Top 20 DVC Tips from a 20 year member

[DVC Doctor]

I could see treating my own children and their children (when they are grown enough to have children) but why in the world would I treat other family members? Would you randomly buy them a vacation anywhere else? To each is to own but nobody should feel bad for charging friends and family to use their vacation points.

Well, it really depends on your family, friends, how many points you have, and your net worth. In my situation, I have an abundance of all four and in a fantastic position to invite extended family or friends to a grand villa and comp a room or two as i am the patriarch of the family now. If I was 25yo with wife and two kids and only 100 points, then that would not be possible to share much, but I am older and wiser now and simply can easily afford it.

Also, I have read TOO MANY posts here about issues and problems of charging family and friends for a DVC room (i.e. the studio portion of a 2 bedroom) to make me believe that free is always the best and if they reciprocate with buying food, drinks, anything, tehn that is a good trade. However, if a family member wants to go on their own and wants me to book a studio for them, then i simply charge annual dues (those are not free).

We bought them specifically to share. We anticipate that probably 2/3 of our trips will be with friends or family.
To each their own, obviously, and I also realize there's a big difference between someone with 150 points and someone with 1,000, but we still plan on taking vacations with just our family, so the idea of brining people along to disney properties sounds like a lot of fun to me.

^^^ exactly. Disney is more fun for me to enjoy with friends and family as a small group.

 

[_Iowa_]

^Exactly. I'm not giving our free trips that I'm not going on like paying for a cousins' honeymoon or something but if they're going along with us that's as much for me as it is them.

 

[DVC Doctor]

^Exactly. I'm not giving our free trips that I'm not going on like paying for a cousins' honeymoon or something but if they're going along with us that's as much for me as it is them.

Correct. Let me clarify my tip that I do not recommend that owners charge friends and family for their portion of the villa if that are being included with your vacation plans such as they are staying in one room of your grand villa. However, if a family or friend wants to use your points to travel without you, then it is appropriate to charge them something for the use of the points.

When you consider the rental rate of $16pp is pretty average and the actual annual dues is around $7pp or so average, then some number in between is generally fair, as long as it is cheaper than renting from Disney direct.

 

[CanadaDisney05]

IMO, DVC is not like owning a rental property where you can let your friends and family stay at it when your not there, or let them bunk up with you when you travel together. DVC points are essentially currency. I can use them for a stay for myself. I can rent them out. In other words, its a variable cost, not a fixed cost. Therefore, I plan on charging my friends and family to use them if they travel with us.

Keep in mind, we are in our thirties, and have 200 points. Things may be different if I had 1000 points and were renting a Grand Villa with or without my friends and family.

 

[DVC Doctor]

IMO, DVC is not like owning a rental property where you can let your friends and family stay at it when your not there, or let them bunk up with you when you travel together. DVC points are essentially currency. I can use them for a stay for myself. I can rent them out. In other words, its a variable cost, not a fixed cost. Therefore, I plan on charging my friends and family to use them if they travel with us.

Keep in mind, we are in our thirties, and have 200 points. Things may be different if I had 1000 points and were renting a Grand Villa with or without my friends and family.

I understand your plan and would suggest that with 200 points, just book for yourself and let other book for themselves. If you normally stay in a studio, you have plenty of points, but is best for one couple or one family. Even a 1 bedroom is designed for one party. Now a 2 bedroom opens up some options and is sorta a 1 bedroom + studio. Thus, if your guest takes the studio portion, then that is all they should pay for.

The problem is ALWAYS what is a fair rate to charge a friend or family for an extra room and that will be different for everyone. I can only state that my opinion is to either avoid doing that or do it for free as once money gets involved, problems will occur. For example, lets say your guest cancels withing 30 days and you cant downsize and smaller rooms are sold out.

 

[JoshF]

In my opinion, I got this to enjoy and if inviting friends or family makes my trip more fun, I am having a better vacation by inviting them. I think it would get weird for me if I tried to charge family or friends. But I can also respect how others wouldn't agree. It's fine to feel either way about this.

