Use Points for Sat night or not?

[RweTHEREyet]

I know that some folks here think you should use points for Fri and Sat nights regardless of point cost. We however are limited on points and try to make them go as far as we can. So this question is not aimed at finding out who thinks using points for Fri or Sat versus staying only Sun-Thurs is the right thing to do.

We have a ressie at OKW in Oct for Sat, Sun, Mon nights. We also have a moderate room booked for Friday for right at $80.00. My Saturday night stay takes 21 points versus 8 for Sun and Mon.

My question is, since we are already changing resorts Friday to OKW on Saturday, doesn't it make sense to stay at the moderate for $80.00 per night versus using 21 points for a Saturday. I could sure use those 21 points next May to add on another night at OKW.

Again, this is not aimed at starting debate on Fri and Sat stays versus Sun-Thurs stays only, just want to know what most folks would do in this particular instance.

 

[rbuzzotta]

We like to s..t..r..e..t..c..h.. our vacation as much as possible!! I am somewhat frugle when it comes to using my points. We just got the Grosvenor at DTD for 50.00 for a Sat. night prior to our arrival at OKW. Then we will go over to St. Pete's Beach for the next weekend before coming back to VWL for another 4 nights!!!

We have used our points for the weekend though, on a spur of the moment trip. This is what I like to save them for. My DH doesn't usually get summer vacations (this year is the first ) and he can't get school vacations either (even with 20 years senority in his company!!). We try to save the points to use during the school year when my DD have a long weekend etc....

I will eventually do an add-on when the time comes and then I may rethink about being so frugle!!!!!!!

 

[Lew]

Since you're already staying Friday night in a moderate room Friday night, staying an additional night doesn't increase the "hassle factor" of moving. If the points saved will allow you to lengthen your next visit, it's a no-brainer.

You didn't say wheher the moderate room is on Disney property, but when we have stayed off property on Fri/Sat we really don't feel quite right until we check in at OKW.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

My only thinking is that to spend one night and then change you can pack one small bag and not have to undo a lot of stuff. Two night stay might make us unpack and spread out a little bit more making repacking a not so fast task.

I do love the fact that Bell Services will move all my stuff for me and I do not have to be there to get everything taken to the new resort. This worked well for us on the last vist except that they plugged the electric cooler in wrong and caused it to heat instead of cool, destroying all the meat. Never thought that would happen, so next time we make sure instructions are attached to cooler.

 

[Bwalker]

Well ... we too are among the people who love to s...t....r....e....t....c....h our points. We are Sun-Thursday people too - leaving on Friday. We have even stayed a few days before and after at the moderates. But I like doing the it "before" b/c there's nothing quite like DVC and going someplace after is a real downer.

Have a great time, RweTHEREyet? When's your trip? We just made new ressies for a quick trip on Sept 29-Oct 3. (sat night - I think at PO - rest at OKW)

Aloha,
Bwalker

 

[Lesley]

As a points conservationist myself, I think I'd keep the Sat. at OKW...mainly because the switch right in the middle of the trip is very different than staying one night. Part of it is like you've said....you can just keep an overnight bag for that one night then unpack when you get to your DVC, and the other part is just the feeling that you get into the swing of your trip and then have to move.

If it were a longer stay I'd probably say go ahead and get the Sat. at the moderate, but for only 4 nights I'd personally prefer 3 in a row in one place. We have a similar Sat, Sun, Mon stay next May!

 

[Mary Anne]

The rule we have used is: if Weekend points are beginning or end of vacation we do cash nights at a value/moderate, if they fall in the middle, we generally just use points, as it's too much to move in/move out/move in.

With 4 nights I'd definately pay cash the first night and then decide if I'm going to need those 2nd night weekend points in the next year. As far as packing and unpacking just pack 2 days cloths in one bag and the rest in the other.

 

[mzzbuzzlightyear]

I probably would opt to stay at the moderate for the one more night and save the points. You're already there.

That said, I have to confess that when we were there in March, we had to go 2 days early for the first Fri and Sat nights because we couldn't get our airline reservations. After debating about Marriott Grand Vista or OKW, we used the points at OKW because we were traveling with a 5 month old baby and did not want to move.

