This time away from Disney is going to make the first trip back so sweet! I cannot wait until we all get to live in the Disney magic, on property, again!!!!
This... Makes... So... Much... Sense! I've been trying to explain this to people but it's so hard but I totally agree with you and I do think Disney will look after us DVC members but it won't be as easy as rolling over our points... great vlog!
Excellent video! I have to agree with what you are saying. A couple of weeks ago we were told that our 2020 borrowed points would also be lost, we wrote DVC I'm sure along with others and we were so excited to see that they changed their minds and will give us back our 2020 points that we borrowed. I like Scotts idea about the voucher. Joe on See Ya Reel Soon suggested that DVC could add them to the end of our contracts. Both ideas are good ones. I know Disney will do the right thing and make everything right. Yes Thank You to the Essential Workers.
I am sure that Disney is going to do the right thing. Also I am hoping for some great DVC incentives. I would love to purchase points for the Riviera. We loved it there! Can’t wait to book our next trip because it will be the best ever after all this😃
I’m not a DVC member but I still love these videos :) We had to cancel our spring break trip and had the best FP and dining and we were so sad, so I get it. I love that shirt! Every time I look it’s sold out :( but I will keep watching for it!
For someone who knows very little about DVC your videos are super helpful! So sorry you’re not going to Disney this weekend, but just think... your big birthday trip will be just that much better!! 🥰
Glad you are sharing this, I think some folks have been getting upset with Disney because they are not are not understanding the legality of why disney cant refund banked points. Does it suck for owners...absolutely...but Disney is doing the best they can. Also crossing my fingers for some good incentives with reflections.
Jen, I love this video! I have been considering buying DVC for so long and now I thought it wouldn't make any sense with everything that is happening because of the virus but you put things into perspective for me. I never even thought of looking into getting a smaller contract and going every other year. Thank you! Thank you! :)
If they assign a retail value per point and issue a credit that way, they could space out the redemption among retail, dining, park/pass admission, dues, and cash lodging in the coming years. Because a timeshare is a real estate interest, I’m sure they’ve written some sort of too-bad-so-sad clause, but I have the feeling they’ll do something to ease the pain of losing expired points.
Thanks so much for sharing. The point of buying in 1/2 is a good one. We tend to go almost every other year, so why not look into that option? I'm rooting for all the businesses big and small that are getting hit hard by this and of course the essential workers that are making things happen and keeping others safe to boot. Have a great day!
I happened upon that article yesterday, and shared it with all my DVC friends since it seems we have been having the conversation of what Disney could and could not do for weeks now. You broke it down perfectly. I am not sure if Disney would do the voucher idea under normal circumstances. However, they are likely to have issues filling their cash rooms so it is possible. Reflections has peaked my interest because it is very much my aesthetic. I have told myself I don't need to look into it when it's completed because it is very similar to Copper Creek (which is my HR). Hopefully this will keep the add-onitis from taking hold. Since this whole situation started I have been planning on how to make it work if our points can not be used on time. Worst case scenario I could lose some banked points in July 2021 if my plans for November fall through and I can not get something else worked out. I have several contingencies planned out and I have faith that everything will work out but if I have to forfeit any points it would HURT. I am just fortunate that we never use points so close to the final expiration so we have wiggle room. (our use year is August and we typically go October through January). We are only in the situation where we could lose points because we got the 2018 allotment when we added on a second contract in march 2019 and I could not use them all on our last trip. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Dean! I didn't understand it myself until this morning when a lightbulb went off and I was like, hmmmm but do I get it enough to explain it? Thanks for the encouragement! And yes, Copper Creek was very tempting to me (same reasons as you probably) but I was good and didn't buy in. Reflections may prove to be too enticing to skip!
Thank you for the time & attention that you put into every video! Although we aren't currently DVC members, I'm hoping we can be some day soon. You definitely explain DVC very well overall. I'm just trying to get all the facts & information to make a decision in the future. We had a very bad experience a little over 10 years ago with a timeshare. We love Disney, but this makes us incredibly hesitant. Our current situation may set us back on this plan...or...who knows?! If my job gets back on track as intended when this is over, perhaps we will find a great deal. Off the subject: Your hair looks amazing in this video. Did you do anything different or is quarantining agreeing with you? (LOL... JK about the quarantining!)
Yes definitely keep researching! There’s a lot to consider and even if you don’t buy you can still take decades of lovely vacations! And my hair is naturally curly so it has a mind of its own - some days are better than others.😆🥰
@@JenLefforge I understand about curly hair having a mind of its' own! I just watched your curly hair video last night (not sure how I missed it before now). I felt bad about commenting on your hair in this video. I totally understood what you were saying, but I always try to give authentic compliments when deserved. Please know it was given with the best intentions. 😊
Wow, I have a new appreciation for owners who rent their points! We rented for a split stay this September, three nights Kidani Village, two nights Poly 🙌. Very grateful now that we're able to do that!
Great topic. Right there with you Jen. Looks today like our May 13-16 DVC trip will not happen. Unfortunately, it was booked with current year points. and the points expire end of July (Aug use year). We have FL Resident Silver passes, so are blacked out June and July... If we re-book in June or July, will Disney lift black out days (trying to keep park attendance up)? Maybe, but who knows?!? I agree that I do not see them being able to allow us to bank those points. What if we rent our points?? Well, right now, I don't even know when that could be possible, since we do not know what the future holds for re-opening, etc. The longer it takes to get real facts and details, the shorter the window to make tough choices. I really feel terrible for folks with May-July use years that are in my shoes.
Hi Jen!! I also had to cancel my Disneyland trip for May. Such a bummer! But like you said, we will be able to all go again eventually!! Your videos help the Disney magic stay “alive” during this weird time. 🥰🎢🎡
So basically if you were going to do a massive trip in May 2020, using your points from 2019, 2020 and 2021. You will be “refunded” your 2020 points, 2021 points but are basically losing your 2019 points from not using them. They could allow you to use 2019 point for a “cash” hotel room at any type of hotel, even a value hotel, as long as it is used in 2020 at some point. I don’t know how Florida is going to continue seeing that hey have a republican government but a democratic mayor so they may have curfews or other restrictions. California on the otherhand.....I don’t think they will open quite as quickly and have stricter restrictions of capacity
Yes, you could use the points for a cash stay using points but the regular hotel rooms are ridiculously expensive point wise so most people don't even look into that option (in other words, their points that were for a 5 night vacation are only worth one or maybe 2 nights)
I’m not a DVC member, but enjoyed the video. We had to cancel our spring break trip as well. Hoping to go in June or July. Are you still planning to go in July?
