Starting to plan our dream "once in a lifetime" trip!

[alisonette]

Hi everyone,

I'm an Australian from Melbourne and have been dreaming and looking at Disney trips and these boards for years. I was thinking back and I can remember planning dream itineraries as far back as 2007/8! Unfortunately, I've never had the money. I also plan to go with my younger sister who had school and also carer duties for our Mother. Now I'm 30 and she's 21 and we have a bit more cash and a little more freedom. Long story short though, this trip is a long time coming and probably the only one we'll have.

We are planning for November 2018 straight after Thanksgiving. I am hoping for around 3 weeks, with 12 days of that at Disney and the rest based at Universal where we will do other theme parks like Sea World.

I was hoping to pick everyone's brains about planning strategies and what worked for them? I have already done a lot of research, and I wanted some opinions.

First, DVC point rental. I have been looking at David's Vacation Rental and the savings, particularly for a studio, are pretty insane. It is a HUGE discount... my only issue is the upfront payment for the booking at 11 months out. We are looking at staying at Animal Kingdom. There are quite often discounts for deluxe resorts of 30-40% around our dates. DVC is still a little cheaper, but with a resort reservation there's a little more leeway in payment. To be honest, I'd probably pay upfront anyway so maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill. But having the security of going through Disney, and then crossing my fingers for a discount might be worth it.

Second, with DVC point rental, has anyone done it and what's the best way? As I said, I looked at David's website and liked that it was hassle free. Any other recommendations? One thing I am worried about is that I want to grab one of the hardest to get reservations - 12 nights at Animal Kingdom Studio Concierge. This would obviously be a miracle. If I applied and there's no way to get the reservation, has anyone had experience with getting back up reservations when renting points? We'd probably try for a standard Animal Kingdom as back-up, maybe even consider a split stay with somewhere like the Grand Floridian. Do owners have the ability to do that? It's probably a dumb question but I'm new at this.

Third, travel agent? Yay or nay? If I did choose to book a resort rather than points, should I use a travel agent? My main concern is having a competent agent who can search for and apply any discounts that come out. I suppose the question is, can that even be done? I am worried about booking and then having discounts come out (like they do every year!).

Finally, best time to book. For DVC it has to be at 11 months out. Has anyone done this and found it went ok? Because I want late November 2018, that puts booking right in the middle of Christmas 2017. Given the USA is so Christmas crazy, anyone think this may be an issue? I was hoping to book from Monday 26 November 2018... which is Boxing Day 2017 at 11 months out. I'm worries this may be an issue.

Thanks for listening everyone! If anyone has any advice I would appreciate it.

 

[dabecs]

No advice on DVC but I wanted to pop in and say I'm so excited for you! Planning the trip is half the fun, and I'm sure lots of people on here will have good tips on DVC bookings

 

[alisonette]

No advice on DVC but I wanted to pop in and say I'm so excited for you! Planning the trip is half the fun, and I'm sure lots of people on here will have good tips on DVC bookings

Thanks! It all feels a bit overwhelming at the moment. I'm so used to seeing things at Disney and thinking of them as unreachable. I did have a look at the DVC boards and it looks like point rental might be the best option.

Question for the board: Has anyone rented points / had a confirmed DVC reservation, and then been able to take out travel insurance for it here in Australia? I've never booked timeshare before and I'm a little worried it won't be covered. It's such a big chunk of cash I'd be worried about any risk if it wasn't covered.

 

[ColinA]

Why Animal Kingdom Lodge. A long way to get to everywhere by bus except for Animal Kingdom.

GF for a DVC rental I would suggest to look at other options.

Booking DVC rental at 11 months is not always required. I have made plenty of bookings for renters at the 7 month window, AK included as long as you are maybe flexible on the view.

In the next few days I will look at the dates you have suggested regarding availability etc.

 

[ColinA]

Hi everyone,

Second, with DVC point rental, has anyone done it and what's the best way? As I said, I looked at David's website and liked that it was hassle free. Any other recommendations? One thing I am worried about is that I want to grab one of the hardest to get reservations - 12 nights at Animal Kingdom Studio Concierge. This would obviously be a miracle. If I applied and there's no way to get the reservation, has anyone had experience with getting back up reservations when renting points? We'd probably try for a standard Animal Kingdom as back-up, maybe even consider a split stay with somewhere like the Grand Floridian. Do owners have the ability to do that? It's probably a dumb question but I'm new at this.

Finally, best time to book. For DVC it has to be at 11 months out. Has anyone done this and found it went ok? Because I want late November 2018, that puts booking right in the middle of Christmas 2017. Given the USA is so Christmas crazy, anyone think this may be an issue? I was hoping to book from Monday 26 November 2018... which is Boxing Day 2017 at 11 months out. I'm worries this may be an issue.

