what would you do? pay for cruise? or pay for WDW?

[newholidayx2]

just reserved a cat 7 at $4800 (2 Ad, DS14) for Aug 06
have 5nights Pop ($99/night), then 3nights WL ($199/night) booked for this Aug 05 - Sat to following Sun

have 170pts from this yr - should I use it for 1 person for the cruise? or change those resort nights? combination of both? whats my best use of these pts?

if i change to pts this summer I can maybe get VWL at cash rate for the Sat before and Fri/Sat after - $225/night instd of that $199 Im paying at the lodge - maybe hook all 3 parts together
will still have 100pts to add to next yrs 170

and we wont have enough pts to get all 3 of us on the cruise anyways

 

[JimMIA]

Without getting into the fine details of how you want to vacation this summer and next, I'll offer one general strategy -- points work much better at DVC resorts than anywhere else, for two reasons.

1. You get much better value per point at DVC than you get anywhere else. With cruises, in particular, the boards are full of posts saying pay cash and rent enough points to cover the cash outlay and you come out WAY ahead.

2. If you use points outside of DVC, you can't use them at DVC if something happens and you have to cancel. They become "reservations" points -- which cannot be banked and can only be used for Concierge Collection, Cruises, Adventure Collection, etc. Whether you use your points for those vacations is your choice, but I don't think anyone would want to be forced into using points that way.

On the cruise, I'd not only pay cash, but I'd sure look around for good deals. Not just with Disney, but with any cruise, if you book directly with the cruise line you are paying "sticker price."

You can book Disney cruises through any travel agent, and because they get their inventory from consolidators, you can often get huge savings. And I'm not talking about working through some fly-by-night outfit - use your local travel agent or a big online company like Expedia.

 

[Dean]

Your cheapest and likely best option is to do the weekdays on points and get cash for the weekends and DCL.

 

[CarolMN]

I'd definitely pay cash for the cruise.

If you pay for any portion of a cruise with points, you cannot book until 11 months prior to departure. That means cash customers who book before you have a better choice of cabins.

If you need to change/modify your reservation, you have to pay the $75 fee again.

As JimMIA says, if you have to cancel, you cannot use the points for a stay at one of the DVC resorts and the points expire at the end of your use year. You can't borow or bank them.

I've heard that those who cruise on points do not always qualify for incentives such as on board credits.

If you pay part cash and part points, the cash price is the one negotiated by DVC w DCL - it may (probably will) be more than a TA will charge if you book early on.

I'm sure there are other advantages to paying cash for the cruise. One migbt be that you know the cash price right now, The 2006 point requirements for a cruise aren't available yet.

Because you have the opportunity to use your points for a WDW stay, you will certainly get "more bang for your point" if you use them for that rather than the cruise.

Dean summed it up best if your priority is economic value - points for weekdays at DVC resort, cash for WDW weekends and DCL.

Best wishes -

 

[Deemarch]

We are doing a 4 night Disney cruise with cash (I booked this past week). I didn't want to wait any longer to get the room we wanted (Cat. 6, 6088). We are going to stay at Vero Beach Resort, on points, for two nights after our cruise. DH (and he is wonderful) said, "Don't try to pay for the cruise with points. Then we won't have any left for the rest of the year!" He's my hero!