Avoiding those high-cost nights

[Anal Annie]

We tend to make our stays 5 days Sun-Thur. We take the autotrain back forth from VA to Fla (which we really enjoy) so we hop the train on Sat and get back home on Fri. Otherwise, we have paid cash to add Fri and/or Sat. Once we paid points, at Vero, so it wasn't such a bad hit.

Hi - tell me about the autotrain! How is the cost pp compared to flying (cheap on SW for ex.) and how long does it take?

 

[DisDaydreamer]

Hi - tell me about the autotrain! How is the cost pp compared to flying (cheap on SW for ex.) and how long does it take?

Hay Annie... it's been a while since we have flown anywhere. So my take on price comparisons might be a bit off, but....

We hop on the train at around 3pm Thursday and the train leaves at 4pm. We pack everything we could possibly need into our car and watch them load it onto the train.

We now get a sleeper room, which is really just enough space for two people to coexist in, but it gives you privacy and horizontal sleeping space.

The first thing after boarding, we head up to the lounge car to partake in the Virginia vineyard wine samplings.... which includess plenty of cheese, crackers, and chips.

As I said, the train departs at 4pm. You get to choose 5, 7, or 9pm to have your dinner. Dinner for the sleeper car people is very nice ... nice seating, choice of prime rib, flounder, chicken, vegie..... very much like a nice restaurant... They say it is cooked to order.

If we have our choice we choose to have dinner at 5pm. Then we watch a movie at 7pm. They usually have a new release movie. By this time it is bedtime (normally) for us. So we get changed, washed up, and lay down.

The train is nonstop except for Florence NC where they change crew. Sometimes I am awake to see this happen, sometimes I sleep through. Sleeping gets better with experience.

We typically get up at around 6:30 and though I have never done it, Mary Beth will take a shower (she is happy with the facilities). I have to say though that the bathrooms get less inviting as the trip progresses.

I will progess up to the lounge car and grab a muffin and some fruit for breakfast, and the just sit and take-in the passing scenery and towns that go by for the next hour and a half.

Scheuled arrival is 8:30 am. We have hit this about 70% of the time. Once there we wait for our car to be unloaded, and then drive (almost always) to Vero Beach.

We just love that we can take our beach chairs, umbrella, MY boogie board, and anything else that is cheaper to buy at home... And have OUR car to go wherever we want.

On our trips on the AutoTrain we have found ourselves from time to time staying up way late and playing cards with others in the lounge. It has become a part of our vacation that we look forward to.

Now.. as far as the cost. If you can get a cheap fare... the train won't compare. It is more expensive, but you have to figure in the cost of the airfare, car rental, rental of beach chairs, umbrella, the savings of bringing groceries from your local grocery. For us... it makes it worth it.

All-in-all the train trip is a fun part of our vacation.

Hope this helps shed some light on traveling the AutoTrain..

:beahc:

 

[Anal Annie]

DisDaydreamer - thanks for all the details about the autotrain! You told me enough to make me curious so I went to the Amtrak site to check it out a little further...with what they charge for an SUV, the diff. in fare between that and flying is only about $150-200ish more. I was surprised that it still takes as long as driving - I thought it would be faster....I guess I am spoiled by knowing that we can get there in 2 hours if we fly....and I don't like the idea of having to add a whole day on either end of the trip just for travel time (my PTO days are too limited right now). Anyway, thanks for the insight!

 

[MBELSANTI]

I am just wondering, that if so many DVC memebers only stay Sun-Fri, then are the resorts less crowded on the weekends? What is the reasoning for such high point values on Fri- Sat stays? Is it to take advantage of people taking weekend trips? I can understand those days being higher in points than during the week, but why are they sometimes more than double one regular night? When paying cash for a room, I have not found that the weekends are that more expensive than weekdays, so why does DVC do this?

 

[LIFERBABE]

I am just wondering, that if so many DVC memebers only stay Sun-Fri, then are the resorts less crowded on the weekends? What is the reasoning for such high point values on Fri- Sat stays? Is it to take advantage of people taking weekend trips? I can understand those days being higher in points than during the week, but why are they sometimes more than double one regular night? When paying cash for a room, I have not found that the weekends are that more expensive than weekdays, so why does DVC do this?

If the weekends were cheap, they would book up first, mostly by locals that are within a short drive to DVC. They could essentially make DVC their weekend home by calling at 11 months and booking several weekends at a time. Actually we all could but it would be much easier for those that lived close.

That would leave DVC and the rest of us slim pickings when it comes to booking weekly stays.

Vegas hotels almost double on the weekends for this very reason. They offer Sun-Thur cheap rates and most hotels will not let you check in on a Saturday, you have to pay for Friday night and Saturday night in Vegas at the higher rate.

As it is now, it is cost prohibitive to stay more than 1 or 2 weekends a year.

It definitely averages out when combined with weekly stays and after I did the math, it is always cheaper for us to stay put on the weekends and stay 12 nights or longer than it is to move to a Deluxe for the weekend. If you average it over 7 days, you will find weekends add about 3-4 points to each night except in Prime Season.

