Dec 24/25- what to do?

[xterratri]

Our December ressies at SSR are for the 18th-24th. I originally started thinking about staying an extra night and flying home on the 25th because I thought airfare may be cheaper and less congested. Now I think I just want to stay the extra night to do Candlelight Processional on X-mas Eve(w/ the PS package) and then a special breakfast/brunch the next morning. I know I can't/won't add the extra night with points though so I am wondering how it works to stay at DVC with cash. How soon can that be requested, how $$$, and would we have to move? If we are moving anyway, I'm considering either ASMo or POR but I know either will be letdown after OKW earlier in the year and SSR for that stay. Are there AP rates at that time and when would they become available? Thanks for any assistance/opinions. I'm very much still a newbie.

 

[DownNeckBoy]

12-25 is a Sunday in 2005, so the points should be relatively inexpensive. I would reconsider DVC as an option for that day. You could always just book a studio rather than a larger unit as well.

Good luck with your planning.

 

[Beca]

Wow!! That's a lot of questions. It is my understanding that if you rent $$ thru your DVC membership, they do not make you change rooms.

I asked the "rooms for cash" question a while back, and the answers I got seemed to say:

Not all dates will be available for cash. Cash rates are given only when rooms do not fill. They are usually given on very short notice (90 days or less...sometimes, much less). I just don't think Christmas Day (one of the busiest days of the year in the parks) will be available for cash. JMHO.

However, I am not a big "DVC on Christmas day" person. I actually thought I might be...but, I think the parks are just too crowded for me to do that!!

I hope other more knowledgeable people will post, as all of my info is hearsay, but you really might want to give MS a call and see if any discounts were offered at the resort you want to stay at on Christmas.



Beca

 

[RobDoc]

Members can reserve cash nights thru MS and have them linked to point reservations. Of course, everything is based on availability. In the case of cash rentals, the member discount is not always available. As noted, the first priority is to reserve nights using points. When MS feels (either from past history or from current reservation status) that some nights will not be needed for point reservations, they can make those nights available for cash rental.

If you reserve thru CRO to get a discount code or AP discount, they can try to keep you in the same room, but won't guarantee that. If booked thru MS, you will NOT have to move as they can directly link the reservations.

I'd just call MS and see what's available. They may suggest calling back in a few months, since the 11 month priority has just opened for that time period.

Good luck!

 

[DebbieB]

12-25 is a Sunday in 2005, so the points should be relatively inexpensive. I would reconsider DVC as an option for that day. You could always just book a studio rather than a larger unit as well.

Good luck with your planning.

I think they are looking for the night of the 24th, which would be a Saturday and premier season. Points would be high. 39 for a studio, 68 for a 1BR.

Last year they allowed check-in's with AP rates through 12/25/04. So you maybe able to snag an AP rate somewhere.

 

[PamOKW]

A reminder that will be Holiday Season pricing. For a studio the rack rate is $379 and the member discount will be 25% off that rate.

With foreign tourists (especially from the UK) starting to return, big discounts may become harder to come by for Christmas Week. Prior to 2001 they were pretty much non-existent. At best, I'd figure an AP or similar discount wouldn't be more than 25% and would have the additional 11.5% tax tacked on.

I would book somewhere to stay before too long. Even if it's All-Star. Just so you know you'll have somewhere to sleep that night. If you have points to spare, you could book on points and then cancel later when you find a better Member rate or discount.

 

[Cruelladeville]

There are no rooms available at Christmas for a cash discount. That's due to DVC members filling everything up so much ahead. If you have an AP, you could always try to book a studio on that, although I have tried for 5 years now, and have never been successful. You could always book a room in the regular hotel, though, at AP rates. I have often done that, and it's a nice alternative. AP rates are not out for December until September, but they always have availability somewhere.

 

[xterratri]

Thanks everyone. I don't have points to spare and I consider 39 points for one night in a studio to be wasting them at this point in time. We already know that we will be adding on this fall(OKW, SSR, or on the wait list for BWV-tough choices) but I didn't feel I could wait to make ressies if I wanted much control over where we end up. I'll probably book POR just so that I have a ressie somewhere and then look for AP rates. I just didn't know when they would come out. As much as I like ASMo, the extra day isn't really about the parks as the whole atmosphere so POR seems like a better choice. Maybe with the AP discount, AKL or WL will fall within the budget. Yeah right- not that night, at least without a lot of pixie dust.