How Many of You Do This??

[SueM in MN]

If Disney were to charge the same amount of points regardless of the day of week, they'd probably increase the Sun-Thurs point rates to offset the decrease in points for the weekends.

They would have to. If they decrease points for one day, they have to add points to another day to make up for it.

There are a certain number of points total assigned to each DVC resort per year. They can't change the total, so whatever they do to individual days, they have to balance out on other days so the overall total for the year stays the same.

When we first joined DVC, the points required for weekend days was pretty much the same as for week days. It seemed like we were always on waitlist for Fri and Sat nights (when people who were close enough to drive took long weekends) and often had to stay off-site because there was nothing available. The total amount of points to stay for a week was still the same -even though weekends were lower, the weekday points were more per day. The DVC resorts were full on the weekends, but almost never full on the weekdays.
The reason they increased the points for weekends was to even out demand. It made the days that were more in demand "cost" more.

So, no matter what they do with points, it works better for some people than others.

 

[DisneyPhD]

We've stayed in a studio on F, S to save points then move to 1-BR Su-Th. But the move always takes up a bit of time having to repack (although we never unpack everything just the stuff we need for those first two days) and then check-out and check-in and then move our stuff.

Keep in mind that if they changed the point structure, the number of points per week will stay the same. For example, a BCV 1BR in January is 22 pts (or 110 total)Su-Th and 45 pts (90 total) F-S thats 200 points for the week. If every day was the same, it would be around 28 or 29 points per day. Sunday-Th would cost 140-145 points then while the weekends would be 56-58 points. As others have said that would make the weekends much more popular and therefore more difficult for others to book a full week.

 

[Simba's Mom]

On my next DVC trip, I'm staying at OKW for a week on points, then rather than moving directly over to BCV for the second week, I'm moving to POR for the weekend on cash, then to BCV for the second week. It would have "cost" almost as much in points for the weekend at BCV as for the entire week. Two days can cost as much as 5 days if those 2 days are weekend days.

 

[Dean]

Keep in mind that if they changed the point structure, the number of points per week will stay the same. For example, a BCV 1BR in January is 22 pts (or 110 total)Su-Th and 45 pts (90 total) F-S thats 200 points for the week. If every day was the same, it would be around 28 or 29 points per day. Sunday-Th would cost 140-145 points then while the weekends would be 56-58 points. As others have said that would make the weekends much more popular and therefore more difficult for others to book a full week.

Not exactly true. Each "unit" must stay the same number of points for the entire year. Remember a unit is not a single room. So any given full week may not remain the same and looking at the one previous rebalancing, Adventure time went up significantly, about 15%. Other times saw very minimal decreases as the extra points were spread throughout the year. Still, any changes should be fairly minimal. The only ones who should truly be at risk with any rebalancing would be those that bought exactly the number of points needed for either a smaller unit or low season with those who did both being at most risk.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I would never interupt my vacation by moving for the weekend.
I agree with the "points per week" theory, not the "points per night" theory.

Actually the weekend points are still a bargain when compared to cash prices, just not when compared to weekday points.

MG

 

[TinkTatoo]

As we travel all the way from Ireland our vacation is usually a month long. Unfortunately we can't afford that many points so we stay off site in a private villa for jus over 2 weeks and then move to a 2 bed at OKW on a Sunday for 9 nights taking in one weekend then going down to Vero for Monday - Thursday. We check out Friday and fly home

 

[DIS4MYGIRLS]

This is what we do - We fly in on Friday early and stay for two nights at a Mod. property paying cash most times getting a discount using our AP then on Sunday we transfer our stuff to BWV or BCV for another 12 days believe it or not getting rid of the one weekend points helps alot it would be even better if we could get rid of the other weekend but we do not at that point want to move again. This past July we stayed 2 nights at CBR then 6 nights at studio at BCV (2 adults 2 juniors) then opened lock off to 2 bedroom for another 6 nights (adding 3 adults 1 Infant) I know it sounds crazy but it was very easy .... At CBR they transfered our belongings over to the BCV all we had to do was check into the villas which we did in the morning and called later in the day to get our room number. Very Easy Plus it is always fun to try another property

 

[Montana Disney Fan]

We stay 7 nights (including weekend) at DVC but spend the first 3 nights off site. We move in to our DVC room at 9 a.m. on Saturday morning and they've always had a room ready for us. It takes us less than one hour to make the move so to us, it's really not a big deal.

I've been thinking of only staying 6 nights at DVC and saving the points on Saturday night but there really is no reason to do this. We bought the points so we try to use them all up each year.

 

[DisneyTarheel]

I actually like having a bit of a cushion between the end of the vacation and return to work. Sun-Thur at WDW in the fall/winter and Sun-Thur at HH in the summer is a good balance for us.

 

[AOPI57]

We don't use points for the weekend. We usually stay at POFQ on the weekend as that is our favorite non DVC resort. We,ve also stayed at the Swan. Contemporary and POR. We can also stay aty Shades of Green as my DH is retired military. We always manage to find some kind of discount at the on -site resorts for the weekends so we never pay rack rates on the weekend. My DH doesn't enjoy moving. One of these days we'll stay put. I just find that the cash rate for DVC weekends gets expensive especially for a 2 bedroom which we usually get.

The only time we don't move is at HHI Thanksgiving week. The cash rate for a 2 bedroom is so reasonable that we do pay cash on the weekend. Vero Beach we only stay Sun. to Thursday.

 

[BCVOwner2002]

I currently own 150 points at SSR, and to be honest I think points for Friday and Saturday stays at DVC resorts are outrageous. I don't know why Disney jacks up the points for weekends. I could understand a few more points, but double or triple the Sun -Thurs points is out there.

So, I was wondering if some of you plan your stays around Sundays - Thursdays with points then move to a Disney resort and pay cash, or maybe pay cash at the DVC resort you are staying at on Fridays and Saturdays to conserve your points?

Is that common, or am I losing my mind!?

Many people do switch rooms so I guess it's a personal preference but we don't move. We don't move. When we purchased our points, we took weekends into consideration. In my opinion, it is too much of a pain to switch rooms - pack and unpack, deal with groceries, etc. Annmarie

 

[thelobstershanty]

We do it all. As another poster said, it all depends on the trip and the make up of the trip. Sometimes we stay at non DVC resorts for Fri/Sat nights, sometimes we use points, and we have paid cash for DVC villas for Fri/Sat nights. We approach our pt usuage the same as we we approach our villa usuage. It all depends on the trip. Sometimes we get a studio and sometimes we get a GV.
We really enjoy staying at the non DVC WDW resorts and find this a perfect way to start a trip. However when we have friends staying with us or if our group has small children, we almost always stay put in our DVC villa.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Sometime we use the points and sometimes we move, no definite answer from us. Then in June '06, we're looking forward to a quiet, just the 2 of us, VWL stay, Sunday - Thursday, and I just added the Saturday night at the BCV. In that nice weather, I know I would like to use SAB for 1 or the 2 days, especially on Sunday while we wait for the VWL studio to be ready.

Bobbi

 

[MdmMim]

I stay put on weekends. I look at the weekly point requirement and go from there. I normally get a standard view at the BWV, so that helps in point conservation.