Anyone stay outside Disney and use points?

[tonyboy]

I'm debating on taking my wife on a little getaway somewhere and wanted to see if anyone has any recommendations on using points outside Disney? Is the process as smooth as booking at a Disney resort or do you have to go through red tape to book a room?

Thanks in advance for your replies

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

It is very easy to do. We have stayed at both the Sagamore in New York and the Woodstock Inn in Vermont and both were very simple. Both are a little bit out of your neighborhood, but they were great trips and making the reservation was easy.

HBC

 

[WDWguru]

Don't think it's a hassle at all. We booked the Holland America Alaska cruise just a few weeks ago.

Don't forget that you will pay a $75 fee when you book outside DVC and Disney resorts.

 

[ralphd]

We are spending a week next May in London at the Royal Garden. The reservation confirmation was received within 24 hours. The reservation process could not be easier.

ralphd

 

[K&TLoveDisney]

DH and I recently booked a 4 day cruise using points thru DVC. I thought everything went very smooth. We had our confirmation within a very short time. We were asked a lot of questions on birthdays, anniversary, etc. to make our stay even more special.
I was surprised at this. All in all, very easy.

We will be cruising October of 2003.

 

[sjpvac]

I agree that there is no problem making the reservation elsewhere, but I would definitely get some feedback from other folks about the place before I reserved. I stayed at the White Swan in San Francisco using points and, while not particularly appealing(especially the $25 per day parking fee), it was clean and big enough. On a subsequent occasion, thinking that the Petite Aurberge down the street was the same, I found myself stuck with a rundown room with broken blinds, filthy windows and bad plumbing that was so small we had to refuse turndown service because with no closets and with two large suitcases, there was literally no place for three people to fit at the same time. DVC was completely unhelpful when I tried to get them involved in getting me another room there or somewhere else or refunding points and when I learned that DVC was only paying $119 for the room from the clerk, I was especially sorry that I went there on points plus the $75 fee.