Ok I Understand the Excessive Wear and Tear

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

This outta be fun.....

Yes, it oughta be fun.

Not much to add. I've haven't encountered anything signifcant in terms of room damage that I could say was attributed to people customizing their rooms. I have seen people decorate their doors at Pop before and I didn't really get why you would do it but thats what some people do, I guess. The only moving of furniture that we have done is moving the coffee table when pulling out the sofa bed and we did angle the sleeper chair a little better so my son could watch TV while lying down but that is about all. I'm outta here.

 

[sleepy01020]

I'll admit we moved the chair from the master bedroom last trip so that we all were sitting in comfortable chairs in the livingroom. We were careful about moving it and made sure to put it back before we checked out. If you're careful and gentle with the furiture I don't see a problem with moving something.
Changing out the shower head seems a little over the top though.

 

[LSchrow]

what irks us are the markers and crayons....in just about every resort (dvc and non), there have been drawings and marks on the kitchen cabinets, walls, carpeting, and furniture (and don't get me started on the plethora of play-do - under chairs, stuck in carpet - gross)
do ppl allow their kids to draw all over everything at home?! or is it simply permitted because they consider their child(ren)'s creativity more important than the next guest(s)?

 

[eliza61]

I have always wondered why Disney DVC villas and resort rooms have such greater wear and tear on them than other hotels. At first I thought it was high occupancy but in talking to management at nonDisney hotels when we travel I find their occupancy rates are as high or higher than Disney.

So what is it?

Well after reading several threads lately on other forums, I now know.

Not only do people decorate for everything, Christmas, Halloween, their birthday, etc etc putting up magnets, clings, taping decorations to doors and windows, putting up lights, they even bring their own shower massage head and change out the shower heads.


I am sorry but I was just actually shocked at the things some do.

My question, is this, do anyone you alter the rooms you stay in?

I don't. I see it as a hotel, even DVC and its not mine personally to customize.

It is no wonder it takes so long for housekeeping to put everything back and clean up after someone's own personal narcisstic party.

I would never ever consider putting anything on the doors or windows of a Disney property and even at Christmas, a small tree without lights would be enough, maybe a pretty floral arrangement.

Do these people ever think of others, or is it all about them. If this is happening in the DVC villas, Disney is renting out, this really concerns me.

Aaah my poor naive Sammie, (said jokingly)
If you think DVC has wear and tear, come to the Jersey Shore!! We own a rental condo outside Ocean City NJ. Let me tell you, the things renters do is absolutely amazing.
I had one women who fancied herself a seamstress and was trying to alter her daughters prom dress. Unfortunately she decided to do it on the carpeted floor. You guessed it, when she cut the dress she cut straight through to the carpet.
We've had guest who had paint ball wars inside the unit, we've found every imaginable snake, lizzard and even a baby alligator left behind.
Every year we get the Mensa candidate that must use the BBQ grill inside the house thus smoking out the unit. along with the family who trucks in a ton of beach sand because "We don't have beach sand in WVa and we wanted to bring some home.
I am no longer shocked.

 

[ssawka]

I think part of the wear and tear issues with DVC, compared to other locations has to do with the sheer number of kids that visit WDW. Please don't flame me for saying that! I'm a dad and I'm sure your kids, just like mine, are perfect angels and never make a mess or damage anything, but the "other children" can't help themselves. They just don't have the balance, dexterity, or experience to navigate strange surrounding or "play" without occasionally damaging something. I know! I know! adults make messes and cause damage as well, especially when drinking. Actually, that can be another contributing factor to the wear and tear issues as they probably drink more on vacation.

Anyway, I think this is particulairly noticeable at BLT. Now I have absolutely no proof of this, but I would theorize that since BLT openned, many parents with younger children have chosen to stay there due to the proximity of MK.

 

[Ramsfan28]

How do I put this? I honestly think some people just don't care and feel like they can do as they please when they are on vacation. And I think its far more likely to come from non-DVC members with daily maid service who don't worry about their messes because there are housekeepers to clean up after them. I truly treat our villas better than my own home when we stay. I know I'm going to be returning and that my dues will go up if renovations are needed more frequently.

+1.

As somebody that has family that rents a condo at the beach you would be shocked what people do when on vacation. It just isn't a DVC issue and truly some people just lose their minds and manners when on vacation.

 

[Robo-Daddy 3000]

+1.

As somebody that has family that rents a condo at the beach you would be shocked what people do when on vacation. It just isn't a DVC issue and truly some people just lose their minds and manners when on vacation.

