I’ve previously discussed the benefits of DVC points rental. I think of this process as the ultimate hack for Disney fanatics. Anyone who participates can enjoy a dream vacation at some of the most famous resorts at Walt Disney World. Today, I want to take a different approach, though. I want to give the employees of three major points rental companies the opportunity to share their perspective on how the process wants. I hope that you’ll find the discussion informative. Here’s what the experts have to say about DVC points rental.
What do you see as the benefit of renting DVC points?
Melissa Mullett, Director of Operations, David’s Vacation Club Rentals:
There are quite a few benefits in renting DVC points. First and foremost, you get to stay in a Deluxe Villa for a fraction of the price that you would have paid booking directly through Disney. We all know how expensive Disney is, so why not save money if given the opportunity?
image: Disney
Here is an example of how much money a family of two Adults and two children traveling May 15-20, 2017 can save. A cash reservation at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village for those dates would cost an average of $425 per night. That’s $2,125 over five nights plus tax. By renting points, the nightly cost plummets to $201 per night, a total of $1,005. There’s also no sales tax on this transaction. A theme park tourist saves a $220 per night, a total of $1,100 for the trip.
When you rent DVC points, you get to a chance to experience all of the upper scale amenities associated with Deluxe Villa Resorts. As a Guest of a DVC Member, you will still have access to all of the amenities offered to Guests staying on Disney Property. A few of these amenities include three different Disney Vacation Club Dining Plans, My Disney Experience, Fast Pass +, 180 Day Advanced Dining Reservations, Disney’s Magical Express, and Extra Magic Hours to name a few. The question really becomes “why wouldn’t you rent points?”
Scott Ferraioli, Owner, DVC-Rental.com:
By renting DVC points, it allows you to stay in the Deluxe resorts for around the same price as many of the Moderates. The prices are typically around 40-50% cheaper than booking the identical rooms through Disney. We also know that many of our past renters have gone on to become DVC members themselves. We get many families who rent points as a scouting trip to check out a resort or two that they’re thinking of buying into. It’s a great way to take the resort for a “test drive” before actually buying.
image: DisneyPaul Little, Founder/President of The DVC Rental Store:
The greatest benefit to a guest is the ability to enjoy one of Disney’s deluxe resorts at a fraction of the cost of booking direct. Typically, a guest will save hundreds to thousands of dollars. These savings, in most cases, will even exceed the savings that are offered through Disney’s promotional pricing. Also, renting DVC points allows guests the chance to try the product before committing thousands of dollars to become DVC members.
What should the customer know about your points rental process?
image: DisneyScott Ferraioli:
The main thing to remember is that rooms on DVC points sell out much further in advance than regular rooms. While you may be able to go on the Disney site and find a room available for Grand Floridian next week, on points that same room might sell out 10 months in advance due to the popularity and discount offered from renting.
Paul Little:
We have set up our point rental process to be budget friendly for our guests. We are happy to check availability and provide a free, no-obligation quote without the guest submitting any funds. We do not require the guest to pay 100% of the funds due once the reservation has been secured. Instead, the guest’s final payment is not due until 45 days before their check-in date.
Melissa Mullett:
Our priority is providing excellent customer service to all of our Guests and Members. Part of doing that is providing a fully comprehensive website on point rentals, dining plans, Mousekeeping, payment expectations, rates, etc. There is a lot to know about renting DVC points, and we believe in transparency and honesty. Our passion is Disney. There is nothing that gives us more satisfaction then securing a reservation for family who has saved a lifetime to go on a dream vacation. We are available in the office seven days a week so that we can support our Guests and Members effectively.
How does the payment schedule work?
image: Disney
Paul Little:
Guest payments are made at three different times throughout the process. Our Travel Advisors are happy to assist a guest with checking availability at the DVC resorts before we request any funds. We require a $100 security deposit once the guest is ready to proceed with booking a stay. We require the guest to make a deposit equal to $9.00 per point once their stay has been reserved. No other funds are due until 45 days before the guest’s check-in date. The balance of the funds due is required at this time.
Melissa Mullett:
Payment is due in full within 24 hours from the Guest, once they have received their congratulatory email with the details of their reservation including a confirmation number, check-in and check-out dates as well as Resort and Room Type. We have an agreement with our Members to send payment for the rental of their points within this timeframe as they have removed the points from their account in order to book the accommodations.
Scott Ferraioli:
There is a $120 deposit to book the room with the remaining balance due within approximately one week from booking the reservation. This is needed as we have to pay our DVC member their first portion of the room as well. We can add dining plans and tickets months down the line to help spread out the payments, though.
What protections are in place to keep renters from getting burned?
image: DisneyMelissa Mullett:
We have been doing this for a very long time, 11 years, and we understand the risks involved in renting points. First of all, a renter will never be out any money for their rental. If people choose to use a private owner, there is a chance that they could lose their reservation as well as the funds that they paid that member. I can only imagine how devastating that would be. By utilizing our service, we guarantee a 100% refund if a Guest reservation was canceled due to an action or omission by the Member and comparable accommodations couldn’t be found. I can tell you that in the 11 years that we have been operating, we have never had a guest show up to a Resort without a reservation.
