Charge Relatives? How Much?

[ricapito]

We will be staying at SSR the 2nd through 7th of January. Our bro/sis in laws and their kiddies will be staying in a studio on our points. This was a "joint idea" as much as an "invite" by us. It could also, I expect, become a semi-regular occurrence and I want to set the correct precedent from the start, whatever that might be. As an aside, they aren't exactly hurting for money....at all. So choices are: don't bring up money if they don't and eat the (opportunity) cost. Or alternatively, if they bring up renumeration, or if I do(should I?), what do we use as a cost basis?:

1. The realistic cost of what it would have cost them for the same room, or rack rates? (but maybe they wouldn't have chosen it on their own?) If anyone knows what rack/realistic would be for that week I'd appreciate it as the WDW ressies site won't give it out as a possibility-it must be booked out.

2. The equivalent as to what I could have rented the points out for?

3. Let them pay my annual dues on 150 points? $475ish...

4. Something else you folks might suggest?

Bryan

 

[cruise-o-matic]

At minimum, I would say have them pay the annual dues on the points they use to a max of $10 per point. A fair point would be somewhere in between since these are points that you won't be using for your own personal enjoyment and you have an upfront costs of $85 pp. You could look at rack rate for a moderate, but you may find that that will come out to more than $10 pp.

I would suggest looking at a 2 BR lockoff, which consist of a 1BR plus a studio. For your nights, the cost of a Studio would be 64p, 1 br 121 (185 total) but a 2BR would only be only 162 p. Since the difference on adding on a studio then would be 41 p (162-141), I would say that $410, would be a fair minumum price in that case.

 

[crisi]

My opinion is that relatives you want to travel with you shouldn't be charged anymore than the cost of points that is the difference between the reservation you would have made without them and the reservation you made for them (i.e. the point difference between a one and two bedroom). You may "cost" your points as the dues or the dues plus a portion of the point cost (for me, about $2 on top of the dues). If I were going to charge dues only, I might take the time to explain that the points really cost me another $2 or so....just so they understand.

On the other hand, if I had rellies who were hurting for money "at all" I wouldn't let this become a "semi regular" occuarence unless I wasn't hurting for money "at all." I simply don't believe in subsidizing vacations for the wealthy. So I might treat once, with the understanding that we don't have enough points to support two families and some of the other guests we'd like to bring and feed our own Disney habit - that we'd treat one time - and encourage them to buy their own points. I'm starting to prime my sister for this idea - not that I expect her family to be semi-regular invitees - just that I expect them to walk in and decide to join anyway.

In my DVC world there are 5 types of people who could potentially use my points:

1. Myself
2. True guests who I invite and don't charge (and may even buy tickets etc for depending on the circumstances).
3. Guests where the invitiation is joint - i.e. they indicate a desire to come along on our vacation and we agree....charge them dues for their portion of the reservations.
4. Friends using "extra" points - I don't ever expect to be in this situation, but before I'd try and rent I'd see if friends or relatives want to use the points - arounc $6.50 a point currently
5. Complete strangers - going rate on rentals.

 

[kathleena]

I'm in with Crisi on this one. I would charge them maintenance fees plus a nominal amount. My DSD is using 11 points next march for one night for her in-laws and she is paying us $66 for them. If it had been more days and a lot more points, I probably would have asked for $6.50 or $7 pp. because of "loss of use" factor. But then DSD and her family are staying with us for 7 nights in a 2br and we are not charging them anything.

If it were a BIL or SIL, that would be different. We decided we would only take the kids or parents free of charge, no one else.

Umm oh, no come to think of it, I wouldn't give up the points for her inlaws, they could bring their camper and stay at FW.

 

[DisneyDVClover]

For family I would say 10 a point only because they are family.

 

[golfnut1264]

It is a personal decision. It all depends on everyone financial situation. My sil and bil paid us $1000 to stay in the studio part of a 2br. I didnt want money from them but they didnt want a free ride and forced the money on us. So while we were there I picked alot of the meals. not the cheap ones either.
I booked next year a 2br I will share with my parents and told them no charge because they ahve paid in the past but they wont go if they dont pay something.my other brother is a member and i gave him 41 points to book a 1br at no charge..and my other brother i am charging $1500 for the week to stay in a 1br...i charge based on what i am saving him...that room would be $3300 for the week so i am saving him over 50%...he is not hurting for the money like i am , i am a check to check guy so there is no way i would give him a freebie....which he would never expect....it is 191 points which if i sold on ebay i could get $2400..

 

[timC]

In general, if I am inviting a family member or members, it's for the cost of the room only (ie. no charge for the room). My invite would NOT include transport/tickets/food.

If it's a joint plan, where everyone pays there own way, I'd go with dues + $1.5/ppt. This is our annual out-of-pocket cost.

Once we brought DMIL down for a week, all expenses paid. It became somewhat uncomfortable when she kept insisting on paying for our meals. The moral of this story: Make absolutely clear up-front who is paying for what, even if you are paying some/all of the expenses.