So are you thinking that renters then are more likely to cause "excessive wear and tear" or would it be DVC members who are doing the damage? I guess there is no way of knowing.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

I have always wondered why Disney DVC villas and resort rooms have such greater wear and tear on them than other hotels. At first I thought it was high occupancy but in talking to management at nonDisney hotels when we travel I find their occupancy rates are as high or higher than Disney.

So what is it?

Well after reading several threads lately on other forums, I now know.

Not only do people decorate for everything, Christmas, Halloween, their birthday, etc etc putting up magnets, clings, taping decorations to doors and windows, putting up lights, they even bring their own shower massage head and change out the shower heads.

Also they move the beds to make them into a large sleeping area so all can sleep together moving other furniture to do this.

I am sorry but I was just actually shocked at the things some do.

My question, is this, do anyone you alter the rooms you stay in?

I don't. I see it as a hotel, even DVC and its not mine personally to customize.

It is no wonder it takes so long for housekeeping to put everything back and clean up after someone's own personal narcisstic party.

I would never ever consider putting anything on the doors or windows of a Disney property and even at Christmas, a small tree without lights would be enough, maybe a pretty floral arrangement.

Do these people ever think of others, or is it all about them. If this is happening in the DVC villas, Disney is renting out, this really concerns me.

I have yet to go to a DVC resort(we will in Dec). I think the "wear and tear" is related to the "cheaper" furniture at the newer resorts (not to many complants on the DIS about the older DVC resorts). It seems like every company out there is STILL cutting every corner to keep profits HIGH(wall street journal is reporting most company's profits are up as must at 25%). In return, since all DVC members are Fl timeshare owners right?, and get to pay for the upgrades with are annual dues and (what kills me the most) we don't have a say in how the "maintenance" or anything is done.
You would think like we should get some kind of say(with the money we have put into DVC). Just my honest opinion

 

[AmongMadPeople]

Leave it to the Disboards to make me feel bad about anything and everything I do on vacation. Who knew putting decorations on my door to make my "home" feel more personal and to help me find my room makes me a bad owner?

 

[cseca]

Leave it to the Disboards to make me feel bad about anything and everything I do on vacation. Who knew putting decorations on my door to make my "home" feel more personal and to help me find my room makes me a bad owner?

Oh don't you worry about it.
If you're careful and not peel off paint or scratch walls/furniture, break appliances, or spill paint on stuff I wouldn't worry about it.
Just be respectful of the unit and you'll be fine.

I don't do things in the unit that I won't do in my own home. And if that means moving the furniture around so my DD wouldn't bonk her head on things? Then I'll do it. I won't do anything that would do permanent damage but I'll do it if it'll make our vacation safer.

Bottom line, be considerate... that's all.

 

[BeesKnees]

I have yet to go to a DVC resort(we will in Dec). I think the "wear and tear" is related to the "cheaper" furniture at the newer resorts (not to many complants on the DIS about the older DVC resorts). It seems like every company out there is STILL cutting every corner to keep profits HIGH(wall street journal is reporting most company's profits are up as must at 25%). In return, since all DVC members are Fl timeshare owners right?, and get to pay for the upgrades with are annual dues and (what kills me the most) we don't have a say in how the "maintenance" or anything is done.
You would think like we should get some kind of say(with the money we have put into DVC). Just my honest opinion

I agree. If the furniture is so flimsy it can't handle being carefully moved then the complaint is with disney not with other owners.

We live in an age now of ill-mannered people and children. They don't respect their own homes so why respect vacation property? I figured out a long time ago that when people come to stay at my house I have to give them rules or they do not respect my home or the things that are in it. Before I became the hall monitor of the house they would leave me with stains on carpet and furniture and that is no exaggeration. One decided not to pay attention to a toilet and flooded a bathroom. Kids are the worst. I told a teenager one time that she had 2 strikes and if there was a third she would not be invited back. I am such a doosh now that I make people clean and vacuum their rooms and leave them the way they found them. I found this is the easiest way to keep them from leaving me a wreck. I was taught to leave it the way I found it but apparently common courtesy is dead. I don't like being a jerk but this is MY home that I have to pay to keep maintained. I have nice things and I expect them to stay nice. Just because you perceive us as well-off doesn't mean I won't mind if you stain something because supposedly I have so much money I won't even care paying for a replacement.

Makes my blood boil. It also make me feel uncomfortable correcting children in front of their parents but if the parents aren't going to do it I will.

However, my efforts are not in vain. A few years later I let the girl with 2 strikes bring a friend and I told her she was responsible for her friend. Later I overheard her giving her friend the rules and tell her to be on her best behavior.

