How many DVC'ers stay at other resorts besides DVC??

[edk35]

Just curious as to how many will stay at Disney resorts other than DVC maybe to stretch points, maybe to get in an extra trip to the world when points run out. We are lucky in that we we can stat at Shades of Green and will probably stay there in Jan. if we go then again. I just don't see us going once a year anymore. LOL

 

[dianeschlicht]

Tried it once...HATED it....Never again. I bought DVC to stay DVC, so I bought enough points for what I wanted to do for a vacation. I'm glad too, because I basically locked in my 45 years of vacations at 1997 prices, and it's been a good deal for 10 years already.

 

[mlill]

I agree with Diane, it's VERY hard to get used to staying in one room, after you've been spoiled in a DVC villa.... BUT, we have stayed in other Disney resorts. Of course, I NEVER pay rack rate. We stayed at the Contemporary last October, the Grand Floridian in December, and we're going back to the Contemporary this October. We've also stayed at Animal Kingdom Lodge several times. It's funny now that two of the places we've stayed will be DVC. (crosses fingers for CRV!)

 

[DVC Grammy]

Another agreement w/Diane............
While we love to do split-stays on our longer WDW trips, it's always to another DVC resort! To be in a villa instead of a room is the reason we, too, bought DVC.

 

[edk35]

Tried it once...HATED it....Never again. I bought DVC to stay DVC, so I bought enough points for what I wanted to do for a vacation. I'm glad too, because I basically locked in my 45 years of vacations at 1997 prices, and it's been a good deal for 10 years already.

We may think that very thing once we go home for the first time in Aug. LOL We are going back in Nov. for another week at SSR and basically we had a lot of points up front so we are able to get in more trips. WE bought 300, got 300 in developer and our UY is Oct. so we had 600 right out the shoot. We will have to plan really good after this year to get the most out of our 300 points. We love going in Jan. that is our shorter trip so for us to stay at SOG for 5 or 6 nights...I think we will survive. That resort is really nice and the rooms are the biggest on property as far as regular resorts go....and I look at the Jan. trip as being the bonus, maybe we can squeeze it in trip. Love the weather at that time too.

 

[Inkmahm]

I used to, until they announced AKV! We hated giving up AKL to buy DVC so we stayed there one night last Dec before our cruise and planned to do the same thing this December. As of yesterday, I switched the cash ressie to points for December so I no longer stay anywhere at Disney except for DVC. We have enough points to not have to worry about how many points weekend nights cost. I don't want to move rooms during my vacation!

 

[KristinU]

Yep, we do. To stretch points or to take advantage of a great AP rate (in the past...no so many "can't pass up" AP rates lately).

 

[liznboys]

There are a couple of resorts that we love that aren't DVC and I can see us staying at those now and then as "extra" trips between our regular DVC stays. Of course they would be even better if they WERE DVC... But for a short trip now and then I think we'd be fine with not having the 2 bedroom villa that we've come to adore!

 

[utahkennedys]

SInce buying DVC, we don't stay on-site other than DVC, but we will grab a great rental or timeshare trade into the Marriott Vacation Club properties, HGVC, etc. since we really enjoy those as well. But, even though we love them, when I drive by OKW I always miss it...We are staying at Marriott Cypress Harbour in February because we needed two 2BR villas since family is coming with us and I don't have enough points by far for that for 7 nights...so I know we'll have a great time and it's supposed to be a lovely resort, but it's not DVC. The other thing I'll say is I HATE moving hotel rooms! After traveling by plane with kids, the last thing I want to do is relocate and move all of our junk again, so no more of that! One trip we stayed at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for a few days b/c DH had a conference there, then we stayed at Marriott Grande Vista, then moved to the Poly again! Ugh!

 

[beattyfamily]

Yep, we do!

Our first three trip with DVC points were at GF and the Cont. Finally, on our 4th DVC points trip, we stayed at the BWV.

