Do you charge family and friends?

[zachatak]

We charge$14-$15 ppt when someone asks to rent points for a trip where we aren't going. When we go with a second family (we are 4, they are 5) and book 2x 2 bedrooms for a week, we also charge for those points. When we invite others, we do not charge. In those situations, the guests usually buy a dinner or 2 or will cover a few beers around Epcot but we don't expect it.

 

[Sandisw]

I feel like we are reading different posts?
All of the initial responses are that people don't charge others.
Nobody is suggesting that anyone is lying, just that after reading through a bunch of responses that people would never charge someone others who do charge people are less likely to respond.

That would be too bad because OP has asked and I don’t think anyone feels there is one right or wrong answer.

The only thing important is that both people are on the same page.

 

[heynowirv]

We have brought family several times over the years, most recently our son and daughter with their significant others. We stayed in a Treehouse for a week and we bought their park tickets for 5 days,I know we are suckers but they are our children and we enjoy their company. Dinners were interesting as we as a couple each planned a meal "home". So we had 3 nights out and on the last night which was Toplino's they all paid. It was a wonderful experience.
This October we are bringing another son and his family DW, 2 DGD's 3 and 1. We have (impatiently) waiting for this day to bring those girls to WDW and don't expect anything g in return.
There have been times over the years where friends wanted to "rent" points and we've always charged 10. a point or less. Generally rounding out the price to a reasonable number. We are fortunate art this point in our lives to be able to share WDW with family
.

 

[polynor]

Ok, we're doing our first extended family DVC trip this summer. We're charging my sister per point ($10pp) because she's not staying in our room (2br), we're booking her family a separate room (1br). She wants a separate space and we like to spreadout with my boys (we've been booking 2brs). If she was staying in the same accommodations as us, probably wouldn't. But as it is, she recognizes she's using up points that we would have otherwise (we talked about a 3BR, but that still doesn't give us the flexibility in sleeping arrangements we would all want).

 

[bumbershoot]

I’m another that doesn’t charge. The main reason my then-husband and I bought Dvc was so we could host people.

 

[Cyberc1978]

For me it would depend on who is either asking or we ask to join us.

My daughters are still too young to go alone and when the times come and they want to go alone, I most likely won’t have a problem paying for them. I say most likely because if they want to bring a big group then I’m not paying for all of them, just my daughters.

For now my oldest(17yo) is looking forward to in a few years to use my timeshare in NYC with her friends. I’m paying for their accommodations too but not airfare.

When times come and they want to bring their own small family I would definitely use my points and not ask that they pay. Young people don’t have that much money and I’m happy to help them make great memories.

If we ask anyone to join us I also wouldn’t ask for payment or that they reciprocate. If they ask to go without us I honestly don’t know as I haven’t been asked before but I think it would depend on the relationship.

 

[TCRAIG]

When I invite my brothers or sisters and their spouses, kids and grands to stay with us, I don’t charge anything for the room even though I get them a 2Br of their own - they pay all their other expenses. When we invite our daughter, SIL, grands and SIL’s mother - we pay everything for everyone (tickets, food, etc). Grammy (SIL’s mother) watches our grands full time so this is our way of saying thank you!

 

[Madame]

When DM or DMiL come with us it’s no charge. We tried to bring DD’s friend in summer 2020 but the world shut down. I asked her parents for $500 Canadian to help cover flight/ticket/meals - so maybe 1/2 of what we would spend on her given the US exchange.

We almost always get a 2bd so none of these trips require getting a larger room. Apart those 3 guests we never host anyone - it would be a lot since it’s international travel. I find that people don’t really understand the cost of DVC or the availability and they generally wouldn’t understand why flaking last minute would be a big deal…. I think it might cause tension/friction that I just don’t need in my life.

 

[Punkrockbebop]

The group that I travel with considers a WDW DVC trip along the same lines as if we all rented a house together somewhere. Everyone chips in for the costs of the lodging and pays for their own flights, WDW tickets, food etc. They know that DVC has a cost to me and they are fine contributing some dollars toward that cost. The trips are typically "hey, lets plan the next group trip to WDW" and not the case of me inviting them on "my" trip.

This is pretty much our philosophy. It’s as if we are renting a vacation house and splitting the cost. If we were more wealthy, then I’d probably just host my friends free of charge, but that is not the case. DVC was a big splurge for us. That being said, it depends if the friends are familiar with WDW or not, and how much they can afford. If the friends would normally pay moderate, I don’t want to make them pay deluxe prices, even if they are discounted. I’m trying to find a middle ground.

 

[Lorana]

Similarly to many, if I am inviting family to join me and traveling with them, I don't charge for the use of my points, as they are my guests, and I bought all the points I did so I could spoil friends and family.

