Split stay including a DVC Rental- feedback requested!

[adelaster]

So I have a garden-view at POFQ booked in December for five nights. After running some numbers and discussion with my partner, we want to try for a two night/three night split stay at a studio to potentially save over $260.

This is only our second visit and would be our first time renting points. I have some concerns/questions that I couldn't find addressed elsewhere, and wondered if I might borrow some wisdom!

1. Has anyone done this without travel insurance?
2. What happens if the owner cancels on us? (Looking at using the David company)
3. Will the room be cleaned before we arrive? I understand and am fine with no daily service, but have seen reviews stating the rooms were not cleaned between guest rentals. This is a large concern, especially since it is my understanding that I would have to relay any message to disney through david, then through the owner.
4. We plan on purchasing a dining plan & utliizing ME/luggage transition- is this complicated with a split stay of this variety where we go from a disney booking to a rental??
5. In your experience, are the savings worth it? Or are you treated like an outsider/lesser for renting?
6. Anything else I should be aware of before making this request?

Trying to assess the risk with this decision as there's no backing out afterwards. Thanks!

 

[Happiest.Haunt_999]

So I have a garden-view at POFQ booked in December for five nights. After running some numbers and discussion with my partner, we want to try for a two night/three night split stay at a studio to potentially save over $260.

This is only our second visit and would be our first time renting points. I have some concerns/questions that I couldn't find addressed elsewhere, and wondered if I might borrow some wisdom!

1. Has anyone done this without travel insurance?
2. What happens if the owner cancels on us? (Looking at using the David company)
3. Will the room be cleaned before we arrive? I understand and am fine with no daily service, but have seen reviews stating the rooms were not cleaned between guest rentals. This is a large concern, especially since it is my understanding that I would have to relay any message to disney through david, then through the owner.
4. We plan on purchasing a dining plan & utliizing ME/luggage transition- is this complicated with a split stay of this variety where we go from a disney booking to a rental??
5. In your experience, are the savings worth it? Or are you treated like an outsider/lesser for renting?
6. Anything else I should be aware of before making this request?

Trying to assess the risk with this decision as there's no backing out afterwards. Thanks!

1. Yes
2. This is unlikely
3. Yes it should be.
4. No it's simple. All you do is call bell services when you are ready to move the luggage and tell them where it's headed and they will take it and transfer it for you.
5. Yes. No.
6. Not that I can think of right now because I don't know what resort you are looking at staying at.

 

[Hopefully]

I certainly wouldn't do it for $260 in savings. Way not worth the aggravation

 

[adelaster]

I certainly wouldn't do it for $260 in savings. Way not worth the aggravation

What aggravation do you forsee in this scenario? $260 would cover the quick service for one of us, and is a pretty considerable amount of savings for my income.

 

[cmarsh31]

We did DVC rental to Disney booking (BCV to CR) in Feb. Totally loved it. Not sure we'll ever go back to just one resort for 7+ night stays. Seamless. Disney moved our luggage. We had the dining plan through the David's Rental but opted not to do dining for the 2nd half of the trip. Bought tickets for the length of stay from an outside vendor, but if you want to do a full package from Disney, you'd just get the park tickets for the whole trip up front. Only challenge we had was that we had to split our ADRs - somehow on the system you can book all your FP for the whole trip with a split stay on the first day but for ADRs you have to do it in two parts.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

If you're trying to book a rental for THIS December, availability is pretty weak all over for studios, as you're within 7 months. The first two weeks of December are the highest demand for DVC all year.

I wouldn't dwell too much on maybe doing this because even if you checked availability once, it changes by the hour, and that change is down down down.

 

[dbavis]

that's a fairly short trip to do as a split stay. it seems like you'll never really be able to settle into either location. i'd suggest that you stick with one or the other.

 

[adelaster]

that's a fairly short trip to do as a split stay. it seems like you'll never really be able to settle into either location. i'd suggest that you stick with one or the other.

We actually usually do 1-3 night stays at airbnbs when we travel, so that's not an issue. A five night vacation is long for us- people having the ability to stay on vacation longer blows my mind.

 

[adelaster]

If you're trying to book a rental for THIS December, availability is pretty weak all over for studios, as you're within 7 months. The first two weeks of December are the highest demand for DVC all year.

I wouldn't dwell too much on maybe doing this because even if you checked availability once, it changes by the hour, and that change is down down down.

Thanks, I am aware of this. No harm in checking as I already have my reservation locked down elsewhere.

