Wow, Weekend night in a 1br kill your point total!!

[LisaS]

We don't like moving during our stay. We bought enough points to stay put for 6 nights (one weekend night). We usually stay in a 1BR although our AKV Concierge stay will be in a studio because I didn't want to spend the points for a 1BR. We would rather go less often and have nicer accommodations. We enjoy spending time at the resort so having more space, a jacuzzi and a king size bed makes for a more relaxing vacation.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I really do not like to move either. DH likes it even less.

The last couple of years, we have worked out our 1 bedroom stays by staying 12 nights and averaging the points over the entire stay.

DVC really is our second home, so we like to move in and settle in for a nice long stay. It is easier to move when working out points on paper than it is once we are in the heart of our vacation.

Now that said, the SSR 1 bed points for Dec 28 and 29 are killing us! 68 points a night! We did it last year, but we had our family reunion this year in a GV and 9 studios, so I am willing to move so that we can still pull off our 2 week Christmas stay this year.

There are no discounts for those dates and the cash rate is over $500 per night so I am still struggling with having to move twice during our Christmas trip. My consolation is that we have AKV 1bed Concierge Christmas week then a BCV studio on points for the weekend so we will get to visit some of our favorites in that area and then off to SSR 1 bed for NYE festivities the last week.

I will just pack light, we will do the DDP the first week so no food to move, and plan to be down on the moving days.

I know we wont feel as settled as we have in the past but we had a great time with our family so it will be worth it.

 

[Pennyguy23]

We are the kind of people that don't really like to move, Unless, like I said if its the longer 10-12 night trips. We don't have enough points right now anyways to stay in a 1br. 300 points only gets you so far. We usually rent our big stay so we have enough for 3 or 4 different stays. I really HAVE to go ATLEAST 4 times a year or I go a little nuts. We also always go to DL once a year also but we don't stay at Disney for those. We don't really see the point. We don't find DL really comparable to WDW. We just visit friends in Cali. So I guess I better find ANOTHER job. J/K Like I said we are young so by the time I'm 30 I should have MORE then enough to go when ever we want and bring the family along.

 

[ACDSNY]

We just bite the bullet since we're from the west cost and typically stay 7 or 8 nights in a 2 bedroom. We don't like wasting our time moving.

 

[tomandrobin]

We would like to be more frugal with the points, but we just bite the bullet and use them when we need them. We have 625 points now, so we can be a little more carefree with the points. Plus, the DW does not like to move once we settle in to a room. Happy wife, Happy life.....so she tells me! lol

 

[LIFERBABE]

Happy wife, Happy life.....so she tells me! lol

Im printing this out for Dh

He's more grumpy when we have to move.

I will say this, if you want your choice of units and views, check in on a Friday or Sat when most people are checking out trying to avoid weekend points.

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Only time we do a studio is OVIR at VB. We're just hooked on having a full kitchen and laundry. So... most of our stays are Sun-Thur and sometimes we pay cash for a Fri/Sat adder.

 

[robinb]

Happy wife, Happy life.....so she tells me! lol

You are a very wise man, Tom.

ETA: And NO I'm not Tom's "Robin"!

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

If we have to stay 2 weekend nights I usually go for the standard view rooms at the BWV. They are alot less points than the Preferred View.

This time we are staying in a studio--1st time in 4 trips and I will miss my Washer/dryer the most, but we are getting a Bw view!!! Can't wait!!

 

[ACDSNY]

Im printing this out for Dh

He's more grumpy when we have to move.

I will say this, if you want your choice of units and views, check in on a Friday or Sat when most people are checking out trying to avoid weekend points.

I agree, we usually check in on Sat and we've gotten great views! It's usually cheaper for us to fly on Sat - Sat.

 

[CarolAnnC]

We decided to build a BWV stay around next year's DVC Member Cruise so I booked BWV but a studio for the Saturday night before sailing. Then upon returning I booked a one bedroom for 3 nights. We much prefer the one bedroom, but since we will be in the room such a short time the night before the cruise, we decided a studio would be sufficient. Plus after the cruise we will have lots of laundry to do, LOL!

 

[jekjones1558]

I cringe when I look at the points we use for weekend nights, but we HATE moving. One time we were only able to go for 5 nights and then we avoided the weekend and another time we did 12 nights with only one weekend. But we feel as though the cost of non-stop air tickets warrants staying at least 7 nights. Some day, when worries about our dog and my mom are no more, I hope to always stay at least 12 days with only one weekend. We are also lucky to be able to travel when it is NOT high-points season.

 

[Kathi OD]

Thank goodness we LOVE OKW and it's not even our home resort! Neither DH or I like the idea of having a fancy hotel room, which is how we feel with all the other resorts that have indoor hallways. We weren't even crazy about the outside hallways at SSR (reminded us of the old-time motels at the shore). The entrances from the street at OKW really give us the feel of really being in our own home, especially since we always request first floor.

For your first set of dates, there is almost a 100 point difference. Who'd want to use all those points for smaller accommodations! OOPS! Forget I said that, I don't want my fave resort to become overcrowded!