Not a DVC member but enjoyed hearing some insight and projections on how you think things may unfold. Great info. and you always interpret information simply and seamlessly so my brain can understand these somewhat complexities! 😆
I'm wondering if anyone really knows what their points are costing them? As Jen says (8:18) "it's complicated". There are apparently 3-buckets (4:18), but then points can be in a holding account with 60 day limits or valid in only a given "use" year. Point-based reservations require far advance commitments while cancellations are subject to strict time limits. Buying, selling, renting, and banking points all have their own issues. Same for selecting alternate vacation properties. But most of all, I'm troubled by the idea that points "expire" under numerous conditions. Best wishes for everyone during these challenging times, and may your points never expire!
DVC is incredibly complicated and it's one of the main reasons I really don't think it''s a good deal for a lot of people. We basically use ours as a fixed week (like a traditional timeshare) because the rules can trip up even the most experienced user! Thanks for watching!
Hoping for the best possible outcome for everyone affected, but inevitably (and regrettably) the resolution to unprecedented circumstances almost always involves some people getting screwed. Given that DVC members have put a long-term investment into Disney's financial viability, one would hope that they'll make it right in some way, even if it's exterior to the DVC realm (such as Scott's suggestion). I learned my new thing for the day in regard to your explanation (which was very clear to me!) that there are legal parameters about this within which Disney has to operate. Thanks for the elucidation! Take care and be safe.
OMG, Charlie, I think you just summed up this entire thing in that first sentence! Just read it to Scott and we were both like "YUP". Hope your day is going great, Charlie!
This was the best video I’ve seen that clearly addresses the problem that DVC has right now! The DVC points are based on a 356 day available. Now that they’re losing dozens of days is availability, there are too many points on the board than they can accommodate. I think your husbands suggestion of offering a cash hotel room in exchange for points is a great idea.
Thank you for this. I am not a DVC member (yet), but I rented points from one of the rental stores for my May OKW trip, and just found out that the points I rented expire at the end of May, so as things stand currently, we are losing a few thousand dollars. I kept hearing about some legal issues with the expiring points, but no one had explained it like you did. That was helpful. Like you, I believe something will be done for those with expiring points, and I hope the member will pass it along to those who rented their points, like me...My friends and family are healthy and I am grateful for that, and grateful that I can work form home, but I the thought of losing that money... Anyway, thank you for this and thank you for sharing your vlogs with us.
Jen - I sometimes wonder who decided what an essential worker is? I know and understand medical personal (my sister is a nurse with a ton of friends who are also nurses) & they are indeed essential but what about the people who do the cleaning and laundry at medical centers or hospitals. They need to be lauded as well because their efforts keep hospitals running. I am considered essential because I am a cashier at a Dollar Tree. Me...I am not essential...a dimwitted monkey or ape could do my job well and with fewer complaints. I receive thanks during every shift for being at work during this "unfortunate time". Well, yes, that is why the company pays me, I come to work. I can not with any comfort wear a mask, it makes me feel like I am going to be sick, can't breathe, light-headed...happened the last time I was in a hospital on an oxygen mask too. A generous customer gave me a hand made mask thinking it might work better for me but no the elastic kept pushing my ears down and sliding off my face. It was a super sweet thought though. I have a question - Jen did you do a video of the camp wilderness cabins? Are they nice and with modern facilities or rustic something out of a 50's horror movie cabins? Thanks!
The Wilderness Cabins are lovely with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances! And an essential worker is basically everyone who is still working with the public right now and putting themselves at personal risk so you definitely fall in that category!
Our 1st dvc trip would have been May. Fortunately we were able to get our points back and also the ones we borrowed from 2021 (we also bought a small contract in order to go every other year). It could be worse. We do have to unfortunately wait til next May to go again due to school schedule restrictions. We are grateful to be able to be home, employed, and healthy - that's the most important right now. Thanks for the vid.
Hooray for all the essential workers! We were going to Disneyland for our first time after several Disney world vacations and also got cancelled. But you have to stay positive- my family is all still healthy and that is the most important thing now. Thanks for another video with lots of positive vibes!!
As much as you are hoping for Disney to do something for the points that are expiring, they are already loosing MILLIONS of dollars as I type this. It is completely possible that people will just lose those points. It is a sad thing but I don't see it as something they need to compensate people for. When you buy in it seems very clear that they are not responsible for closings that are outside their control.
You're not wrong - Disney is absolutely within their rights legally on those points expiring. Still hoping there's something but I get what you're saying. Still amazing to me how many people buy DVC without having a working understanding of what they're buying and the rules!
Great video, Jen! I was wondering what would happen to those who had reservations with their points during this closure. I have hope that Disney will do right by them.
Thank you for your awesome breakdown of how the points system work. I think I’ve mentioned before that we had rented points to stay at BLT for spring break. DVC Rental Store was amazing and was able to secure us a new reservation in the fall. I know many owners and renters were not so lucky depending on points expiring. And now I understand why. And we’re so tempted to buy resale. Gotta get that first DVC stay under our belts this fall and make sure it’s really what we want (how can it not be, right?). But I would bet it’ll be a buyers market for quite some time. Prayers for your safety and especially for your husband. Thanks for bringing us great content so often. You are a bright spot for sure!
Thank you so much for your kind words! And yes, honestly, I think very few people (even those who own) understand how their points work! It's one of the main reasons I started vlogging about it, honestly. So glad you found it helpful!
High Jen, when you go to Disney it’s for a short trip, say 3 days or for a RunDisney event, do you usually use points for those trips or do you save your points for your family trips??
Great question, Kyle! When we had two contracts, I would use points, but now that we only have one I save those for the big every other year family trips and pay cash for the in between visits. I have considered adding a contract just for RunDisney and solo trips and that's still on the table, but with only 120 points (and since we typically stay in 2 bedrooms) there's just not enough for all of the Disney I do.
