What to Know about Renting Points: Availability
One of the biggest variables for both guests and members when renting DVC points is availability. Villa availability can depend on a lot of factors, including the resort, time of year, and villa size, but improving your odds of finding availability often boils down to timing. With booking opening at 11-months from the desired check-in date, it is always recommended that you book as soon as that window opens.
What Does This Mean for Guests?
Some resorts or villa types (especially studios) tend to book up more quickly than others. For example, resorts like the Beach Club and Polynesian are popular for their proximity to the parks, so it is recommended that you book at 11-months out. For other resorts like Hilton Head Island Resort and Vero Beach Resort, availability can be more dependent on the season. While you can likely find availability at 9-months out for the off-season, demand is greater for the spring and summer, so you will need the 11-month advantage from early spring to late fall. You can check the DVC Rental Store website for a full list of resort-specific guidelines on booking windows. However, in general, it is best to reach out to the DVC Rental Store and submit your rental request at the 11-month mark for the best availability. To have the team contact you when your 11-month window opens, you can fill out a request form.
If the DVC Rental Store cannot secure your reservation due to lack of availability, sometimes being flexible with your dates or accommodations can help. For example, studios tend to book more quickly, but if you are open to one-bedroom villas, they may be easier to book.
There is also always a selection of DVC Confirmed Reservations available for sale which have already been secured by a member and may work for your trip.
What Does This Mean for Members?
Home resort advantage between the 7- and 11-month marks is extremely valuable for availability and improving your chances of matching a guest’s rental request. If you know that you will have unused points that you would like to rent, reach out to the DVC Rental Store as soon as possible. Simply follow the steps here to become a member of the DVC Rental Store and set up your dashboard. The Member Inventory Management Team will then reach out and ensure you have the best opportunity to rent your DVC points.
Putting your points up for rent between the 7- and 11-month marks also means a greater payout for points at Animal Kingdom Lodge, Aulani, Beach Club, Bay Lake Tower, BoardWalk, Copper Creek, Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, Riviera, and Grand Californian. You can use the DVC Rental Store’s rental income calculator to get an idea of how much your points are worth.
The bottom line is that whether you are a member or a guest, aiming for the 11-month window and being a little flexible can go a long way in helping you book a DVC villa.
