Why Rent?

[Strangeite]

Howdy folks.

I have run across a situation where it seems smarter to book directly through Disney instead of renting points from a member. I feel like I am missing something obvious.

I was contemplating spending a week at Hilton Head with the family over spring break (Dream Season) in a 2BR villa. The point cost would be 277. The going rate on the Rent/Trade board for 250+ pts seems to be around $12 for a total cost of $3,324.

If I book directly through Disney, the total cost (with tax) is $3,379. And this is before applying the 20% discount coupon found in the Brinbaum's travel guide.

The price is very very close, and booking through Disney, you don't have the hassle of not controlling the reservation, communicating with a third party, etc.

Again, this doesn't "feel" right and I think I am missing something obvious.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

There would be no reason to rent in this case. It appears that cash guests are getting some great prices at this resort, and the small savings would not warrant the hassle and risk of doing a rental. The cost difference is usually much more substantial between booking directly with Disney and renting from a DVC member, which is why renting is so popular.

 

[chalee94]

yeah, i think there's a big difference between staying at a disney resort onsite at wdw (extra magic hours! free parking at the parks! KTTW card!) and staying at a disney resort at HHI.

people will typically pay extra for wdw and not as much for HHI...

 

[Strangeite]

Looking into it a little further, apparently the $512 per night in April for the 2BR villa is the highest rate I could find (for a comparison, most of the week of Thanksgiving the rate is $205 with the dates right around Thanksgiving jumping to $302).

With prices for the unit this low (relatively speaking), it seems that the point cost is too high.

 

[zavandor]

And booking though Disney you get daily mousekeeping.

It looks like a lot of HHI owners use points to stay at other resorts. More than the opposite.

 

[CheapMom]

Hi quick question for the OP- what version/edition of birnbaums has the coupon for Hilton Head?

 

[AllieV]

Every time I've priced it, Disney's direct rate is always twice as much as renting points. Good to know this about HHI though. I'll definitely check the website before using my own points there.

 

[CheapMom]

I found the info about the Birnbaum's coupon if anyone else is interested- this is for Disney's HHI
courtesy of mousesavers:

Birnbaum’s Walt Disney World 2013 has a coupon in the back with a code good for 10% – 20% off accommodations:

Get 10% off most nights when arriving 4/12/13-5/23/13, 5/28/13-8/24/13.
Get 20% off most nights when arriving 1/1/13-2/13/13, 2/14/13- 2/15/13, 2/18/13-2/23/13, 2/24/13-3/9/13, 3/10/13-3/28/13, 8/25/13-8/30/13, 9/3/13-10/20/13, 10/21/13-11/25/13, 11/26/13, 11/29/13-11/30/13, 12/1/13-12/26/13, 12/27/13-12/30/13.
Excludes Grand Villas. Only 20 rooms per night have been allocated for these offers. Minimum length of stay requirements apply for Friday or Saturday arrivals. Reservations cannot be made more than 11 months prior to check-in date. Expires 12/24/13.

 

[staceymay00]

yeah, i think there's a big difference between staying at a disney resort onsite at wdw (extra magic hours! free parking at the parks! KTTW card!) and staying at a disney resort at HHI.

people will typically pay extra for wdw and not as much for HHI...

Yes, I agree. We stayed at the Disney HHI resort once for a couple of nights with the 25% DVC cash discount, and it was much more reasonably priced than a 2BR at WDW. At the time we stayed (late May), the 2BR villa was not even whole lot more expensive than the 1BR villa.

Have you looked at what $3000+ will get you with on HHI with a VRBO rental? We liked the Disney resort, but I would never pay that much to stay there for a week. A couple of summers ago we rented a 2BR/3BA townhouse in Palmetto Dunes (resort where the Disney beach house is located) and with taxes it was around $1600. Five minute stroll from a less crowded part of beach. The Disney resort offers some things that we did not get through VRBO, but for us those things weren't all that important.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Lil' Grumpy]

why would you offer the same amount of $ for a resort that
is not near the parks?

i would never used our blt points to stay there when there
are so much better options.

and it is the one dvc resort below the resales, even mid $30.
so why would you pay the same price that could get you
a blt room? that is, i would never pay blt renting prices to
the resort when it is so limited.

i wouldn't be surprise that those buying resales have no intention
ever going there & just using it as a cheap way to get the dvc
resorts. i think with all the others resorts , they will separate
it from all the rest. or delay their 7months to something liked
7 & 1/2 months.

