Resort Hopping: The Best and Worst Disney Hobby

One of our favourite things to do in Walt Disney World isn’t actually riding attractions, and some of our best Disney memories haven’t happened inside the parks at all. If you’ve spent any time in Disney World, you’ve probably heard the phrase “resort hopping”. For us, it quickly became one of our favourite things to do, and if you’ve never done it
before, I’d highly recommend it. Jump on the monorail and explore the Magic Kingdom resorts. Take a boat across to Wilderness Lodge or down the Sassagoula River from Disney Springs towards Port Orleans. Grab a coffee. Try a restaurant you’ve never visited before. Hunt down a snack you’ve seen everyone talking about online. On our most recent trip, we tried the famous beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter, the bison burger at Geyser Point and Primo Piatto at the Riviera, supposedly the best quick service at Disney. Every resort has its own personality. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort feels relaxed and tropical. Animal Kingdom Lodge feels like you’ve somehow been transported to another continent. Disney’s BoardWalk feels alive with entertainment and activity. The Grand Floridian feels every bit as grand as its reputation suggests. Although resort hopping is one of our favourite Disney activities. It’s also one of the most expensive hobbies because eventually you want to stay at all of them. That happened to us. A lot. We’d sit around the BoardWalk area and think, “How amazing would it be to wake up here?” Then we’d look at the Disney website, see the prices and quickly bring ourselves back down to earth.
Like many families, we assumed Disney’s Deluxe Resorts were simply out of reach. It wasn’t until we discovered Disney Vacation Club DVC point rentals that everything
changed.

The Grand Floridian: Who do we think we are?!

The Grand Floridian had always been one of those resorts that felt slightly mythical. You see it on social media. You look and admire as you glide past on the monorail.
It feels special. When we finally booked a stay there, I genuinely had a bit of imposter syndrome walking through the doors. I remember thinking, “Surely they realise we’re not supposed to be here.” Thankfully nobody escorted us back to the car. The thing that surprised me most wasn’t actually the resort itself. It was how much the location changed our trip. When you have young children, being able to access Magic Kingdom so easily via boat, monorail or simply walking is an absolute game changer. Rope dropping suddenly becomes effortless. Taking advantage of Disney’s Early Entry becomes much easier because you’re already closer than the car park. Perhaps the biggest benefit for us was the flexibility throughout the day. Need a midday pool break? No problem. One of the kids needs a nap? Easy. Fancy escaping the Florida heat for an hour? Done.
Instead of losing large chunks of your day travelling back and forth, you’re only a short walk from your room. With young children, that can genuinely elevate your entire Disney experience. Fewer tired legs, fewer meltdowns, and a much more relaxed pace. It quickly became obvious why so many families love staying there. Words probably don’t do the Grand Floridian justice. We filmed our stay if you’d like to see what it was really like through the eyes of a family who never thought they’d actually stay there.

Finally Staying at Disney’s BoardWalk

If Grand Floridian felt like a dream, BoardWalk was probably the stay I’d wanted most. Ever since first discovering the EPCOT resort area years ago, it had sat right at the top of my Disney wish list. Particularly a BoardWalk View room. I’d always imagined sitting on the balcony once the kids had gone to bed, watching the world go by below. When we finally did it, it didn’t disappoint. In fact, it exceeded expectations. The location is incredible. Being able to walk to both EPCOT and Hollywood Studios never gets old. You’ve got Friendship Boats available, the Skyliner nearby, fantastic dining options within walking distance, and a completely different atmosphere compared to other areas of Walt Disney World. What stood out most wasn’t just the convenience though. It was the atmosphere. The musicians performing below. Families strolling around after dinner. People enjoying their vacation.

After the kids had fallen asleep, sitting out on the balcony, with a margarita in hand obviously, and simply people-watching became one of my favourite parts of the entire trip. Especially when the Epcot fireworks came into view, along with the added bonus of being able to see Happily Ever After fireworks from Magic Kingdom simultaneously. We both said it was a proper pinch me moment. After years of wanting to stay there, we captured the whole experience on YouTube, including our BoardWalk View room, evenings around the resort and why it instantly became one of our favourite Disney stays.

So How did we Actually Afford These Stays?

That’s probably the question we’ve been asked most since sharing our experiences online. The honest answer? Disney Vacation Club point rentals. It was only a few years ago that we first discovered DVC point rentals. At first, I assumed there had to be some sort of catch. How could people stay at Deluxe Resorts like the Grand Floridian, BoardWalk, Beach Club, Polynesian, or Animal Kingdom Lodge for significantly less than Disney’s direct room rates? The more research we did, the more we realised it was actually a well-established
and widely used option within the Disney community. Not necessarily cheap. But certainly much more achievable than we’d originally thought.

How Does Renting DVC points Work?

