What am I missing? Cash price better than using my points?!?

[ClaraOswald]

You’ll never know unless you try.

So you have to call member services to ask for availability then? How far in advance is a good time to do that? And this can be done for ANY DVC resort? Sorry for all the questions. I didn't even realize this was a thing. I mean, I knew people mentioned cash bookings but I just assumed it was the same rate as the Disney website.

 

[CarolynFH]

So you have to call member services to ask for availability then? How far in advance is a good time to do that? And this can be done for ANY DVC resort? Sorry for all the questions. I didn't even realize this was a thing. I mean, I knew people mentioned cash bookings but I just assumed it was the same rate as the Disney website.

Yes, any resort. I’ve never tried, but based on Tim’s post above I’d think you’d be more successful at 60 days or less from desired checkin, which is when Disney can routinely take unbooked villas and offer them for cash.

 

[eticketplease]

I was able to book with the discount at 7 months out for HHI over the phone.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I was able to book with the discount at 7 months out for HHI over the phone.

We have booked VB with the 25% member discount at 7 months multiple times, for stays in January and July. Things may have changed post-Covid, since it seems to me that more members have discovered the desirability of a VB stay in combination with a WDW stay or a DCL cruise.

 

[ClaraOswald]

This is so good to know. Since most of our points are at VGC, I think for places like Vero or even Hilton Head, I might have to look into cash with a discount instead if/when we decide we want to go. (Still need to convince my non-beach-loving husband though. Ha!)

 

[eticketplease]

This is so good to know. Since most of our points are at VGC, I think for places like Vero or even Hilton Head, I might have to look into cash with a discount instead if/when we decide we want to go. (Still need to convince my non-beach-loving husband though. Ha!)

Yes I certainly would not spend Grand Cal points at either.

If the discount wasn't available I would rent points from someone.

We are in your corner to get your DH to go to a beach resort

 

[ClaraOswald]

Yes I certainly would not spend Grand Cal points at either.

If the discount wasn't available I would rent points from someone.

We are in your corner to get your DH to go to a beach resort

Thanks! Right now the biggest hurdle is that he heard about how bad the bugs are...especially at Vero. Bugs seem to LOVE to bite him so we're pretty sure he'd be devoured.

 

[kes601]

Yes, any resort. I’ve never tried, but based on Tim’s post above I’d think you’d be more successful at 60 days or less from desired checkin, which is when Disney can routinely take unbooked villas and offer them for cash.

You are better off calling well in advance of 60 days. Only a certain number of rooms are discounted, then they go to rack rate. We've called 7 months out and gotten a good discount on BWV and RIV.

 

[Simba's Mom]

We used to have the same situation with our November stay in a 1 Bedroom on weekends. It cost us less to pay Member's Cash rates than to use our points (figuring a point value on par with rental rates).

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I just looked up our dates for October and was shocked at how cheap the room rates are (and that's even without a discount). It's really making me wonder if I should pay cash and keep my points and bank them. We were really thinking of adding on points, but this makes me wonder if I'd be better just paying cash. The thing is I've looked for availability before, and there never has been any. I can't get over how shocking this is!

ETA: I just booked four nights in October for a little over $800 and saved 108 points. I did end up booking an extra night on points since I had some banked points I needed to use up, so really a savings of 81 points but I got an extra night. I'm still in shock! I now have enough points to bank for next year to have a big family trip. I hope this is a trend that continues. If so, we might not add on any more points. Just use what we have for our solo trips and and then pay cash when we want to do a big family trip. But then there's that fear that there might not be availability when you want it.

 

[hhisc16]

For dhhir, the cash rate appears to be cheapest around in jan, oct, nov.

For the dhhir points chart, the weekends are much higher compared to weekdays.

Looks like dhhir is now releasing more cash inventory at 7 month mark compared to 60 days since covid and the refurb.

 

[Pongo111]

Does the $1550 cash rate include taxes?

Does the $2700 include broker fees and/or some accommodation for your time and energy? Also it's taxable income, so consider that financial impact.

Yes the $1530 total DVC cash rate as it turns out is after taxes. I booked it and cancelled my points reservation. The $2700 is paid by way of PayPal from one of the two largest DVC rental companies. Sounds shady but yeah it’s a flat $18 per point and there’s no fees because the company makes money off of selling the points at around $22-$23/point.