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Ever confirmed & not stayed entire week

nursie

nursie

TUG Member
Joined
May 18, 2008
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Location
Minnesota
We are trying to work out details for our trip to Orlando.
We are now planning to drive 24 hours and arrive late Friday. Our check in at OKW is for Sat. For us to purchase lodging for 8 people Thurs. or Fri. on the road would include 2 hotel rooms or a timeshare size unit along the way.
I'm tempted to confirm a low TPU week in Orlando with a Friday check in since exchange fee of $199 through RCI would be less than many hotels plus we can then use the amenities through the week.
We have lots of TPUs and at Orange Lake it would be only 9 for that week and we could go over and swim at the water/pool facilities during our stay at OKW as well just to mix it up a bit. We have 2 weeks at OKW so I'm not worried about missing out on the fun there.:whoopie:
Any thoughts?
Have you ever booked a TS week and only stayed there part of the 7 night stay?

Would it seem cost effective since I do have good trade units and low cost TPUs?
We aren't going to go to the Disney waterparks (Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach) so this might also be a nice tradeoff for water fun?! (I think I'm trying to convince myself this makes sense.):ponder:
 
nursie said:
We are trying to work out details for our trip to Orlando.
We are now planning to drive 24 hours and arrive late Friday. Our check in at OKW is for Sat. For us to purchase lodging for 8 people Thurs. or Fri. on the road would include 2 hotel rooms or a timeshare size unit along the way.
I'm tempted to confirm a low TPU week in Orlando with a Friday check in since exchange fee of $199 through RCI would be less than many hotels plus we can then use the amenities through the week.
We have lots of TPUs and at Orange Lake it would be only 9 for that week and we could go over and swim at the water/pool facilities during our stay at OKW as well just to mix it up a bit. We have 2 weeks at OKW so I'm not worried about missing out on the fun there.:whoopie:
Any thoughts?
Have you ever booked a TS week and only stayed there part of the 7 night stay?

Would it seem cost effective since I do have good trade units and low cost TPUs?
We aren't going to go to the Disney waterparks (Typhoon Lagoon or Blizzard Beach) so this might also be a nice tradeoff for water fun?! (I think I'm trying to convince myself this makes sense.):ponder:
Click to expand...

We do it all the time but I am on II. Seems the same though. Usually we hit parts of both weekends at the beach but sometimes just one stretch of a few days. Recently I needed one night at Lakeshore Reserve and an XYZ was cheaper than a single night at a reward discount rate. It may seem like a waste but I paid less and now we can check-in early and check-out whenever we want instead of 10AM. The XYZ would have gone unused.

Edited: An XYZ is an unadvertised and restricted 2 for 1 exchange deal that II allows.
 
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I have checked in a few days late, and I have checked out a few days late. After getting used to the size of a timeshare unit I really hate to stay in hotel rooms!! So your plan makes perfect sense to me:)
 
I do this for 2 reasons. I am forced to take a full week exchange, and get the week cheap enough that it is still cost effective to pay for the full week even if not using all days OR I have a week that is expiring and I can't manage a full week vacation prior to the expiration.

I likely may not do this for a very high priced week. In that case I may try to get only the required number of nights, UNLESS the only choice is by the full week, example Disney.
 
Yes several times. No big deal, if you are going to arrive later than your check-in date, be sure to call and let the resort know you are going to be checking in late. If we leave the resort early, I usually won't give notice, just in case we change our plans.
 
I think staying 3 days of a 7 day ressie is my record, but as long as you notify the desk of a late arrival, you can leave anytime you want.

Jim
 
The way I read it, you only need one night lodging. Have you checked out hotels along the way. We just stayed at a la Quinta for $65. a night. Very nice clean hotel. We arrived early in Orlando a few times and just rented a hotel room or two for a night, it was cheaper then the $199. fee, plus it saved me TPU's.
 
JPD said:
The way I read it, you only need one night lodging. Have you checked out hotels along the way. We just stayed at a la Quinta for $65. a night. Very nice clean hotel. We arrived early in Orlando a few times and just rented a hotel room or two for a night, it was cheaper then the $199. fee, plus it saved me TPU's.
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I think the problem/concern is that it is for 8 people - so just A hotel room would not work. if the TPU's are there I would go for the timeshare
 
We have taken weeks at a few resorts for a week at a great rate - usually around $169-$229 - then enjoyed the usually 2 bedroom unit for as few as 3 days (once) and 4 or 5 days a number of times.

