Avoiding Friday and Saturday Night stays

[rie'smom]

We usually stay for about 10-14 days. We arrive on Friday and check-in at either the Swan or Dolphin. Then we move to BWV on Sunday and checkout on Friday. From there it's on to the Royal Pacific at Universal.
I like to save points because when we go,our daughter always brings a friend. We get a 2 bd. bbecause we don't like to be on top of each other.

 

[buzz5985]

Last summer was a big experiment for us. We flew down and didn't rent a car. A first for us. We used ME and gardengrocer. We were there for 2 weeks. We checked into OKW 2 BR, moved to WL conceirge, than moved to BCV 2 BR. Disney transferred the bags. Gardengrocer brought us our food and alcohol. We were happy. Everything worked well.

We tend to plan our days were we are staying. So when we were at OKW - we went to AK, DTD. WL - MK, BCV - Epcot and MGM. On our first moving day, DH, DS, and Grampy went to MK while I went to check in at the WL. They were only at the MK for about 20 minutes before I arrived, with lunch waiting at Pecos Bills.

We also split the DDP. First week we did the plan - 2nd week relaxed. So there is a plus for splitting stays.

Janis

 

[DisneyBB]

We tend to go for 3 weeks so it is too hard to move around much. Christmas 2005 we didn't have enough points for our 25 night stay, so we stayed 3 nights at all stars to avoid the first WE points (not really unpacking) the kids loved it! Then we moved to our 1 bed in OKW until the 27th Dec, then moved to the Dolphin for 5 nights (the points that year were really massive for NYE as it fell on a weekend) to be near Epcot, and finally back to a 1 bed in OKW. It was a lot of moving, but we managed it. Even with our 5 year old getting really sick on NYE.

This Christmas we are staying a a value for Sat night at AKL, then moving to a 1 bed (on waitlist) at AKL for 3 nights with DDP. We are then moving to OKW for the remainder. So the sat night in a value saves us lots of points and this is what we intend to do to avoid the first weekend. Staying in a studio for a few nights and then move to the bigger accommadation. It is to harder to to it the other way around. I hate arriving on a Sat and blowing all those points straight away.

 

[alldiz]

I'm a new DVC owner with an extra yrs points....

I threw caution to the wind....
Next trip is.....thurs, fri and sat only in DVC
Before I switch to pofq for free dining....

I did not think about weekend points....
i just really wanted to try BCV...in the summer to enjoy pool....

Next year....i will be more point conscious
Kerri

 

[jimmytammy]

If we go for more than a week we stay on pts over the Fri-Sat stay. Sometimes we will go in early and stay at the All Stars for a Fri-Sat then move to a DVC resort. But we dont break up the DVC stay by moving in and out.

 

[jimmytammy]

I'm a new DVC owner with an extra yrs points....

I threw caution to the wind....
Next trip is.....thurs, fri and sat only in DVC
Before I switch to pofq for free dining....

I did not think about weekend points....
i just really wanted to try BCV...in the summer to enjoy pool....

Next year....i will be more point conscious
Kerri

Kerri

Dont sweat it! As time goes on, you will figure out how to use those pts to your advantage and how to squeeze extra nights in and such

I remember when we 1st bought pts, we had 170 then an add-on of 5o before making that 1st trip home. We had those pts almost a year before making the trip. We were real conservative, only using 80 pts, scared we would overuse them or something

But after that trip, we caught on real quick and started juggling the points in all kinds of scenarios. Lets just say you will be planning 2-3 trips down the road before you know it and that will put you on as an owner.

Have fun planning and on that 1st trip home!

 

[mprewitt]

But you are paying double points for the studio on Friday. It's less points than a one bedroom but it's still double.

For Sunday to Thursday night, we stay in 1 BR, and then switch to a studio for Sat night. Yes, Sat night is still double the points of the prior nights, but by switching from a 1BR to a studio, the points used for my Sat night stay is about the same as the points used for each of my other nights. So Saturday costs about the same as a regular weeknight.

 

[sheryl0521]

Pay cash for the weekend night and link it to the point ressie. Works every time for us.

 

[iluveeyore]

We are in a 2 bedroom with another family this year (11 days from now!), and we lucked out because we got the AP rate for the weekend ($450 cash or $225 each family), so we have points for two weeks, cash for the weekend and cash AP rate for the last night (Friday). Our friends rented points for their portion of the 2 bedroom as we do not have enough and they are not DVC members. All of the ressies are linked and we do not have to move for 14 days!
When we go with just four of us, we get a 1 bedroom, always arrive on a Sunday, and if necessary rent extra points for the weekend in between so we can stay for twelve nights - we find renting is cheaper than cash rate. We have moved to Pop or a mod on the weekends if we find good AP rates to save money, but like other posters have said, it's easier if you don't have to move since it takes a couple of days worth of relaxing away spent checking in/checking out and moving around.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Doesn't spending cash on weekend nights kind of defeat the purpose of DVC? Couldn't you use the money you spend for the cash nights to get a few more points for the next 30-50 years? After paying cash for four or five trips, you might have enough money for the points needed for those weekend nights.

