Pls. tell me your experiences with outside vacations on pts.

[Synonymous]

Lessee... we got a 2BR for 160 pts, 4/16-4/23, unit B504.

 

[nickglover]

KelNottat:

we were trying to fly out of Tampa to a major city nearby The Big Cedar Lodge - you might do better from where you are starting from.

 

[darner]

Grand Californian @ DL
and Shutters on the Beach, Santa Monica, CA
(same trip) both wonderful hotels...
Shutters is w/in short walk of Venice Beach, Pier and DT...

also did Paradise Pier on a separate trip,

all 3 on DVC pts. and all worth it to us...

 

[ErinC]

When we flew to Big Cedar, we had to fly to Fayetteville, AR and drove (about 2 hours) to Branson. It was October and the leaves were really pretty. It's a smaller Airport in the middle of nowhere, but Walmart headquarters are there, and it's a pretty nice little airport. We got a cheap rental car rate (Full Size around $80) for 5 days, so it made it worthwhile. Delta doesn't fly into Sringfield, MO, and we were trying to use miles, another reason we chose the Fayetteville route. JFYI

 

[nickglover]

From Tampa to anywhere near Big Cedar Lodge was comng out around $1600 airfare for two.

I told DW we could go to Paris for less than that. (Silly me....guess where we are going in 2006?)

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by Synonymous
Lessee... we got a 2BR for 160 pts, 4/16-4/23, unit B504.

You were likely searching for a 1 BR and got offered a 2 BR, a good trick I've suggested previously. Looks like your overlooking the pool, you should have a nice trip. I hear the restaurant there (?Conquistador's) is quite good. We didn't like the restaurant across the street that is owned by the Royals but many other do.

 

[Synonymous]

Thanks, Dean. Yes, we did ask for a 1BR and got the 2. We'll be sure to try the restaurant you recommend.

 

[new_yawka]

We stayed at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC on points (we got 2 rooms for 4 nights - 1 room for us and one for our friends and their children).

It is a beautiful resort with some of the most picturesque views of the Blue Ridge mountains, you are likely to find anywhere.

It is a resort with lots of history (both 'haunted' and not ). The food and service were wonderful.

The Golf Course is, I believe Robert Trent Jones (might be Donals Ross) and the Spa is the nicest spa I have seen anywhere (beats the Four Seasons and Ritz Carltons I've stayed in.

As for value for points...all I can say is...we have no regrets and would likely have never found this gem if not for DVC.

Louis

 

[tfc3rid]

As for the number of points for these types of exchanges, I am curious a sto how many points each of you that has donethese has?

I have 400 points per year and have cruised woth DCL. Loved it

 

[new_yawka]

but the 8 nights cost us 198 points at that time.

 

[Northwoods]

We traded out for Kapalua Bay, Maui and were not that pleased.

It cost us 336 points and the room we got was not much bigger than a normal hotel room. The bathroom was big and gourgeous. But we were travelling with 2 kids and couldn't see staying there for a week. So we went to the front desk to see if there was anything else available.

They had a 1 Bedroom villa -two story overlooking the ocean. The cost of this was normally less than the room we had been given - but because we had traded and DVC only had an agreement for the lodge rooms, we had to pay more. I don't remember how much - I think around $200 for the week. We made the change.

We felt that for 336 points we would have better accomodations.

 

[wintergreen]

Most of the Concierge Collection trades are for hotel rooms, not condos or villas. I would recommend that when making reservations for these accommodations, you ask Member Services for a complete description, so that you are not disappointed when you arrive.

 

[Patty3]

This is a great thread. I love reading about all of the places folks have gone using their points. Thanks...

 

[nymets]

have stood at The Grand Californian luv it, tanque verde ranch and The PLaza even though we live in nyc also all the DVC resorts 2 dcl cruise It was worth buying into dvc since 97 all the hotels and dude ranch was worth the money thay gave us a $450.a night in the city for $75. you can beat it

 

[LakeAriel]

New York Met fan ouch!
Was it a standard room at the Plaza? I had three rooms for my daughters Sweet Sixteen and two were upgraded to suites! Beautiful! My room (chaperone room) was a standard, nice but not great. Can you describe? Thanks!

 

[Patty3]

We used to go to NYC to see the Christmas decorations but have not been for about 5 years. What time of year did you use your points to stay at the Plaza. I was wondering if upgrades had to do with the time of year?

 

[nymets]

We just had the standard room overlooking a rooftop We went at Easter time not impress with view room ok I would rather stay at the Shelburne Murray Hill outside of Grand Central Station you can get a mini kitchen nice and clean room

 

[LakeAriel]

I paid cash, it was pre my DVC. It was esentially my daughter's whole party. Dinner at Planet Hollywood, cake and balloons delivered there, went to the Central Park ice rink, and the Night at the Plaza. It was innovative, a blast, and much cheaper then most "Sweet Sixteens". She had 16 friends (irony only) on January 16 for her 16th! I bought her the book Eloise at the Plaza and they all signed it. I recommend it highly. She has great memories.

 

[travelbug]

Originally posted by tfc3rid
As for the number of points for these types of exchanges, I am curious a sto how many points each of you that has donethese has?

I have 400 points per year and have cruised woth DCL. Loved it

I used 301 points for the 8nights at the Mauna Lani. Definitely a splurge, but it was totally worth it to us. Haven't looked lately, but I know that point values have gone up since we went in 2002.

 

[LakeAriel]

Thanks for the tip about the Shelbourne. That's where we will stay if we decide to use our points downtown!