First trip as members to SSR in AUGUST...good or bad idea??????

[edk35]

We're just being stingy with our new found points!! We only bought 250 & these dates in a studio at OKW will only use 98 pts. so we can bank 152. This will give us 402 for next yr. We want to do a Land & Sea Combo next summer & are planning to spend 3 n. at SSR then do a 4 n. cruise. We'll probably have to pay cash on the cruise for our DS but everything else would be covered with pts. Well, actually, we may use all of the pts. on the cruise & pay cash with the DVC discount for the 3 n. at SSR. STILL waiting on the 2008 cruise point charts to be released to decide for sure which way we'll go!!

Anyway, waiting to go on Aug. 16 & switching to OKW saved 25 pts. VS staying at SSR earlier in the summer!

Our guide suggested we try the cruise too...do the same sea/land. We have an abundance of points right now...so that is why he suggested that. It seems to me that the cruise will take a TON of points though. We got 300 when we joined and our use year is Oct. plus we got developer's pts. So right now we have 600 and we get another 300 in Oct, which we are banking some and if we go on the cruise we will probably have to borrow and I would almost rather always have extra points from getting this deal initially. Does that make sense?? LOL

 

[daisyduck123]

:


Three DVC dis'ers from MD.

Hi!
We're in Maryland also...staying at BCV July 29-Aug. 3.

 

[Anal Annie]

Our guide suggested we try the cruise too...do the same sea/land. We have an abundance of points right now...so that is why he suggested that. It seems to me that the cruise will take a TON of points though. We got 300 when we joined and our use year is Oct. plus we got developer's pts. So right now we have 600 and we get another 300 in Oct, which we are banking some and if we go on the cruise we will probably have to borrow and I would almost rather always have extra points from getting this deal initially. Does that make sense?? LOL

Doing a Disney cruise is kinda like eating Lays Potato chips - can't stop with just one!

Agreed, the cruises ARE a lot of points - but they're also a lot of cash if u pay cash 'cuz they're always priced per person not per cabin. The pts. required for a cruise vary a lot by cabin category too (adding a balcony makes for a lot more pts.). We had a Cat. 6 (balcony) last time but are thinking if we're just doing a 4 n. cruise to Castaway Cay we could do a Cat. 8 (deluxe O.V.) this next time (a Cat. 8 for the 3 of us currently prices at $3,495 for July '08). We figure SSR will probably run in the $900 range before our DVC discount and our DS would prob. run around $1000 give or take a few bucks on the cruise. We will have our AP left from this year so won't have to buy park tickets. We're just waiting for more accurate pricing for '08 & the cruise charts for '08 to figure out which way saves the most. But either way, we should be able to get by for AROUND $1000 cash - just ballparking it - that's not too shabby, really.

Anyway, if we had 600 pts. to use we'd be booking that baby so-o fast & wouldn't even look back!! But that's us - we were thrilled with our last cruise! You'll be able to plan several really nice trips with 600 pts. (Curious - did u buy at SSR or AKV? We just bought SSR in Dec. but they gave us a Dec. use year not Oct. & there were no developer pts. - that's why I wondered which resort...)

 

[Anal Annie]

(PS) Hey there all of you Marylanders!!

 

[ebenmax]

Don't forget the possibility of major thunder storms. We generally have been to WDW in July and some of the storms are unbelievable. Just be prepared and watch the weather reports and skies before you head out. They can sneak up on you!

Regardless, we have an awesome time!!

HTH

Ellen

 

[edk35]

Doing a Disney cruise is kinda like eating Lays Potato chips - can't stop with just one!

Agreed, the cruises ARE a lot of points - but they're also a lot of cash if u pay cash 'cuz they're always priced per person not per cabin. The pts. required for a cruise vary a lot by cabin category too (adding a balcony makes for a lot more pts.). We had a Cat. 6 (balcony) last time but are thinking if we're just doing a 4 n. cruise to Castaway Cay we could do a Cat. 8 (deluxe O.V.) this next time (a Cat. 8 for the 3 of us currently prices at $3,495 for July '08). We figure SSR will probably run in the $900 range before our DVC discount and our DS would prob. run around $1000 give or take a few bucks on the cruise. We will have our AP left from this year so won't have to buy park tickets. We're just waiting for more accurate pricing for '08 & the cruise charts for '08 to figure out which way saves the most. But either way, we should be able to get by for AROUND $1000 cash - just ballparking it - that's not too shabby, really.

Anyway, if we had 600 pts. to use we'd be booking that baby so-o fast & wouldn't even look back!! But that's us - we were thrilled with our last cruise! You'll be able to plan several really nice trips with 600 pts. (Curious - did u buy at SSR or AKV? We just bought SSR in Dec. but they gave us a Dec. use year not Oct. & there were no developer pts. - that's why I wondered which resort...)

LOL this made me laugh. Anyway...we bought into SSR Jan. 31st....we were able to pick our use year...so we went with Oct. At first he suggested Aug. but then when we told him we have been going in Nov. and Jan. he suggested Oct. We had a choice of 91 a pt. or taking the developer's pts. So we took the points....got the current use year points too. So we walked away with 600 and we get our other 300 this Oct.

I don't understand the cruise stuff. I look at the categories and how much per person then it says stuff about adding 3rd and 4th person child/adult and then we would have to have 2 cabins....so I have no idea how many pts we would even know. Would it be more than 900???? Thanks

 

[Anal Annie]

LOL this made me laugh. Anyway...we bought into SSR Jan. 31st....we were able to pick our use year...so we went with Oct. At first he suggested Aug. but then when we told him we have been going in Nov. and Jan. he suggested Oct. We had a choice of 91 a pt. or taking the developer's pts. So we took the points....got the current use year points too. So we walked away with 600 and we get our other 300 this Oct.

I don't understand the cruise stuff. I look at the categories and how much per person then it says stuff about adding 3rd and 4th person child/adult and then we would have to have 2 cabins....so I have no idea how many pts we would even know. Would it be more than 900???? Thanks

Ouch! I guess I didn't realize you're a family of 5 - we're only 3... What I have seen some ppl do is instead of taking 2 adjoining cabins is to book 1 directly across the hall (inside) and save a lot of points by putting older children or whatever over there. Saves a ton of points to book say a Cat. 8 or 9 OV & a Cat. 11 or Cat. 12 (inside) or whatever (what's avail. depends what deck you're looking at). The other thing is that it would depend if you're looking at doing a 7 n. or a 3 or 4 n. - we'd prob. never do a 7 n. w/ points - takes WAY too many. Don't know if you've ever cruised before or not. This was our first & we actually booked a Cat. 8 guarantee room & 2 weeks before got upgraded to a Cat. 6 (NICE) with a balcony.

Visit the DCL website sometime (like if you're iced in at home tomorrow & don't lose power). Put some pretend dates in & pick some categories to price - then select one & you'll get to a point where you can actually pick an avail. cabin - THEN you'll be able to see the diff. decks & once you see the layout it might make that part easier for you to grasp. The theory I believe is that the higher up & closest to the center cabins have the least motion (and are priced as such). We ended up in a Cat. 6 - however we were at the VERY BACK of the ship on Deck 5 (great deck BTW - very quiet). The motion was not a big problem for us. I think when the ship was rocking a lot it really didn't matter where you were on it - you knew it.

Anyway, yes, you would need either a suite (hard to get) or 2 cabins - if you think your kids can sleep alone across the hall - then HEY - honeymoon for u & DH!!!! (Not sure, but they may "require" an adult in that 2nd room - but...I'd just wait for the lights to be out....wink, wink!! (there's no smiley for that one)