 

[disneynutz]

We have moved a chair or two and we have also decorated at Christmas. Hung lights and even put a wreath on the door.

We use 3M Command hooks, they have a pull tab and don't leave a mark when they are removed.

We always leave the room in better condition than when we got there.

If we did have a accident, spill on the carpet or something else, we would call to have if fixed and if there was a charge, we would gladly pay it.

I guess not everyone feels the same way.

Bill

 

[tjkraz]

So are you thinking that renters then are more likely to cause "excessive wear and tear" or would it be DVC members who are doing the damage? I guess there is no way of knowing.

I'm always quick to dismiss the idea that renters/non-members are responsible for most of the problems because I've seen enough Members Behaving Badly to know better.

And if you catch them with their guard down, it's not uncommon for a Cast Member to admit that dealing with DVC members causes more headaches than dealing with non-members. Granted they probably couldn't tell the difference between a member/guest/renter staying in a villa, but I doubt members are getting that reputation based upon the actions of renters alone.

I have yet to go to a DVC resort(we will in Dec). I think the "wear and tear" is related to the "cheaper" furniture at the newer resorts (not to many complants on the DIS about the older DVC resorts). It seems like every company out there is STILL cutting every corner to keep profits HIGH(wall street journal is reporting most company's profits are up as must at 25%).

There isn't really much evidence to support that.

The Bay Lake Tower, Grand Californian, Kidani Village and the Treehouse Villas were all constructed at the same time, as well as the wholesale refurb at the BoardWalk. Of those, the only project catching any serious heat for the quality of furnishings is BLT. And since the furnishings are so much different at BLT than any others Disney has previously used, it suggests that this may be the result of poor design decisions rather than anything else. Or perhaps the furnishings aren't proving as durable as manufacturers warranted at the time of procurement.

And many of the issues being discussed here have no relevance to the quality of the furnishings. Even the most durable tabletops can be scratched. People leave stains on carpet or dings in the wall & furniture at all resorts.

In return, since all DVC members are Fl timeshare owners right?, and get to pay for the upgrades with are annual dues and (what kills me the most) we don't have a say in how the "maintenance" or anything is done.
You would think like we should get some kind of say(with the money we have put into DVC). Just my honest opinion

Those rights were signed away at the time of purchase. You should have known that going in. It's part of the price one has to pay when becoming a member.

If it's any comfort, I doubt things would be much different if members did actually have a direct say in the program's operation. As you can see by reading the boards, there is a wide range of opinions expressed on every issue raised. On this topic in particular, I can guarantee you there are members who would prefer to see dues kept as low as possible no matter the result, and there are members who would prefer sky-high dues necessary such that every appliance, piece of furniture and square inch of carpet looks like-new when they arrive.

Don't necessarily assume that your sensibilities would be mirrored if DVC was run by majority rule.

 

[kurlyred]

AAACK...you guys have frightened me. Our very first DVC vacation is two months from today...and now I am worried that I will be heading into a slum!

 

[circhead]

This outta be fun.....

Just watching.

 

[KYCruiseCrazy]

Those rights were signed away at the time of purchase. You should have known that going in. It's part of the price one has to pay when becoming a member.

If it's any comfort, I doubt things would be much different if members did actually have a direct say in the program's operation. As you can see by reading the boards, there is a wide range of opinions expressed on every issue raised. On this topic in particular, I can guarantee you there are members who would prefer to see dues kept as low as possible no matter the result, and there are members who would prefer sky-high dues necessary such that every appliance, piece of furniture and square inch of carpet looks like-new when they arrive.

Don't necessarily assume that your sensibilities would be mirrored if DVC was run by majority rule.

So true So true!! You can't please EVERYONE all of the time. I think Walt knew all to well!! As there are "more" dues coming in, that would make for more money for upgrades as they are Visibly needed (at least that's what I would be looking at. the DCL ships still look NEW!!). DVC is a business that has to compete with some very nice timeshare property's.


I just think people expect soooooo much more from Disney, every year since 2001 Disney has had to offer "deals" to attract people( hurricane season, slow seasons, bad economy). Free nights, free ticket's and now free dinning. From what I have read on the DIS on the DVC, Resort and Theme park boards, these seem to be the things people are asking about.

Gimme Gimme Gimme. And Disney's response is "raise all food, parking, resort and gate costs until they stop coming" (You can't say that's not what they are NOT doing already!!)

