question about making points stretch...

[Rozzie]

Thinking about making the big plunge, trying to figure out how many points we will need for 2 weeks a year.

What is your advice? how do you get around weekends $$$ ?? do any of you stay value on AP during the weekend? Just curious. We really want $150 points, we usually go in off season, but we do like to do 7 nights. thanks for any advice...
I don't think I put this much research into anything before!!

 

[Holly]

That is our plan for our first DVC stay in December. We are spending Friday & Saturday at AKL with cash and then Sunday- Thursday at OKW on points.

 

[JimMIA]

Another strategy is to pay cash at the same DVC resort. You can sometimes get a DVC owner 25% discount (subject to availability, of course), and then you link your cash and points ressies together and don't even have to move.

 

[tamu91]

Don't invite your extended family They are "point-munchers"

 

[CarolMN]

Don't invite your extended family They are "point-munchers"

Totally true, LOL!

Best wishes -

 

[dianeschlicht]

When we first purchased, we planned on what we would need for 1 week in a 2 bedroom plus an extra weekend. We were neophites, so what did we know? We did know we planned to usually go during what were the low point seasons, so that helped. Now we do 10 nights (we live a ways away, so airfare is a consideration), but we only do 1 weekend, so that helps conserve points. If you can swing it, I would suggest buying the number of points you need for your usual entire stay. It just doesn't seem to make sense to me to move for the weekends.

 

[crisi]

People do all sorts of things. Some people buy enough points to not move. Some fly in Saturday, not arriving til late, and overnight offsite. Some spend a weekend at Universal and enjoy the FOTL privledges staying at a Universal hotel gives at those parks. Some get cash rates at the DVC resorts. Some use high weekend points as an excuse to revisit their old favorite resorts.

We decided to stay an extra day this trip and booked AKL. I've always wanted to stay there and my children are quickly outgrowing having delight at seeing giraffes and zebras. So this is it.

Keep in mind that if you choose to move it does take some effort and bother. And moving from a one or two bedroom into a room at the All-Star might be something you only do once before calling your guide for an add on. Many people recommend that you put your hotel stay on the front end of your trip.

 

[springsteenmickey]

200 points gets us 13 nights in May - the time of year we enjoy going. We normally stay at one location because the re-packing and un-un-packing again does take time. As well, check in is 4 pm unless your room is ready so you may be without a room for the better part of a day. It may not sound that bad but it can cost you a day.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I fly in on Saturday, and spend the day at the pool, and that's my first day. I stay the week at DVC, checking out on Friday, then go to AKL concierge for a couple of days. If I can get the 1/2 price off, I will continue to stay at DVC, sometimes I get the member discount, which is 25%.

 

[dcibrando]

members can get 25% off on say a Saturday night to complete your 7 night stay???? (6 night points, last night pay?)

 

[CharlesTD]

We initially bought 150 points and the best way we found to make our points stretch was to add on LOL. We started by going in Dec and staying in Studios we still do this but we now go for longer periods of time.

 

[Disney Doll]

We DVC'd for a lot of years on 200 points, always had a 1 or 2 BR villa. We usually arrive on a Thursday or Friday, stay Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights in a WDW hotel(usually a moderate, but I always looked for a deal on a deluxe too...you never know! )and then move to the DVC resort for Sunday through check-out on Friday. I don't find moving to be a huge hassle...Disney will move your bags for you or you can throw them in the car if you rent one. I check out of the old hotel in the AM, zip over to the DVC resort, check-in. If the room is ready, then great! Go over and settle in a bit. If the room is not ready, then off to a park and settle in later.

We were able to go 2 and sometimes 3 times in one year doing it this way.

Stay in the DVC resort last...it's hard to go from the DVC resort back to a "regular" hotel room.

 

[colleen costello]

I like to stay a long time because we drive a long way. We stretch by staying in two studios instead of a 2-bedroom (on occasion) or by spending a few cash nights somewhere before doing DVC. If we are with my parents and going to a 2-bedroom, spending 2 weekend nights at a Moderate can save a TON of points -- enough for a studio for 4 in the summer. My parents tease me about how I fuss over every little point.

DVC points are like Weight Watcher's points -- there are never enough!

 

[dsneygirl]

I've been wondering about this as well. Do many people use their AP discount as well?
If so what kind of price can you get a Value room for?

 

[CharlesTD]

We drive down 20 hours and stay Sun-Thurs then go to All Stars for the weekends then to another resort we usually stay at 3 different resorts per trip.

 

[GGOOFY1]

DH and I do it a couple of different ways. We like to spend the weekend at a Universal Resort (since 2 days are enough there!!) and then transfer to OKW for the remainder of the week. Or we will pay cash for the weekend at one of our favorite resorts, then transfer. We also like to stay for cash 12/30-1/1 and then transfer to OKW for a week on value points.

 

[jpmom]

We have been paying cash for a weekend stay at a Deluxe resort with our Annual pass discount. This has worked out beautifully!

Our stays were as follows:

AKL concierge 3 nts. (well worth the extra $) and then BCV 5 nts

WL concierge 3 nts. (not worth the extra $) and then BCV 5 nts

AKL 3 nts. (booked standard room for $139 and was upgraded to Savannah) and then BCV 3 nts.

We love doing this. Disney will transfer your luggage so you don't have to worry about that. I often pack our first hotel stay clothing in one suitcase and then the rest of the stay in another so I'm not unpacking EVERYTHING.

Doing this also makes us feel like we have 2 different vacations. We do AK and MK when we are at AKL and WL and then have time to focus on our favorites -- MGM & Epcot.

And then there's Stormalong Bay.....

Good luck.

 

[Daitcher]

Thinking about making the big plunge, trying to figure out how many points we will need for 2 weeks a year.

What is your advice? how do you get around weekends $$$ ?? do any of you stay value on AP during the weekend? Just curious. We really want $150 points, we usually go in off season, but we do like to do 7 nights. thanks for any advice...
I don't think I put this much research into anything before!!

We stay off property for a couple of nights when we arrive. We just did this recently. We stayed 3 days at Marriott's Grande Vista (another timeshare) and then moved to BCV for 5 days. Stay off property for the weekend nights and do a Sunday to Thursday at WDW. Marriott is really cheap by the way. Why anyone would buy into this location is beyond me? We paid $179/night for a 2 bedroom Villa this May. I just booked 2 nights this October over the Holiday weekend in a 2 bedroom for $249/night. We are staying there after a week at VB. Good luck and happy travels.

DAVE

 

[jmminarik]

We really want $150 points,

I will gladly sell you all three of my contracts if you really really want $150 points. I'd even be willing to buy a new contract at SSR or something resale if you prefer another resort. Just let me know.

As for making points stretch, we usually stay off-site the night before as we drive down, so that's one of our '7' nights and we usually just accept we'll have one weekend night..sometimes two. And to be honest, we just wind up being disappointed in most 'hotels'. One bedrooms just spoil ya and not moving rooms during a stay means no inertia to overcome.

Staying at OKW helps as well.
-Joe

 

[PKS44]

Hated moving the one time we did it...never again if we can help it...

Definitely avoid the point munching family members---I lost 87 points one year when my in laws cancelled at the last minute (ok I rented them out-but I would rather have had those points to use as I like than the money....)

150 points with borrowing and banking and careful timing can be used as up to 600 points for a really big trip --

Paul