What Are the Differences Between Cash Stays and DVC Stays?

Before becoming a DVC Member, you likely booked cash stays to stay at the Disney resorts.  While booking stays with your points is easy, and the DVC resorts offer fantastic accommodations with added amenities like kitchenettes and kitchens, there are a few things that will differ between those cash stays and stays booked with your DVC points.

Room Availability Is More Limited

With DVC being a timeshare, the resorts are designed to be at capacity.  This means that the studios and villas are expected to be booked up most of the time.  Unlike with cash stays, last minute DVC availability can be spotty.  To secure the dates that you want, it’s always best to book your home resort at the 11-month mark and then modify the reservation at the 7-month mark if you’d like to stay somewhere else.

DVC availability is limited when booking only a couple of months out.

Stays Need to Be Manually Linked to My Disney Experience

When booking Disney World DVC stays with your points, you’ll make your resort reservations through the DVC website instead of the Disney World website.  You’ll also have to link your DVC reservation to your My Disney Experience account since this does not happen automatically.  

Link your DVC reservation in My Disney Experience.

To do this, you’ll log into My Disney Experience and go to My Plans. From there, hover over Resort Hotel, and click on Link a Reservation. You can then input your reservation number and last name. Then confirm the accounts for any of the guests you have on your resort reservation.  While this is an extra step, it’s an easy process.

Housekeeping Comes Less Frequently

If you’re accustomed to cash stays, you may be used to having a refreshed room every other day.  However, with stays booked on DVC points, the cleaning schedule is less frequent.  For stays of 7 nights or less, you get trash and towel service on the fourth day of the stay.  For stays of 8 nights or more, you get a full cleaning service on day 4 and trash and towel service on day 8.  The cycle then restarts on day 12. 

DVC housekeeping services are less frequent.

If you want additional housekeeping services, you can request them for an additional fee.

Your Guest Portfolio Is $0

One of the best differences is seeing the guest invoice of $0 at the end of your stay!  Barring any items that you charge back to your room or transient taxes should you stay at Aulani or the Villas at Disneyland Hotel, the guest folio will show no balance due at the end of your stay.

Access all available Disney Vacation Club resale listings, or learn more about buying and selling with DVC Resale Market.