Many complaints of how much it is to go to MNSSHP or MVMCP ($63 per adult for 6-10 hrs at MK and non party people are paying $82 for 11 hrs). It's now what.......$82 a day/ park. $14 to park, a CS meal runs $15 and everyone is wondering where the quality has gone.

Ok, I need to get a flame suit on now (just in case)

 

[DenLo]

We have moved a chair or two and we have also decorated at Christmas. Hung lights and even put a wreath on the door.

We use 3M Command hooks, they have a pull tab and don't leave a mark when they are removed.

We always leave the room in better condition than when we got there.

If we did have a accident, spill on the carpet or something else, we would call to have if fixed and if there was a charge, we would gladly pay it.

I guess not everyone feels the same way.

Bill

I don't see any problem making the room more festive either, just remove all evidence of it afterwards. Using the command hooks is a good idea. Tape is hard to get off later. And those that use magnets on the doors shouldn't affect the paint unless they have to pry the magnet off with a screw driver. But hopefully good judgement will prevail.

I'm always quick to dismiss the idea that renters/non-members are responsible for most of the problems because I've seen enough Members Behaving Badly to know better.
. . . . . . .
The Bay Lake Tower, Grand Californian, Kidani Village and the Treehouse Villas were all constructed at the same time, as well as the wholesale refurb at the BoardWalk. Of those, the only project catching any serious heat for the quality of furnishings is BLT. And since the furnishings are so much different at BLT than any others Disney has previously used, it suggests that this may be the result of poor design decisions rather than anything else. Or perhaps the furnishings aren't proving as durable as manufacturers warranted at the time of procurement.

And many of the issues being discussed here have no relevance to the quality of the furnishings. Even the most durable tabletops can be scratched. People leave stains on carpet or dings in the wall & furniture at all resorts.
. . . . . .
If it's any comfort, I doubt things would be much different if members did actually have a direct say in the program's operation. As you can see by reading the boards, there is a wide range of opinions expressed on every issue raised. On this topic in particular, I can guarantee you there are members who would prefer to see dues kept as low as possible no matter the result, and there are members who would prefer sky-high dues necessary such that every appliance, piece of furniture and square inch of carpet looks like-new when they arrive.

Don't necessarily assume that your sensibilities would be mirrored if DVC was run by majority rule.

I agree that there are too many factors to place the blame on any group. I think that if we were privy to the reservation records we would see that at this time the villas at BLT are in higher demand year round than the other resorts (everybody has to try it out once). I also believe that there are more short stays at BLT as the points are not conducive to long stays. So more people are in and out of each villa at BLT and perhaps there a higher number of small children. But more than anything I think the design/decor at BLT is flawed. The furniture in the studio is too large for the room. And dark stained furniture shows scratches and chips.

AAACK...you guys have frightened me. Our very first DVC vacation is two months from today...and now I am worried that I will be heading into a slum!

Don't let it scare you. The rooms are fine. We'll be returning there the end of September and I expect that if we stayed in the same studio as before there won't be that much more wear and tear. It's just that down the road we all realize that a refurbishment will have to be done earlier than scheduled.

 

[disneychic]

This outta be fun.....

My thoughts exactly!

 

[tjkraz]

I think that if we were privy to the reservation records we would see that at this time the villas at BLT are in higher demand year round than the other resorts (everybody has to try it out once). I also believe that there are more short stays at BLT as the points are not conducive to long stays. So more people are in and out of each villa at BLT and perhaps there a higher number of small children.

Maybe, maybe not. You could make similar arguments about BCV, BWV and VWL throughout the history of DVC. Those resorts have no-doubt been dealing with similar issues for much longer periods. They are all high demand with vacancies being fairly rare. Prior to BLT coming on line, they were all priced higher than the likes of SSR, OKW and AKV. High demand being close to parks.

Even if these issues are marginally more pronounced at BLT, it wouldn't seem sufficient to lead to such rapid deterioration in so many areas.

 

[BeesKnees]

It just hit me that a couple of people say they leave the room better than they found it. We don't do that. We leave the room looking lived in. Any bed that has been used is noticeably unmade, the trash is gathered but left in the room, and towels are left in the floor. Sometimes I catch my wife trying to make the bed and I tear it back apart. I feel like if the maids think the room is already clean they won't clean it and if they see a bed that is made they may not think it was used and not change the sheets. I don't want the next DVCer to get a room that has not been thoroughly cleaned and have to sleep in beds with unclean sheets.

I know it sounds backwards but I feel that by leaving the room a little untidy I am being courteous. If nothing else, I am leaving a big sign so that there is no doubt the room has not been cleaned.