Disney Hotel Booking FEE!!!!!

[odddog]

They called and were sooo happy to tell me that this has been "on the books" since 2007 and no one else has complained yet, What ever!!! Listen when I bought this thing many years ago, (when were they selling Beach Club??) I was told that the hotels were a part of the whole "timeshare" thing, that eventhough they were NOT DVC you could use them without the "penelty" of a "fee". Funny how DVC has been around for what, 25 years and NOW we are charged a fee for Disney resorts??
It really is just Disney getting greedy, and as for DVC raising our dues or fees to compensate? Funny how you don't complain about the Members Cruise that the Pres. of DVC and his family go on ever year, and we DON"T pay for that?? Please cut the cruise and give DVC members MORE benefits.
I have put my points up for sale, it is ridiculous the fees we are charged for yes a "glorified timeshare".
Sorry to be negative on the whole thing BUT when I bought I was told the hotels would not charge a fee, points might go up (fine, understood) but NO fee, oh well!!

 

[gppnj]

At this point, I think that they should just stop including the non-DVC Disney hotels as an option. I agree that there should be a premium to stay at these, and they should not be as good of a value as the DVC resorts. However, they've become *such* a bad value that offering them to members with the current high point costs and the booking fee borders on insulting.

 

[odddog]

At this point, I think that they should just stop including the non-DVC Disney hotels as an option. I agree that there should be a premium to stay at these, and they should not be as good of a value as the DVC resorts. However, they've become *such* a bad value that offering them to members with the current high point costs and the booking fee borders on insulting.

Please define for me BAD VALUE???? That is strickly your opinion??
Do you add up the points and divide by some "magic" number to arrive at a "Good/Bad" value??? Look here is how I see it I want to go on vacation with my family and go to the parks, not there for the "Villas" don't need the kitchen, not cooking it is VACATION, can't use the hot tub, with the kids - no time, in the parks all day and night don't need the extra room. Oh yeah no maid service. I would rather use points and stay at a hotel with maid service and (if using points for concierge - food) than cook in a condo and make my own beds. Now I LOVE Beach Club for the location and so understand the whole "timeshare condo" thing BUT the beauty of DVC WAS that those of us that wanted to stay in a real disney hotel could WITHOUT extra fees. Now why is that a BAD VALUE to you?? I just do not get your thinking on this. I don't think staying in a oversized condo (when you are only sleeping in it at night and in the parks all day) and cooking your own meals (I guess to save money?? on vacation (go figure)) is a BAD Value if that is what you choose to do. So please explain to me how hotels on points are bad values - in fact use your "formula" for a july stay in a hotel for a concierge stay for 3 days and when you are comparing the "value" remember to include maid service daily, and breakfast, not to mention sodas and water, Plus if you in the "Magic Kingdom" hotels you are on the monorail. I really would like to understand your reasoning on that. All I really was mad at was the $95.00 fee they added!!!

 

[kiingor]

ITA.
Remember your pts. are from a "timeshare" and any transfer is a normal and customary fee with "any" timeshare company. Disney just decided to start charging...nothing new in the world of timeshares.

in other words... Disney start charging fees on this and that- eventually, it's just another regular timeshare and nothing more.
But i still love DVC- at least for now....hehe

 

[Chuck S]

All I really was mad at was the $95.00 fee they added!!!

Perhaps, but all you, or any of us, really purchased was the right to use our points at our home resort. Trading to other DVCs or any outside trades can be restricted or discontinued at any time.

So if you purchased with the understanding that you'll always have the ability to trade to non-DVC Disney resorts, unfortunately, that is not the case. Remember, that once a DVC resort opens a "shared" resort, that trade option normally disappears. If the Kingdom Tower does eventually become a DVC property, you probably won't be able to use points at the Contemporary Resort, just as yo can not use points for the Beach Club resort or Boardwalk Inn, only the villas.

 

[DebbieB]

Please define for me BAD VALUE???? That is strickly your opinion??

I think you misunderstood what he/she was trying to say. I don't think it's a good value to pay high points plus $95 to stay at a non-DVC. If I really wanted to stay at a non-DVC now, I would look for an AP discount or another discount and pay straight cash. Points plus $95 is not worth it. As gppnj said, I don't think they should even use non-DVC's as a selling point anymore when they are going to gouge you to use it.

 

[gppnj]

Huh? I wasn't saying that using points for Disney hotels stays is conceptually a bad idea. At one time, it probably wasn't too bad of a value. I was just saying that both the ever-increasing point cost and the fee on top of that have now made it a bad value. (If you think it's a good value, then go for it.)

The price to rent a non-DVC room does go up every year, but the cash price to rent a DVC room also goes up every year. Both things are subject to the same inflation. So considering we're trading for something with something that is subject to the same economic forces, I don't think the cost for renting non-DVC rooms should go up at all. But it's Disney's prerogative to raise the point cost, and they've chosen to do so. In the past, I might have considered using my points for a non-DVC room, but now with the much higher point costs and the fee on top of that, I won't.

