Disney at National Harbor

[ssawka]

I think this goes into how someone views their DVC contract. If someone is looking to maximize their DVC contract (similar to people who look at it as an investment) and take into account renting points, etc and booking cash for things like cruises and other vacation destinations it might be conceived as "wasting".

The flip side of that is, people who use their DVC just as a prepaid vacation, might think why should I pay $200 a night when I have already paid my dues and can just use my points.

Obviously someone who is short on points probably will consider all their options, but if someone has points available, it is not necessarily "wasting" points to use them outside of WDW. I think it is the fallacy of some opinions on the boards that daring to use your points outside of WDW is just a waste and is foolish (not your post, but some people do have that opinion) and in all honesty, renting points have risks and for some even if they lost a couple dollars per point it might be worth it to them not to have to go through that...and if it is a wash, its not "wasting" them, no more than the people that feel buying DVC is a waste because you could use promo codes or go to a value/moderate, etc. Just my opinion....

I think it would be great for us East Coast DVCers as a way to use any left over points.

 

[tjkraz]

I am not sure why anyone would "waste" there DVC points on staying at a DVC National Harbor when ther are lots of 2br villas at the Wyndom resort for 200/nt and less and sometimes you can get a 4br for that.

Probably for the same reason that people use DVC points in Orlando, Vero, Hilton Head, Anaheim and soon Oahu when cheaper alternatives are available. Or the same reason they pay for Disney Cruises when other cruise lines offer similar service for 1/2 to 1/3 of the price.

If Disney does build a hotel/timeshare there, I'm sure there will be ample Disney design touches and features to lure the fans.

 

[DVCGeek]

I can see why people wish to pay that premium for WDW resorts. It is less clear for *any* of the others, including VGC.

Have to disagree on VGC; I love staying there and walking out of my resort and literally right into the park. By owning points there I can actually afford the stays and by booking @ 11 months I get availability in one of the whopping count of 23 studios...

What is it you don't like about staying on property @ DL and/or VGC in particular?

 

[Doug7856]

We were at National Harbor on Friday. A terrific resort. Should DVC decide to build there, we would purchase enough points for a weekend stay or two each year. We live about 1/2 hour away. It's a great location but does have a few drawbacks, particularly the lack of Metro service. I understand that the water ferries are nice, but not particularly efficient.

We tour DC about 2 or three times per year and DVC would be a nice way to enjoy a full day and relax in the evenings. The views from the waterfront are very nice and there are lots year round of activities. The National Children's' Museum is being built near the Disney site and the waterfront is a couple of blocks walk away. I could see us staying for a weekend to see ICE! and a few days in the spring or summer to enjoy the monuments, museums and cultural events. I do not ever see us staying for a full week.

The resort is an easy drive to Mount Vernon and other Northern Virginia attractions. I could also see Adventures by Disney operating day trips from the resort to places like Gettysburg.

We are hopeful for DVC so close to home.

 

[bookwormde]

I guess I am just cheep I can not see using 45-60 points when I could stay on cash for $200. I guess if the points were going to expire then that might make sense.

 

[DVCGeek]

We live about 1/2 hour away.
...
I could see us staying for a weekend

I'm surprised that you would stay in a hotel or other resort if you only live 30 minutes away; I usually would only do so if I were more than 2 or 3 hours from home. Would it just be to stay because it is Disney and to use some special guest-only resort amenity or is there some other reason you wouldn't simply drive home at night?

 

[kristie03]

A terrific resort. Should DVC decide to build there, we would purchase enough points for a weekend stay or two each year. We live about 1/2 hour away.

I'm with you......I could totally see staying there for a weekend here or there, and i'm not much more than 1/2 hour away...there have been many events there that I would have loved to go for but didn't want to drive home from....if you know what I mean!!

 

[Anal Annie]

I live in Maryland suburbs, just over 20 miles outside of D.C. and I would be sorely disappointed if they built a DVC resort here instead of some fun, exciting destination!! I can hop on the Red Line & go downtown any day if I want a day in the city. If we're gonna spend our points for a night somewhere I'd best be gettin' on a plane & goin' somewhere FUN!!!

 

[DVCGeek]

Hmmm, I very rarely drink [and even when I do have a drink I've never actually gotten drunk] but reading more posts makes me wonder if that may factor in to my "Why would someone stay at a hotel 30 min. from home" confusion!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

This summer we are taking an all day bus tour with 2 hours on our own and a buffet meal for $150 for two people. No way I would ever use any DVC points to visit D.C.

 

[Doug7856]

I'm surprised that you would stay in a hotel or other resort if you only live 30 minutes away; I usually would only do so if I were more than 2 or 3 hours from home. Would it just be to stay because it is Disney and to use some special guest-only resort amenity or is there some other reason you wouldn't simply drive home at night?

We don't drink alcohol, so that's not an issue for us. We enjoy experiencing our local area from a tourist's perspective I guess. It's a great city (as is Baltimore's Inner Harbor) to stay the night and enjoy the culture and and excitement of the local area. Don't get me wrong, most of our visits to DC are experienced by riding the orange line, but an occasional hotel stay is a great way to experience DC.