What do you mean by Studio Concierge? From what I see only Value, Standard, Savannah and Club views in the choice of room sizes.

Booking DVC means no difference if it is Boxing day etc. The world still goes around!

I would try private renter on the Rent/Trade section. There is no guarantee Davids will get you what you want.

Unless the renter is greedy there is no need to pay 11 months out or when the booking is done. Most will ask a deposit, then progress payments.

 

[alisonette]

What do you mean by Studio Concierge? From what I see only Value, Standard, Savannah and Club views in the choice of room sizes.

Booking DVC means no difference if it is Boxing day etc. The world still goes around!

I would try private renter on the Rent/Trade section. There is no guarantee Davids will get you what you want.

Unless the renter is greedy there is no need to pay 11 months out or when the booking is done. Most will ask a deposit, then progress payments.

Hi, sorry for the late reply! I had chosen Animal Kingdom because it's my sister's dream resort. I also meant club level when I said concierge. I should have been clearer.

My initial research suggested that in demand reservations like club level were snapped up at 11 months, but if there's more leeway then that's great! It's why I posted here on the boards to get some opinions and see what people's experiences really were. I have also been thinking about what you said re: how far away Animal Kingdom is from the other parks. It has definitely made me seriously consider a split stay with another resort. Probably on the monorail. I'd love to try the Grand Floridian.

If you don't mind me picking your brain a bit, what's your experience with renting out points? It sounds like you are an owner who rents out to people? I have just had a good look at all the FAQs on the DVC board and think I have a good feel for how it works. Have you had good experiences in general?

Because I am now seriously considering a split stay, my understanding is that if I want to book at 11 months out to secure hard to get reservations, I would need to rent off one owner who has contracts at both resorts who could make both reservations OR wait until the 7 months mark where all resorts become available. That, or rent from two separate owners. As an owner, what is your experience with split stay DVC? Is it hard to organize re: park tickets, dining etc...

 

[WanderlustNZ]

Hi Alisonette,
Firstly, congrats on your trip. It is going to be wonderful.
I have rented points before and without question, will be doing it again. Part of the reason I’m back here on the Disboards (after a bit of a break) is that my 11 month window opens in about 2 months and I want to have an itinerary in mind before it does.
I have used David’s and the other main provider and recommend them both. It gave me the piece of mind I needed to hand over all that money. In saying that, there are a lot of honest renters out there, you just need to use due diligence to find them.
You will probably find that it costs more to book at 11 months vs 7, but it will help with harder to get reservations such as GF. You might be okay at 7 months for Animal Kingdom though since it’s so big and not quite as in demand as the Magic Kingdom resorts.
I would recommend a split stay with all that time - it’s easy to move around. In fact with 12 nights, I may even consider 3 resorts just to try them out. But I’m a person who doesn’t mind packing up and moving.
If you book using the likes of David’s, they will likely find 2 different owners to make the two bookings. It’s not something you need to worry about unless you are going direct to the renter yourself.
I have done a split stay before between AKL and Boardwalk. Enjoyed both, but AKL was my favourite. Boardwalk was a better location, but I fell in love with the atmosphere of Jambo house.
I’m not sure I would see the value of Club level unless I was a regular Disney visitor with plenty of time to hang out at the resort. I would much prefer to put that extra money into breakfasts, snacks, drinks etc at all the delicious eateries around Disney. Plus, you don’t want to rush back to the hotel just for drinks hour if you are having fun at the parks. Drinks and snacks are available anywhere in any country, Space Mountain isn’t. Just my thoughts.

Anyway, hope that helps. Enjoy the planning stage - it’s a lot of fun.

 

[ColinA]

My initial research suggested that in demand reservations like club level were snapped up at 11 months, but if there's more leeway then that's great! It's why I posted here on the boards to get some opinions and see what people's experiences really were. I have also been thinking about what you said re: how far away Animal Kingdom is from the other parks. It has definitely made me seriously consider a split stay with another resort. Probably on the monorail. I'd love to try the Grand Floridian.

If you don't mind me picking your brain a bit, what's your experience with renting out points? It sounds like you are an owner who rents out to people? I have just had a good look at all the FAQs on the DVC board and think I have a good feel for how it works. Have you had good experiences in general?

Because I am now seriously considering a split stay, my understanding is that if I want to book at 11 months out to secure hard to get reservations, I would need to rent off one owner who has contracts at both resorts who could make both reservations OR wait until the 7 months mark where all resorts become available. That, or rent from two separate owners. As an owner, what is your experience with split stay DVC? Is it hard to organize re: park tickets, dining etc...

