How to Rent DVC Points to Save Money

You may be wondering what all the hype is about when it comes to Disney Vacation Club rental points. Are they legit? Can you actually save money? Which is the best DVC rental site? If you are asking yourself these very questions, I’m here to help!

My family and I have been renting DVC points for years and find it to be the best way to save money on Disney resorts. You can easily rent points from an owner in the Disney Vacation Club to save hundreds of dollars per night on your reservation. If you’re wondering how this process works, I’ll go through each simple step in the article below! I’ll also provide input on my personal choice for the best DVC rental site, so you can see which company my family trusts with our own trips!

Disney Vacation Club

I’m going to start by giving a brief explanation of the Disney Vacation Club program. If you already know the background information about DVC, feel free to skip to the next section. The official Walt Disney company offers a timeshare program known as the Disney Vacation Club or DVC for short. DVC owners purchase a real estate investment in a chosen DVC resort hotel, which is referred to as a villa.

The member’s real estate investment is represented in the form of points. Throughout the year, the member may visit the available DVC properties using their allotted points. Or, the member may choose to rent their points out to someone else.

There are many ways you can go about renting points, including directly through the owner. While I am sure you can find trustworthy owners who are reliable and honest with points rentals, my family and I prefer to use a reputable rental company. Sadly, I’ve heard too many horror stories of families trying to rent points through a “DVC owner” only to find out that they had been scammed.

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Therefore, I prefer to take the safe route by renting points through David’s Vacation Club Rentals. David’s website is honestly the first place I look whenever I’m planning a Disney vacation. Friends and family members of mine may have referred to me as a hotel snob once or twice. And I know when I rent a DVC room, the accommodations are going to be top notch. Not only that, but I end up saving a ton of money on the high end room. It’s a win win!

If you are new to renting points, I highly recommend pricing out your dates on David’s cost calculator. You can choose the dates of your trip and easily see the rental price for every villa option. I guarantee you will be shocked by some of the prices you see. The rental cost is typically significantly less than even the most highly discounted hotel room rates.

Using David’s Vacation Club Rentals

When I first used David’s Vacation Club Rentals about ten years ago, I remember feeling nervous since I had always booked directly on the Disney website. The process for renting points on David’s site is completely different than purchasing a reservation at a hotel. So, I’m going to go over the whole process in hopes that it eases any fears you have.

First, you need to know your travel dates. The one drawback to renting points is that it can be difficult to find availability. So, you’ll need to include your dates when submitting your form to David’s Vacation Club Rentals. The request form is really easy to fill out, but it is lengthy. You’ll need to include the names of people in your party, your preferred villa, etc.

You will also have to submit a payment of $105. I know it sounds bizarre to pay for something without knowing if your room is available, but let me explain. If the room you requested is available and secured, the $105 goes toward the cost of the room. On the other hand, if the room is not available, David’s Vacation Club Rentals refunds the entire $105.

As mentioned above, it’s often difficult to find availability for an exact match since the discounted prices are so great. So, David’s company has had to refund my $105 many times, and they are swift to do so.

This leads me to one of my favorite things about working with David’s team. If the exact room you request is not available for your dates, they will often respond with other options for rooms in case you are willing to stay at a different resort. For example, they may offer a deluxe studio at Boardwalk Villas when I initially asked for a Beach Club studio. If you decline their additional options, your deposit is refunded in full.

Another great way to save money with David’s Vacation Club Rentals is by searching their confirmed reservations. These are reservations that have already been secured, so you can’t change the dates or the villa. However, you can get a huge deal on a room by booking this way.

Additionally, you can sign up to get notified of additional confirmed reservations for sale. Just choose your dates, resort, and room type, and David’s Rentals will notify you if any matches show up in their system.

Rundown of Each DVC Resort

The Walt Disney World resort in Orlando, FL is home to numerous DVC hotels. Most of these DVC rentals at Disney World are located on the same property as a deluxe Disney resort. If you are staying at a hotel through Disney Vacation Club points, you can use the pools and other amenities that belong to the deluxe resort. 

For example, guests staying at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas can use the pool, restaurants, and other amenities at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. The following list includes the DVC rentals at Disney World along with my top picks for the best DVC rental resort at WDW:

• Animal Kingdom Villas – (TOP Pick) This DVC resort is typically one of the cheapest options. It offers great activities, including animal viewing and amazing restaurants. The pools are fun too!
• Bay Lake Tower – This resort shares amenities with Disney’s Contemporary Resort. It sits in a prime location offering an easy walk to Magic Kingdom along with monorail access at the hotel.
• Beach Club Villas – (TOP Pick) This resort shares amenities with Disney’s Beach Club and Yacht Club Resorts. My family and I absolutely love the location of the Beach Club Villas since you have easy access to Disney’s Boardwalk, SkyLiner, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. Plus, the resort pool is the BEST at Disney World!
• BoardWalk Villas – This DVC resort shares amenities with Disney’s Boardwalk Inn. Like the Beach Club, Disney’s BoardWalk Villas is within walking distance of Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and more. Plus, you can see the theme park fireworks right outside the hotel!
• Grand Floridian – (TOP Pick) This resort shares amenities with Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, which sits just a short walk away from Magic Kingdom and monorail access. We love the pool and dining options at this property.
• Old Key West – This resort is usually one of the cheapest options when renting timeshare points. We also find that it’s available when other properties are booked, which makes it a nice choice for a last minute trip.
• Polynesian Villas and Bungalows – This resort shares amenities with Disney’s Polynesian Resort. It offers a fun pool, monorail access, and boat service to Magic Kingdom.
• Riviera Resort – This property features beautifully designed rooms and easy access to Disney’s SkyLiner. Plus, it offers a fun character meal.
• Saratoga Springs – This DVC resort is usually one of the cheapest options. It offers easy access to Disney Springs.
• Boulder Ridge Villas – (TOP Pick) This resort shares amenities with Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. We love the pools, dining options, and theming at this property. Plus, you get views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks and Electrical Parade from the Wilderness Lodge onsite.
• Copper Creek Villas and Cabins – (TOP Pick) As with the above property, Copper Creek shares amenities with Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. With great theming, beautiful rooms, and easy access to Magic Kingdom, this resort is a great place to stay.
• Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort is the newest addition to the DVC properties. These cabins offer sleeping for 6 with a queen bed and bunk beds in the bedroom and a Murphy bed in the separate living room. Guests will also find a kitchen inside the cabin.

Even though we would choose Disney’s Beach Club Villas as the best DVC rental resort at WDW, you really can’t go wrong with any of the other properties! In addition to the long list of Disney Vacation Club options at Walt Disney World, you can also use timeshare points for a stay at the following properties:

• Grand Californian- at Disneyland Resort
• Aulani- beachfront resort in Hawaii
• Hilton Head Island Resort- in South Carolina
• Vero Beach Resort- beachfront hotel in Florida

I find the deluxe resorts at Disney World are better for catering to kids since they provide easy dining options, balconies, and other conveniences. If you are looking for tips on choosing the right Disney World hotel, join our Facebook group for personalized help on finding the best resort for your family!