 

[adelaster]

We did DVC rental to Disney booking (BCV to CR) in Feb. Totally loved it. Not sure we'll ever go back to just one resort for 7+ night stays. Seamless. Disney moved our luggage. We had the dining plan through the David's Rental but opted not to do dining for the 2nd half of the trip. Bought tickets for the length of stay from an outside vendor, but if you want to do a full package from Disney, you'd just get the park tickets for the whole trip up front. Only challenge we had was that we had to split our ADRs - somehow on the system you can book all your FP for the whole trip with a split stay on the first day but for ADRs you have to do it in two parts.

Thanks for sharing! We won't have an issue with ADR's as there will only be one of them- but this is good to know. I'm with you, staying in one place gets boring fast-especially when there are so many options!

 

[bumbershoot]

1. Has anyone done this without travel insurance?

Probably. If you're already that concerned, though, why not get travel insurance?

2. What happens if the owner cancels on us? (Looking at using the David company)

That's a question to ask David's, yes?

Will the room be cleaned before we arrive? I understand and am fine with no daily service, but have seen reviews stating the rooms were not cleaned between guest rentals. This is a large concern, especially since it is my understanding that I would have to relay any message to disney through david, then through the owner.

All you're seeing is people being assigned rooms that weren't cleaned adequately. Hopefully all the reports you read included an immediate call to Housekeeping or a walk up to the front desk to either get reassigned or get housekeeping back in there.

Not sure why you think something like that has to be taken care of by David's? Something that happens onsite, while you're there means you go to the front desk (or in this potential case call Housekeeping) and get it taken care of.

But don't ever press the button for "Front Desk" and expect to get the front desk. At any Disney resort that gets you a call center that isn't the front desk, and might not even be in Florida. It's not the appropriate way to take care of immediate issues.

We plan on purchasing a dining plan & utliizing ME/luggage transition- is this complicated with a split stay of this variety where we go from a disney booking to a rental??

Arrive using Magical Express and having your luggage delivered (assumgin you're landing between 5am and 10pm). When it's time to move resorts, pack up, get the bags to Bell Services and they'll take the bags over. You can expect to have them by around *official* checkin time, which is I believe 4pm for DVC villas on points (which yours is). I believe that doing online checkin for the DVC stay will allow you to have access to the dining plan without being physically at the resort to check in.

 

[Marionnette]

1. Has anyone done this without travel insurance?
Yes, but only after assuring myself that I would be "made whole" without it if I would need to cancel at the last minute.
2. What happens if the owner cancels on us? (Looking at using the David company)
You get a refund. David's may try to find you accommodations through another owner if anything is available but if not, you get your money back and you're on your own.I saw posts last year from people who had booked BWV during F&W and then DVC canceled the reservations when the owner failed to pay their MFs. It's a rare occurrence and most rentals go through without a hitch. But the possibility exists.
3. Will the room be cleaned before we arrive? I understand and am fine with no daily service, but have seen reviews stating the rooms were not cleaned between guest rentals. This is a large concern, especially since it is my understanding that I would have to relay any message to disney through david, then through the owner.
Once you check in, any problems are up to you to address. The owner is just providing a reservation. David's is acting as a go-between for owners with points and renters who want to stay in a DVC villa. There have been reports that some DVC villas are not cleaned thoroughly between guests. There are also reports that hotel rooms do not received adequate cleaning. Mousekeeping can be hit or miss. If the villa has not been cleaned well, you use the phone and contact Mousekeeping to have the problem addressed. With DVC, don't expect to be moved to an upgraded view or even moved at all.
4. We plan on purchasing a dining plan & utliizing ME/luggage transition- is this complicated with a split stay of this variety where we go from a disney booking to a rental??
You should have the DVC member make the DME arrangements for that portion of the trip, whether it is your arrival or departure. The dining plan must be done through the member. For that reason, you will need to give your information to David's and they will have the member take care of it. The dining plan will need to be paid for at the time that it is added and you do not need to purchase tickets in order to add the dining plan. To add it to your DVC rental, David's needs a credit card and they will pass that information on to the DVC owner. You would have to be comfortable with that. You can only purchase the dining plan for the length of your DVC stay.
5. In your experience, are the savings worth it? Or are you treated like an outsider/lesser for renting?
Disney CMs do not know that your are "renting" a reservation. They only see that you are staying as a guest of the owner. You will not be given the perks that a DVC owner has, but you will have all of the perks that any onsite guest at Disney gets.
6. Anything else I should be aware of before making this request?
As has been pointed out, your chances of getting a studio during December of this year are pretty slim but being flexible and only needing a couple of nights would work in your favor. Don't expect to get anything on the monorail or Epcot. Your chances are better with OKW or SSR. If you're basing your savings on getting a value studio at AKV-J or a standard view studio at BWV, think again. Those villas were booked by owners at those resorts back in January.

