Wedding Couple Planning Ahead

[Paul Moberg]

Greetings to all!

I am new to DIS Dis Forums, so please forgive me if I'm not aware of your customs and/or rules.

A little about myself; my name is Paul & my finance Amy & I live in the western suburbs of Chicago. Together we are planning an intimate wedding at Disney World. Ideally we are looking at either Feb of 2004 or Sept of 2004. We would plan sooner, however we need to save money & Disney will not allow a wedding reservation for less than a year in advance.

We were recently at Disney and sat through a presentation for DVC. We are very interested, however the reality is we need to save for our wedding before signing up for DVC. Since I found this board, I am very interested in learning more about renting points and DVC accomodations, my questions are these:

1) Do you think that renting points for a week's stay at WDW would be cheaper than paying for a standard room for a week at one of the deluxe hotels?

2) How far in advance can a DVC member book a reservation if I rented their points? Would I receive any type of confirmation of the reservation?

3) How does renting work?

4) Amy wants to get ready for our wedding in the room, so if we rented points what size room would you recommend? Would a studio be big enough or would we need a one bedroom?

Any other thoughts or suggestions would be deeply appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul & Amy

paulamywedding@yahoo.com

 

[Paul Moberg]

I forgot to add this...what is your favorite DVC resort at WDW and why?

Thanks again,

Paul & Amy

paulamywedding@yahoo.com

 

[fkj2]

Most people try to rent points for a Sun-Thurs night stay as the point requirements are lower. Early Dec. is among the lowest point requirements for the year but that makes it also really attractive to members also. It may be a better deal to rent points for those 5 nights and pay cash for Fri-Sat nights or consider spending one of those off site but it is your honeymoon so that may not be the best time to save money. I would think that scenario would be more reasonable than booking through CRO but it all depends on how the economy looks a year from now. There have been some good offers on the board lately. DVC members have a "home" resort advantage of 11 months; other than our home resort, we have to wait until 7 months prior to arrival to book a different DVC and depending on the time of year, like Christmas, and size of desired accommodation, that would be the problem there.

I've been to OKW which is quiet and large accommodations. Southern plantation atmosphere. BWV I find noisy but very popular for their activities and proximity to Epcot and Studios. Haven't stayed at VWL or BCV yet.

If I were planning a honeymoon, I'd probably want that hot tub in the room and those require a one-bedroom size.

As for renting, there's a FAQ board here somewhere with advice. I've only rented points to people. I would read the boards for a while to get a "feel" for the process. Some 'distressed' points may be found for $7-8, if they're about to expire soon. (There are "use years" that determine when the points are renewed to the owners.) Generally, the points seem to range in the $9-10 per point category. I would encourage you to ask for references from the potential renter, so that you know prior transactions have gone well.

Hopefully, this helps with some of your questions. Congratulations on the engagement.

 

[Paul Moberg]

fkj2,

Thanks for your response. Any suggestions as to when I should start looking for people willing to rent points for the timeframe I'm looking at?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[niks81]

Congratulations on your engagement and upcoming wedding

My opinion is that you could get a better room for the money by renting points. When you go through Disney for a deluxe room you are getting just the standard room unless you upgrade to Concierge or a Honeymoon Suite, which in that case would definitely be more money. Even then, there are not the same amenities that you will find in a one bedroom DVC unit. The one bedroom's are fabulous.....the jacuzzi is great and the bathroom is very big. To answer your other question.....you definitely want a one bedroom for getting ready for the wedding. It sounded like you were thinking of staying for an entire week....you do need realize that points on weekends are about double...most people switch resorts for the weekend but being that it's your honeymoon you may just want to splurge.

To rent points you should post on this board with your exact dates, room size, and resort preference. There are currently four DVC resorts: Boardwalk Villas, Villas at the Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club Villas, and Old Key West. My personal favorite is the Boardwalk....the ambience at this place is unbelieveable. It is very charming and there is plenty of entertainment with the Boardwalk's restaurants and shops. The farthest out a DVC member can make your reservation is 11 months out. They can make reservations 11 months out for the resorts that they have vacation ownership. Therefore, if you want to stay at the Boardwalk, you need to find someone that owns there in order to book 11 months away. For those members that do not own at Boardwalk, the earliest they may book is 7 months away. This reduces the chance of availability. Since it's your honeymoon I wouldn't risk it. Once you find a member to rent you points the process begins. If you decide to have your wedding in February then the member could begin the booking process in March of 03....if you decide to go with September then the member can begin booking in October of 03. Typically there is an agreement made either on the phone or in writing as to how the payment will be handled. Once the member makes the reservation there will be an official confirmation sent to you (usually) with a confirmation number on it. You can call DVC to verify that you do in fact have a reservation. It is all pretty simple.

fkj had some good points also. Whatever you do, I would strongly encourage you to get points at 11 months out. There are several very reputable renters on this board and many could provide references if needed.

here are some links for photos in case you are wondering what the different resorts are like:


Old Key West
Boardwalk Villas
Beach Club Villas
Villas at the Wilderness Lodge

Good Luck!