Similarly, when I joined, I envisioned sometimes using my points for cruises. However, when I finally got to the point where I wanted to book the cruise, I considered the point cost and the fee on top of that to be a bad value. So I just paid cash. If I couldn't have afforded to pay cash for it, I would have just not gone on the cruise because I wasn't going to spend that many of my points and pay a fee for the cruise.

Please define for me BAD VALUE???? That is strickly your opinion??
Do you add up the points and divide by some "magic" number to arrive at a "Good/Bad" value??? Look here is how I see it I want to go on vacation with my family and go to the parks, not there for the "Villas" don't need the kitchen, not cooking it is VACATION, can't use the hot tub, with the kids - no time, in the parks all day and night don't need the extra room. Oh yeah no maid service. I would rather use points and stay at a hotel with maid service and (if using points for concierge - food) than cook in a condo and make my own beds. Now I LOVE Beach Club for the location and so understand the whole "timeshare condo" thing BUT the beauty of DVC WAS that those of us that wanted to stay in a real disney hotel could WITHOUT extra fees. Now why is that a BAD VALUE to you?? I just do not get your thinking on this. I don't think staying in a oversized condo (when you are only sleeping in it at night and in the parks all day) and cooking your own meals (I guess to save money?? on vacation (go figure)) is a BAD Value if that is what you choose to do. So please explain to me how hotels on points are bad values - in fact use your "formula" for a july stay in a hotel for a concierge stay for 3 days and when you are comparing the "value" remember to include maid service daily, and breakfast, not to mention sodas and water, Plus if you in the "Magic Kingdom" hotels you are on the monorail. I really would like to understand your reasoning on that. All I really was mad at was the $95.00 fee they added!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Sorry to be negative on the whole thing BUT when I bought I was told the hotels would not charge a fee, points might go up (fine, understood) but NO fee, oh well!!

When you purchased, that statement was true.... It no longer is. If you truly read your POS when you purchased and signed you would know that NO trade, be it Disney resorts, II resorts, or concierge collection is guaranteed to the membership. They are all programs that can disappear at any time. Besides, you were probably told that by a "sales" person, and we all know sales people from all walks of business like to "stretch" the truth a bit sometimes.

 

[kiingor]

Perhaps, but all you, or any of us, really purchased was the right to use our points at our home resort. Trading to other DVCs or any outside trades can be restricted or discontinued at any time.

So if you purchased with the understanding that you'll always have the ability to trade to non-DVC Disney resorts, unfortunately, that is not the case. Remember, that once a DVC resort opens a "shared" resort, that trade option normally disappears. If the Kingdom Tower does eventually become a DVC property, you probably won't be able to use points at the Contemporary Resort, just as yo can not use points for the Beach Club resort or Boardwalk Inn, only the villas.

I personally won't mind if it was just for DVC resort and it's great that we have quite a few to choose from. The disney collection and concierge is a plus to our timeshare...
Disney did kinda over exaggerate in their promotion, advertising and dvc booth in telling potential buyer how dvc is different from timeshare- more flexible, more and better options to stay anywhere in the world. But then, just like any other contract, there's always a fine print that state otherwise. And it's always after the fact....
I have a 2 yr. old and decided to purchase dvc for disney stay untill he gets older- that's when I'll decided to use it for other option. Hope DVC won't change much by then.
I still think DVC is great- at least for now...

 

[odddog]

Huh? I wasn't saying that using points for Disney hotels stays is conceptually a bad idea. At one time, it probably wasn't too bad of a value. I was just saying that both the ever-increasing point cost and the fee on top of that have now made it a bad value. (If you think it's a good value, then go for it.).

Sorry if I misunderstood but I am arguing about the fee so I KNOW that is a bad value But staying at a Disney hotel on points, I feel IS a good value by how I vacation, as the points go up to stay at a hotel the price to stay at that hotel also goes up - inflation. And yes the "Disney speak" to sell the timeshare was you can use it with the hotels, to ME that WAS the selling point or else I would have bought Hilton or Marriott timeshares. To me at this point it really does not matter all that much I will sell and be done with it, I just think Disney is getting ever so greedy and for $95 they will lose a customer that would go every year - buy overpriced (although good) food, tickets, trinkets for the kids etc. and forget about me telling friends and coworkers about going. It just seems foolish to waste that for $95 bucks. I know I am in the minority that most people will "take the fee increases" and the Annual Dues increasing and maybe think they still get a good value out of the whole thing. I say to them ENJOY it!! For me well the magic is fading.

 

[Chuck S]

Sorry if I misunderstood but I am arguing about the fee so I KNOW that is a bad value But staying at a Disney hotel on points, I feel IS a good value by how I vacation, as the points go up to stay at a hotel the price to stay at that hotel also goes up - inflation. And yes the "Disney speak" to sell the timeshare was you can use it with the hotels, to ME that WAS the selling point or else I would have bought Hilton or Marriott timeshares. To me at this point it really does not matter all that much I will sell and be done with it, I just think Disney is getting ever so greedy and for $95 they will lose a customer that would go every year - buy overpriced (although good) food, tickets, trinkets for the kids etc. and forget about me telling friends and coworkers about going. It just seems foolish to waste that for $95 bucks. I know I am in the minority that most people will "take the fee increases" and the Annual Dues increasing and maybe think they still get a good value out of the whole thing. I say to them ENJOY it!! For me well the magic is fading.

