Cash Trips now that you own DVC?

[kenny]

When we joined DVC I thought that would be the end of paying cash for trips. Been twice this year and already have an 11 day trip planned for March 2010 in BLT.

That being said we are jonesing for another trip. We don't think we can make it another 289 days. We decided to make a shorter trip in Dec but being so late, can't get the room type/resort we need (1 day missing in the block and don't want to borrow to upgrade room type or change resorts), so I booked a room at the Wilderness Lodge (not Villa's, just Lodge) for cash.

Part of me thinks it is crazy since we bought DVC so we did not have to pay full price for rooms anymore, but the other part of me says I GOT TO GO BACK!

Anyone else still book cash rooms occassionally?

 

[DebbieB]

Since I became a member, I think I only did it once. Did a Halloween trip to CBR in 2003. I have done other trips with friends for cash, usually with a cast member discount (theirs). I have used points at Disneyland but am doing a cash trip this September, couldn't pass up the 5 for 3 deal, all my 2009 points are gone.

 

[twinklebug]

I was tempted when the pin offer for 40% off a reservation came out this spring, but figure that if I have the $$ to toss into a cash reservation, with a bit of artistic manipulation on my checkbook, that could be a 25 point add-on ... decided to bank the $$ and wait to see if we really need those points (new as of last summer so I'm still in a good place with banking & borrowing)

 

[starbox]

We do long weekends w/cash - but not at the Disney prices (or even discount Disney prices) - we use those trips to stay offsite via. Priceline or Hotwire and use the APs we already have to do super-cheap quick trips .

It's amazing how nice of a resort you can get for 65-100$ per night - and we've really, really, really enjoyed those offsite deluxe resort trips.

 

[Chuck S]

I have not paid cash for an entire trip. We have occasionally spent a night or two at POP if we arrive early or want to extend at the last minute.

 

[Disney Doll]

We do. We go in january for the Marathon. We have a big gang that stays at Pop Century for the Marathon Weekend, so we pay cash for that so we can stay with the gang, and then we transfer to the DVC property on Monday.

 

[kim_d]

We have been members since 2002 and this year was the first we used cash as well as our points.

We stayed 3 nights at CBR and 3 nights at Poly with cash (as well as 8 nights at BWV with points) in December/January.

I also got a great code and we are staying 2 nights on cash at the Poly again in September and then 7 nights at AKV on points.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We've been members since 1997 and have yet to pay for a stay since joining. I just can't justify it.

 

[Monorail Purple&Gold]

I just can't justify it.

Neither can we.

 

[malonefamily]

We've been paying cash for our roughly annual trips to Disneyland (but never cash at WDW), because it's just too many valuable points gone to stay at the Hotels. Besides, we typically only do 3 nights in California per trip. We don't like giving all that cash to the Mouse so we just bought a 125 point add-on at GCV. I hope we're disciplined enough to use it... we've a bad habit of going to DL on a month's notice! (We live in Seattle, so it's a much closer flight) Somehow I doubt GCV will ever be available without our home resort priority... somebody give me some willpower to plan ahead please?

Did you know that, after tax, even three weeknights at the Grand Californian Hotel, in a standard room with a view of either DTD or CA costs more than $1,750? You can skip the view and save a bit, but not that much. It's a very expensive hotel. We'll definitely break even much more quickly with our GCV contract than we will with the SSR contract we bought back in 2005. Someday, when the kids are grown, we might sell SSR and get along with only the 125 points, guess it depends on if we have grandkids to spoil.

It's off-topic, but I wonder if some east coast DVC folks are over-buying at GCV expecting longer stays than they really need for the smaller resort? I mean we love DL, but it doesn't take a week to experience. Of course, there's always the rest of So. Cal. to play in...

 

[Chellymouse]

Neither can we.

Same here! We were briefly considering a cash add on and decided to bank the cash toward our add-on

 

[Checkers]

We have but not often. Like now, we are going down in Sep. and paying cash for a bounceback offered last fall. We knew we were doing a GG in May '10 for our granddaughter's 7th birthday and wanted to save our points for then. We just couldn't go a year without visiting the Mouse!!

 

[vicki_c]

We're going next month for a week on the 4/3. A deal like that is really my only chance to stay at the Poly again, now that we bought DVC because I will never use my points to do that. We weren't going to go at all this year after 4 trips last year (new DVC member fever), but we're going on cash!

 

[helenk]

I am hoping that in the future I will not pay cash for a trip, but this October my brother wanted me to go along with him and his step daugher and her son as their "tour guide". He volunteered to pay for 1/2 of my room and I'm never one to pass up a trip to WDW. We will be staying at the Allstar Sports and going for the free dining. I know that after staying at a studio in SSR and then a 1 BR at Kidani a room in a value resort might be a let down but I'll make do.

 

[Tozzie]

I just purchased last year but I bought enough points that I can comfortably do 2-3 trips a year depending on season. I don't plan on paying cash for trips anymore!

 

[photobob]

Neither can we.

Us either!

 

[Disneypirate85]

I have not paid cash for an entire trip. We have occasionally spent a night or two at POP if we arrive early or want to extend at the last minute.

This is what we do as well. USUALLY with the AP discount last Christmas got a GREAT AP rate so extended 2 days....Shawn

 

[iloveokw]

Buy more points. The only time we pay cash is weekends at Hilton Head cuz the points are so crazy.

 

[ILuvTigger]

We have not paid cash since becoming DVC members...but I will if I have to. LOL We have 3 trips planned for this year (all on points), and wanted to take advantage of Disneys great offers (pay with cash, and use my AP again before it expires), but with dd graduating h.s. it is not doable. One trip a year is not enough, I don't know how some of you do it. Our last trip was Feb 09, and it feels like forever til our next.

 

[dzorn]

We added a 3 night at Coronado to extend our next trip.

Denise in MI