Where do you go on the weekends to save points?

[anniet]

I'm sure this question has been asked in some form before, so I apologize up front.

I only purchased 150 points because for MOST vacations it will be just me and DBF. However, I am strategizing to bring my Parents, sis&her family, Aunt&Uncle, cousin&his family all down in 2005. This will require 5 studios at OKW. (I checked into other rooms, but this is the most economical on points and while we love each other, we need to close the door at night, or there may be a murder mystery to solve by the end of the trip!) This will require 400 points and a lot of praying that I will be able to book the rooms (we are planning for the second or third week in September so I'm hoping it won't be too much of a problem).

Anyhow, this will require DBF and I to check out on weekends to save points on our upcoming vacations planned for January 2004 and 2005. (January 2003 is our first trip home and I am NOT sacrificing those weekend points!)

If you check out on weekends to save points, do you stay on property at a moderate or do you save money too and go off property?

If you stay on property will Disney ship your luggage to the other resort and then back again on Sunday?

 

[Regina]

While we've always used points on weekends (can't help you with that), I can tell you that Disney will move your luggage when switching between their resorts.

 

[ripleysmom]

Actually I look at the weekend as the perfect time to go stay over at Universal and visit those parks. The hotels are beautiful and FOTL access makes it worthwhile to make the move.

 

[Lisa F]

This is a different kind of a suggestion, buuuuuuuuuuut...

400 points is a lot for someone with a 150 point contract. Have you considered asking each family to kick in $200 for the cost of their room for the week? With that $1,000 you could easily rent 100 points and not be quite so strapped yourself. Just a thought about spreading the costs out and $200 for an entire week in an OKW studio is still amazing!

We never check out in the middle of a trip to save points but we like to go in early january as well but we usually arrive in late december and spend NYE there. The points are prohibitively high for that time of year so we have done other things. Last year we arrived on christmas day to take advantage of AP rates at the contemporary for a week before we moved to DVC. This year we are spending the weekend at Universal Studios (onsite at the portofino bay is still less than a deluxe at disney) and then moving into the boardwalk on Sunday. I would either stay onsite at disney or if I was going to move offsite, use the opportunity to do some other attractions in the orlando area.

Lisa

 

[BigTigger]

We have stayed purely at OKW the last three years, but before that our 250 points wouldn't stretch to cover a two bedroom for ten nights over two weekends in the Choice season (October/November). To get around this, we would stay in a two bedroom unit at the Marriott Residence Inn at Lake Buena Vista on the first weekend we arrived using free stay vouchers I earned through work travel. One year we stayed at the Renaissance Resort at SeaWorld the first weekend and visited SeaWorld for the weekend. These outside DVC stays allowed us to build up some banked points, and we did a 50 point add-on when OKW became available again in 1999 to allow us to stay the full time at OKW without borrowing. With the overbuilding of hotels in the Orlando area, you can get great weekend deals. Especially in the area near the convention center, which draws most of their business during the week when conventions are running. Sea World and Universal are very close by as well as the Ripleys Believe it or Not and other lesser attractions. We are in the final stages of planning next October's trip, but we are thinking of doing the Renaissance/Sea World first weekend again or even one of the Universal resorts and then OKW. Both have packages that include two park admissions for around $150/night per room.

 

[castleri]

Since we always have a car it is easy for us to switch out on weekends to save those points. We did this at Christmas as the weekend points for our two bedroom almost equalled a years points for us. Part of the group decided this was the time to go to the west coast of Florida to see something different. The rest of us stayed at the Caribe Royale just down the road and had a "suite" that had two queen beds and a pull out sofa for $99 a night. This also included a full breakfast at the buffet. There are other similar deals with breakfast included and this October they were is the $50-$60 range. We used those days to do the non-Disney things on our agenda and it was not a big deal. We took one bag with enough for the two nights and left everything else in the car but guess we could have had bell services hold it. ( Not sure about that.) If you are going in September you will probably be able to get good deals at the other Disney on site hotels. At Christmas it was just too expensive and since we had other places to see we were happy off property. It really is a decision that only you can decide how it works best for you. We were fortunate that when we checked back in Sunday morning the room was ready early so we didn't have to wait to get into it. Hope you have a great family trip - Ours at Christmas was super and even with all the crowds I would do it again -in fact have already been checking the best way to use the points for Christmas 2003 so know how you feel. Have to watch those banking and borrowing rules when doing this type of planning as I found out while making plans to go to Disneyland and almost didn't have enough points and almost lost some besides. It all worked out in the end but I am much more careful these days to plan major stategy on paper before I call MS. Happy planning!

 

[littlestar]

We are staying in February our first night at All Star Movies on a discount Disney Club code. Then checking into the Boardwalk for five nights on points. I don't trust the weather in February (in Indy) and would rather have my first night not on points just in case the flight gets cancelled due to bad weather.

Another option would be a few days at the Beach before or after the Disney portion of your trip. We love the gulf side (John's Pass) Madeira Beach/St. Pete Beach/Clearwater area.

 

[adamak]

I also have only 155 points, and have treated family members before. The first time was 8 of us (DH's family), the 2nd time was 5 of us (my family).

