Do you avoid weekend trips to save points?

[lovinthemouse]

We have 3 trips booked this year and all but one have no weekends. We live in the midwest and I don't mind the drive. So we go Sun-Thurs trips. We would stay a week end if we only went one time through the year. I just like to go more than once.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We looked at points as a week at a time also. Of course, now we tend to stay for 10-12 days, so we don't like to spend two weekends worth of points, so we will often downsize to a studio for one weekend night, and it's usually the first night or two. Coming in March, we will be staying cheap for two nights before moving to our 1 bedroom. Then in December, we will stay 1 night at AKL, 1 night in a studio and then move to the 2 bedroom when our guests arrive. Our guests will leave before the weekend, so we are downsizing to a 1 bedroom after that. It get's complex this year, since we had an 11 night New Year's trip this year, and still want at least 10 days in December as well as our March trip. That's why we got creative this year.

 

[Daitcher]

We avoid weekends to save points. We stay weekends at Marriott Grande Vista on cash then spend the Sun. - Thurs. at a DVC resort. It makes sense from a monetary standpoint. I can get a 2 bedroom at MGV for around $200 a night. A 2 bedroom is far more than 20 points a night on the weekend. I use 20 points as the bench mark assuming 10 per point cash value. I will say we start the trip at MGV because I'd never want to leave WDW to go to MGV. We also seem to like 6 day trips, Sat. - Fri.. This saves us one weekend night point wise and still gives us a decent amount of time at WDW.


DAVE

 

[Disney Fanatic]

If we are travelling over 2 weekends and arrving late at night, yes we might get an airport hotel for the first night.

The rest of the night, I won't move because I go on vacation to relax and hate the thought of moving just to avoid extra points.

I don't even like changing DVC resorts half way through because the packing and upacking is too much for a 10 day trip.

We took the entire week cost into buying our pts.

 

[DrTomorrow]

We stay when we want to stay (usually mid-week to mid-week). We deliberately bought enough points so that we didn't have to interrupt our trip by packing up, moving and unpacking again (unless we wanted to). I guess it's a personal trait (a positive one, IMHO) but we don't worry about break-even points, marginal utility or cost-effectiveness when we plan and go on vacation.

 

[debbie in Seattle]

heck no! I live all the way out in Seattle and not worth my while to play the 'point games'. I do arrive on Sunday though and usually leave on Sat.

Life's short, enjoy yourself

 

[gcbsdad]

Like I mentioned we live close by so shorter trips more often is usually how we go. I imagine if we had to travel a good distance we would reconsider and stay the weekend. Actually, although we have been to WDW allot this upcoming trip of 5 nights will be the longest we have ever stayed on one trip.
But it is interesting to hear all of your opinions. Thanks.

 

[PHILCT]

Hi Everyone

I have trouble getting my friends or relatives to want to move to another resort or hotel on the weekends and save my points.

This December I have a 12 night reservation for VWL for Sunday Arrival thru Friday Checkout 12 days later. It is one way to get the most out of your points and not switch hotels, by going the weekend only in the middle.

Yet I do toture myself about the thought I could go for four week days instead of two weekend days.

I torture myself even more about the ratio of OKW weekend points to weekday points.

I always wondered why the cash Disney rates never made such a distinction as the DVC Resort points for weekend versus weekday Resort Reservations?
Does this tend to make Fri and Sat night inventory more available in the end?


Phil

 

[byoung]

We usually used the Ap discounts on weekends(F&S) .Don't mine moving.

 

[newholidayx2]

In March Im staying Fri & Sat at Pop before switching to VWL and then to BWV.
In Aug we're staying Sat VWL (mbr cash disc) Sun-Wed VWL (points res connected), AKL Th-Su (DS has always wanted to stay here) and BCV Su-Fri (points) and Fri (mbr cash disc, connected to points res)

 

[keishashadow]

1st trip home to VWL, stayed 1 weekend day...disturbed me to use so many precious points.

Next 2 trips booked for all weekdays...but, beginning to dread moving twice in June. Instead of ME probably will book a rental car to use for luggage storage so we just have to lug overnight bags to the AS's for our 1 night stays. Wonder if stolen luggage is a problem @ WDW?

I'm a point miser, squeezing them to allow as many trips/year as possible. It's getting old quick - don't know if I can wait for the next best thing before adding on...

 

[lsutigger2]

DH and I don't like to change rooms or places during our vacations. We like staying put -
So we have enough points to do so and now we've added-on we have enough to play around with some.
This years trips include: Feb OKW Sat - Wed, 1 bdrm, Sept. HH Sun - Sat, Nov. Haven't decided, taking family, will probably get two 2-bdrms for Sun - Fri
We've done a combination of things.

Does anyone think that a willingness to stay over on Fri-Sat helps you get what you request?

 

[LakeAriel]

I'm pretty sure Disney will bring your luggage from one resort to another. I hope so since I'll be switching from POFQ to BCV in the summer!

 

[jaysue]

Sometimes we will stay in a smaller unit or at SSR or OKW to help conserve points over the weekend or maybe even an AP cash rate - having said that though we tend to come in on Thursday or Friday so no we do not avoid weekends

cheers
jaysue

 

[FOTM_Ring_Bearer]

We usually start out at a moderate(a least Saturday. maybe Friday) and then switch to the BW on Sunday for 5 or 6 nights. Last year we added Saturday night (mid trip)which put us in the hole big time. With 5 of us, we book a 2 BR which uses a lot of points. So, what we really need to do is add-on.

 

[wintergreen]

Since most of our trips ARE long weekends, there is very little way of avoiding this for us. However, we did stay at the Pop Century the first night of our last trip (a Friday), which was kind of fun. Not sure that we will do it again, though.

 

[cinderella97]

We avoid the weekends. We stay Sunday-Thursday. We drive down from Michigan so its not too bad. But this trip Friday night we are staying at AKL for a treat on AP rates and leaving Saturday.

 

[crisi]

We looked at the weekly cost too. I live in MI so when we go we want to stay for a length of time and I don't want to be moving on the weekends and then move back.

Minnesota. By the time we pay for airfare, we ain't goin' for three days.

But this last trip we tacked on a cash stay at AKL - and of course chose Saturday night (we'd already had one Saturday and Friday at a DVC resort). And next trip we will do the same. So we will pay for some weekends, but if we want an extra few days, its the weekends we will book in another location. I suspect at some point that will be Universal, and for now we are trying the other Deluxe Disney resorts.

 

[jaysue]

Minnesota. By the time we pay for airfare, we ain't goin' for three days.

But this last trip we tacked on a cash stay at AKL - and of course chose Saturday night (we'd already had one Saturday and Friday at a DVC resort). And next trip we will do the same. So we will pay for some weekends, but if we want an extra few days, its the weekends we will book in another location. I suspect at some point that will be Universal, and for now we are trying the other Deluxe Disney resorts.

We have done the HRH weekend as well - it was nice to stay there and go to IOA and USF butcha y'know - it ain't disney

cheers
jaysue

 

[Olaf]

We're paying cash for a Sat night during Easter week (OKW)--the points required were insane. We try and avoid the weekends, but sometimes it's just not feasible. I hate switching hotels, and I don't really feel as if my vacation has begun until I'm staying at a DVC resort.