2 Resorts, 1 Stay... What's the best strategy?

[Geoff_M]

OK, my wife and I are 85% certain that we'll be booking our first DVC stay since joining. We'd like to take advantage of the fact that my wife's school gets out very early in June this year and do a 2 week'er at WDW. I have other vacation commitments in 2005 that'll make a Disney trip pretty hard to do then, so we're thinking about using borrowed 2005 points for the 2nd week.

OK, so wer're looking at doing 2 Sunday-Friday stays with a 2 night stay somewhere else in between. We are also thinking bout doing a different DVC resort each week. We're obviously within the 11 month window for our home resort, but the 7 month window for the non-home resort won't open until next month. (I've called MS, and boths resorts are available as of now for the weeks in question) So, there's the question... Is it best to:

1) Book the first week in our home resort now, and wait a month to book the other week at the non-home resort?

2) Book booth weeks at our home resort now, and then try to switch one week to the non-home resort when the 7 month window opens?

What say you people?

 

[Terry S]

I would definatly book both weeks at your home resort. This way at least you have a room booked if for some reason every thing is booked at the 7 month window. (I guess this would only work if you don't mind staying at your home resort for both weeks if it came down to that.) This is what I would do anyway.

 

[Geoff_M]

That's what I was leaning towards, but I can't remember if there was a fee associated with altering a reservation like that after the fact.

 

[Terry S]

Absolutely no fee! The only problem might come to play is if the resort your switching to is less points than your home resort. Since you are borrowing 2005 points they won't be able to put them back. You could use the 2004 points for the 2nd week and possibly be able to bank them if the 2nd week resort is less points, depending on your banking window.

 

[Lew]

Personally, I would book both weeks now so you have backup if you are unable to book the other resort at the 7-month window.

If, as you say, you need to borrow points to make this work, use the borrowed points for the first week at your home resort and the current year points for the second week. If you are able to book the second week at a different resort and the reservation requires fewer points, you will be able to bank those extra points into the following year.

Also, if I may, recommend you consider not moving twice during your trip. I know the point saving can be considerable if you don't stay on points over Friday and Saturday nights, but it's a big hassle at the very least. Remember, you are on vacaiton!

Do you really want to take your precous vacation time to pack up Friday morning and be out by 11am; load everything into the car; check into another resort or hotel off property; unload the car and unpack; pack again Sunday am and reload the car; check into your DVC resort; and unload and unpack again. Think of the hours you will be able to enjoy instead of moving, moving, moving.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

This Christmas/New Year's we are doing what you describe but becuase we have more than one "home resort" it is a lot easier. I think you should book the whole thing for your home resort, then change things at the 7 month window. You may also want to consider going over to Universal for your Friday and Saturday stay. We did that last year and are doing it again this year.

Have fun. Two weeks is a great trip.

HBC

 

[Geoff_M]

Lew,

Thanks for the advice. Actually, one of the options for the two nights in the middle might be to go visit my sister, BIL, and new baby down in Hollywood, FL. But we've also done frequent hotel hops before. Basically everyone packs an overnight bag to take into the room so you don't have to schlep everything in and out of the hotel room. It's not that big of a hassle... and only having 160 points that weekend penalty takes a BIG bite out of the allotment.

 

[jade1]

I agree you should move on the weekend if your inclined, if you dont the whole next week of points will be gone anyway and you will have to go home on Sunday-duh. 2 weeks straight is too long in our opinion at one hotel. Go to the BIL or Clearwater beach or Universal for the weekend, then come back and check in all over again at a different (or even the same) DVC resort-my definition of AWESOME.

 

[Lew]

Originally posted by Geoff_M
It's not that big of a hassle... and only having 160 points that weekend penalty takes a BIG bite out of the allotment.

Understood...sounds as though it will work well for you.

Originally posted by jade1
2 weeks straight is too long in our opinion at one hotel.

We feel just the opposite. We visit OKW twice a year for 2 to 2½ weeks at a time and really enjoy settling in and not having to even think of moving out for at least two weeks.

The flexibility of DVC is what makes being a member so great. It works well for members who like long, short, or in between stays.

 

[Nette]

Actually, I think I would wait and book the 2nd week at the 7 mon window. If you book both weeks at your home resort (and for arguments sake lets say it's 150 pt for Su - Th) and you borrow for the first week and use current year for the second week you end up with:

Week 1: 150 - 2005 points
Week 2: 150 - 2004 points

Then if you get a ressie for Week 2 at another resort and it is only 138 points, you have 12 (2004) points to bank. You've already said you cant go in 2005, so those points are going to be wasted anyway because you cant roll them into 2006, no?

Though, I suppose you could rent/sell/give them away...