How to Rent Disney Vacation Club Points
These money-saving tips for renting Disney Vacation Club points will get you Deluxe hotel rooms at Walt Disney World for much cheaper prices. DVC rental is safe, convenient, and less expensive than standard resort reservations. It’s also a great way to test drive DVC before buying.
Disney Vacation Club (DVC) point rental is the one-time use of a set number of a points to book a Deluxe Villa room at a Disney Vacation Club Resort. It’s a fairly easy process, and you can do this on a person-to-person basis via forums, or via one of the established point rental companies that we recommend.
This post offers our info and tips for the best ways to rent DVC points, including what to know if you’re planning on renting Disney Vacation Club points next year. If you’re thinking of doing a Halloween, Food & Wine, or Christmas 2020 trip to Walt Disney World, now is the time you need to book…
Let’s start with the basics of DVC rental. Here’s how it works: the owner of the points agrees to “rent” the points out to a rentee, and in exchange for payment to the owner of the points, the owner makes a room reservation for the rentee in the rentee’s name. The amount of the payment is determined by the number of points needed for the booking, with a per-point cost being agreed upon by the parties.
For example, if the agreed upon price is $16 per point, and the rentee wants to stay book Animal Kingdom Lodge for December 1-7, 2020, that will require 60 points, for a total cost of $960. Contrast that with booking directly from DisneyWorld.com, which would cost $2,451.38. That’s over 60% off by renting DVC points for that December 2020 stay! As you can see, the big advantage of Disney Vacation Club point rental is saving money over booking directly with Walt Disney World.
In addition to saving money on hotel rates, the newest benefit of renting Disney Vacation Club points is free parking. Walt Disney World is now charging for parking at its hotels, but this does not apply to guests staying on DVC points. There is no charge regardless of whether the person using the points is a member or not–it’s based upon the use of the points (parking is not a “perk” since lot maintenance is paid for via annual dues).
Meaning, if you were otherwise going to drive or rent a car at Walt Disney World, point rental now saves you another $24/night in that you won’t pay for parking. It’s not a huge amount in the grand scheme of things, but definitely something to consider.
Okay, now on with the normal DVC point rental tips…
In recent years, renting points has gone from relatively uncommon to a bit more mainstream practice. There are individual owners who rent points because they either aren’t going to be able to use their points or need a way to offset some of the considerable cost of membership, and there are companies that exist solely for the purpose of renting Disney Vacation Club points to savvy Walt Disney World and Disneyland guests.
The two main places to rent Disney Vacation Club points are DVC Rental Store or David’s Vacation Club Rentals. The two are pretty comparable–both are reputable businesses that can be trusted. DVC Rental Store has a few advantages. First, they do not require a deposit to search for availability. Second, they offer point protection (basically, insurance).
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, at the time of reservation only 60% of the payment is due, as opposed to the full amount, and the remaining 40% is not due until 45 days prior to check in. The obvious advantage here is that you’re not paying in full up front, but the other advantage is that it provides some flexibility when canceling an uninsured reservation.
Note that you can also use this free tool for non-DVC members to search for resort availability so you can see which resorts are sold out and which are not before even hassling with contacting DVC Rental Store or David’s. We compared the results in that search to our DVC Member search feature, and the results are accurate (the display of that tool is actually better than DVC’s own search function!).
Although we are Disney Vacation Club owners, we have a relatively low number of points, so we’ve actually rented points ourselves a couple of times in the last few years. In attempting to rent points, we’ve contacted both the point rental businesses and individuals on forums about rental, and have opted to go with the point rental businesses (despite paying a bit more) for simplicity and peace of mind.
How you go about renting Disney Vacation Club points, and whether it’s safe, is probably the most common reader question we’ve received in response to our Disney Vacation Club Buying Guide, so I figured I’d put together this guide based on our experiences and research, along with my thoughts about the pros and cons of each method of renting points.
