Weekend stays and DVC

[Lesley]

Just wondering what the general opinion is on using DVC for primarily weekend visits...or to be exact, is it worth it to add on points to use primarily on weekends throughout the year? We've recently moved much closer to WDW and would love to spend more time there....but with work schedules, the weekends seem to be our main option for short getaways.

Or, is it still more cost effective to be getting "just a room" on site with cash?

I can see us getting borrowed a full year ahead really easily now!

Any thoughts?

 

[chrissyk]

There are many differing opinions on this topic! DH and I do not use our points for weekends, but once we have kids, I'm sure that that will change. While it's just the 2 of us, we prefer to conserve points and spend those high-point nights at another hotel. So far, we've had great luck...we got a code rate for the AKL for our Feb. Trip (like $109/night plus tax I think), and we got the Swan on Priceline for $59/night for our May trip. We figure out where we can get an inexpensive rate for the 2 weekend nights on a trip-by-trip basis. So far, it's working for us

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Personally, I think the high weekend point requirements do not make DVC a good deal for weekend trips. If your staying the whole week, and you average out the points for the full week, adding the weekend days and not having to move makes sense, getting enough poins for the full stays that you'll want. But for just weekends, I'd go with paying cash, and I'd especially keep an eye out for the specials at Swan and Dolphin. Wonderful accomodations, and often times some great prices.

 

[Chuck S]

Generally our vacations are 10 to 12 days, twice per year. While we did transfer out on weekends once or twice early in our membership, it was just too much of a hassle for us. Vacations are a time to relax and enjoy. We added plenty of points, and now use points for weekends.

 

[vernon]

If you're looking to buy (extra) points ONLY to use those points at the weekend I don't think it's easy to justify the expense. At the moment ( and I think for a few more years) there are some great cash deals available, and who knows you might like a change and try one of the great Universal hotels to try their parks occasionally.

For short getaways ( weekends) I would tend to avoid using points, if you're staying for a week and the option is points for 5 and $ for 2 ( possibly changing resort) I can understand the argument for "biting the bullet" and using the points to avoid the hassle of checking in/out. IMHO it's wonderful to have the larger ( one bedroom and above) DVC units to stay in and relax, but for just a couple of nights I'd just make do with a hotel room ( or a studio).

 

[Richyams]

Over the last two of our six years in Florida, we have used points for long weekends only. three, four or five night stays....but I already own the points and broke even a VERY long time ago.

Buying new points expressly for weekend stays can not really be justified economically...but niether can my wife buying a Lincon Navigator....especially since we only have one kid.

She likes it, its easier, its classier, it just feels good and we can easily aford it.

More DVC points just for weekends have very similar qualities, easier, classier, feels good....but wether it can be easily afforded is up to you.

It is a waste of money, but so is the Navigator, the jewels she wears, the horse, its all just a waste of money.

I think the moderators should somehow hide this thread from Dean, he may not be able to handle such talk of willy nilly weekend point usage.

 

[WDWguruDH]

I bought DVC for a vacation and the hassle of moving on the weekend does not make sense to me. We have done it when we wanted to include AKL, so if you enjoy resort hopping, then cash on the weekend makes sense. I look at DVC as a pre-paid vacation and having to come up with more cash each trip also defeats the purpose. When I did the number crunching to justify DVC, I included the weekends and still came out ahead. While weekend points are substantially more, and just using the points for weekends now is expensive, the hotel rates will continue to go up and will in time pass the cost of points...so invest now and get ahead the curve sooner.
Especially in your case where weekends are your primary option...it almost becomes a case of pay more cash and don't use your current points or pay a little more now and use points for the next 39 years.

 

[DebbieB]

When we stayed at OKW last weekend, I paid cash for the 2 weekend nights with the 25% member discount rather than borrowing. It was $321 a night, the points would have been 48 per night. So I figured that came to $6.68 a point. When you figure the initial cost + dues on the extra points, I figured it was worth it to just pay since I'm not sure I will need extra points in the future.

 

[Lesley]

Yes, vernon and rich have pretty much answered my question...I guess paying cash would be smarter...or, I do have the alternative of making dh work extra hours and weekends so he can take time off during the week.

Ah, maybe we need to keep staying only weeknights so they even out the points a bit! LOL (putting on flame proof vest and ducking )

Funny though....I'm really cheap with cash...don't want to spend it on a hotel room....but somehow using points doesn't seem so extravagant. I guess I need to think of it in "price per point used" terms to talk myself out of what would feel like a "free" trip!

