Weekend nights on points or cash

[DeeCee735]

Our reason for using points for weekend nights:

We usually do a 6 night trip - Sun to Saturday, but even so when we bought we decided we wouldn't be spending money on hotel rooms at all (unless of course it's a stopover when we drive - then again, there's HH for that . That being said we have booked a 5 night trip and then decided to make a longer stay, moving into a value on cash ressies once, and perhaps will do so with the upcoming January trip, although 5 nights is really all we plan to stay at this point.

It doesn't sit well with us that we bought and paid for our points, and pay maintenance fees (high fees at that as well), and then have to turn around and use cash for a nights stay, so we mostly don't, but I do understand why it makes sense for those staying a week or longer.

Just OHO and my two cents Happy Planning

 

[brianm27]

If we are going for a week, I don't consider the weekend points. It's just X per week. That's why I bought the points.

If we are doing a quick weekend trip it will probably be at a non DVC resort using an AP discount.

 

[ADP]

We will typically move from a DVC resort on Friday and spend the weekend at a value or moderate. Since we can get Pop Century for $69 or $79 per night on the weekends with an AP rate we will pay cash.

When we check out of the DVC resort on Friday we have Disney move our luggage to the cash resort while we head out to a park. When we check-in to our new resort our luggage is usually waiting. We are extremely light packers so packing and unpacking is never an issue.

 

[snyderla]

We sometimes use points for a Friday night, but since I am on a quest to stay at least 1 night at each resort, we usually move to a non-DVC resort for the night.

 

[DebbieB]

I usually go the 6 night route, Saturday to Friday, so not to use points for 2 weekend nights. In the past when I've been short on points, I have added a weekend night on member cash and linked it to the points reservation, not having to move.

 

[Diznee4me]

We will rarely go up on a Friday or Saturday night. We will usually start a trip on a Sunday and leave on a Friday.

ºoº

 

[JaxDisneyFans]

We usually do a Sunday-Friday trip and one or two weekend trips each year. As long as DD is still in school we will continue to use weekend points.

 

[Starshine]

I voted use points too, but I should clarify that whenever we start running low on points for any reason, then those weekend nights are the first to go...

 

[spiceycat]

stay at Pop generally on weekend nights - sometimes just go home.

but with gas prices looks like my stays will be a little longer.

 

[bwvBound]

We use points for weekend stays without even considering a) cash reservations; b) moving offsite; c) moving to smaller/less expensive properties; or d) going home early.

I tend to look at the "weekly" cost in points -- not the nightly breakdown.

 

[jodifla]

We sometimes try two resorts...starting off in a studio for weekend nights and switching to 2 bedrooms for Sun-Fri....

 

[bobbiwoz]

The price of the value rooms at AKV has made me more willing to book weekends there. I'm even doing a value 1 bedroom for a 2 night weekend in June.

As has been mentioned, we were going to be in Florida the following Sunday to Saturday, airfare is expensive, so I really wanted to enjoy WDW/Florida as much as we can. I borrowed the points and invited the people!

Bobbi

 

[nhdisnut]

We have actually done both - stayed non-DVC on weekends, and used points on weekends. Prior to our recent AKV purchase we really didn't have enough points to make weekends worthwhile overall, but now, with the additional points, we find it more convenient to stay DVC, if points allow.

That said, we do enjoy all WDW resorts and have a goal to stay at each at least once. This will likely mean non-DVC stays during future trips!

 

[bookwormde]

6 days at WDW (cash sat at a value. Arriving 11:30 pm then 5 DVC) We are going to Sanibel for the weekend then back to DVC for 2 days, so I guess I do both 2 and 4 but I voted for 4

bookwormde

 

[Kathi OD]

Voted "use points", but it has nothing to do with any concern over cash reservation availability.

That's us too.

Would you say it's just because it makes things simpler?

Not really. Our reason is more like the following.......

I voted "use points", but it has nothing to do with being concerned about cash availability. I didn't buy DVC to continue to pay OOP too.

 

[PutnamDS]

We usually try to arrive on Sunday and go home on Friday, so don't have to use weekend points. If we do stay longer, we just use the points. The idea of moving around during vacation is not appealing to us.

Deb

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We usually try to arrive on Sunday and go home on Friday, so don't have to use weekend points. Deb

Ditto! but if I had loads of points then I would stay the week-ends, since I don't this is the best way to maximize my stays. It's also much easier for me since I live 2 1/2 hours from Disney and drive in.

 

[mickeymom629]

We don't stay weekends, to maximize our points also. We always need 2 bedrooms. I just cancelled my first cash night ressie for our upcoming June trip; we were going to stay Sunday - Thurs. on points and Friday night at the DVC discount at OKW. But, with gas prices what they are, I will need that cash for gas for driving from Maryland. I just couldn't justify spending that money for one night when this will be our 4th trip in a year - this is our last one for using the AP's I got last summer

 

[DisFlan]

We're doing BOTH pts. with a weekend night and cash for another resort in September. We're staying at Shades of Green on the Sat. night we arrive. Then Sun - Fri at BWV on points, leaving on Sat. We don't like moving more than once, and we wanted to stay for a whole week.

Actually, we don't like to move at ALL, but this is how it worked out. Plus, we've always been curious about SOG - and we now have it as an option during Sept. and Jan. (for vets with less than 20 years), so we jumped on it for a night. It's supposed to be close to deluxe level for about the price of a value ($119 and no tax), and it's close to the MK. I can live with that for a night! I'll report back after our trip.

DisFlan