Review of David's Vacation Club Rentals
There are a few sites that offer the ability to rent a Disney Vacation Club Villa direct from owners. Since I recently booked using David's Vacation Club Rentals, I'm going to give my unbiased review. This review is not sponsored by David's, nor did we seek their feedback prior to posting this review.
What does it mean to rent a Disney Vacation Club Villa?
That's a fair question since it's a bit confusing.
Disney Vacation Club (DVC) is Disney's timeshare-like system. If you've been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World Resort, you've probably noticed the kiosks. We'll write a separate article about DVC, but basically, most people pay a minimum of $10,000 to join for a set number of points. DVC owners can use their points to book villas.
Sometimes DVC owners may have points they cannot use. In that scenario, they may offer to book a villa for friends or family. But, they could also choose to "rent" the points out using a service like David's so they can get money back. David's will accept rental requests from their online form and even handle the transfer of payment from the buyer to the DVC owner.
Why would you rent a DVC Villa?
That's also a fair question.
There are a few reasons that come to mind:
You want to book a villa, and you want to save money compared to booking a villa directly from Disney's site.
You want to book your vacation further in advance. You could book up to 11 months in advance.
You'll be parking a car overnight. All DVC stays on points get free parking, whether you're a DVC member or not.
You're interested in testing out what it's like to be a DVC member. Keep in mind that you won't get DVC member benefits during your stay (e.g., access to the Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower).
Why wouldn't you rent a DVC villa?
You shouldn't rent a villa if your plans are likely to change. You'll pay upfront for your reservation, and the reservation is typically nonrefundable.
Renting a DVC villa is also not the cheapest way to stay on-property. You could get a room at a value resort like Disney's Pop Century for much less money, and you won't have to pay upfront. Also, Disney may be offering some package deals such as a free dining plan that you won't be eligible for when you rent points.
My experience with David's
Pros
I had reservation secured five days after I submitted my request.
My reservation is at the resort where I wanted to stay. I got my 2nd choice of room.
I could instantly link my reservation to my Disney account.
Cons
I didn't initially realize the company is in Canada, and I paid a small foreign transaction fee on my credit card for the $119 partial payment that's required to make your reservation request. Thankfully, I realized this before I submitted final payment and switched to a different card that doesn't have foreign transaction fees.
The website works just fine, but it looks dated. Since the website is visually very busy, it was initially hard for me to trust the service.
Overall
I recommend David's Vacation Club Rentals if you're looking book a DVC villa. Just make sure to use a credit card without foreign transaction fees (unless, of course, you live in Canada). I may try another rental service next time, but I’ll probably use David’s again too.
