Favorite DVC Hack?

[dfan_welcomehomeall_19]

Just wondering what your favorite DVC hack is.

Mine is purchasing discounted gift cards at certain warehouse clubs. Discounts may max at 6% based on my experience but since you can use gift cards for dues, the parks, and AP’s (when sales not “suspended”). Ex $2k in dues, gift cards cost $1880 saving $120. If you do the same for passes and money spent in the parks it sit all adds up!

Curious if/what everyone else does.

Happy Holidays all!

 

[hetzeltj]

Just wondering what your favorite DVC hack is.

Mine is purchasing discounted gift cards at certain warehouse clubs. Discounts may max at 6% based on my experience but since you can use gift cards for dues, the parks, and AP’s (when sales not “suspended”). Ex $2k in dues, gift cards cost $1880 saving $120. If you do the same for passes and money spent in the parks it sit all adds up!

Curious if/what everyone else does.

Happy Holidays all!

we buy gift cards anytime we go to target. Even its just a $25 one. We know we are going to spend that money anyway.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Yup! MF's, AP's and park expenses like meals. It adds up to a huge amount of money and some years it is easy to do and other years it is $50 here and $100 there. Definitely worth a little effort over a year!

 

[kilik64]

we buy gift cards anytime we go to target. Even its just a $25 one. We know we are going to spend that money anyway.

You must not go to target very much. Id have thousands of dollars in disney giftcards if i did that!

We got 2 from the sams club deal (10% discount, 900 to get 1000).

Guess another "hack" would be that we are going to buy discounted tickets from Sams club as well. Wont save a ton on the 3 tickets we are getting, but something is better than nothing.

 

[com_op_2000]

Ours is bringing our own lunch or dinner for every day of the trip.
DW usually makes a one pot meal:
Stew
Soup
Lasagna
As we usually stay in studios, these work out great for reheating in the microwave. We sometimes will eat breakfast out and then depending on what we are doing that day either lunch or dinner in the room every day.

 

[Micca]

Ours is bringing our own lunch or dinner for every day of the trip.

We do breakfast and snacks in the room and we bring leftovers from our TS meals back for re-heating later. It's not strictly a cost-savings measure, it's just nice to get to somewhere quiet where you can cool off and relax on nice furniture.

And while it's probably not technically a "hack" we love having Owner's Locker. No more schlepping all that "stuff" back & forth.

 

[mustinjourney]

best DVC hack is not having a multi-thousand dollar room bill to pay after checking out.

hahaha

 

[corpcomp]

We limit ourselves re nice restaurants (i.e: last month got two cobb salads ($18 each) for our very first visit at Brown Derby. Thought initially we were being cheap but then saw half the other guests ordered the same!! Did have to request bread but the best Cobb in the world and I live in New England where they are common.) Make PB&J sandwiches for lunch in the parks along with sides from a casual service restaurant. Like to go to Earl of Sandwich for some of the best subs while in DS. Have tried Boathouse, Raglan Road, Polite Pig (great pulled pork but WOW is the sauce hot!!!) but keep to two nices per trip. Desserts however, I could spend a fortune on desserts but DW brings a small hammer if I reach too much. Last trip total bill was about $360 for both of us for 5 days, all paid with reward card points. Racked up about 1200 points during 18 months of Covid.

 

[Memorymakerfor4]

I like to buy pastries in the parks for breakfast the next morning. My favorite is the school bread.

I set up a yearly alarm on my phone calendar telling me its time to bank points, so no worrying about forgetting.

Member Services is saved as a contact on my phone, it saves a lot of time not needing to look up the number.

 

[Carol_]

Push those occupancy limits! So they don’t want to provide sheets and blankets for that 5th person legally allowed to stay in the room? Bring a sleeping bag!
We’re getting our $$’s worth!

 

[jbreen2010]

If you don't have a blue card & are just a white card, try to mobile order food at restaurants that provide the 10% DVC discount to blue card members. They don't differentiate in the app, so you still get the 10% off!

 

[kilik64]

If you don't have a blue card & are just a white card, try to mobile order food at restaurants that provide the 10% DVC discount to blue card members. They don't differentiate in the app, so you still get the 10% off!

Supposedly works for retail too, some stores have the scan and pay in app deal, people have reported getting the merch discount doing that even as white card plebs.

 

[Chuck S]

Have tried Boathouse, Raglan Road, Polite Pig (great pulled pork but WOW is the sauce hot!!!) but keep to two nices per trip.

Next time have them substitute a mild/sweet sauce, I can't do spicy foods, and the pulled pork is delicious with the sweeter sauce.

