Am I the only person not worried about pts?

[culli]

Don't get me wrong I try to save pts if possible. But I see tons of posts about paying cash or switching rooms or even staying offsite to save pts. Now I do think that most of the MK view pts for BLT are crazy but for us we got DVC to make the most of how we want to vacation.

If I want a 2br I get a 2br...if I want to stay at BLT I will book it over OKW even though one is cheaper. To make the most of our vacation and kids out of school we often stay Fri - Sun (about 10 days) which covers 2 weekends. Yes those are the most pt heavy times, but it works best for our family and I don't stress it.

On the other hand I do try to get the best buy in cost I can, and try to watch the MF costs. I just don't see too many people post that say "you know what I want X and that is what I'm going to get". Is anyone else like this or just me?

 

[ACDSNY]

You're not alone! We're the same way. Being on the west coast we usually arrive on Sat and stay 7 - 10 nights. Now I don't usually do to many weekends at DLR just because I don't like the crowds.

 

[allison k]

No, not the only one. When we planned our vacation this summer, we knew we were going to have to borrow points. Me, the cheapo that I am, tried to talk DH into doing a studio for part, etc. He said absolutely not. He wanted to get into one room and stay there. Moving can be such a hassle. When we look at adding in the kinda distant future - only 3 years I hope - we will be trying to have enough points for a 2BR for 2 weeks regardless of how the points are divvied out for each day...

 

[Dee77]

It's great to see that people don't have to worry about points and that they "get" what they "want" but I also think that it's nice to have choices that include resorts that are not point heavy. This allows many members (myself included) some much needed variations that help with projecting trips over the next few years.

 

[robinb]

If I want a 2br I get a 2br...if I want to stay at BLT I will book it over OKW even though one is cheaper. To make the most of our vacation and kids out of school we often stay Fri - Sun (about 10 days) which covers 2 weekends. Yes those are the most pt heavy times, but it works best for our family and I don't stress it.

{shrug} I'm happy that you have enough points so you don't need to "stress it". Not all of us can say the same. Please don't feel bad for me, though. I don't mind downgrading *gasp* to a studio or staying at a regular DVC resort during Free Dining to save some points.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We stay on weekends, and I try to use points before booking on site cash rooms. However, I've stayed at Pop a few single nights over the years, because sometimes I just don't have the points to spare.

Bobbi

 

[Dean]

Don't get me wrong I try to save pts if possible. But I see tons of posts about paying cash or switching rooms or even staying offsite to save pts. Now I do think that most of the MK view pts for BLT are crazy but for us we got DVC to make the most of how we want to vacation.

If I want a 2br I get a 2br...if I want to stay at BLT I will book it over OKW even though one is cheaper. To make the most of our vacation and kids out of school we often stay Fri - Sun (about 10 days) which covers 2 weekends. Yes those are the most pt heavy times, but it works best for our family and I don't stress it.

On the other hand I do try to get the best buy in cost I can, and try to watch the MF costs. I just don't see too many people post that say "you know what I want X and that is what I'm going to get". Is anyone else like this or just me?

I think everyone has to first decide what they can do, then what's best for them and what they are comfortable with. I think the reallocation will shift the group that concentrate on weekdays to save points but won't totally take this consideration away and for some of them it may make staying one weekend night on points less likely due to the higher costs involved weekdays.

You have to do what you're comfortable with and what works for you however, the use you quote gives you a much smaller savings potential for your ownership compared to going on cash though the reallocation did help you somewhat.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Don't get me wrong I try to save pts if possible. But I see tons of posts about paying cash or switching rooms or even staying offsite to save pts. Now I do think that most of the MK view pts for BLT are crazy but for us we got DVC to make the most of how we want to vacation.

If I want a 2br I get a 2br...if I want to stay at BLT I will book it over OKW even though one is cheaper. To make the most of our vacation and kids out of school we often stay Fri - Sun (about 10 days) which covers 2 weekends. Yes those are the most pt heavy times, but it works best for our family and I don't stress it.

On the other hand I do try to get the best buy in cost I can, and try to watch the MF costs. I just don't see too many people post that say "you know what I want X and that is what I'm going to get". Is anyone else like this or just me?

Next Saturday, we are staying at SSR in a one bedroom villa for one night and are using 50 points for that one night. I had the points, they would have expired and we needed on night at WDW before we head to the beach. I'd rather use points than pay out extra cash. I've already paid for the points. When we return to WDW on the next Thursday, I'll have two Friday nights and one Saturday night in our 9 night stay. Again, we have the points, they are paid for, we use them.

