Difference between DVC and Non-DVC Resorts

[CarouselOfLands]

What's the difference between the DVC Resorts and non-DVC Resorts? For instance, what's the differences between GFV and GF? More specifically, what is the difference between the actual rooms, the process to check in, "benefits", etc...? I'm aware of the Mousekeeping difference, and I'm not looking for a debate on the cost differences. I'm just trying to understand if a DVC resort is comparable to, less than, or greater than in quality to deluxe/moderate non-DVC resorts? And I am wondering this both on a "what Disney is contractually obligated to provide" and what they currently provide but could go away any day basis. Thank you to all who reply in advance for your opinions.

 

[CMOORE185]

The main difference to me is DVC has 1BR, 2BR, and Grand villas, with family rooms, kitchens and washer and dryers.

 

[automaticsoap]

Also studios (except for OKW) have 1 queen bed and 1 pull-out sofa instead of 2 queen beds.

 

[DVC Sue]

It's been a long time since I stayed in a non-DVC resort. Do the studios have kitchenettes with a mini-fridge, microwave, and sink? The DVC studios have this.

 

[DebbieB]

What's the difference between the DVC Resorts and non-DVC Resorts? For instance, what's the differences between GFV and GF? More specifically, what is the difference between the actual rooms, the process to check in, "benefits", etc...? I'm aware of the Mousekeeping difference, and I'm not looking for a debate on the cost differences. I'm just trying to understand if a DVC resort is comparable to, less than, or greater than in quality to deluxe/moderate non-DVC resorts? And I am wondering this both on a "what Disney is contractually obligated to provide" and what they currently provide but could go away any day basis. Thank you to all who reply in advance for your opinions.

Are you asking about the rooms themselves or the difference when staying on DVC points? The main difference with points is there is limited housekeeping provided. If you want more than is provided, you have to pay extra.

 

[vicki_c]

It's been a long time since I stayed in a non-DVC resort. Do the studios have kitchenettes with a mini-fridge, microwave, and sink? The DVC studios have this.

No a basic resort room only has the small fridge or "cooler" as I think Disney still calls it.

 

[vicki_c]

And I am wondering this both on a "what Disney is contractually obligated to provide" and what they currently provide but could go away any day basis. Thank you to all who reply in advance for your opinions.

This seems to refer to perks, but I can't think of any that apply to a resort room. You get what you pay for, a room with a more limited housekeeping schedule and that's about it.

Perks are things like discounts that may or may not be offered at Disney's discretion.

 

[carlbarry]

From the Disney web site, here are the amenities for rooms at the Grand Floridian, non-DVC of course:
Standard & Deluxe Rooms
Amenities

Hair Dryer
Telephone with Voice Mail Messaging

Coffee Maker
Internet - Free WiFi Service

Iron & Board
Alarm Clock with Radio

Safe - In Room
Crib Pack 'n Play

For "Club level" it is stated that the rooms have a DVD player.

 

[El&Asmom]

The main difference is size of rooms. In DVC there are studios that are similar to a typical hotel room except that in DVC, all but OKW have a queen bed and a pull out couch. DVC also has 1bd, 2bd and grand villas. For us as a family of 5 , that is the primary reason for owning DVC. Dh and I like to have our own room on vacation and a kitchen and washer/dryer.
Check in is similar to regular hotel rooms with many at the same check in as the regular resort.
Booking is very different. My guess is most people who book through CRO book a couple months out. With DVC, you can book 11m out at your home resort, or 7m out at your non home resort. If nothing is available, you can wait list at the resort of your choice and hope you get in.
It takes some research and experience to figure out where and when you would have a good chance of booking at your non home resort. If you HAVE to stay at a certain resort at a specific time of year, buy at that resort. We love them all, so we bought at the resort that was cheapest with lowest MF.

As to quality of rooms, some would argue that DVC is not at the same standard as non DVC resorts. We haven't had issues in 7 years of being members but that's not always what gets reported on the boards. We have been very happy with the quality of the rooms. Especially at AKV and BLT.
What do you get? Your yearly point allotment for as many years as the resort has left. Others who are into the legal stuff can comment more on what they can and cannot take away from us.

