Save on Value - Combined Point/Cash Stay

[lwaverill]

I am going to BWV at the end of May. The weekend rate for a 1 bedroom preferred view is 56 points. The rental boards etc is listing point at approximately $ 10 a point. (Some feel it should be more) Simple math tells me my cost is $ 560.

Lo and behold Disney is charging, for a cash ressie, during this time period $415. They do not seem to differentiate in cost between weekends and week days, therefore the cost comparison for weekdays favors DVCers. (415 vs 280)

I know there is tax etc, but there is also maid service.

My question is this,

I know people avoid weekends, because of high point costs. Does anybody combine Weekend cash ressies with Weekday Point ressies to stretch there points?

PS this is my first post on new boards. I have no idea what it will look like,

 

[ILuvDVC]

Since you are DVC Member, if you book the weekend for cash, then you will not get Maid Service. The only way you will get maid service, is if you book a separate reservation through Disney Central Reservation, and do not link the reservations together. As fas as I know, DVC members do not get maidservice for cash nights at DVC Resorts.

So....if you decided at check in, to link the reservations together...and they know you are a DVC Member, do not be surprised when you never see a maid <vbg>.

 

[Richyams]

Rooms do not become available for cash until something like 60 days before travel. They don't release them until they have a reasonable expectation that they won't be reserved for points. Rooms at BWV for cash with a member's discount are rare.

I look at my vacations as the cost in points of the vacation. To check in and out or cut vacations short because of weekends, defeats the purpose of buying into DVC. We bought in so that we wouldn't need to spend cash on rooms.

 

[DebbieB]

I believe the way it works is if you get the 25% DVC member discount for a cash night through member services, you do not get housekeeping, it's just like a points stay. If you book your cash night through CRO as a regular reservation, then you get housekeeping like a non-member. Sometimes you can get more than 25% through CRO with an AP rate and you would get the housekeeping because it's a non-member reservation.

 

[BIERMUGG]

Originally posted by Richyams
Rooms do not become available for cash until something like 60 days before travel. They don't release them until they have a reasonable expectation that they won't be reserved for points


I booked 2 nights on cash for VB a Friday and Saturday for this July Last November to extend our stay with points.

George

 

[Richyams]

You were able to book those nights because much of VB remains unsold. Since BWV is sold out, only 4% of the rooms remain in their inventory. Most of that is used for refurbishment time.

We were always able to get cash rooms easy at any resort that wasn't sold out. Its a whole different story when the resort is sold out.

 

[Dean]

You are right about the high point cost for weekends. There is essentially no correlation when booking by cash and by points as per the weekend/weekday breakdown. Many avoid paying points for weekends and either stay off property, pay cash at a DVC resort or travel home. As a FL resident, our usualy trip is 5 days avoid weekends. If weekends were cheap enough, we'd likely go for mostly long weekends.

If your idea is to stay in the same room and pay cash for weekends, unlikely to work at WDW except maybe for a short time at WLV. It may work for HH and VB at least for part of the year.

There will be a few rooms to rent at more than 60 days out because of points given up by members for exchanges, cruise, etc. No guarantee that a member discount will be offered.

 

[Ralph&amp;amp;Pam]

Dean's point about week-end stays by FL residents is sometimes cited on this board as one of the reasons Disney has set the week-end point requirements higher. Like Rich, we purchased enough points to cover full week stays, including the Friday and Saturday nights, during the seasons we are usually able to travel (spring break and summer due to job responsibilities). My DW would be very unhappy if she had to pack up in the middle of a vacation. I too would be reluctant to pay cash for extra nights after buying into DVC.

Ralph

 

[mamalu]

Most of the time we come in late on a Friday or Saturday night, Instead of using the points, we get something on Priceline.com for $45-$55. We have stayed twice near the airport - at a Marriott and a Holiday Inn Express, once at a Sheraton on International Drive and once at DoubleTree on 192, just west of WDW. We hate to waste the points for the expensive weekends.

 

[lizanne]

I'm not sure I understand what is being said here.

We've been DVC members since '92 OKW and on several times in the past when making our ressies we would indicate that we were going to pay cash for the weekend nights. This enabled us to extend our stay 3 or 4 days. We would get separate confirmations -- first part on points -- cash weekend nights -- second part on points. (We do have enough points to stay a full week, but this allowed us to stay longer.) The last time we did this was probably 1999. I can't say we got a 25% discount on cash nights everytime, but I know we did on at least 2 occasions. We never had to leave the room, just go to the desk to check-out and back in. No daily maid service.

Am I misreading this post, or are you saying that I can't do this in the future?

 

[chris1gill]

If you book the cash nights through Member Services, you will not have to change rooms or check out, that's because they link the reservations. The point was there aren't that many night available through member services... and even fewer with a discount. If you book the night through Central Reservations, you will get maid service, but you will almost positively have to check out and check back in... moving your stuff in the process... That's because they can't link the reservations.

We too bought enough points to pay those costly weekend nights... it just wasn't worth having to move or pay cash...

 

[Patricia]

I guess I was just lucky but for my stay at BW last summer, during the July 4th week, I booked 10 months out usingt 6 nights points, three nights cash and I received the 25% off plus maid service. The maid service on a daily basis was a complete surprise to us, as we do not expect it. I was able to book the room on cash through MS as well. I really dont' think there is any set plan sometimes... Come to think of it, we have done it several times at OKW as well.... some nights cash, some points that is.

 

[Richyams]

We have had many reports of BWV housekeeping coming to the door many mornings wether they were supposed to or not. Not sure if its a little bit of magic or a little bit of incompetance.

Summer is the easiest time to reserve any way at all. In the summer, you will find more vacancy than any other season. The points are highest and I think that more people are getting out of being encumbered by the school year. This is coming in two way....more and more people are homeschooling, like me, and people's kids are getting older. Also, schools are changing their schedules.

In general, more and more people are realizing that summer may not be the best time to go.

 

[chris1gill]

Hey Rich, I didn't know you guys were homeschooling... We've long toyed with the idea.... our oldest is just six... seems like an ideal situation in a lot of ways...

 

[lwaverill]

I checked back on my thread the next day and found either no responses or maybe 1. So I forgot about it.

I saw it pop up today with many responses. I need to have more patience.

I would like to thank everyone for their input.

However, even though I am more confused, the responses are what I expected.

Disney is just too big to have have one system in place. I had an idea the reponses would be mixed.

I have no intentions at this time to do combined ressies, but I will keep this in mind for future ressies.


Thanks again.