Using points at the non-DVC resorts is expensive. The per-night costs are pretty high, and they are only for the equivalent of a studio at a DVC resort. Plus, they can change year to year (and seemingly only in the upward direction), AND you have to pay a fee ($95?) just to do it.
2009
points charts for non-DVC haven't been released yet, but as an example, a Sunday-Thursday per-night point cost for one of the Moderate resorts (Values are not eligible) range by season and room class from 16 to 26 points. For a Garden View at the Contemporary (the cheapest of the Deluxes) it is 30-46. Compare that to 12-19 for a Beach Club Villas studio, or 22-40 for a full 1BR.
Points can also be used for cruises. Depending on the season, points for 2008 for a 3-day Bahama cruise ranged from 67-123 per adult for the first people in a standard inside stateroom (cheapest class). Points decrease for the 3rd/4th person slightly, depending on age. $95 fee also applies.
The
point charts are available on the member site - there are probably copies floating around.
So, these are options, but they may not be cost-effective.
Correction: 2009 points ARE out for WDW and Cruises, they were just in a different area. So the new points are:
Moderate resort: 17-26 (generally up a point)
Contemporary Garden Standard View: 31-44 (up a point - the 46 quoted earlier was a typo, it was 43)
3-day Bahamas cruise: 69-143
