Thoughts on Renting Out Points

[VGCgroupie]

Ok, so I just ran a couple of quick calculations on some 7-night sailings aboard the Disney Dream in January 2027. It is actually not as bad as I thought. I ran the numbers on a couple of different Deluxe Family Oceanview with Verandah rooms and, based on current booking rates, you're getting just under $15/point for exchanging in direct through Disney. That is not terrible. And, if you are paying taxes on the $20/point confirmed reservations (like one should ), you're pretty close to breaking even by going direct through Disney.

Ok, so maybe the result of this thread will be that I end up exchanging my points direct with Disney and not trying to walk some December resort view studio reservations. LOL.

There's also a huge relief of not worrying about renting

 

[eticketplease]

Ok, so I just ran a couple of quick calculations on some 7-night sailings aboard the Disney Dream in January 2027. It is actually not as bad as I thought. I ran the numbers on a couple of different Deluxe Family Oceanview with Verandah rooms and, based on current booking rates, you're getting just under $15/point for exchanging in direct through Disney. That is not terrible. And, if you are paying taxes on the $20/point confirmed reservations (like one should ), you're pretty close to breaking even by going direct through Disney.

Ok, so maybe the result of this thread will be that I end up exchanging my points direct with Disney and not trying to walk some December resort view studio reservations. LOL.

Wow, that’s quite to find. I’ve always heard that it’s only like seven some dollars a point.

 

[airjay75]

Wow, that’s quite to find. I’ve always heard that it’s only like seven some dollars a point.

I just ran a couple of other calculations on some other sailings that are not under promotion, and I'm still getting $13 or $14 per point. Maybe it's the category of room I'm looking at or maybe I'm missing something, but if I've got everything right, I might be totally changing my mind on the right way to go here.

 

[eticketplease]

I just ran a couple of other calculations on some other sailings that are not under promotion, and I'm still getting $13 or $14 per point. Maybe it's the category of room I'm looking at or maybe I'm missing something, but if I've got everything right, I might be totally changing my mind on the right way to go here.

For the convenience I would take that hit.

I took a hit using David’s on the one time I did rent but $18 with no shanigans was worth it for me.

 

[cruisehopeful]

I'm in the camp of not wanting to work a lot to take a vacation. I currently have 4 cruises booked and while it was tempting to rent points to help cover the costs, I know how impatient I am and I don't have the tolerance to deal with lookyloos when renting direct to consumer. I also don't want to rent through the third party places because it's still on me to make the reservations. For me, it's easier to work more at my regular job than to work for some random people online, trying to get them a reservation.

A few months ago, I had excess points and thought I needed to "use up" some points. I booked a cruise through MS and booked a Cascade Cabin stay for only myself and my husband. Jokes on me, because now I've borrowed from my next use year for some DL stays and I'm constantly forcing myself to not keep borrowing for other stays. Exchanging through MS is obviously the easiest choice and they are great as far as being helpful and having wonderful service. It's seriously the worst way to book if you care about saving money. $95. exchange fee, any additional fees due immediately (we booked one person on points and one person on cash), worst cancellation policy. However, I would do it again in the future if I had extra points to burn and the cruise was coming up quickly and I knew for sure that I wouldn't cancel.

IMO, the best way to book a cruise is to just pay for it and not use DVC at all. They are different entities and should be thought of that way.

My next choice would be to rent out your points directly and book the cruise through someone who can give you OBC. There's lots of places like that. I've been booking through Sandi because I like the convenience of emailing and always having the same contact person. She'll give you OBC or a gift card.

Third choice would be to book through MS and just accept the fact that you are paying an absolute ridiculous premium, but isn't that everything Disney?

My last choice would be to use the third party places like the board sponsor. For me, the extra work just isn't a good use of my time. If their client cancels, I have to call MS and change the guest information. They don't offer OBC even though they are doubling their profits by getting commission from DCL and marking up my DVC points.

Of course, I know that I'm a grumpy old lady, but that's the order I would personally book and why. And proceed with caution if you think you'll have excess points. I don't know how I went from excess to not enough in just a few short months. I'm hoping to normalize my point spending in the next couple of years. If I can't do that, I guess I'll have to buy more.

