Be aware that if you rent DVC points, you're basically locked in to the reservation. What I mean is the reservation can't be changed and you're out the entire cost of the rental should anything happen. Yes, there's travel insurance you can purchase, but you'd have to do some research to see what travel insurances would actually cover a situation like renting time-share points. There's some discussion about this on the DVC forum here. Also, with a DVC reservation, you have to pay upfront for the entire trip, you'd get maid service only every 4 (or is it 3?) days, you wouldn't be able to request a different room if you were unhappy with the room you were assigned (because DVC capacity is usually at or near 100%), and all your interactions regarding the resort would have to take place through the DVC owner.
This seems like a very risky thing for someone overseas to do.
That being said, discounts for next year aren't out yet and with things the way they currently are, I expect pretty decent discounts for next year.
We have rented points multiple times and not all of this is entirely accurate.
You get trash and towel service on day 4 and a full clean on day 7
You definitely CAN request a room move and have it happen. We have done it multiple times. Sometimes it requires a move after the first night, but most of the time they can make it happen.
Once you have your confirmation number, you can add your reservation to your own
MDE account. It is true that anything your would have to call Disney for, like adding dining must be done through the member, but things like online checkin and magic bands can be done through MDE. Once you arrive at the resort, you no longer have to go through the member for anything.
Yes you are pretty much locked into your dates once you book. Most rental companies will not change dates under any circumstances. There are DVC rental companies that offer insurance at the time off booking that covers you in case of cancellation. Not all companies require full payment up front, and any payment you make to them is only for your room. We paid a portion upfront and the balance was due 45 days from checkin. Flights, tickets ect would be booked separately on your own. With most companies, if you chose to add
DDP you can wait until 30 days before the trip to do so.
Yes, DVC rentals carry some risks, and everyone has to decide for themselves if the risk is worth it. For us, it makes since since once we lock in a date we are set, and it saves us a ton. We were able to book a studio at AKV for $30 a night more than the Pop, and we are not paying for parking.