New Member-Questions

[KyMattDisney]

My parents are recent new members and have their home base at Beach Club. My sister's family and mine will be also sharing the club costs and points and next year (200 points this year and 200 for 2003) we will be sharing 300 points and my parents are banking the other 100 points....we are trying to determine how to make our points go the furthest.......we are looking to go in July 2003 for a family of 4

1) Since the points are much higher on Friday/Sat. do people stay elsewhere and then tranfer? Is this easy to do?
2) My son is very interested in the Animal Kingdom Lodge....I hear this is very expensive...is it? Any reviews?
3) Do people rent a car for the entire stay to make a grocery run or can you just rent a car onsite for a day or two?
4) Any reviews to date on the Beach club villas? At this point, OKW and BW or lower by about 5/7 points per night so we are leaning toward the 1 bedroom units there.....
5)Is the rule for reserving 11 months in advance at home site and 7 months elsewhere? Will the above locations (OKW or BW be available?)

Thanks so much!!!!!

 

[drusba]

(1) Since the points are much higher on Friday/Sat. do people stay elsewhere and then tranfer? Is this easy to do?

Many just go Sun through Thursday night and skip weekends. Many actually use points to include weekends. Others will do cash reservations elsewhere for the weekend and make the switch. Some consider that a hassle, some don't. Disney hotels do transfer luggage from resort to another for you.


2) My son is very interested in the Animal Kingdom Lodge....I hear this is very expensive...is it? Any reviews?

Points are best used at a DVC resort. AKL is not one. You can use points to stay at another non-DVC Disney hotel but cost is high. For example the point cost for a regular hotel room at a Disney resort is often close to the same point cost for a 1BR at a DVC resort -- and those one bedrooms are the size of three or more hotel rooms.


3) Do people rent a car for the entire stay to make a grocery run or can you just rent a car onsite for a day or two?

Many of the towncar/limo services from the airport will make a grocery run with you on the way to the resort. Many swear by having a car all the time; others do not like having one. In other words, it is a personal choice. You can rent National Car on-site (the center is on the main road outside of MK; hotel can arrange).


4) Any reviews to date on the Beach club villas? At this point, OKW and BW or lower by about 5/7 points per night so we are leaning toward the 1 bedroom units there.....

OKW is lower than all resorts and actually has the largest 1BR's; however it does not have BCV's or BWV's prime Epcot resort location. BWV points are the same as BCV for "preferred" view and lower for "standard" view -- less than 20% of BWV is "standard" view and usually you need to be an owner there to get that view because BWV owners make ressies for them 11 months out. In other words don't count on being able to get BWV standard at 7 months out.


5)Is the rule for reserving 11 months in advance at home site and 7 months elsewhere? Will the above locations (OKW or BW be available?)

Yes that is the rule. You can usually get OKW at 7 months out except for very high demand DVC seasons -- such as holidays and the first two weeks of December. As noted above, don't count on getting BWV "standard" view for lower points at 7 months out any time of year. In fact, in past BWV has proven to be the most difficult to get at 7 months out for many times of year even for preferred views.

 

[MikeScott8]

I will try to answer some of your questions

Originally posted by KyMattDisney 1) Since the points are much higher on Friday/Sat. do people stay elsewhere and then tranfer? Is this easy to do?

This is personal preference. Some people come in on Saturday stay off site or on with a cheap room they find a deal for and then switch into DVC resort. Some stay because they don't want to switch resorts/hotels.

2) My son is very interested in the Animal Kingdom Lodge....I hear this is very expensive...is it? Any reviews?

Yes the best use of points is at one of the DVC resorts. It costs more points for the other hotels on site and there is a fee for this "exchange" to a non DVC resort. I have heard many great thing about the place though.

3) Do people rent a car for the entire stay to make a grocery run or can you just rent a car onsite for a day or two?

many times people with use a service that will do a grocery stop on the way to WDW from the airport, if they fly in. I have heard of a few people renting a car onsite for a day and doing a grocery run with it.

4) Any reviews to date on the Beach club villas? At this point, OKW and BW or lower by about 5/7 points per night so we are leaning toward the 1 bedroom units there.....

BW is lower if you can get into the lower view rooms, but these usally go fast to the members who own points at BWV since your points are at BCV you would have to wait until the 7 month window to book there (at BWV). OKW is nice in that the rooms are bigger than the other resorts and cost less points. It's con (in SOME peoples eye) is that is is quiet and little out of the way. At BWV and BCV you are right in the middle of the action of the boardwalk and EPCOT and MGM.

5)Is the rule for reserving 11 months in advance at home site and 7 months elsewhere? Will the above locations (OKW or BW be available?)

it depends on when you are going. A best bet may be to reseve at BCV at 11months and then call at 7month and see what you can switch to if you decide on another resort than BCV.

Hope I helped SOME

Mike