We stay in 1 bedrooms and we dont like to move to somewhere we may not have a fridge or cooking, packing is a pain, unpacking is a pain, and the more you move your stuff the more likely it is to misplace things or leave something behind.

 

[bobbiwoz]

DH is finding that to use Marriott rewards is becoming more expensive on weekends as well. He was complaining about the cost of a stay coming up in January. The Pop Century rate is looking more attractive to him! I deal with DVC points and he's the keeper of Marriott reward points!

Bobbi

PS. We stayed in Vegas just 1 night, the Thursday before Memorial weekend. The idea was to drive to the Grand Canyon on Friday. I booked a room for say, $104 a night, and then I booked a room for my DSis and a friend, and they wanted to stay for 2 nights, the Wednesday AND Thursday night. The best I could do for them was $114 for each of the nights!!! I think that hotel's pricing was particularly nutty! ..But obviously, it made sense to the hotel.

 

[Anal Annie]

Personally, I am just TOO anal to have to deal with packing up and MOVING rooms / resorts mid-stay! We do it in Hawaii when we island hop - but it's such a waste of TIME - nothing ever goes smoothly - it always takes longer than you want it to...the next room may or may not be ready... Not digging the idea for WDW. Island hopping is a different story only because if you want to see the other island you don't have much choice - but I do not want to spend my evening getting ready / packing until it's time to go home just to save 20 points or whatever!!!!! I just can't see it! Not to save points! Nope! Not for us!! The stay costs what the stay costs. If we don't have the points or can't afford the extra nite with cash then shave it off the trip in my book! But that's just how I feel about packing, checking out, moving to the next place, standing in line to check in, getting that all settled, finding the new room, schlepping the stuff....nope, nope, nope! I could've ridden Expedition Everest 3 times already in the time this move took!!!!

 

[kimberh]

What are the AP rates like at Universal? Is it a big difference?

I plan on going offsite on weekends most of the time, Sea World, Universal or the beach.

For the first week of June 2006, I booked 2 rooms at US at RPH with a AP rate of $129.00(plus tax) per night. May 2007 I booked 1 room for a Fri - Sat night at PBH with a AP rate for $169.00 for Fri night, $189.00 (plus tax) for Sat night... this was overlooking the courtyard where all the activity is. The rate I was quoted at Disney was almost $369.00 plus tax for the same night... times 2.This was for a Studio at Boardwalk, preferred view. We had a one bedroom, Boardwalk view, so we were going to have to move anyway, so we just moved to Universal, stayed two nights, for the price of one. This would have been for May 25th and 26th so right at the beginning of Memorial Day Celebration. We really love, Front of the line pass, there are some wonderful restaurants too. Mama Dellas' is the best Italian restaurant I have ate at in Flordia. It is at PBH on property, reservation recommended. Musicians come around to the tables and take requests, it is so romantic.

I booked these reservations months ahead of traveling, rates could have changed closer to time of travel. On the June 2006 room, the rate didn't show online but people on the dis were reporting getting it, so I called and they had the rate available by phone.

 

[Inkmahm]

I bought DVC so I wouldn't have to pay cash. I use my points on weekends especially long weekends (Thurs or Fri to Mon or Tues).

Cyn

Same here. We most often travel either Sat to Thurs or Wed to Mon for trips to DVC. That pretty much means we hit weekend nights on every trip. I am NOT changing locations to save points. We bought enough points to always stay DVC whether it is for weekend nights or not.

 

[patsal]

We arrive on Sunday stay in a 1BR Sun.-Thurs., switch to a studio for Fri. and Sat. and back to a 1BR for Sun.-Thurs. followed by Fri. wherever.

I have done the weekends at a moderate, budget or deluxe. This year I have some points banked and plan on the entire time in a 1BR. I'll see if it really makes a difference to us.

 

[Anal Annie]

Just curious, for those of you that move mid-way through your trip, do you find it takes away from your park time to pack up and move every few days? We end up buying so much stuff we usually have to buy a new suitcase to get home and even then it takes us a whole night to fit everything!

I'm with you - gimme my park time not packing / moving time! BTW, we always, always pack an empty duffle bag that folds flat to use as a hamper on the trip home - then all the goodies we buy fit into the reg. bags for the trip home!

 

[MBELSANTI]

If the weekends were cheap, they would book up first, mostly by locals that are within a short drive to DVC. They could essentially make DVC their weekend home by calling at 11 months and booking several weekends at a time. Actually we all could but it would be much easier for those that lived close.

That would leave DVC and the rest of us slim pickings when it comes to booking weekly stays.

QUOTE]

Yes, this makes sense to me now! I would love to live close enough to spend weekends there!!

 

[JimC]

Yes, this makes sense to me now! I would love to live close enough to spend weekends there!!

It is very nice to go and visit but not need to stay anytime we want. One of the greatest perks of central Florida!

 

[CarolA]

Enjoy those US rates NOW! (If you think they are going to stay lower then Disney once Harry Potter land opens I think you are wrong. If they do, then US is in MAJOR FINANCIAL trouble. They spent a fortune they have to get it back! LOL!)

My next trip has two weekend nights and it's not going to bother me.