My newbie reaction: Those Saturday night points are outrageous!

[Mom-to-3]

Wow! Saturday night (and to a lesser degree Friday) are sure zingers, aren't they?! I can see why grabbing a hotel room for a night or two makes sense.

Newbie, duh!

 

[Luv2Dream]

Yes, they are a killer. However, we figured in one weekend when we bought our points so the hit wouldn't be so bad each time. But it urks me even though.

 

[maddiemom]

It's Sunday through Thursday trips for us!!!

 

[dvcdudes]

We stay Sun - Thu also. We are leaving on Sat and will stay at a Motel 6 forSaturday night. We are driving and will only arrive at about 8PM Sat night so we will just sleep there and head over to the BWV on Sun morning. I can't see spending all those points for the one night.
BTW... can anyone tell me anything about the MOTEL6 at ORLANDO - KISSIMMEE (MAIN GATE WEST) 7455 W Irlo Bronson Hwy Kissimmee, Fl... We've never been there and are just looking for a place to lay our heads. Has anyone ever stayed there before???

 

[PamOKW]

Friday and Saturday are the same amount of points.

If you look at the entire "week", it's not so bad. I have already paid for my WDW vacations and don't really want to lay out additional cash (although I would if there was a resort I wanted to try at a good rate). The reason Friday and Saturday are so high is to slow down folks from coming for weekends only, making entire weeks hard to book.

 

[Regina]

I have to say, I never knew that people paid cash for weekends before I found this board.

I can see that this would work for others, but it's not an option that we've ever considered.

We try to plan ahead, and get our banking/borrowing just right. So far, it's worked out well.

 

[RobDoc]

PamOKW stated: Friday and Saturday are the same amount of points.

Not at HH. The HH Sat night points are almost punitive- especially in the summer. I assume it's because DVC knows they can rent those nights as cash nights.

 

[PamOKW]

Learn something new every day! Thanks, Doc.

 

[Dancind]

We are newbies, too, and will go into training on our next trip. For resort hopping, that is. When great discounts on deluxe resorts are available (like now), we will try someting new or an old favorite on weekends. When we go in Dec./Jan., we will stay at the Swan on a governent rate and switch on the 1st to OKW 1 BR. Then, we may move to a studio over the weekend. We'd like to get many days for our points, since we live so far away and want to stay as long as possible!

 

[SnowWitch]

We almost always hit IOA/US for 3 days before Disney so we checkin to an old favorite for the weekend and just relax. Our past trip we stayed at the AKL for the weekend and played in the pool and animal watched. We took the time for a little golf and just rested then we checked into the BWV on Sun- Fri and toured Disney parks rested and refreshed!

 

[Jeff Schramm]

We usually arrive on Saturday, so I book a cash reservation for that night at whatever moderate has space. Then I check weekly for specials at other resorts and switch when I find a bargain.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

We have enough points for a full week at BWV every other year and then 5 nights at VWL the other years. This year we are doing 5 days at BWV (Sun-Thurs) then 3 or 4 at VWL with banked points from this year. In 2003 though, we will only do the 5 at VWL. We plan on getting APs, going the week prior in 2003 to use those passes, and hopefully getting an AP discount at the Poly or YC for 2 nights. We stayed at the Poly our first trip and loved it. If, however, those discounts are not available, we may try another deluxe (3 kids, only the former DL can hold us out of the moderates).
Robin M.

 

[robinb]

I almost never stay a Friday or Saturday night, even though we have enough points. We go to WDW 2-3 times a year and I's rather save the points for my next visit. I book something on Priceline for the weekends to save some money.

 

[DownNeckBoy]

I must agree with Doc that the Saturday points for HH in the summer are almost "punitive." We have a very nice allotment of points but all of the "planning" that I have done with my points has almost always meant leaving on a Saturday. Interestingly, a review of the activities available for those staying over on a Saturday night reveals that there are significantly less activities available then, for example, on a Friday night. You would think that there would be more activities based on the point cost, but DVC must be counting on cash customers for the weekend. Just a thought.

 

[deerh]

I am looking at an add-on at HHI, and I too am Upset at the number of points on Saturday! As Doc said, I understand about the cash night at HHI, but that kind of defeats the purpose of DVC!!
I talked to a guide about the points on HHI changing once the resort sold out, HHI is the ONLY DVC resort to have SEPERATE Fri and Sat night points BTW, and he said he doubts that they will ever change, even if the resort sells out. For 99 points, (1 night at HHI), I can stay at BWV studio Dream season for 6 nights! That is quite a difference IMHO!!
I guess I will stay away from DVC if I buy into HHI on Sat night, or leave that day! I think it stinks, I would think that DVC would be consistent on the Fri\Sat points, or at least have both of them together, as all the other resorts, but I guess I will not understand their thinking on this point.......
deerh

 

[pentex]

I think Pam is right in that you should look at it as a number of points "per week" rather than looking at each day. Averaging it out over a period of seven days gives a more realistic approach. We usually stay for 10 days with one weekend included so the average is even more attractive.

We just like to settle in at our resort and enjoy the entire vacation rather than changing.

With HH, however, we did make one change in routine because of the Saturday night points. We arrived on a Friday so we stayed in a studio for the first two nights and then moved into a one-bedroom.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We purchased with the one week in mind also. It makes more sense than worrying about "days". Of course, when we bought, we were thinking of 1 week stays, but now we prefer 10 night stays with one weekend. I think the 5 night stay attitude came when DVC lowered the minimum number of points from 230 to 150. It would be hard to find a time to stay a week for 150 in anything but a studio.

 

[Towncrier]

I hadn't realized that the points for Saturday nights at HH were so high. Our only stay there was on a cash basis (ouch), so points never entered into the equation. When we first joined DVC in 1995, we always paid cash for Friday/Saturday nights in order to stretch our 210 points. Now that we've added on, we also just figure the average point cost for a stay. I posted an analysis of average points costs a while back on this board (based on OKW 2BR during the summer) which explained why we either stay 6 or 12 nights whenever we're at OKW. Based on current point charts, if you want to stay longer than Sunday through Thursday, your lowest average point cost occurs at the 6 day mark, then again at the 12 day mark. Those are the best deals.

On our most recent trip (7/22-8/3), we noticed that OKW turned into a ghost town on Friday evenings. I think that we were the only car parked at building 54 on Saturday morning. By Sunday evening, however, we had to park a couple of buildings away due to the number of people who were checking in.

On a slightly off topic note, our bill when checking out from a 12 night stay at OKW was a little over $1300. We transferred to the Contemporary Towers and, with our Ohio resident discount, our three night stay plus incidentals cost us close to $1000. Another reason that we love DVC.

 

[sueg]

I generally agree with the posts which suggest that you view pts. spent as pts. spent for the entire trip, rather than looking at each individual day. However, I have made two exceptions, both based on information gleened from this Bd.
1. We got a great airfare on a late nt. flight from Newark. We landed in time to go to sleep. I research hotels near the airport and we stayed the first night at the airport and then moved to OKW. We even saved picking up the rental car.
2. As my DSs get older, they REALLY want a 2BD. Rather than sacrificing a day of the trip to have pts. for the 2BD, I booked a studio-lock-off for the Fri. and Sat. nts. then we open the lock-off for a 6 day stay in a 2 BD. This is our March trip, so we haven't experienced this stay yet. But I'm extremely excited about it. Doc advised that as long as you link the two ressies (because it is two separate ressies) it will work. And I think DSs will appreciate the 2BD even more after 2 nts. in studio.