This only applies to a trip I was already going on. If you want to use my points for your own trip that's gonna cost you!

 

[Bellecruiser]

The problem is ALWAYS what is a fair rate to charge a friend or family for an extra room and that will be different for everyone.

we have had occasions when family has insisted on paying. In those cases I have charged what we paid in dues. My figuring was that the actual points are sunk cost, but the dues are not. So that is what I asked for.

 

[MBTigger]

Way to go DVC Doctor.....

 

[Mrskmid]

I have a question about #14.
I am in the process of looking to buy our first DVC contract at Poly for our family of 5 (young children and its their favorite). I plan on purchasing enough points to be able to stay in a 1-bedroom in a few years when studios become too cramped with the thought that until that happens I will rent out our excess points. I always through that going through a broker was the safest and most stress free way to go (putting aside what just happened with David's DVC). Am I wrong ? What am I missing?

 

[luckygirl0100]

Unfortunately in our personal situation 'family' only remembers that they are family when they want something....

We have 400 points and use about 200 per year. We purchased a larger contract because we will have grandchildren and will need all 400 at some point. Right now we just rent the extras to cover dues.

Unfortunately, many people think DVC is like a ladder and it's no big deal to ask to use it. THAT'S an uncomfortable conversation.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I have a question about #14.
I am in the process of looking to buy our first DVC contract at Poly for our family of 5 (young children and its their favorite). I plan on purchasing enough points to be able to stay in a 1-bedroom in a few years when studios become too cramped with the thought that until that happens I will rent out our excess points. I always through that going through a broker was the safest and most stress free way to go (putting aside what just happened with David's DVC). Am I wrong ? What am I missing?

If you want to stay in one bedroom villas in the near future, why would you buy at the Polynesian? There are no one bedroom villas there. You'd have to wait until seven months out to book a one bedroom villa at a different resort. Buy the resort you plan to stay at most of the time if you can't change to a different resort at seven months out. Plus, sometimes during the year, it will be hard to book a different resort at seven months out. Most of the studios that sleep five currently do not have one bedroom villas that have beds for five (they allow five people in the one bedroom, but a bed isn't provided for the fifth person - you have to bring your own bed, bedding, linens, etc for the fifth person). If the villa has beds for five in the one bedroom, usually the studio only has beds for four. GFV, RIV might be the only ones that currently have beds for five in both the one bedroom and studio. SSR might also have beds for five in the studio and one bedroom once the renovations are completed, but they might be postponed for the time being.

As long as one of your children is under the age of three, you can book a studio that only has beds for four. By the time your youngest hits three, you might be ready for a one bedroom. And a word of warning, once you stay in a one bedroom, you won't go back to a studio until the kids are gone.

 

[Mrskmid]

If you want to stay in one bedroom villas in the near future, why would you buy at the Polynesian? There are no one bedroom villas there. You'd have to wait until seven months out to book a one bedroom villa at a different resort. Buy the resort you plan to stay at most of the time if you can't change to a different resort at seven months out. Plus, sometimes during the year, it will be hard to book a different resort at seven months out. Most of the studios that sleep five currently do not have one bedroom villas that have beds for five (they allow five people in the one bedroom, but a bed isn't provided for the fifth person - you have to bring your own bed, bedding, linens, etc for the fifth person). If the villa has beds for five in the one bedroom, usually the studio only has beds for four. GFV, RIV might be the only ones that currently have beds for five in both the one bedroom and studio. SSR might also have beds for five in the studio and one bedroom once the renovations are completed, but they might be postponed for the time being.

As long as one of your children is under the age of three, you can book a studio that only has beds for four. By the time your youngest hits three, you might be ready for a one bedroom. And a word of warning, once you stay in a one bedroom, you won't go back to a studio until the kids are gone.

You are right, the only resorts that have beds for 5 in a studio and 1 bedroom is GFV and RIV. I didn't want to buy at a resort that has 1-bedr for 5 because outside of RIV we weren't crazy about the options (BLT, AKL, OKW, GFV) and my kids really really love Poly even more than AKL. I'm hoping by the time we are ready to move into a 1-bdr my family will be less picky where they want to stay.

