Anyone plan points for 1 or 2 days here and there?

[Tinky624]

Does anyone use their points for trips that may only be for a weekend or a day or two here and there? We just bought DVC on the DCL and live in Florida. We go to disney on an average of twice a month. We initially bought DVC to travel to other Disney destinations and many other resort locations available around the world. We have a trip planed for next year out of the country. We are thinking for the future, now we can run up for the weekend or during the week for a couple nights frequently throughout the year. Please give us your advise and opinion on our planning for the future. Thanks, all comment and questions are welcomed.

 

[Dean]

Using points for weekends and for non DVC options is not a good value, I'd recommend against using it that way. If that's your only or main intention, you'd be better off selling DVC and looking at other options including cash and other timeshares.

 

[Tinky624]

Our main use will be for other places than DVC now and then. My question is does anyone use points like this? Whether or not its weekends or during the week at WDW for a day or two. I'm sure we are not the only people that live in Florida that go to disney often and are DVC members. We don't need to vacation at WDW for a whole week. And I see no need in booking a hotel room at a value or mod. resort for a night or two if I can stay at a Villa for free for the next 48 years.

 

[MissD]

That's exactly what we love about DVC--all those short little 'gotta get away' trips!

We usually plan one 'long' trip with friends/'chosen family' (a one week trip is considered a long one for us) and then take an awful lot of 1 and 2 (sometimes 3) nighters. This year we went to SSR for 2 nights in early May, and then went to OKW for one night May 25..even though we were leaving for VB on the 28th. The SSR trip was 'sort of' planned to meet up with friends, but the OKW was just one of those 'here and there' things that we love so much. We've been pretty much using our points that way for the 8 years we've owned DVC.

We kind of joke about making those little short trips a part of our hurricane evacuation plan I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be displaced than WDW

One of the great things we've found about the short trips is the fact that getting a reservation doesn't seem as tough. We've been very lucky in that area, whenever we've decided to just pick up and go, MS had just what we were looking for. We don't travel during holiday weeks though-using points for those little trips may be more of a challenge during the really busy periods.

 

[Tinky624]

Using points for non DVC options is not a good value, I'd recommend against using it that way. If that's your only or main intention, you'd be better off selling DVC and looking at other options including cash and other timeshares.

Why do you say it's not good for non Disney trips?

 

[Tinky624]

That's exactly what we love about DVC--all those short little 'gotta get away' trips!

We kind of joke about making those little short trips a part of our hurricane evacuation plan I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be displaced than WDW I love this Idea! If we have a hurricane we'll meet you there.

One of the great things we've found about the short trips is the fact that getting a reservation doesn't seem as tough. We've been very lucky in that area, whenever we've decided to just pick up and go, MS had just what we were looking for. We don't travel during holiday weeks though-using points for those little trips may be more of a challenge during the really busy periods.

This is great I'm glad to hear that you have had good success with reservations on short notice. This was something I worried about. Don't think will be their during the holidays, so it should work out. Thanks so much for your time and tips.

 

[MissD]

As Dean stated, weekends and non-DVC are not the best way to maximize the value of your points. We make our little trips between Sunday to Thursday to really get the best value for our points.

We are, however, guilty of using points for a 2 night AKL concierge stay-ONCE

Now we'll gladly take 4 nights in a 1 BR villa instead

 

[Tinky624]

We make our little trips between Sunday to Thursday to really get the best value for our points.

We are, however, guilty of using points for a 2 night AKL concierge stay-ONCE

Sunday - Thursday is what we would do most of the time and AKL concierge sounds wonderful

But, why not non Disney?

 

[MissD]

This is great I'm glad to hear that you have had good success with reservations on short notice. This was something I worried about. Don't think will be their during the holidays, so it should work out. Thanks so much for your time and tips.

There you go--we can be evacuated and celebrate together! No more of those eveil power outages for us

By the way, I love your signature...amazingly, it's the first Spanish phrase my children learned Hmmmm.

 

[Tinky624]

There you go--we can be evacuated and celebrate together! No more of those eveil power outages for us

By the way, I love your signature...amazingly, it's the first Spanish phrase my children learned Hmmmm.

Please no more hurricanes, Out of power last year for a week and two weeks the year before due to 2 hurricanes HOT last year was plesent due to a cold front the next day so we got lucky.

And if your children know that phrase you go there alot. Its the only spanish phrase we know as well. Feel free to copy it!

 

[MissD]

But, why not non Disney?

There are often better cash deals out there for what the point costs are at the non-Disney properties. For an occasional stay somewhere, it's not a big deal to us, since there's still no out of pocket for us. We don't make a habit of it, of course, because we get more value (and therefore more 'trips') at DVC resorts.

I seem to be hearing the Biltmore in Coral Gables calling me to use my points every so often...but then I think of how many nights I can spend at VB instead...decisions, decisions

 

[Tinky624]

There are often better cash deals out there for what the point costs are at the non-Disney properties. For an occasional stay somewhere, it's not a big deal to us, since there's still no out of pocket for us. We don't make a habit of it, of course, because we get more value (and therefore more 'trips') at DVC resorts.

I seem to be hearing the Biltmore in Coral Gables calling me to use my points every so often...but then I think of how many nights I can spend at VB instead...decisions, decisions

We are going to use or points for an African Trip next year and plan on using it occasional for places we would like to travel to. If we payed for it might as well use it. But I see what you mean.

