Many of us that go to Disney World would love to stay at a DVC property but just cannot foot the bill for these deluxe accommodations! As you may recall, my family recently stayed at Saratoga Springs in a DVC studio. My family rented these points from a DVC owner. We had priced out the cost of booking these accommodations through Disney and were told the price would be nearly $1900. Not to be discouraged, I began my search for points to rent from a DVC owner. I was able to find a DVC owner and rent the points we needed for only $700, a savings of $1200 for the exact same accommodations.
If you are interested, here are a few steps you can follow:
- Type the words “DVC Rental Calculator” into your search engine. Use the calculator to figure the number of points you will need to meet the needs of the accommodation types, resort and dates of choice.
- Go to your favorite Disney board and type in the words “DVC rental points”.
- Use the list to help you narrow down the best selection. For instance, if you know you need over 150 points, review the listings that have only over 150 points. This should eliminate the need for multiple transactions.
- Read about the DVC Member who has the points listed. Read other comments, posts, etc. so you get comfortable with the purchase of points from this individual. One important note when renting points is that you are NOT in control of the reservation. All reservation changes, updates, etc. must be made through the owner. The folks at Disney DVC will not discuss the reservation with you, though your name is on the reservation. This alone can scare off many a renter! Some have been left high and dry, not having a place to stay once they have arrived at Disney. So, do your homework!
- Purchase the points through PayPal or similiar which could help you in receiving a refund in case the transaction goes “bad”. Be sure that when an invoice is sent to the DVC owner, you have the purpose of the invoice listed there for your safety.
- Be sure to request a copy of the reservation information from the renter. This will help your peace of mind and help you with your check-in.
- Have the DVC owner make any additional reservations you need such as for tickets or the Magical Express from the airport to the resort.
- Go to Disney and enjoy your DVC rental!
My family enjoyed our time in Saratoga Springs. We actually preferred the pirate themed rooms over at the Caribbean Beach Resort much more than the studios at Saratoga. But all the same, we were glad to get to include that in with our other experiences at Disney!
Just remember, renting points is a great way to save money. Do you homework though so you do not get left without accommodations and a fist full of cash!
Contributed by: Natalie Henley (NDM#268) Natalie is the DDL Resort Blogger. She is also the creator of Meet the Magic.
Natalie grew up in Nashville, TN. Married with one son, she lives on a farm. As if this weren’t enough to keep her on her toes, Natalie also works around the clock due to being self-employed .
Natalie often travels to both Walt Disney World and Disneyland, giving her a vast knowledge of the Disney Resorts which she shares in her posts on The Disney Driven Life. She loves the research on the resorts and appreciates input for these articles as well.
In recent trips, Natalie has begun making a habit of meeting people while in the parks. This habit inspired her personal website, Meet the Magic, http://meetthemagic.com. This site helps her connect to others as well as hold space for Disney fans to post information about their Disney related sites. Her goal with this venture is to help people to “Meet the Magic” of their choice.
