Best option with a toddler?

[Mykal Bent]

Hi! I often lurk, but rarely post. So TIA for all the tips and information I have already benefitted from!
My husband and I are planning our next WDW vacation for September 2017 (and are trying to keep it inexpensive!). We love the parks that time of the year, and love F&W festival, too. This trip will be our first with our (will be then) 2.5year old. We've previously stayed at Port Orleans Riverside, Pop Century, and at a Downtown Disney (Springs?!) resort. We are 99% sure we want a Disney resort for this trip. There's more magic.
We liked the dining plan the year we had it (regular dining plan; got free dining). Our trip will include some later nights, but also nights where we are in the room earlier to accommodate her bedtime. For this reason we were considering renting DVC points for the first time to allow us a space on a balcony to sit while our daughter sleeps inside, or a suite/1 bedroom (which seems more expensive).


Just looking for a second (and many other) opinion(s)- is my cheapest bet to rent DVC points, not bother to care what my balcony is overlooking, pay for food out of pocket, and get tickets from undercover tourist?

Thanks- sorry I'm so wordy!!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It's important to know that the least expensive DVC options tend to book up very quickly from September-January marathon weekend, and if you start pricing out DVC you should assume that the Animal Kingdom Value Studio, Boardwalk Standard Studio and possibly the BLT Standard Studio will not be possible to get, even if you put your request in at 11 months. Your dates will include Food & Wine, which is a high demand season, so you would need to be ready to pull triggers as soon as next month for September 2017.

A DVC rental will be non-refundable once booked. Your dates will basically be final. No refund if you need to change or cancel.

Especially if you value free dining, it might be that staying at a Value or Mod with Free Dining would be cheaper for you than renting DVC and paying food out of pocket.

 

[jamescanuck2001]

old key west rooms have balconies or patios. studio rooms can be had through DVC points or by booking through disney or possibly a disney exclusive travel agent (google this)

 

[Mykal Bent]

It's important to know that the least expensive DVC options tend to book up very quickly from September-January marathon weekend, and if you start pricing out DVC you should assume that the Animal Kingdom Value Studio, Boardwalk Standard Studio and possibly the BLT Standard Studio will not be possible to get, even if you put your request in at 11 months. Your dates will include Food & Wine, which is a high demand season, so you would need to be ready to pull triggers as soon as next month for September 2017.

A DVC rental will be non-refundable once booked. Your dates will basically be final. No refund if you need to change or cancel.

Especially if you value free dining, it might be that staying at a Value or Mod with Free Dining would be cheaper for you than renting DVC and paying food out of pocket.

Thanks so much! Good to know what sells first- we do have a working list of top contenders but this helps. Dates will be cemented once the 2017 MLB schedule comes out (groan), so that part I'm less concerned about. Was thinking about renting through David's to minimize risk?

 

[Mykal Bent]

old key west rooms have balconies or patios. studio rooms can be had through DVC points or by booking through disney or possibly a disney exclusive travel agent (google this)

Thanks! I will!

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Thanks so much! Good to know what sells first- we do have a working list of top contenders but this helps. Dates will be cemented once the 2017 MLB schedule comes out (groan), so that part I'm less concerned about. Was thinking about renting through David's to minimize risk?

You cannot cancel or reschedule via David's either. The risk is about the same via either David's or a private owner of any other issues.

 

[tgarre06]

Thanks so much! Good to know what sells first- we do have a working list of top contenders but this helps. Dates will be cemented once the 2017 MLB schedule comes out (groan), so that part I'm less concerned about. Was thinking about renting through David's to minimize risk?

I had a great experience renting points thru David's for my trip last April at AKV Kidani. I've also communicated with DVC Rental, not booked with them yet, and they've been great also. The cost was much more affordable renting points. The price to rent 5 nights in a standard view for last April was about $1200 total including taxes, essentially getting a deluxe resort at a moderate price. I love a good deal! We are looking right now to rent points at BLT for next spring.