What if I told you that you could be enjoying deluxe Disney vacations at a fraction of the cost? What’s more, you could enjoy these fabulous vacations without even being a Disney Vacation Club member! Our Disney Vacation Club Rental Guide is going to break down just how simple it is to enjoy the benefits of deluxe Disney Vacation Club (DVC) accommodations without being a member.
Renting Disney Vacation Club points is your answer to amazing money-saving vacations at any of the Disney Vacation Club resorts around the country. Renting DVC points allows non-members to use the points of DVC owners who just can’t take a Disney vacation for whatever reason. As a renter, you pay a fraction of what DVC members paid for their points and use those points towards a deluxe Disney vacation. Plus, you get all of the benefits throughout your vacation that a DVC member would normally get!
Safest Way to Book DVC Points! If you're looking for the easiest way to rent DVC points then our partners DVC Rental Store and David's Vacation Club rentals offers the most secure way to book your reservation. DVC Rental Store is the most flexible option with guests only having to put down a 25% deposit for trips booked at least 75 days out. David's Vacation Club rentals offers low prices and a requires a deposit down to begin searching availability.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: What are Disney Vacation Club “Points”?
The Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is a timeshare program that allows members to purchase deeded real estate interests at one of the Disney Vacation Club Resorts. What makes the DVC different is their usage of “points” to price out deluxe Disney Accommodations. In essence, when a buyer purchases a DVC membership, they’re actually buying DVC points that they’ll use towards their Disney vacation accommodations.
However, sometimes DVC members either can’t use their annual vacation club points or they end up with more than they need for any number of reasons. This is where Disney magic begins! The DVC member, not wanting to lose money on points they’ve already paid for, will seek out renters who are willing to “rent” points from them to use for their own Disney Vacation. It’s a win-win situation in which the DVC member doesn’t lose money and the renter enjoys a deluxe Disney vacation at a fraction of the cost!
For example, let’s make a quick comparison between a standard cash rate stay at Walt Disney World’s Grand Floridian and a DVC Villa rental stay using points. A 6-night stay in March of 2023 for a standard view hotel room would cost you $5,950. However, when renting points from David’s Vacation Club Rentals, the same stay in a deluxe studio villa would only cost you $3,066. That’s a savings of $2,884! So, it’s easy to see the savings, but let’s dig a little deeper and explore what else you’d actually get when renting DVC points.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: What Do I Get by Renting DVC Points?
Aside from the incredible savings, let’s take a look at why these savings are so great and what you get when you rent DVC points.
Deluxe Villa Accommodations vs Deluxe Hotels
When you rent DVC points you get to enjoy the same deluxe DVC accommodations that provide more than standard hotel rooms. For starters, most DVC villas come with either a kitchenette or full-size kitchen right in the room. This provides the option to have cozy family meals right in your room, which can save you a great deal of money!
A lot of DVC accommodations also sleep more guests than a standard hotel room. This is where large family vacations come into play. For example, it’s much more affordable to host family vacations in a 2-bedroom villa rather than having to pay for two or even three separate hotel rooms. Lastly, DVC villas are still located within the resort and offer the same amenities and recreational activities that hotel guests enjoy.
Do I Still Get to Use my Magic Band and the My Disney Experience App?
Yes! Even when you rent DVC points from a DVC owner, you can still link your Magic Band to the reservation. What’s more, you can also link your reservation to the My Disney Experience App and be able to make your usual park and dining reservations.
More Time in the Parks!
Another great perk of staying at Vacation Club villa is the opportunity to take advantage of Early Theme Park Entry and Extended Evening Theme Park Hours! At the time of writing this Disney World DVC Rentals Guide, guests staying at a Vacation Club Villa can enter the theme parks 30 minutes early and enjoy select attractions. Then, after park closing, guests staying at Deluxe and select resorts, can enjoy extra time in the parks. This is an amazing perk given the fact that the parks can get crowded during the day. This allows you to jump on some of your favorite rides without the long lines! If you've never taken advantage of this, be sure to check out our Morning Strategies at the Disney's California Adventure, as an example.
Parking at DVC Resorts
Another advantage of renting DVC points is free parking at your resort! When you stay at a DVC resort with points, you will be able to park for free and not have to worry about the daily parking rates.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: Where Can I Stay Using DVC Rental Points?
