Where have you gone besides WDW

[dolphinea]

I apologize if this has been asked a billion times before, but as a newbie, I'm curious what everyone's real-world experience has been with using DVC for other destinations.

Would anyone like to share their favorite place they've gone, with their points, besides WDW?

Thanks!:)

[spruce]

Disney Cruise....twice, the 4 day on the Magic then the 3 day on the Wonder. Will I use my points for anything else? Probably not, I have other timeshares for that....spruce

[poohgirl100]

I have used my DVC points at one of the B&B locations-Windham Hill Inn. It was wonderful. The Inn is beautiful and they have a great restuarant on premises, which is an added bonus. We loved it so much I have been back three more times but not on DVC points. I always seem to need them for my Disney travels.

Every year I say I am going to use my points at other resorts, but I have Disney in my blood so I have been and stayed the OKW, Vero, Broadwalk and Hilton Hill. I would recommend all of those.

I really do not think you would be unhappy with any selection you make through DVC.

Have a Disney Day!

[Dean]

I've gone lots of other places using timeshares but not using our DVC points. We'll be in HI this summer at the Embassy's on Maui and Kauai using non DVC exchange options and a DVC direct exchange which turned into a reasonably priced rental. Spent 2 weeks on HH on the beach last year through Marriott with two 2 BR units one week and another 2 BR unit the following week.

DVC is too expensive to use it routinely for the other points options though an occaisional treat isn't too unreasonable.

[sueg]

Last Aug., we used our pts. to stay at the Grand Californian in DL. I know that there is debate about the value of using pts. this way, but it really worked well for us. We usually go to HH in Aug., so the DL trip replaced it & we used our HH pts. for it. Plus, the Grand Californian is a beautiful hotel. If we didn't use pts., we probably wouldn't have stayed there & would have considered staying off-site, because its so much different at DL. That California trip is a great family memory & our stay at GC was the icing on the cake. So we feel our pts. were well spent.

[RADPinLady]

We have used points to stay at all the DVC resorts, The Disneyland Hotel in CA (pre California Adventure), The Newport Bay resort in Disneyland Paris, The 7 night cruise on the MAGIC and a 4 night stay at the White Swan Inn (B&B) in San Francisco. This year or next we want to go and stay at the Grand Californian, possibly concierge level now that it's available!! We've also talked about the Tanque Verde Ranch, and would love to hear from anyone who's been there! We are also looking forward to the Disney Dreams and can't wait to see that itinerary.
The western carribean itinerary of the Magic might tempt us back as well. Too many places.. too few points!! Can't wait to give the Beach Club Villas a try too.

[imgoingtodisney]

Joined DVC in Nov 2001. Stayed 9 nights at Wilderness Lodge Oct 2001. Rolled over first years points to this year. Dec this year we are cruising on the Disney Magic 7 days to Eastern Caribbean. I cruised on NCL to the Western Caribbean in Dec.

[sgtpet]

Joined last October and are going to HH for our first trip and maybe VB later in the year.

[mrsdon]

We've used our points to go white water rating in Idaho and it was the most awesome experience. I love Disney, but they cannot recreate mother nature and all its beauty.
We've also used our points to stay at the Big Cedar Lodge in MO.
Its a really, really nice place.
This year we are going to use our points to swap out to Gatlingburg Town Square in TN

[varoberts54]

:pinkbounc just wondering if anyone has ever stayed on the florida gulf
coast??

[sweetp0618]

<<I'm curious what everyone's real-world experience has been <<with using DVC for other destinations.


Using DVC points we've: done the 4-day DCL and will be on the 7-day DCL in June; 7 night stays at both the Mauna Lani Bay Hotel in Hawaii and Kapalua Bay Resort in Maui; and we're spending the 3 nights of President's weekend in a club-level room at Charleston Place.


Happy travels!
Patti
sweetp0618

[tripletvan]

Used our points at the Sagamore on Lake George nY and a friend has done the tangue verde and loved it. We did the cruise but paid cash.
Oh I forgot my niece stayed at the Dorchester in London and loved it!

