To Rent DVC or Not, That is the Question

[jessie31383]

We have been to Disney World 3 times now and are planning on going in October. My husband has said this is going to be our last time to go for the next 6 years (he said we can go when my oldest graduates from high school). With that being said, we have always wanted to stay at the Poly but spending that much money for a room hurts so in the end I have not booked it. We have stayed 2 times at CBR and this last time at the Pop. We did not care for the Pop at all and have always liked CBR, but there is just a feeling I get when we go visit the Poly that I feel it would be amazing to actually stay there. Right now the plan is to stay 2 days at the resort and not go to the parks at all and than do 3 days at the parks (we have done parks everyday in the past even when we went for 10 days!). So, I have been checking into renting DVC points and discovered that it is a few hundred dollars cheaper than paying rack rates for CBR. However, before I bite the bullet, for those who have rented DVC points before in particular at Poly, do you feel like your missing out on something by renting dvc and not renting a room through Disney? We have always purchased packages and done dining and memory maker with it. This would be the first time that I pay for everything individually and that makes me slightly nervous. As well as we LOVE getting magic bands, I know this seems like a silly detail, but it is something that makes us happy and we decorate them ourselves each time. Are the rooms significantly different from those that are regular rooms? Has anyone had any difficulty once being there since you are renting the points and you do not actually own DVC? Or am I being silly and it is awesome and better then renting moderate resort directly through Disney? Any advice, opinion, or past experience greatly appreciated!

 

[ldo]

renting is usually a final tranx-no canx. You can save a decent amount of $, but there is much more risk, as you cannot canx. Getting DDP, ME, etc. should not be an issue with rented points. You just tell the rental agency/person your dates and pay for DDP in advance via CC. you also still get MB. I would not want to be locked into a reservation so far out. A lot can change--work, finances, kid get a spot at special camp, etc. I would want the flex.

 

[Babsy]

We don't like DVC rentals because you cannot change/cancel once booked. We also don't like to pay all up front. Once there, we prefer a room with two real queen beds rather than a pull out sofa and one bed. We prefer to have daily housekeeping, and we actually prefer the 'hotel' portion of the resorts which tend to be closer to where we want to be. At the Poly in particular, the way that WDW uses the available space in the room doesn't work for us - there are two bathrooms, but only one toilet - the one thing that two bathrooms would be convenient for, IMO.

For these reasons we prefer to book directly with WDW and stay in the regular portion of the resort. However, we are in the minority, I know. I am posting this not to discourage you but just so you are aware of some potential issues.

Good luck! The Poly is a gorgeous resort. you will love it! We are staying there again next month and can't wait!

 

[mslhb]

We have a DVC rental at the Poly booked for our next trip. We used an online company that offered trip cancel protection. We also didn't have to pay it all up front. The company has made the process sooooo easy. The trip is in our MDE account and we get magic bands just like normal. Only big difference I see is we won't get daily housekeeping although we will likely add it on for the extra cost. Even adding that and the trip protection the overall cost is still cheaper then booking direct with Disney.

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Just so you know, it is still the home resort booking window for October at this time so I'm not sure if you'll be able to find any Poly owners who are looking to rent their points out right now. The earliest other DVC owners can book the Poly for October is in March.

 

[Hopefully]

We have a DVC rental at the Poly booked for our next trip. We used an online company that offered trip cancel protection. We also didn't have to pay it all up front. The company has made the process sooooo easy. The trip is in our MDE account and we get magic bands just like normal. Only big difference I see is we won't get daily housekeeping although we will likely add it on for the extra cost. Even adding that and the trip protection the overall cost is still cheaper then booking direct with Disney.

Cheaper than booking a hotel room directly through Disney or cheaper than booking a DVC studio directly through Disney?