 

[ncligs]

Paul and Amy,
"Congradulations" on your engagement and future wedding

.You will learn a lot from just reading these boards. You will have no problem renting from members of DVC on the http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=29. Welcome to the DIS also!

 

[WDWguru]

Originally posted by niks81
...most people switch resorts for the weekend...

Actually, prior polls and threads on this board have proven otherwise. Most people think it's more of a hassle than it's worth.

Now to the topic at hand... Congrats! My sister and her husband had their honeymoon at the Grand Floridian and LOVED it but spent a bundle! I think you're already ahead of the game by looking at renting points.

As others have said, go for the one bedroom. If you want secluded and cozy, go for the Villas at Wilderness Lodge or Old Key West. If you want to be more in the midst of the action, go for Boardwalk Villas or Beach Club. Members can book 11 months ahead of your stay for resorts where they own points and 7 months ahead at the other DVC properties. Decide where you want to stay, then post over on the DVC rent/trade board what you're looking for. Any DVC member can check your dates for availability (if it's within 11 months) and give you point totals.

February will definitely be more difficult to book than September, what with school breaks around that time period. However, imho the weather will be much better in February. September is HOT and humid but very small crowds, so it's really up to your preference.

 

[mikesmom]

Congratulations!! and here's my 2 cents worth..

Definitely a better deal to rent at DVC than get a room at a deluxe hotel. I'd not think about switching resorts - it's your HONEYMOON for pete's sake. Just look at a weeks' worth of cost and figure it that way. If you get a 1 bdrm for 7 night it'll cost roughly $2000 - $2700, depending on season. Late part of Feb in 2003 must hit spring break as the costs go up after the 15th.

If you need to be economical, look at OKW. The points are lower there, and frankly, I think it's better for a honeymoon - more seclusion when you want it.

I'd vote 1 bdrm also. The jacuzzi is fabulous and the kitchen will give you a place to stash the champagne!

 

[Diana Lyn]

Congratulations!

I was an intimate bride in June. We actually joined DVC after we got back from our cruise honeymoon. Because intimate weddings have to be during the week, you will luck out with the lower points cost anyway.

We stayed at AKL and our room was just barely big enough for me to get ready. I would definitely go with the 1 bedroom, especially if you are having any guests at all. We had all 17 people come up and see our room and it was chaos!

If you have any other wedding-related questions, I'd be happy to help!

Diana

 

[Paul Moberg]

First off, thanks to all that have responded to my questions. I didn't expect the "open arms" treatment and the info you have provided has been helpful.

Based on your responses, here is my next set of questions:

1) Can someone give me an idea of how many points I am going to need for a seven night stay in a one bedroom (based on the information I orginally provided)?

2) How do DVC members handle park passes? Do they offer the ultimate park hopper passes like the regular resorts or do you purchase passes just like anyone else that stays off Disney property? I like the fact that Disney hotel guests have their park passes on their room key (one less thing to lose), and hope it works the same at DVC properties as well.

3) When you stay at a DVC property, are their any taxes on your accomodations? If so, what are they based on and approx how much do they run?

4) How strict is security at the DVC properties? I'd like my family and friends to be able to help Amy get ready on her wedding day & don't want Disney security to give them a hard time or turn them away if they aren't staying there. On the other hand, I hope the security isn't so lax that anyone can get in!

5) I read somewhere that upon request, DVC staff will stock your villa with requested groceries. Is this true? If so, is it reasonable or would I be better off going to the store myself?

Thanks Again!!

Paul

paulamywedding@yahoo.com

 

[ToyStory Fan]

1) Depends on the resort you choose, OKW will be less than VWL or BCV for example.

2) Ultimate hoppers are available as a WDW Resort guest...DVC Resorts ae considered WDW Resort guests also.

3) No

4) When my sister and BIL stayed at OKW, they said the security was what you'd expect at any other WDW resort. If people are instructed where they need to go they can easily make their way to your room as necessary. I don't know that I would say security is lax, but it's not Ft Knox either. Getting onto the resort complex will require some explaining if your guests are not staying at the resort, so you may want to think about coordinating that with Guest Services, so that the security guards at the resort/pkg lot entrance allow your guests to enter.

5)Yes that's true too. Lists are available on the DVC website, but I'm guessing you don't have access to that yet. The prices vary from reaconable for certain items to obscene for others. There are a few large supermarkets en-route to WDW that you could easily stop into to pick up any necessities.

