newbie questions

[little nell]

I feel really thick asking questions but, I've seen everyone say they save their weekend points by paying cash. If I already have a week booked (wed-wed) can I call and pay cash for the weekend and get my points back. I don't know whats wrong with me, I feel so confused with the bank, borrow process. thanks for your help

 

[CarolMN]

Most of the people who say they pay cash for weekends, do not stay at a DVC resort for the Friday and/or Saturday nights. They book something off site (and perhaps visit other Orlando attractions during that time) or they stay in one of the other Disney hotels.

We never pay cash - bought enough points to stay for an entire week during the season(s) we prefer to travel. Personally, I hate to change resorts - to me, changing resorts takes away my valuable vacation time!

You can pay cash (via CRO) for weekend nights at a DVC resort, subject to availability. Sometimes, MS will have availability for you to pay cash. If so, you can get a DVC Member 25% cash discount. These 25% discounted rooms come out of the DVC room inventory, not the CRO inventory. Lately, availabilty for MS cash discounts has been very limited.

So yes, you can call and try to book the weekend on cash - either by calling CRO (like any other member of the general public) or by calling MS for a 25% DVC Member cash discount. Again, keep in mind that everything is subject to availability.

If you do get a Member's discount or decide to book the weekend via CRO, be sure to ask that the reservations be linked - that way you will not have to move (change rooms).

Please try not to worry about asking questions. We all love to help and all of us were new here once. I've been reading this board for more than two years and I still have questions. So ask away!

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Richyams]

Cash nights are not that easy to get. They usually aren't released till 60 days out. Usually people talk about moving for the weekend, personally, I couldn't be bothered. I look at the stay as its total cost in points and don't whine about the weekends being high.

They made the schedule the way it is for a reason. If you like to move during your vacation, avoiding high weekend points is easy.

 

[Chuck S]

We used to move off-site for weekends before we did our add-ons. If there are other things on your agenda, like NASA or Universal it may be worth it to you to save those weekend points and add a couple of more weekdays to your DVC visit or a 2nd weekday WDW vacation. We chose reasonable, off-site hotels. They were nice enough, they just weren't HOME.

It didn't take us long to get tired of moving out on Friday and back in on Sunday, especially during a busier season. It'll help you to appreciate DVC accomodations all that much more

Since this is your first visit using points, I say give it a try to see if it is right for you. Maybe you'll like, maybe you won't, everyone has different vacation priorities. Make sure you have a confirmation of your off-site weekend before changing your DVC ressie.

 

[ZerasPride]

Littlenell, I'm a newbie too and don't have unlimited points. Of course now I wish we would have bought more than we did but I had to purchase what our current budget would allow!

Anyway, what I think my family will do for our first DVC trip this November is drive down to Disney with a one night stay (Friday) at Hilton Head. Hilton Head points are very very high on the weekends (it will take 42 points for our Friday night stay). What I plan on doing is reserving the Friday night on points at HH then the Saturday night through Thursday night on points at OKW. Since my stay overlaps the T-day holiday, the points are even higher than normal for Wednesday-Friday so we will leave on Friday before the larger weekend increase. I am also contemplating paying cash for our Friday Hilton Head stay. There are a lot of things we can do with 42 points for our next vacation but frankly I didn't purchase DVC to have to pay cash for any nights of our vacations but I know I am fairly certain I can get a AAA discount if not MS discount and pay under $150 for the one night at Hilton Head.

I think a lot of people save those high weekend points when their vacations begin on a weekend. Staying offsite Friday and/or Saturday and then moving on-site for the cheaper Sunday-Thursday night visits. It's really up to you how you spend your points. I actually enjoyed sitting and looking at the calendar trying to figure out how to economize our points for our upcoming stay and I am as serious about conserving points as I was about getting a discounted ressie with CRO!

I hope I was able to be a bit helpful with my own experience/plans. Happy planning to you!

Lisa