OP You have a lot of research to yet do. There is a lot to renting DVC that you need to understand before you enter into the transaction.
Check out the DVC Rent/Trade Board here on the DIS.
DVC is a timeshare - not a hotel. Most amenities are funded directly from member maintenance fees, and as such are not the same as at a hotel.
Some of the highlights have already been mentioned.
Rental point demand far exceeds availability. To get your first choice at some times of the year you need to be booking 11 months in advance and generally no later than 7 months in advance.
You will enter into a contract with the owner/agency.
Most require a large payment on booking and the rest long before the dates of travel.
You can not change dates once set. You can not cancel for a refund.
You will not get daily Mousekeeping, including replenishment of coffee/tea etc, toiletries, clean towels.
For stays of 7 nights or less you will receive a Trash and Towel service on day 4. They will empty the trash, replace the towels, and restock toiletries, coffee (1 packet) etc. You can pay for extra Mousekeeping, but it is expensive. You can also pay extra for more towels.
If you are renting a studio Villa you will only have 1 real Queen size bed. Then you will have a double pull out sleeper. OKW is the only resort with 2 real beds in a Studio Villa.
You will have a "kitchenette"" which includes a small sink, a small undercover refrig, a small microwave, a toaster and a coffee maker. YOu only get 1 packet of coffee on check in.
Hope this helps some, there is a lot to consider to decide if it is right for you.
Good Luck

 

[willmccready]

We have a DVC rental at the Poly booked for our next trip. We used an online company that offered trip cancel protection. We also didn't have to pay it all up front. The company has made the process sooooo easy. The trip is in our MDE account and we get magic bands just like normal. Only big difference I see is we won't get daily housekeeping although we will likely add it on for the extra cost. Even adding that and the trip protection the overall cost is still cheaper then booking direct with Disney.

We're in the same boat. We're staying at a Poly DVC studio for 7 nights in May and we bought trip cancel protection for a reasonable fee and are still saving tons over paying cash. You can still add a dining plan, etc to the reservation (you would have to do it through the DVC member making your reservation), and you'll still get magic bands.

We're paying $2,495 including our trip cancel protection compared to the $4,395 I just looked up on the Disney website.

Our trip isn't until May so I can't give a fully formed opinion until then, but so far it looks like it will be a good deal.

 

[Mynamewastaken]

We have a DVC rental at the Poly booked for our next trip. We used an online company that offered trip cancel protection. We also didn't have to pay it all up front. The company has made the process sooooo easy. The trip is in our MDE account and we get magic bands just like normal. Only big difference I see is we won't get daily housekeeping although we will likely add it on for the extra cost. Even adding that and the trip protection the overall cost is still cheaper then booking direct with Disney.

Can you please m me the name. We are for sure renting for Feb 2018 and I'd love to find out who this is...

 

[mslhb]

Cheaper than booking a hotel room directly through Disney or cheaper than booking a DVC studio directly through Disney?

Both. We wanted to stay at a standard room at the Poly. We preferred the studio rooms but a regular std poly room would have worked for us as well. For our dates the DVC rental was cheaper than the same same std studio booked direct with Disney. It was also cheaper than a regular poly std room with the current discount available for our dates. This is with including the premium point cost we paid to book before the 7 months as well as the extra cancellation policy. Without those extra cost it would have been even cheaper. We only had to pay a deposit at time of booking and I believe the final amount is due 45 days before we check-in.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

October is part of DVC high season. You will want to find a Poly owner with points who can book before March. In March, an October Poly booking requires the owner to be online, ready to go, at 8AM, and success is 100% dependent on if their computer communicates with Disney faster than someone else's.

You will pay premium for a home resort booking, and Poly owners can be difficult to find for a home resort window. But you cannot count on an October 7-month booking; people who are talking about their May or February bookings are booking in DVC low season. When I switched my home resort booking for October 2016 last March, I was online at 7:50, ready to go, and I still had to waitlist days of my trip (something few owners will do for a renter); availability was gone by 8:10AM for Poly for my dates, which did NOT include Columbus Day.

 

[Heatherhy01]

We're in the same boat. We're staying at a Poly DVC studio for 7 nights in May and we bought trip cancel protection for a reasonable fee and are still saving tons over paying cash. You can still add a dining plan, etc to the reservation (you would have to do it through the DVC member making your reservation), and you'll still get magic bands.

We're paying $2,495 including our trip cancel protection compared to the $4,395 I just looked up on the Disney website.

Our trip isn't until May so I can't give a fully formed opinion until then, but so far it looks like it will be a good deal.

Can you please give the name of the company you used to rent? I would really like to check them out!

 

[LSLS]

WE did it once and it worked great for us. We personally never change or cancel once we book anyways, so that was never a big deal. Planning on doing it again for our next trip assuming we can find something (they sell quick, so you need to get your request in right at your booking opportunity).

