Cost of DVC room - cash?

[ebenmax]

If we want to use points for a room and pay cash for a second room, is there any sort of discount for DVC members??

Also, what if we only had enough points for example a 4 day stay and wanted to stay 7 (in the same room), How does that work?


Thanks -

Ellen and Brian

 

[tjkraz]

DVC members CAN get a 25% discount off of the rack rate on rooms. But the discount is only offered on days when DVC's booking trends show that the resort/room type will not be completely booked by members using points. In other words, if you're contemplating this for a period with typically high occupancy (like most of October to December) your odds are not good. Weekends are much easier to get on cash than weekdays due to the higher points.

Because the volume of reservations on any given day is constantly changing, you may have to try calling a number of times to get the discount. If you call 7 months out, they may not have yet released any rooms at the discounted price. But, by 4 months out, if booking levels are trending lower than expected, DVC may then release rooms at the discount. You just have to keep calling and asking. But realistically, it's always possible that nothing will open up at the discount price.

If you don't have enough points to cover weekday stays, consider renting from a fellow member. That will cost you even less than the 25% discount.

You can have DVC link together a reservation booked part with points and part with cash. That should guarantee that you don't have to switch rooms.

There is a stipulation that the DVC member must be staying in the room in order to get the 25% discount (presumedly to keep members from getting their friends/family a great discount at will.) While I've heard stories recently that DVC isn't being too strict with this rule, I doubt they would give you TWO rooms at the 25% discount. So, if your intent was to buy 3 nights cash for yourself and also pay cash for a second room during some number of overlapping nights, that may well be rejected.

One other note: If you do get the 25% discount, be aware that the housekeeping schedule is the same as with DVC. You do NOT get daily cleanings when paying cash at 25% off.

Rack rates can be found at www.mousesavers.com. After you discount the rates by 25%, add in 12.5% tax as that will apply. They will take a credit card at the time of booking, but NOTHING is charged to you until check-in.

Hope that helps.

 

[CarolMN]

No need to leave the DIS to get the rates. We have the 2007 rack rates right here on the DIS -

2007 Rack Rates for Home Away From Home Ressrts

 

[tjkraz]

No need to leave the DIS to get the rates. We have the 2007 rack rates right here on the DIS -

2007 Rack Rates for Home Away From Home Ressrts

Thanks. However, the tax rate on those pages is incorrect. It's been 12.5% for about a year now.

 

[CarolMN]

Thanks. However, the tax rate on those pages is incorrect. It's been 12.5% for about a year now.

Yes, the stated tax rate of 11.5% is wrong, but the rates listed don't include the tax.

 

[disneykidatheart]

Just left this same message on a similar thread on the operations forum. I used the member discount on a OKW studio for a Friday night in September. By the time the Florida tax was added I could have rented/transferred points for less money.

 

[tjkraz]

Just left this same message on a similar thread on the operations forum. I used the member discount on a OKW studio for a Friday night in September. By the time the Florida tax was added I could have rented/transferred points for less money.

Numbers will vary depending upon the resort, room and dates. We were quoted a rate of $277.50 ($312 with tax) for a One Bedroom at Old Key West in February. That same room would have cost 48 points. Even at $10 per point, we're talking $138 more to use points than the cash discount.

More often than not, you'll make out better using the 25% discount on weekends, if available. But it's certainly worth taking 5 minutes to compare the two approaches.

 

[ebenmax]

Do any of you stay in DVC during the week and move to a value or moderate resorts for the weekend?

 

[FLYNZ4]

Do any of you stay in DVC during the week and move to a value or moderate resorts for the weekend?

Many DVC'rs do this. Others (myself included) feel that it is too much of a hassle to move rooms, and tend to avoid doing so.

We do usually change rooms however. Since we live on the west coast (Oregon), we generally cannot arrive until fairly late in the evening. What we usually do is fly on Saturday, and get a hotel room for the night. We don't even bother unpacking. The next morning we will check into DVC and then stay there for the duration of our trip (usually 12 days). We do not move rooms in the middle of our 12 night stay.

Another possibility is to move to Universal Studios for the weekend. Resort guests there get the equivalent of unlimited fast passes... so if you want to visit Universal... that may be a good choice.

/Jim

 

[tjkraz]

Many DVC'rs do this. Others (myself included) feel that it is too much of a hassle to move rooms, and tend to avoid doing so.