We are doing like you said and have low points, but having the ability to stay at the Poly or where ever every other year, and the perks and discounts def make DVC doable! We are with you that we think it may be tough to get reservations for a bit because of all the points floating around for people that had to cancel!
Weirdly I like it BETTER than when we had enough points for every year to be DVC! Gives me more variety and I think I appreciate our DVC stays even more.
I am definitely going to keep an eye on the resale market. I am interested in Reflections but no matter how great the incentives, I know the best bang for my buck is resale.
As usual common sense radiates we are DVC from the uk and we take this situation as it comes we could lose points but if we do that's that and we carry on it is a long term investment that our children will have the most use from I am sure Disney will come up with something as the cost of air travel from abroad will no doubt increase significantly and that will reduce visitors for a while
Jen!!! You know my summer last year. Had to cancel my Disney trip due to a broke arm. Now I cancelled my Disney Trip this week due to corona! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 😭 I was leaving for Disney early am April 14th. I cannot believe this!
Jen Lefforge right!! It was unbelievable. However we are safe and well and alive. We will be able to reschedule soon. Like you said plan plan plan. Thanks for this video.
Jen, I am so glad you did this video. I just want to share real quick. I purchased my DVC contract direct with Disney in 2019, it had 2018 points in it. I was able to apply it to our first family Disney vaca April 6th (cancelled). We had until August 1st 2020 before the 2018 points expired. It was explained that if I want to extend the life and cannot book those points before July 31st then I need to transfer to RCI before March 31... the conversation happened March 28th. 😩. I could not talk anyone into coming up with a different solution. I guess it is not the worse. We just cannot use the RCI points for a Disney vacation 🤦🏽♀️. Broke my heart just a bit but I try and put it all in prospective. We have our health, each other and there is always tomorrow.
Yes prior to this situation they never made exceptions to the banking and expiration rules and honestly I don’t think they give members enough of an education about how all that works!! I’m sorry that happened to you.
I had a trip planned to WDW May 5. Changed it to sept. Hope that works out. I had all the perfect fastpass and dinner reservations for May. Total bummer canceling those.
Well Jen...I became a DVC member a year ago after watching your videos with Shontell, I bought 2 contracts from her (GF and BWV)!!! Then I bought direct (OKW) and I am also interested in Reflections (we love Ft.W)
It's been interesting so far, and I'm hoping they come up with a solution for people who are cancelling or being cancelled after their bank date and only have like 1 month or 2 months left in their use year. I fortunately knew my bank date was 3/31 and cancelled my May trip to Grand Californian. So I was able to bank my points into 2020. Well most of them. There are 10 points (that I paid dearly for on the resale market) that are going to be lost. Honestly I'd be happy to take a Disney Gift Card for those. (current sale price * number of points). I like the voucher for a hotel stay idea. There are plenty of people out there with August use year or June use years who are having cancelled vacations and can't bank their points. There should be some compensation for that. I understand the economics of it being a time share but gift cards / vouchers / park tickets. Something.
Kimberly you are so way ahead of most owners because at least you know when your banking deadline is! Always surprising to me when people have no idea that they've missed it. And UGH sorry about your 10 points - that happened to us one year and made me so mad!
@@JenLefforge It's one thing when you make the mistake - it sucks and you're pissed. But this is a "no fault of my own" situation - I was using the points, now I'm not. There's no telling when things are going to open up again. I ended up booking something 1st week of Jan in 2021 because that is when we felt comfortable travelling again. (upside -- way cheaper points that week :) ) But who knows what's going to happen. Also upside, I didn't have to use the travel insurance on my park tickets as those expire mid- Jan 2021.
Thanks for sharing this Jen! Our trip for July looks like it might not go through... more us not wanting to go anywhere anytime soon... our last day to bank our 2020 point is in October, so I’m grateful for this. We also borrowed from 2021, and I’m happy to hear they’ll put those points back to 2021. And yes, a HUGE THANK YOU to ALL essential services for everything you do 💜
Very interesting video. I’ve watched dvc videos in the past just out of sheer curiosity but honestly not anticipating it being something that might be an option for us any time in the next few years. Well, some things have changed and my husband and I (who are very aware that we are in the extremely fortunate position that our income is not being affected by what’s currently happening) are now considering dvc and I’m glad I have a bunch of information already tucked away in my brain. (I’m also watching and rewatching some of your vids, lol.) Anyway, we are also considering getting enough points for an every other year family trip. We figure we can always add a second contract for another home resort or add to our hole resort if we do want more in the future. We also do look at it as investment into our family, in our relationship with our kids, into our mental mental health, into my husband’s and my marriage. It may not give us back a financial investment but it’s still an important investment (but yes, also do good financial decisions and investments! 😊) We did think about the fact that it probably will be a buyers market, which is good for us but I don’t want to feel like I get to profit off of that. My husband also pointed out that if someone needs to sell their contract and truly needs that money, then we’re helping them by buying it and if we don’t, someone else will. It’s hard not to have some guilt about having the privilege to buy something like this when so many are struggling.
Mrs. Lori Q yes! Especially those that bought a smaller contract and rely on banking some every year to stretch those vacations! Banking loses but borrowing guess was ok. We never borrow, lesson learned in these tough times
Jenny Casagranda we have a smaller contract ourselves, only 130 points, which does not get us far! We initially only travelled in September which was fine. Now that our oldest is in High School, we are having to adjust our travel times. I see purchasing more points in our future very soon, as 130 doesn’t go far in March or the summer. We are banking and borrowing to get those March break trips and doing cash stays on the off years. It is getting tricky, so I totally understand the pain if losing points, they are gold! ❤️
Mrs. Lori Q. we bought a 100 point contract which was loaded so the first year we banked 100 and began our trips with 200 and always have gone April in a studio its worked up until now🤪
But I LOVE your insight on paying cash and using point every other year. That’s great insight for so many people! I think a lot of people think they have to use points for every single trip.
I was browsing the DVC Rental Store dedicated reservation area of their site, there were so many reservations up for grabs that I know won’t get picked up because Disney isn’t open. I was hoping that the owners who booked those can get their points back, and the owners don’t lose those (and really hoped people weren’t renting because the points were going to expire anyway). I like renting points, but it’s times like this that make me sad for that system because it gets so complicated for the owners.