 

[pyrxtc]

I hate switching rooms and resorts even more !! I just book where and what I want to stay and go. It always encompasses a Friday and Saturday night but that why I bought so many points, so I could do that.

 

[Inkmahm]

My first thought when reading the OP was that we are exactly alike, I get what I want and don't worry about points. Once I thought about it, that's actually not exactly true.

We have points at 3 different resorts so I always get the resort I want to stay at when I want to stay there because I use the 11 month booking advantage. I don't worry about booking weekends as vacation days off from work are precious to me. We always have a weekend included in every trip we take to WDW. Usually we are there 4 to 6 nights for each trip. We don't switch rooms or book cash rooms to save points as I really don't like split stays.

All that said, I DO book a studio for just DH and me rather than a one bedroom so that we can save points for future trips in larger rooms with family invited as guests. We love the one bedroom, but I love bringing family with us even more. When we don't need points for family trips, I'll book a one bedroom for just DH and I. Maybe.. now that we're used to the studios for just the two of us, it feels like a splurge to get the one bedroom for just two people.

Our next family trip is next March, during a higher point cost season (we also go in October and December.) We were booked in a one bedroom at Kidani for just the two of us. Then we invited my sister and niece. Still okay with the one bedroom, especially since there are two bathrooms. Then we added my mom, too. Once we got to five people, rather than make three of them sleep in the living room (which they were perfectly fine with doing) I changed our reservation to a 2 bedroom dedicated villa for the 5 of us. We'll probably never have 3 bathrooms again for 5 people. It was another 80 points to change the villa but I know we'll all appreciate the extra space and I don't look at it as wasting points. I look at it as being able to spoil my family with yet another trip to WDW. We want to take my mom as often as we can while she is still able to go, even though she is in a wheelchair already. She loves going to WDW and the nieces/nephews all love spending time with their grandma. No such thing as a waste of points when we're building lasting memories. I wish I'd owned DVC before my dad died. I did get him to WDW for two trips staying at the Wilderness Lodge, but I know he'd have loved going with us and staying in the DVC villas.

Anyway, that's a long winded answer to say that I don't think I worry about points and we do spend them in ways that some would consider wasteful but we also don't automatically book exactly what we want (or I'd always be in a one bedroom with just me and my DH...) Have I mentioned that I LOVE the flexibility of DVC? I love being able to book for just the two of us all the way up to a family reunion for 12 of us. It really is a great way to treat our families and have great memories with all of them.

 

[Crystal_27]

When we bought into DVC, we really studied the points charts and (hopefully) were able to buy the right amount of points to suit our vacationing needs. We don't mind staying in a studio (there are only 3 of us) so we obviously can stay a little points-cheaper than those with larger families, but I'm also really trying to just use my points so as to make us happy. For example, in 2010, we are doing a 5-night cruise (although heavily borrowing from 2011 to do so) but that just means that for 2011 and 2012 we'll have to stay in a studio for a week (DARN IT, right).

I think that it's always tempting to think that you don't have enough points and want to buy more, but we're just trying to work within the number of points we bought and hopefully we'll be okay.

 

[Inkmahm]

When we bought into DVC, we really studied the points charts and (hopefully) were able to buy the right amount of points to suit our vacationing needs. We don't mind staying in a studio (there are only 3 of us) so we obviously can stay a little points-cheaper than those with larger families, but I'm also really trying to just use my points so as to make us happy. For example, in 2010, we are doing a 5-night cruise (although heavily borrowing from 2011 to do so) but that just means that for 2011 and 2012 we'll have to stay in a studio for a week (DARN IT, right).

I think that it's always tempting to think that you don't have enough points and want to buy more, but we're just trying to work within the number of points we bought and hopefully we'll be okay.

Now that I read your post, I remember that I meant to say that we never will use our points for crusing as the points required are ridiculous compared to the cash price of the cabins. It is too late for you for this trip, but consider paying cash in the future by transfering your points to a fellow DVC member to get the cash. You'll likely save a bundle!

We are using points to stay at the GC hotel in Disneyland in August as the points ended up being cheaper (valuing them at $10 each) than paying cash. I think it was partially due to being 4 weeknights with no weekend nights included for that trip, but I saved a bit using points. You just always have to do the math to see what works out best.