Your aiming very high with wanting to get Club Level. I picked on one night in the points in November. For one night value was 9 points, club was 18. This could cost you twice the cost. If it was me I would get 1 bedroom standard view before club level but that is just my opinion.

For us we stay at The Boardwalk in standard view room. The rooms are the same as preferred and the points I save I rent out which pays for a lot of our dining bill. Boardwalk only has standard or prefer view choices.

From what I have seen GF is near impossible at the 11 month window.

If you do the rent/trade on Disboards or Davids and want a split stay I would do separate owners. The chances of finding an owner with both and being able to book at 11 months might be near impossible. Having separate owners or reservation No.s should cause no problems with tickets, dining or DME etc. It all gets linked on MDE.

I do lots of rentals but all my points are Boardwalk. I have never had a problem with new or regular renters.

I will emphasize that going through Davids Vacation rentals will not guarantee you will be able to book at 11 months for any resort. Davids do not own the points. The member does and it is the member who makes all the the bookings.

 

[shushh]

Exciting times ahead for you! Sounds like it will be an awesome trip.

With regard to DVC, I would agree with Colin in that club level AKL may not be the best bang for your buck considering your situation, at least not for 12 days. Perhaps a few days would be more than plenty, you would not have the time to enjoy the extra perks that the club level entitles you to because there's plenty at WDW to see and do!

I have rented before many times always directly with a private owner (from the DIS) I will be honest and report that I was very nervous the first time I did it but everything has always gone smoothly. The person I rent from always goes beyond what they need to do for us. We're December travellers and in the past we've done VGF, AKL, OKW, as well as Grand Cal on the West Coast and will be trying Aulani, BWV and BLT soon. We have since bought our own points but are still always short...

My advice would be to be open to the DVC resorts you're willing to try. They all have their pros and charms. A split stay as already suggested would make sense. Something in the Magic Kingdom area or Epcot area would be nice to serve as a contrast to AKL.

As for travel agent, if you were to use one for non DVC Disney resort bookings, I'd only ever use an American TA. There are plenty who specialise in Disney including Dreams Unlimited, small world vacations etc They are good at scanning for deals and discounts and applying it where possible.

 

[ColinA]

With regard to DVC, I would agree with Colin in that club level AKL may be the best bang for your buck considering your situation.

Do you mean may not be the best bang for your buck?

 

[shushh]

Yes! Thank you ColinA for picking up on my error. Post duly fixed!

 

[alisonette]

Thanks so much for all the advice Colin and Shushh! You've really given me some great advice. I'm so glad I posted on here to get some different opinions. I have decided that renting through the boards is probably the best option so will be scouting out listings. If that fails, David's is always there as a backup. I also agree that club level is probably a waste of time. I was being led by my sister who had her heart set on a fancy "once-in-a-lifetime" experience, but it's a waste of money for our needs. I'd rather spend the money in the parks. I've also decided on a split stay. It definitely works best for us. I am thinking Animal Kingdom (Jambo House if I can get it) and BLT so we're on the monorail. Grand Floridian is probably a bit too hard to get, and we can always visit it for dinner or something.

On that note, if there are any Australian owners who will have points available for Nov/Dec 2018, I just used the points calculator on David's to get an idea of how many points I may need. With my preferred dates it's 173 points, with 6 nights at BLT and 7 at Animal Kingdom in standard studios. If anyone is planning to rent out, I'd love to work with an Australian owner. I guess it all depends on what can be booked and when though.

 

[ColinA]

The other option is staying in a value resort. Probably still cheaper than renting points. Value resorts are very nice but lack slightly with location and transport. I would stay Disney value resorts before offsite. Love the character of Disney.

WDW has lots of interesting things to do apart from spending time in the theme parks. Visiting some of the resorts like the Epcot Resorts area, Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness and the horses at Tri-Circle-D Ranch have so much character. Late November at the Grand Floridian you can see the Gingerbread House. Dining experiences are also a big part of it. Where do I start!

You will be planning the next trip before not too long!

 

[ColinA]

Read about the decorations on the Disney Food blog

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...d-resort/?CMP=SOC-DPFY17Q4wo1109171115170009C

 

[alisonette]

Thanks Colin! We are planning to go Nov/Dec for those exact reasons! The parks will be buzzing and decorated, and there will be heaps of other things to do (like the Gingerbread Houses!) and seasonal offerings and food. Because getting over there is so hard for us as well, I thought picking a time of year when most of the rides will be in operation and not a slow period when some are down for maintenance was also a good choice.