 

[kristenrice]

I think the issue with the WEEKLY price is due to the high WEEKEND points. We go for 5 weeknights for spring break and stay in a 1BR. This costs us a mere 129 points. Booking with CRO for cash it is $2453 (rack rate) or $1839 with the 25% member discount. The Birnbaum's coupon is not valid for these dates. So, for the weekNIGHT stay, it would be about $900 cheaper for a non-member to rent points ($1548 @ $12/pt) instead of paying cash.

Now, when you make it a full week, it changes dramatically. The cash rate would be $3434 (rack rate) or $2575 with the member discount. It would require 217 points to book that 1BR for the week. At $12/pt, that would be $2604. For non-members, it would still be an $800 savings to rent, but for a member (with the discount) it would be cheaper to book direct. The weekend points are really high at HHI.

We were able to secure Saturday, March 30 in a 2BR at HHI for a total cost of $248.32. If we had the points available (35), it would make more sense for us to rent them out at $10/point and pay cash. We'd end up with an extra $100. Let me point out, though, that if we tried to book that room on cash today, it would cost us about $425 with the discount. I booked it the day the 11-month window opened and I was told that it was the 2012 rate with the member discount that I was being quoted (and charged for the deposit). I was told that I would get an invoice for the new total once the 2013 rates were released. That invoice never appeared. I called MS to modify the reservation (had to change Sunday night from cash to points at 7 months...waitlisted...but it came through) and I asked again what I owe for the Saturday night. The CM assured my that my total is correct and my reservation now shows paid in full because I had changed a 2-night cash reservation to a 1-night stay. This weekend is Easter weekend in 2013 but not in 2012 which is why I think the price is so dramatically different. I won't be completely surprised if I am told that I owe something because that is the information I had originally been given.

We love HHI and our stays are almost always on weeknights, simply due to the fact that we take 2-3 days to drive down from Michigan and 2 more to drive back. It works in our favor that the weeknight points are so much cheaper. This year, we are only taking 2 days to drive down which is why we are arriving on Saturday instead of Sunday. We could have stayed an extra night in Gatlinburg (for $160) but with the great rate we got on the 2BR at HHI, we decided to just stay one night and not do any sight-seeing.

After the snowstorm and single-digit temps this week (it is currently a balmy 4 degrees!), I am more than ready for the beach.

 

[irazabul]

i've compared the WDW room rates to what DVC points charge would be and it was never close; the WDW room rates were always higher, and almost always substantially higher (40%+).

Another route to go is to have a member book the member nightly rates if available. I once did a DVC member nightly rate for a friend and the rate was 30% below the what he got quoted from WDW.

 

[CheapMom]

I am going to HHI for spring break (dream season except the 1st night) this year- 2br- 6 nights (Sat-Fr)
192 points
Cash reservation: $3,379.20
at $12 per point there would be about $1000 savings renting.

I believe the OP's price/rack-rate estimate may be based on 6 nights and his points rental estimate is based on 7 nights. That might explain why it is coming out so close.

 

[CheapMom]

Again, this doesn't "feel" right and I think I am missing something obvious.

are you sure $3,379 is the price for a week?

(I was checking prices for a friend who wants t join us on spring break and it is higher, but I don't know your dates so maybe you have it right)

 

[Daddio]

There are definitely times when booking Vero Beach and Hilton Head through CRO is less expensive than renting points. Our policy for these two resorts is to check CRO before securing any rooms for our guests.

I don't know why this is, but it is. This is without any codes or discounts.

~ David

 

[kristenrice]

I am going to HHI for spring break (dream season except the 1st night) this year- 2br- 6 nights (Sat-Fr)
192 points
Cash reservation: $3,379.20
at $12 per point there would be about $1000 savings renting.

I believe the OP's price/rack-rate estimate may be based on 6 nights and his points rental estimate is based on 7 nights. That might explain why it is coming out so close.

I'll see you there! Same dates, March 30-April 5

 

[CheapMom]

I'll see you there! Same dates, March 30-April 5

whoo hoo! i'm already gettin' excited!!! Are you coming all the way from MI?