The concept itself is actually fairly straightforward. In simple terms, Disney Vacation Club members receive points each year that they can use for stays at Disney Vacation Club resorts. If members aren’t able or don’t want to use all of their points themselves, they can make those points available to rent. That’s where specialist brokers come in. The broker acts as the middleman between member and guest, helping coordinate the booking process and providing reassurance for both sides.

For guests like us, it can create an opportunity to stay in Disney Deluxe Resorts at a significantly lower cost than booking directly through Disney. Again, we’re still talking about Deluxe Disney accommodation. Nobody is pretending it’s a budget trip. Whilst prices vary depending on the resort, room type and travel dates, we found that point rentals often made resorts feel 40-50% more attainable than the prices we’d previously seen advertised. But suddenly those dream resorts start looking a lot more realistic.

Can you Rent DVC Points from The UK?

Absolutely. One thing I’ve been asked several times on social media is whether the process is different for UK guests. Honestly, we found it remarkably straightforward. I think for many UK families, the hesitation isn’t necessarily understanding how it works. It’s trust. The idea of sending a large amount of money to secure a Disney holiday can naturally make people cautious, especially when it’s a booking method they’ve never used before. That’s one of the reasons I’d personally always choose to work through a reputable broker. The booking process feels very similar to arranging any other holiday (vacation in US language) online. Once your reservation is secured, you receive a Disney confirmation number that can be linked to your My Disney Experience account. From there, much of the process feels exactly the same as any other Disney booking. There’s often a perception that it sounds complicated or risky. Our experience has been the opposite. If you’re comfortable booking flights online, arranging travel insurance and organising a holiday abroad, you’ll have no issues navigating the process. It’s actually far simpler than many people expect.

What About Payments and Exchange Rates?

To be honest, this was never something that particularly worried us. As UK visitors we’ve paid for accommodation, villas, apartments, hire cars and extras in US dollars for years. Every trip to the States seems to involve paying for something in dollars. Renting DVC points never felt any different.

I’ve never personally been overly concerned about paying in a foreign currency. Most banks and credit card providers now handle international transactions seamlessly. In many cases you’ll be offered a choice between accepting the provider’s currency conversion rate or allowing your card provider to handle the conversion. Whilst it’s always worth checking your individual card’s fees and exchange rates, we’ve generally found any difference to be relatively minor in the context of a Disney holiday. The exchange rate itself is obviously something none of us can control, but that’s true whether you’re booking a Disney resort, paying for park tickets or ordering a meal in Orlando. For us, it has never been a reason not to consider renting points.

Confirmed Reservations Vs Custom Requests

One question that comes up regularly in chats with other Disney goers is the difference between confirmed reservations and custom requests. A confirmed reservation is already booked. The dates, resort and room type are fixed. If those details match your travel plans, great. You can secure the booking almost immediately. The second option is a custom request. This is where you tell the broker your preferred resort, room type and dates, and they work to find a Disney Vacation Club member who can fulfil the booking. Understandably, some brokers charge an upfront deposit before beginning this process because of the work involved in searching for availability. One thing worth mentioning is that Pixie Point Gals do not currently charge an upfront deposit simply to search for availability, which removes one potential barrier for guests exploring their options. As always with Disney, flexibility and planning ahead can significantly improve your chances of securing exactly what you want.

Our Tips for Families Planning Walt Disney World

Would We Rent DVC Points Again?

Without hesitation. In fact, I suspect we’ll continue doing exactly that for years to come. Discovering DVC rentals completely changed how we look at Disney trips. It transformed resorts we’d admired from afar into places we could actually experience ourselves. For our family, it’s become one of the best ways to enjoy some Disney Deluxe magic whilst still balancing the overall cost of a trip. And it all started with a bit of resort hopping and a lot of wishful thinking. Before wrapping up, it’s worth mentioning that although we’ve rented DVC points before, we haven’t personally booked through Pixie Point Gals yet. That said, they’ll certainly be on our list when we’re planning future Disney stays. I’ve followed Chelsea on Instagram for several years and, first and foremost, she’s a Disney fan just like most people reading this article. Alongside her mum, she runs Pixie Point Gals as a family-owned business, which is something I always like to support where possible. In a world where it’s often the biggest names that get the most attention, there’s something nice about working with people who genuinely live and breathe Disney themselves. One thing I’d expect from a smaller family-run business is a more personal experience, and from everything I’ve seen, that’s exactly what Pixie Point Gals aim to provide. Their posts are extremely transparent on the process and costs, and they also have a very helpful cost calculator on their website that I’ve used in the past.

• A quick before you go: Pixie Point Gals simply asked us to share our experiences as a U.K. family renting DVC points. We have no affiliation and did not receive anything for writing this article. Everything above is based entirely on our own experiences and opinions.