 

[Maistre Gracey]

It really depends on what cash deals are being offered at the time, and if you would be happy staying in a moderate.

My points cost roughly $6 per point. If a weekend night in a 1br is 56 points, than it really costs me $336...tax included. Not a 'terrible' deal.

That being said, if you are happy in the Allstars or a moderate, you can certainly do better with a cash deal.

Just my opinion, and I realize I am likely in the minority......

 

[SlyHubby]

We avoid staying weekends using our DVC points at all costs. We plan all of our trips at Disney for Sunday through Friday.

We have once splurged for Friday/Saturday night at OKW on points - because we were in town solely for the Disney Marathon in January and it was very close/convenient. Because of the time of year, though more expensive than week nights, it wasn't outright terrible.

 

[Bella2000]

I learned never to use my DVC points on the weekend from all of my friends who were smart enough to buy DVC ages ago. That being said - I made a last minute trip over a weekend for next month because it's a short weekend trip and simply because I could. (Our Dec trip will be the conventional cash at a resort (discounted rate) and then move to BCV) I ducked all of my friends after making a weekend points trip and then thought - you know what the beauty of DVC is?! You can use it for what works well for you! I doubt I'll do this often but again it is great to have the option.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I really hate using my points on the weekends, but sometimes I do it. It just depends on whether or not I have extra points available, and whether or not there are specials on my room. For example, this summer I have ressies in a one bedroom preferred at BWV for a week. That is 30 pts per night, and 60 pts per night on the weekends. I got the nights for $300 each for those two weekend nights, so I felt that was a good deal for me, however $300 on a week day is no deal at all, so I used my points. I banked those 120 pts into next year, and I will have another 4 night vacation next year, on top of my regular set of points that I will get in Feb. 2004

 

[Dean]

I think the moderators should somehow hide this thread from Dean, he may not be able to handle such talk of willy nilly weekend point usage.

From a financial standpoint it's not worth it but certainly your choice. Some do and some don't but weekends only is as bad or worse then the concierge collection costs.

 

[jcanary]

Up until this upcoming summer trip, I NEVER would have used points for a Friday and Saturday. However with going to the beach club, if you want to continue a point reservation in which you have reserved a 2 bed 2bedroom villa, you MUST use points, ifyou do not want to move. I was all set with a member discount on Friday and rack rate on Saturday and when I called to make sure all of my reservations were linked, this is when I found this out. So this will probably be the first and last time I use points on the weekend, unless they even out. I have rented out points before so I always judge by the value I could get from renting out my points at $10/point opposed to the cash price. When I look at it from that view, I am actually paying $750 per night for a friday and saturday night at the BCV. OUCH.

 

[Lesley]

Well, I did decide against using my precious points for a weekend in July.....but may use some in Dec. or Jan. when it's a little better of a deal. Plus, I'm looking at just one weekend night with 2 weeknights (Sat, Sun, Mon) for our long weekends...so it balances out a bit better. And by then my dh may really be able to go midweek instead of over the weekend (new job...he has lots of problems to fix right now and we don't know how soon he'll have them straightened out...).

When we looked at it now....a room at All Star Movies for $79 a night did look better than spending 60 points (after all, those would be borrowed points!)....and we can use those points later if we want to...or leave them be for next year.

Thanks for talking some sense into me!

 

[Pa@okw95]

I spent 76 nights at DVC since being a member only one night was on the weekend rate. It cost me 2.5 times as much for that weekend night as a duing the week night. I usually stay at the Hilton on the weekends nights. It is a nice hotel with some nice restaurants and 2 nice pools. It costs me under $200 a night well worth it.

 

[Richyams]

I don't say this much(because of you know who...), but we have never moved out for the weekend. We bought enough points to stay 10-12 nights in the GV every year. We do avoid weekends a little, we arrive on Sunday and leave a week from Wed or Fri.

Really, couldn't be bother moving to save 10-15% points, when you look at the average per night, it really is still a good deal.

 

[Lesley]

We don't usually choose to move out for the weekend ourselves either.....our choice was being made as to what to do for a trip that's primarily over the weekend. There was no way we were going to get a hotel room for Saturday and stay Sunday and Monday at DVC! I mean, I've changed resorts quite a bit just for variety.....but on a 3 night trip that's just silly!

In this case we've chosen to spend the whole trip at All Star Movies (we've been saying for a while that we should try it sometime because the kids' would like it...) and use the points we could have used now sometime in January for another trip. Sure, its not DVC...but we can manage for 3 nights!