A few random questions about things associated with DVC

1. We have a trip planned for October. A friend who owns DVC asked us to stay with them in the Grand Villa for free for a few days while we are there (YAY). We are coming from the same town, but not traveling together. She has made the reservation and has added us to the reservation so we can get our keys and add us to the dining plan, etc. Question: If we get there BEFORE her, and we get stopped at the front gate to enter the resort...will they let us in? (I'm assuming they will since our names will be added to the reservation).

2. If we arrive before them, will the front desk allow us to check in?..or will they need to check in first?

3. If we ever want to rent DVC points...how do we do that? And...can we get the dining plan if we do that?

While I can not answer your other questions as I have never stayed DVC.
Yes there are several websites that offer points for rent for DVC. I was referred,though a post here on intercot , to the timeshare store. If you click on the contact us they can get you in touch with someone who can help with rental.

I may be wrong, but I believe you cannot do DDP on DVC points.

THe dining plans ARE available for purchase for DVC members as well as Annual Pass holders.

Same rules apply, everyone on the reservation must get it, etc.

You should be able to check in, you can also use ME from the airport as long as your name is on the reservation. The member needs to do all that though through member services. They only talk to members, not just anyone on any particular reservation, even if it's associated with DVC points.

Thanks for the timely responses.

We don't own DVC, but our friends do. We just weren't sure if we could go ahead and get our key/tickets/etc if we got there BEFORE them (we'll be leaving a lot earlier than them).

Yes, we are on the reservation that she did.

So....if someday we decide to rent points from someone using The Timeshare Store...we CAN get the dining plan?

Currently, yes... It hasn't always been that way though. I don't think it will change, it was probably more of a technical limitation than anything else, but you never know.

Thanks so much.

I hope...I HOOOOPE that we can get a key to the room if we get there before them. But since most resorts need a credit card down (and they have to put their's down)...I'm wondering if they won't let us.

I don't know about checking in before the DVC member, but if you want to be on the Dining Plan, you have to reserve it ahead of time (I believe it's at least 48 hours in advance). You then pay for the dining plan when you check in.

As DisneyRox said, the member has to make all these arrangements.

Each person on a reservation can have their own key to the world linked to their credit card. No reason for that to be the reason for not checking in. If they tell you otherwise, ask for a manager that knows what they are doing.

I'm not sure on the policies on checkin of DVC guests. We've had our guests check in after us, we just left their cards at the front desk. Never before us, just turned out that way.

We have vacationed with our friends who are DVC members a number of times. We have never had a problem checking in before them. We received our own keys and put our own credit card on our key cards. We did not need thier credit card. As long as all your names are on the reservation you should be fine.