DVC Arrival - The Night Before Check In

[The VWL Five]

For the DVCers who drive or folks who just get there the day before you actually check in to our GREAT DVC resorts, where do you stay?

If you voted other, please explain.

Thanks

 

[DebbieB]

We only arrived early 1 time before checking into DVC and that was because we could not get decent airfare for Saturday so we arrived Friday. It was last December - we stayed at Boardwalk Inn on an AP rate ($169) before checking into BWV the next morning. We originally had CBR booked but they closed.

Oops - I voted other, I guess I should have voted inside the world, I just saw "All Star".

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

Our next two DVC trips, we're arriving two days early. I haven't decided exactly what we'll do, but I'm thinking about either Animal Kingdom Lodge, the Yacht Club, or the Grand Floridian (where are these discounts?). I like to try new places (and, return to my favorite, the GF), so this is a more economical way to do it with just a short stay.

 

[Chuck S]

I think a lot of it probably has to do with what time you actually arrive. We had to leave the night prior to our ressie several years ago, as we were expecting a heavy ice storm (unusual for Texas). The airline got us in at midnight, we stayed at Motel 6. If we'd arrived early in the day, probably would have opted for a nicer off-site hotel rather than All Stars.

 

[momsully]

We usually stay somewhere near the airport. I can usually get a room for under $50 then we officially wake up in the morning and start our vacation. Our last trip we stayed at the Country Inn and Suites and it even included breakfast.

 

[paults]

we always use Fri and Sat to stay at The Disney resorts(CS,POR, etc) then move to our DVC home Sun/Fri. But this Oct since Disney hasn't released AP's or codes we switched to S/D for AP rates ( still on-site) and love it. We didn't join DVC to stay off-site but we won't use pts for Fri/Sat stays either . We pay cash for 2 days Fri/Sat

 

[missyndda]

For our NYE trip, we are staying at the airport on Friday night on the front end and Saturday night on the back end because of late PM and early AM flights. It's much cheaper than trying to stay in the World during that timeframe.

 

[new_yawka]

Well....My parents have a 3 bedroom home in a retirement community about 15 minutes away from WDW in Davenport...sure does make that night before easy

 

[JulesMom]

We have arrived the night before several times(before we were DVC members) and we always stayed at Lake Buena Vista Comfort Inn for about $30-$40.

 

[Granny]

We arrive late at night on a Saturday night....so we look for the best deal closest to Disney.

This last trip, that was the Hotel Royal Plaza near Downtown Disney. Very nice room, and it slept 5 with a pull out sofa!

 

[Lexxiefern]

I voted for stay in WDW. We haven't actually gone "home" yet, but I have the next 5 trips planned and on one of them we are going to try the Poly *hopefully* if there are good codes/AP rates for the weekend before we switch to DVC.

 

[Doc and Family]

We voted other because we have done both, stayed on the grounds and stayed just outside the park. Depends on availability when we leave, which, by the way, we always seem to push up. Go figure!

 

[CK1]

We voted "other".

We *used* to spend the night before @ my mom's house (about 1-2 hrs away from WDW, and right on our path to WDW, too!)

But alas, she has moved away from Fla.

With this ressie business (early check-in bird gets the worm), I am already looking at other options -- priceline room off-site, or maybe trying a WDW resort for 1 nt. I even considered stopping at HH for a night on the way down (it too is "on the way" for us). But I would hate to check in, check out (wasted pts!) and leave so early the next day just to get in line at the ressie counter at WDW.

 

[crisi]

Didn't vote because we stay on site, but wouldn't stay at the All-Star or another resort "like" it.

AKL, to see the animals. Yacht Club to enjoy SAB the day of arrival. Grand Floridan so mom can soak up the atmophere. Poly for the same thing. CR because my husband still thinks its cool that the monorail goes through the building.

If I'm not staying in the DVC room, its because I'm looking for something special.

 

[auntsue]

Previously, we stayed offsite, but I'm voting onsite because for our next three reserved trips we are staying at the Dolphin twice, then the Swan. I can't wait!

 

[jade1]

Voted other. Actually arrive 2 days early. Usually stay 7 nights, the first 2 at either Universal or Clearwater and the next 5 at DVC. Would vote onsite WDW otherwise for a day early.

 

[MikeJ]

The last two trips (including next week's) we've stayed at Universal, this time at the HRH. Two days of FotL access at USF and IoA, then we move over to OKW *early* the next morning.

- Mike

 

[joepoe]

I voted "other". We (4 adults 3 kids) are staying in a 2BR at Marriott's Grand Vista for 3 nights at $179 a night (includes two Sea World tickets) because we did not have enough points to stay all nine nights at OKW. This is our first "offsite" stay since 1996.

 

[sueg]

Pre 9/11, when there was a great variety of flight times, we tried a very late night flight, Newark to Orlando, landing before midnight. We thought it offered an alternative to the VERY early morning flight that we used to take, which left us sooo tired on our first day at WDW. We opted to stay at Sheraton-Five Points at the airport. It didn't work out too well. We had a rental car reserved, but they were out of cars when we arrived, so we had to take a cab to hotel & return to the airport, via shuttle, to get the rental. The car company pd. for the cab, but it was really inconvenient. Then the hotel was only so-so. There were only 2 pillows for the four of us, a call to housekeeping got no results. So I "slept" without a pillow, because it was so late. We probably would have opted for All-Star next time, but the changes in airlines schedules have eliminated this late night flight for us.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I voted 'other'. Although VB is a DVC resort, we drive from Vero to WDW in the morning, so I am considering my "night before" to be the Vero Beach resort.