Does anyone use their points for Fri and Sat. stays?

[anniet]

We're sort of newbies so we've only used our DVC points once so far, but we stayed 10 days so it did include one weekend. (Tuesday thru following Friday)

We will be staying Sun-Fri, checking out on the weekend and then another Sun-Fri for 1/2004 and 1/2005 but only because I'm banking points for a grand-villa and either a two bedroom or two studios for 9/2005. That will be a Saturday to Saturday stay.

I'm not thrilled about checking out, but we've got friends in Sarasota and family in Melbourne, so this forces us to go visit them on the weekends and saves points for the big trip at the same time.

 

[crisi]

Intent is to do both, but not with saving points in mind.

We usually fly in on Saturday and out on the following Saturday. I still want to stay at AKL (haven't yet) and at some time think the kids will enjoy a day at SAB - my husband would like to try the Poly and and CR. For SAB I might just try the seven month window at the BCV, but it also makes sense to me to fly in (we have usually arrived around lunch time), spend Saturday night trying a different resort and enjoying the resort amenities (we have only occationally done the parks on arrival day) then move to a DVC resort on Sunday. Saving points is the bonus. It also doesn't make sense to start in a multiroom DVC unit and then move to a standard hotel room.

 

[Regina]

We always use our points on weekends. I can't think of a stay that didn't include at least a Saturday night, usually more.

Actually, I was very surprised when I found out that people do this.

To us, points are painless, but cash for the 2 bedrooms, OUCH!

 

[sgtdisney]

We did this 2 times in the beginning of our membership. First time we flew into Orlando later in the day and stayed off property for the first night (a Saturday). It was ok, we hate to pack up and move though. Did it another time where we left OKW and went to Hyatt Orlando one night. Big mistake there going FROM OKW to somewhere else. After that we just decided it wasn't relaxing enough to do that, did a small add-on and now have just stayed when the days were good for our schedule which typically includes at least one or two weekend days. We look at it like others here do where it is not x points per night, but y points for the duration of the visit. Makes it easier to take that way

 

[ncligs]

We always fly down, and stay at least 6-7 days each trip.We do as others have stated, don't move. We bought the points to use them.

 

[boardwalk prof]

After several trips of having to move because accommadations weren't available for our entire stay, or having run out of points, we conserve weekend points by arriving early (sun-tues) and leaving late (thurs or fri) in the week. Therefore, we are using minimal weekend points. For example, if we arrive on Sunday, we can stay for 12 nights, but have to only spend points on two weekend nights.

I will say that dh and I took our first trip to WDW without children in March and stayed Sun-Thurs with no weekend nights. Of course, I couldn't use too many points. It was hard enough to convince dh to go without kids. Let alone the guilt of shortening our family stay because of the "adults" having fun without the kids. Actually decided afterwards, that the trip was plenty long for just the two of us.

 

[lsutigger2]

Another vote for "that's what I bought them for"! Except - you knew one was coming didn't you!

This year we decided to make another trip to get more use out of out annual passes, (at least that's what I told DH !) Used points for a Sun-Thur stay and we're moving to Courtyard by Marriott and staying two nights on reward points - still no out of pocket costs to us!

Flexibility is one of the many things I enjoy about DVC!!

Geaux Lady Tigers!!

 

[yasuern]

At this time - with two young kids - DD8 DS5 - we choose to stay all our nights at which ever DVC resort we are staying at regardless of the "days" our vacation falls on. I don't like moving at all.

 

[DebbieB]

We usually go Saturday to Friday to only have 1 weekend night and still satisfy the Saturday night stay for airfare. However, Saturday airfare is getting difficult, USAir cut from 5 flights the rest of the week to only 3 on Saturday. Last December I wanted to use FF tickets and we could not get Saturday, so we flew on Friday and got a night at Boardwalk Inn for an AP rate before moving to BWV. For our upcoming May trip, I am short on points so I only booked Sunday to Friday at OKW and booked the prior Friday and Saturday with a member discount. It's expensive but I'd rather not move ($289 plus tax with member discount 1 bedroom, still hoping for an AP rate). With points, it would have been 48 each night, so I'm paying $322 with the member discount or $6.71 per point.

 

[Jollymon]

Stayed only once during a weekend. Never again!

We have 300 points and I like to strecth these out into a minimum of 5 trips a year (4 3/4 night trips, 1 5 night trip). The only way to do this is to skip the weekends.

