Swapping names on confirmed reservations

[jecpva]

I've been a DVC member since 1994 but I am now just getting into renting my points (kids are grown, always seem to be scrambling at the end of my use year to use up points). I just have a few basic question that I'm sure are answered somewhere but I can't seem to easily find them.

If I book a resort in my own name and can't use it, can I swap the names on the reservation at a later date to whoever I rent it to or are there any rules against doing this?

On the R/T board, there are limitations on Reservations for Rent - can't list more than 30 days before check in. What if (and this just happened to me last year) 8 weeks before check in, you realize you can't go and the points you used expire at the end of the trip you have booked? I have to wait until the 30 day window to list this confirmed reservation? What happened last year was I had Presidents week booked, my use year is March and I realized that I couldn't go in late December. My points were going to expire at the end of Feb. I didn't know about this board at the time and I ended up eating a prime week. If I listed it on this board, I would have liked to list it ASAP as an actual reservation so I wouldn't be cancelling a prime reservation to book something else at a distressed price. Would I have been better off waiting for that 30 day period and then listing the actual reservation? Would someone have paid the $10 to $12/point for a reservation like this or would I have had to take a reduced rate?

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Chuck S]

I've been a DVC member since 1994 but I am now just getting into renting my points (kids are grown, always seem to be scrambling at the end of my use year to use up points). I just have a few basic question that I'm sure are answered somewhere but I can't seem to easily find them.

If I book a resort in my own name and can't use it, can I swap the names on the reservation at a later date to whoever I rent it to or are there any rules against doing this?

Yes, DVC has been allowing name changes. However, like most DVC policies, that is subject to change at anytime.

On the R/T board, there are limitations on Reservations for Rent - can't list more than 30 days before check in. What if (and this just happened to me last year) 8 weeks before check in, you realize you can't go and the points you used expire at the end of the trip you have booked? I have to wait until the 30 day window to list this confirmed reservation? What happened last year was I had Presidents week booked, my use year is March and I realized that I couldn't go in late December. My points were going to expire at the end of Feb. I didn't know about this board at the time and I ended up eating a prime week. If I listed it on this board, I would have liked to list it ASAP as an actual reservation so I wouldn't be cancelling a prime reservation to book something else at a distressed price. Would I have been better off waiting for that 30 day period and then listing the actual reservation? Would someone have paid the $10 to $12/point for a reservation like this or would I have had to take a reduced rate?

Thanks in advance for any input.

The DIS Rent/Trade board rules prohibit listing any existing reservation futher out than 30 days prior to check-in, no matter what the owner's circumstances may be. Many last minute reservation are rented. Most non-DVC folks aren't as fanatical about pre-planning as owners, that have to work within the DVC system restraints. I know a lot of people that don't plan any trips further out than 2 or 3 weeks.

 

[JimMIA]

However, like most DVC policies, that is subject to change at anytime.

It is also subject to interpretation by the CM you speak to -- and therefore subject to their understanding of the system, ability to operate the computerator system thingee, mood swings, etc, etc.

FWIW, we have not experienced any issues changing names. We don't rent our points, but on those occasions when our guests have changed we've never had a problem.

 

[JimMIA]

The DIS Rent/Trade board rules prohibit listing any existing reservation futher out than 30 days prior to check-in, no matter what the owner's circumstances may be. Many last minute reservation are rented. Most non-DVC folks aren't as fanatical about pre-planning as owners, that have to work within the DVC system restraints. I know a lot of people that don't plan any trips further out than 2 or 3 weeks.

The purpose of this rule is to prevent speculative bookings -- or at least not to have the DIS contribute to them. It's obviously not a cure-all, but at least the DIS is not contributing to the problem.

Keep in mind though, that you can still advertise the points for rent. You can't offer the actual dates of your ressie, but you can offer that number of points and then if the renter's vacation dates happen to coincide with what you already have reserved, you're both set. If not, you can check their preferred dates, book them if they're available, and cancel your existing ressie. The net outcome to you and the renter is the same, but you haven't violated either the letter or the spirit of a good DIS rule.

Offering the points is not only permitted within the rules, but it casts a much broader net for prospective customers than offering one specific set of dates, for a specific type of villa, at a specific resort. Offering the points is really a much better marketing strategy for you.

If all else fails, you can still come back and offer the confirmed reservation within 30 days if you haven't rented the points.