 

[ssawka]

We are only about a half hour (or less) from National Harbor as well, but I wouldn't mind using extra points for DW and I to get away for an evening. Also, I'm hoping Disney isn't dumb enough to build a resort this far north and not include an indoor pool, so if they have an indoor pool we could occassionally bring DD for a night of swimming.

 

[TisBit]

We were at National Harbor on Friday. A terrific resort. Should DVC decide to build there, we would purchase enough points for a weekend stay or two each year. We live about 1/2 hour away. It's a great location but does have a few drawbacks, particularly the lack of Metro service. I understand that the water ferries are nice, but not particularly efficient.

We tour DC about 2 or three times per year and DVC would be a nice way to enjoy a full day and relax in the evenings. The views from the waterfront are very nice and there are lots year round of activities. The National Children's' Museum is being built near the Disney site and the waterfront is a couple of blocks walk away. I could see us staying for a weekend to see ICE! and a few days in the spring or summer to enjoy the monuments, museums and cultural events. I do not ever see us staying for a full week.

The resort is an easy drive to Mount Vernon and other Northern Virginia attractions. I could also see Adventures by Disney operating day trips from the resort to places like Gettysburg.

We are hopeful for DVC so close to home.

I am actually betting that the transportation is the issue and Disney will not build until they have Metro service in the area. Disney bought pre-metro service at a discount and are hedging their funds on the fact that the area will grow enough to pull the metro in...then Disney will consider building their resort. No metro=no disney IMO.

I guess I am just cheep I can not see using 45-60 points when I could stay on cash for $200. I guess if the points were going to expire then that might make sense.

I doubt it would be 45-60 points per night vs $200 per night that you quoted for the other resorts. I figure if you use the standard points charts for Hilton Head (I figure they would have similar "seasons") the weekday ranges from 6-15 points per night, and weekends 12-27.....even if the point charts were a bit more expensive it would still pass the $10 per point litmus test of how much you could get renting your points out and going cash. Now, I doubt that the resort would be all DVC and would most likely be majority CRO with maybe 40% DVC if it is actually built and you might get some great off season deals....but who knows.

I'm surprised that you would stay in a hotel or other resort if you only live 30 minutes away; I usually would only do so if I were more than 2 or 3 hours from home. Would it just be to stay because it is Disney and to use some special guest-only resort amenity or is there some other reason you wouldn't simply drive home at night?

I remember as a kid one year our parents did get a room at the Marriot downtown Atlanta with the indoor pool about 30 minutes away, just kind of the staycation, not too far away from home, but away from everything at the house. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed ourselves a lot!

 

[n2mm]

I can say for sure that this is something I would never use my points for. Born in DC, worked there for 30+ years and just retired 3 months ago. I have no need to ever go there again. When I use my points I want to get on a plane and enjoy different weather and a different view.

 

[vicki_c]

I'm surprised that you would stay in a hotel or other resort if you only live 30 minutes away; I usually would only do so if I were more than 2 or 3 hours from home. Would it just be to stay because it is Disney and to use some special guest-only resort amenity or is there some other reason you wouldn't simply drive home at night?

We would definitely use our points there once in a while - 4th of July if we could get it, during Gaylord's ICE show at Christmas time, that type of thing. I only live 30 miles away.

 

[DenLo]

Do they have water taxis that could take you into city center? Or would that be way too expensive?

 

[wildernessDad]

I think this resort is for folks who don't live hear the DC area. I wouldn't use it, personally, but I can see where others might want to.

 

[ssawka]

I am actually betting that the transportation is the issue and Disney will not build until they have Metro service in the area. Disney bought pre-metro service at a discount and are hedging their funds on the fact that the area will grow enough to pull the metro in...then Disney will consider building their resort. No metro=no disney IMO.

If that is true, then you can just kiss the Disney NH resort good-bye, given how long it takes to extend the metro. You're talking years and years, and so far I have not even heard anyone mention extending Metro to National Harbor. If Disney is waiting for that, they will probably be waiting at least 10 years. Look at how long it took Metro to get the OK to extend out to Dulles. They were talking about the Dulles extension 14 years ago, when I first moved to the area.

 

[Y-ASK]

We live about 50 miles away and my wife never comes up this far north so she hasn't really seen the National Harbour. For us it would be a quiet weekend get away to a new place. There's shopping and restrauants and water taxi's to Old Town Alexandria, etc. We could trick ourselves into thinking we were on vacation with not a care in the world for those couple of days. I don't think I would purchase points but we have plenty of points and wouldn't mind using a few for a couple of nights... And I'm not thinking we would do this all the time but once every year or two would be nice.

Y-ASK

 

[Doug7856]

Do they have water taxis that could take you into city center? Or would that be way too expensive?

I believe the water taxis/ferries go to Alexandria and near the monuments -- areas with metro stops. I also believe there is a bus that will take you to a metro stop. None of the options are convenient, but not deal breakers for most people. Once you get to metro, you can buy a day pass good after 9 am.