There isn't a DVC discount for regular "cash" reservations. I bought a PAP thinking I would need it for a room discount, but then booked the PPH using points so didn't need the reservation or the PAP in the end. I booked a standard view room at the GCH with an AP discount for $365.04 and had until 5 days out to cancel for a full refund. I could have booked the DLH for $325 but at the time I was worried about the construction, and moving from a villa to a standard room seemed like less trouble than moving from one hotel to another. I also didn't really want to pay $15 for parking on top of those rates.
In the end, we used points for the PPH so parking was included. I have a PAP that I don't really need, but we tried to use it for food and shopping discounts. Trouble was, my DH and I split up a lot and so half the food did not get the discount. Annoying, but oh well. I need to use it a lot more to get my $459 worth.
Good luck with the waitlist. We were on it from January to June. I checked every day while we were there in case someone didn't show up, and was willing to leave the PPH room empty and use more points if a villa popped up, just so we wouldn't have to move. After we did move (bell services moved our bags, which was convenient), I didn't have any bowls or spoons or forks for our breakfast on our checkout day...we are so used to timeshares and kitchens that I didn't think to bring that stuff for our hotel stay

. I went down to checkout and forgot to get a spoon, then had to wait for the elevators again to get a spoon. By then, DD was eating a granola bar instead and didn't need the spoon.
Next year, I will know better

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