Honestly you really have to understand the rules with DVC and that’s why we basically just use it like a fixed week timeshare as that’s the most straightforward use. The point system is great in theory but very complicated in implementation!
My husband is in investment real estate, and when we went for a look at DVC stuff a few years ago he said “nope, I don’t like time shares” . He was hopeful it would be different, and it kinda is, but too close to those dreaded “regular” time shares for his liking. I see us maybe buying in down the road, especially once our girls get older and we maybe have extra family members coming with us, but for now I just rent if I want to stay in a villa.
Very useful info! We're not DVC but we were curious about how points and everything is being handled with the resort closures. Will remember to refer people to this video if anyone asks us about it! Thanks for sharing!
I just wanted to thank you for explaining DVC in a way that is actually understandable!!! I have watched MANY videos and even have sat in on DVC presentations BY Disney castmembers and you are the only one that makes it make sense! LOVE you vlogs and your channels. Keep up the great work. One day I hope to be able to say I'm a DVC member!
I'm finally caught up on commenting! I love all of your DVC videos - they are always so straightforward and helpful. I'm hoping against hope that the parks are open in July for our trip. While we do own DVC, this trip was waaaaaaaaaaay more points than we own, so we rented all of them. No clue as to how that will work out if the parks closed. Love Scott's idea about the voucher! I'd be totally fine too if they just lowered the point-rate for the non-DVC resorts and let us use our points for all the other hotels w/o it costing an arm and a leg in points. And yes, huzzah to all of those amazing essential workers who are keeping our world going right now!
I must say that what I have learned about DVC, I have learned from you and Karen Bee. I had no idea that you could basically use past, present, and future years points to make your stay longer. If you pay attention, you learn something new every day. Thank you for another informative video.
Love the video Jen!! I am paying a lot of attention on the resale market!!! Who knows.... we may end up adding some points if we find a super good deal :”)
LOL Aveda Be Curly, air drying, a good cut, and God. He made it that way. I did a whole video about it on the Joyful Living Channel if you're interested!
Although there will be a lot of points returning to members and not enough rooms to accommodate all these points, sadly the economy is in the tank and many families will feel the affects of covid-19 for years. The travel industry will take a huge hit and travel may be a luxury to many families, they may not financially be able to even travel after this. Thank you for this video Jen. Regardless of the situation and the unknown, we too have planned on a life with DVC and sharing it with our children and grandchildren for years to come, we have never regretted our purchase.
Jen Lefforge we of course rebooked for sept but cannot use those points. I asked, nicely can we please use those 45 that were in use for April and move them into the sept ressie? Nope was told twice to deposit into RCI, nope not doing that. Waiting for a clearer offer when the parks have a reopening date.
Hi Jen Thanks for your explanation of the current DVC problems It was thoughtful, well set out and easier to understand than other vloggers I have watched I like Scot's idea and it could be a workaround for Disney to avoid legal issues👍👍👍 Hope you are all staying safe, healthy and not crawling up the walls This lockdown does encourage you to slow down and appreciate friends and family more.
Thank you for the dvc cancellation clarification. We had a reservation in 2 weeks for our 14 year old's birthday, which we borrowed points for, and I didn't know what use year they would end up in. Keep up the good work and thanks for great content!
Three (hundred) cheers for essential workers! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳
Right?!?!? I'm married to one so I try to be nice to him, too LOL
I like the idea of having points for every 2 years.
This time away from Disney is going to make the first trip back so sweet! I cannot wait until we all get to live in the Disney magic, on property, again!!!!
This... Makes... So... Much... Sense! I've been trying to explain this to people but it's so hard but I totally agree with you and I do think Disney will look after us DVC members but it won't be as easy as rolling over our points... great vlog!
Excellent video! I have to agree with what you are saying. A couple of weeks ago we were told that our 2020 borrowed points would also be lost, we wrote DVC I'm sure along with others and we were so excited to see that they changed their minds and will give us back our 2020 points that we borrowed. I like Scotts idea about the voucher. Joe on See Ya Reel Soon suggested that DVC could add them to the end of our contracts. Both ideas are good ones. I know Disney will do the right thing and make everything right. Yes Thank You to the Essential Workers.
I am sure that Disney is going to do the right thing. Also I am hoping for some great DVC incentives. I would love to purchase points for the Riviera. We loved it there! Can’t wait to book our next trip because it will be the best ever after all this😃
I’m not a DVC member but I still love these videos :) We had to cancel our spring break trip and had the best FP and dining and we were so sad, so I get it. I love that shirt! Every time I look it’s sold out :( but I will keep watching for it!
Jacqueline, I get that so much - my trip for this coming weekend was shaping up to be amazing!! Hang in there and yes keep trying on the shirt!
Good info to ponder, thanks! And thanks for your continued upbeat vlogs!
For someone who knows very little about DVC your videos are super helpful! So sorry you’re not going to Disney this weekend, but just think... your big birthday trip will be just that much better!! 🥰
Glad you are sharing this, I think some folks have been getting upset with Disney because they are not are not understanding the legality of why disney cant refund banked points. Does it suck for owners...absolutely...but Disney is doing the best they can. Also crossing my fingers for some good incentives with reflections.
Jen, I love this video! I have been considering buying DVC for so long and now I thought it wouldn't make any sense with everything that is happening because of the virus but you put things into perspective for me. I never even thought of looking into getting a smaller contract and going every other year. Thank you! Thank you! :)
Our next DVC trip is December. I’m really hoping for the new normal by then! Enjoyed this video!
If they assign a retail value per point and issue a credit that way, they could space out the redemption among retail, dining, park/pass admission, dues, and cash lodging in the coming years. Because a timeshare is a real estate interest, I’m sure they’ve written some sort of too-bad-so-sad clause, but I have the feeling they’ll do something to ease the pain of losing expired points.
Thank you!
Love,
An essential RN ❤️
Thanks so much for sharing. The point of buying in 1/2 is a good one. We tend to go almost every other year, so why not look into that option? I'm rooting for all the businesses big and small that are getting hit hard by this and of course the essential workers that are making things happen and keeping others safe to boot. Have a great day!
I happened upon that article yesterday, and shared it with all my DVC friends since it seems we have been having the conversation of what Disney could and could not do for weeks now. You broke it down perfectly. I am not sure if Disney would do the voucher idea under normal circumstances. However, they are likely to have issues filling their cash rooms so it is possible.
