I think I need a little guidance, please...

[UGAFan0829]

I'm just off the phone with my DVC guide, and I have a couple of options to consider. As some of you may know, I've been asking several questions here on the board lately, as the DH and I are very seriously condering buying into DVC. Here is what I need help with...
First of all, the DH and I have a 7-night DCL cruise followed by a 5-night WDW stay booked for this September. We are staying at Pop Century in a preferred room with free dining and base tickets.
In talking to my guide tonight, she told me that if we do decide to go ahead and buy in that they can get us last year's points to use. So, she told me that instead of staying at Pop she is pretty certain that she can get us into a studio, if not a one-bedroom at one of the DVC resorts.
Now...here is where I need the guidance. If I do decide to stay at a DVC resort, then we would obviously cancel the package for Pop, which also means that we would be losing out on free dining. The package that I have booked at Pop is a total of $1,023.26. If I cancel, then I would have to pay for the dining plan and purchase our tickets once we arrive in Disney. But what I'm trying to figure out is two things...1. Would it be cheaper for us to pay for the dining plan, but still get the room for free? According to what I've found the same tickets that we would be getting with the Pop Century package would cost $444.00. I can't seem to find any info on how much the dining plan is per person if we were to pay for it...2. Am I right in thinking that I could wait until we get to Disney to add the dining plan and purchase the tickets?
Sorry for the long explanation...I hope this all makes sense. Any info/advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Texas Disney Fan]

I'm just off the phone with my DVC guide, and I have a couple of options to consider. As some of you may know, I've been asking several questions here on the board lately, as the DH and I are very seriously condering buying into DVC. Here is what I need help with...
First of all, the DH and I have a 7-night DCL cruise followed by a 5-night WDW stay booked for this September. We are staying at Pop Century in a preferred room with free dining and base tickets.
In talking to my guide tonight, she told me that if we do decide to go ahead and buy in that they can get us last year's points to use. So, she told me that instead of staying at Pop she is pretty certain that she can get us into a studio, if not a one-bedroom at one of the DVC resorts.
Now...here is where I need the guidance. If I do decide to stay at a DVC resort, then we would obviously cancel the package for Pop, which also means that we would be losing out on free dining. The package that I have booked at Pop is a total of $1,023.26. If I cancel, then I would have to pay for the dining plan and purchase our tickets once we arrive in Disney. But what I'm trying to figure out is two things...1. Would it be cheaper for us to pay for the dining plan, but still get the room for free? According to what I've found the same tickets that we would be getting with the Pop Century package would cost $444.00. I can't seem to find any info on how much the dining plan is per person if we were to pay for it...2. Am I right in thinking that I could wait until we get to Disney to add the dining plan and purchase the tickets?
Sorry for the long explanation...I hope this all makes sense. Any info/advice is greatly appreciated!

Disney Dining Plan is $39.99 per day per adult. (Basically $400 for 5 days and 2 adults)

The childs are like $10.99 a day I think.

You would still have to add the tickets to this price.

You may do better banking the points to do something nicer or longer next year.

 

[helenk]

You must add the dining plan 48 hours prior to your arrival date. The cost of the dining plan with DVC is the same as it is on the Disney website, DVC does not get a discount, I belive the cost is aprox 39.99 or so per night.

 

[Deb & Bill]

The free dining package includes the room at rack rate, plus you pay for tickets. So either way you do it, you pay for tickets. So pay for the room or pay for dining, if you really must have dining. We did it once and won't do it again. And that was back when they included an appetizer and the tip.

 

[Sandisw]

With a DVC stay, you have to add the DDP at least 48 hours in advance. The tickets you can do on your own. If you buy DVC, do you forsee going again within a year of your Sept trip? Maybe you would want to get an AP with the DVC discount.

That is what we are doing--going from August 5th - 12th this year, and next year from July 31st through August 6th to get two trips out of the pass.

It sounds like it would be cheaper to use the points, if you get them, and pay for DDP and tickets then getting the room at POP. If it were me, I would opt for using DVC.

Good luck!

 

[VirataMama4]

Talk to your guide about the dining plan. We were there in March and had reservations at All Star Music with dining. On our first day there we did the DVC thing, ended up buying that day and moving into SSR for the night and then on to AKL. Our guide handled all the changes and we were still able to add dining onto our new reservations even though it wasn't 48 hours in advance. The DVC guides will usually work their Disney magic when you are buying!

 

[UGAFan0829]

Thanks for all the info, everyone. I've figured it up, and we would actually come out just a tad bit cheaper to stay DVC. Since the room would obviously be pad for, the tickets and dining plan would only be $844.00, which is $179.00 cheaper than if we stayed at Pop. Of course it's not set in stone yet, we still have to make our final decision about joining DVC and then go from there!

 

[JimMIA]

Personally, I think I would research more. The $179 difference is immaterial in terms of the overall cost of the vacation you have planned.

You didn't say which resort you were considering for your home resort, but if it is anything but BLT, I'd sure take a close look at resale. You already have a great vacation planned, so there is no time pressure.

If resale can give you a contract that would be good for your family, you should save a LOT more than that $179 -- possibly thousands of dollars. Our first contract was for 320 points and we saved $4,000+ by buying resale.