When you rent DVC points, you’re able to rent at any of the 16 Disney Vacation Club resorts. It's important to know that each resort requires a different amount of points per night depending on the type of accommodation and time of year. These amounts are found in the DVC point charts linked below for 2023. At the time of writing this Disney World DVC Rentals Guide, the list of resorts includes the following:
Resorts in Florida:
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas (Kidani Village or Jambo House)
- Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort
- Disney's Beach Club Villas
- Disney's Boardwalk Villas
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort
- Disney's Old Key West Resort
- Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
- Disney's Riviera Resort
- Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort
- Disney's Vero Beach Resort (Located in Vero Beach, Florida)
Disneyland Resort in California:
Hilton Head Island in South Carolina:
Resort located on the island of Oahu, Hawaii:
As you can see, every vacation will require a different amount of points and therefore fluctuate in price. While the amount of points per night isn't crucial to consider when renting, it’s important to understand why the prices are different depending on time of year and accommodation type.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: How Do I Rent DVC Points?
Renting points is incredibly simple and allows you to start planning your Disney vacation in no time! You have two options when renting DVC points. Let’s take a look at renting from a trusted agency and also renting from a DVC member directly.
Renting DVC Point from a Trusted Agency
The easiest, and safest, way to rent DVC points is by working with a third-party agency that specializes in renting out DVC points. Our favorite companies to work with are The DVC Rental Store and David’s Vacation Club Rentals. Both of our partners are reputable sites committed to offering a seamless rental experience with no hassle and, best of all, no worries!
You should note that The DVC Rental Store does not require payment upfront if the reservation is more than 75 days out. They'll even guarantee you the lowest price around from any major competitor. David's will also get you a low price and requires payment upfront. You can't go wrong with either option as they are both top quality companies!
When you click through our link to David's Vacation Club Rentals, or for The DVC Rental Store, you're supporting the writing on our site so that we can help you even more to plan your Disney trip.
In addition, both the DVC Rental Store and David's will handle everything from start to finish and you never have to worry about communicating or negotiating with the DVC member. This makes planning your Disney vacation a lot easier.
Lastly, both of our partners are secure processes which means that you won’t ever be vulnerable to fraud or scams. All of the listings found through both sites are secure and safe. This peace of mind can’t be beat, especially if you’re new to Disney vacations.
With an agency like the DVC Resale Market or David’s Vacation Club Rentals you simply follow the steps below:
- Choose the DVC resort of your choice and determine your vacation dates. Note that some DVC resorts, like the Villas at Grand Floridian or Disney’s Beach Club Villas, are often in high demand. This means that if you’re certain you want to stay at one of these resorts, you should try to book your vacation with as much lead time as possible. Otherwise, you may end up on a waitlist.
- Fill out an online reservation form that will take all of your information as well as any special accommodation requests. It’s at this time that you will need to pay a small deposit that ultimately goes towards the overall cost of your reservation.
- If your requested reservation is available, you will receive an email confirmation and all that’s left to do is pay the remaining balance! If your reservation is not available, you will be offered a similar alternative or you will be refunded your initial deposit.
And that’s it! From there, you’d be able to link your reservation to your My Disney Experience and begin planning your magical vacation.
Renting DVC Point Directly from a DVC Member
The second option when renting DVC points is to rent directly from a DVC member. This option sometimes allows you to save even more money, but it should be noted that this route does come with more risks.
There are many message boards online where you can find DVC members advertising the renting of their points. The key here is finding a reliable platform and doing your homework to make sure you’re protected against any fraud or scam. Disboards is a widely popular site where DVC members rent out their points. You’ll have to search through the message board and see if someone is renting points at the resort you’re looking for and then determine if availability exists.
Admittedly, this option for renting is not always the easiest and it can take a lot longer to find the option that best suits your needs. While Disboards does set some ground rules for owners and renters to curb fraud, it still might be a good idea to consider the following:
- Check and see what type of activity the user has had on the message boards. The more they’ve posted, the better.
- It is always acceptable to ask for proof of DVC membership. If a renter doesn’t take well to this request, it’s best to move forward and continue searching elsewhere.
- Let Google help you! Do some detective work of your own and try to find any information on the owner once you have their full name. While this may not always give you valuable information, it certainly doesn’t hurt to try!
- Always use a contract that includes all relevant information, including full legal names. Sample contracts can be found online and can be another layer of protection.
- Lastly, purchasing travel insurance that works with timeshares is always a good idea. Travel Guard is our pick and is familiar with Disney Vacation Club. This will give you more peace of mind.
Last-Minute Rentals
From time to time, you can find amazing deals at last-minute prices. Typically, these are reservations where an owner is no longer able to make their vacation so they rent out their pre-existing booking at a drastically reduced price in order to recuperate at least some of the costs. These last-minute deals are not widely available and do require lots of flexibility on your part to make them work.
