Has anyone paid for a night at same location before a week of DVC?

[Suzanne74]

We are "renting" from my MIL thru RCI and staying SSR for 1 wk in a 1 bdrm villa. The airfare was significantly cheaper to fly in the afternoon before. I am debating paying 30% off room-only rate and just staying in a studio at SSR. But then I realized I will have to check out, bring the bags to bell services and possibly not check in again until 4pm. Now I am thinking of staying at POP or POR to save some cash, between $100-170 depending on where I stay.

Does anyone add a night on a separate reservation? Does SSR try to keep both rooms close and give you a room that will be available earlier. I wouldn't mind paying the extra if it can be a little easier but if not, do any of you stay at a cheaper resort for one night?

Thanks in advance!

 

[kirstenb1]

There are no guarantees the rooms will be close at all. I might go ahead and save the cash. Years ago, when we would fly down on a Saturday, but not check in til Sunday, we stayed at a Downtown Disney hotel that had suites. I think it was something Like Buena Vista resort. Anyway, you got a suite, instead of just a room, plus free breakfast.

 

[kirstenb1]

Uh oh, just saw you're flying and assumed a rental car. Bad assumption on my part. Anyway, if you have one, there are so many inexpensive options, and I would definitely choose one, over paying cash rate for SSR

 

[DebbieB]

I once booked a night at Boardwalk Inn before checking into Boardwalk Villas. Frequent Flyer tickets were available the day before but not the day of my BWV reservation. Had bell services pickup the luggage in the morning and put it into storage (I checked if the room was available around 9:00am, it wasn't). So we went off to a park for the day and got into our BWV room later.

 

[Suzanne74]

Uh oh, just saw you're flying and assumed a rental car. Bad assumption on my part. Anyway, if you have one, there are so many inexpensive options, and I would definitely choose one, over paying cash rate for SSR

Yes, no car so we need ME and a disney hotel. Normally we do rent but we are staying 12 days (3 nights after SSR at AoA) and the costs were too high to consider one this trip. I thought about Hyatt MCO but I am not paying $170 for double beds when I can get queens at POR (and already be onsite) for the same price.

I am leaning towards a royal room at POR. Thanks for your input.

 

[Suzanne74]

I once booked a night at Boardwalk Inn before checking into Boardwalk Villas. Frequent Flyer tickets were available the day before but not the day of my BWV reservation. Had bell services pickup the luggage in the morning and put it into storage (I checked if the room was available around 9:00am, it wasn't). So we went off to a park for the day and got into our BWV room later.

That is what I would do but I can stay somewhere cheaper and just have Disney transfer my luggage to SSR while we are at he park. I guess the only perk to staying onsite is being able to go to the lobby in AM and check-out / check-in, even if the room wasn't ready.

 

[BillPA]

Yes, no car so we need ME and a disney hotel. Normally we do rent but we are staying 12 days (3 nights after SSR at AoA) and the costs were too high to consider one this trip. I thought about Hyatt MCO but I am not paying $170 for double beds when I can get queens at POR (and already be onsite) for the same price.

I am leaning towards a royal room at POR. Thanks for your input.

The beds at port orleans are all double size, unles you get a king room, then only 1 bed.

 

[Suzanne74]

The beds at port orleans are all double size, unles you get a king room, then only 1 bed.

The website says riverside has either 2 queens or 2 queens and a daybed. I though Caribbean Beach was the only mod with doubles?

 

[Carl'n'Ellie'sDad]

It will be more expensive, but If you book the extra night for cash, I'd guess there is a strong likelihood that SSR front desk can keep you in the same room for both stays...

Back in the days when weekend stays were twice the points, we'd book Sun - Thurs on points for two weeks, with a cash reservation for the weekend. Front desk always arranged it so that we never had to move or check in or out for the three separate reservations.

 

[uramr]

Have you thought of renting points for the same room category that one night? If not paying cash for the room certainly could make your life easier if they're able to keep you in the same room. They usually try really hard to do that, just make sure that your reservations are together to the reservation system and consider calling the front desk of the hotel a week before your arrival.

