Questions from a New Owner..

[speedyf]

I recently purchased SSR points via resale from TSS. We will be taking our first trip in October using our points to stay at the Treehouse Villas for 4 nights. We have never stayed at a DVC resort, so we are excited.

Here are my 2 questions:

#1 - We are going to WDW for 7 days (from a Thurs - Thurs), but will only be staying in the THV from Sunday to Thursday (4 nights). We would like to book regular rooms onsite for the first 3 nights of our stay. Does Disney offer any exclusive discounts to DVC owners? I realize they sometimes offer AP discounts and I will have an AP, but I was just curious to know if Disney offers any other discounts to DVC'ers.

#2 - This will be our first time experiencing a vacation where we don't get fresh towels every day. I just wanted to ask if any of you actually bring towels with you on your trips so that you don't have to wash as often. I'm ok with using the same bath towel for a few days, but I'm used to having a clean face towel every day. I realize we can just wash them every day, but I wanted to see if any of you actually bring some from home so that you don't have to wash every day....just curious.

Thanks,
Speed

 

[homedad]

we don't get room discount for being DVC, they know they already got us as far as towels for your room its never been an issue and no we have never brought extras, I would plan on washing them

 

[disneynutz]

You can call MS and ask so if any units are available at the DVC 25% off cash rate. Compare the cost to other deals.

If you need extra towels, the Mousekeepers will often offer extras or you can pay $6.00 for a extra set.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I believe your THV will have a washer and dryer with which to wash the towels should you need to. When we stay at DVC we LIKE that there is no daily housekeeping. I like it that folks aren't traipsing in and out of our rooms.

We usually make our bed just as we do at home, and hang our towels after our shower just as we do at home. If they aren't dry or we feel the need for a fresh towel, we throw a load in the wahser on our way out the door in the morning, and put them in the dryer when we get back to our room.

 

[littlestar]

I pack some extra wash cloths with me for my DVC trips (even do that on my Marriott Vacation Club timeshare stays, too). I'm used to letting our bath towels air dry at home to save energy/go green, but I don't reuse wash cloths (laughter).

Sometimes DVC offers 25% off the DVC rooms. I can usually do better with my AP rate, though. I actually tacked on an extra cash day with an AP rate for our May trip at SSR in a studio and it was only $173 with tax for a Friday night. I'm well pleased with that rate for SSR. I could have booked a moderate for $117 for the night, but I felt SSR was worth the price difference.

 

[backyardponder]

THV should have 8 sets of towels. If you are staying 4 nights, you will get your towels replaced on Day 4. The day you check in is considered Day 1.

Let's say you check in on a Monday and check out on a Friday...4 nights. You will get trash and towel service on Thursday.

 

[doconeill]

DVC has a limited number of cash rooms available, and a limited number of those may be available to DVC members at a 25% discount off the regular ("rack") rate, but not always.

No other discounts are generally offered to DVC members on rooms.

As a DVC member, you can get an Annual Pass for $100 off the list price. The AP can get you additional room-only discounts, but they are not often listed as available very far in advance - 2-3 months it seems. You CAN however book yourself a room at a rack rate, and then modify your reservation to use an AP discount afterwards if available (and change resorts if desired). Only one person needs to have the AP to get the discount.

However, AP discounts have not included weekend (Fri-Sat) nights in the past few offerings.

My best advice at this point is to NOT book online, but to CALL. When they ask if you have any discount code tell them you are a DVC member (and a AP holder if you got one) and ask what may be available. TYhey may have a PIN code that might be applied to your stay, depending on dates. I got a 40% PIN code for a weekend stay in June at POP.

 

[speedyf]

Thanks for all the great replies. My family will definitely be AP holders since we are going in October 2009 for 7 nights and then returning again in June 2010 for another 6 or 7 nights.

On the towels...I agree with "littlestar". We are used to air drying our bath towels, but we usually use fresh wash cloths every day....so, we will probably bring a few extra wash cloths and just wash every other day.

As for the discounts....I will be looking for and hoping for an AP discount. Since I am the "Disney Guru" at my office, I have helped others book their vacations. I sometimes use my e-mail address for fellow employees that don't have an e-mail address. Well...I have received the 40% pin code under other people's name in my e-mail, but never under my name. Besides that, I noticed that the 40% code is not valid for pretty much the entire month of October anyway....so, that will be out of the question.

My problem is that we are traveling in a group of 8...my family of 4 (2 adults, 1 youth, and a 1 year old) with my parents and my sister and her boyfriend. They want to rent 3 rooms for the 3 nights we are not in the THV. We will only have 2 adult AP holders (my wife and I) and 1 child AP holder (my 9 year old). So...this will also hurt us with the AP rates as we can only book one room per adult AP. I'm guessing that if the discount is great enough, we may just upgrade my 9 year old's child AP to an adult AP (he is 9 and will be 10 in December).

I'm really hoping for an extended free dining session that goes into October...but, I figure that is unlikely. Thanks for informing me about the 25% off cash rooms that are sometimes available. Are these rooms available this far out in advance (7 months)? .... or are the room more like a last minute deal?

Thanks,
Speed