Cash room availability for DVC Members

[newt1912]

I am a new DVC member and I am still learning a lot about how everything works. I only was able to purchase 200 points at the VWL this time around and I know that those points will get eaten up quickly if I take the 2 trips I am planning in my current use year; especially if I stay on weekend nights. Here's my question:

I plan to go in what I have always called the off-season - mid-December and February. What are my chances of getting the room in which I will be staying with my DVC points for a cash basis for a weekend night? Do any of you DVC members do that to preserve your weekend points? Or should I just get use to staying at the AllStars for my first night, Saturday night, of my stay. My plans are to take 2 Saturday night through Thurs night trips in a 1BR. I really would prefer to not have to switch resorts.

Any input from members who have paid cash at their DVC resort would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[CarolMN]

Congratulations on your recent DVC purchase and welcome to the DIS DVC board.

You really never know until you call if there will be a room available you for cash through MS. Calling MS is the only way you can get DVC rooms for the 25% member's discount.

Personally, I've never been able to secure a room with the member's discount. We also travel mainly in the "off season". (FYI, mid-December is very, very popular with DVC members. Disney's "off season" does not necessarily mean it's a slow season for DVC). Lately, it's my understanding that there isn't much availability for the 25% member's discount.

Several posters have reported that they have gotten very good discounts this past year at the DVC resorts by calling CRO. They then call MS and ask to have their DVC point reservation "linked" with the CRO cash reservation so that they do not have to change rooms during their stay. Of course, you can't count on getting a discount from CRO every time. Those discounts this past year were probably due to the economy and the impact of Sept. 11 and will eventually disappear when demand picks up.

So, what is my point? To repeat, you really never know until you call. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don't. So far, I don't.

Good luck!

 

[Lyndarella]

What is the DVC off-season? I like to go in Jan, Sept, and Oct. If these are off-season by Disney standards, does that make DVC people go then to spend fewer points? Do I need to go during a BUSY season because then DVC resorts won't be so full? Please advise.

 

[CarolMN]

Let me try to clarify with an example:

Most of the guidebooks say that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is one of the least crowded times to visit WDW. I believe WDW considers this value season and hotel rack rates rates are lower than other times of the year, and on site space is relatively easy to find. Smeone might assume from this that it is also easy to book a DVC room at this time. NOT TRUE! This time is very, very popular with DVC members. It has been necessary to book early in your home resort window to be assured of getting the room you want. I suspect that this time is popular because point costs are low, the resorts are beautifully decorated for Christmas and there are lots of holiday activites to enjoy. Also, the DVC annual members' meetings take place during this time. I think it is actually easier to book a room during the summer (high point season) than it is to book one during the first two weeks of December.

This is JMHO and I only have experience booking BWV, but I think rooms are relatively easy to book during January and September and more difficult in October. HOWEVER, unless you want to stay between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day, calling when your 11 month window opens pretty much guarantees that you will be able to book the room you want.

Hope that helps to answer your question. Maybe some others will also reply with their experiences.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Could someone please explain what this members discount for cash reservations is all about? I'm a brand new member (deed hasn't even been recorded yet) and I never heard of this.

 

[DebbieB]

If available, members can get a 25% discount off rack rate for paying cash for a room at a DVC resort. The room comes out of the non-point inventory, so there may not be many rooms available. Non-point inventory rooms are rooms owned by the developer or rooms that DVC gets when a member trades out of DVC (for example a cruise). When you get the member discount, you do not get housekeeping, just like a regular points reservation. Sometimes you can do better through CRO with either an annual pass rate or a discount code.

 

[littlestar]

Hi.

I am a new DVC member and I extended our March stay at Old Key West in a Studio with a 25% DVC discount. The studio was $239.00 a night with the discount. The weekend points for the studio would have been 27 points a night. They linked my point reservation with the cash one. They said they don't always have the availability, but I got lucky.

 

[Firefighter Mickey]

MS is not the only "group" that can give out the cash discount - you can sometimes get the discount via the front desk if you have a last minute change of plans (assuming they have the room available). - we did this at Hilton Head in January; extended our stay in a 2BR by one night for the low-low price of $140 (or so).

Also, cash rooms are not just non-point rooms (or DVD inventory), they can also be "breakage" rooms - DVC has the ability to put any room that is not reserved at 60 days or less prior to a specific date in to breakage - which means it can be rented for cash. If you look at your annual dues breakdown you can see the income that DVC generates from this which is applied to offset your dues.

 

[tripletvan]

so who would you call for thr disc.? MS ?

 

[CarolMN]

I'd call MS and CRO and book the one with the better discount. Sometimes CRO has better discounts (but I've heard that MS will often match the CRO discount if they have rooms available for cash) and sometimes MS has the better deal.

 

[Geyser Gazer]

Interesting thread!

1. How early can one try to book a cash ressie (hopefully with 25% DVC discount?)

2. Are you subject to the 11% tax.

3. Once linked, do these days count toward length of stay requirements for maid service?

Thanks.