Help! Room prices for dvc resorts when paying cash

[Bumbleink]

Hi everyone

Just wondered if anyone can help, we purchased 250 points last yr for Kidani and we are about to book for 3 wks next July 2010.

Problem is even with using banked and borrowed points we are going to be short on points for 3wks there are 4 of us going 2 adults a 16yr old daughter and 18yr old son. I have tried many calculations and there is no way with the rooms needed i can stretch the 750 points to cover the entire stay. We don't really want to go off site for any of the stay, although i have looked at the possibility of renting a private villa.

I have been looking at perhaps renting at a moderate resort for a wk but with a teen girl and boy there is no way they will want to be in the same sleeping area, and none of the moderates have 2 bedrooms so it would mean renting 3 studios. Another option would be renting a cabin at Fort Wilderness but again the sleeping arrangements aren't exactly perfect for our fussy lot.

I have tried in vain to find the prices for the DVC accommodations on line, i understand from other threads that members can get 25% off depending on availability but not knowing the prices it is difficult to judge if we could afford it.

I know another option is to rent points but in an ideal world i would like to be able to pay off over the next few months rather than one outlay at the moment.

Any advice would be very gratefully received.

 

[stitchineeyore]

We have two children as well. Young adults now, tweener and teen when we bought. Have you thought about a one bedroom with two bathrooms, and bringing along an inflatable mattress? We would put the mattress down in the kitchen area last thing at night, and it was almost like a separate sleeping area. The kids would divide who got what (sofabed vs. mattress) although as they got older they both liked the mattress! That would certainly help stretch your points..

 

[Claire L]

Your best bet is to pay cash for 4 of the Fri-Sat nights being as they use the most points. In July a cash night for a 2 bed is going to be in the region of $700 rack rate, now if you can get 25% off that would be good. The other option is to spend a few nights up at Universal on site there to make up the 3 weeks.

Just to add at the 11 month mark book the dates on points that you can and the days with cash, even if rack, then check back every now and then to see if you can get any discounts. If booked through MS the ressies can be linked so you don't have to move. Also a value or standard room would cost less points and cash.

Claire

 

[Claire L]

Just looked and a standard 2 bed is 281 points a week = 843 points and if you paid for a Fri and Sat night amongst that then that would save 102 points and you would be well under the 750 mark.

A savanna view would cost 1083 points for 3 weeks so would need to pay for 5 weekend nights at about $700 a night.

Claire

 

[Claire L]

Oh a quick question when is your UY?

Claire

 

[Sammie]

Here is a link to rack room prices for DVC resorts. As stated if you book through MS you can sometimes get 25% off these rates.

Rack Rates for DVC

 

[Claire L]

Just to add if paying cash I believe you pay when you get there. I also used the Mousesavers website as a guide to the prices as they only have 2009 up at the moment.

Claire

 

[Bumbleink]

Thanks so much for the replies,

Clare our UY is Dec, will that make a difference, sorry still a bit dippy on all the DVC in's and out's. Do you know what the difference is with the value rooms, having only bought on the spur of the moment last Sept the only rooms i have seen are the Saratoga rooms they show you and the Kidani mock up, which was set as the Savana i believe. We took our finance through Disney and had thought about adding points to make the 3wks possible but from what i understand being in the UK you cannot add on unless you are actually at Disney World.

It is so helpful to have someone else look at the points and try to work things out i think i have ended up just confusing myself, tried to see if it made a difference changing resorts, which we would like to do. But if we tried 3 resorts, Sun - Thurs in each, it still left me bemused about covering the Fri-Sat's that we have during the 3wks, my brain aches i can tell you.

Thanks again everyone

 

[Bumbleink]

Here is a link to rack room prices for DVC resorts. As stated if you book through MS you can sometimes get 25% off these rates.

Rack Rates for DVC

Thanks Sammie

 

[Bumbleink]

Your best bet is to pay cash for 4 of the Fri-Sat nights being as they use the most points. In July a cash night for a 2 bed is going to be in the region of $700 rack rate, now if you can get 25% off that would be good. The other option is to spend a few nights up at Universal on site there to make up the 3 weeks.

