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Renting a dvc
- Thread starter tare
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GoofGoof
Premium Member
Both are good places. Bay Lake Tower at CR has a great location. The MK view rooms have great views of Wishes and into the MK all lit up at night. The lake view rooms are nice too. Very peaceful and the views of the lake are really good too in my opinion. The best thing about BLT is the location. It's a short and easy walk to the MK. It's also on the monorail when you go to EPCOT and you can also visit the Poly and GF easily for meals. There is also a nice boat ride across the lake to either Wilderness Lodge or the camp ground. The rooms are nice and if you get a 1 or 2 bedroom villa are pretty big. The 1 bedroom has 2 full baths and the 2 bedroom has 3 full baths. The studio rooms are on the smaller side, but probably pretty comparable to Boardwalk. The pool has a nice slide and a kids fountain area plus there are beach chairs and a small beach down by the lake (no swimming in the lake
). BLT has a "modern" theme so some people find it kinda bland or plain compared to the theming at a place like Wilderness Lodge or the Poly. There is a snack bar at the pool but all other meal options at BLT are over in the CR. There is a covered walkway that connects the 2 buildings.
Boardwalk is a really nice option too. You can walk to EPCOT through the back door and also walk or boat to DHS. There are a bunch of food options on the boardwalk itself and in the nearby BC, YC and Swan/Dolphin. The pool is nice and has a decent slide. The resort is pretty big and spread out so I have heard some people complain about the walk from the elevators to certain rooms. I don't think its a big deal. The boardwalk view rooms on the high floors have some decent views of some of the illuminations fireworks. Some of the rooms facing the other direction have views of the Tower of Terror and some of the Fantasmic fireworks. The rooms themselves are better themed than BLT. The floorplans are slightly different based on location within the resort.
For me location is pretty important and avoiding buses is a big plus. If you plan on spending more time at MK then EPCOT and DHS then BLT is probably a better bet. If location doesn't matter and you don't mind the buses IMHO the Boardwalk has a better theme and more dining and entertainment options. As far as renting points I think the BLT rooms are a few more points (especially if you want a MK view room). You probably need to lay out the total cost and see if it's worth the extra money.
). BLT has a "modern" theme so some people find it kinda bland or plain compared to the theming at a place like Wilderness Lodge or the Poly. There is a snack bar at the pool but all other meal options at BLT are over in the CR. There is a covered walkway that connects the 2 buildings.Boardwalk is a really nice option too. You can walk to EPCOT through the back door and also walk or boat to DHS. There are a bunch of food options on the boardwalk itself and in the nearby BC, YC and Swan/Dolphin. The pool is nice and has a decent slide. The resort is pretty big and spread out so I have heard some people complain about the walk from the elevators to certain rooms. I don't think its a big deal. The boardwalk view rooms on the high floors have some decent views of some of the illuminations fireworks. Some of the rooms facing the other direction have views of the Tower of Terror and some of the Fantasmic fireworks. The rooms themselves are better themed than BLT. The floorplans are slightly different based on location within the resort.
For me location is pretty important and avoiding buses is a big plus. If you plan on spending more time at MK then EPCOT and DHS then BLT is probably a better bet. If location doesn't matter and you don't mind the buses IMHO the Boardwalk has a better theme and more dining and entertainment options. As far as renting points I think the BLT rooms are a few more points (especially if you want a MK view room). You probably need to lay out the total cost and see if it's worth the extra money.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
They both have their pluses and minuses. The better choice for you and your family would probably hinge on where you think you'd spend more time, MK area or Epcot and/or Studios area?
Another factor is the size of Villa - studios in both places only have 1 bathroom, but 1BR units at Bay Lake have 2 bathrooms, whereas 1BR unites at Boardwalk still just have one. Add a bathroom each if you bump up to a 2BR unit. If you have a big party that extra bathroom could equal faster times out the door and easier commutes.
The big minus for a lot of people for Bay Lake is the theme - it's not nearly as immersive as other resorts. Boardwalk is beautiful but it's big minus is there's no food court per se. Plenty of places to grab a quick bite but sometimes hard to find a place to sit and eat it, unless you bring it back to your room. Boardwalk-To-Go has all the heart attack waiting to happen foods you'd associate with a walk on the Boardwalk. You can always also use the marketplace at Beach Club or the Fountain at the Dolphin, both within a quick walk. And of course, you're walking distance to World Showcase with tons more dining options. Meanwhile at BLT, you'll have a proper food court with plenty of seating at the Contempo, 2 sit down restaurants, some light snacks at the Top of the World Lounge at night (IF you're a DVC member), and of course, monorail access to GF & Poly, boat access to Fort Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge, and a walkway to MK.
I have two young girls, 6 & 2 by the time of our next trip. At some point we'll explore other resorts (I know when they're older and both good swimmers they'll love the Beach Club's Stormalong Bay). But for now, I know we'lll spend most of our time at Magic Kingdom, so I'll always at least try, first & foremost, for BLT.
Another factor is the size of Villa - studios in both places only have 1 bathroom, but 1BR units at Bay Lake have 2 bathrooms, whereas 1BR unites at Boardwalk still just have one. Add a bathroom each if you bump up to a 2BR unit. If you have a big party that extra bathroom could equal faster times out the door and easier commutes.
The big minus for a lot of people for Bay Lake is the theme - it's not nearly as immersive as other resorts. Boardwalk is beautiful but it's big minus is there's no food court per se. Plenty of places to grab a quick bite but sometimes hard to find a place to sit and eat it, unless you bring it back to your room. Boardwalk-To-Go has all the heart attack waiting to happen foods you'd associate with a walk on the Boardwalk. You can always also use the marketplace at Beach Club or the Fountain at the Dolphin, both within a quick walk. And of course, you're walking distance to World Showcase with tons more dining options. Meanwhile at BLT, you'll have a proper food court with plenty of seating at the Contempo, 2 sit down restaurants, some light snacks at the Top of the World Lounge at night (IF you're a DVC member), and of course, monorail access to GF & Poly, boat access to Fort Wilderness & Wilderness Lodge, and a walkway to MK.
I have two young girls, 6 & 2 by the time of our next trip. At some point we'll explore other resorts (I know when they're older and both good swimmers they'll love the Beach Club's Stormalong Bay). But for now, I know we'lll spend most of our time at Magic Kingdom, so I'll always at least try, first & foremost, for BLT.
RevKjb
New Member
Have you thought about the THV at SSR? We love them. Quiet. Lots of space. Great low attendance pools. Water transport if desired. Really a nice vacation depending your party size.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Tree House Villas. They look like this:
You get 3 bedrooms for the points of a 2 bedroom unit. It's part of Saratoga Springs.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Actually they shifted points around. Treehouse villas use more points than a 2 br unit but less than a grand villa. I think they severely underestimated their appeal at the time of their construction.Tree House Villas. They look like this:
You get 3 bedrooms for the points of a 2 bedroom unit. It's part of Saratoga Springs.
PigletIsMyCat
Well-Known Member
can i tack onto this and ask about renting dvc points 6 months out? is it possible? we've already booked POFQ with a friends & family discount, but my brother and future sis-in-law are planning to honeymoon at wdw starting nov 1. from what i can tell, they may be able to get a studio at OKW for 64 points (11/1-11/7) but i know availability may be an issue. they're currently discussing trying to rent points for OKW or stay at a mod. i've never rented points - anything i should look out for? are there additional fees on top of the price per point for renting? is there another way i should go about it instead of dvcrentalstore site? tia
GoofGoof
Premium Member
Just checked the member site. The 64 points is correct for those dates for a studio at OKW, but there is no availability 11/1, 11/3 or 11/6. Saratoga Springs is available for the whole stay at 87 points for a studio or you could go up to a 1 bedroom for 147 points at OKW which is also available for the whole stay. Using a rental site is probably the safest way to go. I think they rent for $14 a point now. No additional fees. If you rent directly from an owner you might find a cheaper price but you are dealing with a large money transaction with a total stranger. There is some risk. Occasionally someone posts here about renting points, but Dis boards has a section for people renting points. I think mouseowner.com does too. One thing to keep in mind is that if you rent a room from a DVC owner you will not be eligible for free dining should it be offered when you are going. You need to book a package through Disney and pay full rack to get free dining. There really isn't a "free lunch"can i tack onto this and ask about renting dvc points 6 months out? is it possible? we've already booked POFQ with a friends & family discount, but my brother and future sis-in-law are planning to honeymoon at wdw starting nov 1. from what i can tell, they may be able to get a studio at OKW for 64 points (11/1-11/7) but i know availability may be an issue. they're currently discussing trying to rent points for OKW or stay at a mod. i've never rented points - anything i should look out for? are there additional fees on top of the price per point for renting? is there another way i should go about it instead of dvcrentalstore site? tia
. You can still get the Disney dining plan if you rent from a DVC owner, you just have to pay for it.
PigletIsMyCat
Well-Known Member
thanks for the advice! i knew that availability might be an issue. my future sis-in-law just found disney.honeymoonwishes(dot)com - you can register for parts of your honeymoon. my brother and her already live together and really don't need anything you'd typically register for, so this might be a great idea for them. and then maybe they can afford to stay where they really want to - the contemporary! (it also says that people register there for vow renewals... i'm trying not to register!! lol)
PigletIsMyCat
Well-Known Member
thanks everyone! i'm glad we researched the option - and i might use it for our own trip next time.
PolynesianPrincess
Well-Known Member
We have rentred points at both BLT and Boardwalk (BLT this past Sept and BWV in February) and we hands down would choose BWV over BLT. While we loved being on the monorail line for access to the resorts and Epcot and within walking distance to MK, the theming just didn't do it for us. We also had several issues with our room that left a bad taste in our mouths. We had 3 people in a studio. BLT studio is 20 sqft smaller than BWV. We loved being on the Boardwalk and having the option to walk or take the boat to Epcot and MGM. The room was in great shape and we were pretty close to the lobby and the Boardwalk itself. No matter which one you choose, you'll have to walk to get things like food, shopping, etc.. (to the Contemp if you stay at BLT and to the Boardwalk if you stay at BWV) I think it really depends where you will be spending most of your time. When we stayed at BLT, we spent most of our time at MK, so it worked. We only stayed 1 night at BWV and we were going to DHS. It made sense for us to stay at an Epcot DVC. I think if we had to choose, we would go with BWV or BCV or even VWL over BLT again.
mousehockey37
Well-Known Member
Anyone know when the rental points went from $13/pt to $14/pt?
I know that the DVC stuff has been growing, but with the rate that the price per point is going up, you'll just about be paying what it would cost to go through the Disney site.
Also, if you don't get Right of First Refusaled by Disney, it's almost cheaper to be a DVC owner than a renter. Not that you can book any DVC's for any decent time of the year (off peak or on)... I was on Scott's page and was looking at user requests for times and the theme was this: "Nope, everything is booked solid." And it's not mattering what time of year... There apparently is no slow season now.
I know that the DVC stuff has been growing, but with the rate that the price per point is going up, you'll just about be paying what it would cost to go through the Disney site.
Also, if you don't get Right of First Refusaled by Disney, it's almost cheaper to be a DVC owner than a renter. Not that you can book any DVC's for any decent time of the year (off peak or on)... I was on Scott's page and was looking at user requests for times and the theme was this: "Nope, everything is booked solid." And it's not mattering what time of year... There apparently is no slow season now.
ParentsOf4
Well-Known Member
DVC rental prices generally went up from $13 to $14 about a year ago.
Sorry, I don't recall where I read it but someone put together an interesting analysis showing that renting a one-bedroom villa directly from Disney often can be less expensive than renting DVC points, especially when Disney offers discounts.
Studios generally are much less expensive when renting points.
Using the Beach Club Villas (BCV) for spring break (Magic Season) as an example, at $14/point in 2015, a week in a BCV Studio will cost $1876, or $268/night.
In 2014, a Standard View room at the Beach Club was $3970, or $567/night. Even with a 30% discount, that's still $397/night. Presumably, prices will increase 2-to-5% next year.
If you go to WDW most years, prefer to stay at WDW Deluxe Resorts, and can afford the purchase price without a long-term loan, then buying DVC through resale generally is less expensive than paying Disney for a cash room.
As for DVC, there is no such thing as a slow season. Disney sells about 98% of a DVC resort's points, which means the DVCs are nearly always fully occupied. Generally, the only WDW DVC resort available on short notice is SSR.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
This is true. We were looking at doing 3 nights at HH in June as part of an otherwise non-Disney vacation. I'm all out of points so I looked into renting, but the cash rate I could get was actually cheaper. We were looking at 1 bedroom units. I didn't price the studios. I think it also has to do with time of year. The cash rates fluctuate more frequently while DVC points are locked into 4 or 5 "seasons".
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
Also bear in mind, DVC members paying cash for a room often get a discount of (I believe) 30% of rack rates.
I had almost enough points for our next trip to be 6 night in a BLT Lake view 1BR. I rented a few from DVC direct to cover the balance. Then we decided to make it a 7 night trip. I emailed David's DVC rentals about renting points from him for that 7th night, then checked out rack rates and realized, with my DVC member discount (comparable to discounts currently available to the general public that time of year anyway), renting points would be significantly more. But that wouldn't have been the case were we staying in a studio, then renting probably would have worked out best. Even David (or whoever was answering his mail) seemed surprised by the difference but didn't disagree that I should try to book from Disney versus renting points from them.