So...instead of using points for a 2BR at OKW for 1 Fri and 1Sat, we had to use them for 2Fri and 2Sat! Oh, well, it made our stay easier, but, boy, I wish we didn't have to use so many points!

June

 

[mickey7861]

I would stay 2 nights at the moderate and 2 nights at OKW. I like to stretch my points too. We're staying at the Poly for the weekend between our two 5 night stays at OKW and VWL this summer. I got an AP rate at the Poly and the point savings leaves room for another trip.

 

[MalificentMe]

Me personally, I would save the points for another stay. Saturday nights are so expensive and if you are already planning another vacation in May save the points. Have fun either way. Take Care, Tammy

 

[badeacon]

I usually try to avoid Sat nights if a all possible because of high point value. we usually stay at HHin summer in 2br. 99 points i dont feel thats worth it

 

[BuzzandWoody]

Thinking about this now.............

We have ressie in May for Sun to Sat. For 56 point a night for Friday.....

Will probably call and cancel this day. This will be our 3rd trip in a year and just for that night alone can't see using that many points. 5 nights will be plenty. Maybe do the beach after on the way home.
Maybe dh and I can escape for a weekend with these points. Seems a waste to me.
I guess it depends on alot though.


Des


CSR 5/2001
VWL 11/2001
VWL 5/2002

 

[Caskbill]

I think a lot depends on how much total vacation time you have for the whole year. If you save the points will you be able to use them on another trip sometime (banking them if necessary), or will you wind up spending them on a weekend eventually anyway because you don't have enough weekday vacation days. You might also consider the extra 'cost' of the cash ressie, $80.00 for another night. Your DVC points are already paid for through your dues. At OKW that extra day has already been paid for (approx $65.00), whereas the 2nd extra night is another $80 out of pocket expense.

If you can eventually use the extra points during a weekday, then that's obviously your best 'value', but if not, then the Saturday night stay might be a better use of points than first imagined.

 

[ScottOKW2K]

I'm another one who votes for using other accomodations for the friday/saturday night stays. Let's face it - if you look at the point charts the cost in points for staying those two nights often equals the points used for the other five days. Like many, I want to maximize the number of days that I can spend at the "World" and using alot of points for just those two nights is something that I choose not to do at this time.

For example, next June we are going to spend two weeks on vacation in Orlando. We want to try out US/IoA during the stay and have decided that staying at one of the Universal hotels - probably Portofino Bay - would make an excellent alternative for that weekend in the middle. I hope that they still have FOTL in some form by the time we take the trip.

This combination gives us the best of both worlds. We get 2 weeks of vacation, a chance to try out the other parks, and still manage not to break the bank on using the points we have. Isn't this why most of us bought into DVC - the Flexibility !!

 

[RweTHEREyet]

Decided to give up "paying" 21 points for an OKW Studio for a Saturday night and put them towards an OKW 2-bedroom in May. The 21 points will almost pay for the one night in a 2-bedroom. Will pay $80.00 instead for Port Orleans French Quarter for the Saturday night.

I really feel that changing resorts after 1 night is easier than changing after a longer stay, but I just could not justify the points for a Saturday night.

I may be in the minority, but I would almost rather see the weekly points spread out more evenly than the way they are now. I also see that there would then be a greater opportunity for folks who live close by to book up the weekends and leave the weekdays, so I don't know that I have an answer. I do feel that the Fri and Sat point cost is a little steep.

 

[Peggy Sue]

Well, guess I'll be the one with a different opinion. When we initally purchased in 1997, we too avoided weekends and paid the DVC cash rate for the room, or we stayed off site. We hated staying off site, what a hassle, packing, unpacking, not really getting our vacation underway until we were finally "home" at a DVC resort. The cash nights were quite expensive, even with the DVC discount. After much discussion, we agreed we were really defeating the purpose of our DVC membership...being able to stay at a beautiful DVC resort without having to move around or spend more $$'s to save points.

So...we added two additional contracts and now we stay weekends. Less hassle and stress, and the best decision we ever made!

We also do not want to see the point values for the week averaged out to a daily point cost...we would be concerned that this would made weekends next to impossible to reserve, as it would be an incentive for those within driving distance to take long weekend get-a-ways, which would made it difficult for others to reserve week or longer stays.