 

[jimandami]

The website says riverside has either 2 queens or 2 queens and a daybed. I though Caribbean Beach was the only mod with doubles?

That is correct!

 

[wordwitt]

Maybe this is too much of a hassle for you, but when we visited in May our plane didn't arrive until almost midnight. So we stayed at the Renaissance Airport on my husband's Marriott points and took the airport shuttle back to MCO early in the morning to catch Magical Express. Worked fine. I would imagine it would work just as well with any hotel that has a decent shuttle service.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Ok firstly, Port Orleans just went from having 2 doubles to 2 queens so that is correct.

Secondly, changing resorts without a car is not a problem. We've done it.

You can just take your luggage to bell services the next morning or shockingly, I've seen people take luggage on Disney transportation. I highly suggest letting Disney transfer for you. It works well.

We really enjoy staying at Port Orleans riverside.

 

[BillPA]

Ok firstly, Port Orleans just went from having 2 doubles to 2 queens so that is correct.
Secondly, changing resorts without a car is not a problem. We've done it.

You can just take your luggage to bell services the next morning or shockingly, I've seen people take luggage on Disney transportation. I highly suggest letting Disney transfer for you. It works well.

We really enjoy staying at Port Orleans riverside.

Thanks for the correction. I haven't been there in a while and they had doubles then. I didn't think they had room for queens.

 

[Suzanne74]

Have you thought of renting points for the same room category that one night? If not paying cash for the room certainly could make your life easier if they're able to keep you in the same room. They usually try really hard to do that, just make sure that your reservations are together to the reservation system and consider calling the front desk of the hotel a week before your arrival.

I thought of that but I would have to rent a 1bdrm villa for that night and be hopeful (but not sure) to have to no-transfer. It is pricy at 33pts on 8/15. It is cheaper for me to pay 30% off rate for the studio.

I think we are really leaning on POR. I have never been there so it will be nice to tour that evening.

 

[alystad]

Just paid cash for 2 nights at Saratoga, didn't need to leave our room, stayed in the same room. Just needed to get new keys. Easy but a little pricy.

 

[Suzanne74]

Just paid cash for 2 nights at Saratoga, didn't need to leave our room, stayed in the same room. Just needed to get new keys. Easy but a little pricy.

I would love that option but then I need to pay cash for a 1bdrm and not a studio. The cost is about $110 more than a studio or $210 more than POR. That is a lot of money for a room i am staying in less than 12hrs just to hope I can stay in the same room. I could rent the points I guess but I have never done that. But you are right, that is nice and I would probably pay the price if it could be guaranteed.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We are "renting" from my MIL thru RCI and staying SSR for 1 wk in a 1 bdrm villa. The airfare was significantly cheaper to fly in the afternoon before. I am debating paying 30% off room-only rate and just staying in a studio at SSR. But then I realized I will have to check out, bring the bags to bell services and possibly not check in again until 4pm. Now I am thinking of staying at POP or POR to save some cash, between $100-170 depending on where I stay.

Does anyone add a night on a separate reservation? Does SSR try to keep both rooms close and give you a room that will be available earlier. I wouldn't mind paying the extra if it can be a little easier but if not, do any of you stay at a cheaper resort for one night?

Thanks in advance!

We've done this many times, but at HHI, not SSR. Lots of times, we've flown into HHI on Saturday. Then we get a studio on cash for Saturday night, then Sunday transfer to a 1 BR for the rest of the week. Considering the point value on weekends, and off-season pricing, it's always been cheaper. And since DH golfs on Sunday, packing and moving gives me something to do (such fun!) Sometimes it's a different building totally.

 

[kirstenb1]

OP, we love POR, have stayed there before. It's nice to have a food court, especially if you have kids.

 

[DenLo]

We did some cash nights at HHI. But wouldn't dream to do it at WDW as I'm quite willing to stay at a moderate resort for a much cheaper price.

However, we don't have small kids. I would ask yourself is it worth having a room available so the children can nap? Or will you be at the park all day so it won't matter when your room is available?

The Royal Rooms at POR are nice. But I still prefer CSR, nicer feature pool and more quiet pools near the buildings. Either resort can be a walk to the lobby/restaurants.