Reflections has peaked my interest because it is very much my aesthetic. I have told myself I don't need to look into it when it's completed because it is very similar to Copper Creek (which is my HR). Hopefully this will keep the add-onitis from taking hold.
Since this whole situation started I have been planning on how to make it work if our points can not be used on time. Worst case scenario I could lose some banked points in July 2021 if my plans for November fall through and I can not get something else worked out. I have several contingencies planned out and I have faith that everything will work out but if I have to forfeit any points it would HURT. I am just fortunate that we never use points so close to the final expiration so we have wiggle room. (our use year is August and we typically go October through January). We are only in the situation where we could lose points because we got the 2018 allotment when we added on a second contract in march 2019 and I could not use them all on our last trip.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Dean! I didn't understand it myself until this morning when a lightbulb went off and I was like, hmmmm but do I get it enough to explain it? Thanks for the encouragement! And yes, Copper Creek was very tempting to me (same reasons as you probably) but I was good and didn't buy in. Reflections may prove to be too enticing to skip!
I have the same shirt in Maroon and it’s my absolute favorite! Love Neverland fam
Thank you for your videos and keeping us updated.
I can’t wait to get back to Disney World! 🏰
I have the same shirt from the Neverland Family, one of my favorites!
Thank you for the time & attention that you put into every video! Although we aren't currently DVC members, I'm hoping we can be some day soon. You definitely explain DVC very well overall. I'm just trying to get all the facts & information to make a decision in the future. We had a very bad experience a little over 10 years ago with a timeshare. We love Disney, but this makes us incredibly hesitant. Our current situation may set us back on this plan...or...who knows?! If my job gets back on track as intended when this is over, perhaps we will find a great deal.
Off the subject: Your hair looks amazing in this video. Did you do anything different or is quarantining agreeing with you? (LOL... JK about the quarantining!)
Yes definitely keep researching! There’s a lot to consider and even if you don’t buy you can still take decades of lovely vacations! And my hair is naturally curly so it has a mind of its own - some days are better than others.😆🥰
@@JenLefforge I understand about curly hair having a mind of its' own! I just watched your curly hair video last night (not sure how I missed it before now). I felt bad about commenting on your hair in this video. I totally understood what you were saying, but I always try to give authentic compliments when deserved. Please know it was given with the best intentions. 😊
@@dawnbishop921 Oh my goodness, Dawn, don't feel bad at all!!!!!! I knew exactly how you meant it!
Every other year is great idea! Thanks for the advice.
Great info. 😘❤️
Could DVC extend the contract a year to make up for lost points?
That's one theory that's been floated, Fred!
We don’t own dvc but I always love hearing your thoughts about it.
Thank you, Corrie!
great info thanks Jen!
We have DVC points rented for a November trip and I’m so hoping that things are back to normal enough that we get to go!
Wow, I have a new appreciation for owners who rent their points! We rented for a split stay this September, three nights Kidani Village, two nights Poly 🙌. Very grateful now that we're able to do that!
Yeah, sometimes DVC feels like a part time job LOL
I’m glad I came across your vlog. I like the way you explain things. Good vlog! I’ve subscribed.
What a nice compliment, Diane, THANK YOU!
I think DVC should temporarily reduce the number of points required for a Disney Cruise. This would help both industries and help redistribute points.
That's a fabulous idea!
Great topic. Right there with you Jen. Looks today like our May 13-16 DVC trip will not happen. Unfortunately, it was booked with current year points. and the points expire end of July (Aug use year). We have FL Resident Silver passes, so are blacked out June and July... If we re-book in June or July, will Disney lift black out days (trying to keep park attendance up)? Maybe, but who knows?!? I agree that I do not see them being able to allow us to bank those points. What if we rent our points?? Well, right now, I don't even know when that could be possible, since we do not know what the future holds for re-opening, etc. The longer it takes to get real facts and details, the shorter the window to make tough choices. I really feel terrible for folks with May-July use years that are in my shoes.
Yes you are 100% right that the window is closing to be able to make a good decision! Such complicated times!
Hi Jen!! I also had to cancel my Disneyland trip for May. Such a bummer! But like you said, we will be able to all go again eventually!! Your videos help the Disney magic stay “alive” during this weird time. 🥰🎢🎡
Thank you so much, Alyssa, and sorry for us both but yes! Re-scheduling as soon as we reasonably and safely can!
So basically if you were going to do a massive trip in May 2020, using your points from 2019, 2020 and 2021. You will be “refunded” your 2020 points, 2021 points but are basically losing your 2019 points from not using them. They could allow you to use 2019 point for a “cash” hotel room at any type of hotel, even a value hotel, as long as it is used in 2020 at some point.
I don’t know how Florida is going to continue seeing that hey have a republican government but a democratic mayor so they may have curfews or other restrictions. California on the otherhand.....I don’t think they will open quite as quickly and have stricter restrictions of capacity
Yes, you could use the points for a cash stay using points but the regular hotel rooms are ridiculously expensive point wise so most people don't even look into that option (in other words, their points that were for a 5 night vacation are only worth one or maybe 2 nights)
I’m not a DVC member, but enjoyed the video. We had to cancel our spring break trip as well. Hoping to go in June or July. Are you still planning to go in July?
I am! Fingers crossed, Heather! July 14 - 18
Not a DVC member but enjoyed hearing some insight and projections on how you think things may unfold. Great info. and you always interpret information simply and seamlessly so my brain can understand these somewhat complexities! 😆
Kelsey this one was tough! DVC is already complicated and this was next level. Glad it made sense!
I'm wondering if anyone really knows what their points are costing them? As Jen says (8:18) "it's complicated". There are apparently 3-buckets (4:18), but then points can be in a holding account with 60 day limits or valid in only a given "use" year. Point-based reservations require far advance commitments while cancellations are subject to strict time limits. Buying, selling, renting, and banking points all have their own issues. Same for selecting alternate vacation properties. But most of all, I'm troubled by the idea that points "expire" under numerous conditions. Best wishes for everyone during these challenging times, and may your points never expire!