Just to add at the 11 month mark book the dates on points that you can and the days with cash, even if rack, then check back every now and then to see if you can get any discounts. If booked through MS the ressies can be linked so you don't have to move. Also a value or standard room would cost less points and cash.

Claire

Sorry Claire

If you have already booked, will MS give you a discount at a later date?

 

[Claire L]

There are only a few value rooms at AKV and they are in Jambo, the main lodge and only ahve two bathrooms. They are about 3 foot shorter in length and can have pakring lot, poll or savanna view it is pot luck really. As you said you could mix the resorts up but remember that if not your hoem resort can only book at the seven month mark. A week at SSR in a 2 bed is 318 points, or a week at OKW in a 2 bed is 298, so less than a savanna view at AKV. Could always try for a THV at SSR for a week that would then give three bedrooms for 318 points but I would suggest booking somewhere else and waitlisting for that one.

With regards to add ons I am sure you can do them from the UK we did our initial purchase without ever going to WDW, had been before but all the DVC stuff was done between visits without us ever viewing the DVC properties!!

As for UY I take it you have banked you 08UY and will be using the 09UY plus borrowing from the 10UY?

Claire

 

[Bumbleink]

Yes have banked and will use 09 and borrow points, it is interesting with regard to the add on issue i will have to phone our guide to check. It is difficult to imagine room sizes but we stayed at POFQ last yr and thought the room was ok size wise so i'm sure a value room will seem huge in comparison. The only thing for me would be not getting the Savana view and ending up with the car park but thank you for giving me some great advice and alternatives. If you have anymore they will be v gratefully received

 

[Claire L]

No problems if you need any more help just pm me

You can always add on via the Time Share Store who sponsor here and then it is cheaper than Disney direct, for finance a personal loan from a bank here or an extra amount on your mortgage is always possible.

Oh and just saw another question! If booked on cash at rack rate they will only give discount if a discount appears, ie it was booked and cancelled or they have added more discounts, so be prepared to pay full price and think of it as a bonus if you get a discount

Claire

 

[Claire L]

A 2 bed value at AKV is app 975 sq ft and a room at POFQ is about 314 sq ft, plus the AKV villa has balconies for the rooms

Claire

 

[Bumbleink]

Thank you so much, be prepared for a few PM's in the coming wks lol

 

[ITGirl50]

There are a lot of Annual Pass discounts right now. Cash rooms are cheaper than you may think. I found that the AP price is less than the DVC discounted price on 1-bedroom villas in December.

 

[flyingcat2003]

Can DVC members get room discounts on moderate resort rooms? If so, how can I find out what the discount would be?

 

[DebbieB]

Can DVC members get room discounts on moderate resort rooms? If so, how can I find out what the discount would be?

No, only DVC resorts. AP discounts are usually more than 25%.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Can DVC members get room discounts on moderate resort rooms? If so, how can I find out what the discount would be?

No. DVC members only get discounts on DVC villas and they are not always available.

OP, have you thought about a couple of nights in two studios? Maybe even an OKW studio? That would have two queen beds.

But with three weeks, you must get APs and you would be eligible for an AP discount. You couldn't link an AP reservation with a DVC points reservation, but you could note both of them on the reservation and it may work.

 

[Bumbleink]

No. DVC members only get discounts on DVC villas and they are not always available.

OP, have you thought about a couple of nights in two studios? Maybe even an OKW studio? That would have two queen beds.

But with three weeks, you must get APs and you would be eligible for an AP discount. You couldn't link an AP reservation with a DVC points reservation, but you could note both of them on the reservation and it may work.

Sorry Deb & Bill i am still a little wet behind the ears on all the DVC reservation stuff, do you mean if i choose to book cash as well as using points, that if i purchase AP and tell MS when i phone, if a discount becomes available they will then discount the cash reservation part?

Also do you pay cash balance when making the reservation or when you arrive, another kind Dis Boarder seemed to think you pay when you arrive and check in.

Thanks