 

[nighttowll]

You sound a lot like me and my sister. We are 10 years apart and around the same age as you. I hope your trip works out.

I don't know much about DVC, but if your sister is set on doing club level, try booking that during the Universal portion of your trip instead. It would be a much better value for your money. Universal resorts are amazing, and they are such a close walk to and from the parks. At Universal, you can really take advantage of club level lounges all day long. For instance, we are talking you can be in the lounge within 20 minutes or less of leaving one of the parks. We have AP for Universal, and I've seriously considered club level a few times now.

 

[Montanabel]

View attachment 282730 View attachment 282731


Read about the decorations on the Disney Food blog

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...d-resort/?CMP=SOC-DPFY17Q4wo1109171115170009C

Wow ColinA - what awesome photos!

 

[Samwise75]

Exciting times ahead for you! Sounds like it will be an awesome trip.

With regard to DVC, I would agree with Colin in that club level AKL may not be the best bang for your buck considering your situation, at least not for 12 days. Perhaps a few days would be more than plenty, you would not have the time to enjoy the extra perks that the club level entitles you to because there's plenty at WDW to see and do!

I have rented before many times always directly with a private owner (from the DIS) I will be honest and report that I was very nervous the first time I did it but everything has always gone smoothly. The person I rent from always goes beyond what they need to do for us. We're December travellers and in the past we've done VGF, AKL, OKW, as well as Grand Cal on the West Coast and will be trying Aulani, BWV and BLT soon. We have since bought our own points but are still always short...

My advice would be to be open to the DVC resorts you're willing to try. They all have their pros and charms. A split stay as already suggested would make sense. Something in the Magic Kingdom area or Epcot area would be nice to serve as a contrast to AKL.

As for travel agent, if you were to use one for non DVC Disney resort bookings, I'd only ever use an American TA. There are plenty who specialise in Disney including Dreams Unlimited, small world vacations etc They are good at scanning for deals and discounts and applying it where possible.

Hi,
I'm new at the DVC rental and was hoping you could point me in the right direction in renting directly from a private owner. I understand I need to do my due diligence on renting, but I'm not even sure where to start. I went to the DISboards for the DVC rental but there are so many posts, I'm not sure this is where I find the actual owners selling their points for AKL. Any help you could lend would be greatly appreciated.

Exciting times ahead for you! Sounds like it will be an awesome trip.

With regard to DVC, I would agree with Colin in that club level AKL may not be the best bang for your buck considering your situation, at least not for 12 days. Perhaps a few days would be more than plenty, you would not have the time to enjoy the extra perks that the club level entitles you to because there's plenty at WDW to see and do!

I have rented before many times always directly with a private owner (from the DIS) I will be honest and report that I was very nervous the first time I did it but everything has always gone smoothly. The person I rent from always goes beyond what they need to do for us. We're December travellers and in the past we've done VGF, AKL, OKW, as well as Grand Cal on the West Coast and will be trying Aulani, BWV and BLT soon. We have since bought our own points but are still always short...

My advice would be to be open to the DVC resorts you're willing to try. They all have their pros and charms. A split stay as already suggested would make sense. Something in the Magic Kingdom area or Epcot area would be nice to serve as a contrast to AKL.

As for travel agent, if you were to use one for non DVC Disney resort bookings, I'd only ever use an American TA. There are plenty who specialise in Disney including Dreams Unlimited, small world vacations etc They are good at scanning for deals and discounts and applying it where possible.

 

[ColinA]

Hi,
I'm new at the DVC rental and was hoping you could point me in the right direction in renting directly from a private owner. I understand I need to do my due diligence on renting, but I'm not even sure where to start. I went to the DISboards for the DVC rental but there are so many posts, I'm not sure this is where I find the actual owners selling their points for AKL. Any help you could lend would be greatly appreciated.

Firstly it depends on which DVC resort you want to try to stay at. You have said AKL. Then try to find an owner with points at those resorts. The owner having points at that resort means they can book at 11 month window. Other resorts they can book at 7 months provided the resort has availability.

All my points are Boardwalk and I normally only rent at Boardwalk. Sometimes for regular renters I will book at 7 months. They are familiar with the process and know they may miss out.

 

[Samwise75]

Firstly it depends on which DVC resort you want to try to stay at. You have said AKL. Then try to find an owner with points at those resorts. The owner having points at that resort means they can book at 11 month window. Other resorts they can book at 7 months provided the resort has availability.

All my points are Boardwalk and I normally only rent at Boardwalk. Sometimes for regular renters I will book at 7 months. They are familiar with the process and know they may miss out.

Thank you very much.