Let’s start with the pros and cons of renting DVC points in general to determine whether it’s right for you…
Pros & Cons of DVC Point Rental
The biggest benefit of renting Disney Vacation Club points is saving money. The example of Animal Kingdom Lodge Villas above is a good one. If you wanted to book a stay August 19-23, 2020 in a value view studio, that’s exactly how many points you’d need, and how much it would cost if you rented points through one of the point renters.
For a stay December 2-6, 2020 it would be even cheaper! Other nights throughout the year would cost more, but you get the idea. You couldn’t even stay in a Moderate Resort for the rates you can get by renting Disney Vacation Club points, let alone a Deluxe.
Another benefit of renting Disney Vacation Club points, for some people, is getting the Disney Dining Plan without purchasing park tickets. This means that you can save money by purchasing tickets from an authorized ticket broker rather than buying directly from Disney, thereby saving even more money. These savings can be small or huge, depending upon the size of your party and the tickets you get, this could amount to another $800 or more in savings!
The biggest downside to renting Disney Vacation Club points is that you don’t have total control over the reservation. Someone else books the reservation for you, and someone else has to make any changes to the reservation for you (such as adding Disney’s Magical Express or the Disney Dining Plan). Disney Vacation Club won’t discuss the reservation with non-members, so even if your name is on it, you’re at the mercy of the person who booked it if you need changes.
Another downside for some guests is that, since the unit rented is a villa and not a hotel room, housekeeping service is not daily. Most stays will only have one visit by Mousekeeping. This isn’t a problem for us (we always have the “do not disturb” sign up), but for some people, not having the full hotel experience might be a fatal blow to renting DVC points. On the plus side, the villa room means a kitchenette and greater ability to prepare food and do laundry!
The final downside is cancellation and refund policies. While it’s possible to purchase travel insurance for DVC point rentals, the cancellation policies are not nearly as lax and forgiving as booking directly from Disney. This is because of the strict policies surrounding DVC point usage–meaning that even in the event of hurricane or some other ‘Act of God’ scenario, the member who is renting out the points may not be able to reuse them if the guest cancels. For this reason, we highly recommend travel insurance (something of which we aren’t typically huge advocates) for those traveling during peak hurricane season.
How To Rent?
If you’re convinced that renting Disney Vacation Club points is right for you, the next question is who to use. There are a couple popular choices here, including the DVC Rental Store and David’s Vacation Club Rentals. The advantages to renting through them are that both are accredited by the Better Business Bureau, both have a team that does this as its full-time business, and both have a sterling reputation. The other upside to renting from the DVC Rental Store or David’s is convenience.
They have “home resort” inventory for every Disney Vacation Club resort. This means that if you want a popular resort, you can book with him at the 11 month mark. If you want a hard-to-book resort and plan on booking through an individual, you need to do so 11 months out and find an owner who has the resort you want as a home resort. That can make the whole process of booking through an individual more time consuming and tedious.
The alternative to renting points from DVC Rental Store or David’s is renting from individuals. The two main places to do this are Disboards DVC-Rent/Trade Board and MouseOwners’ Rent/Trade/Transfer Board. Of course, if you have friends who are DVC members that are willing to rent out their points to you, that’s another route, too.
The advantages to renting from individuals is that you save money. The average per point price on these boards is $15-18, with the lower end of that spectrum being if the owner is desperate or the points are about to expire. These prices have steadily increased in the past couple of years, and now some rentals on these forums are as high as $18/point for popular resorts.
The downside to renting from individuals is that you have no guarantee that you aren’t going to be ripped off, or that the owner will be available to assist you if something goes wrong with the reservation. You’ll have a bit of uneasiness until the moment at the check-in desk that your reservation pulls up.
Basically, it comes down to how risk averse you are and how much more you can save by going through an individual. Last minute rentals can be as low as $12 per point on the forums with normal rentals being around $15, which amount to a few dollars in savings over the DVC Rental Store.
Unfortunately, each of the owners who have responded to my postings was a “New Member” on the forum, with only a handful of posts, which made me uneasy. Anyone can rip you off, but my thinking was that someone with an established reputation on the forum would be less likely to do so. We ultimately ended up not needing to rent because we bought into Disney Vacation Club ourselves.
