Saturday night...where do you recommend?

[tiggercrew]

We are planning our next visit to WDW and we are staying at the BCV starting on a Sunday. We are trying to decide if we want to go ahead and pay for a cash night Saturday, use our AP's to get a discount somewhere other than DVC or use Marriott reward points and stay off site. I can't remember if there is a Marriott owned property in DTD or not. We really want to stay nearby as we want to check into BCV early on Sunday so we can go ahead and hit the parks.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[JoEllen]

We have stayed in the Mariotts Fairfield Inn and the Springhill suites just down from Crossroads. This is a very new Mariott complex and very nice. I especially like the security guard at the entrance to the complex. We have also stayed at Disneys Riverside the night before we check in. The rooms are great and lots of Disney ambience to start your trip right.

We usually check the rates on the Mousesaver site and decide based on the savings.

 

[Olaf]

We stayed at the Poly before our visit last May and it was great. If you can get a reduced rate, I'd highly recommend that resort.

 

[DeeCee735]

we have done each of the following three things since we drive down:

1) Stayed in S. Jacksonville off 95 for Sat night in something like a courtyard by marriott, and driven the last 2 1/2 hours early Sunday a.m. for check in at home resort. It gives us the chance to get some sleep and relax before starting the vacation.

2) stayed just outside the gates - least favorite of all options - close to the magic, but not close enough!

3) stayed onsite in value or moderate resort. this is our fav option, if we don't have too much traffic and aren't too tired. if you are flying in, i'd recommend looking into an all stars or moderate resort, there's nothing starting the magic asap! Good luck and enjoy your vacation

 

[Mike]

Just curious .... has anyone ever used Priceline for the first night? I am considering bidding for a Dsiney Vicinity hotel for a Saturday night in July before checking into OKW on Sunday.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We've done a night at CBR and CSR before a DVC trip. Both were pretty nice. CSR has a great pool.

 

[tiggercrew]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I hope Disney releases the AP rates soon.

 

[loridiz]

HI,
I was debating the same issue for our upcoming July trip at BCV. I was fortunate enough to get BCV for July at the 7 month window. I also wanted to get a full 5 days worth of the resort and parks and decided to book a Saturday stay. I decided to book a cash ressie at the BCV and got lucky and was able to get the DVC discount. I know it is pricey but, I am guaranteed to stay in the same room as I had the ressies linked together and Sunday morning I won't have to move anywhere and we will have a full day as soon as we wake up. I guess you just have to weigh the pros and cons price versus convenience.
Good Luck in what ever you choose to do.

 

[jdvm]

We REALLY don't like to pack and unpack so our suggestion would be to pay cash at DVC for the first night so you don't have to move. You may be able to get a member discount. Life's short.

 

[kellyf2626]

I was fortunate enough to get BCV for July at the 7 month window. I also wanted to get a full 5 days worth of the resort and parks and decided to book a Saturday stay. I decided to book a cash ressie at the BCV and got lucky and was able to get the DVC discount. I know it is pricey but, I am guaranteed to stay in the same room as I had the ressies linked together and Sunday morning I won't have to move anywhere and we will have a full day as soon as we wake up.

We just did the same thing! We had a ressie checking in Sunday June 3rd at BWV and were going to stay somewhere else on Sat. night with our AP discount. But, we called, and were able to get a discounted room at the BWV, so we decided to book that night and pay cash. We just linked the ressie's, so now we don't have to move!!! Yay!! We tried to get the discount on the other end of the vaca (Friday the 9th and Sat. the 10th), but they didn't have any discounted rooms those nights at BWV. So...we booked at VWL w/the discount. We are excited b/c we have never stayed there before - so I guess it all worked out!

 

[crazywig]

we do friday - friday vacations. we stay fri and sat onsite w/AP discount before moving to DVC resort. i don't find moving a bother at all! (even with small kids), we use the luggage transfer service, then drive to the DVC resort early, check in and off to the parks!

we've stayed at Poly, Contemporary tower, and Pop. I won't do Pop again, ok maybe for one night but a few weeks ago we did it for two nights and it's just too small.

next trip we'll probably do Coronado Springs. stayed there once and really enjoyed it, rooms are bigger than Pop too.

 

[kellyf2626]

crazywig...tell me more about the luggage transfer service. We may be interested in using this when we transfer from BWV to VWL.

 

[Mike]

crazywig...tell me more about the luggage transfer service. We may be interested in using this when we transfer from BWV to VWL.

Just call Bell Services and it's done. Disney provides this service free of charge (other than tip) for guests moving from one resort to another. They pick up your luggage in your room and then deliver it to your room in the new resort.

I did this last year when we moved from OKW to BCV.

 

[tiggercrew]

Thank for all the replies. I did check with Disney yesterday in hopes that maybe the AP rates for May were in the system but had not made it to the web site yet...no such luck. They did tell me that probably within the next few weeks those discounts would be announced. Guess I'll be calling MS to check on that cash night also...not even sure if there will be availability this late in the game since our plans fall on Memorial Day weekend.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We usually just use points for the weekends, but since we will be doing two weekends on a trip, we are staying two nights at PORS first. In December, we plan to spend the first weekend night at AKL Concierge so we can do SUnrise Safari, and then we'll spend one night in a studio on points before starting our 2 bedroom stay for the next full week. d

 

[dgaston]

i'm someone who uses Priceline, and even got the Gaylord Palms for $85, and we were upgraded to a suite. We do not mind moving, so we've also stayed at Cypress Pointe to preserve our points on the expensive Fri and Sat nights.

 

[AOPI57]

We're going to SSR in April. We're staying at POFQ Saturday night. We got an AP rate of $123 including tax. The cash rate for a 2 bedroom was much more than my DH was willing to pay.

 

[PhD_007]

We like to usw one of the great specials they have on WDWinfo site and stay in the Swan or Dolphin if needed for a weeknd night. Both are first class hotels, and it doesnt seem like such a big move when you are still in the Crescent lake area. It is nice to see what is next door to the BC/YC. For example at the Dolphin they have an eatery with convenience store items that is open all night. If you didn't have a car and needed some over the counter medicine, it is nice to know it is within walking distance 24/7. Well worth checking that neighbor hotel out.

 

[brivers222]

We are arriving in Orlando on Saturday night but our checkin isn't until Sunday at SSR. So we booked a "cheap room" at the Holiday Inn Nikki (something) maingate West... Its about 5 mins from magic kingdom and has free wifi. The room was only $45 including all taxes We are also staying there for three days AFTER we spend 9 days at SSR kinda like a wrap up time. Last trip we didn't want to drive home (aka leave the mouse) so we stayed extra unexpectedly... This year we have already included it in our play