? re: staying at non-DVC Disney resorts...

[Dsnygirl]

Just talked to a friend tonight who talked to a DVC CM last time she was at Disney, and they gave her point rates for some of the non-DVC resorts, such as CBR or even a value, if they chose to do that. (They're a Pop family by choice)

How does that work?? Can one choose to stay at say, AKL in Jambo House in a "regular room" for less points than it would be to stay in a 1bedroom or a studio?? Because while my girls are young, I'd probably prefer doing that... we LOVE AKL, but after touring the DVC units, we were a bit turned off to staying there as DVC members b/c we really didn't prefer the DVC rooms to the regular rooms.

Are there point lists anywhere for staying at non-DVC Disney resorts??

[DizneyRox]

Staying at a non-DVC resort is not a good value, but it can be done. The point charts are put out yearly and come in the member materials. Non-DVC resort point amounts change, they are not goverend by the same rules that govern DVC resorts to the best of my knowledge.

So, the number of points necessary to stay at POR this year will likely be less than the umber of points necessary to stay there next year.

Probably a bad example, but you would more than likely want to use your points to stay at AKL Jambo house (there are DVC rooms at Jambo house) than use your points for a "regular" room.

What you are talking about would be called the Disney Collection. They use reservation points, not vacation points (they are a 1 to 1 relationship however). AKL is NOT listed as a place so I'm not sure. But to compare, let's use BC and YC.

For the 2009 year, July 4th week (Fri to Fri), BCV was 134 points for a week in a studio. YC would hae been 380 for the same nights standard view room.

It gets crazier if you look at the Poly or Grand... Poly would have been 400 for a garden view and 446 for a garden view at the Grand. Again, 134 points for BC in a studio...

For 2010, they changed seasons for July 4th for Disney Collection and weekday points went up, weekends went down (like they did for DVC too), but the stay is probably about close to a wash over the week. Actually, because of the season change for July 4th, it was probably cheaper to stay this year in the Disney Collection than last year (but still significantly more than to stay at a DVC resort).

[Dsnygirl]

Interesting... Jenn thought for sure she'd be able to stay at a value or CBR/POR or the like for significantly less than choosing to stay at a "regular" DVC resort. I'll have to tell her to clarify those numbers before she makes the jump... being a "Pop" family, she'd really prefer using less points each stay and staying at a moderate (which is an upgrade to her) and being able to go twice (which is what the CM apparently told her she'd be able to do) than just go once at a "nicer" resort, aka a DVC resort.

Although we wouldn't mind staying at CBR for less points, as we like it there, if it wasn't a significant difference, you'd find me choosing OKW instead! ;)

[DizneyRox]

I don't think you can stay at a value using points. It may be possible, it's a question they need to ask if they expect to do it, and they will need to get poit charts as well. There is no mention of alues in the 2009 or 2010 vacation planners

If my math is right, the moderates would have been 207 points for the same July 4th 2009 stay above.

BTW - There appears to be a non-refundable $95 reservation fee attached to the Disney Collection as well. That doesn't exist for DVC resorts.

[DonLefNY]

In addition to not being able to use points at Value resorts, you can not use points to stay at a resort that is attached to a DVC resort. So point stays can not be done at AKL, Contemp, WL, BC & BWI.

[LynneM]

Points can not be used to stay at resorts that are 'attached' to DVC resorts. So, you couldn't use points to stay at AKL, BC, CR, WL or BWI.

Of the non-DVC resorts, you can use points at GF, Poly, YC, and the moderates, including FW cabins and i believe, campsites. Note that there is an additional $95 fee for all of these (except the campsites, I think), as you're exchanging out of the DVC system.

Exchanging out to the Disney Collection WDW resorts is definitely not cheaper, points-wise, than staying at a DVC resort. For example, the moderates cost almost double the points per night that an OKW studio would.

An additional thing to consider if you'd be thinking of using points at Disney Collection resorts a lot. The point total for a DVC resort is fixed under the contract. They can reallocate among seasons, room types, etc, but they can't increase the point total for the resort - if something goes up, something else has to come down.

There are NO such restrictions on the non-DVC options. The point costs for the Disney Collection resorts are renegotiated every year, and they can and do go up frequently. There's nothing to stop them from doubling or tripling the point costs, or eliminating the Disney Collection altogether.

[Dsnygirl]

Thanks for all the info -- you guys are great! I'm going to have to be sure to show it all to my friend, b/c she's been planning on being able to use her points for mod and value stays.

For us, it'd be nice to be able to visit CBR, but if it costs more, point-wise, and has a fee attached, I'll just stick with OKW! ;)

:thanks:

[DVCJohn]

Whenever this topic comes up someone always says that using DVC Points at non-DVC Disney Resort is not worth it. The value of the points is based on the experience that the individual wants.
In December I have 5 nights reserved at GF Main Building Club Level. Yes, it did require a lot of points for the reservation plus $95 booking fee. But this is where we want to stay during this upcoming trip. We want to experience GF during the Christmas Season. I know I could have stayed at a DVC Resort and visited GF but we want the atmosphere of waking up in the morning and smelling ginger bread. Looking out over the balcony and seeing all of the Christmas Decorations. Also seeing the looks on my elderly parents faces when we arrive at GF. That alone is worth every point I have for the next 20 years.