DVC is incredibly complicated and it's one of the main reasons I really don't think it''s a good deal for a lot of people. We basically use ours as a fixed week (like a traditional timeshare) because the rules can trip up even the most experienced user! Thanks for watching!
We had to cancel our April trip 😭 I would be in Disney now 😭😭😭
UGH. So hard! I'm telling you right now this weekend is going to be rough for me - Star Wars Half was supposed to be happening!
Hoping for the best possible outcome for everyone affected, but inevitably (and regrettably) the resolution to unprecedented circumstances almost always involves some people getting screwed. Given that DVC members have put a long-term investment into Disney's financial viability, one would hope that they'll make it right in some way, even if it's exterior to the DVC realm (such as Scott's suggestion). I learned my new thing for the day in regard to your explanation (which was very clear to me!) that there are legal parameters about this within which Disney has to operate. Thanks for the elucidation! Take care and be safe.
OMG, Charlie, I think you just summed up this entire thing in that first sentence! Just read it to Scott and we were both like "YUP". Hope your day is going great, Charlie!
This was the best video I’ve seen that clearly addresses the problem that DVC has right now! The DVC points are based on a 356 day available. Now that they’re losing dozens of days is availability, there are too many points on the board than they can accommodate. I think your husbands suggestion of offering a cash hotel room in exchange for points is a great idea.
Thanks for your kind words, Sarah!! And I’ll pass the compliment along to Scott as well.🥰
You can put your banked points in the RCI and I believe the points will last longer.
You can... Although, my understanding is that if you bank in RCI they are stored for 2 years but you can't use them at any Disney resorts....
Thank you for this. I am not a DVC member (yet), but I rented points from one of the rental stores for my May OKW trip, and just found out that the points I rented expire at the end of May, so as things stand currently, we are losing a few thousand dollars. I kept hearing about some legal issues with the expiring points, but no one had explained it like you did. That was helpful. Like you, I believe something will be done for those with expiring points, and I hope the member will pass it along to those who rented their points, like me...My friends and family are healthy and I am grateful for that, and grateful that I can work form home, but I the thought of losing that money... Anyway, thank you for this and thank you for sharing your vlogs with us.
I'm so sorry that happened to you, Jean, but you are definitely not alone and it sounds like you have a great perspective! Thanks for watching.
Jen - I sometimes wonder who decided what an essential worker is? I know and understand medical personal (my sister is a nurse with a ton of friends who are also nurses) & they are indeed essential but what about the people who do the cleaning and laundry at medical centers or hospitals. They need to be lauded as well because their efforts keep hospitals running. I am considered essential because I am a cashier at a Dollar Tree. Me...I am not essential...a dimwitted monkey or ape could do my job well and with fewer complaints. I receive thanks during every shift for being at work during this "unfortunate time". Well, yes, that is why the company pays me, I come to work. I can not with any comfort wear a mask, it makes me feel like I am going to be sick, can't breathe, light-headed...happened the last time I was in a hospital on an oxygen mask too. A generous customer gave me a hand made mask thinking it might work better for me but no the elastic kept pushing my ears down and sliding off my face. It was a super sweet thought though. I have a question - Jen did you do a video of the camp wilderness cabins? Are they nice and with modern facilities or rustic something out of a 50's horror movie cabins? Thanks!
The Wilderness Cabins are lovely with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances! And an essential worker is basically everyone who is still working with the public right now and putting themselves at personal risk so you definitely fall in that category!
Jen, I’m obsessed with your hair in this video. Thanks for the great content & discussion.
LOL Thank you, Jessi! That's how it turns out when I have time to let it completely air dry!
Our 1st dvc trip would have been May. Fortunately we were able to get our points back and also the ones we borrowed from 2021 (we also bought a small contract in order to go every other year). It could be worse. We do have to unfortunately wait til next May to go again due to school schedule restrictions. We are grateful to be able to be home, employed, and healthy - that's the most important right now. Thanks for the vid.
Couldn't agree with you more! But I am sorry about your cancelled trip.
Love you showing off your Neverland Family designed shirt! We love her designs too. Great video as always.
thanks so much for watching!!
Hooray for all the essential workers! We were going to Disneyland for our first time after several Disney world vacations and also got cancelled. But you have to stay positive- my family is all still healthy and that is the most important thing now. Thanks for another video with lots of positive vibes!!
Absolutely! Priorities!!🥰
As much as you are hoping for Disney to do something for the points that are expiring, they are already loosing MILLIONS of dollars as I type this.
It is completely possible that people will just lose those points.
It is a sad thing but I don't see it as something they need to compensate people for. When you buy in it seems very clear that they are not responsible for closings that are outside their control.
You're not wrong - Disney is absolutely within their rights legally on those points expiring. Still hoping there's something but I get what you're saying. Still amazing to me how many people buy DVC without having a working understanding of what they're buying and the rules!
Great video, Jen! I was wondering what would happen to those who had reservations with their points during this closure. I have hope that Disney will do right by them.
Me too, Liz! Even a gift card, SOMETHING since this was completely out of everyone's control.
Thank you for your awesome breakdown of how the points system work. I think I’ve mentioned before that we had rented points to stay at BLT for spring break. DVC Rental Store was amazing and was able to secure us a new reservation in the fall. I know many owners and renters were not so lucky depending on points expiring. And now I understand why. And we’re so tempted to buy resale. Gotta get that first DVC stay under our belts this fall and make sure it’s really what we want (how can it not be, right?). But I would bet it’ll be a buyers market for quite some time. Prayers for your safety and especially for your husband. Thanks for bringing us great content so often. You are a bright spot for sure!
Thank you so much for your kind words! And yes, honestly, I think very few people (even those who own) understand how their points work! It's one of the main reasons I started vlogging about it, honestly. So glad you found it helpful!
High Jen, when you go to Disney it’s for a short trip, say 3 days or for a RunDisney event, do you usually use points for those trips or do you save your points for your family trips??
Great question, Kyle! When we had two contracts, I would use points, but now that we only have one I save those for the big every other year family trips and pay cash for the in between visits. I have considered adding a contract just for RunDisney and solo trips and that's still on the table, but with only 120 points (and since we typically stay in 2 bedrooms) there's just not enough for all of the Disney I do.
We are doing like you said and have low points, but having the ability to stay at the Poly or where ever every other year, and the perks and discounts def make DVC doable!