 

[sheryl0521]

Doesn't spending cash on weekend nights kind of defeat the purpose of DVC? Couldn't you use the money you spend for the cash nights to get a few more points for the next 30-50 years? After paying cash for four or five trips, you might have enough money for the points needed for those weekend nights.

DH isn't a big fan of the monthly maintenance fees. If we were to add on 50 (or so) points to cover the weekend stays, our monthly rate would increase.

 

[deerh]

We do both..

Sometimes we do Pop Cent for Fri/Sat nite, then 5 nights at BWV...
Other times we stay 1 week at BWV.. We bought enought pts to stay 1 week,
but when we want to stretch the pts, we stay 5 nights at BWV...

DeerH

 

[SwhJess]

We do 5 nights in a 1 BR (Sun-Thur), then we head to the beach - on the West coast of FL somewhere for Fri-Sat, then back to WDW for a studio for 3 more nights. It gives us a nice break from the rush of the parks, and we can lay on the beach relaxing for 2 days, knowing we're saving points! It also gives us the opportunity to stay the longer portion at Home at SSR, then to try one of the other DVCs for the shorter portion, to get to experience all of it!

Of course, we rent a car and we have no kids yet (packing up and moving is pretty easy for us) - so it works for us for now

 

[iluveeyore]

Deb - spending cash doesn't defeat the purpose of having DVC - we own DVC, but some trips require a bit more points (like when our friends are coming this trip), and some trips we don't need extra points. Plus, we don't have the extra $5000 min. to buy extra points, just paid off our original points last year, so spending $300-500 this trip and nothing extra next trip fits in with our budget right now. I'd love to own enough points to never have to rent or pay cash again, but we still have to put money aside to pay our annual dues right after Christmas every year, so we're happy with the amount we have - heck, I'm just happy to own DVC no matter how many points I have

 

[flyerron]

Iluveeyore, I think you have the right spirit for this whole concept. There is too much hassle moving around instead of just relaxing & enjoying the Magic. When you have to think too much & worry about moving, etc, the time & energy spent can wear you out.

 

[tacomaranch]

I am finding that the flights we get are on Tues/Wed for the cheapest. I thought when buying that we move out for the weekends but now I find that once I get settled in, I don't want to pack up, move and then move back.

So, I have learned that I need more points. We use ME so we have to stay on site. We are spending our first nite in a value on this trip and are excited to see what it is like, for 1 nite.

Then we move to our 1 br villa for the next 7 nites.

I say just bite the bullet and get enough points to stay the weekends. JMO

 

[DeeCee735]

We usually arrive on a Saturday night, and leave Saturday morning of the following week. Therefore, we will stay at a moderate for that first Saturday night, or even a value - Pop Century for instance. We love being on Disney property, and we love checking out other places, so this gives us a chance to do so. We don't mind using points for one Friday night, and originally purchased enough to do so in a one bedroom (added on a couple of times, so now we can stay in a 2!) Have fun planning!

 

[DebbieB]

Doesn't spending cash on weekend nights kind of defeat the purpose of DVC? Couldn't you use the money you spend for the cash nights to get a few more points for the next 30-50 years? After paying cash for four or five trips, you might have enough money for the points needed for those weekend nights.

I have run numbers and don't think that's true. When my mom was alive, I would pay cash for Friday or Saturday nights at OKW, 1 bedroom in May. It was around $320 vs 48 points. Less than $7 per point. If you take the initial cost of points and amortize it over the years left plus add maintenance of almost $5 per point (which will increase probably about the same rate as cash nights), it comes out about even. No committment to years of extra points, which was important to me since my mom had cancer and I knew our DVC trips were not long-term.

 

[alldiz]

Kerri

Dont sweat it! As time goes on, you will figure out how to use those pts to your advantage and how to squeeze extra nights in and such

I remember when we 1st bought pts, we had 170 then an add-on of 5o before making that 1st trip home. We had those pts almost a year before making the trip. We were real conservative, only using 80 pts, scared we would overuse them or something

But after that trip, we caught on real quick and started juggling the points in all kinds of scenarios. Lets just say you will be planning 2-3 trips down the road before you know it and that will put you on as an owner.

Have fun planning and on that 1st trip home!

Thanks.....It was funny....I had the points all of 5 min....
When I booked....1week at SSR in may 1br...
then 3nights in aug at BCV in 1br...

I figured we would splurge 1st yr....
I'm hoping DH....loves 1br...and insists on an add-on....

After leaving BCV 1br....to go to pofq....
My plan might just work
Kerri

 

[dianeschlicht]

My DH would never go for paying cash when we already own DVC. We purchased DVC to make staying in a deluxe more economical, and if we are still paying for some nights, that isn't happening. We purchsed more points twice to avoid that. The thing is, if you look at maintenance fees like the tax that you no longer have to pay, it will make more sense. In the 10 years we have been members, we have only paid for a room at WDW once, and that was at PORS for a Saturday night when we changed our plans last minute and came in on a late Saturday flight instead of an early Sunday one.