 

[Disney On The Bayou]

I agree with most of what has been already posted. As far as service goes, there is really no difference, you are treated as any Disney guest would as you use all the resort amenities. Even in regard to housekeeping I really don't see much difference, we stay at non-DVC resorts too and I don't find the housekeeping any better or worst. The room sizes are the real difference, other than the cabins, I really don't know what rooms outside of DVC have kitchens. I would say that in the 13 years I've been a member I really can't remember one bad trip where DVC was the cause of it.

 

[hmillerbarilla]

I'd like to add...

I feel like the people at DVC resorts are a bit more easygoing than those at the deluxe resorts.

It could be just my experiences, but whenever we are on a DVC stay, (especially at SSR, OKW, and Kidani) folks are a bit more likely to hold the door, help you with your stroller, not mind if the bus is 20 minutes late, share their pool toys, and are just more understanding and courteous. Again, could just be our experiences.

Room wise? I think they are comparable except I will say that BCV decorating isn't as relaxing as the BC.

 

[hjgaus]

I'd like to add...

I feel like the people at DVC resorts are a bit more easygoing than those at the deluxe resorts.

It could be just my experiences, but whenever we are on a DVC stay, (especially at SSR, OKW, and Kidani) folks are a bit more likely to hold the door, help you with your stroller, not mind if the bus is 20 minutes late, share their pool toys, and are just more understanding and courteous. Again, could just be our experiences.

Room wise? I think they are comparable except I will say that BCV decorating isn't as relaxing as the BC.

Well said!!! As a DVC member (@ BCV & VGC) I TOTALLY agree with EVERYTHING mentioned!! Thanks!!

 

[crisi]

Rooms aren't refreshed as often - and they are used fairly heavily - people are eating and drinking a lot more in a room with even a mini kitchen - so you'll find more rooms in need of painting, maybe some stains on the carpet or couch.....And that refresh includes things like refreshing TVs - we had VCRs and tube TVs a lot longer than the cash side of the house. We still have drip coffee makers, the cash side has moved to Keurigs (as I understand it). We had our iHome's taken away (I think they got "lost" too often), I don't know about the cash side.

We've found the need for lots of little repairs during our stays. Drawers off their rails and missing drawer knobs are the big ones. I've never had a room where all the drawers are on their rails with all their knobs. Maybe I'm just lucky? Burnt out lightbulbs are a big deal, too, IME. I haven't stayed in Deluxe rooms too often in the past ten years to compare it to though.

Flexibility in booking IS a big deal, and don't underestimate it. If you have a favorite DVC resort that you wouldn't mind staying at and can book at least seven or eight months out - DVC will work great. People who are disappointed are often those that think that they can just book a standard view at BWV during food and wine at seven months. Or that it won't be a big deal to get BCV whenever they want it, or a room at the Grand Floridian. Timeshares are sold to run at capacity - which means that between the time the resort starts taking reservations and the time you check in, every room is likely to be booked. How fast that happens is a function of the time of year and popularity of the room/resort - with some rooms disappearing right at the eleven month window - and some rooms at some times of year being available for tomorrow night. You can't get your heart set on something you don't own...thinking "if we get bored of Disney, we can spend two weeks at Hilton Head in the Summer" isn't actually a realistic scenario unless you own (or rent) HHI points - HHI books tight in the Summer fast. Those VAKL concierge rooms might be fun - but they are almost never available at seven months - maybe a night here or there if you are lucky. If you are flexible, and easy to please - and you aren't prone to very last minute trips - you'll be happy. But if you are the type of person who wants what you want when you want it - and doesn't work the system to get it - you'll be disappointed.

