So my mom wants to do a big family vacation May/June 2025. This also aligns with my brother’s 30th bday. She wants to have a “family vacation” for around his birthday but not make it all about his his bday.
He’s only been to WDW once about 15 years ago and my mom took him and DS with NO plan in the middle of July. They had a bad time.
My brother really likes sci-fi and history/ world culture. My mom says he would like a water park with a lazy river (I think those are HER likes but anyway).
As the everloving Disney person I’m thinging maybe a Disney trip is worth throwing out there!
I’m thinking 6 hours per day at HS and EP plus a resort day and a water park day. With our arrival day and departure day focused on fancy or big deal meals and travel.
My mom wants us to all be in one accommodation. I’ve been approached with the task of coming up with some options. Well my first thought was LETS GO TO DISNEY!. But I understand this may not be the “family vacation” everyone had in mind.
So I have an October trip, this potential trip and another 2025 short trip planned to WDW. So I wonder does it make sense to buy a contract? I have been on the fence for a couple years. I like a good deal and the nicer resorts but am also fine at Pop.
But if I can get the fam to help pay for the initial contract through the “family vacation rental” price that would totally seal the deal!! Of course I wouldn’t split it up at DVC point rental rates-this is family. I would just want to present the offer as fair value.
So what do other people rent their points to family for?
Market price is ~$20 per point. Cost is between $11-15 if you buy a contract depending on resort and other factors. So a fair price would be between $15-20 per point (above cost but below market).
But for family- just to recoup the cost- between 12-14 per point would be fair. They will pay something no matter where we go. Not trying to make money-just trying to compensate. I would be benefitting as I’m buying a contract with their “rental funds” so there is no way I could charge $16-$22 for the points. Its family afterall
Well it depends on what your cost is depending on the contract you buy, so your cost could be $16, in theory.
What’s fair depends on how generous you are. I think it’s totally valid to only charge your cost, but I also think it’s ok to charge a small premium to your family as long as you’re giving them a discount off what they would have to pay on the open market. Because if you rented points instead of buying, that’s what it would cost you. So splitting the difference to one degree or another is also fair.
Not sure what I would do though. ![]()
I’m the one who takes on a higher percentage of cost for the master bedroom- and generously so. I think I’m leaning towards $6-$8 a point is fair to ask, gives them value and helps me a little too. I’m not trying to make bundles off the fam. But we are looking for a 2-3 bedroom for 3-5 days. The math says I should consider buying a contract if 6 out of the 9 people are paying their portions out of something other than my pocket…
That’s all that matters! If it makes sense for you, I say go for it.
I think what you have laid out makes sense. Sounds like this could be an epic trip for you and your family next year! I have not rented out any points to family yet but on two previous family trips with my parents they offered to pay for most of the meals since I was taking care of the room through my DVC points. I think $6-$8 that you quoted is extremely fair and you could possibly even consider $9-$10. It’s all about what you feel comfortable with.
I remember a ‘My DVC Points Community” podcast a few years ago. The family at that time was planning a big Vero Beach vacation. So they bought a large resale contract. That owner bought the contract with the intent to sell it in the future. The contract saved them money. I have considered doing this with an Aulani contract.
I think your plan could make sense and with a wdw resale contact could save money.
Happy planning and number crunching!
I understand where your math is coming from but just FYI, $6-$8 per point won’t cover the dues for those points.
If I were doing the “totaly fair” price I would do cost of dues per point + the yearly cost of the points used (putchase price of point/number of years on the contract).
The value price to me is the dues price.
Then the “charge” would be based on a reduced number of points, based on what room they stay in, etc.
But if your plan still works out for you offering the family a significant discount is always fine!
Here comes the Voice Of Reason (sometimes called Debbie Downer) with some things to think about:
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Buying a contract, while it could definitely be a short-term cost saver, is still a real estate venture. Have you considered what happens if you for some reason are unable to resell it to recoup the entirety of what you spent? You’re buying it, not your mom, so that has to be something you really think about.
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The only resort that offers the lazy river your mom is thinking about is Beach Club, and Stormalong is going to be closed for several months in 2025.
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You’ll definitely need 11 month booking window to be sure you can get what you need for a trip like this. That window is within the next 45 days or so. It is very unlikely that you can find the appropriate resale contract and close and get the points in time to book in that window. With the lazy river being one of the only things your mom has identified, what happens if you can’t get an appropriate accommodation there for the desired dates?
