we would never travel anywhere.
we can't plan trips in hopes there's no storm or sickness, that's just life.

If your that worried I would rent the pts then book with CRO a regular room, that way you can cancel 5 days out and lose nothing.

I was thinking, is it a solution to rent my points now and then rent from someone else points that have a further expiration. Also, are you allowed to rent banked points?

yes to all as others have said but what a pain to do.

good luck

 

[3kidz4dis]

May is a great time to go to either WDW or DL. I was just at DL the last week of May, and the crowds were non-existant.

If you can book right at the 7 month window, you may be able to get BCV for October/November, but you would need to be quick and probably try booking day by day right at 9 AM each day.

Dianeschlicht,

When you went to DL the last week in May, did you go Memorial Day week? I was assuming Memorial Day week would be busy. How was the weather, did you run into "June Gloom?" How would you compare DW for the two different times? May vs October? Which did you enjoy more and which had the lower crowds in the parks? The one thing I did notice was that the parks do close earlier in October although we had so many late nights when we went in May I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing. Thanks as always for your help on this.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Dianeschlicht,

When you went to DL the last week in May, did you go Memorial Day week? I was assuming Memorial Day week would be busy. How was the weather, did you run into "June Gloom?" How would you compare DW for the two different times? May vs October? Which did you enjoy more and which had the lower crowds in the parks? The one thing I did notice was that the parks do close earlier in October although we had so many late nights when we went in May I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing. Thanks as always for your help on this.

We were actually in DL the week after Memorial Day. The weather was SPECTACULAR! The only bad thing was that I didn't put on enough sun screen. We have never been to WDW in May, but usually go in October, December, January, and March. We don't like crowds so we tend to go the less crowded times. That means we are usually there when parks close early. It has never been a problem for us, because we tend to go as soon as parks open, and then take a midday break. Our touring plan usually puts us in Epcot later in the day, since that park is open until 9.