Which still means I will need to be able to rent out points and I don't fully understand the con's of going through a broker aside from them getting a cut of the fee. (Point #14)

 

[Deb & Bill]

You are right, the only resorts that have beds for 5 in a studio and 1 bedroom is GFV and RIV. I didn't want to buy at a resort that has 1-bedr for 5 because outside of RIV we weren't crazy about the options (BLT, AKL, OKW, GFV) and my kids really really love Poly even more than AKL. I'm hoping by the time we are ready to move into a 1-bdr my family will be less picky where they want to stay.

Which still means I will need to be able to rent out points and I don't fully understand the con's of going through a broker aside from them getting a cut of the fee. (Point #14)

You could wind up in the pickle that many owners are in right now because they used a broker to rent their points. They don't know if the person who rented their points is still planning on going this year and if they don't go, will another person rent out that reservation through the broker as a fire sale so the owner still gets the 30% they are owed? Some of them have contacted their renter (because they get the information when they use the broker), and the renter still doesn't know what they will do. Rent out your own points. Best of all, just use the points you own for yourself and your family. Use banking and borrowing when you can if you can't use all the points you have in a year.

If your family loves the Polynesian that much, they might be disappointed to move to a different resort. And your choices might be very limited at seven months, OKW, SSR or AKV (those resorts you weren't really crazy about to begin with). Buy the one bedroom resort you like the best and use those points at seven months out at the Polynesian. With 350+studios, you will probably be able to book a studio right at seven months out. Just don't wait a few days to book that studio.

 

[Mrskmid]

You could wind up in the pickle that many owners are in right now because they used a broker to rent their points. They don't know if the person who rented their points is still planning on going this year and if they don't go, will another person rent out that reservation through the broker as a fire sale so the owner still gets the 30% they are owed? Some of them have contacted their renter (because they get the information when they use the broker), and the renter still doesn't know what they will do. Rent out your own points. Best of all, just use the points you own for yourself and your family. Use banking and borrowing when you can if you can't use all the points you have in a year.

If your family loves the Polynesian that much, they might be disappointed to move to a different resort. And your choices might be very limited at seven months, OKW, SSR or AKV (those resorts you weren't really crazy about to begin with). Buy the one bedroom resort you like the best and use those points at seven months out at the Polynesian. With 350+studios, you will probably be able to book a studio right at seven months out. Just don't wait a few days to book that studio.

Thanks for the advice...just when I thought I had most of this figured out after months of research lol

 

[Lorana]

Thanks for the advice...just when I thought I had most of this figured out after months of research lol

If you really love Poly, and don't want the hassle of renting out for now, why not buy Poly for your current usage, and then when the kids get older and you want to switch to using 1 BRs at a different resort, sell Poly and buy a resale contract at the new resort?

Or, if you just want to buy now at today's prices, buy two resorts: one at Poly, one at the resort you most want to use 1 BRs at. For now, use the Poly for your stays and the other contract to rent out. When you get to the point you are staying in the 1 BRs more, you can use Poly points at 7months to add one a night or two if available, or you can rent out Poly, or you can sell it.

 

[DVC Doctor]

I have a question about #14.
I am in the process of looking to buy our first DVC contract at Poly for our family of 5 (young children and its their favorite). I plan on purchasing enough points to be able to stay in a 1-bedroom in a few years when studios become too cramped with the thought that until that happens I will rent out our excess points. I always through that going through a broker was the safest and most stress free way to go (putting aside what just happened with David's DVC). Am I wrong ? What am I missing?

Here are my opinions on your situation

Buy the minimal amount of points you need right now (i.e. 100 points at Poly) from Disney to get the blue card perks

In a few years, when you need larger than a studio, buy more points at another resort you love that has 1 bedroom (i.e. VGF, BLT, CCV) and buy resale

Do NOT buy more points than you need right now (that way you wont need to rent points) and if you have extra points bank them or if you end up buying more than you need then do NOT use a broker to rent as the safest and most stress free way to go is to rent them yourself. Just search for Davids rental thread horror stories. Sure before the covid, it may have been a good option, but not now. You always control your own destiny when you rent your own points. Or offer them as a transfer.

