$300+ How do you justify the expense?

[Kay7979]

I love luxury as much as the next person, but I can't fathom spending $350+/night for a concierge room, much less $700+ for a suite at the deluxe resorts. What kind of money does a family have to earn to shrug off a week or two stay at these rates? We made in excess of 150K last year, which I thought was a respectable income, but I don't think I could bring myself to spend that kind of money on a room, however nice it might be. We vacation three weeks a year and typically stay in 2 bedroom timeshare condo resorts. At least with these we are getting a whole apartment with a kitchen, livingroom, two baths etc. Don't get me wrong, I love Disney resorts to pieces and I love the ambiance and decor, the grounds, the service, but when I think of $300+ for a room I break out into a rash! Three weeks would be $6300 not including air fare, meals, entertainment, etc. Do you deluxe room/concierge people all have vastly higher incomes? or am I just cheap?

 

[susy]

I recently had ressies at Poly concierge with a code-for all of 6 hours. I came to my senses and booked POFQ for $85. We are not rich by any means. My husband is a construction foreman (pipefitter) and I am full time grad student with NO income. We only go for a few days at a time and don't have to worry about airfare and we have Fl Res season passes ( a great deal). We have to decide from trip to trip what we want to spend. We do not go into debt for it- all the money has to be put aside up front. We do put away about $130 a month for Disney (not bad for poor folk). I do have the money right now set aside to stay wherever I want, but I think I'd like to save some of that and renew my passes or try some different things during the year. My mom and her DH decided to come along on this trip, so that's why we settled on two rooms at a mod.

Anyway, you don't have to do concierge to stay at a deluxe. I have to say that the BC was very nice, but NOT $100 a night nicer than the WL, so if you want to save and still stay somehere nice, the WL is a good deal!!!

 

[moppy]

Hi All. My DH and I are biting the bullett and staying in a 2BR suite with our two toddlers in September at the Cr - I don't have to say how much those rooms are! Originally I swooned and scoffed, thinking we could stay at the Plaza in NYC for that price...but then, we used to drive 10+ hours and rent a beach house and that cost a fortune...Still, it's a vacation. So, the kids can have their room and we can have ours...when they go to bed at 8PM we can hang out on the balcony and in our room and enjoy our vacation too. Plus, we paid the extra amount to be near the MK and monorail for the kids - they still nap. Hey, we take one vacation a year and are very conservative for the rest of the year with $$, so that is how we justify it...and I am psyched!

 

[DebbieB]

Did you ever think of joining DVC? $6,300 would be almost half of the initial price of the minimum 150 points through DVC. Resales are even less. The 1 or 2 bedrooms at the DVC resorts are wonderful!

 

[denman007]

Kay,

I don't think you really want us to answer that.

 

[bsears]

I can completely relate to your question. We had Poly concierge reservations for our last trip. The cost was over 500 a night. I twisted and turned and justified...it was our honeymoon blah blah blah.

Then Disney dragged their feet on AP discounts. Not that I planned on one. In fact, I had prepaid the room just to be done with it. But reading the boards and seeing the frustration level of others rise as Disney simply did not commit one way or the other really annoyed me. To me Disney was thumbing their nose at their most loyal guests. I know others did not interpret it that way, but that is how it felt to me.

That was the deciding factor that pushed me over the edge. I was able to get a beautiful room with a balcony view of EPCOT at the Swan for almost $400 less a night. As soon as I switched my reservation I felt this surge of relief. And I had to wonder what on earth I had been thinking to be willing to fork out almost 4 thousand extra bucks for a room.

 

[QJ411]

Hi everyone,

We try to go to WDW twice a year, and w/ the AP we get the codes for these resort stays. I understand Kay's point of how we can't justify $350 p/n for a deluxe resort or conceirge service. I'd never pay full price for it, if I can't get a code for the room I want at a Deluxe, I'll go to a moderate or just go somewhere else.

And trust me, DH and I don't make that much money...but the APs help alot and we go during "value" season. We vacation twice a year and EACH time, I say let's try somewhere else OTHER than Disney, and EACH time we end up excited like little kids screaming "OK, WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY"...

There's just something about WDW, and during the year, we'll just put some money away for it. Ok...well, not really...but we have this huge water bottle jug that we just throw our change and singles into at the end of the night and before we leave, we go to cash it it at our bank.

Our friends and family buys us Travelers' Cheques for birthdays and holidays instead of presents and we just save those.

I don't think you're cheap, Kay. Alot of us find little nooks and crannies on ways to save $$$ at WDW. ENJOY!!!!

 

[Kay7979]

First of all, sorry for the double post. I am not sure how I managed to get two identical threads going at the same time.

