When I bought my DVC contract - Disney told me about all these other usages I could have for my points such as other hotel and Disney Cruise lines - can you explain these to me?
DVC has always advertised lots of different options for your DVC Points. What they don't tell you is that most of these options will actually cost you as much as or sometimes more than booking those same activities with cash. The reason is - the portion of DVC that administrates those reservations has to pay the other divisions of Disney for the right to make those reservations. Therefore, they essentially charge the members back in the value of points what it costs them in cash. However, sometimes members don't have a choice because they can't get the DVC reservation that they exactly want - so we will provide you with information on the various options.
What is the Disney Collection?
Disney Collection allows you to use your points for booking all Disney resorts across the world, as well as Disney Cruise Line or Adventures by Disney. There are point charts available through the DVC website link for all of these options. You can even book a cash room at the same resorts as some of the DVC locations. You are allowed to book up to 11 months in advance. However, you to MAKE the reservations during the first 8 months of your use year while you are still in your banking window. That doesn't mean you need to STAY during that time, but you must BOOK during that time. You will also normally be required to pay a $95 transfer fee for booking in the Disney Collection.
It should be noted the price you will be paying with your points is going to be close to the equivalent of "rack rate" for these hotels, and the same is the case for DCL and ABD. So while you CAN use these options as a direct member, you are losing out on the advantage that you bought by buying your DVC contract in the first place. DVCHelp would always recommend considering renting out your points for the cash value of them, and using the cash to pay for the rooms. See our FAQ on renting and transferring points.
The one exception to the rule of using your points is that annually there is a DVC member cruise. This cruise is very popular and sells out within hours. While the price for the cruise is not a bargain per se, the cruise itself offers a lot of extra perks directed at DVC members. DVC members are allow to pay cash for this cruise as well if they don't have enough points.
What is the Concierge Collection?
Concierge Collection allows you to use your points for booking at several high end resorts around the world. There are point charts available through this DVC website link. Similar to the Disney collection - most of these resorts you can book up to 11 months in advance and as little as 7 days before your trip, but certain resorts have further restrictions. Again, you are not saving money versus a case stay here,but it does give an option for using points. There is also a $95 dollar fee and booking must be done in the first eight months of your use year.
What is the World Collection? or What is RCI exchange?
The World Collection is a fancy name for the RCI Timeshare exchange program. Disney is part of RCI - an international timeshare exchange program that can be used to book many different timeshare resorts around the US and the World. To utilize this system, DVC members need to deposit points into the RCI system in 10 point increments. Once you have deposited your points you cannot exchange them back out again. You can browse the RCI website through a link available on this DVC website link. Of the point options, RCI exchange will give you an actual discount versus what you pay rack rate for many of these resorts, so it is not the worst choice for a point use, though still not as good value wise as actual DVC resorts.
It's very important to note that both direct and resale members can use points in an RCI exchange.
The truly good and important thing to know about RCI is that you can put points into the RCI collection up until the end of your use year, so if for some reason you have points that you cannot use in another reservation because you have passed your normal banking window, you can exchange them into RCI and still get use of them. In fact, points exchanged into RCI typically see an extension of up to two years on the usage window, so it is a better alternative than letting points expire.
