ever stay at non dvc hotel to save points...

[primecap]

Can anybody here share any stories of staying at non dvc properties just before or after your dvc vacation to save on points? We are going in August sun-thursday. I was thinking on going down on sat, and staying at non dvc property just to save on points for that 1 day. I looked at pop century and it is 141 per night, tax included. I also saw a double tree hotel in downtown disney for 134 per night. What are your thoughts regarding this?
Thanks
Jim

 

[dairyqueenmom]

We are doing something very similar in Aug. also. We will be staying at the Residence Inn @ the airport our 1st night which is Saturday Aug. 8. We were able to get a 2bd. suite for $126 total. It includes a Managers reception that night with free beer, munchies, and wine and breakfast in the morning. For our family of 6 that will save us some cash for breakfast. It has a pool and is close to the airport. On Sunday we will be driving over to VB.

 

[Chuck S]

We drive down, and allow an extra day in case of road construction or weather/accidet delays. We often spend the first night at POP Century. We like it fine, and like their food court. I wouldn't want to spend an entire extended vacation there vs. my DVC, but POP is fine for a night or two, and I like POP a lot better than All-Stars. Do you have an Annual Pass? There is often an AP discount available at POP.

 

[DisneyWalker44]

If flying in at night, we always stay somewhere else rather than spend DVC points just to sleep. Usually, we'll use priceline to get a MCO-area hotel. Works great! We stay someplace nice for about $50, then take the hotel shuttle back to MCO, where we get Magical Express to Disney.

 

[DebbieB]

I'm staying at AKV in a studio June 14-20 (Sun to Sat). I wanted to get a free ticket on Southwest but all they had were flights getting in late Sunday evening. I have dinner plans with friends that night. So I checked Saturday departure and was able to get a free ticket. I would have to borrow points to add Saturday night. I was able to get a room at the Swan for $60 with Starwood points. I had a similiar situation one time when staying at BWV, we arrived a day early to get free airline tickets. I got an AP rate at the Boardwalk Inn so it was an easy move.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I've stayed at Pop, and also, I look at AKV value studios/1 bedrooms for Friday/Saturday night stays. I have used both of those alternatives to other costlier weekend stays.

Since we do like and use Magic Express, I don't consider off site usually. In December, we want to arrive on Friday night, and I do a bit of sightseeing in FL, we're considering a hotel with a shuttel to MCO, picking up a car on Saturday AM. We have VWL booked from Saturday on.

Bobbi

 

[bookwormde]

I have done WL and AKL on weekends,

This year I have on off site booked but waiting for AP discounts to try to move onsite.

bookwormde

 

[mmmagic7754]

Stayed at Pops on a Friday and Saturday to save points and was very happy with hotel. It has a great food court and doesn't share bus service with any other resort. Rooms were small but at the time were only $112 per night

 

[dairyqueenmom]

Stayed at Pops on a Friday and Saturday to save points and was very happy with hotel. It has a great food court and doesn't share bus service with any other resort. Rooms were small but at the time were only $112 per night

We are planning on staying at POP in Oct. for our Saturday night before we check into BWV on Sunday. I am hoping to get an AP discount for that night. Does anyone know what the AP discount is or what the DVC member cash discount it?

 

[CarolA]

I have a reservation for off property for next month.

I am no longer willing to pay Disney prices for hotels that don't meet the industry standards so I rarely stay on site if it's not with my DVC points. IMHO you get much better value for your money with the hotels in the Lake Buena Vista or DTD area.

$141 for POP??? A hotel with outside corridors and lacking most of the other features you see at "value" hotels of chains like Marriott and Hilton (coffee makers, free fridges, free breakfasts, ability to earn points for free stays,interior corridors, "free" king beds etc.) Fantasyland is not only in the MK!

 

[dairyqueenmom]

I agree with you but, we want to use ME, have Disney move our luggage to BWV while we are at the parks, and it will only be for sleeping for one night.

I think if we stayed offsite we would have to pay for transportation to the hotel, and then transportation to BWV the next morning. That will even out the saving of a cheaper hotel offsite.

 

[starbox]

We always stay offsite on our Saturday travel/arrival day. This is just me, but it bothers me to "waste" points (or cash) on a resort day when I won't be rested and relaxed from travel an ready to enjoy every minute (we always check in around 8am and use our KTTW and resort ameneties until our room is ready).

