How to save the big bucks on your Disney hotel accommodation

If I'm gonna fly all the way around the world to Orlando, you can guess what I'm gonna do

 

yep - I'm going to Disney World.

 Oh .... I skip a beat everytime i see those purple gates! (source: grumpydisney.com)

As if you haven't already worked that out.

You're welcome to join me .... always happy to have friends to beat at Toy Story Mania and listen to my screaming on Splash Mountain. (not because of the drop, but because of that relentless song)

extreme chess

I only recommend going to WDW with a plan. Without, that way there be dragons - and crazy, queuing, hungry, unhappy people who have spent far too much money. Get organised and be a person who has spent far too much money on your desired hotel, desired restaurants, and avoiding the queues.

Today I share the technique for how I can afford such magnificent lodgings for such low prices.

Disney Vacation Club

or DVC - kinda like a complex timeshare arrangement.

Now I haven't bought into DVC but there are some 145,000 out there who have and it is possible to "rent" from those people.

Animal Kingdom Lodge studio apartment

Let me summarise:

DVC works on points - differing amounts of points are needed for different hotels, different room types, different times of the year, different days of the week. Work out when you are going, for how long and where you would like to stay, what room, and the DVC chart tells you how many points you need. 

Boardwalk Inn villas recreate the Atlantic Boardwalk - very plush

Then you find an owner and "rent" your required number of points. Typically points cost for $10 - $13@. So if you need 100 points for a week somewhere, obviously your cost for your accommodation will be $1,000 - $1,300. Divide by 7 and you'll get your nightly cost - which you can use to compare to the ordinary cash rack rate charged by Disney.

(source: myfirstvisit.net)

Let me give you an example. Here is the cost of my stay last year at Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort. I stayed 9 nights in a studio in December, during the "value" period.

Beach Club Studio Apartment - walk to Epcot and huge swimming area, with pool, slides, lazy river, and sandy bottom!

Full price rack rate = $407 per night (I know - absolutely ridiculous - NO ONE is to pay these rates)

Disney did eventually announce a discount for paying cash - 30% off for general public, 35% off for Annual Passholders.

Discount price  = $265 per night (this is more normal)

DVC points @ $12/point for 124 points = $1,488

DVC average daily rate = $165 per night.

This represents a 60% discount off the "silly rack rate nobody pays" and 25% off the Disney "pay cash" discount offer.

1 bedroom villa, Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort - right next to Magic Kingdom and on monorail

Here's an example for June 2014: 7 nights at Disney's Boardwalk Inn, the week before Convention, in a studio apartment, standard view (a.k.a - the carpark)

current advertised full price = $571 / night (CRAZY)
current DVC rental cost = $185 / night (Ka-ching! back in MY pocket)

source: yourfirstvisit.net

There is NO OTHER CHEAPER WAY TO GET A DISNEY ROOM (unless you are some kind of insider and then you need to call me .... really)

So I hear you calling out: "Mrs. Banks - how do I get these amazing discounts??"

1. Decide how many beds & rooms you need, and choose your dates.
2. Get online and look at the DVC resorts and pick your hotel, and desired room type. (allears site is the best! Photos and videos of every room)
3. Get online and select a broker, e.g.:

• DVC Rental Store
• DVC Rental  - whom I went with and were fine
• Sell my timeshare now rental page - deal direct with the owner
• David's DVC - the biggest & most expensive

All of these sites have resort overviews, point and cost calculators and very helpful people who will assist with your questions and make your resort booking for you.

Boardwalk Inn Villa Grand Villa (source; allears.net)

The price you pay for not paying the price

HA HA - guess what - there's no such thing as a free lunch! (except when you sit through a timeshare sales pitch)

The lower price means:

• Do your research and get in the queue with a broker more than 12 months out from your check in date.
• The booking is made between 11 months - 7 months out and you have to pay at that time.
• There is no cancellation or alterations (get travel insurance)
• Being a self-contained apartment, housekeeping is limited - or pay extra to secure daily service.
• Doing this is CRAZY popular and you have to have 2nd choices & patience cause everyone is chasing this deal.

1 Bedroom Villa, Bay Lake Tower, Contemporary Resort

Having Fun

You don't have to do a DVC rental - you may want to stay in one of the other hotel style resorts - or don't want to book and pay upfront. There will be a general public discount (e.g. 30% off) from Disney released closer to the date. There really is no excuse for paying the ridiculous rack rate.

1 Bedroom Villa at Squirrel Wilderness Lodge 1860's American west rustic Yee Hah! All the pine makes it smell like Christmas! .....or Ikea

So will you join us in WDW the week before convention? Do you want more info on DVC? Shout out in the comments.

