What do you do when you don't have enough points for a trip?

[WolfpackFan]

I know this has happened to all of us at one time or another - what do you do when you are planning a DVC trip and you don't have enough points (including borrowing) for the trip. Usually we're okay as we typically stay in a Studio and have enough. But I'm planning a trip for next year and we may be taking DD31 with us. From past experience a Studio is just too small, so I'm planning on a 1BR for the bulk of the nights but I'm short by three nights. Right now I'm leaning towards staying at a Moderate (Coronado Springs) and paying cash for the nights but I'm wondering about other options.

What do you do, when short on points? Do you pay cash and stay in a regular resort room - if so do you stay in a budget, moderate or deluxe or off-site? Do you rent points? Any other options? One thing, we will be going down during the week after Thanksgiving.

 

[PoohsFan1]

For our January trip, we want to extend it 3 more nights, however like you we are out of points so we are going to try something new and stay at a value resort for those last 3 nights. Even though we are going from a DVC resort to a Value resort (Pop Century), we don't mind at all because we are still in our Happy place.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We were short points for a trip once and I did a points transfer into my account

 

[DVCconvert]

In the past, I've done it all!

1) AP rate at the same DVC resort and got the two ressies linked at the resort so we didn't have to move

2) Rented points

3) In the future if I'm ever short by 24 pts or less, I'll likely buy the 'one time use' points from DVC

4) stayed in an off property house (not hotel)

 

[Deb & Bill]

If we can't get a week out of our points, we don't go. Bank the points and use them next year.

 

[dzorn]

I know this has happened to all of us at one time or another - what do you do when you are planning a DVC trip and you don't have enough points (including borrowing) for the trip. Usually we're okay as we typically stay in a Studio and have enough. But I'm planning a trip for next year and we may be taking DD31 with us. From past experience a Studio is just too small, so I'm planning on a 1BR for the bulk of the nights but I'm short by three nights. Right now I'm leaning towards staying at a Moderate (Coronado Springs) and paying cash for the nights but I'm wondering about other options.

What do you do, when short on points? Do you pay cash and stay in a regular resort room - if so do you stay in a budget, moderate or deluxe or off-site? Do you rent points? Any other options? One thing, we will be going down during the week after Thanksgiving.

Take a year off and bank the ponts for an even longer trip the next year. I don't like to borrow if at all possible.

Denise in MI

 

[RumpleMom]

We are always in borrowed mode. When we are short of points we have bought a 25 or 50 point add-on.

It is kind of a snowball thing

 

[disprincessatheart]

We've done 4 trips in the last 12 months. We do not have points for that many week long trips. We decided last minute on the trip over christmas, and all of our points for the year were either used or banked, and it was christmas, so we just stayed at pop and for the amount of time we were in the room it was just fine. We decided on another last minute trip (a week or two out) for the week before 4th of July. We had points but there wasn't any availability on such short notice heading into a holiday week, so we stayed at pop again. I didn't like it as much the second time, but we'd probably do it again in a pinch. We've already invested so much in DVC, we hate to spend much more for extra trips. We would add on more points if we were having to pay oop for more trips every year, but this year was just an anomoly with me being out of work.

 

[DebbieB]

It's been awhile but I did a member cash room for weekend nights at OKW 1 bedroom. At the time it was 48 points a night vs around $325 cash.

I also did an AP rate at Boardwalk Inn for 1 night before checking into Boardwalk Villas. We had to fly in a day early to get frequent flyer tickets, it was a Friday night.

 

[vicki_c]

We pay cash for a different room. We only have 150 points and they don't go far - in fact just used all my remaining 2011 points (August use year) AND my 2012 points to book Easter next year. So come next summer, we will have no points coming!

If we still decide to go, we will just do some non-DVC option. For example, we are going for a weekend in November and paying cash to stay @ the Swan.

 

[njanimalkingdom]

Recently I had points transfered to me from the The Time Share Store. Very easy it was $12.00 per point. Also tell them what resort you need the points at so you can get your 11 month window.

 

[dianeschlicht]

We are usually in the middle of a 3 year vacation plan. I plan out for 3 years worth of points and schedule trips based on what's available in our 3 contracts.

About every 4th year I will have an issue with our AKV contract where I'll either be short or have just a couple extra points. I get very creative by booking a night or two at OKW with our other contracts and then switching to AKV at the 7 month window. Since my AKV contract is small, we really only plan for once every 3 years.