For what it’s worth, in my time researching rentals, I heard of very few instances of people being ripped off by individuals on the forums. It does happen, but it seems to be very, very infrequent. When we rent in the future, I’m not sure how we’ll do it. It largely depends upon prices.
If it’s a short weekend trip and the DVC Rental Store is charging ~$16/point versus $14/point on the forums, I can’t see using the forums to say what will amount to $30 or less. The possibility that we could be scrambling at the last minute to find an alternate hotel room for such a short trip wouldn’t be worth it. Given how significantly Disney has increased their prices in the last few years, these rentals are still a good deal.
I’d prefer to just pay the bit extra for the peace of mind. If it were a 10-day trip in a Grand Villa, I’d probably be more likely to go through an individual because the savings are greater, but then I’d be concerned that such a big purchase were risky. I really don’t know what I’d do, it’s a tough call.
If we did end up going through an individual, I would do a few things to protect myself as best I could. First, I wouldn’t rent from any new members or individuals with only a handful of posts. I’d want someone with an established reputation on the forums. Second, I’d ask for references. Third, I’d pay with an American Express credit card rather than any other form of payment.
Which DVC Resort?
Finally, you need to figure out which Disney Vacation Club Resort is right for you. We’ve stayed at every single DVC resort at Walt Disney World, most several times. It’s tough to declare a definitive “best” Disney Vacation Club resort, as each has its pros & cons, and is a good option depending upon your priorities.
We have a post that Ranks the Disney Vacation Club Resorts at Walt Disney World and shares the strengths and weaknesses of each. To be honest, though, we love just about all of them. That list does give you a good basis in terms of theme, location, amenities, and other things to consider that will help you make an informed decision, though!
Finally, there’s the newest property, Disney’s Riviera Resort, the new Disney Vacation Club property will open on December 16, 2019. Disney’s Riviera Resort has already proven difficult to book, which is largely because so few points have sold for it thus far.
Once more points sell, Disney will declare more points, which means more bookable inventory. Right now, most room categories are already sold out for every single night until July 2020. Suffice to say, your chances of scoring a Riviera reservation between now and next fall are minimal, so don’t even both with rental if you must stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort–book directly with Disney, instead.
Ultimately, Disney Vacation Club point rentals is a great way to save tons of money without making the long term commitment to joining. If you’re currently booking Moderate or Deluxe Resorts directly from Disney, it’s definitely something to consider. Most of the time, renting Disney Vacation Club points will be cheaper than booking a Moderate, and it will ALWAYS be cheaper than booking a Deluxe (even with the best discounts!).
Renting from individuals is the best way to maximize your savings, and renting from the DVC Rental Store or David’s Vacation Club Rentals is the safest way to rent–plus they’re full service companies with great customer service that can help you through the process and answer all of your questions!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know. If you’re considering joining DVC, first be sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Disney Vacation Club. If you still can’t decide whether membership is right for you, “try before you buy” and rent points from DVC Rental Store. If you are convinced a membership is for you, check out the discounted options at DVC Resale Market.
YOUR THOUGHTS
Do you agree or disagree with our recommendations for renting DVC points? Any firsthand experiences you care to share? Which DVC resorts do you recommend for a first-timer renter? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
STAY AWAY FROM DVC RENTAL STORE !!!
My son purchased a weeks worth of DVC points from DVC Rental Store (DVCRS) to stay at Old Key West Disney Resort from August 27, 2020 thru September 3, 2020.
In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Walt Disney World’s (WDW) official policy from its “Know Before You Go” page is that “Before traveling to Florida, please make sure that you have reviewed any advisories or restrictions that may be in place for travel to Florida…Guests who are under isolation or quarantine orders must not enter Walt Disney World Resort.”
