DVC vs. Cash Reservation

[buck0086]

I'm a new BLT member who is just learning about DVC. I'd like some help with this situation.

We have a couple of BLT trips reserved already and are considering a 3 night trip to WDW in October. I'm trying to decide if I should borrow some of my points to stay in a studio at a DVC club or if I should pay cash to stay at POFQ or Pop Century. How do you figure out/equate cash vs. points. Thanks for your help.

Buck

 

[hellerjw]

You should also check to see if DVC is offering any cash discounts for the nights you want in October. They often give 25% discounts on member cash stays at the DVC resorts. I'm not sure if the discounts apply this far out but its worth checking on.

We took advantage of the 25% cash discount back in February for a quick weekend stay at HHI and it ended up being cheaper than any local hotels. We actually tried to book the weekend on points but only 1 of the 2 nights we wanted was available on points, both nights were available for cash so we jumped on it.

 

[Cmbar]

You should also check to see if DVC is offering any cash discounts for the nights you want in October. They often give 25% discounts on member cash stays at the DVC resorts. I'm not sure if the discounts apply this far out but its worth checking on.

We took advantage of the 25% cash discount back in February for a quick weekend stay at HHI and it ended up being cheaper than any local hotels. We actually tried to book the weekend on points but only 1 of the 2 nights we wanted was available on points, both nights were available for cash so we jumped on it.

Probably a dumb question, but who do you call to make a Cash reservation?? Member services?? Confused? Also do you call WDW CRO to make reservations at HHI and VB??

 

[hellerjw]

Yes, you would call Member Services. They should be able to book any DVC resort for you. They will book the reservation and you will pay for it at check-in.

 

[PurpleTurtle]

I'm a new BLT member who is just learning about DVC. I'd like some help with this situation.

We have a couple of BLT trips reserved already and are considering a 3 night trip to WDW in October. I'm trying to decide if I should borrow some of my points to stay in a studio at a DVC club or if I should pay cash to stay at POFQ or Pop Century. How do you figure out/equate cash vs. points. Thanks for your help.

Buck

Hi there - I use a rough estimate of $10/point to figure how much a rental would cost. You can usually find points to rent for ~$10 (maybe between $8 and $12) depending when, what, how soon you are looking to rent.

As an aside, I booked a free dining package for our fam. of 6 for this Sept. Two rooms at POP are going to cost us a total of ~$1,350 for the week. I figure this is the equivalent of ~135 points, plus it includes free dining, so it's worth it as a bonus trip for us, since we always have to have either two rooms or a DVC 2BR. I probably would not pay cash for a moderate resort, though, b/c it's more in line with what a 2BR costs us anyway, and the DVC 2BRs are SOOO much nicer than 2 moderate rooms.

HTH!

 

[Cmbar]

Yes, you would call Member Services. They should be able to book any DVC resort for you. They will book the reservation and you will pay for it at check-in.

Thanks does, that mean they have different inventory available to book? Cash reservations I thought were booked from CRO. Does MS have access to that? Is there a special inventory. Also if say I called CRO would they be able to give me my DVC discount (if available). Sorry, this is all new to me... the idea of paying for a cash reservation for any of the DVC resorts.

 

[DebbieB]

Thanks does, that mean they have different inventory available to book? Cash reservations I thought were booked from CRO. Does MS have access to that? Is there a special inventory. Also if say I called CRO would they be able to give me my DVC discount (if available). Sorry, this is all new to me... the idea of paying for a cash reservation for any of the DVC resorts.

Only DVC Member Services can give you the member discount for DVC resorts. The member discount does not apply to non-DVC resorts. Member Services cannot book non-DVC resorts.

 

[5forDiz]

Thanks does, that mean they have different inventory available to book? Cash reservations I thought were booked from CRO. Does MS have access to that? Is there a special inventory. Also if say I called CRO would they be able to give me my DVC discount (if available). Sorry, this is all new to me... the idea of paying for a cash reservation for any of the DVC resorts.

MS books cash reservations for only DVC resorts for DVC members & will tell you if 25% member discount is available or not ( sometimes if 25% member discount isn't available when you first book it is possible it may still become available as it gets closer to reservation date ). If you call to book a DVC resort through CRO you will not get 25% DVC member discount - that is only do-able (subject to it being available) through MS. MS will only reserve cash ressies for DVC resorts (not any other WDW resorts, that's always done through CRO)

You'd book through CRO if you want to stay at any of the other WDW resorts but if they (CRO) are offering some kind of promo such as pay 4/get 3 free or free dining, etc. that applies to DVC resorts (or any other WDW resorts too) that you'd like to take advantage of or if you have an AP and there is perhaps an AP discount you wanted to take advantage of then this would be when CRO would need to be called for reservation even though you'd want to book promo at DVC resort.

 

[Cmbar]

Thank you for those responses, I understand that MS will only be able to give you the discount and of course they would only be able to book DVC resorts.

My question really is why does MS have cash basis rooms? If there is a room for a cash basis that I can book with a Discount, why is that possible? Why wouldn't the room be available on points. I thought all rooms that weren't available with points get transfered to CRO to sell to the public. Am I making sense??

 

[buck0086]

So if I assume $10 per point I come up with these calculations:
$574 cash to stay at POFQ.
56 points to stay at BLT Standard Studio=$560
So if I can swing the points, I am better off using points. If I picked a less expensive DVC resort (if available), I would come out further ahead. Never mind that we are talking about a moderate resort vs. a DVC resort.

Am I on the right track here?

Buck

 

[PurpleTurtle]

Your calculations look good to me, Buck. That's usually how I 'figure' whether the use of points is worth it. I find that once you are up to the moderate level of accommodations, the DVC points are a better deal b/c the 'price' is about the same and you get the deluxe DVC vs. moderate hotel.

P.S. Make sure that you are including tax in the hotel calculation. That is not added on top of the DVC accommodation calculation, but it is added to the hotel calculations, and it's ~12%. Can make a big difference.