"Dream Maker"? We'll wait for 2005...

[ptrbryant]

Wow, I'm really disappointed in the Winter Dream Maker Package! The past two years, we stayed at WL for $139/nt., woodsview and looked forward to going back again in January. We have a limited budget and were planning on spending some days at SeaWorld and, due to flight times, we get into Orlando around dinner time and leave around lunch time---paying anything for UPHP on those days is a total waste. While I felt $139 was a great deal, I also think that paying over $200/nt. for WL is overpriced. Can't do it. We'll save towards an Orlando trip in 2005 and, if things are the same way, will look into staying off-site in larger accomodations.
Wish Disney hadn't forgotten that one size doesn't fit all!
Karla B.

 

[Wenlitz]

We were at WL in Aug last summer from the 3rd through the 12th. I paid 109.00 a nite. The resort is very beautiful. The rooms ok. I think 109.00 a nite was a great price. I want to enjoy my vacation and eat where we want, buy what we want etc. I dont want to pay 200.00 a nite for a room. We dont have unlimited resources to do that. We save for a year to go to the world. Will we still go you bet we love disney world, but we may being staying off site. Just my opinion.

 

[HeatherPage]

Why don't you look into renting points from a DVC member? If you go over to the DVC rent/trade board, there are tons of people renting out points. Basically if you wanted a studio villa at the Wildnerness Lodge villas in the off season (which I believe January is) I believe they run 12-13 points a day (Sun-Thur, about double the points are needed for Fri & Sat stays), most members rent for $10/point so 12 points a day if you go Sunday through Thursday, would probably run you about $120/day (give or take the time of year). Studios also come with a microwave, small fridge and wetbar area and you have access to the main pool and restaurants just as if you were staying in the main Lodge area. Hope this information helps!

 

[WedWay72]

I think we all are realizing that the deep discounted rooms that we've seen since 9/11 may be over. If you could track rooms rates going back 5-years, I'd imagine that things were closer to the pricing that we'll all now seeing.

We've all been somewhat spoiled by the incredible deals we all saw at resorts like the Animal Kingdom Lodge and others.....that existed over the last two years.

Perhaps those days are over.

 

[yecats]

Right after 9/11 is when I began to learn and lerk on these boards. I didn't really know about the room codes (except the ones offered to AP and Magic Kingdom Club when I was a member way back when). But when those codes were offered to everyone, I started to dream that maybe one day I could stay at each of the disney resorts even if I would only be able to afford 2 or 3 nights at the pricier ones (even applying discounts) and begin to take yearly trips. I was even dreaming that I could stay at WL again. Well my dreams seem to be shot. I was just curious to see what room only would cost me so I checked on Disney for 3 basic room package at WL for this Nov. and the amount was either $707 or $770 (I don't recall which) but do recall thinking are they crazy. I am willing to pay $140 a night for a room but not more than $200. Ode to the room code.

P.S. I am more than sure that renting DVC points is about to rocket as that is the only way to get a disney property room for a decent price these days. Truly makes staying at OKW, WLV, BWV and BCV really a great bargain. I wonder how long it will take Disney to figure a way around this and jack up the points if the owners are renting them out to non-owners.

 

[ptrbryant]

Our first trip to WDW was in 2002, then in Jan. of 2003, so we never knew that room-only codes were anything new. I agree that, if you want to stay on-site, DVC point rentals would be the way to go. We're a family of three and I think that 7 nts. on a sofa bed for any of us would be less than pleasant, so a 1BR would be our least expensive option---still not "cheap" but better value than rack rate--or close to it!--at the Deluxes.
Oh, well...!
Karla B.

 

[jcanary]

Ptrbryant
Just so you know, if you want 2 beds for 7 nights you can rent at OKW, which is the cheapest points and all studios have either one king or 2 queen beds. All rooms there, the second bedroom have 2 queen beds, not like BWV, BCV, WLV where it's 1 bed and 1 sofabed.

 

[HeatherPage]

"P.S. I am more than sure that renting DVC points is about to rocket as that is the only way to get a disney property room for a decent price these days. Truly makes staying at OKW, WLV, BWV and BCV really a great bargain. I wonder how long it will take Disney to figure a way around this and jack up the points if the owners are renting them out to non-owners."

Disney cannot "jack up points" as you say. The owners rent out the points they own, it has nothing to do with Disney. Also, it is stated in the DVC contract that while DVC may be able to change the point values for certain seasons, room types or week days vs. week ends, they have to offset it another season, room type, etc. So if they all of a sudden started requiring more points to stay in the value season, then they would have to lower the points required in say their "Magic" or "Dream" (more popular) seasons.