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I am always leery of mixing business and family. Your family may be different and you all may be super close and one of those rare gems where there would never be open or underlying animosities or outward drama. I would make an honest assessment of your personal situation and go from there. Proceed with caution. Because in this case you’re considering this legal business transaction for them. I think it’s far less risky to consider it when it’s truly and only just for/about you and I wouldn’t have any of these points if it didn’t involve an extended family trip situation…
Oh - in case it is helpful - my true cost per point for my AKL contact for 2024 is $12.20.
My Beach Club points are a whopping $17 per point. Which is not saving much money over the hotel side, but is paying off the cost of staying there over time.
To @OBNurseNH point about the lazy river, don’t do this assuming you will stay at beach club!
And I am assuming you would keep the contract intsead of reselling it. Never assume you can resell. The closing costs and upwords of 10% comission make this less apealling than first glance.
My aunt and uncle are coming with us in December and staying in their own studio and are paying me $16. It’s enough to cover my 2023 dues and they get the benefit of basically paying Pop rack rate to stay at BLT, so that was fair enough for all of us.
I agree with this. We don’t own, but my friend does and rented to my sister earlier this year. Friend had never rented points before and asked me what I thought a fair price would be. I also told her she ought to at least cover her yearly per point fees + inflation-adjusted per point purchase price. They settled on $15/point, which also got friend a little extra, but got my sister great rates at BW and Poly during the busiest spring break week. Both were happy! ![]()
I don’t really have intentions to resell or rent points in the future. I plan on using them, lol. I’ve been toying with purchasing a contract for a couple years now. I may do it soon even if this family trip ends up being elsewhere.
We would go to one of the water parks. She thinks my brother is going to “love” the lazy river. Really she likes a lazy river, lol. He won’t mind it but I think 1 waterpark day will be enough. My brother isn’t really a swimming or beach person. I don’t plan on trying to stay at BC though. I like BC but I need a room that sleeps a minimum of 9.
I get what your saying. They would be on board with my plan. Even if we decided something else for the family trip buying points would be my decision. I wouldn’t need their money or count on their money to purchase the contract.
We kinda are that type of family, lol. We’re all go with the flow people. (My side- NOT DHs side). Honestly I think my sister and I will end up just splitting the cost of whatever we rent. She has 4 of 9, I have 3 of 9. That leaves my brother and my mom. My mom’s cheap and sometimes my sister and I just pick up the tab so that we can get what we want without bothering her with cost.
My thought is if we do Disney (my sister and I both want to) my mom wants to stay together- all 9 of us. She didn’t like staying off site her last trip. So that gets us into the expensive 2 and 3 bedrooms. I wouldn’t be buying point JUST for this trip. But, if we’re going to do Disney, I think it’s a great time for me to buy points.
I was thinking OKW or AKL (for this stay). Do the 2 and 3 bedrooms go that quickly at 11 months?
45 days is tight. I don’t think I could pull that off even if I paid cash for a contract tomorrow.
Yes- no intentions to resell. I know things happen but I found a few contracts that would work for this 2025 trip. I would have to bank some 2024 points but I’m ok with that and the use years allow for that on the ones I’m looking at. If we dont do a big family trip in May/ June I will use them in the second half of 2025.
I’d be happy if they just covered the dues cost on their per person share. So maybe $10-$12 per point.
Oh the way it was worded I thought your intent was to buy the contract as a “throwaway” because the cost was less than paying for a cash booking. My mistake.
It sounds like the plan is well thought out then!
OKW you’ll have no trouble getting a 2BR for several several months. AKL I had to look up:
Looks like it’s somewhat easy up to the 7month mark for much of the year, but that May/June timeframe does start to show limited availability
OKW is a steal point wise in June!! Almost the same cost as my AKL value room.
Jambo books up, but Kidani usually has a good amount of availability.
No way would I be able to give up the points! ![]()
I’m considering an AKL contract. SSR only for the value unless I can find an OKW extended contract. I would love a Poly contract but they are going for close to Disney prices. No thank you.
Like half the points of other resorts. And I like OKW vibe. But the family would alao get a kick out of the SV rooms at AKL. Since we wouldn’t visit AK that trip it would fill the void in my heart, lol.
Personally, if you want to buy DVC and can justify it, I’d go ahead…but I’m not sure about the idea of tying the purchase to the potential “renting” of those points to your own family.
Thing is…you can get WAY more space at a cheaper price by renting a house or condo or something. And I think their contribution to the cost, even at $6-$7/point could end up costing THEM more. So, unless they REALLY like the idea of staying on Disney property (I get that YOU do!), it might not be in their financial best interest. This sets up for some awkwardness, even if they agree to going, because you’re essentially asking them to pay MORE for the trip in order to help you offset the cost of a DVC that you will own.
I’m not saying you shouldn’t…only that I think you really need to weigh the dynamics involved.