We do it because a hotel room costs as much or more and doesn't offer the features or size of a timeshare. This has been a benefit of the terrible depression in timeshare rental prices used to our great advantage. As an owner looking to rent I hate it - as a renter looking for accommodations it's great.
 
laura1957 said:
I think the problem/concern is that it is for 8 people - so just A hotel room would not work. if the TPU's are there I would go for the timeshare
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You are right, a hotel room doesn't work with 8 people. 2 hotel rooms vs a TS unit just doesn't seem worth it.
Those of us with TS are definitely spoiled.:D
We decided to do the TS for 9 tpus plus exchange fee and we will probably only stay 1 night but drive over to use the amenities once or twice during the week since the pools, mini golf, and lake activity area's all seem really nice esp. the lazy river!
 
We routinely stay 4-6 nights in timeshares with a full week exchange, but the economics aren't so good for a shorter stay (especially just a single night). Don't neglect to count the value of the TPUs you use. Even with a $10/TPU cost, your cost is really about $300 for a 9 TPU exchange.

We've also used RCI Points from time to time for shorter stays, but when you factor in the cost of the points, the exchange fee and the housekeeping fee (almost always mandatory for RCI Points stays less than 7 days), it's often more than we're willing to pay.

I'm not sure I understand why you would drive 24 straight hours, getting there a day before your first check-in, then book a full week exchange for that night. It seems like it would be much better to split the drive into two days and get a pair of hotel rooms along the way for $50-$75 per room and arrive on the day of your reservation.

Or just wait an extra day to leave and drive straight through. Is that one extra day really worth $300+, especially on a 3 or 4 week trip?
 
We use DAE and with the low cost of bonus weeks we have done this a number of times.

As mentioned above, let the resort know if you will not be checking in on the date specified. Check out without any advance notice when you decide to leave.
 
csxjohn said:
We use DAE and with the low cost of bonus weeks we have done this a number of times.

As mentioned above, let the resort know if you will not be checking in on the date specified. Check out without any advance notice when you decide to leave.
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DAE is great for this with their $99 weeks at Westgate. ;)

I routinely book a week in Orlando and just use as little as 3 nights.
It always works out better than using motels.

I've also booked a studio in DVC with my points and had a unit at Vistana at the same time in the days of cheap OKW studios for 8 points. Had access to meal plans, free parking & all onsite stuff but stayed comfortably at Vistana. We are not park commando types though and always have a car so that makes a difference. So I definitely think your on-site, off-site plan can make sense for having two resorts to play in. :D
 
If I am staying at two resorts, or have an evening flight, I always like to cut my stay short. That way, instead of having to be dumped out of my room at 11am and have nowhere to go, I can stay in my room until I'm good and ready to check in at the next property (or head to the airport).
 
We booked a 3 bedroom unit and a 2 bedroom unit at the Worldmark last year through RCI for my wedding in South Lake Tahoe. They were both week long stays with Friday check ins, but we only needed them for the weekend to host family and friends.

This was still more cost effective than 4-5 hotel rooms x 2 nights, and being able to gather everyone in one place was definitely a plus.

You should have seen the look on the face of the front desk worker when I checked out of both units less than 48 hours after checking in. She was convinced something terrible had happened and wanted to make sure everything was okay. :hysterical:
 
Yes, done it multiple times. Least I have stayed is 2 days for a week exchange.

I do stay the full week (depending on the location), but the majority is approximately 4 or 5 days, due to vacation days. This way, if check in on Friday, I only need two or three days of vacation time. Usually those are within a short driving distance.

I once got a week getaway at the Grand Mountain Lodge in Boyne Falls, Michigan in January for a ski weekend in a three bedroom unit through II for $299. I stayed three days and left. Yes, there was plenty of snow and the units are gorgeous...but lack of vacation time.

Peggy
 
chriskre said:
DAE is great for this with their $99 weeks at Westgate. ;)

I routinely book a week in Orlando and just use as little as 3 nights.
It always works out better than using motels.

I've also booked a studio in DVC with my points and had a unit at Vistana at the same time in the days of cheap OKW studios for 8 points. Had access to meal plans, free parking & all onsite stuff but stayed comfortably at Vistana. We are not park commando types though and always have a car so that makes a difference. So I definitely think your on-site, off-site plan can make sense for having two resorts to play in. :D
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I'm glad I'm NOT the only one that does this when I go to Disney. Use those cheap TPU trades, and burn one day for the dining plan and onsite stuff.

Peggy
 
got4boys said:
I'm glad I'm NOT the only one that does this when I go to Disney. Use those cheap TPU trades, and burn one day for the dining plan and onsite stuff.

Peggy
Click to expand...

Yes and if you stay a week off site but only park hop for two days then you get free parking for those two full day/one night stays and plenty of meal plan to take out. Haven't done the meal plan in years but it used to be alot of food. We always had extra credits left over. This also works well for guests flying in to join us so I don't have to pick them up at the airport but they just use Magical express and we meet up later. Lots of flexibility when you go to Orlando. ;)
 
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