Florida & Disney

[J210]

Sheepshanks said:

In all the times I've been I've never figured out renting using bought DVC points. Isn't there a very tight booking window?

For renting there a number of broker sites like DVC rental and Dave's who obsusliy charge a premium but you get safeguards, As private renting has scam risks. We tent to private rent but do a lot of due diligence.

The booking window all depends on the owners home resort. They can book home resort 11 months out and other resorts at 7 months out. So always best to find an owner with the right home resort. As DVC bookings have been getting harder at the 7 month window. (rental company will normally match you with the right home resort)

2 years ago we managed to stay at Wilderness lodge for 5 nights and Boardwalk for 5 nights about £1600. But we got super lucky our points owner was on it at the 7 month window.

Last summer we stayed at Animal Kingdom lodge and Old key west as we booked at 4 months out and was the only things available. Also did 1 night at the Grand Floridian for about £200. compared to Disneys £500+

At Christmas we got a confirmed reservation (via a broker) for the Rivera what was cheaper than staying at All stars.

Once you crack DVC rental you can save big $ compared to cash bookings even with the free DDP. But takes a bit of time to learn about it.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

I mean do you really need a table service meal every day?

For us the quick service DDP is better 2 quick service meals with drink + speciality drinks plus snack

Remember basically the room are very similar in all hotels "crappy" it's the American way

In fact some of the cheap hotels are now better as they have been refurbished

But if you go deluxe you do get the extra hours

[J210]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I mean do you really need a table service meal every day?

For us the quick service DDP is better 2 quick service meals with drink + speciality drinks plus snack

Remember basically the room are very similar in all hotels "crappy" it's the American way

In fact some of the cheap hotels are now better as they have been refurbished

But if you go deluxe you do get the extra hours

Not sure if this is aimed at me.

We never have had DDP as isn’t free or cost effective (never has been)

With DVC rental you pay value prices for deluxe hotels.

The rooms at GF, Copper creek,riviera are far superior than value or moderates

The deluxe is that need a refund possibly not

[Sheepshanks]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

I mean do you really need a table service meal every day?

For us the quick service DDP is better 2 quick service meals with drink + speciality drinks plus snack

Remember basically the room are very similar in all hotels "crappy" it's the American way

In fact some of the cheap hotels are now better as they have been refurbished

But if you go deluxe you do get the extra hours

It probably doesn't make sense for kids. As adults what we've done in the past is used two table service credits a few nights to eat in Signature restaurants, but we usually eat off-site a bit too.

Not sure I could take 2 weeks of QS food but spoke to daughter about it earlier and she said it's the kind of food her kids and husband eat anyway so they'll be fine with it. I don't remember this, but she said the table service menua are quite limited for kids anyway. She also made the point that with the expected 18% tip (incredible that DDP in the early days included that) then that on its own becomes quite chunky.

I didn't know about the deluxe extra hours.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

For us we are always on the move so quick service suits us fine, lunch and dinner + additional snacks

This is our first time on site but about our 10th at Disney

DDP is free as the price hasn't moved since before the offer went live

After some calcs it actually works out more cash efficient staying on prem this time compared to off site but we are staying only a week. I'd never ever spend 2 weeks at Disney usually 4 full days and that's us done

We will also be eating off site some days

[Sheepshanks]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

For us we are always on the move so quick service suits us fine, lunch and dinner + additional snacks

This is our first time on site but about our 10th at Disney

DDP is free as the price hasn't moved since before the offer went live

After some calcs it actually works out more cash efficient staying on prem this time compared to off site but we are staying only a week. I'd never ever spend 2 weeks at Disney usually 4 full days and that's us done

We will also be eating off site some days

I think the beauty of staying on site is it takes the pressure off to do full days in the parks - we go for the early entry park and get there for opening. Watch for that happening dynamically if it’s really busy when you’re there.

Probably early afternoon go back to hotel for a few hours, then back to a park for the evening.

We started staying on site when it worked out cheaper as no parking, resort fees etc. Then DDP makes it a no brainer. Normally we’d stay a week ish, then same in a villa, Windsor Hills last few times. Did 2 wks in SSR a few yrs ago and that was OK as you’re in like a reasonable sized apartment.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Yeah we are combining with a cruise this time. So it's a very different type of holiday for us.
Staying at pofq for us it was 500 more than pop century on pure food cost moving from the bottom to mid DDP it doesn't really make sense but with the nicer environment with the easy access to springs and in theory a few less kids about.

