How To Rent DVC Points To Stay At Deluxe Resorts For Cheap!

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If you have never heard about how to rent DVC points, you are in for a real treat. I don’t know how I spent my entire life not knowing about this until recently! All those years as an annual passholder wasted because I didn’t know about renting DVC points?!!

I have been in this business for a long time and it is rare for me to get SUPER excited about something. And I am SUPER excited about the fact that you can rent DVC points. Why? Because you can stay at EPIC and expensive hotels for a fraction of the cost.

Case in point. Disney sent me an email saying that annual passholders could get 30% off on select hotels. I looked for prices for the Beach Club and it would cost me $1100 per night [based on what they had left] IN LOW SEASON. I had just come back from 5 days at the Beach Club Resort and I had rented the points using David’s DVC Rental. My cost? $275 per night. NOT KIDDING.

And now Disney was trying to charge me friggen $1100 a night when I just paid $275 a night for the same resort? You can see why I have become absolutely obsessed with the idea of renting Disney Vacation Club points.

How to Rent DVC Points and stay at deluxe hotels At Disney World — *Nothing to see here, just me enjoying THE MOST EPIC POOL AT DISNEY WORLD for $275/night!*

Also, if this sounds to good to be true, don’t worry. I was VERY skeptical at first when I had first heard talk in Disney Groups On Facebook. No lie. Then I used the live chat feature and asked all my questions and I have done it multiple times now and it is a revolution! I am a new person.

Many people have heard of the Disney Vacation Club and, if you’ve visited Disney parks or property, you’ve probably seen some information or heard people talking about being able to rent DVC points. Many people, once they learn that it’s a big financial commitment, think it’s not for them; but I am going to explain this game-changer and give you all the information you need to plan your trip and rent DVC points.

Hold onto your wallets, because once you find out about renting DVC points, you are NEVER going to want to go back!

What Is The Disney Vacation Club?

Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is Disney’s timeshare system; it operates on a “points” system, which allows members to use their points, flexibly, at any of the DVC resorts. Owners pay a premium to buy points which allow them to stay in Deluxe accommodations for the duration of the life of their contract.

Every year during their contract, they pay maintenance fees, too; these are ‘per point’ and billed monthly; so in addition to the upfront cost of the DVC contract, the maintenance fees could add a not insignificant, ongoing cost.

Once purchased, DVC members own the timeshare “points” which is, in effect, a pre-paid, annual vacation plan which enables them to stay at their choice of Disney Vacation resorts. Sometimes, owners are unable to use all of their points, and then they choose to ‘offer’ their allocation and be able to rent DVC points out to others.

The more points an owner has, the longer they can stay – the number of points needed will vary depending on the size of the chosen accommodation type, as well as the resort itself.

Choosing to rent DVC points could save you a lot of money (we’ll show you later how much, but the saving is substantial!) compared to booking your accommodation at the same deluxe Disney resorts, directly. When I say a lot of money, I mean, A LOT OF MONEY!

What Are The DVC Resort Locations?

Whilst Saratoga Springs Resort and Old Key West Resort are DVC resort locations and have some great attributes, we’re going to look exclusively at the DVC resorts that are right next to the Deluxe Disney Resort hotels; where we think you’ll have a better experience and better value if you choose to rent DVC points.

DVC resorts have all been creatively designed to delight all ages and interests and any of them would be a good location to rent DVC points. The resorts are all uniquely themed and are located as follows:

Beach Club Villas (located in the same building as the Beach Club)
BoardWalk Villas (located in the same building as the Boardwalk Inn)
Bay Lake Tower (in a separate building at The Contemporary Resort location)
Animal Kingdom Villas (some of these are located in the same building as Animal Kingdom lodge – Jambo House – and some are in a separate building – Kidani Village)
Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge (in the same building as Wilderness Lodge)
Copper Creek Villas at Wilderness Lodge (next to the Wilderness Lodge)
Grand Floridian Villas (located next to The Grand Floridian)
Polynesian Village Resort (located at The Polynesian)

You can even rent DVC points at Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina Hawaii, at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, and at Vero Beach Resort. You can peep all the locations on the DVC rental website!