DebbieB: No we have not seriously considered DVC since we already own 3 weeks of timeshare that we bought resale for far less than Disney resale points. The maintenance fees of DVC are astronomical, but I agree that the resorts are charming (the units are small, however). The maintenance fees to get a two bedroom in high season every year are at least $1000-1200. The equivalent non-Disney elsewhere is about $600. The system is flexible, but so are many other resort systems that use points. We never go for less than a week, so splitting up the stay into individual nights is not an issue, and when I read the DVC board most everyone is staying in studios to save points, and staying elsewhere or paying for weekends to save points, and it's all about making do with less to stretch their buing power. To me, I bought timeshare weeks so I could spread out and have the comforts of home and we wouldn't have to stay in one room, and there are only two of us traveling. It would make even less sense to stay in one room if we traveled with children. It appears to be an iffy situation to book the days you want at the resort you want through the DVC system, as most everyone on the DVC board is crossing their fingers and hoping to get their desired reservation, and worrying whether they will ever be able to trade into one of the resorts that has less units than their home resort. I am disappointed since I love all things Disney, but it seems to make more sense to just get a regular room at Disney for a couple days at the end of our regular condo vacation if we want to stay on property. That way we know we will get a reservation for the resort we want during the time we want, and there may very well be a discount available as well.

 

[burnsoc]

If the impression you got from these boards is that it is difficult to book DVC, it is false. All those people doing the wish me luck dances have that nervous excitement from planning a trip to Disney. Making my reservations with DVC cannot have been easier. You will never have a problem if you book seven months or more in advance. I booked 2 two bedrooms at BCV for Thanksgiving with no problem. I have also booked four months in advance and not had a problem. While DVC is certainly more expensive than other timeshares, I find it has far outclassed any other timeshare I've visited. That is why you always see them listed in the top ten timeshare properties. I would not stay offsite again when I visit WDW, so even though the maintenance fees are more than other timeshares I'll pay more to stay within walking distance of Epcot or a boatride from the MK.
-Chris

 

[VALDAN]

We both work full time. New cars aren't important to us. I have a 95 Taurus which I will run to the ground (it has only 45,000 miles).
Our house is modest. I'm not into decorating. Mind you it's not run down, just plain furniture. We splurge ourselves once a year and stay concierge with a discount. We will have saved $900 in change towards our spending money by next month.
We all spend money differently to what is important to our lives.
My kids are 10 & 13, so for the next few years this is what we enjoy.

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by Kay7979
First of all, sorry for the double post. I am not sure how I managed to get two identical threads going at the same time.

DebbieB: No we have not seriously considered DVC since we already own 3 weeks of timeshare that we bought resale for far less than Disney resale points. The maintenance fees of DVC are astronomical, but I agree that the resorts are charming (the units are small, however). The maintenance fees to get a two bedroom in high season every year are at least $1000-1200. The equivalent non-Disney elsewhere is about $600. The system is flexible, but so are many other resort systems that use points. We never go for less than a week, so splitting up the stay into individual nights is not an issue, and when I read the DVC board most everyone is staying in studios to save points, and staying elsewhere or paying for weekends to save points, and it's all about making do with less to stretch their buing power. To me, I bought timeshare weeks so I could spread out and have the comforts of home and we wouldn't have to stay in one room, and there are only two of us traveling. It would make even less sense to stay in one room if we traveled with children. It appears to be an iffy situation to book the days you want at the resort you want through the DVC system, as most everyone on the DVC board is crossing their fingers and hoping to get their desired reservation, and worrying whether they will ever be able to trade into one of the resorts that has less units than their home resort. I am disappointed since I love all things Disney, but it seems to make more sense to just get a regular room at Disney for a couple days at the end of our regular condo vacation if we want to stay on property. That way we know we will get a reservation for the resort we want during the time we want, and there may very well be a discount available as well.

I wouldn't say most people stay in studios. I bought 250 BWV points which gets me 5 nights in May at OKW and 6 nights at BWV in early December, all in a 1 bedroom (with usually only 2 people, i love all the room). My maintenace runs a little over $1,000, about $88 a month. I bought in late 1999 and have stayed 9 times on my membership, if you added up the rack rates of those stays, I'm over my purchase price (I bought at $65 per point). I do sometimes supplement our OKW stay with AP rates to stay an extra night or two (weekend nights), mainly because I don't want to commit to buying more points due to personal circumstances. I've never had a problem getting a reservation where I want. I book BWV at 11 months and OKW at 7 months.

