Since people have been asking how DVC Rental’s work, I thought I’d re-post this informative article, from one of our writers who used those services, Susanne! Hope it helps! ~M
We’ve seen a lot of questions regarding the process of buying Disney Vacation Club (DVC) points from third party vendors. I recently went through the process with David’s Vacation Club Rentals and wanted to give a bit more explanation on how the process works so our fans will have a better understanding.
The first step is to visit the website, www.dvcrequest.com, and use the cost calculator. This is a really handy mousekatool that lets you select your vacation dates and gives you the cost of all Disney DVC resorts (Note: this does not in any way indicate availability of these resorts). Once you have established the resorts that fit into your price range, it’s time to fill out the reservation form.
The form asks for standard information (name, address, dates of travel, etc.) and asks what property you are looking to reserve. It also gives you 2nd and 3rd, and 4th options in the event that the first choice property is not available. There is a $98 payment due at the time. This is not a fee, it is means of securing your reservation in the event that your request is immediately available. It is refundable if your request is not available.
If your request is available, you will receive an email confirmation. This email will contain your confirmation number and links to your full reservation details and payment. At that time, the remaining balance is due, minus the $98 you already paid.
If your request is not available, don’t fret. First, you will be offered other resorts that may be available. These are not guaranteed options, just what is showing possible availability at the time. If you decide not to proceed, your $98 will be refunded. If you decide to proceed, simply pick another resort from the list they provided to see if there is availability.
Here is where it gets complicated. If your request is 7 to 11 months prior to the check-in date, David’s Vacation Club Rentals must use a resort specific member (i.e. if your request is for Bay Lake Tower, David’s has to find a DVC member whose home resort is BLT and will sell their points on the necessary dates) per Disney requirements. If your request is less than 7 months out, DVC points can be used at any resort with availability. Check out the When to Book section on the website for more information.
Some resorts have more availability than others. Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa has the largest amount of DVC units on property. Others have waiting lists to get in, like the Polynesian. It also depends on the time of year you would like to travel. Peak times (Spring Break, Christmas, etc.) will have fewer options. All of these factors need to be taken into account when selecting your resort.
If points for your request are not immediately available, you have the option of waiting in the queue to see if points become available. The resort selected will determine the wait time. As stated above, the list for the Polynesian will be longer than the list for Saratoga Springs in most cases. While in the queue, you can change your resort selection or cancel your request and get a refund. If a match is found, you will receive a congratulatory email.
Here are some ‘need to know’ factors that you should consider:
- Prices are cheaper than going through Disney directly – there are no hidden costs
- Your name is on the reservation and online check-in is available
- Get all of the Disney perks – extra magic hours and Magical Express included!
- Easy process – they do all of the work for you!
- If a match is found, full payment is due within 24 hours
- All sales are final – there are no cancellations and no refunds
The entire process took less than a week, and although I didn’t get my first resort choice, we were able to book a room at Old Key West at a much lower rate than booking direct through Disney. Some requests may take less time, others may take more. Now that you have all of the facts, it’s time to go make a reservation! If you are looking to stay at a fabulous Disney resort for a lower price, I highly recommend using David’s Vacation Club Rentals. Tell them The Main Street Mouse sent you! Happy vacationing!
You can also find David’s Vacation Club Rentals on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/dvcRentals/?fref=ts
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