Why Rent DVC Points?

To be honest? To save money and stay at EPIC Deluxe resorts on the cheap. Okay, nothing at Disney is exactly cheap, but it is for darn sure more affordable than the normal rate you would pay for a Deluxe Resort!

The greatest pull has to be the amount of money you can save in renting DVC points. You can generally rent DVC points to stay in a Disney deluxe resort for around the same price that you would pay if booking a Disney moderate resort!

We think that’s absolutely phenomenal and I am now obsessed with renting points! I check the DVC request website every day to see what is new. To find out more about what Disney Deluxe resorts have to offer, read our article: Best (and worst) Deluxe Disney Resorts

The next, huge attraction of renting Disney Vacation Club rentals are the different types of accommodation on offer:

You could choose to rent DVC points and use them to stay in a studio, which are most like the Disney hotel rooms (but with better kitchen amenities and which come with access to laundry rooms with complimentary use of washers and dryers). This is what I most often book as I don’t need much space and don’t want to spend a ton. These can also sleep up to 5 people which is incredible!
Then, for a different level of accommodation, there are the villas. These range from one to three-bedroom (and all have well-equipped kitchens as well as dishwashers, washers and dryers) and will take your Disney vacation to a whole new level! Being able to rent DVC points to get accommodation in this level strikes us as being particularly attractive to families.

The perks that come with a DVC rental could make your trip much more enjoyable (not to mention accessing Deluxe resorts at a more affordable price!)

photo of a peaceful and beautifully decorated lobby area; how to rent DVC points at Disney Deluxe resort

Pros And Cons For Renting DVC Points

The Pros

For us, the biggest attraction is staying at deluxe resorts that may otherwise be out of our budget! Yes, renting DVC points really can make that sort of difference! I hadn’t stayed in a Deluxe Resort for over 20 years before I learned about DVC rental. When I discovered David’s DVC Rental through the Disney Facebook groups, I was skeptical as heck but gave it a try and now I am so sold!

The Cons

Staying in a DVC rental, you’ll get reduced Mousekeeping in your room, although there will be daily trash removal (if it’s really important to you, daily mousekeeping can be arranged and paid for when you check in). You can request a broom and dustpan, and many rooms include it. We don’t have any problem cleaning up after ourselves so this is what we do.

For stays of up to 7 nights, you will get Mousekeeping ‘Trash and Towel’ service on day 4, which includes:

Fresh bathroom towels
Replenishing toiletries, tissues, toilet paper etc
Replenishing coffee, sugar and cream
Replenishing sponges, dish washing liquid, dishwasher and laundry detergent (as applicable, based on your accommodation type)

For stays of 8 or more nights, you will get a full cleaning from Mousekeeping on day 4 and the above ‘Trash and Towel’ service on day 8. Full cleaning includes:

Changing bed linen
Vacuuming and dusting
Bathroom cleaning
Cleaning the kitchen

We think these cons are REALLY outweighed by the pros you’ll get if you choose to rent DVC points.

Next, when you rent DVC points, you agreement is with the owner, not Disney. This is why I like using a service like David’s DVC Rentals because they play the intermediary. You are paying the owner and David’s DVC Rentals will help take care of the rest. This way, you simply deal with Davids and they deal with the owner.

Finally, when you do rentals for DVC, there is limited inventory. If you wanted to go next month, you will have to check the Dedicated Reservations Page [more on this in a moment!] but if you request through the normal portal, your chances will be slim.

For best luck, book as far out as possible and when you make your request, if it is closer to your date of travel, ask the team to let you know alternative dates!

Renting Through David’s DVC Rental

One of the potential cons about Disney vacation rentals is that you don’t have as much control as with a direct booking – you are paying the owner and they are responsible for making your reservation.

