Save Money on a Luxury Disney Vacation by Renting DVC Points

Jill Robbins Avatar

magic kingdom cinderella castle decorated for the 50th anniversary against blue cloudy sky
On our recent trip staying in a DVC points rental unit we saw no big difference in our theme park experience. Benefits like extended evening hours and a nicer resort only enhanced our trip! Photo Credit: Nasreen Stump

A Disney vacation doesn’t have to mean quick service and value resorts. Luxury Disney accommodations are the perfect way to level up your girlfriend getaway or family vacation bucket list trip. We’ve got a Disney insider secret that will get you those luxe digs for less: You can rent DVC points! Not only will they keep you on budget but deluxe Disney Vacation Club rooms offer extra perks! Here’s a step by step guide to renting Disney Vacation Club points for your next Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland, or Aulani trip.

If you’re not ready to commit to buying a Disney Vacation Club membership but you want the wow factor and perks that go with, it rent someone else’s DVC points.

You’re tempted – but is the Disney Vacation Club Worth It?
Disney’s Old Key West Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs are within easy walking distance of Disney Springs: Photo credit: Jill Robbins

How Do You Rent DVC Points?

It’s simple: The person who owns the DVC points agrees to rent the points in exchange for a certain sum of money. The owner makes the room reservation in the name of the renter. That’s it. Really.

This same process applies if a DVC Member wants to book a room for someone else. For example, if I wanted to gift my daughter and her family a three-night stay, I could make the reservations for her in her name and she’d go check-in and have fun. The rental process follows these same lines.

Of course, that assumes you know someone who is a DVC member that has points they are willing to rent. So what if you don’t know a Disney Vacation Club member? No problem! Disboards has a forum to connect people who are looking to buy and sell points.

While making an arrangement with an individual comes with some risks, this forum does appear to be very well structured and well managed.

two women in sunglasses with drinks in EPCOTs Japan
We loved the perks that came with our DVC points stay during a girlfriend getaway!   Photo Credit: Nasreen Stump

The Safest Way to Rent DVC Points

SheBuysTravel recommends David’s Vacation Club Rentals. for saving money on our favorite deluxe resorts, including Animal Kingdom Lodge and Saratoga Springs. David’s is an established company with a very good reputation. They offer a wide selection of rooms and the process is laid out very clearly. See more details in this video:

If I were renting points, I’d prefer to deal with a company versus an individual. That’s a personal choice.

What Are the Pros of Renting DVC Points?

Renting DVC points is a great way to maximize your Disney dollars. You’ll get deluxe level perks at moderate or value level pricing. Who doesn’t like that?

The nightly rate for a one-bedroom Deluxe Villa booked directly through Disney averages about $600. You can get the same level of luxury for about half the cost by renting someone’s points. Easy choice. The number of points required varies depending on resort.

Paying instead to rent DVC points to rent that Deluxe Villa will cost about the same amount per night as staying at a moderate Disney resort. I think the level of amenities between a moderate resort and a deluxe resort is substantially different.

Read More: Walt Disney World Resorts – Value vs. Moderate vs. Deluxe vs. Deluxe Villas

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But the cost savings is just one reason to rent DVC points for your accommodations. You might save more by staying in a non-Disney hotel, but you lose out on the perks. Renting DVC points gets you on property at a bargain price. Why not stay in a one-bedroom villa for the price of a standard hotel room?

Will I Get the Same Disney Perks when Renting DVC Rooms?

Yes!

You are just another resort guest when you rent DVC points. Staying “on property” for your Disney trip entitles you to all of the resort-guest-only amenities. Disney transportation, early entry into the theme parks, and Extended Evening Hours.

When the Disney Dining Plan returns you’ll be able to add it to your Walt Disney vacation as a resort guest. Disney resort guests also get earlier access on the My Disney Experience app to purchase Individual Lightning Lane (a la carte) time slots that aren’t available through Genie+ service. On-property guests can book at 7 am vs. off-property guests who can only purchase ILL when the park opens.

Read More: Here’s How Disney’s Genie+ Works

SheBuysTravel Tip: One GIANT perk of the room types offered through DVC point rental is that they all come with a kitchenette or full kitchen. You can even have groceries and snacks delivered before you arrive for your Disney vacation!

How Much Can You Save by Using Rented DVC Points?

In short, quite a bit. We strongly recommend using David’s Vacation Rentals. When you’re looking for your DVC villa through David’s there are two ways to make reservations. You can either rent points and specify your dates and choose your Disney Vacation Club Resort OR to get the best deal search the Dedicated Reservations section at David’s Vacation Rentals. These are reservations that already have dates set. It’s where you can really save big bucks on your vacation. Some last minute reservations can drop even lower in price!

Here’s how David’s pricing structure works:

  • Stays within 7 months are $21/point.
  • Stays that are 7 months or more out are $21 or $23/point. There is a Home Resort Premium of $2 per point that is added on to stays at certain resorts booked more than 7 months out.

BUT Dedicated reservations? Those can be found for way less. They can be found on the DVC Guests Drop Down menu. We’ve found reservations there for as low as $16/point!

We looked through the dedicated reservations and found an offering in October for 3 nights at Disney’s Old Key West Resort. The cost was $17/point or $1887 for the stay.

screenshot from David's vacation rental showing cost of a dedicated reservation available at Old Key West Resort
Save money on your Disney lodging with DVC point rental. Save even more by looking for Dedicated Reservations! Photo Credit: Screenshot David’s Vacation Club Rentals

That same stay booked through Disney would cost a whopping $3334.50. By using point rentals you save $1447.50 off the top our your Disney vacation. That covers the cost of 2 days of Park Hopper tickets for a family of 4!

screenshot of cost to book Old Key West resort directly through Disney

Check these deals BEFORE picking your travel dates so you can save the most money on your Disney vacation.

Which Disney resorts have Disney Vacation Club Rentals?

DVC rentals and Disney Vacation Club villas can be found at the following DVC resorts:

  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas at Jambo House
  • Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas at Kidani Village
  • Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort (walk to Magic Kingdom!)
  • Beach Club Villas (walk to EPCOT!)
  • BoardWalk Villas (walk to EPCOT!)
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian
  • Old Key West
  • Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort and Polynesian Villas
  • Disney’s Riviera Resort
  • Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
  • Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
  • Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

DVC Resorts aren’t just for Disney World Vacations

Did you know that you can rent DVC points for Disney vacations that aren’t for WDW in Orlando, Florida?  Points can also be used at:

  • Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort
  • Vero Beach Resort
  • The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (Disneyland)
  • Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa in Ko Olina (Oahu, Hawaii)

What Can Go Wrong?

There really aren’t any negatives, except for the slim possibility that the DVC owner will flake out on you or rip you off, which is why we recommend using a reputable company like David’s Vacation Club Rentals.

If you prefer to rent directly from an owner, it’s a smart idea to use a credit card that offers some protection in case things go south and buy travel insurance to cover cancellations outside your control.

One response


  1. Love this! We have been DVC members for 13 years and absolutely LOVE our membership. However, many of our friends don’t have the resources or don’t see the value in ownership and I have always steered them towards renting points. Its an excellent value.

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