OK, I didn't want to respond, but decided I had to.
.
This will be fun!
Let's look at the actual numbers for your vacation. Fictitious family of 4. Mom, Dad, 2 kids ages 8 and 12. They want to stay at AKL with a Savannah view. From July 11 - July 18, the total cost of the room is $2,761.27.
I just want to make sure I understand the price you are using: $2761 / 7 nights. Excluding tax, that's about $351/night. With tax, that's $394/night. I hope I got that right.
Since they are going only to Disney, they use Magical Express from the airport, and Disney transportation everywhere. They want the ability to leave whenever they wish from a park and take a bus/boat/monorail to wherever they need to be. They have no other costs for the room under this setup.
No, your fictitious family does
not have "the ability to leave whenever they wish". They are at the mercy of Disney's mass transit.
We know what Disney transportation can be like. Certainly we've all waited 30 minutes or longer for Disney's transportation, even longer at the start of the day and end of the night. That's not exactly whenever
I wish.
And it's just a joy being crammed onto a bus, standing the entire ride after standing in line waiting for that bus.
Next, they decide to see if they can save some money and stay off-site at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. I don't know where you got a rate of $167/night, but I couldn't find that.
Since you referenced the AAA diamond rating, I used the AAA rate which was $167/night. Expedia offers the hotel for $179/night.
Anyway, in order to make a more apples to apples comparison, they want to stay with a pool view at the resort (as opposed to the savannah view at AKL). That nightly rate is $240. Since I will be staying off-site, and still want the option to come and go as I please, I will need a rental car. Since I am going to a 4 diamond resort, I'm going for a nicer full size car, such as a Ford Fusion. I can rent this for about $355 for the week. So plugging in everything at the resort, my room will cost $2,079.75, and I will have to pay a parking fee of $17/day, so add another $119. Total cost with rental car - $2,553.75. So I have saved just $207, and now I have to drive everywhere!
You and I have very different views of Disney transportation. Sorry but Disney mass transit sticks!
Let's not use your numbers. Bundling what you suggest through Expedia comes up with a price of $1,814.37. Tacking on the parking brings this to $1,933, significantly different than the $2,553.75 you quote.
Of course, by staying onsite, I'm now at the mercy of Disney pricing! Any offsite vs. onsite comparison is incomplete without comparing dining and merchandise. You conveniently add ancillary
offsite costs without adding ancillary
onsite costs.
And don't get me started on how truly mediocre most onsite dining options have become. I miss the pre Disney Dining Plan days.
Then comes my scenario. I am a DVC member, and it would be 139 points for a Deluxe Studio for that same week. With my cost of dues, that comes out to $718 for the week. I can even get a 1 bedroom savannah view for 272 points or about $1,400. Over $1,000 less than stay off-site, and almost half of paying cash, AND I get a 1 bedroom suite instead of a hotel room.
I see you are conveniently leaving out those onsite costs again.
Exactly how much did you spend to
purchase your DVC points?
If you want to compare timeshares, you'll find DVC is by far the most expensive. You can get a 1-bedroom savannah room at AKV for $1400/week. I can get a 3-bedroom presidential suite at Wyndham Bonnet Creek (located next to Caribbean Beach Resort) for about the same price. And it's closer to Epcot and DHS than AKV!
I respect you a lot for what you bring to the numbers here, but you have totally missed the mark on this one.
Thank you but I'm not sure I'm the one missing the mark.
If you really feel that way, maybe it's time to sell your points, and move on.
Interesting you mention that since I'm renting out my points and using the proceeds to visit Universal later this month.
You know, the place where they are actually building a steady stream of new lands and attractions.
That is in no way inaccurate. When I get to the resort, I pay absolutely nothing out of my pocket to stay there. No room rate, no taxes, nothing. That is what I meant.
You "pay absolutely nothing" when you get to the resort because, between purchasing your DVC membership and your annual Maintenance Fees, you've already paid Disney
5-figures before you've spent a single night at the Disney timeshare!
Again, how much was your DVC membership?
If you are better off staying at Universal, then by all means, stay there. My wife and I have no desire to even visit Universal, and would certainly never pay for a room with cash at a resort we couldn't care less about. Just us, and not for everyone. We have a Sea World here where we live, so don't need to go there.
I was having fun until I read this.
Really, "no desire to even visit Universal"? No desire to visit theme parks that are building the most exciting attractions in Orlando? You mean you'd rather (for example) ride Peter Pan's Flight for the 101st time? You'd rather see decade old shows? You'd rather deal with the hassle of Disney's buses, spending hours each day in line, rather than stay at a resort with easy theme park access and
unlimited front-on-the-line access?
Really?
I cannot fathom "no desire" to visit Universal.
Unless it's a really bad case of Pixie Dust.