Typically, I'll either go the cheap route and Priceline a 3.5 star in Disney or Universal (max. bid 45$) areas OR I'll go for a 4-5 star resort (max bid 65$).

For the 3.5 stars, we've gotten the Universal Wyndham and Celebration-area Radisson - both were very nice with large, well-equipped rooms and both had great food-court areas (the Wyndham had a Starbucks and Ice Cream Parlor)

For the resorts, we got the DTD Hilton (which gives you extra magic hours). It was really nice - we loved being literally across the street from DTD, and at Christmas they had Santa there (there's also character dining and a Benihana) and the Peabody (which my kids claim is the best hotel they've ever stayed in - rating it even higher than the Ritz - all because the bathroom had its own flat screen TV)

I've also done the Swan w/ the teacher rate. We're staying at the Dolphin for my birthday weekend Food & Wine/MNSSHP - with the teacher rate and the birthday deal, we'll get 3 nights in an upgraded balcony room for 480.00 total.

Shop around - there are lots of GREAT places to stay in Orlando and lots of GREAT deals.

 

[Sheribo]

We always stay the first night of our trip at a non DVC resort to save points and have done it both ways. We have stayed at the Comfort Suites , Holiday Inn on International Blvd. and the All Star Movies Resort

We stayed at ASMo because we wanted to use ME but we won't again. The cost was still too much for what we got. The room was dirty, there were holes in the bedspread and smokers used the area outside our room as their personal meeting place. They left Disney cups outside our door with cigarette butts and no one removed them. We called housekeeping and they did come by to clean the bathroom and remove the ashtray.

I would definitely stay offsite next trip since most hotels have an airport shuttle for a fee. ME to get back to the airport will be fine.

 

[DVC Mike]

I used to book a moderate or deluxe resort using the AP discount on Fri/Sat nights to save points. However, I grew weary of changing resorts and just bought more points. With the point reallocation, it's also less of an issue.

 

[SunnieRN]

Can anybody here share any stories of staying at non dvc properties just before or after your dvc vacation to save on points? We are going in August sun-thursday. I was thinking on going down on sat, and staying at non dvc property just to save on points for that 1 day. I looked at pop century and it is 141 per night, tax included. I also saw a double tree hotel in downtown disney for 134 per night. What are your thoughts regarding this?
Thanks
Jim

Wow, I can't believe POP is $141! DVC is starting to be an even better deal!

 

[robandkelly13]

We have driven down the day before our ressies and stayed at all star movies from 1am to 8am - that is all we could handle there. The room and everything in it felt old and dirty. DH (retired Army - been deployed countless times) said he'd stayed in barracks nicer than this and we vowed never again. Maybe pop is nicer, but I'd stay away from movies.

 

[JFrey4240]

We just stayed three nights at Pop Century for $136/night incl. tax with AAA rate. We didn't want to use weekend points so we can squeeze in a trip at the end of the summer. We transferred to SSR yesterday and while Pop is fine, it is so much more relaxing here. I'm not sure I could stay at Pop for a week. The food court was great and the room was fine but it didn't seem to absorb the people. It would be even better if the rate was less but at Easter, $136 didn't seem so bad.

 

[dvcnewgirl]

I try to use Hotwire to get a nice hotel for a cheap price. I like to fly in on Sat and stay at the airport hotel and head out on Sun morning. I find that relaxing. I would rather pay 141 for a 4 star off site than POP. JMO.

 

[mom2rb]

I used to book a moderate or deluxe resort using the AP discount on Fri/Sat nights to save points. However, I grew weary of changing resorts and just bought more points. With the point reallocation, it's also less of an issue.

This is what we did. After the last set of points, DH told me we can't even stay in a studio on week-ends anymore.

 

[Chuck S]

We have driven down the day before our ressies and stayed at all star movies from 1am to 8am - that is all we could handle there. The room and everything in it felt old and dirty. DH (retired Army - been deployed countless times) said he'd stayed in barracks nicer than this and we vowed never again. Maybe pop is nicer, but I'd stay away from movies.

Never stayed in Movies, but have stayed in Sports and Music. POP is nicer, IMO. I'll stay at POP, but I won't stay at All-Stars again.