Buying a timeshare’s one of the best ways to save money over a lifetime of holidays, but what if you can’t afford the initial fees involved in signing up for a lifetime of cheap holidays?
The good news is that you can rent accommodation at around 84% of timeshare resorts, including the sought-after Disney resorts. That means you can enjoy considerable cost-savings without all the initial expenses.
Here’s how a Disney DVC rental could be the answer to your timeshare vacation aspirations.
How Does DVC Rental Work?
In the simplest terms, a DVC rental means renting the use of a timeshare owner’s DCV points for a holiday at one of Disney’s qualifying resorts.
To clarify, Disney Vacation Club is a type of timeshare operated by Disney. Members of this scheme buy a contract which entitles them to use a certain number of vacation club points for several years.
They use these points to book vacations at selected Disney resorts, like:
- Boardwalk Villas
- Beach Club Villas
- Bay Lake Tower
- Hawaii’s Aulani Resort and Spa
- Hilton Head Island in South Carolina
- Jambo House and Kidani Village the Animal Kingdom Villas
- Old Key West
- Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
- Saratoga Springs
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Villas
- Disney’s Grand Californian Villas at Disneyland
- Vero Beach Resort in Florida
- Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek Wilderness Lodge Villas and Cabins
Members are also entitled to rent out these vacation days to private individuals if they prefer. If you want to rent points from a DVC member, there are two ways to go about it.
You can contact the member directly with your request. They’ll book the accommodation for you and charge you a fee to use it.
The alternative is to go via a broker, which is a pretty straightforward process. You request the vacation space you want and the broker matches you up with one of the members on their list who has enough points to satisfy your needs.
Although this process is slightly more time consuming than booking directly with Disney, it does offer a host of benefits.
The Benefits of Renting From a DVC Owner
There are pros and cons to making use of DVC rentals, but let’s focus on the good bits for now.
When you book a DVC rental you’ll save a lot of money on your resort stay. In fact, you could pay almost half the price you would if you booked directly through Disney.
That means you can rent a luxurious resort for the same price as a standard resort, or you could book a bigger unit for a lesser price.
You’ll have a wide variety of rooms to choose from including deluxe accommodations, studio apartments, two and three-bedroom apartments, villas, cabins, and bungalows. Remember, that DVC rooms are often some of the nicest on the property too.
When you book a DVC rental you get immediate access to your confirmation code that entitles you to FastPass+ reservations, online check-in selections, and advanced dining reservations.
Unlike Disney’s usual discounts which are random and unpredictable, when you book a points reservation you can usually find great discounts up to a year in advance.
So, there’s no scrambling around to snag discounts by changing your reservation at the last minute.
There’s no long-term commitment to a rental agreement. You’ll get all the benefits that DVC members enjoy without the extensive financial commitment.
The Cons of DVC Rentals
Thanks to all the above benefits, DVC rentals are highly sought after with limited availability. So, you’ll need to book early and be flexible with regard to your dates.
Often, the available rooms sell out as much as 11 months in advance.
Due to this high demand, you’ll have to pay for your rental in full upfront and most rental agreements don’t offer refunds for cancellations.
DVC resorts don’t offer daily housekeeping, so you’ll only enjoy cleaning and trash removal every four days during your stay. Most vacationers overlook this, while for others it’s a deal-breaker.
When you book with a DVC member, you’re totally reliant on them to make your booking as well as any necessary changes. Disney doesn’t deal directly with renters.
While it’s exceedingly rare, it can happen that the member takes your money and never books your accommodation. Unless you know the member personally, you should rather rent DVC points from a reputable broker rather than directly from a member.
How to Get a Great Deal on DVC Rentals
It’s easy to save when you book a DVC rental, the tricky bit is finding your ideal resort during the time you want to travel.
The best way to avoid disappointment is to book your vacation outside of the busy holiday season. At these times, you’ll pay more for any accommodation, including DVC rentals, and you might not find any accommodation available for the dates you want.
Flexibility is key when you’re trying to book accommodation at DVC resorts. Always have a few dates and locations in mind when doing your bookings. Another good tip is to split your booking between two or more resorts.
Consider spending some time at Old Key West or Saratoga Springs. These less popular destinations offer great value, large rooms, and plenty to keep you busy during your stay.
Weeknights are always cheaper and less popular among vacationers. So, you’ll have a better chance of success and savings if you plan a midweek break instead of a full week.
Enjoy Every Moment
While a DVC rental offers an excellent opportunity to unwind in the magical surroundings of Disney’s acclaimed resorts, the fun doesn’t have to start there.
There are many ways to add a little luxury to your daily existence without leaving home. Keep browsing our blog for more ways to add enjoyment to your life every day.