Rookie Looking for Lodging for 6 - 8, 2/27 - 3/7 2004

[Bill From PA]

A friend of my wife recommended that we look here for possible lodging for our trip of 2/27 - 3/7 in 2004. Yes, we plan FAR ahead! There will be 6 - 8 adults and a 2 yr. old. We've stayed at several WDW resorts but this buying points thing is totally new. Any advice concerning this process, including whether we're asking too early, would be appreciated. I'm interested in the properties available and how the potential cost will stack up against 2 rooms at Dolphin on the Teacher's Discount, about $280 per night for both, all taxes, etc. included. Feel free to answer via e-mail or private message or here.

wdaniels@misericordia.edu


Thanks,
Bill From PA

 

[fkj2]

One thing you should initially consider about the price is that the two accommodations, Dolphin vs. a two bedroom DVC, is that the accommodations are not comparable. The Dolphin will be just another hotel room. The two bedroom DVC will offer you a hot tub in the master bedroom, a washer/dryer in room, cooking facilities but not daily maid service, which most of us members don't seem to miss. If you haven't looked at the rooms, go to disneyworld.com and click on the home-away-from-home link and see for yourself. Good luck.

 

[DGuiltinan]

You can do much better than $140 per room per night. The fact is, a $140 room at the Dolphin will run you about $160 after taxes and resort fee.

If you can rent DVC points for $9 per night, you can get studios at OKW for $72 per night (8 points), BWV standard view for $81 per night (9 points), and BCV or BW preferred view for $108 per night (12 points). And these prices are NOT subject to resort fees or taxes. But: these prices are for Sunday through Thursday nights only... Weekends are expensive at DVC.

So, you could get two Boardwalk Standard view studio villas for the price of one room at tha Dolphin. Go with the DVC, you are better off... DVC studios offer a nice coffee maker, microwave, and a decent refrigerator too... I would go with studios, as opposed to a 1 or 2 bedroom, unless you plan to cook and do dishes and laundry a lot!!

Another alternative is Priceline. I stayed at the Dolphin through Priceline this Thanksgiving weekend for $75 per night, plus taxes, resort fee, and Priceline fee....But, Dolphin isn't always available, and you have to be willing to stay offsite, such as the Wyndham Palace, the Hilton, or the Marriott Orlando World Center...

As far as timing goes, you are kind of early. I would wait until 1 year before your check-out date, then make a post on the DVC rent / trade board. That should give you plenty of time to find someone to rent you the points and be able to reserve at the earliest possible time, 11 months from check-out...

Click the folowing link to get a feel for the current inventory of rooms in the Walt Disney World zone at Priceline:


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