 

[eticketplease]

And proceed with caution if you think you'll have excess points. I don't know how I went from excess to not enough in just a few short months. I'm hoping to normalize my point spending in the next couple of years. If I can't do that, I guess I'll have to buy more.

You are not alone lol. I don’t think we would rent again unless they had already been banked and we just couldn’t use them.

 

[pzw90]

I've been booking through Sandi because I like the convenience of emailing and always having the same contact person. She'll give you OBC or a gift card.

Please post a full link so the board filters can do their job.

 

[cruisehopeful]

Please post a full link so the board filters can do their job.

https://www.grandluxedestinations.com/our-team/

 

[pzw90]

https://www.grandluxedestinations.com/our-team/

I was being a bit facetious. But bravo on the follow through

 

[ShaneDJ]

What about if you do that cruise swap thing with dvc rental? Then you don’t have to worry about renting them out yourself or the tax implications. It’s like swapping them with Disney but at a better rate.

Incorrect. With the "cruise swap" from the board sponsor, you still have to do the work of renting out your points and making the reservation yourself with the renter's info that you are provided.

Also, any changes that the renter chooses to make, you are obligated to make those changes quickly (including name changes, guest additions/removals, dining reservations, etc.). Basically, you don't save any time because you still have to manage the reservation yourself.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Incorrect. With the "cruise swap" from the board sponsor, you still have to do the work of renting out your points and making the reservation yourself with the renter's info that you are provided.

Also, any changes that the renter chooses to make, you are obligated to make those changes quickly (including name changes, guest additions/removals, dining reservations, etc.). Basically, you don't save any time because you still have to manage the reservation yourself.

You are right its not completely hands off you do have to manage it. The upside is if a renter cancels you still get paid even if its doesn't get re rented, and if it does re rent, yes you do have to change the renters name but they compensate you for having to take time to make the change.

 

[ShaneDJ]

My experience:

We've done the "cruise swap"...both with the confirmed reservations and with on-demand bookings.

It is much easier with the on-demand requests, because there are requests listed from renters that already know what they want and you can claim that request and book that reservation within 30 minutes.

With confirmed reservations, even if you think you've got the best reservation (hardest-to-book time or best rooms), that confirmed reservation can just sit there for weeks or months and go unclaimed. Then you've wasted your time and ability to lock-in the cruise-swap compensation.

As long as you do the on-demand requests and claim a reservation for the 7-to-11 month booking window, you get a fair value in price-per-point (for cruise swap credit).

The price-per-point offered for booking on-demand reservations for the 1-to-7 month window is not worth it.

 

[Moonspinner]

My experience:

We've done the "cruise swap"...both with the confirmed reservations and with on-demand bookings.

It is much easier with the on-demand requests, because there are requests listed from renters that already know what they want and you can claim that request and book that reservation within 30 minutes.

With confirmed reservations, even if you think you've got the best reservation (hardest-to-book time or best rooms), that confirmed reservation can just sit there for weeks or months and go unclaimed. Then you've wasted your time and ability to lock-in the cruise-swap compensation.

As long as you do the on-demand requests and claim a reservation for the 7-to-11 month booking window, you get a fair value in price-per-point (for cruise swap credit).

The price-per-point offered for booking on-demand reservations for the 1-to-7 month window is not worth it.

Did you like doing the cruise swap? I mean would you do it again? Just wondering because we are thinking about it. We were definitely going to do it until all the new anti rental stuff from dvc. It is giving us pause but we do want to do it.

 

[VGCgroupie]

Did you like doing the cruise swap? I mean would you do it again? Just wondering because we are thinking about it. We were definitely going to do it until all the new anti rental stuff from dvc. It is giving us pause but we do want to do it.

I was happy. But I am not gonna lie after all the rental stuff it its been super nerve wracking to have rentals on the books even though I know Im not doing anything wrong. I have 1 rental left and I cant wait for it to just be over with.

 

[Moonspinner]

I was happy. But I am not gonna lie after all the rental stuff it its been super nerve wracking to have rentals on the books even though I know Im not doing anything wrong. I have 1 rental left and I cant wait for it to just be over with.