We are with you that we think it may be tough to get reservations for a bit because of all the points floating around for people that had to cancel!
Weirdly I like it BETTER than when we had enough points for every year to be DVC! Gives me more variety and I think I appreciate our DVC stays even more.
I am definitely going to keep an eye on the resale market. I am interested in Reflections but no matter how great the incentives, I know the best bang for my buck is resale.
You are 100% correct there, Dawn!
As usual common sense radiates we are DVC from the uk and we take this situation as it comes we could lose points but if we do that's that and we carry on it is a long term investment that our children will have the most use from I am sure Disney will come up with something as the cost of air travel from abroad will no doubt increase significantly and that will reduce visitors for a while
Fabulous way to look at it, Norma!
Jen!!! You know my summer last year. Had to cancel my Disney trip due to a broke arm. Now I cancelled my Disney Trip this week due to corona! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaa 😭 I was leaving for Disney early am April 14th. I cannot believe this!
Ugh that’s so hard and I’m so sorry! Hoping we will all be able to reschedule soon.
Jen Lefforge right!! It was unbelievable. However we are safe and well and alive. We will be able to reschedule soon. Like you said plan plan plan. Thanks for this video.
Thank you for the great videos
My pleasure, Ramon!
I see you got your cup cleaned:)
Yes I did! All clean and sanitized LOL
Jen, I am so glad you did this video. I just want to share real quick. I purchased my DVC contract direct with Disney in 2019, it had 2018 points in it. I was able to apply it to our first family Disney vaca April 6th (cancelled). We had until August 1st 2020 before the 2018 points expired. It was explained that if I want to extend the life and cannot book those points before July 31st then I need to transfer to RCI before March 31... the conversation happened March 28th. 😩. I could not talk anyone into coming up with a different solution. I guess it is not the worse. We just cannot use the RCI points for a Disney vacation 🤦🏽♀️. Broke my heart just a bit but I try and put it all in prospective. We have our health, each other and there is always tomorrow.
Yes prior to this situation they never made exceptions to the banking and expiration rules and honestly I don’t think they give members enough of an education about how all that works!! I’m sorry that happened to you.
Thank you.
I had a trip planned to WDW May 5. Changed it to sept. Hope that works out. I had all the perfect fastpass and dinner reservations for May. Total bummer canceling those.
Well Jen...I became a DVC member a year ago after watching your videos with Shontell, I bought 2 contracts from her (GF and BWV)!!! Then I bought direct (OKW) and I am also interested in Reflections (we love Ft.W)
It's been interesting so far, and I'm hoping they come up with a solution for people who are cancelling or being cancelled after their bank date and only have like 1 month or 2 months left in their use year. I fortunately knew my bank date was 3/31 and cancelled my May trip to Grand Californian. So I was able to bank my points into 2020. Well most of them. There are 10 points (that I paid dearly for on the resale market) that are going to be lost. Honestly I'd be happy to take a Disney Gift Card for those. (current sale price * number of points).
I like the voucher for a hotel stay idea.
There are plenty of people out there with August use year or June use years who are having cancelled vacations and can't bank their points. There should be some compensation for that. I understand the economics of it being a time share but gift cards / vouchers / park tickets. Something.
Kimberly you are so way ahead of most owners because at least you know when your banking deadline is! Always surprising to me when people have no idea that they've missed it. And UGH sorry about your 10 points - that happened to us one year and made me so mad!
@@JenLefforge It's one thing when you make the mistake - it sucks and you're pissed. But this is a "no fault of my own" situation - I was using the points, now I'm not. There's no telling when things are going to open up again. I ended up booking something 1st week of Jan in 2021 because that is when we felt comfortable travelling again. (upside -- way cheaper points that week :) ) But who knows what's going to happen. Also upside, I didn't have to use the travel insurance on my park tickets as those expire mid- Jan 2021.
Thanks for sharing this Jen! Our trip for July looks like it might not go through... more us not wanting to go anywhere anytime soon... our last day to bank our 2020 point is in October, so I’m grateful for this. We also borrowed from 2021, and I’m happy to hear they’ll put those points back to 2021. And yes, a HUGE THANK YOU to ALL essential services for everything you do 💜
It's why use year really does matter - may be time for me to do a new video as to WHY it matters. Again, it's so stinking complicated!
Jen Lefforge That would be a great video idea! To be honest, your channel has helped us with sooo many DVC questions! Thank you 😊
Very interesting video. I’ve watched dvc videos in the past just out of sheer curiosity but honestly not anticipating it being something that might be an option for us any time in the next few years. Well, some things have changed and my husband and I (who are very aware that we are in the extremely fortunate position that our income is not being affected by what’s currently happening) are now considering dvc and I’m glad I have a bunch of information already tucked away in my brain. (I’m also watching and rewatching some of your vids, lol.)
Anyway, we are also considering getting enough points for an every other year family trip. We figure we can always add a second contract for another home resort or add to our hole resort if we do want more in the future. We also do look at it as investment into our family, in our relationship with our kids, into our mental mental health, into my husband’s and my marriage. It may not give us back a financial investment but it’s still an important investment (but yes, also do good financial decisions and investments! 😊) We did think about the fact that it probably will be a buyers market, which is good for us but I don’t want to feel like I get to profit off of that. My husband also pointed out that if someone needs to sell their contract and truly needs that money, then we’re helping them by buying it and if we don’t, someone else will. It’s hard not to have some guilt about having the privilege to buy something like this when so many are struggling.
I am so glad that we booked a cash stay this year! I am so sorry for people losing points, these points mean a lot to us DVC people. 😥
Mrs. Lori Q yes! Especially those that bought a smaller contract and rely on banking some every year to stretch those vacations! Banking loses but borrowing guess was ok. We never borrow, lesson learned in these tough times
They absolutely do, Lori!
Jenny Casagranda we have a smaller contract ourselves, only 130 points, which does not get us far! We initially only travelled in September which was fine. Now that our oldest is in High School, we are having to adjust our travel times. I see purchasing more points in our future very soon, as 130 doesn’t go far in March or the summer. We are banking and borrowing to get those March break trips and doing cash stays on the off years. It is getting tricky, so I totally understand the pain if losing points, they are gold! ❤️
Mrs. Lori Q. we bought a 100 point contract which was loaded so the first year we banked 100 and began our trips with 200 and always have gone April in a studio its worked up until now🤪
We aren’t DVC owners, but sending good vibes to everyone involved! This kinda made my brain hurt. 😂
But I LOVE your insight on paying cash and using point every other year. That’s great insight for so many people! I think a lot of people think they have to use points for every single trip.