 

[bakerworld]

~
Flexibility in booking IS a big deal, and don't underestimate it. If you have a favorite DVC resort that you wouldn't mind staying at and can book at least seven or eight months out - DVC will work great. People who are disappointed are often those that think that they can just book a standard view at BWV during food and wine at seven months. Or that it won't be a big deal to get BCV whenever they want it, or a room at the Grand Floridian. Timeshares are sold to run at capacity - which means that between the time the resort starts taking reservations and the time you check in, every room is likely to be booked. How fast that happens is a function of the time of year and popularity of the room/resort - with some rooms disappearing right at the eleven month window - and some rooms at some times of year being available for tomorrow night. You can't get your heart set on something you don't own...thinking "~ we can spend two weeks at Hilton Head in the Summer" isn't actually a realistic scenario unless you own (or rent) HHI points - HHI books tight in the Summer fast. Those VAKL concierge rooms might be fun - but they are almost never available at seven months - maybe a night here or there if you are lucky. If you are flexible, and easy to please - and you aren't prone to very last minute trips - you'll be happy. But if you are the type of person who wants what you want when you want it - and doesn't work the system to get it - you'll be disappointed.

This is VERY true - altho, we've been very lucky when hoping on the membersite at 8A when it opens for bookings.

 

[Deb & Bill]

With hotels, your obligation ends when you check out. With DVC, your obligation ends when your membership ends or you sell your membership.

With hotels, they just raise the price of the room to cover any renovations or refurbishments and just close down rooms as needed. With DCV, member fees pay for everything at the resort so renovations don't occur as frequently and they have to schedule them to take out the rooms when they can. So the renovation might take longer. DVC is limited as to how much they can raise our dues. But we don't get anything for free.

Disney manages their hotels as they see fit. DVC members pay DVC to manage our resorts.

 

[Dancind]

I never minded being "upgraded" to a resort room a couple of times when BCV studios were overbooked. The resort rooms had nicer beds and linens, just more comfy. And the views were generally better. But I paid for my DVC room and am always happy to stay there.

 

[CarouselOfLands]

Thank you all who have replied so far! I’m going to try to reply to each person. If anyone has the time to read all of this besides the person I’m replying to, there are a few questions scattered throughout I’d love answers to. Anyone reading through the thread this far (or not reading it), I’d appreciate any additional comments on my original post even if they aren’t related to the comments I’ve made below to other’s posts. As you can see I’m reading and evaluating all the posts thoroughly.

CMOORE185: Thank you for pointing that out. The rooms with a full kitchen/washer and dryer would be nice with more people or for longer stays to not have to bring nearly as many clothes.

automaticoap: Thanks for the info. That would make a difference between having room for 4 people or not in my opinion.

DVC Sue: Thanks for pointing out that DVC studios have kitchenettes. What is in a kitchenette?

vicki_c: Thank you for confirming that regular resort rooms do not have kitchenettes. Also thanks for your view on rooms themselves not having any perks as compared to a normal resort room.

carlbarry: Thank you for informing me what is included in a non-DVC GF room.

El&Asmom: Thanks for also pointing out the different room sizes available. I was wondering if check-in was the same or different, so that is good to know it is the same at most resorts. At (most of) the resorts that have DVC and non-DVC rooms, do you use the same check-in line and CMs or are they separated? I was aware of the 11 and 7 month booking requirements, but thanks for pointing them out. It’s always good to have it refreshed. Glad to hear you haven’t had any issues with the quality of the rooms. Can anyone else comment on the legal stuff that that they can/cannot take away?

Disney On The Bayou: Thanks for the comments on room service and it’s great to hear you haven’t had a bad trip that DVC was responsible for!

hmillerbarilla: That’s awesome to hear! That right there is priceless and something that can’t be quantified. Nicer and less pushy/impatient people are extremely important in trying to turn a trip that could become hectic into a more relaxed and enjoyable experience.

hjgaus: Thank you for confirming that people seem more easygoing at DVC resorts. Can anyone else comment on the easy-going nature or lack there-of at the different DVC resorts?

crisi: Thank you for your opinion on the quality of the rooms. That’s interesting to learn and contradictory to someone else. I’m glad to hear multiple people’s opinion on this and happily welcome any others. Thank you for the comments on flexibility. I’ve come to terms with not being able to book the cheapest/ideal rooms at the busiest times without owning there. That’s not a problem to me especially since our travel times are fairly restricted due to work schedules so planning 11+ months out is not much of an issue. I can’t say I wouldn’t like being able to book a Saturday night on a short notice (anywhere would be good though so I wouldn’t be picky on room) or being able to split stay at 7 month booking for something like VAKL concierge, but I wouldn’t buy into DVC with that expectation.

bakerworld: Thank you for your agreement with crisi.

