I heard my BIL telling my DH that he thought we got to stay "for free" at WDW

[DVCajun]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!

This conversation arose when my DH was discussing the possibility of a guy trip to hang out at Disney Quest. He said that he would pay for the room if the rest of them would fly down. My BIL obviously thought he was talking about using our points because he made a comment along the lines of, "Oh, yeah, you'll use your time share." When my DH said no, that was too expensive (not bothering to explain that it would be over my dead body), my BIL said, "But don't you guys get to stay there for free?"

Don't I wish!! :p

[ZerasPride]

Now that is funny! I was up until 1:00 in the morning reading over all the materials that came in our FedEx package from DVC last night (public offering info, disclosures, mortgage loan docs, etc.) and I kept thinking about something my sister said related to your above comment that she and her family couldn't wait to go to Disney with us since it's free. Don't I wish!!!!!

Lisa

[Lesley]

If it was free everyone would join, wouldn't they? I just don't get where folks get that idea at all...or is it just that they don't count the $10,000+ initial investment? Most probably don't think about dues either. Geesh...

[DVCajun]

Uh oh, Lisa-- I smell trouble coming your way down the road! You might want to remind them that it most definitely costs you something, and that you can actually rent your points for $10 a point.

That reminds me of some friends of mine. When we first bought our points, we were childless and so were our best friends. We invited them along with us several times, but they were always unable to join us unfortunately. Now, they have two children and we have one and she has mentioned several times that they would LOVE to join us on a future trip. Finally I told her that we really didn't have enough points for that now, as it would necessitate a 2 bedroom condo, which is a LOT of points!

I guess I must have said, "It costs us the same no matter what" a few too many times. :rolleyes:

[slc224]

We stay for free and can go on cruises for only $75!

[ZerasPride]

You guys are so funny! I'm learning so much from this board and haven't even taken my first official DVC trip yet. I'm sure by the time I do I'll be an expert at the "politely get around family and friends tag-a-long" dance!

DVCajun - I'll have to remember your line for the next time - "we just don't have enough points" (I'll even say it with a sad face). I never thought being "points poor" was a good thing! :D

Actually, I'm just kidding. One of the things I'm looking forward to is taking my sister's family with us on a future trip but I'd like to get a bit of mileage out of my points with my family first!

Lisa

[DVC~OKW~96]

...Why don't you ask your sister? She can let you stay there for free. Gotta love those family members! I've found that getting a brochure for OKW that lists the rates for the accomodations that you have booked and giving it to the family members/friends that are staying on your generosity helps some. I've actually had friends say, "Good God you mean it would cost us that much to stay here if you didn't invite us?" Yep. It isn't exactly free! :) :)

[Nanajo1]

My adult kids are finally "getting it" as far as the points go. But now they want to go more often so we can reach the break even point sooner!

[imgoingtodisney]

We're just the opposite. We invited MIL to come with us on the Disney cruise and she says she'd rather pay cash. She wants us to save our points.

[Figaro30]

You also might want to mention to your family that even though the room is as they put it "free" for them....they still need food money, park admission money, airfare money, souvenier money, etc. And for a family of 4 this could run into the thousands of dollars. I'd say at LEAST $2500.00.

I just hate it that I have had to remind my sister 2x about the fact that every year we still have to pay $540.00 for maintenance. People do tend to think that this is free for us. Arrrrgggghh!!!!

[ZerasPride]

How right you are Figaro! I have a feeling that my sister thinks our "free" timeshare will give her family automatic seats on the plane, food for a week and theme park tickets! Wouldn't that be nice if it were true?

She is a really wonderful sister and my two nieces are just darling and I really can't wait to see my nieces faces light up when they see the castle and Mickey for the first time. My three year old niece thinks I know Mickey personally because I have a picture of me and Mickey together. She is so cute and keeps asking me when am I going to take her to "Mickey's house?" Isn't that precious?

Lisa

[Granny]

To anyone who is approached by someone wanting to use your "free" timeshare......

How about just suggesting that they give you about 250 points for your next birthday? I mean, they're free, right? :D

[ducklite]

We've been lucky. We've owned for four years now, and haven't had anyone think they were automatically invited. We invited my inlaws one year when we were there for 11 days, but we only invited them for five days. We had other friends with us for the first half of the trip, then "kicked them out" and had the inlaws for the second part of the trip. It actually worked out pretty well.

We're going to treat my sister and BIL and their two kids in April of 2003, and perhaps another part of the family in 2004. We'll see. Luckily my sister and BIL have been to WDW with us before, and we worked out finances with everyone payig their own way, so they understand the cost.

I think a lot has to do with being in the same bracket financially. It's hard to make travel plans with people who make a lot less or a lot more than you do.

Anne

[Dean]

This is a very tricky area. A lot of people will freeload if you let them. They are usually the type that freeload other times as well so it's usually no big surprise when you think about it. I think it's very important to be upfront with these type of people and let them know what the rules and expectations are. Personally, I would put my foot down if anyone were to exhibit the type of behavior discussed above. If you don't, you're only asking for trouble. One problem that frequently complicates these issues are the spouse on that side of the family. If your spouse does not back you up, it could get ugly and very uncomfortable from the start.

We frequently invite family to go with us but we do so on our terms. We tell them when we're going then invite only as many people as we are comfortable with. We try to rotate around between my wife's and my family as well as invite different people each time. 6 days in VB in 1997 in a 2 BR, 5 days at OKW in 99 (a 2 BR and two studios with free tickets), two 2 BR units at Marriott's Monarch this past summer for a full week. I wouldn't accept money for the unit directly unless it were more of a rental. I can afford to do this little bit though, many can't.