Ugh. I totally get that. I’d be that way also. We’ve never rented out points before, but we’d love to do the swap. One of our kids is turning 18 in a year and a half and he is upset about aging out of the kids club lol. (Our other kids couldn’t care less about the DCL kids’ club.) So we are trying to do four cruises before he’s done. If only we could switch some out for points .

 

[ShaneDJ]

Did you like doing the cruise swap? I mean would you do it again? Just wondering because we are thinking about it.

Maybe. It depends. For now, we use most of our points for ourselves (those Copper Creek Cabins are expensive!). And our next trip is a RIV Grand Villa.

We did the cruise swap in the past to test out the process and we had points we couldn’t use.

 

[Moonspinner]

Maybe. It depends. For now, we use most of our points for ourselves (those Copper Creek Cabins are expensive!). And our next trip is a RIV Grand Villa.

We did the cruise swap in the past to test out the process and we had points we couldn’t use.

Oh wow, I’m jealous about RIvGV!

 

[PolyRob]

TBH, for me, I’d be trading my points for DCL vis MS and not deal with rentals.

But, if you want to rent, I might do a combination of both? Snag some popular options and do some on demand booking?

I know they just came out with some point chats for 2026 and 2027 itineries that seem to be a bit better in terms of points needed, but of course, not the same value you are getting with rentals.

I am about ease though and why I used points for my AP…I don’t want to rent and would rather trade!

Ok, so I just ran a couple of quick calculations on some 7-night sailings aboard the Disney Dream in January 2027. It is actually not as bad as I thought. I ran the numbers on a couple of different Deluxe Family Oceanview with Verandah rooms and, based on current booking rates, you're getting just under $15/point for exchanging in direct through Disney. That is not terrible. And, if you are paying taxes on the $20/point confirmed reservations (like one should ), you're pretty close to breaking even by going direct through Disney.

Ok, so maybe the result of this thread will be that I end up exchanging my points direct with Disney and not trying to walk some December resort view studio reservations. LOL.

I've never actually calculated this because I was always told it was a "terrible value," but I just priced out swaps ranging from $16 - $18 per point. Not bad at all considering MB is valuing them at $20!

 

[VGCgroupie]

I've never actually calculated this because I was always told it was a "terrible value," but I just priced out swaps ranging from $16 - $18 per point. Not bad at all considering MB is valuing them at $20!

If they keep up offering decent values like this I see it as a huge win for buying direct vs resale tbh.

 

[airjay75]

It is much easier with the on-demand requests, because there are requests listed from renters that already know what they want and you can claim that request and book that reservation within 30 minutes.

I could also see how the on-demand reservations might be a bit less stressful from a rental perspective just because you won't need to be calling MS to change the names on the reservation. On one hand, if you're comfortable what you're doing doesn't meet Disney's definition of commercial renting, no, I don't have a problem saying the rental is for personal use, but a lot easier to just check that box when you are making that initial reservation online than having to call in one (or more times) on a confirmed reservation. Also feel like the latter could be a lot easier for Disney to flag should they decide they're going to take enforcement beyond a box/verbal attestation.

I've never actually calculated this because I was always told it was a "terrible value," but I just priced out swaps ranging from $16 - $18 per point. Not bad at all considering MB is valuing them at $20!

If they keep up offering decent values like this I see it as a huge win for buying direct vs resale tbh.

Yeah, this is all very interesting. It's like common wisdom - don't exchange direct with Disney, it's a bad value! And, sure, the savings you will get over cash rates at WDW resorts is definitely much more, but $15 or more on a direct cruise swap is not bad at all. I might just have to call MS this week to confirm I'm understanding everything.

Another thing I was just thinking about is the modification/cancellation policy on this. Looks like they give you back the points, but they have to be used within the Disney Collection in the same UY (and you'd have to pay another $95 transaction fee which I presume would be waived if you buy MMB).

Also, apparently the normal 11-month booking does not apply to booking cruises - you can use your points from the applicable UY as soon as the cruise points charts are published. And, can also purchase OTUPs now for the same future cruises.

Lots to think about and digest here.