There is a lot to learn when it comes to being a Disney Vacation Club Member. We’ve all been there trying to figure out as much about this program as we can. It’s important to make the most of our membership. I remember all the reading I did when I was trying to get a good grip on understanding use year rules. Nearly four years later, there is still so much information to absorb.
This is why websites such as DVC Fan and shows like The DVC Show are helpful to so many. They take away some of the mystery and challenge of figuring out what can sometimes be very complicated. While the Disney Vacation Club Home Resort Rules & Regulations documents and Public Offering Statements aren’t exactly light reading material we keep by our bedside, I thought it might be fun to explore some DVC Rules you might not actually realize exist. Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting notes I’ve found.
The Home Resort Booking Window Can Change
Technically, DVC has the right to change the home resort booking window. It can be as little as one month instead of the four extra months we are used to. I don’t think this will happen, but I do hope rule #4 is exercised soon. When a new resort opens, DVC can modify the reservation window to give priority to the owners of that resort. Why would they need to do this?
Let’s take Grand Floridan’s new villas for example. They are supposedly going to open in the summer. However, we are now past the home resort booking window for this summer. By these rules, DVC could grant a window of time for owners of Grand Floridian to book opening stays at the new villas before it becomes a free for all for all owners. They did something similar to this with Riviera and as a VGF owner myself, I’m hoping this happens again. It seems like a reasonable temporary change to make.
The Minimum Required Stay Can Change
The normal minimum stay is one day, however, DVC does have the ability to change it to up to a maximum of five days. I don’t see this happening as this would directly make the booking issues even greater. Knowing the technical challenges with the website, this would present challenges to those looking to add single days to their stay and later bridge them together. It would also be a slap in the face for the large base of local DVC owners. This rule seems to mostly be geared towards specific occasions. So rest assured, I don’t think we will see this change ever go into effect long term and we have yet to see it happen as long as I’ve been a member. But it is important to know this rule exists.
Point Transfers Are Prohibited from Receiving Compensation
This is one a lot of members don’t actually realize is a rule. Technically, point transfers are not allowed to receive compensation. DVC even uses the words “expressly prohibited” which to me says they mean business. Transfers are meant for sharing points with family and friends or transferring among contracts you already own. The rules explain that a reservation already made can be cancelled if DVC finds out that the points were booked with a transfer made for compensation. We all know transfers happen for compensation, but this is one of those areas where I would tread carefully.
Renting is Okay
The Public Offerings Statements makes a few remarks regarding renting points and receiving compensation for renting. The general gist is that renting points and receiving compensation is fine although there are limits to how many points one owner can own. I know in the past the documents gave a clear statement on how many reservations made up commercial renting. I would be remiss if I didn’t add that I failed to find those figures in the most updated version of these documents.
The information did explain the maximum amount of points one can own per resort (it’s 4,000 per resort or 8,000 total across all resorts). It’s a pretty high number that most owners don’t come close to. I do want to point out the reason rentals are not “expressly prohibited” like point transfers is because DVC themselves is the largest renter of points. They even say below that DVD will also rent its Ownership Interests to the general public.
Anytime you see a DVC villa on Disney’s website for cash, it’s a product if DVC renting their own points or points gained from members through exchanges (like cruises). The information below simply explains that if you rent out your points/a room you booked, you should not expect any help from Disney Vacation Development and to know that there is competition in the form of Disney hotels and DVC renting their own points. It also further goes on to say you can’t rent a room without having booked it first.
Control of the Association is, Well, Theirs…
I’ll leave you with this fun one. There was a question asked at the Condo Association Meeting regarding our voting representative. The question went unanswered as it wasn’t a budget-related inquiry. It is nothing new that Disney Vacation Development appoints the voting representative. They appoint one person who represents all members and this is the way it’s always gone down. Is this the way it always has to go down? Well, yes, and no.
According to the Public Offerings Statement, DVD is the authorized voting representative of each unit at the meetings and will cast the vote on behalf of those members. BUT, in order for DVD not to have full voting control of a particular unit (resort), they have to be instructed in writing in advance of the meeting by enough owners totaling no less than 60% of the ownership interest in that unit.
Now, there are a lot of technicalities for this. I’m not a lawyer and I don’t pretend to understand it all. 60% of the points in any one unit is a crap ton of owners. This isn’t something simple as throwing up a petition on Change.org so please don’t bombard DVC Fan with those. And gaining voting rights for one resort doesn’t change the other resort’s voting representation. My point is, this rule has always been there, but there is some sort of a legal avenue there for the owners to take a small amount of voting control. Will it ever happen? I don’t know but I doubt it.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, five Disney Vacation Club rules you may not have known about. I hope you feel just a little more educated from reading these. Or maybe now you’re just bored stiff. I guess two truths can exist at the same time. Regardless, I’m interested to know your thoughts on the topics above. As always, stay tuned to DVC Fan for the latest news, videos, and information on all things Disney Vacation Club.
Cheers Amy. Informative.
Thank you Amy for illuminating these little known rules. I was very interested and not at all bored.
Thank you Amy …this was very informative and as 20 year + members we learned some things. We just wish that Disney would start making members like us feel valued again as with the park reservation system and cost of annual passes mirroring what Florida residents get even if casual visitors , it doesn’t feel like Disney cares much about DVC members anymore. We are highly invested and we want our perks of membership back.
Fun tips to know and share!
Good job explaining rules that many members aren’t aware exist.