Christmas week at Disney World runs from roughly December 23 through January 1. It's the busiest, most expensive, most competitive week in the entire DVC calendar. If you want to rent points for those dates, here's what's actually possible and what isn't.
The Honest Reality
Some DVC resorts are completely unavailable to renters who don't plan 12+ months in advance. Studios at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Riviera, and Bay Lake Tower sell out within hours of the 11-month booking window for Christmas week dates. By the time any of these show up on the rental market, you're typically 10+ months from your trip.
Other resorts are more accessible. Saratoga Springs, the largest DVC resort by room count, usually has inventory available even during Christmas week, though it fills up too. Animal Kingdom Lodge's Kidani Village tends to have better availability than the monorail and Epcot-area resorts. Old Key West, the original DVC resort with plenty of rooms, is another resort where Christmas inventory exists if you're looking far enough in advance.
The Timeline That Works
If you want a Christmas week DVC rental at a popular resort, you need to be in the market 12 to 14 months before your trip. Here's what that looks like in practice:
Twelve to thirteen months out, start browsing marketplace listings for members who own at your target resort. Reach out and begin conversations. Confirm they plan to book for your dates. At 11.5 months, finalize the agreement and fund the escrow so the member is ready to book the moment their window opens.
At exactly 11 months before check-in, experienced DVC members are calling Disney Member Services at 8 AM Eastern or logging into the booking website at midnight. Rooms at competitive resorts go in hours. Your member needs to know they have a committed renter waiting.
What to Expect on Pricing
Christmas week DVC rentals carry a premium. While regular-season studios rent for $17-$23 per point, premium-season points at popular resorts for Christmas dates often price at $23-$28 per point. The total cost for a 7-night studio at the Polynesian during Christmas week can reach $4,000-$5,000. That still represents 30-40% savings versus Disney's rack rate for the same room, which would be $7,000-$9,000 for the week.
The Backup Strategy
One approach that works well: book a confirmed room at a resort you can get (Saratoga Springs, Old Key West, Animal Kingdom Lodge), then ask the member to place a waitlist request for your preferred resort. If the waitlist comes through, cancel the backup and move to the better resort. If it doesn't, you have a confirmed Christmas week room at Disney. See our full waitlist guide for more on this.
How far in advance do you need to book a DVC rental for Christmas week?
For popular resorts like the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or Riviera, you need to start the process 12-14 months before check-in. The member needs to book at exactly 11 months, and rooms at competitive resorts sell out within hours. For more accessible resorts like Saratoga Springs or Animal Kingdom Lodge, 8-10 months may be enough, though earlier is always better for Christmas week.
How much does a DVC rental for Christmas week cost?
Christmas week DVC rentals typically price at $23-$28 per point, compared to $17-$23 for regular season. A 7-night studio at a popular resort can cost $4,000-$5,000 total. That's still 30-40% less than Disney's rack rate for the same room, which often runs $7,000-$9,000 for Christmas week.
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