Used our points for the first time

[BigTxEars]

Booked our first trip using our new DVC contract tonight.

SSR for a week in late Jan 2015. Only had enough points for a studio but still pretty excited. We have a non DVC trip the first week of June this year to WDW at the Boardwalk and now we have a week in Jan of 2015 planned as well. Never had two trips booked at the same time before. And we also bought 4 PAPs tonight to use starting on our Jan 2015 trip, so we will go back in Jan 2016 too using them as well. Almost like having three trips planned

Man I love this stuff

 

[Over the Horizon]

Congrats. My wife and I bought into DVC a year and a half ago at OKW for 100 points and last year we added 50 points at AKV. It is really addicting. We have been booking 3 or 4 vacations a year and stayed at Animal Kingdom with savannah view 3 times, Beach Club, BLT, SSR and Vero Beach twice. We were given a few hundred points to bank up as incentive and free season pass tickets for a year as well. Once you travel, don't be afraid to flash your membership card. You get 10% discount at every gift shop and most kiosks. Lots of restaurants take 10-30% off your check and most tours give you up to 35% off. Plus, they just ran a promotion that takes nearly 50% off the price of the AP. Even places that technically don't give discounts sometimes give you a discount or free stuff. My wife and I have gotten free drinks or a free dessert without even asking just because we mentioned being DVC members. I hope you enjoy your membership, I was a little worried about the financial side of it, but it has definitely paid off since it is a lot less stressful to plan a fancy vacation now that half the expense is covered.

 

[BigTxEars]

Congrats. My wife and I bought into DVC a year and a half ago at OKW for 100 points and last year we added 50 points at AKV. It is really addicting. We have been booking 3 or 4 vacations a year and stayed at Animal Kingdom with savannah view 3 times, Beach Club, BLT, SSR and Vero Beach twice. We were given a few hundred points to bank up as incentive and free season pass tickets for a year as well. Once you travel, don't be afraid to flash your membership card. You get 10% discount at every gift shop and most kiosks. Lots of restaurants take 10-30% off your check and most tours give you up to 35% off. Plus, they just ran a promotion that takes nearly 50% off the price of the AP. Even places that technically don't give discounts sometimes give you a discount or free stuff. My wife and I have gotten free drinks or a free dessert without even asking just because we mentioned being DVC members. I hope you enjoy your membership, I was a little worried about the financial side of it, but it has definitely paid off since it is a lot less stressful to plan a fancy vacation now that half the expense is covered.

Good stuff!

We did buy the PAPs yesterday with the discount, that was a heck of a deal

We have 100 points at SSR, had a bid in for 50 more at OKW but Disney exercised their right of first refusal and bought it out from under us last week

We are still looking to add, when I find the right deal. Maybe thru Disney themselves. I am excited at trying to stay at different resorts but we decided to book SSR to try it out this trip.

Good info about the free food and drink, we will hope to get that as well. We have the Disney Visa as well which offers various discounts at the parks so that and the DVC we have a good chance of getting discounts at many places I would guess.

I am a huge fan of the DDP but with the food discounts we will have to see if it does not make more sense to just pay OOP for meals next trip.

I agree this DVC will make trip planning much less stressful!

 

[LuvtheGoof]

One thing you might look into is getting the TiW card for food. 20% discount at pretty much all table service, and a few quick service locations, and includes alcohol. It is good for 13 months from when you purchase it, so you can definitely get 2 trips out of it. It costs $100 for the card, but we have found that it pays for itself many times over.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Oh, and a tip if you haven't stayed at SSR before. Ask for the Grandstand section. It is the first bus stop coming and going to the parks, has it's own quiet pool (with a pool bar!), and is only a few minute walk to the main pool and Carriage House.

 

[BigTxEars]

One thing you might look into is getting the TiW card for food. 20% discount at pretty much all table service, and a few quick service locations, and includes alcohol. It is good for 13 months from when you purchase it, so you can definitely get 2 trips out of it. It costs $100 for the card, but we have found that it pays for itself many times over.

Good stuff and includes the booze, heck yeah

Where do you buy one?

Thanks.

 

[BigTxEars]

Oh, and a tip if you haven't stayed at SSR before. Ask for the Grandstand section. It is the first bus stop coming and going to the parks, has it's own quiet pool (with a pool bar!), and is only a few minute walk to the main pool and Carriage House.

Oh more good stuff, never stayed there before. Should I ask before we arrive or when we get there? I know it is ahead of time when paying OOP but not sure when using DVC points.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Good stuff and includes the booze, heck yeah

Where do you buy one?

Thanks.

We usually get ours at DtD (our first stop), but any guest relations in the parks should have them as well. They have not had them for sale at the resorts.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

Oh more good stuff, never stayed there before. Should I ask before we arrive or when we get there? I know it is ahead of time when paying OOP but not sure when using DVC points.

You can do that during the on-line check-in, or call DVC and have it added to the reservation. I would not wait until you get there.

 

[BigTxEars]

We usually get ours at DtD (our first stop), but any guest relations in the parks should have them as well. They have not had them for sale at the resorts.

OK thanks, we are going to DTD our first night in Jan 2015 for Ragland Road The June trip this year we already have the DDP paid for. Thanks.

 

[BigTxEars]

You can do that during the on-line check-in, or call DVC and have it added to the reservation. I would not wait until you get there.

OK I will contact them, thanks again