Cancellations
Admittedly, one downside to consider when renting points is the lack of flexibility with your reservation. Typically, Vacation Club stays come with lots of flexibility, but as a renter you'll lose most of that. So, you want to do your homework when renting your points so that you don't end up in a situation where you'll end up losing money. The best thing to do here is research what policies exist, if any, around sudden cancellations or changes. Again, you might not be afforded much, but it's better to know that upfront.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: The Cost of Renting Disney Vacation Club Points
So, you’re probably wondering how much renting Disney Vacation Club points costs and again, how much you can be saving. At the time of writing this Disney Vacation Club Rental Guide, the cost varies depending on what type of rental option you choose.
Renting with David’s Vacation Club Rentals
If you’ve decided to rent with David’s Vacation Club Rentals, it’s important to know about the different types of reservations.
David’s keeps a list of what they consider to be ‘premium resorts.’ These resorts can be booked within 7 months of arrival for $21 per point. This is where the point charts above will help you in determining the overall cost of a vacation. The following DVC resorts are considered to be premium resorts:
- Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas
- Bay Lake Tower At Disney's Contemporary Resort
- Disney's Beach Club Villas
- Disney's Boardwalk Villas
- Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- Copper Creek Villas and Cabins at Disney's Wilderness Lodge
- The Villas at Disney's Grand Floridian Hotel
- The Villas at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel
- Disney's Aulani Resort and Spa
- Disney's Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
- Disney's Riviera Resort
If you’re looking to rent more than 7 months out at one of the above resorts then you’ll pay $23 per point.
All other resorts whether you book them within 7 months or not, will be booked at the $21 per point rate.
David’s Vacation Club Rentals Cost Scenario
Let’s price out a hypothetical vacation using David’s services. We’ll assume the following:
- Resort: Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Dates: October 5th-9th, 2022
- Number of guests: 2 adults and 2 children
- Accommodation Type: Theme Park View Deluxe Studio with kitchenette
- DVC Rental Overall Cost: $1,806 (86 points total at $21/point)
- Non-DVC Cash Rate Overall Cost for similar accommodations at the Contemporary Resort: $3,783
- Total Savings by Renting: $1,977 – that’s 52% off the non-DVC price!
At almost $2,000 of savings, keep in mind that you’re getting a deluxe studio accommodation at the rental rate complete with a kitchenette versus a standard hotel room with no additional benefits!
Direct DVC Member Cost Scenario
At the time of writing this Disney Vacation Club Rental Guide, we found the following confirmed available reservation on the Disboards:
- Resort: Saratoga Springs Resort
- Dates: August 29th-September 1st, 2022
- Number of guests: Up to 5 guests
- Accommodation Type: Preferred Deluxe Studio Villa
- DVC Direct Member Overall Cost: $585 (45 points total at $13/point)
- Non-DVC Cash Rate Overall Cost for similar accommodations at Saratoga Springs Resort: $1,521
- Total Savings by Renting Direct: $936 – that’s 62% off the non-DVC price!
In both scenarios, you can see that the savings are incredibly high! As mentioned before, the savings when renting direct from a DVC member are usually higher, but keep in mind what we discussed before about making sure that route is the right fit for you.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: Is Renting Disney Vacation Club Points Worth It?
It’s not always the case that we can give a definitive yes when thinking about whether something is worth it or not, but I think it’s pretty clear here that renting DVC points is very much a money-saving option for families and incredibly worth it. You end up paying for more space and amenities than you would a standard hotel room.
That said, keep in mind that this value comes when working with deluxe Disney properties. You could book a 3-night vacation in August of 2022 at Disney’s Pop Century Resort for only $567. This is lower than any scenario we priced out above. However, accommodations will not be similar and you would be expecting the typical offerings of a value resort. We recently wrote about a stay at Disney’s Pop Century Resort and if you’re looking for more basic accommodations, you can’t go wrong here.
So, you really need to determine what type of accommodation you’re looking for. If the answer is that you want a deluxe Disney experience, then all DVC Rentals at Disney World and beyond are worth a look.
Walt Disney World DVC Rentals: More on the Disney Vacation Club
If you’re looking for more information on the Disney Vacation Club, including how to purchase, purchasing cost and resort information, then be sure to check out our new Disney Vacation Club Buying Guide. This guide will go in depth on all things Disney Vacation Club from the perspective of a DVC owner.
Plan Your Vacation to Walt Disney World!
Whether you’re looking for more information on renting DVC points or simply want to start planning your next Disney vacation, we can help you! Let us fill you in on all of the Disney secrets that can make your next vacation the most magical one yet. Plus, if you’re not yet subscribed to our FREE newsletter, you’re missing out on even more Disney savings! Be sure to check out our other articles to help you plan your next Disney getaway:
