points usage outside WDW ??

[Annabell]

I am seriously considering buying into DVC but still have some doubts. The problem is that I am not very sure whether we will be definitely doing Disney every year ... also in view of the fact that Orlando is just not close to home and we need to consider flight cost too. So I have some questions regarding other usage of the points in case we can't make it to Orlando for whatever reason :
1) If we are going to use the points for Disney hotels other than the Disney resorts in Orlando, (e.g. Paris or Hong Kong) is there any fee associated with it ? I know pointswise it requires much more points but just wondering if there is any additional fees required for booking.
2) I know you can rent out your points.... is it easy to do so ? I read many threads about people offering points to rent and just wondering it may be a hard task to get the points rented out. Any experience on this front ?
Thanks in advance !

 

[Disneymad]

Yes there is an admin fee associated with points outside DVC as it's an 'exchange' in to a different program (be that regular Disney inventory or RCI timeshare) it's umm, hmm, I think currently $95 - I'll have to go poke around the DVC site and check that mind.

Can't help with renting as I've never done it myself, I've been led to believe it's fairly easy though - the DVC units are really quite popular.

There is another 3rd option which you've not mentioned but is worth considering. It's very easy to bank a years points or borrow the next years points. This means you could purchase a lower number of points on the assumption that you'll bank/borrow in order to pay for it. Effectively you could buy in to DVC with the intention of visiting only once every 2 years for example.

 

[wickesy]

If you use your points anywhere outside the DVC resorts there is a $95 'transfer' fee. Also if you use your points for Disneyland Paris then you MUST buy length of stay park tickets, even if you won't get the opportunity to use them every day.

As Disneymad says you might want to consider buying the minimum number of points if you aren't going to use them every year. We bought 160 points with the intention of staying once every two or three years. With banking and borrowing that gives us up to 480 points to use on any one trip.

 

[Annabell]

Thanks for the info.
Seems not a good idea to spend those points in Disneyland Paris then !
I guess the banking and borrowing is the way to go for us.

 

[gilld]

Do remember though, that even if you only actually use your points to go every two or three years, you'll still have to pay your maintenance fees every year.

 

[mark&sue]

you can use points for cruises which is good now they are in the Med. We used our points for a three day cruise. We have used our points for Paris but that was before they made you buy the length of stay passes for the day you get there and the day after and definately not good value for money. we once used our points for a trip to Devon but again that was when they did different exchanges and i don;t think the new ones are as good.

I have rented points out many times and will do in the future.



susan

 

[fitnessmouse]

..if you use your points for Disneyland Paris then you MUST buy length of stay park tickets, even if you won't get the opportunity to use them every day.

What if you already have Annual Passes for Disneyland Paris? Can you not use your points for just the hotel stays?

 

[wickesy]

What if you already have Annual Passes for Disneyland Paris? Can you not use your points for just the hotel stays?

No, it is a condition of booking a hotel stay at Disneyland Paris that you also buy length of stay park tickets, even if you already have them.

 

[fitnessmouse]

I know that that is the case with regular tickets, but with AP you can book just a hotel through Disney. I was wondering if that was the case when using points as well.

I'm looking at the pointcharts through DVCnews. Are the points for Disneyland Paris per room, or per person, and are the tickets then extra on top of those points, or are those included in the point chart?

Like OP, i m trying to decide if DVC is for us, and what to do with points if we can't get to Orlando.

 

[Everything Eeyore]

The points value is per room and the cost of tickets is on top of that.

 

[wickesy]

I know that that is the case with regular tickets, but with AP you can book just a hotel through Disney. I was wondering if that was the case when using points as well.

The points charts on the member web site state:

Reservations at Disneyland®Paris resort hotels require a 2-night minimum stay and require the purchase of length-of-stay Theme Park tickets for the number of registered Guests.

so I would assume that even if you are an AP holder you will be forced to buy tickets for everybody. The tickets have to be paid for 'in cash' as well, you can't use points for them.

 

[doombuggy]

i have a small dvc contract, but since i live in orlando...
in regards to the questions about using the points in DLP, yes, you are required to buy a length of stay pass, and i my case, i don't need that. Right now i have aq room at the Sequoia booked ofr 4 nights at halloween and it will cost 580 euros. I get that the euro vs the dollar is going down so the cost might not be the $800 or so that i thought it was going to be. But it still would be cheaper to use the points, even with the ticket purchase and the fee....

 

[JimC]

DVC is great, but its value is being on property with the Disney magic. We bought Marriott timeshares for use off Disney property.

 

[grizbuzz]

No, it is a condition of booking a hotel stay at Disneyland Paris that you also buy length of stay park tickets, even if you already have them.

I've read that people with DLP APs sometimes book DLP packages (including tickets) for one person and then add on others in the family once they arrive to the DLP hotel and just pay tax for those added on last minute. Has anyone ever tried something like this using DVC points? Can you have one registered person in the room and buy length of stay tickets for that one person and just have the rest of the family added on to the room once you arrive to DLP? It just doesn't seem right that I would have to buy length of stay tickets that I would end up throwing away, in order to use my DVC points.

Feel like DVC conditions for DLP are just unfair, or certainly unfriendly, to the loyal Disney customer. Seems like Disney is pretty much pushing their DLP AP holders to offsite properties.

 

[fitnessmouse]

Does anyone know if the length of stay passes for dlrparis are upgradable to annual passes?

 

[mark&sue]

rent your points out and use the money to pay for your disneyland paris visit


susan