 

[westie55]

I have rented DVC points in the past and have a trip booked for a studio at the GF next November. For me, renting points is a fabulous way to stay at the most expensive resorts without having to pay astronomical prices I simply can't afford. I stayed at the Grand Californian in Disneyland on rented points and had a phenomenal experience that was incredibly easy. Because of the high cost of the Poly, I will likely rent points when I stay there in the future.The biggest downside is the inability to cancel, the need to pay upfront, and the lack of mousekeeping. If those are things you can live with, renting points is a great way to save some money. Also, be prepared to put your request in 11 months in advance. The Poly is popular and if you wait much longer than that, you likely will not be able to get a room there. Another thing to consider is the sofa bed. While I haven't slept on the sofa bed in the Poly, I can say that the sofa bed at Saratoga Springs was not comfortable. I think it would be fine for kids but depending who's travelling in your party, the sofa bed vs. two real queen beds in the standard hotel room could be a negative, especially if your party is all adults. In summary, I loved renting points and am doing it again!

 

[willmccready]

Also, be prepared to put your request in 11 months in advance. The Poly is popular and if you wait much longer than that, you likely will not be able to get a room there.

Just as a data point, I booked at 7 months for the Polynesian and got a room for May. Doing that actually saved a few dollars per point through the vendor we used as well so it knocked $300 off my total. I think I read that because the Poly is new to DVC there aren't as many owners as other places so fewer people who can book there at 11 months.

 

[dkrauss]

My wife and I have also rented DVC points for 2 vacations. We were able to save 45% to 55% on the rooms(for us that meant Studios).......did Boardwalk Villas and Animal Kingdom Villa's (Jambo)............worked like a charm. We used a broker.........which meant we had to make our decision 11 months in advance, primarily because of the time of year we were requesting (WDW Marathon weekend and F&W Festival). There are other ways to do it that don't require so much upfront time........just never worked for us. If you have an opportunity give it a try...............

Doug

 

[tbholc81]

We rented points for the Poly and BLT last September (split stay). As far as all the draw backs mentioned above, no refunds mousekeeping etc... they were worth it to stay at the Poly. The studios at the Poly also have two showers which was a bonus for us with our kids. I believe too the Poly studios are larger than other resorts so we did not feel cramped. We would definitely rent points again and definitely think its worth it. To answer some of your other concerns, we still got Magic Bands, did Memory Maker and had an account on MDE. Since you are still on property you an do dining reservations at 180 days and FP+ at 60 days. We never do the dining plan.

The one thing I think you will have some trouble with is that October is busy season for DVC and getting points from brokers is difficult. We originally wanted to go in October but nothing was available so we worked with the broker and got points for the Poly and BLT the second week of September. If your dates are flexible you might have more luck.

 

[SweetMissy]

We rented DVC points when we stayed at AKL a few years back. It was a good transaction....no different than booking through disney. We would never spend the money it cost to stay there, not because we can't but because we refuse, lol. It was a good experience. The only thing I didn't know until after our trip was they don't have daily housekeeping which is essential with gallon size garbage cans and a family of 5 at the time.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Just as a data point, I booked at 7 months for the Polynesian and got a room for May. Doing that actually saved a few dollars per point through the vendor we used as well so it knocked $300 off my total. I think I read that because the Poly is new to DVC there aren't as many owners as other places so fewer people who can book there at 11 months.

Renting for May at 7 months is a different case than renting in October-marathon at 7 months. May is low demand season for DVC. Food & Wine through the holidays and marathon is the highest. DVC demand periods do not align to perceptions of "busy season" at WDW.

 

[disneyAndi14]

We have rented three times here on the Dis and we have had wonderful experiences. We have stayed at BC, Boardwalk and will be staying at AKL Jambo house. I miss mousekeeping a little but not enough to book with Disney. We have been able to pay 50% upon booking and the other 50% 90 days before our trip. We have literally saved thousands of dollars. We stay in a studio because there is only two of us. The DVC owners here on the Dis have been awesome to rent from, no problems, very professional with contracts and references. We are AP holders and live in Minnesota so this allows us to travel to Disney 2-3x a year for what it would cost from Disney for 1 deluxe villa stay so we find it an excellent option. We will be at AKL in February can't wait.

 

[jessie31383]

Renting for May at 7 months is a different case than renting in October-marathon at 7 months. May is low demand season for DVC. Food & Wine through the holidays and marathon is the highest. DVC demand periods do not align to perceptions of "busy season" at WDW.

What marathon are you talking about? The wine and dine marathon is in November.