Should You Rent DVC Points for a Disney Vacation? Our Honest Review of DVC Rentals
Renting Disney Vacation Club points might just be the easiest and cheapest way to do a Disney vacation. Or is it? We’ve got all the info on a DVC rental for your next family vacation.
Walt Disney World is where my family’s love for travel began.
When I became a mom, visiting Magic Kingdom quickly became a way for me to relive my own childhood. And the countries of Epcot gave us a taste of venturing “abroad” as a family… before we actually did.
We’ve found Walt Disney World to be one of the best places to travel and learn. Nowhere embodies the spirit of creativity and believing in yourself quite like Disney for us.
But enough gushing.
You get it - we’re Disney fans.
Throughout the years, we’ve made lots of pilgrimages to the House of the Mouse. We’ve stayed in over 15 Walt Disney World Resort properties. Explored all the parks. And eaten at well over 100 restaurants there, some many times. Not to mention, we’ve been on Disney Cruises, to Disneyland, and on an Adventures by Disney vacation.
But, one thing we had never done was rent Disney Vacation Club points to book our stay.
Until recently that is.
We rented DVC points for a recent stay at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa.
Was it a good way to book our Disney World family vacation? Did it save us money?
I’ve got the lowdown on the entire DVC rental experience.
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What is DVC Point Rental?
If you’ve been to any Disney property, chances are you’ve heard of the Disney Vacation Club, or DVC for short. But what exactly is it?
The Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is Disney’s version of a timeshare. Families buy timeshare points, which equate to stays at a Disney resort.
While members buy into one of 16 “home” resorts, points can be redeemed at any DVC property, based on availability. Families who become DVC members essentially own a piece of Disney property.
The majority of DVC properties are located in Walt Disney World Resort. However, there also DVC properties in Hawaii, Disneyland, Vero Beach, and Hilton Head.
The main thing that makes all DVC properties alike is that they offer studio and 1-3 bedroom villas. DVC ownership applies not to hotel-style properties, but rather the “deluxe villa” category of Disney lodging.
What exactly is DVC point rental?
DVC owners have the benefits (and responsibility) of “owning” part of a Disney property.
But, others can also use DVC points.
That’s where DVC rental comes in.
DVC members have the option of renting their timeshare points to others. Those who wish to rent points pay a per-point price for lodging at a DVC property.
While some members rent their points through private forums, several third person companies act as intermediaries. The 3 most popular sites for renting DVC points through a company are David’s Vacation Club Rentals, DVC-Rental.com, and DVC Rental Store.
Whether guests choose to rent directly through an owner or through a company, the concept is the same. Guests buy the exact number of points required for the length of stay at a resort of their choice. Those points are then cashed in as payment for the stay.
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DVC point rental versus booking directly though Disney: Which one is cheaper?
What’s the main reason to rent (or not rent) points? Price! But, is DVC rental really always the cheapest way to book Disney lodging?
DVC rental companies advertise the ability to rent a Disney resort studio or villa at a much cheaper cost than booking direct.
And that’s true… sometimes!
For example, let’s look at a week-long stay at Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village. If booked through Disney, a stay in a 1-bedroom 6 months at the time of this writing is priced at $6,375.
The same stay through one of the major DVC rental companies is $4,600.00.
That’s a huge savings!
But…
Those savings aren’t always the case with every trip.
It is true that the non-discounted Disney price is often higher than renting DVC points.
However, Disney frequently runs specials. In fact, we’ve been to Disney World almost 2 dozen times. And we’ve almost never paid the “regular” price for an on-property resort. In fact when we did, it was because we were still getting another perk, like free dining.
For example, let’s look at a preferred 1-bedroom at one of Disney’s newest DVC properties, Disney’s Riviera Resort. Renting points for one week 3 months from the time of this writing is priced at $6,256.00.
But the same stay is $5,468 when booked directly through Disney when taking advantage of a special for Disney+ subscribers.
Additionally, when booking through a DVC rental company, guests are locked into the original price.
When booking through Disney, guests can rebook at a sale price should it become available and it applies to their chosen hotel. Or, if desired, they’re permitted to change hotels to take advantage of a discount.
So, the answer to the question, “Which is cheaper, renting DVC points or booking directly through Disney?”
It depends.
We’ve learned to compare both options. And always check the special offers Disney is running for your dates of stay.
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Does DVC point rental or booking directly through Disney offer better availability?
Which resorts can you book through DVC rental? And how easy is it to get the days you want?
When it comes to availability of Disney resorts, there are 2 things to consider:
the availability of resort options.
When renting DVC points, you have the option of booking at about 16 different villa-style resorts. DVC resorts are located at Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Aulani in Hawaii, Hilton Head, and Vero Beach.
When booking directly through Disney, you have the option of booking the same 16 resorts. In other words, DVC resorts can still be booked directly through Disney.
However, when booking direct, non-villa hotel rooms, that are not part of the DVC program, are also available.
Some resorts, such as Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (one of our favorites) sleep up to 6. But, they’re not considered villas so they are not a part of Disney Vacation Club. Those resorts can only be booked direct.
the availability of a villa on the dates you hope to travel
If you do decide to book a DVC property, does booking through Disney offer more options? Or does a DVC rental company provide better availability?
Overall direct bookings through Disney have slightly more availability. This is especially true the closer you get to your travel dates.
For example, that stay at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge at Kidani Village 6 months from now that we referenced above? It’s available through both Disney and the DVC rental company we checked.
The Riviera Resort 3 months from now that we also referenced above? It shows no availability through DVC rental companies and is only available through Disney directly.
Additionally, booking directly through Disney provides real-time availability. When renting points, guests put in a request. They then typically wait several days to see if a DVC owner agrees to rent those points. Although there is no guarantee, those requests are typically confirmed after that wait time.