We also plan to stay the weekend nights at US to go to these parks as well.

Andrew

 

[Pinnie]

Count me in with the "that's what I bought them for" gang. Not only do I use my points on weekends, I use them during the most "expensive" seasons. I really have NO choice in that I am a teacher and I don't have the flexiblity to take my vacations at other times.

I do, however, use the value resorts on my first night in town. I have a late flight out of DTW on the Thursday before Easter and I am getting in at 12:30 a.m. on Friday. Rather than book my DVC resort for Thursday night, I have a room at ASM and will check into my DVC resort on Friday.

I am also one of those "I am going to borrow next yrs. points" people, too. I kind of figure I won't be around when the end of DVC rolls around so I want to make the most of my points NOW while I still am able to travel and enjoy myself.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Same as the others. We bought points to use but when we go we always stay for two weekends per trip. It is such a long way to go from the Northeast that we try to squeeze every day out of a vacation. We have started spending one of the weekends at Universal.

Next year we are going down for Christmas and New Yaer's weeks with a stay at Universal sandwiched in the middle.

HBC

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Is there anyone who uses their points for weekend stays too?

Yep, but not all the time. We do try to manage around weekends at times when we want to be conservative with our points.

 

[DeeP]

I do both. I do also enjoy staying at the non DVC resorts so many times will start/end the trip at a different WDW resort. Not only does it give me a chance to enjoy and experience the other great WDW resorts but it does save a lot of pts for more WDW trips!!

 

[newarknut]

yep, that's why we bought points.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

We've decided that we like a minimum of 6 nights at a DVC resort, although we have done combos of all. We usually plan arrive and to stay at ASMo for the first two nights (Fri and Sat), then stay at a DVC resort for at least 6 nights. I like a non-DVC resort for the first day in case we are late etc. Also, if we had to cancel a trip on our arrival date, we would only lose a cash night stay, and not all our DVC points booked. We have also paid cash for Fri and Sat nights at a DVC resort through CRO to extend our points stays. For example, We got 40% off a BCV 2BR for Friday and Sat night for our May/June stay. I think CRO had a lot of DVC points to rent out due to all the points trading members did for the "special cruise" last Feb.

 

[AKemel]

We originally bought 150 points, and would stay Saturday night at the airport Embassy Suites (and earn Hilton HHonors points), but we have since bought more (and more) points. We realized that for a 6 night trip, staying on property Saturday night helps our vacation seem longer.
This year we will be using points for our entire stay from December 20 through January 1. Yes, it's a lot of points, but we are going to have a great time.

 

[SCDizneyDawn]

When we bought our DVC membership, we had every intention of staying at least 7 nights, if not 8. Our first trip was for 8 nights, a Sat to a Sunday. Most of our trips have been for 7 nights. This year we were staying 7 nights in a 1 br, then a friend wanted to come along (that we had asked!) so we had to change it to a 2 br for 6 nights and borrow some points. Our Dec trip is for 7 nights. So, mostly I intend to stay for 7 nights, but occasionally will settle for 6 nights so we can invite friends/family. I don't think I will want to stay for 5 nights, it just seems to short!! On that note, we do stay in other hotels, but we spend a night in Daytona Beach or Ormond Beach, then drive the last 1-2 hours the morning we check in. Then we drop the luggage, check in, and head to a park until our room is ready!

 

[jennymouse]

This, our first trip home, we're staying at the Poly for the Fri & Sat night before moving to BWV. The only WDW resorts I've experienced have been ASMu & AKL, and I still want to experience them all! DGD8 still wants to stay at the resort with the dalmations.LOL Plus, I've only got 150pts and want to get two trips a year out of them. Also, we've yet to darken the entry to US/IOA at all. DGD8 will want to do those big coasters soon, so I can see a couple nights at HRH or PB before checking into our DVC resort in our future. I asked her if she'd like to do Universal this year, but she said "No, just Disney." That surprised me as she really likes all those characters, at least watches them on TV, more than the Disney characters. I guess all that brainwashing I've been doing has taken effect!LOL

I'm just so excited about all the future possibilities with DVC. My DGD loves Disney and now I've got another grandchild on the way! Another grand to brainwas...err, share the magic with!

 

[Chuck S]

We usually have 2 trips per year of 9 or 10 nights each, (sometimes 3 trips per year) so there is one full weekend stay every trip. Before we did our add-ons we stayed off-site for weekends, it was just too much hassle to move.