DVC discount for cash ressies?

[anniet]

About a week ago I was working with a man who is a DVC member- (I work in Sales and he works for one of our competitors). He told me that if I am staying at a DVC resort on points that I can make a cash ressie for a family member and get a discount. Is this true? Do you know how much?

Also, if I am short of points and want to spend one night on a cash ressie would there be any discount for that one night? If so, how much is it?

If there isn't any DVC discount is there any AP discount and does anyone know how much the AP discount is?

Thanks!

 

[CarolMN]

DVC members can get a 25% discount on cash ressies made through MS. My understanding is that the member must be staying in the room to get the discount.

Member cash discounts are subject to availability, and seem to be more and more rare, especially at the sold out resorts. They are seldom, if ever, available more than 60 days in advance. Apparently, if MS determines that if the point inventory of rooms will not be claimed by members, it will offer the rooms for cash. Member discounted rooms can also come from the Developer's inventory. Again, that's if the Developer's unsold rooms aren't getting filled via CRO.

AP discounts are occasionally available at DVC resorts (via CRO). It's been reported that when this is the case, MS may match the CRO price. You would have to check with CRO to find out the availability of AP discounts for your desired dates. The amount of the discount varies, but is usually in the 30%-40% range.

If any of the above is incorrect, I am sure someone will post the correction.

 

[drusba]

Carol is correct. It is difficult to get a room with the 25% DVC discount as it depends on rooms otherwise not being reserved. The rule that the member must be staying in the room on that disocunt has some leeway in that the room can be part of a group of rooms the member has for his group (in other words if the member reserves one room with points and another with cash for the same time, he has to be staying in at least one of those rooms but not necessarily the one reserved with cash).

AP or other discounts can be done through CRO. They are more often available for resorts other than DVC but sometimes include a DVC resort. Whether such discounts are availalble and for how much simply depends on what is offered at any particular time. AP disocunts can be announced anywhere from 2 months to 6 months in advance of a time period.

 

[littlestar]

I called Member Services Friday and was able to get a member discount on a one bedroom at WLV for a Friday and Saturday night in May 2003. They quoted me $318.75 with tax. I am staying in the room, though.

I will continue to watch for discounts released through CRO for May, though, just in case that rate drops lower through them.

Last spring (March 2002) we added a cash night with a member discount onto a points reservation at Old Key West. We did get the member discount (was booked at six weeks out, though). We didn't have to change rooms. Member Services connected the points reservation with the cash reservation for us.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by littlestar
I called Member Services Friday and was able to get a member discount on a one bedroom at WLV for a Friday and Saturday night in May 2003. They quoted me $318.75 with tax. I am staying in the room, though.

I will continue to watch for discounts released through CRO for May, though, just in case that rate drops lower through them.

Last spring (March 2002) we added a cash night with a member discount onto a points reservation at Old Key West. We did get the member discount (was booked at six weeks out, though). We didn't have to change rooms. Member Services connected the points reservation with the cash reservation for us.

Are you sure that the $318.75 includes tax? If so, you got more than 25% off rack rates. The rack rate for a one bedroom at VWL in May, 2003 is $425.

2003 Rack Rates for VWL

$425 - 25% discount is $318.75.

With 11% tax, the nightly rate becomes $353.81

Are member discounted rooms (paid for with cash rather than points) exempt from room taxes?

 

[Cruelladeville]

I always have a cash discount for my room on the weekends. At the BWV I paid $198 for a studio, $263 for a two bedroom in the summer. You don't need to wait till the last minute to get a cash discount, you can do it when you make your ressie. There are no discounts, however, at Easter and Christmas. Last year I couldn't get a member discount, and I didn't have enough points, so I called for an AP rate, and stayed in BWV one bedroom unit for $222 plus tax per night, with maid service, at Christmastime. I stayed at AKL last summer for $127 AP rate. I have found that I can often get an AP rate at a DVC resort when there is not a member discount available. Sometimes, if you make your ressies 11 months in advance there is no member discount or AP discount available, but they become available later on. Right now there are many discounts available till April 6.

 

[Boo Mc]

Can you get the 25% discount on non-DVC resorts such as the All Stars?

 

[drusba]

The 25% DVC discount for cash ressies applies only to DVC resorts and cannot be used for others.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by Boo Mc
Can you get the 25% discount on non-DVC resorts such as the All Stars?

No. The 25% Member discount only applies to the DVC resorts and is subject to availability.

 

[InstImpres]

We are staying at OKW from Feb 16-20. We had a studio and had to switch to a 1BR because we ended up with guests. I have Sun, Tues, Wed on points and am paying cash for Tuesday. The best DVC could give me was the same $498. I got from CR.

Am I not asking for the right thing?

Thanks in advance
Sandy

 

[DebbieB]

Cruelladeville,

Did you get your AP rate through member services or did you call CRO first? Those sound like great rates. I have OKW booked for Mother's Day Weekend Sun-Thurs nights, I didn't have enough points for Saturday and if I could get a good rate I would add it for cash. Rack rate is $385 for a 1 bedroom, I would like to get it below $250 (that would be 35% off). I'm waiting for a code or AP rate to come out.

I know with the member discount you don't get housekeeping, but if I got an AP rate for Saturday night would I get housekeeping on Sunday?

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by InstImpres
We are staying at OKW from Feb 16-20. We had a studio and had to switch to a 1BR because we ended up with guests. I have Sun, Tues, Wed on points and am paying cash for Tuesday. The best DVC could give me was the same $498. I got from CR.

Am I not asking for the right thing?

Thanks in advance
Sandy

I do not think you are doing anything wrong. From what you have posted, I assume that there is no availability for the 25% member discount, and you are paying rack rate. The member discount is not guaranteed and is only available if MS determines that rooms in the members' inventory are not all going to be claimed by members using their points. I further suspect overall/total availability at OKW is limited for that week, since CRO is not offering any discounts, either.


FWIW, Monday, February 17th is President's Day. That entire week and the weekend before are considered peak season. Many schools (especially in the northern states) have that week off from school. There are few, if any, discounts to be had during that time.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[littlestar]

Member Services said the $318.75 included tax, but I'll probably know more when I get the paper confirmation. I heard there were new people being trained, so the cast member I spoke to could have been mistaken.

On our cash reservation at Old Key West last spring I'm pretty sure we paid tax on those two nights.

Thanks for the link on the rack rates.

 

[anniet]

Thank you all! I'm going to print this out. This is great information!