Does ANYONE use points to stay weekends?

[DizWacko]

I will hopefully be a new owner in a few weeks.

However, it seems as though the point system with disney is out of wack. The cost to stay weekends is sooo much higher than during the week. The reasons for this are fairly obvious. But it seems as though most people on these boards maximize the use of their points by paying cash for weekend nights (either at a DVC resort or cash resort) and get more nights out of their contracts. I dont blame anyone as this is what I plan to do most of the time.

Do the resorts actually seem less busy on weekends? Should Disney do something to "even out" the point system so that it resort vacancy is pretty much equal throughout the week (and theoretically more availability for people wanting reservations)>??

Dont make the pts equal for weekends and weekdays, but something sensible like weekends 30-40% more instead of 80%-90% more.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We have always traveled to WDW for weekends. They used to be for Friday and Saturday night stays, and DH would take Friday off from work. Now he takes Mondays off and we stay Saturday and Sunday nights. It's the best we can do for the short stays. At other times, we're primarily Sunday to Thursday vacationers.

Bobbi

PS. We recently went to a Hilton timeshare presentation, and they use points as well. However, they include Sunday nights as weekend nights, so for them Friday, Saturday and Sunday were higher than the rest.

 

[Pinnie]

Not only do I use my points on weekends....I use em on weekends during the $$$$ season. For instance, I have a one bedroom booked at the BCVs for the Friday and Saturday night before Easter Sunday (then moving to a studio).

I really have NO choice. I teach and can only come down during high season at this point in my life and we bought enough points to comfortably book us into what we want when we want. Once we retire, we'll be able to use our points in the slower season and stay longer.

As to do I think the resorts are less busy on weekends. I have NEVER found that so. We go the second weekend in December and always have had to book 11 months out for our Wed - Sun stay at the BCVs.

pinnie

 

[Mandabella]

We use our points for the weekends. We bought enough points for a week long stay at a time. I don't like having to change resorts on vacation.

 

[spiceycat]

not as long as CRO can rent the weekend...

anything not rented (by members) at 60 days goes to CRO to rent out.

DVC told us that it was so Florida residents could not get all the weekends.

I think they rent them for quite a lot of money!

No - I don't want the points system changed.

because sometimes the only availability is weekend. If they change it - it would be NO availability.

2 weekend nights is better than nothing when you really need a WDW break!

 

[tjkraz]

The reasons for this are fairly obvious.

So, what exactly do you think that reason might be?

 

[LIFERBABE]

We use the weekends too.

I figured out that by time I pack all my stuff, tip the bellman 2 times for taking my bags from the room and again to my new room and then pay for the room and unpack again, I may as well stay put on points!

We stayed over Christmas on points at VWL and SSR.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I use points for the weekend. That's what they're there for. I bought into the DVC to save money on accomodations. Why would I want to pay more money for a vacation when I can use my points?

 

[Deep-Thots]

We absolutely use our points for the weekends. We bought them so that we could enjoy a relaxing vacation without having to worry about moving around at WDW. In fact, next week, I'll be arriving at BWV on Wednesday and leaving on Sunday. Some people might say that's a waste of points, but we're using them in a way that is convenient for us.

I don't think Disney should change the points values for the weekends. They are no different from other resorts in their current m.o. For example, you can get a very, very nice hotel room in Atlantic City during the week for $50. On the weekends, that amount can jump to anywhere from $200-$300. You'll find the same thing happening in NYC. That seems fair to me.

 

[DizWacko]

So, what exactly do you think that reason might be?

The reason is that people would prefer to stay weekends to maximize their vacation days allocated from work, its cheaper to include Sat night stay with air and rental car, and various other obvious reasons.

The point isnt that weekends shouldnt be more expensive, its that they shouldnt be almost double the cost

Who knows? Maybe Disney knows whats best.

 

[Alexander]

When we rented points, we would only stay one weekend night. Either Saturday at the beginning of our stay or Friday at the end. Now that we are members ourselves, we stay on the weekends.

