$95.00 fee for regular Disney resorts..please help me with the dilemna

[vbarry]

OK- I have used some points that were going to expire to book one night at the GF over Christmas and I then have a package booked. I booked Dec 24 and called to change it to Dec 23 which there is availability. I already paid the $95.00 fee for that one night and they told me I would have to pay another $95.00 fee. Is that correct? Pay another just to change a day?? I am totally frustrated.

 

[Chuck S]

Yes that is correct. Technically you are cancelling the existing reservation for Dec 24th and making a new reservation for Dec 23rd, subject to the $95 fee.

 

[DebbieB]

That is one thing about DVC that irritates me. I could see a fee for trading outside Disney but I disagree with charging for a hotel within the Disney family, especially considering the high point charges. Then hitting you again for a change.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You know all those 500 different places you can stay at using your DVC points? They don't really want you to use your points outside of DVC.

 

[DebbieB]

That's another thing - they use trading out as a selling point, they probably don't tell prospective members about the $95 fee. At least they don't charge at Disneyland right now, that will probably change.

 

[dudelydude]

I am a bit confused as I am only a prospective DVC owner.

1) Are you saying that any time a DVC member books a vacation stay at Disney World, they have to pay a booking fee of $95.00?

2) Or, does this have something to do with this being a GF booking and DVC members have to pay this fee when booking outside of the actual DVC resorts?

Thanks in advance,
Joe

 

[browniemtb]

I am a bit confused as I am only a prospective DVC owner.

1) Are you saying that any time a DVC member books a vacation stay at Disney World, they have to pay a booking fee of $95.00?

2) Or, does this have something to do with this being a GF booking and DVC members have to pay this fee when booking outside of the actual DVC resorts?

Thanks in advance,
Joe

If you were to book a Disney Resort other than a DVC resort there would be a $95 fee.....hence booking at the Polynesian or Grand Floridian. There are no fees to book at the DVC villa resorts at all. Also the point requirements to stay at the non DVC Disney resorts are very high and truly are not worth giving up the points for.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I am a bit confused as I am only a prospective DVC owner.

1) Are you saying that any time a DVC member books a vacation stay at Disney World, they have to pay a booking fee of $95.00?

2) Or, does this have something to do with this being a GF booking and DVC members have to pay this fee when booking outside of the actual DVC resorts?

Thanks in advance,
Joe

There is an exchange fee for using your points outside of the DVC system. The only except, at this time, is stays at the Disneyland hotels. Otherwise, any exchange (non-DVC WDW resorts, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, Interval International, Concierge Collection, etc.) will include the $95 fee. If, after you book, you change your dates you will have to pay an additional $95 fee.

 

[dudelydude]

Thanks for both replies and to you O.P. for letting me jump your thread. If you hadn't brought up this subject, I wouldn't have learned something new about DVC today.

Thanks again,
Joe

 

[Blahnde]

I'm going to make a carefully worded addition to this topic; alterations to an existing reservation do not require an additional fee. Therefore, if the type of exchange you are doing would allow for adding or removing a day from the reservation, you can make these changes without incurring another fee since it is not a new reservation. This would definitely include non-DVC WDW Resort stays like the opening poster's reservation. I understand some trades have a fixed number of days like a cruise, but for some types of reservations you can make "free" alterations.

Blahnde

 

[BEASLYBOO]

I'm going to make a carefully worded addition to this topic; alterations to an existing reservation do not require an additional fee. Therefore, if the type of exchange you are doing would allow for adding or removing a day from the reservation, you can make these changes without incurring another fee since it is not a new reservation. This would definitely include non-DVC WDW Resort stays like the opening poster's reservation. I understand some trades have a fixed number of days like a cruise, but for some types of reservations you can make "free" alterations.

Blahnde

Not really, if you have a reservation at a non DVC resort, ie: Grand Floridian for 3 days and you want to add a day, delete a day or change the 3 days altogether, it's going to cost you another $95. Your reservation, at the time you make it, fixes the days and dates. The true questions is: You have to decide if it's worth it to you.

