Cash Vs Points

[kevmag]

I tried to get some information in an earlier post, and asked my questions poorly, so here goes again (hopefully clearer)!

If one is unable to reserve a room using points (which happened to us for a mid October trip to WDW...we are driving from NY, and wanted to stay at Hilton Head either going or coming, and could not get a room using points), what are the options for paying cash?

Some of what I read in different posts included:

1. Reserving thru MS and asking for the 'Member Discount' (don't know what that is)
2. Reserving thru MS and use 'Member Dollars' (also don't know what that is...is it the same as #1?)
3. Getting an annual pass to WDW and going to some dedicated web site or phone number to get a discount (I saw this in an earlier post, and discounts at HHI were amazing, if they were accurate!)

Any info on this or other options is much appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Never heard of Member Dollars. No such thing.

You can call MS and ask for a DVC discount if one is available. It would be 25% off rack rate.

 

[kda]

The DVC member discounts being offered for HHI in late Oct seem incredible to me, but I'm used to the prices as WDW, and this is off-season in HHI. A 1 BR is approximately $128 and a 2 BR is approximately $147, with the Member Discount. I honestly don't know the actual rate to know if this is 25% off, or if it's more than that. It seems very low.

56 points for Fri night in a 2 BR vs ~ $147 in a 2 BR, with the discount. A no-brainer.

I read posts a few weeks ago that there was a special offer with Disney Visa and rates were even less than that.

 

[kevmag]

Is anyone familiar with getting good rates, via an annual pass (instead of the 25% DVC member discount)?

Its discussed on this thread on mousesavers...

http://www.mousesavers.com/disneyresorts.html#ap