Dealing with the high weekend DVC points?

[Pa@okw95]

I stay at the Hilton on Friday and Saturday then move in OKW on Sunday. I like it this way, it gives us a chance to stay other places then enjoy our home way from home.

 

[BrianBWV]

We purchased our points expecting to go for a full week, so it's already factored in. However, if we were to do an 8-day stay, it certainly wouldn't be Fri-Sat. We would do Thurs-Fri to eliminate a third weekend day's worth of points.

BrianBWV

 

[dianeschlicht]

We have always looked at it as a week of timeshare. That includes the weekends, and we purchased with that number in mind. Of course, now we tend to go for more than 1 week, so we like to fly in early mid week and fly out on a Friday so we don't have to use 2 weekend's worth of points!

 

[POLLY ANN]

Hey, that's a great idea going to visit relatives on the weekends! Now I just wish I had some relatives living in Florida to visit!! lol

Seriously, we bought our points planning to stay weekends, too. I guess I'm stingy with my cash, instead of my points!

 

[EmptyNester]

I'd rather spend my 'cash' elsewhere...

We haven't even used our points yet, but we purchased enough points to allow for weekend stays. Too much hassle (for us) to unpack, repack, move, unpack again...

 

[PrincessMom24]

We are planning to make our first trip "home" since becoming DVC members this September. Although we will be going Sunday through Tuesday, when I sat down to figure out the rest of the year I realized I would be taking my school-aged children out too many days. I tried to plan it around school days off that are not national holidays, like teacher planning days etc. and then just maybe missing one day and using points for one weekend night. I am trying to get the best use of my points while working around everyone's schedules. Quite a challenge, but I'm up for it.
Princess Mom to Four

 

[yesdisneyfool]

Bite the bullet as few times as possible. We need to plan around DD school schedules so we must include weekends. We all love being in Disney so we just completed a small addon in April 2002 that will let us spend more time in the magic. Just booked a few days Christmas week. This will be our 4th stay in Disney for 2002.

Now, 2003 may be another challenge...so far we have one trip booked and working on another.

 

[DVC1996]

Originally posted by Simba's Mom
Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate all the comments. The problem is that we only have 175 points and are really trying to conserve......

I understand exactly how you feel, because I initially had the same concern. We originally bought a small contract and the first couple of years we did primarily stay at the DVC resorts during weekdays and avoided the high weekend pts. In recent years we have added on more pts and have flown down a few times for extended weekends. I would suggest just following your instincts on how to best utilize your points for a particular vacation. It's just nice knowing that with DVC you have the flexibility to enjoy many options.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have either paid cash for the weekend, rather than use points or we have stayed at a regular hotel for the weekend and moved to the DVC property for the week.

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

So far I've just stayed Saturday night leaving Wednesday or Thursday.

However i really like the Universal/Not Disney idea and will be looking into that in the future....but not for a short trip!

 

[colleen costello]

We moved rooms this summer, but it was not to save points. We got 3 nights at BCV when it opened, then it was full so we moved to OKW. We did save a few points, but here is what I found. The move was very stressful. Not to my husband or kids, who just go along happily, but to me, MOM, responsible for all the repacking and unpacking and "Did we leave something behind?" With 2 children we have a lot of STUFF and I felt like the Beverly Hillbillies when the bellman took all our junk! He was so sweet and assured me other families have just as much crap as we do!

I wanted to come down a day early and so we DID just add on a cash night. I would do that again. I picked the resort that happened to be "on sale" -- Coronado Springs -- and we spent one night there. As it was the first night and we were moving the next day, I barely unpacked. The next morning we had the bellman pack up everything and send it to BCV. This is a way to add-on a night and save weekend points. For $114 I got a night at Coronado -- where we had never been and which we just loved -- and then I checked in to my DVC on Sunday. We always stay a full week or more regardless of points, but the extra-night at Coronado was an extra-treat!

 

[mickeyc]

This year the flights from Newark to Orlando have been cut back unless you want to pay high prices for direct flights. As a result we booked a flight mid-afternoon on Saturday and we did not arrive in BCV until 8:00pm. We were accustomed to arriving early in the day. It seemed like a waste of points to check-in and go to dinner then back to the villa. In the future if we have to take a late flight we will stay either at the airport and check-in the next day at WDW.

We met other DVC members who had 300pts and they advised us they avoid week-end points on a regular basis in order to get 4 to 5 weeks a year at WDW. They advised us they usually stay one or two nights at the value resorts then move to the villas. It sounded like a plan to me in order to maximize the use of points. Whatever anyone does it is great to get away. Enjoy!

 

[mjs805]

We just bought DVC this year and based our purchase on approximately 10 nights per trip including weekends. For our first trip we are staying Tuesday to Friday for 10 nights and don't want to deal with the hassle of moving out and back in to save points.

We live far enough away that we won't be making more than 1 trip per year, so I just want to settle in and enjoy myself. When I think of a relaxing vacation, I don't think of changing hotels twice during a trip. A Disney vacation is hectic enough. I want to unpack on day 1 and not worry about packing again until it is time to leave the World.

That said, if our trip ended on Sunday, I would consider moving to another Disney resort on Friday, since we would not have to move a second time. Plus, I'm gonna miss staying at Coronado Springs, Dixie Landings and the Polynesian. I will never stay off-site again.

Maybe when our sons are older, the idea of moving around will seem more appealing, but for now I'll just settle into my home away from home.

Mike

48 Days Until our first trip "home"

 

[mtdewhead]

We've decided to book Sun-Thur at DVC, usually that's enough time if we're driving down, because the trip down lengthens our vacation. However, since we're flying in December, we've decided to come in on Friday night and stay at the HOliday Inn Family Suites (kidsuites) until checking in on Sunday. For us, the day spent traveling consumes the day. This way we can get the most out of our day Sunday at DVC, when we transfer over earlier. Also, it's like two vacation in one: we have a rented car so we can go see some sites around Orlando on Saturday, shop, etc, and still have a great "step up" to look forward to on Sunday!