Is this CRAZY?

[firstwdw]

Booked AWESOME cheap flights on SW for 3 of us non-stop round trip arriving in Orlando on a Sun morning and returning home Sat with my southwest visa card on points from their credit card bonus-only had to pay the security fee for a total of $15. I still have 17,000 pts left over. However, we are thinking we might switch to a Sat morning flight so we can get an EXTRA DISNEY DAY. BUT-flights not nearly as cheap and would suck up a lot of my points so that instead of having 17,000 points left over-I'd have 5,000 left over. BUT for $265 out of pocket for hotel and extra night of dog care-we could have an EXTRA DISNEY DAY. Hubby says just do it and live on the edge as we are always so very careful with our money. We never know what next year will bring or if we'll use those leftover points anyways....think the part that is killing me is the extra airfare but I suppose everyone wants to start vacation on Sat and not Sun. AND It's not like I am actually paying $$$$ as they are the 50,000 bonus points of the credit card. SOOOOOO>>>>>>>leave as is or switch and add an extra disney day! It's my 45 day mark so I need to decide!!!!
* currently a 6night vacation but would switch it to a 7night vacation and loose about 12,000 SW rapid rewards points....

 

[worm761]

I would totally switch and go for the extra day. You can afford it so do it!

 

[Marionnette]

Booked AWESOME cheap flights on SW for 3 of us non-stop round trip arriving in Orlando on a Sun morning and returning home Sat with my southwest visa card on points from their credit card bonus-only had to pay the security fee for a total of $15. I still have 17,000 pts left over. However, we are thinking we might switch to a Sat morning flight so we can get an EXTRA DISNEY DAY. BUT-flights not nearly as cheap and would suck up a lot of my points so that instead of having 17,000 points left over-I'd have 5,000 left over. BUT for $265 out of pocket for hotel and extra night of dog care-we could have an EXTRA DISNEY DAY. Hubby says just do it and live on the edge as we are always so very careful with our money. We never know what next year will bring or if we'll use those leftover points anyways....think the part that is killing me is the extra airfare but I suppose everyone wants to start vacation on Sat and not Sun. AND It's not like I am actually paying $$$$ as they are the 50,000 bonus points of the credit card. SOOOOOO>>>>>>>leave as is or switch and add an extra disney day! It's my 45 day mark so I need to decide!!!!
* currently a 6night vacation but would switch it to a 7night vacation and loose about 12,000 SW rapid rewards points....

No, it's not crazy. If you have the time off and the funds to do it, why not start your vacation a day early? Just don't forget to factor in the cost of an extra day on your tickets and food for that extra day.

Although, I might be tempted to see if I could stretch things for even more time by returning on Sunday instead of Saturday, too!

 

[2TxAgs]

Maybe a little bit different spin on it - those points don't expire, and if this is your first trip, chances are good you'll want to go back! You could start banking/saving those points for Trip #2 and you'll be that far ahead of the game. (This from a girl whose first trip was followed within a year by trips #2 and #3, so you can see where I'm coming from!)

 

[firstwdw]

Maybe a little bit different spin on it - those points don't expire, and if this is your first trip, chances are good you'll want to go back! You could start banking/saving those points for Trip #2 and you'll be that far ahead of the game. (This from a girl whose first trip was followed within a year by trips #2 and #3, so you can see where I'm coming from!)

I KNOW.....that's why I am thinking of SAVING the points and going on Sun rather than Sat. If the airfare was the same point wise-it would be a no-brainer. 12,000 pts is almost a round trip ticket for us so that would help in planning another Disney vacation after this one....or another vacation requiring flights in general.

 

[pocomom]

No, it's not crazy. If you have the time off and the funds to do it, why not start your vacation a day early? Just don't forget to factor in the cost of an extra day on your tickets and food for that extra day.

Although, I might be tempted to see if I could stretch things for even more time by returning on Sunday instead of Saturday, too!

We like gettting home on Satudays when we can because it gives us an adjust day before the crazy week begins.... now flying out Friday night...lol. To OP I say do it and enjoy!

 

[2TxAgs]

I KNOW.....that's why I am thinking of SAVING the points and going on Sun rather than Sat. If the airfare was the same point wise-it would be a no-brainer. 12,000 pts is almost a round trip ticket for us so that would help in planning another Disney vacation after this one....or another vacation requiring flights in general.

I say SAVE them - our roundtrip airfare is also around 12-13k points and having one ticket already paid for for the next trip - you can't beat that. Leave your current trip as is, and when you get back, start planning/saving for another at a different time of year. It's neat to see WDW near the holidays, or go for Food/Wine Fest, or go just you and your sweetie for an anniversary trip.