In Section 3 of Executive Order Number 20-139, issued by Florida Governor DeSantis, effective June 5, 2020, it directs all individuals entering the state of Florida from the New York Tri-State Area (Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York) to isolate or quarantine for a period of 14 days from the time of entry into Florida.
On July 7, 2020, with this quarantine order set to expire, Florida Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order Number 20-166, which extends Florida’s state of emergency for another 60 days. By virtue of that extension, the Tri-State Area Quarantine is automatically extended for another 60 days with it. This means the Tri-State Area Quarantine will now expire on September 5, 2020 .
Since my son is a resident of Connecticut, and based on Governor DeSantis Executive Order and Walt Disney World policy, WDW has advised my son that he will not be allowed on the property.
DVC Rental Store has refused to give my son a refund, credit for use at a future date, or allowed him to change his reservation to a future date.
Can anyone tell me about the actual booking process ? if I get my booking dates confirmed and pay the deposit to either the owner or a broker , whichever I decide to use, am I then able to see the booking on the DVC website ? DO they send a booking reference linked to the website ?
When i book a reservation i send the travel plan number with a screen shot of the confirmation page. With the travel plan number you can go right in and link it to your MDE. And see everything you would like.
What are the DVC rental places saying?
I know I as an owner was aloud to rebook my renters in the same use year the points came from. Are the rental stores not offering the same?
Hi Robbie,
At least Davids is not allowing them. In my case, I asked many times to rebook with the same owners since that seemed like the fairest solution to all involved but I was told no. The reason they are giving is that, according to them, this would not be an option for all the people affected so because it’s not an option to all, they will not offer it to anyone. However, I have many reasons to believe that that’s not true and that they simply can’t be bothered. Honestly, their decisions seem to be fueled by greed more than anything.
The DVC Rental Store is not exactly what I’d call a reputable company. Their shortsightedness in their business model has left them not only liable to provide refunds due to the pandemic (even to those not purchasing their scam PPP), it has also left them providing the absolute worst customer service…ever.
Their business model has them providing 75% payment to the renting member up front. Why is this an issue? With the resorts closed for the pandemic, all reservations were cancelled by Disney…with the renting member receiving their points back. Now they have your money, and their points. The DVC Rental Store has no recourse to get the money back, yet they are also not upholding the terms of their contract with the renters…as there is no longer the reservation the renter has paid for.
They’ve attempted to push their shortsightedness onto the renter, causing more financial hardship for many families. Additionally, they refuse to put you in contact with the member you rented from – which they also state they will do in their contract.
All around, just really terrible service and an absolute refusal to act with any sense of decency. BUYER BEWARE!! THE DVC RENTAL STORE MAY NOT PROVIDE THE VERY THING YOU ARE PAYING THEM FOR, OR EVEN ACT AS THE INTERMEDIARY THEY CLAIM TO BE.
I’m also having issues with Davids and their response to this pandemic has been atrocious. In my case (high risk and around immunocompromised people), I’ve been basically told that I either risk my life and travel when I don’t feel comfortable doing so or let them just keep my money. I urge you and everyone else who is having issues with them to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. If enough of us are vocal, they won’t be able to keep getting away with such atrocious behavior.
And to Tom, I would highly suggest not promoting David’s in any way going forward. They’ve proven themselves to not be a reputable company. I would amend this article seeing how they have treated customers during this crisis.
Hi Robbie,
I’m interested in talking with you. How do I contact you?
Thank you, Nathan
Let’s start with an email
Cptrobbie @ aol.com
Renting DVC points is how we will stay in a Bay Lake Tower One-bedroom villa in August. There’s no way we could have afforded it through Disney. But we were lucky and the owner of our points was willing to rebook for us in March. Many people were not as lucky, some got credit, and many more got nothing and lost thousands of dollars.
