Using points to go on ABD

[WDWmom08]

We used points for our upcoming Viva Italia trip in September 08. It is just DH and me. With early booking it was 764 points for the two of us.

Is there an early booking discount available when you use your points? The point charts don't really seem to address this.

 

[bonnielynn]

If you go to the dvc website and look at the 2008 points chart, there is a early booking discount... so yes..

Now 2009 is not up yet.. so I am hoping it will be the same.. I know that the prices for 09 come out 8/1, but that isn't the points.. I was told to book with cash and then use points to pay it off..

 

[WDWmom08]

I am not a DVC member yet so I don't have access to the member site only the login my guide gave me and those point charts don't mention any discounted rate. I am checking into buying a membership and would love to be able to use the points for an ABD vacation or 2. It is good to know the discount is out there. On average how big of a discount is it?

 

[pillow]

I am not a DVC member yet so I don't have access to the member site only the login my guide gave me and those point charts don't mention any discounted rate. I am checking into buying a membership and would love to be able to use the points for an ABD vacation or 2. It is good to know the discount is out there. On average how big of a discount is it?

Hi there. Bonnielynn and I have been talking about this very thing recently. The problem with using points for ABD is that it requires LOTS of points for one of their trip. For example, for the Costa Rica trip, the early discount points required is 348 (or close to that - can't remember exactly). The cash price is $2,400. DVC members "rent/trade" points on the disboards for about $10-$12 per point. If you wanted to do an ABD trip, you'd be much better off selling 240 points for $2,400 and using that money for the trip as opposed to paying 348 points for your trip. Make sense?

We love our DVC membership, but we use our points primarily for the DVC resorts at WDW. If you use them elsewhere, you just don't get as much "bang for your buck." It takes a lot longer to break even on your investment. I hate to say it, but if I didn't plan on visiting the parks once a year or every other year, I probably wouldn't have purchased it.

Jodie

 

[bonnielynn]

I am not a DVC member yet so I don't have access to the member site only the login my guide gave me and those point charts don't mention any discounted rate. I am checking into buying a membership and would love to be able to use the points for an ABD vacation or 2. It is good to know the discount is out there. On average how big of a discount is it?

Australia – North Queensland, Great Barrier Reef, Ayers Rock & Sydney
“Discovery Down Under” 10 days / 9 nights 464 417 498 449 522 469

American Mid -Atlantic – Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. & Williamsburg
“Spirit of America” 8 days / 7 nights 232 209 267 240 278 251

Ari zona and Utah – Sedona, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Moab & Arches National Park
“Southwest Splendors” 8 days / 7 nights 264 236 290 261 313 282

Austria and Czech Republic – Vienna, Salzburg & Prague
“Imperial Cities” 8 days / 7 nights 324 293 362 324 N/A N/A

California – Hollywood and the Disneyland® Resort
“Backstage Magic” 6 days / 5 nights 301 272 324 293 348 313

China – Beijing, Chengdu, Guilin, Shanghai & Hong Kong
“Enchanted China” 13 days / 12 nights 580 522 603 543 626 564

Costa Rica – San José, Arenal & Manuel Antonio National Park
“Path to Pura Vida” 7 days / 6 nights 313 282 336 303 348 313

England and France – London & Paris
“Cities of Knights and Lights” 8 days / 7 nights 417 377 440 397 464 417

France – Aix-en-Provence, Luberon Valley, Gordes, Roussillon & Paris
“Flavors of France” 7 days / 6 nights 313 282 348 313 371 333

Germany – Heidelberg, Trendelburg, Rothenburg & Munich
“Once Upon a Fairytale” 9 days / 8 nights 336 303 371 333 394 355

Ireland – Dublin, Killarney & Shannon
“The Emerald Isle” 8 days / 7 nights 333 301 371 333 394 355

Italy – Rome, Florence & Venice
“Viva Italia” 9 days/ 8 nights 382 345 429 387 464 417

Italy – Rome, Orvieto, Siena, San Gimignano, Tuscany & Florence
“Taste of Tuscany” 7 days / 6 nights 288 259 320 288 N/A N/A

Peru – Lima, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu & Cusco
“Sacred Valleys and Incan Cities” 9 days / 8 nights 313 282 348 313 382 345

Southern Italy – Rome & Amalfi Coast
“Roma and La Costa Bella” 7 days / 6 nights 313 282 348 313 371 333

Spain – Madrid, Seville & Barcelona
“Grande España”
9 days / 8 nights 336 303 371 333 406 365

Wyoming – Jackson Hole, Grand Teton & Yellowstone National Parks
“Quest for the West” 7 days / 6 nights N/A N/A 313 282 336 303

Early booking points... first 2 numbers are value adult/child next is Regular adult/child and peak adult/child

 

[WDWmom08]

WOW, thanks for the info!

 

[bonnielynn]

WOW, thanks for the info!

Ur welcome.. but remember that was 2008 early discount points..2009 isn't out yet...

 

[kidcoos3]

We used points for half of our Southwest Splendors trip. We first booked the reservation as soon as the 2008 dates were released, using cash for the deposit. Once we had the confirmed reservation, we called DVC. They said that we could transfer as many of the four of us over to points as we wanted, at any time up to when we had to pay in full for the vacation, and the cash deposit we had put down for those people would transfer over to the ones still being paid for in cash. We wound up actually doing the transfer several months later, and it worked perfectly. We did have 2 different reservations, one for me and DD 10 and one for DH and DD 12, but that never seemed relevant because the reservations were linked. Made the trip feel like a bargain! We will definitely use points for ABD again.

When you transfer to DVC to use points, are you also able to get the benefit of the reduced points for booking early if this is offered? We are looking to travel at a specific time during a peak period, so I really like the idea of booking as soon as the dates come out if we can then switch to use points.

Also, how quickly have the point charts typically come out after the dates are released?

Thanks.