Congrats! on your upcoming "Magical" wedding.

 

[fkj2]

To answer some of your questions, I think it's easier to have a list and hit the Publix, which is cheaper than Goodings and still only 5 minutes or so away from OKW; maybe 10 from any of the DVC.

I don't know about the ultimate pass hopper; if you spend about 8 days at WDW theme parks, the annual pass pretty well pays for itself, at least before that last increase. Really, it depends on how much you'd use the extra features of the ultimate pass hopper.

No taxes on renting points; what you pay in points is it. No daily housekeeping though. We have trash and tidy service after 4 days and a full cleaning after, 7-8 nights, somewhere in there. I'd have to get the book and look. Daily maid service can be purchased extra but it seems a lot of us don't mind not having it and a full washer/dryer is available in the one bedroom units for you to use.

About security, I would imagine your family would just check in at the gate when they arrive and explain or ride the bus into the resort. If you have a vehicle, parking is right outside the accommodation for you and Guest Services will give you a parking placcard for the window to display.

About the points, Sept is a lower point month. BCV one bedroom is 200 points for the full 7 night stay. As an example of what several of us have mentioned previously, the Sun-Thurs nights are 22 points each, Fri-Sat nights are 45 nights each. Feb. 1-15th jumps to 252 points for the 7 night stay. The last half of February is 270 points. BWV preferred view (standard slightly less) and VWL will be similar. OKW requires the fewest points and offers the largest size accommodations. A one bedroom there is 160 points for the week in September. Early February, 196 points and later February is 218 for a week in a one bedroom.

 

[adamak]

Paul,
To answer your questions from 2nd post -

1. Depends on when / where.
E.g. In early Dec, a 7-day 1-bedroom will cost you -
200 points in BCV
162 (standard) or 200 (Deluxe view) in BWV
160 in OKW
200 in WVL

The same room in peak summer season will be :
270 in BCV
222 / 270 in BWV
218 in OKW
270 in WL

Therefore, if you're paying $10 per point, your range can be from $1600 early Dec OKW to $2700 mid July. Either way, it'll be cheaper than getting any deluxe room for 7 nights. (Plus, you're getting a 1 bedroom, not just a hotel room.)

I would suggest getting an OKW 1 bedroom, (not studio). Becuase it's quieter, and larger rooms.

2. Park passes are handle just like other hotel guests.

3. No.

4. As long as they can show proofs that you're staying, and that they're the wedding party, no problem. Security is not lax, but they do care about guests parking. If you don't stay in that hotel, guests are only issued hourly pass. You'll need to arrange longer parking for your wedding parties.

5. Yes, you can fax them the grocery list ahead of time. But I found them expensive.

And finally, congrad! Let us know how it goes.

 

[Paul Moberg]

It's amazing how much you can learn around here...wish I would have found this site sooner!

Here's my latest question(s):

1) Could someone explain what "use year" means? Does everyone have the same use year, or does it vary (e.g. based on when you bought in)?

2) If I were to rent DVC points, how could I confirm the reservation?

3) I noticed on the DVC website there is a members only area. By renting points, would I have access to it? Would I even need it?

Thanks,

Paul Moberg

paulamywedding@yahoo.com

 

[dianeschlicht]

Use year is the date a member gets the year's points added to the account.

Your reservation would be confirmed by a confirmation letter sent to the person you rent points from and would be sent on to you by them.

There would be no advantage to seeing the members only web site. It just has some information about trading, concierge collection etc.

 

[Diana Lyn]

I can answer a couple of your questions:

As for how many points, there is a calculator on this website if you go under Disney Vacation Club. You can enter the check in and out date, which resort and what size home and it will tell you how many points. That way you can play around with different options.

As for guests getting into the resort. No one in my party of 17 ever had any problem. We were spread out between the All Stars, Beach Club, Poly and AKL. We just said "My Dad is staying here" and they always let us in. I had 8 people getting ready with my in my room, and no one said anything but congratulations to us!

HTH
Diana

 

[Paul Moberg]

Thanks for the insight. How soon would DVC members have access to their points if I were interested in renting them (for either Feb 2004 or Sep 2004)?


Thanks

Paul

paulamywedding@yahoo.com

 

[adamak]

Depends.
We get our points by the use-year. So, theoretically, if you want to stay Feb 04, you will start seeing rental Feb 03. I don't think people can rent points that are beyond their current used years. But I think others who have banked their 02 points into year 03 can rent themout. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

You can just post your requst in the rental forum, and see who offers.

 

[d-r]

Hi-
Congratulations on your wedding! That is really wonderful. You have picked a great place.

I have some thoughts for you.