Whatever you decide, have a great time!

 

[firstwdw]

I agree with getting home on Sat. OK....the difference in points for all 3 of us is 12,000 pts to go a day early for an extra disney day which I just figured out translates to about $200. I wonder if there is a chance the fares could go down....we are 6 weeks away from travel time

 

[Marionnette]

I agree with getting home on Sat. OK....the difference in points for all 3 of us is 12,000 pts to go a day early for an extra disney day which I just figured out translates to about $200. I wonder if there is a chance the fares could go down....we are 6 weeks away from travel time

I'm thinking that it's unlikely that fares will go down if you're already within 45 days of departure. Especially since your travel dates are on weekend days. But the good thing is that if you book it and the fare does go down, you can re-book your tickets and the points go right back into your RR account.

I guess you have to ask yourself whether it's worth the $200 in airline miles to make the switch. Like I said, if it were me, I'd be on it. But everyone has their own limits.

 

[DisneyCowgirl]

We like gettting home on Satudays when we can becuase it gives us an adjust day before the crazy week begins.... now flying out Friday night...lol. To OP I say do it and enjoy!

I also like getting back on Saturday so that I have Sunday to unpack, do laundry, and relax at home before the week starts. Oh--and go to the grocery store. Otherwise we spend the whole week wondering what to eat.

But I also like leaving on Sunday because it gives me Saturday to pack instead of being rushed Friday night when I get home from work.

 

[bjscheel]

I am hoarding my bonus points so we can have a good start on flights for a 2nd vacation, not just another day on the 1st vacation. So my vote is keep your cheaper flights!

To me, the flexibility with points makes the points more valuable than just their $ value. Last week I booked 4 tickets Omaha to San Diego and 2 of our tickets from Orange County to Omaha with DH's points (I'll have mine tomorrow to buy the other 2 tickets). Right after that I went to book our San Diego hotel...the price was SKY HIGH for June 1. I find out that there is a big marathon on June 2 that ends right by our hotel. I was able to go on SW and change our flights around so that we go to Anaheim first and SD last. One of the flights was cheaper, so the points just went right back into DH's account. It's not a credit that I lose after a certain time.

So, long story short, I am hoarding mine in hopes of having the same flexibility next go round.

 

[firstwdw]

soooooo frustrating because when I looked 2 nights ago it was down to around $100 per ticket and now it's up to $170. Should have jumped on it when I saw it. Although last week when I checked it was $170. Wish I knew how Southwest did their pricing! I just keep clearing my cookies!!!!

 

[MomToOne]

I say go for it.

If you decide you need to go back in the near future, just have your DH apply for his own SWA Visa card and get another 50K in points

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Last month I as like you on the fence about staying an extra day. I dragged my feet long enough and waited until two days before the end of our trip, to finally decided to stay becaue we were enjoying ourselves so much. And guess what... the flight were cheaper to fly home a day later!

GO FOR IT

 

[firstwdw]

I say go for it.

If you decide you need to go back in the near future, just have your DH apply for his own SWA Visa card and get another 50K in points

That thought has crossed my mind!!!! Actually, when I first booked our tickets back in January when my points went into my account, I booked all 3 of us at $51,000 pts and it's just been LUCK they've gone down. So not sure why I'm so worried about that when I was initially going to use ALL of them anyways!

Honestly, my kiddo is in first grade, has food allergies and we learned last year when my Dad treated my family to our first Disney trip....that Disney is the BEST place for our kiddo (and me) to have vacation because he can eat there-and I don't need to cook!!!
So....I KNOW we'll want to go back next Spring Which is my hesitation. But I'd also like to take advantage of POR and the boat to DTD, the pools, the campfire, the boat and bikes rentals-we have a Groupon for Characters in Flight-he wants to swim at POFQ....soooooo much to do in so little time!

 

[firstwdw]

Last month I as like you on the fence about staying an extra day. I dragged my feet long enough and waited until two days before the end of our trip, to finally decided to stay becaue we were enjoying ourselves so much. And guess what... the flight were cheaper to fly home a day later!

GO FOR IT

good advice!!!! Will sit down with the hubby tonight and figure it all out. am sure once we take the leap-if we do- we wont turn back but I will certainly be checking the airfare between now and then!!!!! and like another said-hubby can always get a SWA credit card!

 

[hsmamato2]

why don't you try to return on a sunday, which is likeley a cheaper way for that extra day? then you'd have it,plus some points for your next trip,which is awesome

 

[firstwdw]

why don't you try to return on a sunday, which is likeley a cheaper way for that extra day? then you'd have it,plus some points for your next trip,which is awesome

great idea! However the flights are actually a lot more to return Sunday which is weird.