 

[Pennyguy23]

Thank goodness we LOVE OKW and it's not even our home resort! Neither DH or I like the idea of having a fancy hotel room, which is how we feel with all the other resorts that have indoor hallways. We weren't even crazy about the outside hallways at SSR (reminded us of the old-time motels at the shore). The entrances from the street at OKW really give us the feel of really being in our own home, especially since we always request first floor.

For your first set of dates, there is almost a 100 point difference. Who'd want to use all those points for smaller accommodations! OOPS! Forget I said that, I don't want my fave resort to become overcrowded!

I know ALOT of people like it there but it just really wasn't for us. The ONLY thing we liked about it was the two beds. Thats IT. When we go on vacation we are staying somewhere we are excited to go to. Weather is 50 150 points less, you still have to enjoy where you are going.

 

[miamimama]

We've been doing the same thing for some trips. We'll drive down on Saturday and spend our first night at POFQ or POR (AP discount). Then in the morning, we check-out and head over bright and early to the DVC resort.

However, it appears the AP discount is less in 2008 than 2007, plus the good discounts are only valid Sunday-Thursday -- exactly when I don't need them. I'll probably continue to book a cash ressie at a moderate, but will take the cheapest of the AP and AAA discount (looking at 2008, the AAA rate appears to beat the AP rate on weekends for Peak season).

DVC Mike- hey fellow NorthCarolinian! So you really know your point strategy. Do you always drive down? We tend to fly SW from RDU since we have to follow the school schedule and don't have much time. I haven't compared AAA to AP recently for '08 either, but thats a good idea if you're looking to avoid weekend points.

 

[Kathi OD]

you still have to enjoy where you are going.

So very true!

 

[BroganMc]

Well my dad and I are experimenting with this. So far we've stayed in 1bedroom units at SSR twice. The first time sticking to that Sun-Thurs only rule. It was nice, but too short amount of time onsite. So the next stay we did 8 nights but paid for the weekend nights. (He was doing a work conference then so got comp'ed some room costs.)

The third time we did a dedicated 2bedroom and invited my sis' family. We paid for Friday night because I just couldn't see paying the points. (It would have been more expensive than a cash ressie.) But we gave my sis only 6 days in Disney. (Worked for her because she flew down on a Sunday and home on Saturday, giving her one weekend day before and after to unwind from work and trip.)

Then we fretted over not having any non-kid time and a too-short stay so we added on 3 nights in a studio.

My dad hates to move, but I'm ok with it. I pretty much live out of my suitcase anyway (I pack in a compartmentalized way). We managed to use up most of the kitchen supplies with my sis so only needed to store one cooler bag at bell services. I checked out and checked in as my sis checked her bags with bell services, and we spent the day at DTD and the resort. (Dad and I hopped to MK later that night.)

Now my dad is hyped about studios. He insists it is really all we need. I did make him do a load of laundry at the pool one day, just to prove it would work with our routine. It does.

So next year we'll be trying out studios. I figured our 320 points will get us a week in April and 2 weeks in October. Only thing I'll miss is the in-room laundry. That was super convenient for washing towels and things.

I don't think I could do without a 1bedroom ever, but then again I like the idea of 3 weeks at Disney a year. Just being able to use SSR's pool and hot tub is enough to motivate me in giving up the laundry.

There is one issue with going to studios though. They go much faster than 1bedrooms, especially the limited HA rooms. I'm forced to go with a tub unit in April with transfer bench instead of my nice roll-in shower. Made the ressies under 7 months. They had HA 1bedrooms but I'm too cheap to spend the points.

 

[DVC Mike]

DVC Mike- hey fellow NorthCarolinian! So you really know your point strategy. Do you always drive down? We tend to fly SW from RDU since we have to follow the school schedule and don't have much time. I haven't compared AAA to AP recently for '08 either, but thats a good idea if you're looking to avoid weekend points.

I wish we had Southwest here in Charlotte (a US Airways hub). We used to fly, but switched to driving this past trip. Not too bad, plus we can take whatever we want (no need for Owners Locker).

Since there's only two of us (no kids!), and we have our car, it's no big deal to switch resorts. While I have 600+ points, I am still stingy when it comes to using them on weekends, especially since we typically stay in a 1 BR.

My Oct 2008 vacation at BCV/BWV and my Dec 2008 vacation at VWL will involve 8 nights with weekends at both ends (no moving). That will be a first for us. Hope we don't get spoiled.

But our next 2 trips involve staying in the 1 BR only Sun-Thurs, and spending Fri/Sat nights in a moderate hotel or moving from a 1 BR into a studio.

 

[mamaprincess]

Our first trip without the kids, we are staying in a studio. We will be staying Sunday- Thursday. With the kids, we always tend to stay the full week and just cough up the weekend points.

 

[rbuzzotta]

Yes, those weekends points are a killer!! We had some banked points and were able to do our 2 BR, 2 week stay this year without having to leave for the middle weekend.

We usually stay over 2 weeks but leave for the beach for the middle weekend and then use soem weekend points on either end of the trip to extend it to 2 1/2 weeks!!

Next summer we plan to go to Hawaii!! Yes, finally after many years of us talking about it. DD #1 wants to check out Hawaii Pacific University so we will be either banking or renting points (to family) next summer!! I am already missing summer 2008 at OKW!!!