DVC Amenities and Other General Questions

[MTMom]

We are seriously considering buying into DVC and have a lot of questions:

1) Are DVC guests treated the same as other resort guests? By this, I'm talking about amenities in the rooms (shampoos, soaps, etc), mousekeeping service, early entry (if they ever have it again), etc.?

2) Are the amenities the same for "hotel" room reservations with DVC as well as "villas" (home away from home)? Is maid service included?

3) Will DVC give you a tour of the actual properties, or only the "models"?

4) How difficult is it to get your "home" resort, 11 months out, but during a peak season? What about off season? Is it difficult to get a different property 7 months out, off season?

5) What about Disney Cruise Line? Is it difficult to get ressies for that? Can you only do it 7 months out? What category level can you get?

Hope I'm not bothering anyone, these are just questions that are very important to us!

Thanks so much in advance for your help

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Good questions, and here's my .02 worth:

You'll find your accomodations fully stocked with towels, toiletries, etc. , but since these are what are considered "home away from home" facilities, you won't get daily housekeeping. On the 4th day of your stay, you get "trash and towel" service, which is pretty much what it sounds like, and then a full cleaning on day eight. You can pay extra for housekeeping, but it's pretty high.

If you "ask nice" , you might talk someone into letting you see some actual rooms. A CM arranged for a housekeeper to take me to see a 2BR at OKW, for instance, where there are no models.

I had no trouble getting ressies at VWL during Christmas week this year. Called on a Tuesday, got busy signals twice, got through, was on hold maybe five minutes. Is that a fluke or common? Don't know, but for us it was painless.

I dearly love my DVC!

 

[Gearjammin101]

Originally posted by Dreamfinder2


You can pay extra for housekeeping, but it's pretty high.

What is considered pretty high? There is just something about being on vacation and not haveing to make the bed and having the dirty towels removed and the sink area neatly put back together. Just wondering, cause if I ever did buy DVC I was thinking I'd want mousekeeping pending it wasn't too high.

Thanks,
April

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Pretty high -- was that vague or what? Actually, it's subjective, but here's the facts, ma'am:

Studio/Inn Room - $25/day
1 BR - $30/day
2 BR - $40/day
Grand Villa/Beach Cottage - $60/day
Trash & towel - $10/day

Some other info:
Soap package: 1 facial soap, 1 body soap, 1 shampoo - $3
Coffee Package: 1 pkg of coffee, 8 sugars, 8 creamers - $3
Towel package: 4 bath towels, 4 hand towels, 4 washcloths, 1 bathmat - $6
Box of Tide - $1
(of course, these are in addition to your startup supplies, included.)

Pretty high for us, but, as Mamma says, "It's just my way." , that is, selectively cheap!

 

[spiceycat]

a while ago so the prices have gone up a studio would be $25.00

If you want to travel thankgiving week until January 1 - you COULD have problems making reservations in your non-home resort at WDW - December is a low points month for the first 2 weeks, the home owners meeting is held this month, the parks and the hotels are decorated (so it is extra attractive), the parks are having special programs - MVMCP, CLP, etc., and the parks are not crowded for the first two weeks. So this has been a high demand month for DVC's.

 

[ripleysmom]

"1) Are DVC guests treated the same as other resort guests? By this, I'm talking about amenities in the rooms (shampoos, soaps, etc), mousekeeping service, early entry (if they ever have it again), etc.?"

You can purchase mousekeeping but I have to tell you that I really liked not having to worry about getting out of the room before the maid got there.

"2) Are the amenities the same for "hotel" room reservations with DVC as well as "villas" (home away from home)? Is maid service included?"

For non-DVC resorts, yes mousekeeping is included.

"3) Will DVC give you a tour of the actual properties, or only the "models"?"

We looked at the models but you might be able to persuade someone to let you look.

"4) How difficult is it to get your "home" resort, 11 months out, but during a peak season? What about off season? Is it difficult to get a different property 7 months out, off season?"

Peak, peak I believe you might need to call on a daily basis for each night.

Off peak we had no problem getting a 2BR Standard View at BWV for late August last year at the 11 month window.

I haven't tried at 7 mos yet for other resorts.

"5) What about Disney Cruise Line? Is it difficult to get ressies for that? Can you only do it 7 months out? What category level can you get?"

Reservations for DCL are at the 11 month window. We had no problem gettign Easter week last year at the 11 month window.


Let me finish with, if you go to WDW every year or every other year and want to enjoy Deluxe Accommodations at Value Resort prices (once the points are paid off) then DVC is for you. If you want spacious rooms and the magic of Disney then DVC is for you.

 

[Lhargus]

The lack of daily mousekeeping is actually a plus for us. We don't have to worry about leaving the room while someone cleans it for us. It's easy to make the bed and take care of the towels ( there is a washer and dryer ).

We were worried about the lack of mousekeeping ourselves but have found that it is no problem at all.

 

[Gearjammin101]

Originally posted by Dreamfinder2

Studio/Inn Room - $25/day
1 BR - $30/day
2 BR - $40/day
Grand Villa/Beach Cottage - $60/day
Trash & towel - $10/day

Some other info:
Soap package: 1 facial soap, 1 body soap, 1 shampoo - $3
Coffee Package: 1 pkg of coffee, 8 sugars, 8 creamers - $3
Towel package: 4 bath towels, 4 hand towels, 4 washcloths, 1 bathmat - $6
Box of Tide - $1
(of course, these are in addition to your startup supplies, included.)

Pretty high for us, but, as Mamma says, "It's just my way." , that is, selectively cheap!