Scott Ferraioli:
We have contracts with all of our DVC members and are constantly checking to make sure that their contracts remain in good standing. We’ve done several thousand transactions and have never had a single issue.
image: DisneyPaul Little:
We use legally binding agreements to protect the DVC member and the guest. First, we utilize an intermediary agreement, which is a contract between the DVC member and the DVC Rental Store. This agreement spells out what the renting DVC member can and cannot do and also what the DVC member can expect. We also utilize a rental agreement, which is specific to a particular reservation. The rental agreement is a contract between the DVC member and the guest, with the DVC Rental Store acting as an intermediary. The agreement specifies all of the legal requirements that the member and the guest are held to protect the integrity of the reservation. Also, we pay the funds owed to the renting member in segments with the member’s final payment being held until the day of the guest’s check-in. This holdback ensures that the renting DVC member will keep the reservation valid.
How far ahead do Guests need to plan to book the DVC resort they desire? What suggestions do you offer to customers on this subject?
image: DisneyScott Ferraioli:
While there isn’t a magic number, the earliest anyone can book is 11 months in advance. At the seven-month window, a large majority of resorts typically sell out due to people switching from their home resorts to other resort options. So, more than seven months is usually best, but the more time you give us the better chance you’ll have of getting exactly what you like.
Paul Little:
We advise our guests to submit an Availability Request Form as early as possible. Disney Vacation Club allows DVC Members to begin booking 11 months in advance of the check-in date. The popularity of renting DVC points has exploded in the last couple of years. Because of this, the number of guests looking to rent can at times exceed the number of members that are looking to rent their points. Submitting an Availability Request Form as soon as possible allows us time to match the guest with a renting DVC member.
Melissa Mullett:
It depends on the resort that they are looking to secure. Some of the resorts book nine to 11 months in advance, while others book two to six months in advance. On our website, you will find a page called “When to Book.” This page goes over every DVC Resort and room type with estimations of how far in advance one should secure their reservation. These are estimations based on our experience but have assisted us in setting the proper expectation of booking windows. As stated above, our staff is also available seven days per week from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST by email, telephone, and live chat should Guests have any questions.
Do you view points rental as a replacement for DVC Membership or a supplemental way for potential owners to sample it (or something else) altogether? Why?
image: DisneyPaul Little:
I view renting DVC points as both a way for potential owners to “test drive” the DVC villas as well as a great avenue to save money. Becoming a DVC member requires an investment of thousands of dollars. Many guests are not looking to become members but are happy to discover a way to fit deluxe accommodations into their budget. On the other hand, we have many guests who have become Disney Vacation Club members who have let us know that their rental vacation inspired them to become members.
Melissa Mullett:
That’s a really hard question to answer. I think point rentals can facilitate a lot of consumer needs. It can be a catalyst to ownership or just for exploration. We have had quite a few guests turn into DVC Members as point rentals gave them the opportunity to explore DVC Resorts and ownership. We have other Guests that have considered DVC ownership but perhaps wanted to travel more often then the amount of points they were able to affordably purchase, so they utilized our service to fulfill their Disney craving. Renting points is a great way to introduce oneself to the world of all things “Disney Vacation Club” without having to make any permanent commitments.
image: Disney
Scott Ferraioli:
I definitely don’t feel it’s a replacement to DVC. Many of the rooms we book are DVC members themselves who need more points. For others, it’s a great way to see what they can possibly expect if they were to become a DVC member. I absolutely love being a DVC member, and many families might not be ready to do the initial outlay of income to buy into DVC, but this is a way for them to see if it’s definitely something they’re interested in before they make such a large purchase. I knew I wanted to buy into DVC after I first went with my wife to Disney many years ago but at that time it definitely wasn’t financially possible for us. Renting points allows them to not only get a discounted vacation in the present but also possibly make a decision for becoming a future member with their family for many years to come.
What would you like potential renters to know about your points rental program?
image: DisneyMelissa Mullett:
We would like potential Renters to know that we are here for them. We are excited to assist them in planning their DVC vacation. We don’t just rent points; we help answer any and all questions related to Disney and the Disney Vacation Club, everything from square footage of the rooms, where the best Character Meet and Greets are to how to navigate The My Disney Experience Program. David created this business 11 years ago out of his passion for Disney, and since then we have expanded to over 30 employees who share the same enthusiasm. We have often been duplicated but never replicated.
Scott Ferraioli:
We’re the longest running DVC Point Rental Company in the U.S. and the only rental company based in Florida. We pride ourselves on offering fantastic customer service and only hire the best. We actually just hired a brand new employee on the day that we wrote this. We have fantastic reviews and are all big Disney fans. You’ll never be unhappy with using our services.
image: DisneyPaul Little:
The DVC Rental Store is accredited by the Better Business Bureau and has been named an “Ethic-Minded Business.” We set up our rental program in a manner that will make it as user-friendly as possible for the guest. Features such as no funds due prior to checking availability and the ability to split up payments assist the guest in tailoring their DVC vacation to their budget. We also offer in-house travel insurance, which allows the guest to cancel their reservation for any reason.