 

[dudelydude]

Not really, if you have a reservation at a non DVC resort, ie: Grand Floridian for 3 days and you want to add a day, delete a day or change the 3 days altogether, it's going to cost you another $95. Your reservation, at the time you make it, fixes the days and dates. The true questions is: You have to decide if it's worth it to you.

Yeah Blahnde...you threw us a curve on this one. I read your post, then that of the OP again, then your post again, then the O.P.'s yet again and my head started spinning. When you said, "Carefully worded," I just thought there must be something in your post that I was missing, so I dropped it. Could you explain? The O.P. said that it was necessary to pay twice when changing, the pp's agreed, then you said that paying twice isn't necessary.

 

[Chuck S]

It should not cost you $95 to delete a day or cancel the reservation, but the points for that day or cancelled ressie will be "Reservation Points," meaning that they would have to be used within the Disney Collection, Cruise, or Adventures by Disney in the future, and that reservation will cost another $95.

So even if, as Blahnde suggests, you could add a day for free (using more points) then later cancel a day to "reverse walk" the reservation, it would be of no advantage, unless you planned to use another Disney Collection venue in the future and pay another $95 fee to do so. However, it is very likely that they would charge the $95 to add a day, as it is a "new" Disney Collection reservation with "new" points transferred from DVC to Disney.

 

[dianeschlicht]

One other point that sometimes gets missed is exactly WHAT this fee is. It is for all intents and purposes, a bookkeeping fee. It takes work hours to do the point transfers and manage the fund exchanges etc. That $95 fee pays for those work hours instead of increasing EVERYONE'S dues. This way it's a "pay as you play" type of situation rather than everyone paying while only a few "play".

 

[swanwed6206]

This is an important point that I imagine most DVC members do not know....Thanks for posting. I would have definitely made the assumption that you could freely exchange ressies without paying at least ONCE (still may!) in the next 50 years....
IMHO, I think the duplicate charge is unfair.

 

[La Bete]

That's another thing - they use trading out as a selling point, they probably don't tell prospective members about the $95 fee. At least they don't charge at Disneyland right now, that will probably change.

I can only speak about my experience. When I bought DVC last year I was definitely told about the $95 fee. I know I had an extraordinary salesman, but I think that mention of this fee would be typical to prosective buyers. Now, whether they completely understand how it works is a different issue.

 

[Tinkerbellcrafter]

I think this fee is unfair considering the high point cost.....drop the point costs a little if charging the $95 fee. Trust me, it doesn't take $95 worth of staff time to press a couple of keys on the keyboard.....points in, points out! Boom, done.

 

[Chuck S]

I think this fee is unfair considering the high point cost.....drop the point costs a little if charging the $95 fee. Trust me, it doesn't take $95 worth of staff time to press a couple of keys on the keyboard.....points in, points out! Boom, done.

Actually, it is more complicated than that for bookkeeping. WDW Resorts (or what ever divsion you trade into) bill DVC somehow. DVC turns a room over to CRO. CRO tries to rent the room. Rental income is divided on a percentage between CRO and DVC. All of that takes behind the scenes accounting.

 

[swanwed6206]

I can only speak about my experience. When I bought DVC last year I was definitely told about the $95 fee. I know I had an extraordinary salesman, but I think that mention of this fee would be typical to prosective buyers. Now, whether they completely understand how it works is a different issue.

I didn't realize that you would be double charged if you modified your ressie though!!

 

[stitchineeyore]

You know all those 500 different places you can stay at using your DVC points? They don't really want you to use your points outside of DVC.

Well, now, gosh. We joined in 1999. Since then we have used points for a week in Scotland (interval international). Used 'em for 5 days in London. Went to California for three weeks (combo of concierge, interval international, and disneyland). and two cruises. That said - we planned really carefully. were fortunate that nothing changed our plans. and had a REALLY great time on all our trips. For us, the "Disney screening" on the interval international properties makes the exchange fee more than worth it. every trip has been wonderful.