It's my time and I set the rules, if they don't like them, tough don't go. Rules are: I get the master BR, I don't wait on you and you don't wait on me, there will be an occasional alcoholic beverage and everyone shares in cooking and grocery costs. I'm glad to get to see some family members I wouldn't see otherwise and spend quality time with them. I'm also glad to give them a taste of some of the good things I have access to that they might not be able to do on their own. If anyone took advantage of it like inviting themselves or suggesting I change the dates so they could go, they'd be on the black list so fast they wouldn't know what happened.

[Caskbill]

Geeeee, you mean it's NOT free ???

I didn't know that....

Although I guess that does explain why Disney keeps taking money out of my checking account every month, for the last 8 years....:D

[ncligs]

Dean, everything you said is very true. If most people follow your guidlines there would be less problems and disputes. We do the same, we tell people the dates that we are traveling, if we invite them, thats it, no changes or alternitive dates.:D

[Jeanne]

My best friend and teaching partner had never been to WDW in alll of her 48 years. This past summer, she and I went. She insisted that seeing I was providing the hotel, that she provide the airfare. Worked out very nicely.

[Disney On The Bayou]

When I first joined my brother said, "You're CRAZY,...... when are we going"!

[MaryAnnDVC]

Originally posted by imgoingtodisney
We're just the opposite. We invited MIL to come with us on the Disney cruise and she says she'd rather pay cash. She wants us to save our points. I'd take your MIL. :D

[msdis]

I guess I'm guilty of telling people we go for "free". I guess I'm so sick of the negative comments that we get that I downplay just how much we really DO pay for our initial investment and our dues. I guess it has to do with status embarassment, not that we are loaded or anything it's just that everyone around us makes us feel guilty for having DVC. Anyone else in that boat?

[DVCajun]

Yeah, I can kind of relate to that. I get raised eyebrows when I tell people we're going to WDW "yet again." I don't understand why people who go to the beach every single vacation think WDW is monotonous. The thing is, DVC *does* make it more affordable. It's a large investment initially, but when you take it all into account, it's a wise choice if going to WDW is a priority, as it obviously is to all of us.

[ZerasPride]

Boy, can I relate! I'm actually trying to keep our DVC purchase from most members of my family because I know the negative comments they will make. I have family members who actually think we are rich (yeah right) because we go to Disney so frequently. But when you look at their lifestyles and what they choose to spend their money on (things I would consider non-essential or frivilous), they could easily afford DVC. I am dreading the day my Dad and I have "the conversation" about our joining this "timeshare thing." That is truly the only negative aspect I can think of about joining DVC, the negative opinons of other people. As my one friend says, "some people like to try to rob you of your joy!"

Lisa

[TrudyZ]

We currently use the avoidance technique. We just don't tell the in-laws that we own DVC (or much of anything else we own or do) (they fall into the "freeloader/insinuate you owe it to them since they are family" catagory). We do this only so that we don't have to bluntly tell them "no way--it's supposed to be a vacation, isn't it???" They would also expect us to pick up the tab for everything. Believe me, I have no problem saying those words (and a few choice others) to my BIL--however, it would probably start World War III with my FIL (it's a long story, but FIL always feels sorry for BIL, and spends a lot of time/money repeatedly bailing him out).

We find with most things with the in-laws, the "don't ask, don't tell" operating procedure works. It also helps that my husband has been "on" to my BIL for several years and backs this plan 100 %. (It helps that they are several states away too!).

We also make sure the pictures of our daughter in the Christmas cards to that side of the family are not from any identifyable part of WDW, and contain no "hidden Mickeys".:D

Trudy

[DaveH]

I use to live southern NJ. Everyone went to the Jersey shore for their vacation and I would go to WDW. They tell me it would be cheaper to go to the shore. After I got their info on cost of a place to stay, food, entertainment, the beach tags costs and such. Guess what? It cost the same as WDW! They would get soooo mad at me. LOL!!! We bought into DVC this year and went home for the first time in Nov.

[dianeschlicht]

Dean,
You do as we do. In January we will be in a 2 bedroom at OKW for 5 nights and in a 1 bedroom for the other 5 nights. We needed to conserve points because we did a Hawaii exchange. We invited one family down with us for the time we are in the 2 bedroom. We invited another couple who passed on last year's invitation telling them that they were welcome to come and stay on the hide-a-bed in the Living room the last 5 nights. They happily jumped at the chance, even though it was without their own room. They do know the value of DVC since their whole extended family went with us once in a GV. I like easy to please people like that!;)

If we have the points, we reserve as large a unit as we can and invite guests later. We have never had to change a ressie, because someone will always take us up on our offer. We tell them we provide the room, and breakfasts. They need to provide us with one meal out and can cook their other meals in if they choose to. This year we are getting a break because the first couple is getting the rental car when we are there together and the other couple has a car for the second half, so we save there too. :cool:

[Richyams]

We never have a problem with changing dates. I make the reservation and then we start to invite people. We rotate it around. I have four brothers and sisters, my wife has five. We even have friends too!!!!

There is always someone that can squeeze it into their schedule.

Two of my sisters and my father have bought their own points. Between us, we have nearly 1000 points now....all OKW. They agreed with me on the value of owning and staying at OKW.

It used to be that you would get quizzical looks from people when you said that you owned a timeshare, even if it was at Disney. Nowadays, most people I mention it to have already heard of it or are already owners.

Now that I have figured out that they can take the mantainence fees out monthly without interest, and I have the payment on the auto-enter thing in Microsoft Money where I keep my checkbook, I don't even notice the maintainence and it really does feel like its free.

[Lesley]

Dave, that is funny isn't it? I was explaining to one of my aunts not long ago how a trip to the shore really doesn't cost much less than WDW.....one year we had actually planned to go to the shore and I changed our plans as a surprise for my dh and ds......had the trip not snowballed from 3 nights to 6 it would have cost us less than the beach!