I think I’ll call it DVC Light - all the magic, half the price 🤣🤣🤣
Jen Lefforge Please become the new marketing person for DVC.
I was going to be in Disney on Sunday 😭
Yup. Same. Bummer.
I was browsing the DVC Rental Store dedicated reservation area of their site, there were so many reservations up for grabs that I know won’t get picked up because Disney isn’t open. I was hoping that the owners who booked those can get their points back, and the owners don’t lose those (and really hoped people weren’t renting because the points were going to expire anyway). I like renting points, but it’s times like this that make me sad for that system because it gets so complicated for the owners.
Honestly you really have to understand the rules with DVC and that’s why we basically just use it like a fixed week timeshare as that’s the most straightforward use. The point system is great in theory but very complicated in implementation!
My husband is in investment real estate, and when we went for a look at DVC stuff a few years ago he said “nope, I don’t like time shares” . He was hopeful it would be different, and it kinda is, but too close to those dreaded “regular” time shares for his liking. I see us maybe buying in down the road, especially once our girls get older and we maybe have extra family members coming with us, but for now I just rent if I want to stay in a villa.
Thanks Jen! Always look forward to your content.
Thanks for this I look forward to your videos they are great to watch after a long day of working in a PCP office stay safe 😍🤗
Very useful info! We're not DVC but we were curious about how points and everything is being handled with the resort closures. Will remember to refer people to this video if anyone asks us about it! Thanks for sharing!
i'm so glad it made sense! DVC can be challenging to explain even during normal circumstances! LOL
I just wanted to thank you for explaining DVC in a way that is actually understandable!!! I have watched MANY videos and even have sat in on DVC presentations BY Disney castmembers and you are the only one that makes it make sense! LOVE you vlogs and your channels. Keep up the great work. One day I hope to be able to say I'm a DVC member!
What a nice compliment, Molly, THANK YOU!
I'm finally caught up on commenting! I love all of your DVC videos - they are always so straightforward and helpful. I'm hoping against hope that the parks are open in July for our trip. While we do own DVC, this trip was waaaaaaaaaaay more points than we own, so we rented all of them. No clue as to how that will work out if the parks closed. Love Scott's idea about the voucher! I'd be totally fine too if they just lowered the point-rate for the non-DVC resorts and let us use our points for all the other hotels w/o it costing an arm and a leg in points. And yes, huzzah to all of those amazing essential workers who are keeping our world going right now!
Most of the rental companies have been refunding people but not all from what I’m hearing. Hopefully it won’t even be an issue!!🥰
I must say that what I have learned about DVC, I have learned from you and Karen Bee. I had no idea that you could basically use past, present, and future years points to make your stay longer. If you pay attention, you learn something new every day. Thank you for another informative video.
Well I'm so glad I was able to share some good information, Kasey! Thanks for watching!
Great Information! BTW your hair looks fabulous!
Thank you! Always good when I have time to let it air dry - it's naturally this way!
I know it's all speculation but I still enjoy the 'brainstorming' and just thinking about the future where we CAN GO BACK TO DISNEY lol
It's going to be here before we know it, Tammy!
Wait. I love watching your DVC videos because I can sense you totally nerding out on it.
It's seriously next level nerding out, Liz. NEXT. LEVEL.
Love the video Jen!! I am paying a lot of attention on the resale market!!! Who knows.... we may end up adding some points if we find a super good deal :”)
I hope you find an amazing deal!
Investing in hope, best thing I’ve heard in a hot minute, Thanks Jen 😃
Thanks, Bethann!!🥰
👏 so much great info and I agree with all of your opinions so many good years ahead!
Yes to great years ahead for all of us, John!
I quickly bounced over to her Etsy shop and she's sold out!!! Bummer!!!!
She has lots of other cute designs, Kathi! Keep checking!
@@JenLefforge I know, but I'm not joking....she's SUPER sold out!! Lol
Thank you for the Walmart shout out. 😘❤️
I was thinking of you, Major!
I agree with everything you have said in this video 😍
Can I frame this comment? With all my family home, I rarely have anybody agreeing with me about anything LOL!
Love your hair! How’d you do that?
LOL Aveda Be Curly, air drying, a good cut, and God. He made it that way. I did a whole video about it on the Joyful Living Channel if you're interested!
Although there will be a lot of points returning to members and not enough rooms to accommodate all these points, sadly the economy is in the tank and many families will feel the affects of covid-19 for years. The travel industry will take a huge hit and travel may be a luxury to many families, they may not financially be able to even travel after this. Thank you for this video Jen. Regardless of the situation and the unknown, we too have planned on a life with DVC and sharing it with our children and grandchildren for years to come, we have never regretted our purchase.
Yup, I've got a husband who's a pilot so I get this very much!! And you are most welcome, Lori - I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Had an april trip, losing 45 points... June UY here and just sucks. Money lost points lost.
I’m hoping they can figure something out for you, Jenny, because that just stinks.
Jen Lefforge we of course rebooked for sept but cannot use those points. I asked, nicely can we please use those 45 that were in use for April and move them into the sept ressie? Nope was told twice to deposit into RCI, nope not doing that. Waiting for a clearer offer when the parks have a reopening date.
Hi Jen
Thanks for your explanation of the current DVC problems
It was thoughtful, well set out and easier to understand than other vloggers I have watched
I like Scot's idea and it could be a workaround for Disney to avoid legal issues👍👍👍
Hope you are all staying safe, healthy and not crawling up the walls
This lockdown does encourage you to slow down and appreciate friends and family more.
I love your attitude and yes! More appreciation of those we love is absolutely a silver lining.🥰
Thank you for the dvc cancellation clarification. We had a reservation in 2 weeks for our 14 year old's birthday, which we borrowed points for, and I didn't know what use year they would end up in. Keep up the good work and thanks for great content!
So glad I could clarify!! Sorry your trip was cancelled but good to know you can still use those points!