For a more secure, professional and well-established service, our suggestion is to rent DVC points through David’s DVC Rentals. We’ve booked through David’s DVC rental multiple times and are happy to recommend it to readers of Disney trippers. You don’t have to take our word for it, though, read previous customers’ testimonials on their website!

Don’t be fooled by the name, there is no membership required to make full use of David’s DVC Rentals! You will pay a slight premium for using David’s DVC rental, but far less than booking directly, as you’ll see below, and we think that small premium is well worth it to get that peace of mind when you choose to rent DVC points.

Personally, I would feel very weird to rent directly through owners, who you can find on online forums and through Facebook groups. If you try it and that works for you, then go ahead, but the minimal difference in price is worth it for the peace of mind for me.

Again, when I first heard about David’s DVC Rental recommended in groups on Facebook, I was VERY skeptical. After trying it myself multiple times, I can attest that it is a great service. If you have any issues at all, the online chat service and phone service is very responsive to help with any issues you may have!

How To Rent DVC Points

To find your options for Disney vacation points for rent, first you need to work out how many points you’re going to need. You can do that through a simple cost calculator.

Bookings only open up for DVC owners 11 months in advance (for their ‘home’ resort) and 7 months in advance if they want to book somewhere other than this), so this is the earliest you can book. But, you should definitely do your research in advance to identify your preferred location(s) to rent DVC points, so when that 11-month window opens, you’re ready to start searching.

It’s a great idea to have a second (and even third) choice in mind – and David’s Vacation club will take those details at the same time as making your first choice and will only book if your first choice is not available – so it could save you valuable time and help you secure your top preferences! Although there isn’t really a bad location to rent DVC points, we think that knowing what you want will help optimize your experience.

When you’re ready to book at David’s DVC rental, complete the straightforward reservation form. Before you submit the form, you’ll need to pay a deposit, which can be paid by Visa, Mastercard or PayPal; this is non-refundable (as long as they can reserve one of your identified choices).

Once you’re notified that your reservation request has been fulfilled, you’ll be required to pay the balance within 24 hours.

photo of an ornate ceiling; how to rent DVC points at Disney Deluxe resort

How much do you save by renting DVC points?

To see how much you can save by using Disney vacation club points for rent, instead of direct bookings, please see the chart below. However, as an illustration, we stayed for 4 nights at the Beach Club resort for $275 a night – that included ALL taxes and fees. A few weeks later, we got an invitation to receive 30% off bookings with our Annual Passholder discount. Even after the discount was applied, the cost was still $900-$1100 PER NIGHT! Isn’t that insane?!! When we had just paid $275 a night through David’s DVC rental!

Now, this price is based on what is open at the time and for a studio room, that would have been the price! Studios run around $570+ a night excluding taxes and extra fees, but go up on weekends and during high season.

At the time of writing, we thought we’d get you another example, in case you need another reason to persuade you to rent DVC points. We looked at 6 nights in June, staying in a value studio/room at Animal Kingdom Lodge. From David’s vacation club, the cost would be $1,444; booking a similar room direct with Disney, for the same dates, was going to cost $2.827. Almost double the amount than if we’d chosen to rent DVC points!

Here is a handy chart so you can see the savings from Renting DVC Points!

September 2020 Travel Dates	Beach Club Resort	Riviera Resort	Boardwalk Villas
Studio Room via Disney	$572/Night	$534/Night	$569/Night
DVC Studio via David’s DVC	$275/Night	$342/Night	$216/Night

photo of a view from a balcony, overlooking a bright pool and the Swan and Dolphin resorts; how to rent DVC points at Disney Deluxe resort

How Far In Advance Should You Book When Renting DVC Points?

This is the key when renting DVC points; you need to book as far in advance as you can. You can start booking at 11 months out, and we highly recommend you doing so, to rent DVC points at the resort of your dreams.