We do usually change rooms however. Since we live on the west coast (Oregon), we generally cannot arrive until fairly late in the evening. What we usually do is fly on Saturday, and get a hotel room for the night. We don't even bother unpacking. The next morning we will check into DVC and then stay there for the duration of our trip (usually 12 days).

It's funny how minor variations in your approach seem to make a world of difference. I have two experiences almost identical to what Jim describes, and feel the same way.

One time we stayed one night at the Beach Club and then moved to SSR. Hated it. We arrived early in the day at the BC (although didn't get into the room until 2-3pm) and basically spent 24 hours feeling like we were living on borrowed time. We never felt settled until we arrived at SSR.

Another time we got to town around 6pm and stayed off-site. That was a great experience. We made a short trip to Downtown Disney that night and then simply crashed in the off-site room with most of the luggage staying in the car. The next morning we were refreshed and ready to head over to our DVC resort.

Next year we're staying two nights at AKL before moving to OKW. That will be another experiment. I think with the two nights rather than one, and a light park touring schedule, we'll have more time to soak in ALK. I will never again spend a single night in a Disney resort before moving to another. Ask me in 3 months and I'll tell you how two nights works out.

 

[eliza61]

Do any of you stay in DVC during the week and move to a value or moderate resorts for the weekend?

No, I don't do this very often. Since I have 3 kids, I already feel like I'm carrying Cleopatra's barge with us , no way am I going through the hassle of changing resorts. When we purchased our contract, we based our points on needing at least 2 friday nights and 2 Saturday nights.

 

[PinkTink63]

Many DVC'rs do this. Others (myself included) feel that it is too much of a hassle to move rooms, and tend to avoid doing so.

We do usually change rooms however. Since we live on the west coast (Oregon), we generally cannot arrive until fairly late in the evening. What we usually do is fly on Saturday, and get a hotel room for the night. We don't even bother unpacking. The next morning we will check into DVC and then stay there for the duration of our trip (usually 12 days). We do not move rooms in the middle of our 12 night stay.

Another possibility is to move to Universal Studios for the weekend. Resort guests there get the equivalent of unlimited fast passes... so if you want to visit Universal... that may be a good choice.

/Jim

We feel the same way about moving! My husband especially hates switching hotels! BTW, we are practically neighbors! I live in West Linn. We always fly on Sat. night and arrive early Sun. morning. Sometimes if we get a little tired, we might take a couple hour nap on the first day, but then we are good to go until closing!

 

[FLYNZ4]

We feel the same way about moving! My husband especially hates switching hotels! BTW, we are practically neighbors! I live in West Linn. We always fly on Sat. night and arrive early Sun. morning. Sometimes if we get a little tired, we might take a couple hour nap on the first day, but then we are good to go until closing!

PinkTink,

About once/year I will take a domestic red-eye flight... and then I swear it will be my last! BTW... I know others who do the same as you. It does save getting a hotel for that first night though!

We started this past week's trip with an overnight at AKL. DW/DD did not arrive until about 8:00, and I was already in FL on biz. We didn't even unpack our suitcases... and then the Disney Bell Service folks moved our bags for us to BWV. This is the only way that I care to move at all.

Once we move into our condo... moving becomes especially tedious because then we have cold refridgerated items to deal with.

I do have an II exchange request in place for our next vacation for any of the 5 on-site DVC locations. I also have all 12 days reserved at BWV using our DVC points. If the exchange comes through, then we will probably end up changing resorts unless I can line up our DVC resort to match the II exchange. However... it will be worth it because an II exchange only costs us about 25% of what our DVC points cost. In that case... I am willing to bite the bullet and move resorts.

/Jim

 

[Plutofan]

For the last two years we moved Disney resorts three times during our stay and never had a problem. There are 8 of us including 3 kids ages 5, 6 and 8. We call the night before to set it up, call in the morning to have the bellman pick it up (they want someone to be there when they pick it up) and go to the parks for the day. When we arrive at our new resort we just call down and they deliver the luggage.

 

[FLYNZ4]

We call the night before to set it up, call in the morning to have the bellman pick it up (they want someone to be there when they pick it up) and go to the parks for the day. When we arrive at our new resort we just call down and they deliver the luggage.

How do your groceries work out? Do you have lots of frozen items? I can envision melted... and then refrozen ice cream bars... or spilled liquids from opened containers.

I know that they do have refrigerators to put your stuff... but I think this is a good opportunity for problems. We usually stay at DVC for 12 nights... so our fridge is pretty fully packed.

/Jim