Would you feel the same way if they dropped the fee but added 7 to 10 point per night? Don't forget that the number of points per night for non-DVC venues is renegotiated annually. and they usually increase. It is likely that there would be such a increase over the course of 5 years anyway.

 

[simzac]

not mine, I book concierge on points and really do not find "Discounts" at "realistic vacation times" like when kids are out of school. This affords us "included" breakfast, snacks and drinks and MAID service. Yes I could stay at my "villa" for a week or two with no maid service and no extra food, on the same points BUT I do not want to stay at Disney for two weeks at a time and incur all the costs that are associated with that! I guess what may be good for you is bad for me! LOL

If I'm reading our planner correctly, one week during value season at any of the deluxe resorts at the concierge level would be over 500 points. We can stay the whole month of January at our home resort and still have points left over for 500 points. Am I missing something

 

[Boardwalk Gal]

FWIW, the fee does not apply if booking any of the three DL resorts.

Not yet, anyhow!!! but just you wait, that'll be the next thing!!!!

 

[ClarabelleCow]

Odddog - I'm sure curious as to how long ago you purchased, and did you ever use the villas? And if not, what was the reasoning on why you purchased DVC??? Seems you can get much better pricing if you book directly or through an agent, especially with all the specials Disney runs? I can understand completely why your mad, but curious as to why you bought in the first place?

 

[kiingor]

i thouht i was told that the point value for disney resort stay would not go up during our dvc membership but the price of the rooms will for non dvc member.

 

[Lynne M]

i thouht i was told that the point value for disney resort stay would not go up during our dvc membership but the price of the rooms will for non dvc member.

That's true for the DVC resorts, not for the non-DVC Disney resorts.

 

[Lynne M]

If I'm reading our planner correctly, one week during value season at any of the deluxe resorts at the concierge level would be over 500 points. We can stay the whole month of January at our home resort and still have points left over for 500 points. Am I missing something

No, you're not missing anything. I can certainly understand that the OP might not want to stay in a villa, but that's really the only reason to buy DVC.

I'd have to sit down and do the math, but it seems to me that rack rate for concierge would have to be cheaper than the cost and maintenance fees for that number of points. Much, much cheaper.

 

[odddog]

Would you feel the same way if they dropped the fee but added 7 to 10 point per night? Don't forget that the number of points per night for non-DVC venues is renegotiated annually. and they usually increase. It is likely that there would be such a increase over the course of 5 years anyway.

The points have gone up BUT I expect that as they are negotiated with the hotels that AREN'T DVC BUT the fee IS from DVC get it??

 

[odddog]

Odddog - I'm sure curious as to how long ago you purchased, and did you ever use the villas? And if not, what was the reasoning on why you purchased DVC??? Seems you can get much better pricing if you book directly or through an agent, especially with all the specials Disney runs? I can understand completely why your mad, but curious as to why you bought in the first place?

If you looked at my signature (it is soo long I can't believe you missed it LOL!!) Yes been at Beach Club and Boardwalk. The "better pricing thing" is to me a crock, the "special pricing" is always on crummy times when our kids are in school. Look others like to stay in their Villas for weeks at a time. I don't, the extra cost involved with staying "weeks" is nuts to me. Tickets, food, trinkets all add up and quite frankly I do not want to stay at Disney MORE than a week. So for those that do and want to cook and clean on their vacation I say more power to you! I don't understand why you want to "disect" how I vacation? It is irrelevent to the $95 booking fee DVC has decided to impose. I bought DVC so I COULD use the hotels and stay concierge (a bonus) if you use points when we go it is actually cheaper than paying cash (scary huh??) I do see on this thread that there are more people than I thought that use points for hotels, like I said before I could have bought HILTON or MARRIOTT timeshares, they were cheaper, BUT the fact that you could get Disney hotels was a factor to my purchase, that has changed now. To you it is the "villa" size and I guess you can stay a week or two to me it was the HOTELS. Thats all.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

odddog - thanks for the honest answer. Trust me,I'm not one that cooks on vacation, don't go for weeks on end, really the only thing we do is breakfast in the room, mostly because too time consuming to eat out and were not breakfast people anyway! I'm also one that doesnt bring everything with me on vacation, while I see some shipping everything down and the kitchen sink!!!!!!

I love DVC because we like space, that too sounds odd to people, we mostly get a 2 br for the 4 of us. We do the parks, but hang out, at the resorts alot, do spend time in the room relaxing, etc. So I know some think
i'm crazy "wasting" points for a 2 br.

good luck with your sale. I too think 95.00 is harsh of Disney, maybe a small admin fee of 20.00 is more in line considering its still Disney!