What would you do?

[Lisa D]

I'm looking for some good advice. Our upcoming trip is in October, and I have 5 nights reserved at BWV for a 1-BR since December. I've hit upon a great price on air fare (which is very hard to come by), but we're arriving Friday night instead of the Saturday afternoon I made my reservations according to. Do I spend the points to stay a Friday night or pay cash for a cheaper room since it's just for one night? We can get the All Star for about $100., but DH is complaining about the whole having to move aspect (since we're already moving onto the Disney cruise after 5 nights). My gut instinct is that it makes more sense to just pay cash and stay elsewhere for one night. BTW, we are a family of 4 (me, DH, DS age 11 and DS age 8). I've also banked my remaining points for the year which would mean borrowing points from the next year to go the points route.

Thanks for any help anyone can give me on this crazy situation.

Lisa

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

Since you say you will be arriving on Friday NIGHT, I am assuming that it will be too late to do much of anything accept grab a bite to eat and go to bed. I would pay cash for that night and pack an overnight bag with just the stuff you need for the one night. Get up early the next morning and head over to the BWV and check in.

Have fun.

HBC

 

[FreeTime]

Since you are getting in on Friday night your really wouldn't have time to enjoy the resort so maybe you should wait until Friday to check in. On the other hand, I like to stay in one place so would probably use my points for Friday night as well. That way on Saturday you will be ready to go to a park (and not use a ticket for a few hours when your kids beg you to see Spectro which is usually only on Saturdays in the fall) and you won't have to worry about checking in. If you stay somewhere else be sure to get up early and check in and get your keycard. The resort will allow you to call after 3 to get your room number.

 

[luvindisneyworld]

i would definetly pay cash and stay somewhere the first night.

 

[JimC]

We would probably pay cash and transfer. You do not have to move your luggage. Just tell Bell services that you are transferring to BWV, give them the luggage and go enjoy yourselves for the day. That afternoon your luggage will be at BWV. We have done this and it is a great service.

That said, we have also flown in late in the evening and stayed near the airport for less than your $100 at All Stars. We moved on property in the morning. Plenty of hotels to pick from, some with breakfast included.

 

[Richyams]

It would depend on what time I was arriving. If I was landing at or before 5:00, I would book the night at BWV. I hate moving also. After 6, all stars, after 8, that Hyatt in the airport....this would allow you to save a day on the rental car.

 

[InstImpres]

I agree with off site if it is a really late arrival. Also, if you spend too much you cancel out the airlien savings, though you gain a few hours. I have stayed for $29 by the airport in a 4 star hotel through priceline with the reverse circumstance.

Good luck
Sandy

 

[Frozenfingers]

Check out the rates at Disney parter hotels.. we got a rate for one night at $46.00 at Best Western Downtown Disney. I think they will still transfer your luggage if you don't have a rental car..

We stayed an extra night so we could fly thanksgiveiing to avoid the airport crowds. Would have preferred to stay put at BCV but alas.. no more points. I do suspect there will be another add on soon!

 

[MAC3]

Stay off-site & save the points. Pack a separate overnight bag with all you need so DH doesn't have to carry all the luggage in and leave it in the car (if in fact you are renting one).

We did it last year it was really no problem.

 

[Tom and Jen]

i hate moving, BUT, i try to be real...... stay at an All Star for the night. I don't know what time your arriving so pack a littel something in your carry on. that way you need not unpack everything. Check in, enjoy the pool have a nice relaxing dinner a good nites sleep, get up check into BW, request a nice location if you havent already and your off for the day. Bell service takes great care to transfer you luggage for you. I actually don't think you'll miss a beat.

Actually I mention to enjoy the pool and dinner out on the friday so you don't need to spend the $ on your park passes for that day and you can start when you check in on saturday......

Tom

 

[Mrs. Snowgod]

Do a cheap motel to sleep in the first night. Use the $$$ saved to get a taxi to take you all to your DVC resort. It will be a little adventurous, and it will save your points.

Have a great trip!!!