Melissa and I had an intimate wedding at the Yacht Club Gazebo. There is also a pavillion at the boardwalk (this one is bigger). You can also do intimate weddings at the wilderness lodge or at the polly. There are DVC accomodations at wilderness lodge, boardwalk, and beach club (adjacent to the yacht club) so these are convenient places if you want to stay at a dvc.

You should look closely at the package for the wedding, and think about your guests (if you are inviting some). You will get to pick a resort for your guests to stay at with a discounted rate, and your guests can also by discounted park tickets (they can even get one and two day park hoppers). You may want to think about if you want a reception dinner or anything like that - you can talk with group sales and basically you can do about anything that your budget will allow, from a desert illuminations thing, to having a group meal at one of the restaurants. If you have big bucks you could even rent out an attraction (we didn't have big bucks so we didn't do that!). I am just saying this so you can think about your options. You'll want to think about the resort choice for you guests to make it easy for them.

Also, with your wedding package you get a limo, so you don't necessarily have to stay close to where the wedding will be. Basically you have the limo for however you want to use it for during the time, so you can use it to carry your guests to the wedding as well. That gives you some flexibility in planning and thinking about where your guests want to stay because you can do a lot of different things.

Also, what we did. We had our wedding at the yacht club. We rented points (like you, we were more worried about getting started and having a house and stuff like that than buying into dvc!) at boardwalk villas during the week, and stayed at the honey moon room at the wilderness lodge several days after that. We really, really loved the honey moon room at the wilderness lodge - there are only four of them, and they are all alone on the top floor of the lobby. Ours had views of the Magic Kingdom fireworks, which was incredible and we loved it. The thing is, I can't really recommend them anymore though, as much as we loved it, because they have made the top floor of the wilderness lodge a concierge floor, and the place where they serve the conceriege food and the sitting area is right outside those honey moon rooms which seems to me like a total disaster, because what was great about those rooms was that they were so secluded and private and off on their own. Now I think there would be too much commotion right outside the room.

One last thing. If you do have your intimate wedding at the yacht club, what we did was get breathless, the boat at the yacht club, for us to get in and ride away after the ceremony. We went with our friends to ride it the day before - I think breathless is one of the best rides at wdw actually - and had a blast. Zeke, the boat driver, showed up in a full tux to take us after the wedding. It was incredibly wonderful. He rode us in for a peak of epcot, and everyone walking around the world showcase lagoon was waving and cheering, incredible. I can not begin to explain how wonderful Zeke and the other cast members were, but it is something we will never forget.

I'm just telling you stuff like that to let you know that there are a lot of options with an intimate wedding that you can do for not a lot of money, but you have to do the scouting out for yourself. We didn't have enough people coming (only about 20 or so) for a big wedding, and so you don't get as much help from the wedding coordinator in setting up a lot of things, but you can do it on your own with some investigation. There are a lot of really fun, neat things you could do. Make sure to really read through the wedding package closely so that you know what that will be like, and think about which location has the most appeal to you. The "package" will come with things like the limo, an officient, some musicians you can choose from, cakes you can choose from, stuff like that.

But as for your questions, yeah, renting points at a dvc resort can save you a lot of money, especially during the week days. But if you are having guests, you will want to think about where they are staying and if you want to stay where they are before the wedding - we moved to have a "honey moon" after our guests went home after the wedding. We were actually really glad to "switch" resorts and stay at wilderness lodge because we got to spend some great time at "that side of the resort" and to us it seemed like a whole different trip in itself (this was before wilderness lodge villas or beach club villas though). There is no hassle at all in moving - you get up in the morning, you call bell services who come and takes your bags, and then you go do whatever you want to do. That afternoon or evening you go to the new resort and check in and poof! bell services brings your bags to your new room. No worries at all.

Oh yeah, one other thing that is just an option. The swan and dolphin are not disney resorts, but they can do weddings and things like that on their own, so you might want to check them out as well - they aren't a part of the packages that disney offers but they can do a lot of things as well.

DR

 

[fkj2]

Anyone with current, banked or borrowed points that would be accesssible during your requested time could book the ressie but no sooner than 11 months out from their "home" resort. OKW owners, for example, could book your ressie at OKW only, say, March 15th of 2003 if the first night of you're desired stay ended on February 15th 2004.

If you want to stay at BWV, you should rent points for that time advantage from a BWV owner. The other DVC resorts work respectively. The 11 month advantage is important at certain times of the year: early December, various holidays, spring breaks, the wine festival in late Oct/early Nov. would be some examples.

Whether the points are banked or borrowed or current does not really have a bearing on their use, except that it limits the DVC owner if the points are banked or borrowed, because DVC requires them to be used in the year long time frame; we can't return them to "current" status or hold them over the end of our "use" year. If I borrowed points to confirm your ressie and you cancel and I can't use or re-rent them, they (and their value) are lost to me. There is a travel insurance that can be purchased to help defray that risk.