I know it's not for everyone, but I just wanted to say it's been great for me. We went on an "extra" trip last fall and stayed at CBR, we really missed all the space of the 1 bedroom.

 

[vettechick99]

I think after a while, your view of Disney and the properties' values becomes skewed. All Star Sports at $99...hmmm, it looks like my freshman dorm, but ok. Moderates at $169...pretty much a motel 6 with better theming....but hey, its nicer than the values. The Poly at $279...wow, what a deal! GF honeymoon suite...$600/night...well slap me silly and SIGN ME UP!

It's crazy!!

You start rationalizing too. If you have to pay $169 for a moderate and a code comes out and you see a deluxe for $229, you think, "oh, its only a few dollars more a night!" and up, up, up goes your budget.

I'm going to Costa Rica for my honeymoon and refuse to spend over $110/night for a place. But I'll spend $229/night at the Poly GVC and think its a freakin' deal. Go figure...

 

[DisneyMim]

I think you are getting the wrong impression of DVC. I am one of the original DVC members and can tell you that most members do not stay in studios. I think what happens is that most people who happen to be posting on the DVC board are new to DVC and are asking questions and trying different things to see what works for them. We have enough points to stay in a 2 bedroom for at least 14 nights a year. Because we bought way back in 1991 we now have the money to also go concierge for a week a year and also do a couple of other vacations a year. We just came back from a fantastic cruise (not Disney). And I want to add that we have been members since Oct 1991 and have never once had to cross my fingers for a reservation, we've always been able to get exactly what we want when we wanted and no we do not call 11 months before, usually only 3-4 months due to our schedules. I'm not saying DVC is right for you. I just want to clarify that to get the correct info about DVC the DVC board might not be the place to go. It's a start but you have to do your homework too.

 

[Lexxiefern]

When I first read your original post, I thought DVC would be perfect for you. Then I got to your next post and I think your missing the point.

1) you are wondering how anyone can justify paying mega bucks to stay in deluxe rooms. DVC is expensive compared to other timeshares, yes, but it is an affordable way to get these deluxe accomodations. You are not just wasting $5000 on a two week trip. You are prepaying your vacations for the next 38 or 50 years (depending on which resort you buy).

2) who cares what other people book - if they book studios? You don't have to. I try to stay in a one bedroom as much as I can, but if my DH says lets take a quick trip and I am low on points for the year, I will stay in a studio.

3) I have never had a problem booking a trip with DVC. We go at least 4 times a year. Sometimes we plan 11 months in advance, sometimes 2 weeks in advance.

I don't mean to go on and on, it's just that you asked how anyone can justify the expense. This is how I justify it. I bought DVC and I am getting one heck of a deal! (I hope you look into it further - you may just find it is right for you )

 

[MinnieGi]

Another DVC'er chiming in to say if you like deluxe rooms and suites DVC is a great way to get those at an affordable price. Also I would say the vast majority of DVC'ers have not had a problem getting the days they want to book at the resort they want. The ones that do are usually for very peak times and with the waitlist system many still do get what they desire. We have always gotten what we wanted for the days we want. Also while the studios are the size of regular hotel rooms the one, two, & three bedrooms certainly have ample room and nice amenities and of course the locations are awesome!!! I love sitting out on the balcony of my one bedroom BWV unit and seeing Epcot, the YC/BC, the boardwalk, and hearing the sounds of the friendship boats.

 

[rockahulagirl]

Here in NJ a decent house at the beach costs about the same as a deluxe concierge room. I'm only 1hr from the shore so we could never justify spending $2500 on lodging only. For us, and our always hungry children, concierge makes perfect sense.

 

[yecats]

I can understand how you feel. I work hard for my money ( I am single and am no where around what you cleared last year) and I certainly can't justify spending $300 plus per night. I like to think that over time I will attempt to stay at every resort there but as time goes on I am less and less willing to spend $300 for a room for one night at GF when the same $300 can get me 3 nights at PO.

My more revised goal now is to stay at all the DVC resorts and no I don't own at any. However, I have started to rent the points from owners and I do feel like I am getting a deal. Just two weeks ago I rented a studio (2 adults going in November 2004) just a few weeks ago. It really was easy to do plus I get the added convenience of being in the BWV (deluxe stay) and inbetween two great parks. If I would've booked this same room for the same stay I would've been paying $289 a night as I called to check before renting the points. By renting the points, I am spending about $120 per night for a deluxe stay. To me this is a steal plus I didn't have to buy into DVC. I would say that if you wanted to rent a 1 bedroom and do a stay in the offseason then DVC rental would not break the bank and you certainly get more for your money.

I really feel that this is the way that I will go in the future for several stays and the deluxe feel.