Anybody Stay At DVC On Weekends?

[lugnut33]

I've been trying to decide if I want to book a quick get-away for me and my wife at the beginning of May (for her birthday, our anniversary, mother's day). However, to do that we have to travel on the weekend Friday thru Monday since she's a teacher (she'd also have to use a couple personal days). So, I have the points available to do it, but is it worth it?

The cheapest weekend is a studio at AKL (it might be full?) for 55 points (OKW is the next cheapest). Well, if you figure $10 a point that's $550 to stay for 3 nights, which is pretty steep. I know I can find something off-site cheaper, yet it still costs money where the other is just points. I always see people on this site harping about not using weekend points, but why is that such a big deal, it's just points.

Any opinions about that?

 

[Inkmahm]

I never go to WDW WITHOUT staying a Fri and Sat night as part of the trip.

Vacation days are like gold for me. I wouldn't give up time at WDW because the points are higher for me to be there on a weekend.

 

[Tozzie]

I know a lot of people don't use points for weekend stays because the nights are more points but I want to go when I want and stay when I want so I purchased enough points so I can do that. I have two trips booked for next year and they both include a Friday and Saturday nights.

 

[drusba]

lugnut33, your post indicates exactly what people think about when considering weekends. With the higher points, many of us would still go with using them both because we want to go and don't want to spend cash. Many others, more frugally-minded than I, would either look for an alternative or decide just not to go on a weekend. We seldom go for less than a week and thus use points for weekends. We often, however, do a 12 night trip, arrive on a Sun and leave on a Fri, to get a long trip but only one weekend.

 

[Donna M]

If you bought the points to use, then use them when you want to. It is a special trip and maybe not worth the hassle of renting.

 

[lugnut33]

I'll have the points to use, plus I have some non-expiring tickets with days left on them. Really, it could be a nice cheap trip if I can find cheap airfare. It's just that I don't want to feel I'm getting ripped off using weekend points.

 

[Starr W.]

Our trips always include Fri-Sat night stays.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Hi Starr! Well, when we go to WDW, we always include a Sat. night. When we go to Vero Beach, we do Sun. - Thurs. Pts. are just tooooo much for a weekend at VB.

 

[Starr W.]

Hi Starr! Well, when we go to WDW, we always include a Sat. night. When we go to Vero Beach, we do Sun. - Thurs. Pts. are just tooooo much for a weekend at VB.

How are you doing? I've been worried about you.

Thinking of going over next Sat. night to the Portofino at Universal and stalk the Nationwide banquet(yes, I'm a crazy Carl fan ).

 

[kikiq]

We come from the West Coast and I'm a teacher, so my time off is precious. We bought enough points for the weekend stays. Have even used points to stay weekends at the Grand Californian. Yes, there are some that say that certain point stays are not the best use of points, but we say OUR points and we will use them in a way that is best for our family. When we first bought our points, I told my DH about the "best use" of points and he said, "who cares what those folks think, they didn't pay for my points and when I go on vacation I want to go on my vacation. Who are they to tell me what the best way to use OUR points? They don't know our lives and how hard I work." And since my DH analyzed our DVC purchase to death and decided it was the only way he would be forced to take vacations, I have never looked back on when or where we use our points.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Our next trip of nine nights has two Fridays and one Sat night in the mix. That's just the way it works out.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Well, if you figure $10 a point that's $550 to stay for 3 nights, which is pretty steep.

In my opinion, this is the problem. Just because points will rent for $10, does not mean they cost you $10.
In reality, they cost you less than $7 per point.

Weekends are not as good of a deal as weekdays, but they are still usually a better deal than cash.

MG

PS- $550 for 3 nights seems very reasonable to me.

 

[delmar411]

we use them on weekends. We cannot pack up 6ppl and move for the weekends esp since even at a value we'd need 2 rooms. That's a lot of money OOP and time wasted to save some points. I prefer to look at the point cost of the whole trip instead of a day by day viewpoint.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

Last couple of trips for us have just been long weekends. My kids are now young adults and work has gotten in the way!! I'm just thrilled to be able to go and thrilled that my young adults want to go with me. One of my DDs is a teacher, so we still have to deal with a school schedule!!

 

[pyrxtc]

I do cuz I hate changing rooms, nevermind hotels. I bought with the intention of staying 7 nights in a 2 bedroom concierge. I can arrive and leave when I want and there iwll always be two weekend nghts in the middle of my stay. I used my points in a 1 bedroom for 10 days and paid for two weekends on points.

I don't see why I should use cash when I can use paid for points for a nicer room.

 

[Anal Annie]

We bought DVC to cover our accomodations so yes, we use them for the weekends...the only exception being if we're OUT of points then we will do DVC cash discount reservations. I don't like being "out" of points and do not want to start borrowing ahead (that only makes the being "out" of points scenario worse) so I would rather pay cash than borrow...but that is just part of my anal retentive OCD stubborn nature. I am a saver - so I will bank but will not borrow! I keep thinking that one day I will convice DH that with all of the cash nights we've paid for we could've done a 50 point add-on...hoping he will see that light one day!

 

[katied]

Yes. I've used for weekends. If I have them, then I want to use them. But, if I'm short points and paying for some cash nites, I do make sure I only pay cash for the weekend nites.

 

[Mollie Bell]

The last time we went, we took my brother and his wife. We stayed in a 2 bedroom, Sun - Thurs which was perfect for us, used 160 points.

I just couldn't bring myself to use the extra points for a Fri / Sat. stay.

I guess we think alike.

 

[Figment2]

I'm with the group that stays weekends. Friends & I do quite a few long weekends (Thur/Fri to Mon./Tues.). Our long trip in October includes two weekends.

Cyn

 

[aurorafan]

I know a lot of people don't use points for weekend stays because the nights are more points but I want to go when I want and stay when I want so I purchased enough points so I can do that. I have two trips booked for next year and they both include a Friday and Saturday nights.

ditto