 

[leebee]

If you are looking to save money, have you considered renting through an owner listed here, on the DIS DVC board? I have done this several times and have always had a great experience! Can't help with any of the split-stay questions, as we've never done that. I hate living out of a suitcase; we check in, unpack, and stay in one place. Also... QS dining for one person? Any good reason for this- will it really save you any money? I haven't done QS dining, just the regular dining plan, but we always save a good chunk of change paying out of pocket. If you like the prepaid concept, buy some Disney gift cards someplace where you can get a discount (Sam's, BJ's, etc) and use them to pay for meals, snacks, etc. Look at posted menus here on the DIS (or at allears.net or through Disney) to get an idea of how much money you'll need for OOP, then buy gift cards for less than this, so you aren't stuck with "leftover" gift cards (although they have no expiration).

 

[adelaster]

1. Has anyone done this without travel insurance?
Yes, but only after assuring myself that I would be "made whole" without it if I would need to cancel at the last minute.
2. What happens if the owner cancels on us? (Looking at using the David company)
You get a refund. David's may try to find you accommodations through another owner if anything is available but if not, you get your money back and you're on your own.I saw posts last year from people who had booked BWV during F&W and then DVC canceled the reservations when the owner failed to pay their MFs. It's a rare occurrence and most rentals go through without a hitch. But the possibility exists.
3. Will the room be cleaned before we arrive? I understand and am fine with no daily service, but have seen reviews stating the rooms were not cleaned between guest rentals. This is a large concern, especially since it is my understanding that I would have to relay any message to disney through david, then through the owner.
Once you check in, any problems are up to you to address. The owner is just providing a reservation. David's is acting as a go-between for owners with points and renters who want to stay in a DVC villa. There have been reports that some DVC villas are not cleaned thoroughly between guests. There are also reports that hotel rooms do not received adequate cleaning. Mousekeeping can be hit or miss. If the villa has not been cleaned well, you use the phone and contact Mousekeeping to have the problem addressed. With DVC, don't expect to be moved to an upgraded view or even moved at all.
4. We plan on purchasing a dining plan & utliizing ME/luggage transition- is this complicated with a split stay of this variety where we go from a disney booking to a rental??
You should have the DVC member make the DME arrangements for that portion of the trip, whether it is your arrival or departure. The dining plan must be done through the member. For that reason, you will need to give your information to David's and they will have the member take care of it. The dining plan will need to be paid for at the time that it is added and you do not need to purchase tickets in order to add the dining plan. To add it to your DVC rental, David's needs a credit card and they will pass that information on to the DVC owner. You would have to be comfortable with that. You can only purchase the dining plan for the length of your DVC stay.
5. In your experience, are the savings worth it? Or are you treated like an outsider/lesser for renting?
Disney CMs do not know that your are "renting" a reservation. They only see that you are staying as a guest of the owner. You will not be given the perks that a DVC owner has, but you will have all of the perks that any onsite guest at Disney gets.
6. Anything else I should be aware of before making this request?
As has been pointed out, your chances of getting a studio during December of this year are pretty slim but being flexible and only needing a couple of nights would work in your favor. Don't expect to get anything on the monorail or Epcot. Your chances are better with OKW or SSR. If you're basing your savings on getting a value studio at AKV-J or a standard view studio at BWV, think again. Those villas were booked by owners at those resorts back in January.

Thank you! This is tremendously helpful. I think #2 & #4 are the largest concerns I have. Haven't had a lot of positive experiences blind-faith trusting people, and if this falls through or my credit card number is stolen (again) it would be pretty disastrous for that time of year. I'll need to weigh this decision carefully. As far as the location of the studio we're pretty flexible with a few exceptions. There's a 44 point minimum rental for David's and the availability you suggest does not meet that requirement. If we decide to go this route I plan to provide our top three or four selections and then decline for a refund if they are unavailable.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Having just looked at December, your best bet for 2 days in a studio are OKW and Saratoga. BWV, BCV, VGF, BRV, CCV, Poly and BLT are all toast for the month.