Deb & Bill: Thank you for your comments on the renovation. That’s something I was wondering about. Are DVC members’ fees (and no initial buy in fees) the only funding source for upgrades/renovations for DVC rooms/resorts? I was wondering if this is the case, wouldn’t they have to increase fees at a high enough rate to improve at least the outside appearance to keep up with the non-DVC resorts at places with both so that non-DVC guests do not have a reduced experience due to an unkempt environment? Also if the DVC resorts do get repaired and such on a reduced basis, why are the cash rates about the same as or higher than non-DVC resorts at the same locations?

Dancind: Did they let you book even when it was already full or did they just overbook by mistake and have to accommodate you somewhere because you had a standing reservation even though they couldn’t fill it in DVC? Can anyone else comment on the quality of the mattresses/linens/etc… on their opinion of the DVC (or non-DVC) comfyness and quality?

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I noticed that the toilet paper and towel are a better quality in a DVC room

 

[vicki_c]

A kitchenette has a small sink (like a wet bar size), a microwave, a toaster, coffee maker, small fridge (I think that's the same as a regular room size), plus various kitchen supplies - dish towel, sponge, some detergent. And paper plates & bowls,plastic silverware, I think maybe regular coffee cups and glasses but I couldn't remember if it was that or paper.

In the larger 1 BR and above kitchens, there are many more supplies, glassware, etc. full size fridge, stove, dishwasher, washer/dryer, added to the list above.

DVC and regular guests uses the same check in locations at many resorts. I think Bay Lake tower now has a dedicated check in in the building, and Kidani Village at AKV has it's own desk.

 

[carlbarry]

DVC Sue: Thanks for pointing out that DVC studios have kitchenettes. What is in a kitchenette?




El&Asmom: Thanks for also pointing out the different room sizes available. I was wondering if check-in was the same or different, so that is good to know it is the same at most resorts. At (most of) the resorts that have DVC and non-DVC rooms, do you use the same check-in line and CMs or are they separated? I was aware of the 11 and 7 month booking requirements, but thanks for pointing them out. It’s always good to have it refreshed. Glad to hear you haven’t had any issues with the quality of the rooms. Can anyone else comment on the legal stuff that that they can/cannot take away?





hjgaus: Thank you for confirming that people seem more easygoing at DVC resorts. Can anyone else comment on the easy-going nature or lack there-of at the different DVC resorts?





Deb & Bill: Thank you for your comments on the renovation. That’s something I was wondering about. Are DVC members’ fees (and no initial buy in fees) the only funding source for upgrades/renovations for DVC rooms/resorts? I was wondering if this is the case, wouldn’t they have to increase fees at a high enough rate to improve at least the outside appearance to keep up with the non-DVC resorts at places with both so that non-DVC guests do not have a reduced experience due to an unkempt environment? Also if the DVC resorts do get repaired and such on a reduced basis, why are the cash rates about the same as or higher than non-DVC resorts at the same locations?

1. A "kitchenette" for DVC purposes would be a small alcove that has a small sink, a mini fridge, microwave oven, coffeemaker, toaster, plastic utensils, glasses, cups, paper plates, manual can opener.
2. "Legal stuff they can take away": when you buy the timeshare, all that you are buying is the right to stay in the resort you bought a "piece" of, i.e., that you have a deeded interest in. The ability to book other resorts is something that could be limited. Even the fact that there are animals at Animal Kingdom Lodge is something that they quite clearly state can be eliminated at any time. So if they decide in 20 years to eliminate the savannas so they can extend the building, they would be perfectly withing their rights.
3. "Easy going nature": I have stayed at 4 Disney World DVC resorts, Grand Californian, and Aulani. As far as the WDW resorts, I have seen no difference. As for the guests, they have been nice at all the resorts.
4. Maintenance: there are some people well versed in this area who will hopefully answer you. As for repairs and upgrades, many timeshares at some point make a "special assessment" for large refurbishments, that owners must pay above and beyond the regular maintenance fees. I am not familiar with DVC doing this.