We won't use any of the facilities really and are unlikely to go back during the day we tend to get there for rope drop then spend all day there or untill we have done everything we are interested in doing, seeing as we have been so many times there are things we just won't bother with as for us they are not worth it like the damn tiki room!

Only day we don't do all day really is Epcot likely waterpark then Epcot
But we are lucky to only be the 2 of us so can please our selves

[ThunderSpook]

Problem I’m having is there’s now 5 of us (conjoined family), which really limits options when it comes to Disney hotels. Realistically we need two rooms because the 5th sleeper option isn’t really practical when the kids are all in their teens, but 2 rooms makes it a LOT more expensive because all rooms take 4 people and are sold as such.

I used to be a DVC owner (pre-divorce) so I mostly know how it works, but then of course you don’t get the free DDP.

[J210]

ThunderSpook said:

Problem I’m having is there’s now 5 of us (conjoined family), which really limits options when it comes to Disney hotels. Realistically we need two rooms because the 5th sleeper option isn’t really practical when the kids are all in their teens, but 2 rooms makes it a LOT more expensive because all rooms take 4 people and are sold as such.

I used to be a DVC owner (pre-divorce) so I mostly know how it works, but then of course you don’t get the free DDP.

You can still book the bigger rooms at DVC resorts via Disney cash price (currently not showing) or booking partner like attraction tickets with the free DDP. But it probably still works out cheaper to rent DVC and add the DDP as a paid option.


If I rent DVC at full broker price Copper creek Wilderness lodge is like £2000 via Disney direct it's £3200 with DDP. So would still be cheaper to rent and add DDP if I wanted than Disney direct.

Thats if I want to eat ten ton of food on DDP

If paying cash for DDP its never realy been worth it. Only useful thing is protects you from ste pound to dollar and food inflation at Disney

Edited by J210 on Saturday 20th April 14:17

[ThunderSpook]

I’ve looked a bit deeper and I think one of the problems is the Disney flights even with BA are coming in at £1500pp. Surely it doesn’t cost that to fly to Florida these days.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Nah about 700 economy is a ball park

[ThunderSpook]

Think I might book without flights and fix that later in the year when flights become available.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

just looked this august lhr mco 885 ish Manchester is circa 1k

[Sheepshanks]

Yeah, I was going to say, direct flights in school holidays it was getting towards a grand before Covid.

Snag once you've booked accommodation you're pretty stuck on those dates.

[ThunderSpook]

I think Disney will move your booking, or you could always stay a day longer if the flights are massively different. Flights go every day I think.

[Sheepshanks]

ThunderSpook said:

I think Disney will move your booking, or you could always stay a day longer if the flights are massively different. Flights go every day I think.

Yes, depending on the airport, several times per day with various airlines. And many more options for indirect flights.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

but indirect is a ball ache and usually guaranteed to loose your luggage ad then takes you from a 9 hour flight to a 24 hour via god knows where!

and honestly if your going to nickle and dime it on flights disney is NOT the place for you!

[Sheepshanks]

I wouldn't usually do indirect - we refused free Virgin flights when they asked if we'd be bumped from a direct flight - but it's an option. Oddly some people do enjoy the travelling part of the holiday.

I can't remember why now, but we went via Atlanta one year (from Manchester). Worked fine outbound but we were lucky coming back as the MCO to ATL flight was delayed by thunderstorms but they held the trandsatlantic flight as there were so many of us.

[ThunderSpook]

Trustmeimadoctor said:

but indirect is a ball ache and usually guaranteed to loose your luggage ad then takes you from a 9 hour flight to a 24 hour via god knows where!

and honestly if your going to nickle and dime it on flights disney is NOT the place for you!

You say that, but £7500 for just flights for 5 people is more than most holidays!

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Indeed it is but it doesnt cost that for the flights like say less than 1k for business is possible

And it's even less if you just take them out of school at a better time of year

But like I say Disney isn't a place to be cheap it's $5 for water then there is genie plus and paying for individual rides

I mean Cinderella's royal table for dinner
$84 for anyone over 9 that could be $500 for one dinner!

Or Takumi Tei $1475! Plus drinks