As a DVC member, do you still do cash rooms at the resorts on occasion?

[com_op_2000]

We have done one cash trip since '93. That was for a convention I was sent too within a week before the start of the convention and I could not get a last minute reservation.

 

[bwang123]

We ran out of points and wanted to book a room for a friend this December while we are there. We just used our AP discount to buy a night. Otherwise, since we bought DVC, we usually work within our points.

 

[FireflyTrance]

I book the Swan and Dolphin using my SPG credit card points when I am low on DVC points. Not sure if that is exactly considered "cash". We are also going to DL in the Spring and I could only get 2 nights at GCV so we are paying cash for two more nights offsite.

If I wanted to pay cash at WDW I would probably stay at AoA. I think it's a great resort for little kids and I like that it has one-bedrooms.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I do cash rooms every now and then, but usually it's because we are passing thorough on a last minute and there are no DVC rooms available. For example on our way down to a cruise.

 

[Geomom]

Since we bought DVC, we haven't done any cash rooms. (Other than the one we already had booked before we bought our first contract...it was a good deal w/ a free $200 gift card...and we weren't going to be able to get a room on points 3 months out anyway.)

 

[DougEMG]

The last time we did a cash room instead of using points was back in 2012 during free dining.

 

[wishicouldgomoreofte]

Yes.

 

[bwvBound]

Generally "No" ... but there are exceptions, of course!

In 2014 we filled two 2BR AKV units with family and friends for a RunDisney event. We covered 4 nights ... but then a few of us chose to extend our stay at All Stars using a CM rate supplied by one of guests. That was awesome. As far as I can recall, that was our only cash reservation at WDW since buying DVC in 2004. We've completed three DCL cruises since becoming DVC members; two were covered by points and the third booked on cash.

A strange thing happened to us after we started using timeshare: we quickly grew disinterested in standard hotel rooms. We love the space, kitchens and laundry. These features quickly moved from "nice to have" to "must have." So most of our travel, outside cruises and conventions, has been timeshare. That said, we book timeshare using a variety of programs, including cash reservations.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't usually book cash rooms. The exception is, if I drive down, I leave early in case of traffic problems so sometimes I arrive a day early, and will stay the first night at Pop Century, and occasionally I will spend that night off site in Kissimmee, if it is late and I want to save $$.

 

[lorenni]

We did 3 nights at the AP rate at ASM for a last minute trip at the end of our annual pass last year. We have 260 BLT points but had used them earlier in the year. Have since bought 200 AKL points. But I can still see us doing a small trip on cash just because we tend to bank/borrow and then get 2 bed villas for a week at a time so we can bring grandparents.

 

[jarestel]

Absolutely. Mixing cash stays into our DVC reservations ensures we don't need to buy an insane number of points to cover years when we feel like going more than usual.

 

[DebbieB]

Doing a Universal/WDW trip in April. Friend is a cm, got a 50% off room at POR.

 

[gillep]

Yes, most of our trips were still on cash, with AP discount, when we just had our AKV contract. Now that we have doubled our points with our BCV contract, it should reduce our need to book cash rooms considerably, but certainly not eliminate it.

 

[kittylady1972]

Absolutely! This year we've had more trips than points available to us. We have stayed at SOG a few times, and this next trip we are actually staying at POR for the first time since 1999! That was more because there was nothing available in points for all five of us, and my FIL is joining us and paying for his room, and we want to stay in the same place.

Looking forward to checking out POR for sure and the kids have never been there so it will be fun for them. I HATE paying for a room, but at least we have APs so we aren't paying for tickets also.

 

[dboules]

In 17 years I haven't booked a cash room. I have borrowed before and we have bought 100 points (two 50 point contracts) after our initial 210 point purchase.

 

[emilymad]

We book cash rooms frequently. Sometimes it is a last minute trip and there is no availability or we need a few more nights that our points cover. We are at a stage where we don't want to commit more money to Disney. I would rather pay a little more and have some flexibility.

 

[BoPeepDH]

I frequent DL, so I end up doing cash rooms since I don't own VGC and there is little availability at 7 months.

 

[Mousewerks]

Haven't ever done a cash room at Disney though we did stay offsite once before we bought in.

 

[Sleepy425]

Yes. This January we booked 5 months out with a travel agency exclusive deal, only $408 total for POP. Couldn't pass that up, especially since we were out of points and there were no DVC rooms available even if we weren't.
In August my husband and I are each going for a long weekend with a couple kids. It was only $700 for three nights at Wilderness Lodge, so we again booked through an agency exclusive deal.
I like to save my points for when all 6 of us are traveling(especially since it means I can bring along my parents to help with the kids!). If I can get a good deal on a normal room, I'm fine with that if there are only 2 or 3 of us going.
Although we are considering adding about 130ish points. So if we had those we wouldn't necessarily need the cash rooms.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

Yup. Don't have enough points for all my trips. I'm looking at a cash trip over Memorial Weekend in case Toy Story Land opens then.