 

[MissD]

Please no more hurricanes, Out of power last year for a week and two weeks the year before due to 2 hurricanes HOT last year was plesent due to a cold front the next day so we got lucky.

And if your children know that phrase you go there alot. Its the only spanish phrase we know as well. Feel free to copy it!

No more hurricanes indeed! I know exactly what you mean. We always thought Ocala was safe, being so far inland and all that.
Frances and Jeanne taught us otherwise. 5 days without power each time--and you're right, it was SO hot. We're just crossing our fingers this year..but if the storms are on their way...as the commercial says...I'm goin' to Disney World

 

[Tinky624]

No more hurricanes indeed! I know exactly what you mean. We always thought Ocala was safe, being so far inland and all that.
Frances and Jeanne taught us otherwise. 5 days without power each time--and you're right, it was SO hot. We're just crossing our fingers this year..but if the storms are on their way...as the commercial says...I'm goin' to Disney World

Your right, I would rather pay for their food than worry about stocking up on Chef Boyrdee.

 

[Dean]

Why do you say it's not good for non Disney trips?

Several reasons. NONE of the other options are guaranteed, they could all go away tomorrow. Nothing you can reserved directly (DC, DCL, CC) is consistently a break even compared to cash. Most you'd save money using cash, generally you would spend about 45-60% cash compared to using DVC points and that assumes a value of $10 per point which I think has gone up somewhat. Talking about II (World Passport), almost non of the options are a good value and the ones that are will be unlikely to be available consistently. Using points for weekends is VERY expensive. For OKW, it's on average around 2.5 times weekday points for Fri & Sat nights.

Thus it makes no sense to buy DVC for things you can't get and/or will cost you more that route than if you just paid cash. And for trades, a different timeshare would be both a BETTER and CHEAPER option. IMO, one who plans to trade 10-20% of the time should almost never buy DVC and it sounds like you're looking for mostly trading options and/or weekends. In the words of Jeff Foxworthy that's "like buying an airplane to get free peanuts".

You can do what you want of course, just trying to give you a more objective and rounded opinion than most are able to on this board.

 

[yourgoingagain?]

We actually make them 3 night "get aways" for a quick fix. It's an easy drive from Tampa. We actually have our ressie for Oct 06 BWV, Dec 06 SSR, Jan 07 VWL, May 07 BWV, June 07 SSR (will switch at 7 month to OKW). In Aug I'll make the July 07 ressie. Between DVC and our loews platinum (go to UO 3 times a year) and our annual trip tp Dolphin (first nice hotel we ever stayed at and it was our honeymoon).

All that said were very fortunate to live so close. We look at going to Disney like many people look at ging to a lake house, beach house or cabin in the mountains.

 

[marymrg]

I've used points for one, two or three night stays during the week but not on the weekends. I am stingy with my points. Sometimes I combine them with a regular resort stay or a stay at the Swan/Dolphin.

On a quick trip last January, DD and I stayed for free - 3 nights at BWV and 1 night on SPG points at the Dolphin.

On another trip with my two boys, we stayed one night at BCV so that we could enjoy the pools there and be close to Epcot/MGM. Then we moved over to an OKW studio for a few nights.

I don't mind resort switching, especially if I am just staying in a Studio or if there are only two of us. It's a little easier when you have a car to do this but I've also resort hopped just by using park transportation and had my luggage (traveled very light) transferred.

 

[spiceycat]

Guility - that is how I have done my last few trips. Stay offsite - cheap timeshare - this time it is costing me $166 for the entire week in a 2-bedroom.

the further apart I am from family the better we all like it - so I have a 3-bedroom here too (this was an exchange and more expensive $380 includes the exchange fee & my maintence fee).

I got a studio for each of us for BWV Sunday night - MK EMH.... If BWV standard view had not been available I would have gotten OKW.

this trip is in Sept - so I am also hopping that the hurricanes don't come this year, too..... I know - they are coming.....

I do this often - stay offsite in a bigger place and just use my DVC for day trip on EMH nights.... Of course I also stay in the DVC room.... I love Disney service not to mention transportation.

however for weekends (fri/sat) I still go with Pop Century - it is much cheaper. I have an annual pass, AAA, and Disney Visa.

I have also done a 3 day - DVC only trip - a few times - come sun leave wednesday - or come Tuesday and leave Friday.. depending upon what I was planning on during. the drive from Alabama is quiet a bit longer than you Floridians have to go - but still doable in a day.

 

[pjadtl]

We love using ours for mini-weekends. We live about an hour away and those Thurs- Sun. or just Fri-Sun are our lifeblood! The points may be a little higher but it is still better than paying cash, espcially when you want to take last minute trips. I wish I had the option of more weekday trips but unfortunatley I do the Mon thru Fri thing so it's just not an option all the time. Just like MissD said- I haven't had a problem yet booking a 3 or 4 day stay (except fot the NYE one I am waitlisted for). We too, book one week vacation and a few mini's. It works great for us and I wouldn't have it any other way. That's what's great about DVC- it's yours to use however you want!

 

[HUFF590]

Our annual trips to HH are just for 2 maybe 3 days each time, Im always borrowed out on my points but heck thats why I bought them.