 

[DebbieB]

I had the same situation last December (Dec 7 to 13). My reservation was Saturday to Friday at BWV but I could not get air for Saturday for a decent price because they cut flights. I figured if we had to pay an extra $100 for a Saturday flight x 2 people, I may as well get a room and have an extra day by going Friday. I didn't want to borrow 41 points for the extra night (1 bedroom standard) if we could even get it and it didn't seem worth the cash rate. At first I made a reservation for CBR with a code rate, $84 I think. Then they closed for renovations. I couldn't figure out where I wanted to move to and the more I thought about it I realized what I would really like to do is spend a night at the Boardwalk Inn, never stayed there. We love the Boardwalk area, I figured we could easily go to see both Osborne Lights & Illuminations that night after we arrived around 3:00pm, it would be really convenient. I got an AP rate of $169 plus tax. Best laid plans didn't work out...it was about 50 degrees and raining hard when we got there. We went to dinner at ESPN and went back to the room. It did stop raining around the time of Illuminations so we went out and watched them from the bridge between Boardwalk & Beach Club. In the morning we had breakfast at Spoodles, checked in but the room was not ready of course and then had the bellman pickup the luggage for storage. It was the first time we had changed rooms, it felt strange to not be able to unpack and settle in. The same thing happened for our trip 3 weeks ago, we stayed at OKW, I ended up paying the member discounted rate for the night so that we could just settle into our room and get our groceries when we arrived. The ironic thing was it was 90+ when we arrived. Can't find a happy medium....

 

[PamOKW]

It's a tough call but I'll take "the other side". You bought into DVC to use DVC. If the Friday night "bite" doesn't effect future plans, go ahead and stay there right from the start, especially if you will have some time in the evening. That way, you can settle in to your "home", maybe do the grocery shopping that evening and be ready to put in a full day on Saturday. I see the benefits to skipping Friday night but then you won't be able to shop until Saturday and will have to spend at least some time moving (maybe even waiting until 4:00 to get into the room.) This will eat up Saturday time that you regained by flying down on Friday.

Just a thought.

 

[Lizziemom]

I bought the points to use them also. I would not move after one night but go directly to my resort. We once checked in at midnight on a Friday night, and used points.

I am an early riser and got the grocery shopping done at 6AM the next morning. Brought it to the resort and it was done for the week.

When the family woke up in the morning, no packing, moving or waiting until 4PM to settle in, we were already settled in.

I feel we gained the whole day with all vacation and no work. We were not planning on going to the parks that day, but just explored and relaxed. How would we have done this without a room until 4 PM. ?

Vacation for me has to be relaxing, no extra work in any form, I work hard enough the other 350 days a year.

Lizzie

 

[paults]

We also will be going in Oct and got web specials for fri to fri but will not use pts on the weekend so we will try codes at the disney resorts for Fri- Sat nights then off to BWV for 5 nts

IMHO and our experience on our May 2003 trip , moving was no problem at all, don't waste pts for 1 nt

 

[Dean]

I would tend to agree with most of the sentiments above. If yo getting in late, pay cash off site, especially if you will have a car. Otherwise, I'd try to get the BW even if with borrowed or rented points or cash so you don't have to move. I don't think it's reasonable to go to one resort at WDW for one night then move to another the next day unless you just want to see the other resort. If you decide to stay somewhere just one night, pack a separate bag to make it easy.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

My recommendation would be to grab a room at one of the great rates at the Swan or Dolphin resort for friday night. Still a wonderful wow factor upon arrival, you still feel like your in your BWV neighborhood being right across the lake, and its nice to see what is within walking distance of your resort. It would be a great cost savings, but still in the level of luxury you'll be exoeriencing at BWV and therefor not a wasted or less spectatular night. Swan and Dolphin are our favorite DVC alternative for weekend dates on arrival. I highly recommend it.

 

[KLR-wlv]

You could also wait for the codes to come out and see what a 1BR at BWV would be with cash...might be worth it.

 

[vernon]

I'd rent somewhere in the LBV area through priceline or hotwire. I can see the argument for staying at the Hyatt at the airport if you have a very long/tiring flight or got in VERY late in the evening but IMHO if you're arriving late afternoon/early evening you may as well use the time you have available to get all the paperwork for the car out the way and also save yourself the 40 minute drive from the airport. Getting ready for the next day to start bright and early.
I look at it that staying off site in that way you can get a decent hotel for about $50 at the moment. Freeing up somewhere in the range of 40 points, that's almost enough for 5 nights in a studio for a later midweek vacation or more than enough for 2 nights in a one bedroom midweek . In effect it's the same as paying $10 per night for a studio, or $25 per night for a one bedroom. Economically it's a no brainer, whether the slight inconvenience is worth the saving is a question that you alone can answer.

 

[Pa@okw95]

I always arrive the day before check in at DVC and we usually stay in the Hilton. It has two beautiful pools and some nice restaurants. It is directly across the street from DD, just cross the street and you are there. You can shop, rent boats, my wife would say shop again, we buy our park tickets there, shop again and since it is October when you are going you can do your Christmas shopping right there. One year we did all our Christmas shopping the day before we checked into DVC.