Some questions about renting points

[tracilicious]

Hi. We are going to WDW the first week of May, but won't be able to book until the very beginning of March. I just found out that the dining plan is available to DVC renters, so I'm considering renting. Is there any chance of getting points on that short of notice? I'm thinking of VWL, but am open to other resorts. There will be me, my dh, my ds (3), dd (1), and my niece (9). Is it worth it? Are they nicer than the standard rooms? I'm nervous about getting ripped off. How likely is that to happen? Thanks for any info!

 

[Deb & Bill]

VWL is the smallest DVC resort, so there is a good chance it will be booked solid for May by the time you want to make a reservation in March. Though, early May might be more available.

Even DVC members have not gotten the details yet about the dining plan, so there is no information that it is available for people renting a reservation. You might have to show your member card to get it. We just don't know.

Your arrangement will be between you and an individual member and Disney will not be involved. With only two months between the reservation date and making the reservation, the member may require full payment at that time. You'll have to work that out with the member.

 

[Susieab]

I would definitely look into it. You should post over on the Rent/Trade board and see what happens. I don't have any points to rent right now bc I am planning a family vacation soon but someone may be able to help. They can at least check availability and give you their terms/prices. I think things are going for between $10-11pp, maybe more.

The rooms are much nice and more spacious than the standard hotel and you may end up spending less than booking from Disney.

Good Luck!

 

[CarolMN]

Assume you are considering a studio. Keep in mind that the WDW DVC resort studios have one queen bed and a double size sleep sofa plus a portable crip (Pac 'n Play). The OKW studios have two queen beds in them.

If you haven't already, go tto the Rent/Trade Forum and read all of the sticky threads at the top of the page. Feel free to ask specific questions here.

As far back as I can remember (late 90's), there has been only 1 report of a renter having problems. Owners are more likely to have problems with renters (and there haven't been many reports of that, either).

The most important thing is to completely understand the terms of the owner you choose to rent from before you send $$. Terms vary between owners. You can count on having a much more restrictive cancellation policy than you would if you went through CRO/WDWTC.

Since you can't book until March, you will almost surely be required to pay in advance - maybe as soon as the reservation is made. Most owners consider renting to be a non-refundable trransaction. Some will allow you to reschedule your trip, but that will depend on the status and epiration of the points used to make the reservation.

Availability is often limited 60 days or less from arrival. You may or may not have much choice of resort. However, May is one of the easier months to get a DVC reservation.

You will not get daily housekeeping when you rent from a DVC member. (Most members, including me, consider that a plus, though. I don't like worrying about scheduling my day around housekeeping.).

Renting can be an awesome deal for those who are willing to assume a bit of risk.

Best wishes -

 

[carolina_yankee]

Hi. We are going to WDW the first week of May, but won't be able to book until the very beginning of March. I just found out that the dining plan is available to DVC renters, so I'm considering renting. Is there any chance of getting points on that short of notice? I'm thinking of VWL, but am open to other resorts. There will be me, my dh, my ds (3), dd (1), and my niece (9). Is it worth it? Are they nicer than the standard rooms? I'm nervous about getting ripped off. How likely is that to happen? Thanks for any info!

Just a bit of personal experience - Studios in May seemed to be going very quickly the other day in the Epcot area resorts, probably due to the flower & garden festival. However, the studio we rented (BWV) was about 40% of the cost of rack-rate - an excellent deal and cheaper than a moderate. For your size family, a 1 BR might be better (and might be easier to come by since schools will be in session).

As for renting points, I posted my request and got several responses fairly quickly. The person I contacted was very prompt, friendly, upfront, and efficient so it's clear this is a good community to work with! Good luck.

Dirk

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I'm thinking of VWL, but am open to other resorts.

Booking with such short notice (by DVC standards) you will more than likely end up at either OKW or SSR because they are the largest resorts and have more rooms available. If that is the case, you can always waitlist for the resort that would have been your first choice (VWL). You should probably establish contact with an owner through the Rent/Trade board to have them check and see what is available for the dates you want. They may even be able to work out a payment plan that will allow you to reserve now and make final payment in March.

DVC resorts are considered deluxe...they are nicer than standard rooms as they are larger and include refrigerators, microwave ovens, etc.

Good luck with your planning.

 

[Deb & Bill]

One additional thought, if you go with the wait list for VWL, it will ultimately use more points than SSR or OKW. So you might owe the member more money right before you go. Just something to consider.