 

[Chuck S]

If you don't have a blue card & are just a white card, try to mobile order food at restaurants that provide the 10% DVC discount to blue card members. They don't differentiate in the app, so you still get the 10% off!

Supposedly works for retail too, some stores have the scan and pay in app deal, people have reported getting the merch discount doing that even as white card plebs.

If the app adds it automatically, then so be it, but I have a feeling it will be changing when the digital card system is fully operational next year. I would not be surprised if we all get new codes to re-link our DVC to MDE to correct the issues.

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

So. You arrive at your resort and you have a ton of luggage. You want to put it in storage and go to a park. You will return when your room is ready and check into your room.

Need help? You can use Bell Services. They will do an excellent job of storing your luggage and bringing it to your room when ready. Just be sure to give them a generous tip, because they really are good.

But, what if you don’t need help? You can get a luggage cart, load it up, ask the greeter to hold it for you until you return, and take it up to the room yourself.

 

[Chuck S]

So. You arrive at your resort and you have a ton of luggage. You want to put it in storage and go to a park. You will return when your room is ready and check into your room.

Need help? You can use Bell Services. They will do an excellent job of storing your luggage and bringing it to your room when ready. Just be sure to give them a generous tip, because they really are good.

But, what if you don’t need help? You can get a luggage cart, load it up, ask the greeter to hold it for you until you return, and take it up to the room yourself.

Most resorts do NOT provide luggage carts for guests, at most resorts the carts are for the use of Bell Services ONLY. And a greeter is not going to be able to "hold" your luggage for you, it is still bell services.

 

[LSchrow]

When DDP is available, book your first night as a separate reservation, & purchase the Deluxe DDP for that night only (easy if you have multiple Memberships, else make one of the guests in room have slightly different name by using initials or nickname, keeping that reservation separate).
For $119 per Adult, you get 3 Table Services with appetizer, entrée, dessert, drink (alcoholic if over 21) and 2 snacks to use over 2 days, plus a refillable mug (which is good for 14 days).
We usually have an early dinner the first day, then lunch around noon & supper around 8pm the next. Our meals usually run over $70pp with tax (e.g., Coral Reef lunch about $73, Tutto Italia about $92, Trattoria al Forno $79 - total $244 OOP) - figure the Deluxe DDP costs less than $35pp for each of those meals. On our recent trips without any DDP, we definitely spent waaaaaay more OOP for waaaaay less food .
With a fridge & microwave, you can bring some items (the snacks, apps, desserts, leftovers) back to the room for late night snacks or breakfast.
If you use discounted Disney GCs from Target or BJs to pay for the plan, you can save even more.
While I understand many are park people, who prefer running to rides over leisurely dining, for those of us who consider WDW with DVC a relaxing vacation, & who enjoy leisurely dining with friends/family, buying DDP for a night or two can be a great option. Btw, we'll have a few QS and get groceries delivered for the rest of our trip (about 2 weeks total).

 

[kboo]

If you don't have a blue card & are just a white card, try to mobile order food at restaurants that provide the 10% DVC discount to blue card members. They don't differentiate in the app, so you still get the 10% off!

Which mobile order places will apply that discount? Or is this mobile order at a TS restaurant?

 

[Dizzydizney]

Most resorts do NOT provide luggage carts for guests, at most resorts the carts are for the use of Bell Services ONLY. And a greeter is not going to be able to "hold" your luggage for you, it is still bell services.

Since the reopening, DVC resorts have allowed guests to use the luggage carts. This has happened at BLT, BWV, RIV. But only one if one is available. Unfortunately many guests don’t return them but leave them in the hall or park them in a corner somewhere far from the lobby. They have even been left in the parking lots. However, I’ve never asked anyone to hold my luggage on a luggage cart that I’ve borrowed. That’s pushing it a bit IMO. Not sure if this will continue, but it sure beats making a couple trips to the car. And I’m too cheap to pay someone $20 to do it for me. We bring slot of stuff.

When it's available, book your first night as a separate reservation, & purchase the Deluxe DDP for that night only (easy if you have multiple Memberships, else make one of the guests in room have slightly different name by using initials or nickname, keeping that reservation separate).

I sure miss doing that. No word yet on when the DDP will return. We will reserve a studio the first night or two to do just what you do with the Dining plan, and then switch to a one bedroom. I wonder how much the deluxe plan will be?

 

[RanDIZ]

I wonder how much the deluxe plan will be?

Well Disney just realized there was enough people to cave to their greedy money grab and pay 100% more for after hours parties and $15 or more for Genie and LL. So I’d say they can raise the DDP 100% and these same people will bow to the emperor yet again and pay up. Sometimes a little push back goes a long way.