We had 2 bedroom in BWV 1st time, BCV 2nd time. Weekend was spend in All Star. First trip's family members were not coming until weekdays deliberately. 2nd time we had 2 studios side by side and pay $10 extra for the 5th person.

I would have rented points, but we're going mid Feb (1st) and July (2nd), so it really wouldn't worth for the weekend's points. I'd stay AS or offsite for those 2 days. Everything else on site will be too expensive. And I don't wanna stay off site.

And my tip is to stay non-DVC first, otherwise, your standard would be way too high to match.

Have you thought about 2 bedroom or GV, instead of 5 studio? You can close the door in the 2 bedroom too. And it's kinda nice to have a common kitchen area to chat and chill out. We didnt' kill each other after those 2 trips.

 

[mickeyc]

During our trip in Aug. 2002 we met another couple from N.J. who had a 310 contract. They advised me they avoid week end point allocation by staying near the airport or get a cheap room near Disney. In this way they indicated to me that they are able to get 4 or 5 week a year at Disney with their point by avoiding week ends.

As I recall we started the conversation because I said to them we arrived late on Saturday and it seemed such a waste to spend all those points just to sleep for the nite. Our first nite at BCV we did not arrive until after 10:00pm.

Anyway I thought they had a good idea and I plan to do the same thing in the future if I take a late flight. Any opportunity to get an extra vacation sounds like a plan to me. Enjoy!!!

 

[HookdonWDW]

On this trip, we are switching over to US/IOA for the weekend, to take advantage of the FOTL pass. We'll be at BCV before the weekend, and OKW after.

 

[eva]

You don't state whether you will have cars to transport the group to a new destination on the weekend. That could be very important in making your decision. If you have tranportation I vote for going to a beach resort. We've done this from time to time when staying at WDW. You could head over to Clearwater or St. Pete Beach. We love staying at the Tradewinds on St. Pete Beach. Or maybe you could get a good deal on some studios or Inn rooms at Vero. If you want to stay in the Orlando are, then there are numerous places to stay. Be sure to check out Expedia for some great deals. In my opinion, if you don't have a couple of cars to tranport everyone then I would stay at a moderate over the weekend, since WDW will move your things. Of course, my ultimate decision would to be to buy more points and not move at all. I hate moving and we have been doing it less and less. On one of our trips my MIL wanted to go and we needed an extra studio for 7 nights. But we didn't have the points to cover it without heavy borrowing. We asked her if she would pay $75 a night for the studio. She agreed and we used the money for a downpayment on more points. Of course if you have already told them that the room is free that won't work.

 

[nisiemouse]

For our Thanksgiving trip we are doing one weekend night at OKW and moving to the YC for the Fri night after Thanksgiving (we are going to CP that night or I probably would have stayed at POFQ). Next summer we are doing exactly what Hooked on WDW is doing. BCV then PBH at US/IOA then OKW.

 

[CaptainMidnight]

Sometimes for weekends, we check out the deals on DIS and hunt for specials at the Swan and Dolphin. We've gotten rooms there for $129 per night, which still allow us first class accomodations on Crecent lake. They are very nice deluxe hotels with lots of amenities. We're also going to try some of the hotels in Downtown disney, like the Marriot Courtyard. DIS has some great deals on these rooms too.

 

[DisneyPhD]

We added one extra night to our next (and 1st DVC) trip to WDW by staying Friday and Saturday night at a studio at BCV and then moving Sunday to a 1 bedroom at BCV. The one extra night is only costing us 4 extra points.

Can't say how well this will work as we haven't tried it yet, but I got the idea from reading posts from this board.


I really wish there was some kind of point discount on the weekends for DCV memeber's who are staying for a week or longer. I understand that if they didn't raise the amount needed there would be lots of weekenders and hard to get in, but doubling the amount of points needed is just crazy. It isn't that way for all the other disney resort when you pay cash.

 

[erikthewise]

(1) Take the opportunity to try out other WDW resorts
(2) Visit relatives!
This year we are doing both. But we are also arriving on a Saturday and spending it at DVC. Just couldn't see having to move on the day after checking in, when we already have two other moves to make in 8 days. But it hurts to spend those points!

 

[Disney Doll]

We currently have 200 points, so we usually do a different weekend thing to conserve. Usually we stay at a moderate. When we go in January 2003, we will be staying at The Swan, using the nurse's rate, which is $129/night.

We are right now in the process of buying a 2nd contract with 230 points so we won't have to do the weekend thing any more.

 

[SnowWitch]

This Dec we are staying at the BCV's for the weekend on points in a studio. Just me and my boys. They wanted to play in Stormalong Bay for the weekend. Sometimes we book a cash weekend to relax and get settled. We have stayed at the AKL, Poly and Cont Tower doing this. It really depends on the rates and our mood when we decide where we will stay. Then we check-in at the BWV's in a 2 bedroom and enjoy the space.

 

[twinglefam]

the Fri. after Thanksgiving is 61 pts for Vero; that's a two or three nighter for DH and I in the spring!!! We opted for a cash night at Universal, with the Entertainment discount it's ~$130 a night.
Hopefully, sometime in the future we'll be able to add to our 200.
Good luck!