WDW Uber-planners..advice on resource allocation

[lsbryant]

We've booked a week at OKW on an RCI exchange. We've decided to fly in 2 days early and stay at another resort (split stay). I've been saving our Disney Visa points for years and have a nice little nest egg there as well. After buying our park tix, we'll have about 1,300 disney dollar points left over.
Should that go toward food/souvenirs or a room for 2 additional days?

We have 6 people (3 AD; 3 kids), so my budget really only allows 2 Value rooms, but it still comes to the low $600's (it's Magic season, so prices are on the high end). I would prefer a moderate or deluxe of course, but it's difficult to spend $1,500+ on a room for 2 nights.

Here are my questions:
1) Should I book the hotel now and what happens if there are discounts; % off or other offers released later on? Do you cancel your res and make a new one?
2) Are the park tickets and room key the same and if so, what happens to your park tickets when you switch hotels and get a different key?
3) How does the M. Express work if you begin at one resort and end at another?

Thanks for all your help.

 

[hrslvr142]

Have you considered renting points from a DVC member? This would allow you check out another timeshare property. Not sure it will be cheaper but possibly you could get a 2 bedroom somewhere which would allow you to all stay in the same unit. I also own through RCI and am getting ready to stay at SSR in October but we rented points before to stay at Boardwalk and it was wonderful to stay that close to Epcot. My "wish" resort if affordable would be the Yacht/Beach Club for their pool complex.

 

[nightshaderose]

1) I'd say book your extra rooms now. If new discounts come out, you can call back and ask to apply them to your reservation.

2) I've always had my park tickets encoded on my room key, but you can have them seperate (your park tickets would be like the tickets off-site guests have). I am given to understand that if your tickets are on a room key, that card is still used as your ticket, even after you've checked out of that resort and into another (with requisite new room key).

3) You are entitled to round trip ME service for each hotel reservation you have, so when you call to make your ME reservations, just tell them. You'll end up with 2 reservation #s, since you're effectively using the arrival portion of the first reservation, and the departure portion of the second.

 

[Crystal_27]

Here are my questions:
1) Should I book the hotel now and what happens if there are discounts; % off or other offers released later on? Do you cancel your res and make a new one?

You can go ahead and book your hotel now, and, if a discount becomes available, just call CRO and they will amend your reservation. And, as to whether your left-over Disney rewards should go to food/souveniers or room charges, if it were me, I'd just allocate that towards food/souveniers, and pay for your room separately. We find that Disney always is more expensive than we budget for, and, even with your larger party, $1,300 should leave you with a nice "extras" budget.

I hope that you enjoy your wonderful trip to the World!!

 

[Brian Noble]

I spend my gift cards down as soon as I can. No reason to go home with "leftovers."

 

[dgaston]

My reward card maxes at $750 per year. Does yours go higher?