Let's Try A Poll For Weekend Point Use.

[dianeschlicht]

LET'S TRY A POLL FOR WEEKEND POINT USE.Do you use points for weekends or cash?

 

[dianeschlicht]

When we have felt the need to conserve points on the weekend like we will for New Years Eve this year, we just downsize to a studio. Our 2 bedroom would be 100 points for NYE this year, but since it is our arrival day, we will stay in a studio that one night before switching to the 2 bedroom. We only have 4 adults, so we will be a little crowded, but it's not impossible.

 

[Lori-n-NY]

I pay cash but at a MOD or value for the weekends. I can get 12 nights in a studio for my 150 points if I pay cash for the weekends. I take two 9 nights trips a year to WDW and right now this is the way I use my points.
I could pay cash at DVC but I can get more mileage out of my money by staying at a MOD or value, and my DD 12, likes the different resorts.

I will vote above ...paying cash on weekends but not at a DVC place.

Lori

 

[dianeschlicht]

Lori, I didn't mean it necessarily had to be at a DVC resort. Heck, it doesn't even have to be on-site!

 

[dianeschlicht]

I think Disney deciding to sell the lower point buy in might be the reason some folks think they have to pay cash for weekends.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I'm going to bump to keep this near the other thread.

 

[goofy4tink]

Since we tend to arrive on a Sat and leave 9 days later on a Sunday, we like to use our points for one of those week-ends. The other week-end we move to a value/moderate and pay cash.

 

[Granny]

To us, paying for a hotel on weekends pretty much defeats the purpose of utilizing DVC as a prepaid vacation. Also, moving during vacation is something we choose not to do. So no, we don't break up our vacations by moving out over the weekends.

We will stay in a hotel the night we arrive (late at night) since we do believe an early check-in at a DVC resort seems to make the process go a little smoother.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I totally agree, Granny! Nice to see you! I haven't seen you around for awhile!

 

[dianeschlicht]

bumping for more responses.

 

[chimera]

We just bought SSR, so haven't used our points yet, but most of our stays will be on weekends. OUr current plan for the year includes 14 nights, 8 of which are weekends. That's five different trips!

 

[dianeschlicht]

As a Florida resident, I am sure that works best for you!

 

[DrTomorrow]

Granny's comments apply to us, too. IMHO, DVC points are to be spent on vacations, not "asset-ified" (new word alert! ). For example, to save some $$$ on air fare (a good excuse, no?) we added a night at the beginning of our upcoming May trip. It's a Friday night, and we added on a night at a VWL Studio - our first non-SSR stay. Yes, I know that I could have rented out a few points and paid to stay somewhere, and I know I didn't squeeze every iota of value out of my points, but we had the points, and I called up MS, and we're excited and going to have fun!

As to the poll, right now, over 2/3 of those responding either always or usually use points on the weekends. I'd bet that the number is higher for the entire DVC owner population....

 

[jarestel]

We use points for weekend stays. As others have already stated, we didn't buy DVC in order to pay cash for our accomodations. But then again, we generally have some leftover points we need to dispose of anyway, so it's no big deal.

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am very surprised by the results of this poll! Yes, I've paid points for Saturday night stays, but ALWAYS seems so definite. When we fly into Orlando on Friday night, (sometimes we fly in on Saturday morning), we do stay off site to check in on Saturday.

One time we arrived at the designated off site motel 1AM in the morning, credit card paid ressie in hand, and the motel was locked, no one at the desk (we could see that the place was occupied, the TV in the lobby was on), no one answered the phone, what a mess that was! DVC'ers have NEVER mentioned that happening at a DVC resort!

Bobbi

 

[dianeschlicht]

As to the poll, right now, over 2/3 of those responding either always or usually use points on the weekends. I'd bet that the number is higher for the entire DVC owner population....

I am quite sure you are right about that. Most folks I know personally, are like me and only use points. I still figure there is not much point to owning DVC if I can't stay all the nights I want to on points. If folks find themselves constantly paying cash nights to avoid high point weekend nights, then perhaps they didn't buy enough points to begin with.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

We have done every version of weekend accomodations (points, cash, rent and pay cash, etc.). If we do a 12 night stay, we will include the weekend on points. If the stay is shorter we may not. It really depends on the total point useage for the year, the amount of vacation time I have and if we have an active AP. Moving can break up a long stay and is kind of like leaving one vacation for another. We split our last DVC stay between BCV and VWL. We just gear our park visits to the resort we're staying at, Epcot/MGM for BCV and MK for VWL.

Our upcoming trip is a new format, it is an offsite (payed for with rented points). Premier season points were not in this years points budget. After a week off-site at WDW, our AP expires and we proceed to HH.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Johnnie, that's exactly the beauty of DVC....flexibility. I think one thing that happens is that we buy DVC and then find we like to go more and longer than we originally thought we would. That is why we had to add on too.

 

[tigger2esq]

I cant imagine packing and unpacking and changing resorts so we just use the points for the weekends. We bought DVC for the convenience. I cant see maing the trip inconvenient just to save points IMO!

 

[Alexander]

We actually do both....It all depends on when we arrive in Orlando (if we are getting in really late, and we don't want to risk getting a room that doesn't meet any of our requests) and what season we are visiting in. Since school breaks are usually Magic or Premier seasons, point values are quite high, especially for those weekend nights. However, in the summer we will stay on points.

Sometime we pay cash for a different resort, sometimes we pay cash for the same resort (usually with an AP discount), sometimes we stay on points.