Whoa, just to make the bed and pick up the towels. You weren't kidding Dreamfinder2!!!!!!!!!!! :eek

$25 is dinner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is steep!!!! And just for the studio. How about that Grand Villa ?!?!?!?!?!

I'm w/ you on this one. I'll make the bed myself.

thanks for the response.

April

 

[Simba's Mom]

I do know that in January at least VWL had an actual studio and a one-bedroom available to walk through. Since we were buying there, we wanted to see the actual place, not just the model, so we could SEE-what's the view like (although I know it's not exactly the same in each one), how far is it to the Mercantile, where's the bus stop, what does the lobby look like, how does it feel to be here? So I can certainly understand your desire to see "the real thing", not just a model. And fortunately in January at least, VWL had one.

 

[Caskbill]

Just remember that DVC is not a hotel room, but is a timeshare, and like every other timeshare I am familiar with, daily maid service is not given.

In fact, the 4th day trash and towel service is actually more than other time shares offer, and the start up amenities are quite generous compared to many other timeshares, most of which I believe don't have any amenities at all such as even soap or shampoo. It's always bring your own.

When using points for a regular DVC 'hotel', you receive the same services as any other hotel guest.

But, for that 'hotel' service you pay more points, get a much smaller room, and get the bed made for you. There's no way I'd trade a 1-BR OKW villa for a regular hotel room, maid service or not.

 

[MTMom]

Ok, so are all DVC accomodations "Home Away From Home" type (what I might call a "condo" type)? Do they ALL have washers/dryers in each unit?

 

[MTMom]

Ok, so are all DVC accomodations "Home Away From Home" type (what I might call a "condo" type)? Do they ALL have washers/dryers in each unit?

 

[Gearjammin101]

Originally posted by Caskbill

Just remember that DVC is not a hotel room, but is a timeshare, and like every other timeshare I am familiar with, daily maid service is not given.

In fact, the 4th day trash and towel service is actually more than other time shares offer, and the start up amenities are quite generous compared to many other timeshares, most of which I believe don't have any amenities at all such as even soap or shampoo. It's always bring your own.

Sure, I understand about the timeshare. I, personally, was thinking of just paying the extra if it were like $10 or $15 a day, $25 is just too steep for just typical housekeeping in my opinion.

I always bring my own stuff anyway as far as amenities go, so their amenities are nice but I was simply referring to the housekeeping, not that I expected it too be included just was thinking of getting it.

April

 

[ZerasPride]

In answer to the question about the washer and dryers, all the one and two bedroom units have the apartment size washer and dryers but I believe the Grand Villas (someone please correct me if I am wrong) have a full-sized washer and dryer.

Lisa

 

[Lesley]

The prices listed are for a full cleaning, not the trash and towel service....but depending on the maid the full cleaning may not be any more than making the bed and picking up the towels. I think they will run the dishwasher too... And they don't make the bed during the trash and towel.

I am considering getting a full cleaning mid-week for my family's stay in December....but I don't think it would be necessary at all to have it every day. Or maybe my mom will volunteer to make beds We did have a problem with the mattress pad popping off our bed that wouldn't have bothered us if someone else had been making the bed every day....

On our most recent trip the longest we stayed in any one room was 5 days....we did end up vacuuming in those 5 days. I only had to run the dishwasher once. But, as at home, the washer was being used fairly consistently...at least daily. I did miss having my bed made (I'll admit that the only time we ever have a made up bed is on vacation!) but I'll trade that for the washer and dryer in the room any day!

 

[DVC-Don]

One thing I noticed on our OKW stay last month. We were 10 nights in a 2 bedroom unit. We had a full cleaning on our 4th day and a trash & towel on our 8th. I thought it was backwards, but thats what happened and what was on our confirmation.

 

[RickW]

While the housekeeping service isn't worth it to me, it really isn't that expensive if you look at it from the right perspective:

As an example:

A preferred view studio at the Boardwalk during May will run 123 points for the week. Using the "standard" of $10 per point (this is a discussion in itself, but I think it is the best number to use for this discussion), this is $1230. Add a week of housekeeping ($25 * 7 = $175) and you get $1405.

Compare this to the non-DVC cash rate (which gets daily housekeeping) for a Studio or a "Standard View" room at the BoardWalk Inn during May and you get $319 per night which equals $2233 PLUS TAX.

In other words, by using DVC points, you are saving $150 per night. Paying $25 to add the housekeeping back in seems cheap by comparison.

 

[dianeschlicht]

A few replies back someone said the 1-2 bedroom units had apartment size washer and dryer while the GV's had a full size. I am not sure where they are staying, but at OKW ALL villas 1-2-3 bedroom have full size washer and dryer in them.

As for the maid service. When I am in what I like to consider my "home" I don't like people rumaging around in my space. I like the no maid service thing. This last month we had a 2 bedroom lock off for 12 nights. They forgot our second trash and towel, and I hardly missed it. I just threw the towels in the washer one extra time.

 

[Richyams]

All the one bedroom and larger units at OKW have full sized washers and dryers.

Its only the "smaller" DVC resorts that have the compact washer/dryer unit.

OKW units all have actual laundry rooms, the "smaller" resorts have a laundry closet.

 

[PamOKW]

DVCDon I was just going to clarify the housekeeping....the way you had it is the way it is set up.

If you will be there fewer than 8 days (not counting check-out), you will get a Trash & Towel on the 4th day of your stay.

If you are staying 8 days or longer, you are entitled to a full cleaning. This will happen on the 4th day and then you'll get a T&T on the 8th day....and the cycle will continue to repeat every 4 days.

Not having housekeeping is shocking to think of but, in reality, most of us don't miss it and some of us enjoy not having anyone come into our home every day.....just the maid service every 4 days.