Has anyone booked cruise on points but paid cash for kids?

[Rock'n Robin]

I am considering cruising in 2002 instead of 2004. The whole family would cost 480 for the 3 night cruise (we have 3 kids so the least we can get is cat. 4). Anyone pay cash for their kids? If I use those points we can't go to WDW in 2003. I hate wasting MS time with these questions.
Also, opinions please--will 4 days in the parks be enough during the big celebration? WE skipped Spectro last week, and I know there will be new parades in each park, but some will carry over to 2003.
Robin M.

 

[TnRobin]

We are paying for Matthew on cash this Sept. He is costing us $429 in off-season.

 

[ripleysmom]

We paid cash for one of our kids. MS made it very easy.

 

[okwmiester]

We booked a 7 day magic cruise in category 5 with veranda this October for 289 points and paid cash for the kids through member services (just before the cost went up for children over 12). WE paid under $900 for both of the kids. WE used the cruise boards to make other plans such as ground transportation and hotel accomodations for the night before embarkment. If all goes well I may look at this as a yearly event. Also scored Dela round trip tickets out of MInneapolis for $160 per person!

Doug

 

[Laurajean1014]

We just came back from 7 day DCL. We used our 78 points for our son. We used the money that we didn't spend on buying additional points. Think: instead of spending $250 or 300 on one cruise per child, you can put that down on additional points for the next 42 years..................

 

[WorknFires]

HMMMM DH & I are taking my mom and my aunt this Oct. I didn't have enough points to cover 5 days at WDW & the 3 day cruise for all 4 of us so I ended up paying cash for my aunt. It cost just over $300 for her. Granted that was 8 months ago (before price change??)apparently, I got a deal!

If you can afford to pay cash to save your points for next year, then that's what I'd do. Or take the money you "would've spent" and set it aside with saved money between now and then and use a code off mousesavers.com to get you a nice room on property at a discount.

Cheryl

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Thanks for all the info--DH thinks 4 days isn't enough for the parks, so right now we're thinking of paying cash for one of the adults too.
The theory as of now:
4 nights VWL (with cousin)
3 night cruise(just us & kids)
3 nights BWV (with my parents)
And then back to a week at BWV in 2003.
Robin