In reality, renting points is usually more of a hassle for most people than it is worth and it is not that profitable anymore, especially with all the work and risk now.

 

[Mrskmid]

Thank you all!!

 

[DVC Doctor]

Unfortunately in our personal situation 'family' only remembers that they are family when they want something....

We have 400 points and use about 200 per year. We purchased a larger contract because we will have grandchildren and will need all 400 at some point. Right now we just rent the extras to cover dues.

Unfortunately, many people think DVC is like a ladder and it's no big deal to ask to use it. THAT'S an uncomfortable conversation.

Well, we all know what you mean by that. I would simply state that you used up all your points.

I also own HGVC and have way more points than I need and happily share those with family for a few freebie nights.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I usually run with banked points not because I couldn't spend them all but because I like to know I have extra points for that big family vacation in the GV that is sure to come. Or the two bedroom villa when only one child and family is joining us. This coming January we are going for two weeks in one bedroom SV @ BWV and one week in one bedroom at VB. I could have book two weeks at BWV in a BW view room and spend all my points but I just like to have those extra points available knowing that at some point we will be doing a large family vacation in a GV. I just don't like to be in the borrowing mode, I like to know I have enough points for the following year with no issues. (Of course I could always buy more points but my DH isn't on board with that , at least not yet...the right deal hasn't been found...

This is why I try not to borrow. After what happened with Covid, I realize borrowing is safer. I just worry about not having enough points if point charts get changed, and that was even before the borrowing restriction.

 

[kboo]

Great list! Really appreciate the insight as I am in process of buying my first contract. Curious as to #8 why is borrowing better than banking?

This is not a hard recommendation for everyone as if you only have 50 points, it may not apply, but if you have 2,500 points, then it is very important. Because points ultimately have an expiration date and even a situation like covid proves that sometimes you get caught with your pants down and will lost points. Even without covid, it is better to burn all your current points ASAP and then borrow from next year so you and never forced into using or losing points.

Agree with this. Although until covid and the rescheduling mess we are in right now, we did fine with banking here and there because we knew we were coming back, usually within 8 months. Now, 2.5 canceled and downsized trips later, we are at risk of losing a whopping 12 points by January, so it's *ok* to bank a little.

I'd quibble with a few #10) I don't charge family and friends, but if your family or friends are the type to invite themselves, or you are cash strapped, or if they don't value your points seeing them as free - hey, charge them. Not everyone has the luxury to treat - not everyone has the family and friends worth treating. 14) Use a broker if you want, renters can be a pain in the tookus and its worth every dime to have a broker be the middle man 15) try and stay at the resorts that interest you. Life is too short to waste at a resort that doesn't appeal to you. If you always want to stay at your home resort, there is comfort and ritual in that. There is also no rush to stay at any resort early as it opens. 16) Some of the DVC resorts you may not think are awesome. That will vary from person to person. I'd eat glass before I'd stay at SSR - its a personal thing. Hate the decor, hate the layout, hate the distance from the parks. (Nice pool though). Plenty of other people love it. (That's a figure of speech - but I would waste my points if that were my only choice in resorts and just book somewhere else on cash or not go) No interest in Aulani - I'm sure I'd like it, its just on the wrong Hawaiian Island for us.

To be fair, back in the olden days, I did use Starwood/Marriott points to stay at the Swolphin for a last minute trip even though I had enough points and SSR was available. Now, to use those 12 points, I would be wiling to use those points to do a short weekend in an SSR studio rather than let them go to waste. Covid broke me.

This one is my favorite point:

"16. All DVC resorts are awesome, and my favorite is the one I am currently staying at."

Yes. Of course I have my REAL favorites (the ones I own!) *but* at the same time, if I am taking a short trip, I'll enjoy wherever it is I am staying.