 

[adelaster]

If you are looking to save money, have you considered renting through an owner listed here, on the DIS DVC board? I have done this several times and have always had a great experience! Can't help with any of the split-stay questions, as we've never done that. I hate living out of a suitcase; we check in, unpack, and stay in one place. Also... QS dining for one person? Any good reason for this- will it really save you any money? I haven't done QS dining, just the regular dining plan, but we always save a good chunk of change paying out of pocket. If you like the prepaid concept, buy some Disney gift cards someplace where you can get a discount (Sam's, BJ's, etc) and use them to pay for meals, snacks, etc. Look at posted menus here on the DIS (or at allears.net or through Disney) to get an idea of how much money you'll need for OOP, then buy gift cards for less than this, so you aren't stuck with "leftover" gift cards (although they have no expiration).

Thanks for sharing. If we do this I feel more comfortable going through a broker like David's company. As far as QS- yes, I have run numbers. It's pretty much break even- to saving less than $100. We have been on property before (a hurricane extended what was to be two nights to four) and paid out of pocket. Our food options are pretty mapped out & many menus have been read. If I was going alone I may skip it, but for this trip (not alone) the convenience was the deciding factor. The goal of this trip is to relax and enjoy the holiday- something I have worked through for a long time. In fact, this will be my first time off around the season since I was in school. Curious to see the parks and try the dining plan. Another possibility is booking an AP room rate when they are presumably released in September or October and upgrading to an AP when we arrive. However, there are plenty of unknowns with that scenario too. POFQ would not be included, and having never been to the parks I could regret my decision to upgrade, as it would be money lost without a return visit or two to break even. Believe me, I have spent hours searching the internet for this stuff, but I still can't always find the answers I am looking for. That's why my questions are very pointed- they are the unknowns. As far as giftcards- yes! I am already doing that with the balance of everything else. Have a plan laid out to buy different amounts monthly, combining it into one account online. It will definitely help with savings.

 

[adelaster]

Having just looked at December, your best bet for 2 days in a studio are OKW and Saratoga. BWV, BCV, VGF, BRV, CCV, Poly and BLT are all toast for the month.

If we used those resorts it won't be with David's. They have a minimum rental cost of 44 points. Even at three nights those two resorts fall short. I appreciate you sharing. The plan is listing our top three or four to David's and getting refunded if they are unavailable. From there, I would need to run more numbers to see if we'd still save with the less-than-44-points-upcharge that other brokers have in place. It may be that I do not pursue it at all from there, as it negates the convenience and savings entirely.

 

[Marionnette]

If we used those resorts it won't be with David's. They have a minimum rental cost of 44 points. Even at three nights those two resorts fall short. I appreciate you sharing. The plan is listing our top three or four to David's and getting refunded if they are unavailable. From there, I would need to run more numbers to see if we'd still save with the less-than-44-points-upcharge that other brokers have in place. It may be that I do not pursue it at all from there, as it negates the convenience and savings entirely.

@_auroraborealis_ and I are both trying to gently tell you that there's nothing but scattered single nights available at the other resorts during the first 3 weeks of December. You will be wasting your time trying to score a studio at any resort other than OKW or SSR (with a greater chance of success at SSR). David's and the other rental companies do not have access to a separate pool of villas and they will tell you the same thing.

 

[adelaster]

@_auroraborealis_ and I are both trying to gently tell you that there's nothing but scattered single nights available at the other resorts during the first 3 weeks of December. You will be wasting your time trying to score a studio at any resort other than OKW or SSR (with a greater chance of success at SSR). David's and the other rental companies do not have access to a separate pool of villas and they will tell you the same thing.

I'm aware. Still good to have answers, and absolutely nothing to lose in looking. Edited to add: Based on what I've learned from your earlier answer (thankful for that as it was the only answer that answered my questions completely) I am leaning towards skipping it for December anyway. Sounds like it would be safer to try for the first time in a season with more backup plans & less crowds.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I'm aware. Still good to have answers, and absolutely nothing to lose in looking. Edited to add: Based on what I've learned from your earlier answer (thankful for that as it was the only answer that answered my questions completely) I am leaning towards skipping it for December anyway. Sounds like it would be safer to try for the first time in a season with more backup plans & less crowds.

It is not about crowd but timing and demand. DVC works best planned more than 7 months out. Fall is DVC high demand season, which is independent of crowds.