 

[JerJan]

We kind of approached our purchase in a different way than I have seen posted here. We bought our points at SSR by figuring out how many points we would need for a 2 bedroom for 10 days during peak season. Sometimes (usually) I break them up into smaller vacations (2 or 3) but I always know we have that 1 week in a 2 bedroom option!

 

[capecoddisneyfamily]

We always go when we want, and stay where we want. If points have to be borrowed so be it. Although we do like to stay at the Hyatt on our last day and fly out in the early AM.

 

[photobob]

Some of us have to be a bit more stingy with our points. We are going to Vero in three weeks for a Sun-Thurs stay. We decided to go to Orlando Saturday and stay in an offsite 2 bedroom villa for $99, before heading to Vero. Saturday night in the 2 bdr at Vero would have been 72 points for that one night, my 5 night stay is 145. Even for those that don't worry about their points that is just very hard to justify.

 

[Starr W.]

Don't get me wrong I try to save pts if possible. But I see tons of posts about paying cash or switching rooms or even staying offsite to save pts. Now I do think that most of the MK view pts for BLT are crazy but for us we got DVC to make the most of how we want to vacation.

If I want a 2br I get a 2br...if I want to stay at BLT I will book it over OKW even though one is cheaper. To make the most of our vacation and kids out of school we often stay Fri - Sun (about 10 days) which covers 2 weekends. Yes those are the most pt heavy times, but it works best for our family and I don't stress it.

On the other hand I do try to get the best buy in cost I can, and try to watch the MF costs. I just don't see too many people post that say "you know what I want X and that is what I'm going to get". Is anyone else like this or just me?

Count me in! I don't think we've done a trip that hasn't included at least 1 weekend night(usually 2).

We usually catch the 6pm flight out of DTW and head right for our DVC resort. No off-site or POP for us.

Always book a 2br, and I've never thought about doing OKW to save points. At some point yes I will try to book a 2br MK view at BLT.

DH wanted me to WL BLT MK view for Thanksgiving, but I have a GV booked at SSR and had to remind him the last time we tried 5 people in a 2br. The MK view will wait until another trip.

Privacy and space are important to me. Plus a "real table" in the villa if we're trying to eat in.

 

[MtMinnie2]

Hi, I have been reading this thread and most of you are doing what I would like to do in the future ... that is spend 7 to 10 nights since I will be traveling from Montana. What I am wondering is how many points are you people working with. The number in my party will vary from needing a studio to using a grand villa for special occassions . Any advice would be helpful.Thanks

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Count me in! I don't think we've done a trip that hasn't included at least 1 weekend night(usually 2).

We usually catch the 6pm flight out of DTW and head right for our DVC resort. No off-site or POP for us.

Always book a 2br, and I've never thought about doing OKW to save points. At some point yes I will try to book a 2br MK view at BLT.

DH wanted me to WL BLT MK view for Thanksgiving, but I have a GV booked at SSR and had to remind him the last time we tried 5 people in a 2br. The MK view will wait until another trip.

Privacy and space are important to me. Plus a "real table" in the villa if we're trying to eat in.

Other than at Vero Beach (thank you new pts. allocations), I will book weekends if that's what my vacation timeframe demands at any of the resorts. So I save on some trips going S-TH, then I spend more going on some weekends. It all evens itself out, IMHO. OT, but I would never give up a GV for MK view 2bdr.!!!! That SSR GV is to die for!

 

[robandkelly13]

We don't worry about the points either - we just add on Seriously, we started with 320, then added 50, then 130 more. We like the space a two bedroom gives and we decided we need at 10 nights in a SV view during the summer. SO, more points it was.

 

[culli]

We don't worry about the points either - we just add on Seriously, we started with 320, then added 50, then 130 more. We like the space a two bedroom gives and we decided we need at 10 nights in a SV view during the summer. SO, more points it was.

hehehe TOTALLY!!!!!!!!!! We do a little here a little there, and with the economy I picked up more Wyndham pts (almost literly for free), even DVC resale is at record lows.

Like I said my post isn't to say that I just waste points...heck I'm the one that ALWAYS states use your pts to stay and DVC resorts or you are throwing money away. I try to get SV rooms, will do a studio for just the wife and I. But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one that doesn't move rooms or stay at CRO or offsite on weekends. Some people don't mind doing that and I understand why people do.......but I like to just get there and relax. We did do a split stay last time but that was because we wanted to try VWL, it was a 14 day trip so 5 days then move for 9 more was ok. It wasn't too much of a hassle but I would prefer not to move at all.