 

[Sarahsal]

We stay the whole week on points. I don't want to even risk having to change rooms. I know some people don't mind, but for us it feels like a lost day-we prefer to be hassle-free!

 

[DeeCee735]

We originally purchased enough points to stay only in a one bedroom for 6 nights (including Fridays) for President's week. Since then added on a small contract (25 points). We don't use the points for a Saturday night as at 51 points for the Saturday night during Pres week (or $510 to rent them out), I'd rather check out another resort and pay cash for the one night, saves the points, is less money than the points value, and gives us the opportunity to experience a different resort each trip. However, I think I'll be needing a two bedroom soon, my kids are getting bigger so I'm thinking - what to do? Uh, I feel add-onidis coming on!!!!!!!

 

[TheBeast]

Wow I was expecting a lot more people to say they paid for w/e's. We only bought last year, so not sure what we'll do. Would like to stay in one place, but our points are limited (at this point!), so we'll probably conserve. This April, we were going to stay Fri at Pop & Sat at BCV, but then traded Sat for Mon + Tues!, so now at Pop Fri & Sat

 

[MdmMim]

I stay on points during the weekend. When I figure out a vacation, I know it's 85 points for a std view studio at the BWV in Jan. (85 points per week-- not 9 per weeknight, 20 a night on the weekend.) I don't look at the daily total--I look at the big picture. I bought points so I would have no more hotel bills!

 

[JodyTG]

We're just now buying into SSR, but we will definitely be staying on points over the weekends. We're getting enough points to stay 10-11 nights in a studio starting on a Sunday during early June or mid-December. We can only vacation once a year due to school and such and we want to make every minute count.

 

[Disney Doll]

Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't.

We were just there in Janaury...DH and a large group of friends and family were participating in the 1/2 and full marathons. The entire group stayed in CSR for the marathon weekend, so we did too, and then moved to the DVC property on Monday, and stayed until Friday. That was kind of more to be with the gang in the same hotel though.

In October we are going with DSIL & DBIL for the F&W Festival, and staying in OKW from Saturday thru Saturday, which will include 2 weekend nights.

If the weekend fell at the beginning of my vacation, I would consider staying in a different hotel for the 1st couple of nights and then settling into the DVC but if the weekend fell mid-vacation, I'd be paying the extra points.

 

[Alexander]

Wow I was expecting a lot more people to say they paid for w/e's. We only bought last year, so not sure what we'll do. Would like to stay in one place, but our points are limited (at this point!), so we'll probably conserve. This April, we were going to stay Fri at Pop & Sat at BCV, but then traded Sat for Mon + Tues!, so now at Pop Fri & Sat

I feel your pain! We are at Pop Fri & Sat of our April trip too! We don't land in Orlando until 1 AM and I just couldn't see using the points to stay Fri night, plus risking getting what ever room was left. Since we are there for Fri, I added Sat to save points (which totally contradicts my previous post, but we rented points for this trip since we had it booked months before we bought in). We will then have the next 6 nights at VWL so it will be a huge improvement. I have such a negative attitude about the value resorts! We've not stayed at Pop before, so I'm hoping it's better than AS.

MdmMim--Now that we are members ourselves, I totally agree with not paying for hotels anymore and look forward to not having to move!

 

[WOW]

Yes we do stay on points over the weekend. We try and go to WDW for about 10 days and we do not want to move out and then move back in again. We wound up buying more points so we could stay the weekends and not have to pay for them. Then we take a few more shorter stays, but somehow we almost always can only go over weekends.......it is just easier this way.

 

[jekjones1558]

Last Oct. we had 3-2 bedrooms at BWV for a week. Those weekend points really added up! But, as Mastercard says, the memories are priceless!
That being said, when we occasionally go for less than a week, we try to avoid weekends. And if we decide to try out a different non-DVC Disney resort, we do that on weekends. Changing resorts is a nuisance unless we have another goal (like staying somewhere we've been wanting to try).