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Which option, DVC rental or booking directly though Disney, provides better customer service?
We’ve found our family vacation experience starts long before we head out of town. It starts during the booking process. So, great care during that process is a big part of making any trip successful.
We were curious to see if DVC rental companies could match Disney’s legendary customer service.
For the most part, yes. While they didn’t have the magical, go-out-of-their-way touch of Disney, staff were friendly.
The main differences came with the manner in which we communicated with those helping us to book our Disney vacation.
When booking directly through Disney, rooms and villas can be booked online with immediate confirmation. If you need to speak with someone, you can call Disney directly.
There are often lengthy wait times when you call. (We’re talking, throw in laundry, get some coffee, and maybe even get the dishes done while you wait. Sometimes, wait times are that long.)
But when you do, you’re guaranteed to get an answer to your question. And the chance that you won’t talk to a super friendly and helpful Disney cast member is almost nonexistent.
When booking through a DVC rental company, almost no communication is done over the phone. If you have questions during or after the booking process, you can get a hold of someone through email. It usually takes a couple days to get an answer, which can be frustrating.
Another difference between renting DVC points and booking direct has to do with making changes. When renting points, guests must contact the points rental company. The company must then contact the owner of the points.
And to make changes specifically to the dates of a reservation at the big DVC rental companies, guests must cancel. They then restart the booking process (at hefty cancellation penalties) as described below.
When booking directly through Disney, the lead guest on the reservation can make any changes needed. Changes to dates are based on availability. No penalties apply until 30 days prior to check-in. A $200 penalty then applies.
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What is the difference in cancellation policies when renting DVC points versus booking directly through Disney?
If there’s anything we learned from the travel shutdowns of 2020, it was that cancellations are a real possibility. And having the ability to cancel or make changes easily is important.
Cancelling or changing a reservation days, weeks, or even months prior to travel can be difficult when renting DVC points.
None of the 3 largest DVC rental companies gives guests a refund of any amount paid.
At David’s Vacation Club Rental, no cancellations or changes are permitted at any time. The full amount paid will be forfeited if guests cancel or change a reservation.
The DVC Rental Store made changes to their cancellation and credit policy following the pandemic shutdown. While these changes resulted in about a 25% increase in cost, they now offer a cancellation policy.
However, DVC Rental Store guests only receive credit upon cancellation as opposed to money back. To receive 100% credit for the amount paid, cancellations must be made 4 months prior to check-in. If cancelling within 4 months of check-in, a percentage of credit is given based on the number of days until check-in. For example, you must cancel prior to 60 days before travel to receive more than 50% in credit.
DVC-Rental.com has a similar policy. Guests lose anywhere from 25% - 75% if cancellations are made at any time. For example, cancellations made more than 60 days prior to check-in forfeit 50%.
To make any changes to the dates of a reservation at the big DVC rental companies, guests must cancel. They then restart the booking process as described above.
Cancelling and making changes to reservations is much easier and less expensive when booking directly through Disney. For room only reservations, changes or cancellations can be made without penalty up until 5 days prior to check-in. After 5 days before check-in, one night’s stay is non-refundable.
Packages that includes tickets or airfare can be modified or cancelled without penalty up until 30 days prior to check-in. After that time and up until 24 hours prior to check-in, a $200 cancellation fee applies. If guests no-show or cancel within 24 hours, the first nights lodging is forfeited.
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Does renting DVC points or booking directly through Disney make it easier to get help with planning your vacation?
Are you a DIYer for Disney vacation planning? Or do you like to call in reinforcements? Or is this your first trip altogether? You’ll want to think about about the answer to those questions before you decide how to book your Disney trip.
When it comes to Disney vacations, there are 2 types of people. Those who love to plan. And those who are ready to throw in the towel on the trip before they even get out the suitcases.
I happen to be in the first category.
I know how we like to experience the parks and which experiences we want on the itinerary.
Yet, even as a seasoned Disney guest, there’s one thing I won’t travel to Disney without again.
The help of an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner.
I’ve found that since the travel shutdowns in 2020, so much has changed at Walt Disney World. The “Fastpass” system is no more. (Genie+ and Lightening Lane are the new kids on the block.) Dining seems even more booked than before. Extra Magic Hours are completely different. New rides and restaurants are open or slated to open soon.
It’s a LOT to keep up with. And that’s where Disney travel agents (a.k.a. Authorized Disney Vacation Planners) come in. Because they help with all of that and more.
This is NOT a sponsored post. I am not getting compensated for recommending anyone. They are truly just that helpful when planning Disney.
When booking directly through Disney, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are free. Disney knows planning a vacation to one of their resorts requires a lot of time and work. So, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners receive a commission directly from Disney. Therefore, it costs you nothing to utilize their services. In fact, it usually saves you money because they keep up on discounts much more easily than the average guest.
When renting DVC points, Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are not able to receive a commission. So, while you can use a planner, you’ll have to pay extra for that.
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Does Renting DVC Points or Booking Directly Through Disney Provide a Better Experience at the Resort?
The planning is done and the suitcases are packed! Now what? Does your Disney vacation feel any different depending on how you booked your trip?
So, what happens when you make it to the resort? Is check-in the same regardless of wether you booked directly through Disney or by renting DVC points? Is your experience at the resort the same?
We found that, for the most part, the resort experience is the same regardless of how you booked your stay.
Your name will be on the reservation (not the owner of the points) when renting points. So check-in is the same as booking direct.
The only difference is in housekeeping (a.k.a. mousekeeping). It is not offered as frequently when a stay is a DVC booking. In fact, we didn’t receive housekeeping any day we were there during our week DVC rental recently. However, staff were quick to replace towels and take the trash when we called to request that.