 

[rinkwide]

...if they bring up renumeration...what do we use as a cost basis...rack rates?

Don't stop there. Tack on a little somethin', you know, for the effort.

 

[elfbo]

While it may be too late for this trip. What might be helpful on future trips it to give invitees an offical invitation with which portions of the trip will be covered by you and your family and what they need to pay for and an approxmiate price (Food, tickets, transportation, Souvies, Lodging).

That is what we did for our upcomming trip with the family. It lets everybody know what up, and gives a chance for negotion if necessary (My youngest sis is still in college and has no job, we we had to deicde who would pay for what with her since she wouldnt be able to cover everything that the other people would be paying for).

 

[ricapito]

Thanks for the advice so far. Seems like if I were building a consensus, and considering they are using 55 points, no less than $300 but no more than $550 or so is a fair range...

Thanks

 

[OKW Lover]

Do your BIL/SIL ever stay at your house? Do you charge them for that? If so, then charge the same for stays at your second home.

 

[rocketriter]

If you'd invited them as a one-time thing, you could certainly eat the room cost. But if it was mutual and particularly if you think this might happen again, you're right to want to set a good precedent from the beginning--the sooner the better. What you might do is set a price of $7 or $8 a point (deliberately below customary rental but high enough to cover your yearly and perhaps an appropriate part of your loan), and refer the relatives to WDW's web site to see what the room costs retail. When they see the retail numbers, which are huge, they'll feel privileged to pay their share of your costs and both parties will be happy.

And by the way, I absolutely do not think that staying in someone's home is equivalent to staying in their vacation home.

 

[Desnik]

Here's what we plan on doing.

For special occasions, like my 30th B-day next year, or holidays if we invite family members then we will not charge them anything. They will be responsible for their trans./tickets/food. However, my family members would not feel comfortable with a "free ride", so they would probably pick up dinner most of the time.

If as a extended family we all plan a trip together then I would charge them for the points for their room. I would always get them their own room, we like our own space. So I would charge them $10 per point.

 

[crisi]

And by the way, I absolutely do not think that staying in someone's home is equivalent to staying in their vacation home.

And I really don't think owning a timeshare is the same as having a beach house

 

[sjdisneywedding]

And I really don't think owning a timeshare is the same as having a beach house

Its all about the circumstances. If its a one time thing or if you did more of the inviting of them than they did in asking to come, I would say let it pass

But at some point while there, bring up the whole dvc idea, mention that you could possibly have these 'extra' points available some years and were going to rent them out, but if they were interested you'd be willing to give them the points at a discount because obvioulsy we would rather you guys come along than rent them out

that way its in their court. you let them know you have the points and you would like them to come along, but you also had planned on getting money for these points.
and by stressing some years not every year, it still leaves it open to vacatin by yourself once and awhile

thats how I would do it anyway

good luck, money and family is one of the triickier subjects

 

[tinkerbee]

double post

 

[tinkerbee]

Personally I could not and have not "charged" family members for staying with us. I couldn't do it. I invited them so I don't see why I would charge them. My family members have paid for all the food we eat while we are there which really can add up. I guess I just love to share the magic with the people I love.

 

[cman]

We are going to BWV in Feb. My family of 4 and 12 others (parents/ in-laws/brother/ sister....)

This will be our third trip with this group and they have always paid. We didn't invite them on the first trip. It was more like "let's all go to Disney" and we ended up using our points so we could stay at a nicer place. I probably would have paid for the rooms but they all asked what they could give to help out. The last trip and this one have gone exactly the same way.

What we worked out is that each family paid us $90/night. They way they see it they are paying what they would at All Star but staying at BWV. Everyone is thrilled. We have no resentment of being taken advantage of and they feel that they are getting a deal.

We used 2 years of points for our Feb vacation. With the money we get back from everyone we paid for our flights and passes for the trip. Works out great for us and them.

 

[Dean]

It is a personal decision and very much depends on the circumstances. Assuming it was a joint venture and they expect to pay, I'd definitely agree you should only charge them on the points that you use that you wouldn't otherwise. If you would have gotten the 1 BR and now need a 2 BR, use the studio points as a guide but remember that a 2 BR is slightly less than a 1 BR plus a studio. If you would have gotten a studio, and now need a 2 BR, it's a little more complicated. In that situation, I'd base it on the full studio points plus maybe a little extra. But if you get the master, half and half is not reasonable. If you want to be fair but have them pay their way, somewhere in the $8 pp range is likely most reasonable and you should round it off.

 

[goofy4tink]

I am in the planning stages of a 'ladies trip' in 2006. Two moms and our 2 12 y/o dd's. I invited the other mom and her dd so I didn't ask for any money to change hands. However, the other mom says she won't go unless she pays her share. Another case of 'plenty of cash' also. So, I figured that if I took the points I would have used for a studio for my dd and myself and then charged my friend the difference between that and a two bedroom unit it would work out fine. But, that seemed excessive. So, I'm figuring about $700. Any less and my friend will be quite unhappy with me. I guess we should all have such friends.