DVC Rental Store are crooks! My family booked through DVC rental store to secure a stay at the Poly in Disney World this summer. The transaction at first was smooth and all was well. Then COVID hit and they are refusing to do anything to assist us with re-booking our reservation to next year, giving us a refund, or providing even a credit for a future vacation. They are stating because we didn’t purchase their travel insurance, they are doing absolutely nothing to help us – they aren’t even willing to work with the owners who booked our reservation to try to re-book. Who wants to take their two small children to Disney World for the first time with having to wear masks, wait in long lines, social distance, etc. Not to mention we’re traveling from California and would have to travel through two airports to get there. Not responsible in my opinion given the continued outbreak of COVID. DO NOT BOOK WITH DVC. They are terrible. I haven’t heard of a single hotel, cruise line, airline, etc. who has not been exceptionally understanding with refunds, re-bookings, etc. Even Disney themselves are refunding/re-booking vacations for no cost. We had a cruise booked with them in July (which was the reason for our stay at the Poly) and they re-booked our cruise for next year no questions ask.
Again, DO NOT BOOK WITH DVC rental store. We’re out $1,300 because of their greediness.
Maybe you should have booked the insurance, just to be on the safe side?
We normally use dvcrequest.com which I believe is the one Tom recommends here. Post Covid19 we will be using Dave’s again.
Either get insurance next time or go on the trip. You’re irresponsibility shouldn’t reflect poorly on this organization.
Hmmm. I believe that some of this information is not accurate. I have called some of these airlines, hotels, and found that they are not willing to give up their income. Cruises are also very bad – since a lot of them have sunk costs that they are unwilling to give up payments towards. The forums are full of them. No one could have predicted this novel coronavirus outbreak, and the fact that “flattening” the curve is not going well because people will not do the “right thing”. Well – I guess that lost income to all is a fact of life. I feel for you, but lost jobs, non-compliant people are going to make for a very rough ride. This is a marathon, not a sprint, so hunker down and wait till the world is a safer place. I am.
Hi Tom, My family and I are interested in taking a Disney World trip in May of 2021. We have 6 total: my wife and 4 children ages 2-7 would like to try the DVC Rental Store and are interested in renting the Beach Club villa. If we decide to move forward for May 2021, we would need to put a deposit down of approximately $1,500 by the end of June. That makes us a little nervous for a number of reasons. With all of the recent changes at WDW, limited DVC point inventory, and after reading some of the reply’s on here, do you think it’s safe to rent DVC points this far out? Would you personally have any reservations? Thank you! We really enjoy your blog site!
Hi Nathan,
After personal experience, I HIGHLY recommend you book with Disney directly. We’ve had a TERRIBLE experience with DVC Rental Store and will absolutely never work with them again. They are refusing to assist with our reservation we made with them for Disney World Resort this July. They are refusing to help us work with the owner to either re-book our reservation for next year, refund us, or give us a credit for a future booking. We’ve cancelled the other aspects of our vacation – a Disney cruise which we booked through a travel agent – with no issues what so ever. We were easily able to shift our reservation to next summer. Now we’re out $1,300 and they have zero intention of assisting us.
After my current experience with TERRIBLE customer service though the rental company we chose, and only receiving a partial refund with the purchased insurance (while people who did not purchase extra insurance can receive a FULL credit toward a future booking), I will never recommend renting points. Better to pay the extra money to Disney and be able to get a full refund the next time a life-changing pandemic rolls through town. If you want to risk it and rent points, do your homework and see which company is handling this situation well.. it’s not the one I used.
Hi Kelly, which rental company did you use? We were thinking of renting DVC and was curious. Thanks
Hello All,
For those of you that had a bad experience with the rental stores, may I recommend that you try to renting direct from an owner.
I current have had three of my renter effected from closures due to Covid. I was able to work with the renters and move there vacations for them.
I will say I usually have a very limited ability to change vacations for renters last minute but have been able to in the past, with a little flexibility on both my part and the renters part. I have been renting points since 2010 and have only ever had to move 3 reservations though.
For those of you that want to rent DVC directly from Disney, you can do that. But keep in mind the cash price for the room you will pay to Disney is 3 or 4 times what you will pay a points owner.
If anyone would like to chat about DVC rental, I would be happy to walk you throw how I do my rentals.
Thanks
Robbie