Staying at DL Hotel on points...need advice

[kangaroodle]

I know most of you will say it is a bad use of points but I have enough to stay at the DL hotel for 5 nights this summer and to me that means "free", or at least not paying for a hotel. Anyway, since I am staying on points, does anyone know if I have to pay for parking? I know it is not a DVC resort and I can't get points back and all that. GC was totally booked at the 7 month mark. We've gone to WDW every year for the past 17 years and want to try something new. (We have gone other places during that time, but try to go to WDW at least once a year).

Any advice on a DL vacation?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

In the past when you booked DLH or PP on points you did not have to pay for parking and I believe that is still correct but hopefully others who have experienced it recently will chime in.

Next - I'd recommend waitlisting for awhile for VGC and booking something on cash for backup. If it's getting closer to the time and the waitlist hasn't come thru then you could try and book on points and cancel the cash reservation. I've used points for the DL hotels 3 times and did not find it necessary to book this far in advance (although 2 of those times were prior to VGC opening).

 

[kangaroodle]

In the past when you booked DLH or PP on points you did not have to pay for parking and I believe that is still correct but hopefully others who have experienced it recently will chime in.

Next - I'd recommend waitlisting for awhile for VGC and booking something on cash for backup. If it's getting closer to the time and the waitlist hasn't come thru then you could try and book on points and cancel the cash reservation. I've used points for the DL hotels 3 times and did not find it necessary to book this far in advance (although 2 of those times were prior to VGC opening).

Thanks for the advice. We are going in June so it's not really that far in advance. I just don't want everything to get booked up since it is summer!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Thanks for the advice. We are going in June so it's not really that far in advance. I just don't want everything to get booked up since it is summer!

In DL terms that's ages in advance. I booked Memorial weekend on points at GC concierge 3 weeks in advance (before VGC and I had points to burn from our resale purchase). Of course you've gotta do what you feel comfortable with - I'm just sharing my experience. I actually never booked the hotel rooms on points more than 5 weeks in advance - just an FYI and not that I'm recommending going that close for you. One of the nice thing about the DL hotels is that there isn't the $95 fee but once you book the points become reservation points and there's no going back to a DVC room with them.

 

[kangaroodle]

Thanks! That actually puts my mind at ease. We haven't decided if we'll go for 8 days and do San Diego Zoo, Sea World and Universal as well, or just do a shorter visit for DL only. Have a little time to think about it....except for the darn airline prices!

 

[rkold]

I really love love love love the DLH. We did a CRO there (we need our points for our WDW trips) but just wanted to share how nice I think the DLH is. We always seem to stay in Adventure, and last trip we got a room overlooking DTD and DCA. The view was so pretty, and while it was a little blocked, we could also see the fireworks and the tops of some of the water from World of Color. If you drink alcohol, the Tiki bar is quite fun and DD loved the waterslides at the pool.

 

[8timesblessed]

For summer I think the DL hotel would be great. Try all airports for airfare. Orange county and Long Beach. Jet Blue flies into Long Beach and LAX. Sometimes they can be a lot cheaper. Paradise Pier is nice as well but the pool is just a pool with a separate slide which my kids thought were just fine. It's less points at PP and a closer walk through the Grand California.

 

[soulmates]

Just a heads up here: We made DL ressiess using our points and I ended up having emergency knee surgery. We had to cancel and when we went to transfer the points closer at DW we found out that you can't use them towards another DVC. We had to stay at a Moderate. We were really really bummed over that.