The reason I related all of this, is because this year I actually had to use 3 years of AKV points plus some expiring OKW points. I then added 15 one time use points to complete my reservation for December.

We aren't inclined to stay anywhere NOT with points, since that defeats the purpose of our purchase. Instead we adjust the number of nights we stay to fit the points we have. When we found we seemed to always be in points deficit, we bought more points.

 

[WolfpackFan]

I think I've about decided to spend 5 nights in the 1BR using points and then just pay for 2 nights cash at Port Orleans. Actually, I kind of like doing it this way - it's been ages since we stayed at Port Orleans. We might start doing this on a regular basis - stay fewer nights in a 1BR and then pay cash for a moderate for the other couple of nights.

 

[alldiz]

Ok....I think I am a total DVC snob now.

Can't tell you how many times I changed my last months reservation. From a studio to a 2br when dad was coming.

Ran out of points....booked POFQ.....wanted to try Coronodo but didnt' want a long walk in the summer heat.

Then we decided we "needed" a studio....with the microwave and couch to sit on we switched to BWV on Member Cash rates.

Just want to to say also that my trip last month.....Very last minute due to hurrican Irene I left a day early Member services was closed Fri pm and I could get at rate of 349 for a studio through Disney at OKW where I was staying. OI.... So I waited tilll morning and I could have gotten a 1br for like 20 bucks more But....my DD
s friend was staying at BCV so I asked and low and behold they had a studio for 259.... Holy crow....

Ahem....so my answer is Cash Member rate....if you have an AP check that as well.
Happy planning

 

[Syd&Cammie]

ummm....wouldn't you BUY more POINTS

 

[sweetdana]

I always run short points.

I have used Free dining ... I love FQ

AP discount also

I have transfered in points from rent trade board.

I have rented from other members.

I have bought 15$ a point from MS.

I think they are all great options.

 

[dawgs4disney]

What exactly are "one time use " points and how do they work? Is it one time per year or once ever?

 

[ACDSNY]

What exactly are "one time use " points and how do they work? Is it one time per year or once ever?

You can purchase one time use points through Member Services for $15 per point for reservations within the 7 month booking window. They are not bankable or transferable and must be used before the end of your UY.

I've added points.

I've purchased one time use points.

I've purchased transferred points from another member.

I'm still always borrowing.

 

[ACDSNY]

From the DVC Member website:

One-Time-Use Vacation Points

See the details on how you can obtain a minimal number of additional vacation points to use towards your stay of choice.

As a Disney Vacation Club Member, occasionally you may find yourself in need of just few extra vacation points in order to book that perfect dream vacation. Previously, this required borrowing vacation points from a future use year, but very recently a new alternative was introduced. They're called "one-time-use" vacation points and are available for a fee of $15 ($13.33 plus $1.67 tax) per vacation point. Availability of one-time-use vacation points may be limited or suspended from time to time, and the fee is subject to change.

Details:

• One-time-use vacation points are vacation points available for Disney Vacation Club Members to use as an alternative to borrowing vacation points from the following use year's allotment.
• You can obtain a maximum of 24 one-time-use vacation points once per use year per membership.
• A maximum of 24 one-time-use vacation points are processed in a single transaction, not multiple transactions.
• The fee for one-time-use vacation points is $15 (including tax) per vacation point, and is subject to change.
• One-time-use vacation points expire according to the use year of the reservation booked and are non-refundable, non-transferable and cannot be banked or borrowed.
• One-time-use vacation points are not available for waitlist reservations.
• One-time-use vacation points cannot be applied retroactively to existing reservations.
• One-time-use vacation points are only available for Members whose contract is closed and in good standing.
• One-time-use vacation points are available only for Disney Vacation Club Resorts, Disney Collection*, Adventurer Collection* and World Passport Collection reservations.
  
  * Available when you purchase directly from Disney.
• One-time-use vacation points used for Disney Vacation Club resort reservations can only be used up to 7 months prior to arrival.
• One-time-use vacation points for Disney Collection, Adventurer Collection and World Passport reservations can be used according to the booking guidelines for each individual collection.

 

[larry_poppins]

Hey don't forget the Downtown Disney hotels! I add nights at the Hilton to keep my Hilton HHonors point balance up! I can also redeem my points there for free nights. It is easy to walk to the Marketplace to catch Disney busses as well as the Hilton downtown busses