New member BIG questions!! PLEASE Advise

[3guysandagal]

However, since one week in a 1 bedroomn at SSR is 182 points in low season and it is 160 points for one week during high season at a non dvc resort, how is that more expensive, other than the $95.00 fee?

We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR.

One thing I can think of is whether or not you are getting a 1 br in the non DVC resort or Vegas, or a regular hotel room.
You can stay in a POR room for 160pts, but it is NOT a DVC 1 br.
A week in a regular room does not cost the same as a 1 br DVC if you were to pay thru CRO.
The points are less, but not the same quality.
I think this is why people say going outside DVC is not "WORTH" the points.
Its quality of life, so to speak.
I have been looking into DVC, and if I did buy, I would not be staying in regular hotel rooms anymore, I would be staying in DVC luxury.

JMHO

 

[Dean]

I'm a newbie too, and I see everyone is saying it may be too expensive to go outside of DVC.

However, since one week in a 1 bedroomn at SSR is 182 points in low season and it is 160 points for one week during high season at a non dvc resort, how is that more expensive, other than the $95.00 fee?

We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR.

What am I missing?


Thanks!!

What you're missing is that there are a lot of risks in trading and that almost all trades are a significant downtrade.

I'd rent you 1 BR at lots of places for 160 points traded to me all day long. If you're paying 182 points for a BMW and but 160 points for a Chevy, or possibly a Kia, is it worth it? Most of those 1 BR at most resorts you could rent for under $1000 most times, some for far less, others more. Plus when you exchange there are no guarantees you'll get it, actually a slim chance you'll get the good stuff during peak times. And if you cancel, you get essentially nothing. But lets assume you actually got a great trade to the Marriott in MB for a 2 BR (no 1 BR units there, another issue in trading costs in you don't need a 2 BR) for 4th of July. You would be extremely likely to get a gardenview units across the street on a lower floor which is across the street from the main pool and beach. Plus you paid the $95 fee to do so.

In the past 6 months we've had four units in HI. My daughter had a 1 BR OF at the Marriott Maui Ocean Club and a studio at Marriott's Ko'Olina resort. We stayed a week in a 1 BR at the Wyndham in Waikiki and a week at the Westin on Maui (also 1 BR), just returned Monday. For this we used a 1 BR Marriott trade with fees about $400 plus the $89 exchange fee (up front cost about $6K), a bonus week total cost about $221, and Bluegreen points plus exchange fees totally about $1000 of cost to us (no upfront costs). And doing so we had higher trade power than DVC in all likelihood in every case.

 

[DeeCee735]

I'm a newbie too, and I see everyone is saying it may be too expensive to go outside of DVC.

However, since one week in a 1 bedroomn at SSR is 182 points in low season and it is 160 points for one week during high season at a non dvc resort, how is that more expensive, other than the $95.00 fee?

We are staying in Vegas for a week during mid season, and it is costing 144 points, less than a week at SSR.

What am I missing?


Thanks!!

You are talking about trading through II - it's different than trading into Disney Resorts around the world - they are based on points per night - like a DVC resort, only the points are higher - almost like trading into a conceirge collection.

Someone out there correct me if I'm wrong - TIA

 

[missesdisney]

I think the question is if they buy this number of points with the INTENTION of using it this way will it work? Whether or not it is worth it is very subjective and depends on a lot of things. We have paid cash for a night here and there since buying two years ago so we could stay in a 1Br but we have also squished into a studio at Saratoga which I would not call luxury. This is not the same as trading points - they are asking about using the disney points for disney hotels - I don't think this is nearly as risky as it sounds reading some of the posts. They are not giving up disneyworld nights to go to other places, they are buying with the intention of using it like that.

When we bought - we intended also to support our Disney lifestyle, however, we also know that for half of our 250 points we could go to Europe for a week and we'd still have enough points to stay in a disney hotel. We haven't done that yet but it is certainly available to us.

Ok I just did a lookup of points and some quick math - if comparing the 'cheapest' season on all three to make it even, and a week stay which I counted at Sunday - Sunday (7 nights), here are the points I came up with:

WDW Saratoga Springs Studio 95 pts
WDW Saratoga Springs 1BR 182 pts
Disneyland Hotel Standard view room 148 pts
Disneyland Paris Sequoia Lodge (cheapest points hotel) standard view 171 pts

I have no opinion on whether or not this is 'worth it' because my needs would be different than yours and may change over time but hope this helps. Also, keep in mind that you decide how and where to stay - you can do one night or ten nights - if you run out of points and don't want to borrow you can pay for one night and not the rest or change hotels (we've paid for a cheap place in Kissimmee on arrival night to avoid borrowing points).

Original poster - PM me if you want the points charts to help you get more info - I'd be happy to send them. Good Luck!