After that first stay at BWV, we have again stayed at the Cont on points (twice) with some DVC resorts mixed in (BWV and BC). Thus, I have my fingers and toes crossed for a Cont DVC!!

 

[edk35]

SInce buying DVC, we don't stay on-site other than DVC, but we will grab a great rental or timeshare trade into the Marriott Vacation Club properties, HGVC, etc. since we really enjoy those as well. But, even though we love them, when I drive by OKW I always miss it...We are staying at Marriott Cypress Harbour in February because we needed two 2BR villas since family is coming with us and I don't have enough points by far for that for 7 nights...so I know we'll have a great time and it's supposed to be a lovely resort, but it's not DVC. The other thing I'll say is I HATE moving hotel rooms! After traveling by plane with kids, the last thing I want to do is relocate and move all of our junk again, so no more of that! One trip we stayed at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for a few days b/c DH had a conference there, then we stayed at Marriott Grande Vista, then moved to the Poly again! Ugh!

We have only done a split stay once...on our last Nov. trip we did SOG for 4 or 5 nights then switched to Coronada Springs and we didn't like that resort at all compared to the rooms at SOG and we had to have two rooms there too....but it was a pain to switch. Now we are doing a split in Aug. but we wanted to try BWV for 3 nights to see if we like it enough to want to splurge on points to stay longer on a future DVC trip. So we shall see how that split goes in Aug.

 

[owensjro]

We've done this a few times in the last couple of years. We've been using Pop Century as our "cheap" resort if we just had to get our Disney fix and couldn't use points.

I actually like Pop a lot. Nice pools, nice theming, great food, and easy busing. It's nice and close to everything but MK.

And it's not too expensive.

Sure we miss the extras of DVC when we do this. But if you gotta go, you gotta go!

Jim

 

[Kewz1]

We've stayed at other resorts as an add on (beginning of trip is best) to make the trip longer.

We've also had a last-minute trip (or two, or three...) where we stayed at a moderate.

We're just happy being there!

Kristen

 

[gppnj]

When I went to WDW as a kid, my parents didn't like the Polynesian for some reason, so we stayed at the Contemporary. I was thinking perhaps on an upcoming trip, I'd stay a night or two at the Poly before I move to a DVC resort just so I will have experienced it. Unless I'm short on points, I'd probably pay for that with points rather than shelling out the cash.

Poly is the only non-DVC WDW resort I haven't stayed at but would like to stay at.

 

[calypso*a*go-go]

I hang my head in shame -- my kids don't want to stay anywhere but POP. I believe we might need a frozen Coke intervention as that seems to be the draw! They have one of the machines in the CR food court...so maybe if the CRV's ever come to fruition I might get to stay in a DVC villa more often.

 

[edk35]

I hang my head in shame -- my kids don't want to stay anywhere but POP. I believe we might need a frozen Coke intervention as that seems to be the draw! They have one of the machines in the CR food court...so maybe if the CRV's ever come to fruition I might get to stay in a DVC villa more often.

Personally I think my kids would love staying at the Pop or other values just to see the neat decor and all. I have heard the food courts are great for families too. I could see us staying at one or two just to try them. Of course we would have to have two rooms and it would be at the most 3 nights ...before a DVC stay maybe.

 

[Sammie]

We do; not so much to stretch points but because we would miss the Grand Floridian, Yacht Club and Polynesian.

 

[Terpy]

I also own two weeks at Marriott's Cypress Harbour. All those units are dedicated two bedrooms. It's close to Seaworld and equidistant to Disney and Universal.

I like to venture out in Orlando and go to places like Gatorland. My Marriott's give me a less expensive alternative to DVC.

Terpy

 

[kimberh]

I go so often, if it is the two of us, I look for the AP discount, at a Deluxe resort. If we are taking the family, DVC all the way!! Need the room.

 

[byoung]

WE use the AP discounts a lot on the weekends.