[sueg]

RADPinLady,
How was the White Swan? I attempted to research using pts. to stay there on our CA trip. I had trouble getting alot of info and ultimately called the Inn & asked a "few" questions directly. Ultimately, their answers made me decide not to stay these. Of concern was the room size & beds. (since we are spoiled rotten by DVC accomodations) and I was surprised that our pts only covered breakfast for 2 & we would have to pay for DSs' breakfast. It wasn't so much the added charge, but I took that to mean that the rooms were really meant for 2 people.

[EROS]

DCL x 2 and the Trapp Family Lodge x 1 week in Vermont. Overall, we use the bulk of our points at DVC facilities.

[RADPinLady]

The White Swan was wonderful! It is a very romantic inn. The room we had was fabulous. A king size poster bed, complete with Teddy Bear, a sofa and chair in a sitting area and a fireplace! There was also an area tucked into a cubby that had a small fridge that they kept stocked with complimentary beverages, a coffee machine and a small sink. The breakfasts were wonderfull. All kinds of scrumptious food. The afternoon "wine and cheese" also had enough food to make dinner out of it for us!! We loved the place and room so much that we just wanted to stay in there and not even sight see!! The inn was full at the time we went, I believe there were only 12 rooms, and we didn't see any of the others, but I know ours was not the largest one by any means. I know there were several families staying there, so they must have some sort of accomodation that would be suitable. If you have any other questions feel free to e-mail me off the list and I'll be happy to answer any that I can.
ºOº Leslie

[TnRobin]

We have stayed at the

Grand Californian at Disneyland
Hilton Head Island, SC
7 day Eastern Carribean Cruise on the Disney Magic

We also are in the planning stages of a 7 day visit to Hawaii.

[HarrietSLP]

We have used our points to stay at The Jefferson in Washington, D.C. ( Concierge Collection); a week's exchange at The Fairmont Vacation Villas at Riverside in British Columbia, Canada ( World Passport Collection); and in April we will be using points to take the DVC 10th Anniversary Cruise on the WONDER. We have been pleased with our outside exchanges thus far.

HARRIET
DVC Member '96 Vero & OKW
Next Trip: DVC 10th Anniversary Cruise 4/7 -4/11

[downontheBW]

We own at BWV and have stayed there, OKW and HHI. We used points for one night at Charleston Place - not an efficient use of points but it was nice. We also have a private trade for a week this September in a studio at Four Seasons Aviara near San Diego - one of the few exchanges worthy of giving up DVC points. We posted an offer to exchange on the Timeshare Users Group (tug2.net) and have had many responses for potential trades - that's where I made the connection for the Aviara trade. Private trades are riskier and involve a lot of trust.

Enjoy!

[DVCajun]

We stayed at the Jefferson Hotel in Washington DC for July 4th a couple of years ago.

One of these days I'm going to try the Grove Park Inn in Asheville.

[caverill]

Last year we stayed two nights at the Grand Hotel. It was a wonderful time!

[NancyDVC]

We usually use our points at OKW. The year that WL opened we traded to stay there and loved it. We also stayed at VB several times ans just last fall tried HH for the first time. We went to DL last June and stayed at the DL hotel (couldn't get in to GC but managed to eat in all of its restaurants) and had a ball. Our only out of Disney trip was a long weekend at The Plaza in NYC. It was wonderful. We had a room overlooking 5th Ave. We live on Long Island and loved being able to stay out and not have to worry about catching a train or driving home.

[WiseGirl]

I like these threads starting up again every so often - we all get to hear where other members have used their points and find out about new places to visit. So far I don't recall hearing many negatives about Concierge locations!

We have stayed at two places from the Concierge collection using points - the Windham Hill Inn in Vermont and the American Club in Kohler, WI. Both places were wonderful and I second the fact that the food is excellent at the Windham Hill Inn. The American Club is much larger than a B&B but it is very nice and has several good restaurants.

We've also taken two DCL cruises on the Wonder - 3 night and 4 night. Both on points.

[Dean]

Originally posted by WiseGirl
So far I don't recall hearing many negatives about Concierge locations! Not much negatives about the choices and locations. It's the points costs that stink.

[QueenAnne]

We are taking our first trip "home" to VB in July and plan to go to DL and HH again before we go to WDW. DD is only 3 in April and we want to wait until she can ride the big rides!!! We went to HH last August on sister's points!:D

[Boardwalk III]

I'd like to suggest that the DIS boards set up a new board for DVC discussions regarding points used outside of the Disney properties. I would find this very useful- different places could have there own threads.