Oh - and I'm looking for some people to share a Grand Villa with me .....

(source: yourfirstvisit.net)

Convention Hotel bookings now open for Marriott World Center!

Zonta International have announced that accommodation and dining reservations at the Marriott World Center are now open for Convention 2014!

Convention organisers are offering an online registration process to book your accommodation, and your dining reservations too.

ONLINE RESERVATIONS

The first piece of information the process asks for is "what type of guest are you" and from a pop up menu you select your desired room configuration. The choices are (roughly):

• single person in king bed w pull out sofa
• more people in 2 beds
• multiple people with multiple bedrooms

This selection is key as, from that point on, the system appears to only offer you that type of room, no matter what variables you enter. Say you enrolled as a single person wanting a king bed. You can go on to ask for multiple rooms and ask to sleep 5+ people but it will still only offer the original single person, king bed room type.

I discovered this by enrolling as 1 lonely person, and then was unable to compare rooms and prices for you - sigh...

I look forward to someone a bit more savvy than I telling me how to work though that system.

I recommend you work out your accommodation arrangements (single?, sharing?, bringing the kids?) and then start the process.

MARRIOTT OR ....????

I do recommend staying at the Marriott for the convention period - predominately for the convenience. There is not much else around except the Nickelodeon kiddie themed resort across the road expressway. Doesn't even look like a pineapple under the sea! 

Taken from Lv 28 of the Tower. Take care dodging the traffic!

Staying anywhere else will require a 10 - 15 min drive and you would have to park in their multi-story and catch their little shuttle - oh hang it - too much work already! Esp. if I want to stay up chatting with you until 3am!

Due to the heat and school holidays, I also recommend that you do any holidaying BEFORE convention, and finish your trip with convention. Stay where you want to be holidaying (e.g. Hmmm .... a Disney resort??) and then move over to the Marriott.

The Marriott are offering the special convention rate for a week or so before and after the convention - and then the opposite will apply re: travel. You will need a hire car and you will have a 15 min drive every time you want to go somewhere. 

 

ROOM OPTIONS 

Pool view rooms - one of two pools.

The Marriott has 2009 rooms, including 110 suites in 8 configurations.

UPDATE: 
Jane Adams, ZI International Convention Chair, has confirmed that the Zonta rooms available through convention bookings are these Standard rooms. Price variance depends on the number of people in the room. 

The most common room is the Standard - either 1 king bed plus pull out sofa bed; or 2 double beds. Conference flyers have previously revealed that the contract rate for this room is USD $169 plus tax 12.5% = approx. $190/night. At 425sqft this is a pretty comfortable size!

The flyer shows a "double room" at $189 (+tax = approx. $212) and a "quad room" as $209 (+ tax = approx $235). Book NOW Aussies - whilst our dollar is above parity!

DoubleDouble room = 2 x double beds + double sinks in bathroom (source: Marriott World Center)

The Marriott charges different rates for different views ('pool' or 'resort' - aka front driveway, carpark, or convention centre roof) higher or lower floors, connecting rooms, and of course, if you are in one of their suites. I am assuming that they will also charge extra if you use the sofa bed. 

Right now, I am not sure exactly what is offered for conference rooms. I am guessing it will be a lower floor, "resort" view.  For nicer views, go higher than the 7th floor, and preferably "pool" view. Some rooms have a clear view of the Epcot fireworks (probably Tower and West wing pool view). Hopefully soon, all variables will be revealed by the Convention Organising Team and let the planning begin!

 

 

 View on Level 5 East Tower:  courtesy of TripAdvisor

 

Here is an example of one type of suite - the Promenade. There are 10 of these and they offer 2 beds and a separated seating area with a sofa bed. Plus with 477 sqft you score some extra space. Described as having a wall panel separating the sleeping area from the sofa bed, this is useful if someone snores!  The strange side?  They are described as a "non-view" room - whatever that means.

Suites just get larger and more complicated from there: they start adding dining suites and kitchenettes; and making the bedroom a separate room from the living space. 

Although I note there are few rooms with multiple bedrooms - they appear to use interconnecting rooms to achieve that effect. 

Go and have a look at the range of accommodations available at the Marriott World Center.  That page has all the info, photos and floor layouts, for both the standard guest rooms and the suites.

My choice? Who wants to share the International Suite with me? 

6 beds, 2 spas and reception capacity of 100+ people

I can so imagine myself on that rooftop terrace, with my Kungaloosh!

Time to start planning. Get your friends together, get online, and get organised! 

Related posts:
Part 1: The Convention Centre
Part 2: Dining Options