We’ve illustrated the financial savings to be made from DVC rentals, and here’s the tricky part – it is most definitely NOT like booking a regular hotel room. As soon as you know the dates you want to travel, you should start looking into the DVC rental options open to you and book as soon as you can. We’ve got first hand experience, even 7 months in advance, of someone’s chosen DVC resort not being available and them being unable to rent DVC points at their preferred location.

The booking system for DVC Rental sites are very rudimentary. They do NOT reflect the open inventory. The only way to know is to submit a request and wait to hear back from the team. Do not rely on something being open just because it is open online. This is not the case! It is simply that the booking engine is rudimentary and doesn’t reflect live inventory.

To avoid disappointment, we reiterate, don’t delay, as soon as you see those Disney vacation club points for rent at the resort you want, make the request! We don’t want you to miss out once you’ve made your decision on where you want to rent DVC points!

photo of the grand lobby of the Grand Floridian;how to rent DVC points at Disney Deluxe resort

What about Annual Passholder Renting DVC points?

If you are an annual passholder and live nearby, you have more time and flexibility. Of course, you can submit a request for 6-10 months out, but what if you want to go quickly?

You can make use of the dedicated reservations for rent page – this is an excellent facility that anyone with flexible schedules can use. This is something that the DVC owner has already booked – so is fixed in terms of dates and room type.

The advantage is that this offers really short notice bookings. It’s always worth keeping an eye on this page to see if something good comes up that can fit in with your plans and make that decision to go ahead and rent DVC points (it’s what we always do!).

I literally check the Dedicated Reservations Page almost daily. You never know what is going to pop up! You can book things as far as 11 months out on this page too! Again, this is DVC owners who made a booking and can’t make it so they are giving it up. Now, it may be a one-bedroom and you only want a studio, so keep your eyes peeled for something that fits your need and budget!

photo of the interior of the Contemporary resort, with the monorail moving through; how to rent DVC points at a Disney Deluxe resort

What Are The Best Disney Vacation Club Rentals?

We think that Disney’s Beach Club Villas is, by far, the very BEST resort to rent DVC points! You can walk to Epcot and Hollywood Studios and now the Skyliner connects Beach Club to Hollywood Studios and other resorts, as well! It is well accepted that Beach Club has the very best pool on Disney property. I am obsessed with the Beach Club and it is SUCH good value for the points! Highly recommend this one!

BoardWalk Villa resort is also a GREAT choice of location to rent DVC points! You aren’t getting the epic pool but you can still walk between parks and are right on hand to make the very best use of the entertainment and dining options that the BoardWalk has to offer!

Animal Kingdom Lodge, as shown in the price comparison illustration above, is a surprisingly good location to rent DVC points – although there’s a bus journey to any of the parks; having the Savanna onsite with the animals roaming has to be a lure for all animal lovers. And then, there’s the awesome dining options available at Animal Kingdom Lodge, too!

We’ve focused on Deluxe resorts to rent DVC points; it’s worth noting that Saratoga Springs and Old Key West are the most affordable locations, but neither are connected to any parks. This is why we 100% recommend Beach Club and BoardWalk Villas for overall value and prime location for you to rent DVC points.

photo of hot tub overlooking themed pool; how to rent DVC points at Disney Deluxe resort

What Are The Worst Use Of DVC Points?

Whilst it’s a beautiful resort, and so new, we believe that Disney’s Riviera Resort isn’t a good choice of location to rent DVC points because it’s still so very expensive and, unlike our ‘top picks’ you can’t walk to the parks from the Riviera Resort – for us, being able to walk to the parks is a huge perk!

Again, although these are beautiful resorts and just a monorail stop (or 2) from Magic Kingdom, but the Polynesian Village Resort and Grand Floridian Villas are VERY expensive and may not be the best location to rent DVC points.

photo of the lobby of the Polynesian resort; how to rent DVC points at Disney Deluxe resort

Should You Rent Disney Vacation Club Points?

We hope we’ve given you a well-balanced view of what’s involved if you choose to rent DVC points AND that we’ve excited you enough to go and take a look for yourself.