That said, if they are taking their own trip and want to make use of my DVC points, then I do charge, a small amount over my dues + taxes costs (as I would otherwise either use those points for myself or rent them out).

 

[bobbiwoz]

I am old enough to have watched Captain Kangaroo and when he ended his shows he talked about how the gift of spending time with is the best gift you can give.

That made an impression with me. I don’t charge family and friends but I do expect some time with my friends.

 

[JGINPL]

I do not charge for use of points, if they want to tag along or get something different than what I had planned, they help pay for one-time use points to finish the reservation.

 

[pianomanzano]

We bring both mine and my wife's parents as a thank you for the babysitting they do for us (buy their park tickets, airfare, and meals too). While we haven't booked a trip yet with other immediate family members, we have plans to bring my SIL and her family next year and will be asking them for money to rent/transfer points to cover one of the nights in a 2BR. We could theoretically borrow points from next UY (such that they wouldn't have to spend money), but we've already planned out trips with those points.

 

[Pooh12863]

Hey, when you bring family and or friends on your DVC, do you charge them for their room? Or do you just ‘pay’ for the hotel? Do you charge them the cost of your dues only? Going rate for rentals? Dues + amortized buy in cost? Or do you just not bring anyone else on your points?

I’m just a bit curious how others handle it.

If I invite you the cost of the room is on me, you’re on the hook for your tickets and food, if you invite yourself you’re on the hook for the dues on the xtra points I need to use., your tickets and food. If I’m making dining reservations and you want to be included, you’re eating where I want to eat, otherwise you’re free to make your own reservations. Bottom line, you joining me will not in any way alter my plans. Harsh? Maybe, feel free to book your own vacation.

 

[JoeyPeligroso]

I do not charge friends or family. I have not had anyone in my family or close friend group spontaneously ask if they can use my points. I have given away as many DVC trips as I have personally taken with my immediate family. Doing this is one of the main reasons that I bought DVC in the first place.

For me, it’s really fun to share experiences at Disney with others, whether I am going with them or not. I also enjoy helping to plan trips for people who are using my points, points that I have intentionally given them. Knowing that someone has a good trip to Disney, and that I played some role in their happiness does offer a huge reward - the feeling that I did something positive for someone that I care about. This is similar to positive feelings that many get in situations of giving - giving can feel good!

I certainly don’t think it’s wrong to charge people for points, it’s just not something that I have personally done. I think everybody’s circumstance is a bit different in this way.

 

[Sandisw]

I do not charge friends or family. I have not had anyone in my family or close friend group spontaneously ask if they can use my points. I have given away as many DVC trips as I have personally taken with my immediate family. Doing this is one of the main reasons that I bought DVC in the first place.

For me, it’s really fun to share experiences at Disney with others, whether I am going with them or not. I also enjoy helping to plan trips for people who are using my points, points that I have intentionally given them. Knowing that someone has a good trip to Disney, and that I played some role in their happiness does offer a huge reward - the feeling that I did something positive for someone that I care about. This is similar to positive feelings that many get in situations of giving - giving can feel good!

I certainly don’t think it’s wrong to charge people for points, it’s just not something that I have personally done. I think everybody’s circumstance is a bit different in this way.

What is funny is that I have certain good friends who love Disney like I do. As soon as I find out, I usually offer them a night if I can find one! They just got to experience the new VGF resort studio Monday. I would not take any money. It was the first time staying there and their daughter was so excited to be able to order room service!!! That alone was worth the 19 points I gave them!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

Our "family culture" is such that folks more or less expect to reimburse each other for direct expenses, but we don't profit off one another. For us, that probably means paying the member for dues on the points that were used and also springing for a nice dinner as a thank you. For friends, if we make the invitation, we are paying. There might still be a nice dinner as a thank you, which we would not turn down.

Over the years, it's relatively rare that we've had friends/family join us on timeshare vacations. Most "normal people" do not plan their vacations a year (or more) in advance. The few times we have done it have been opportunistic exchanges, and they tend to happen closer to the date in question. We do have an "extra" week in Princeville on Kauai for next summer that we will keep in our back pocket to see if someone wants to come along. If not, we will just cancel it and roll the points forward. It's a few blocks off the ocean cliff and they may turn up their noses at it.

 

[com_op_2000]

Have never charged anyone family or friends for stays on our DVC points.
We knew when we purchased DVC that this is how we would use our points.
We have even given stays away as Christmas gifts.

 

[ParkHoppers]

He have friends who usually stay at All Stars. Last trip we put them with us in a 2 bedroom at Congress Park for 6 nights them two nights in the Cascade Cabins. We didn’t charge them. Felt good to give that experience to them. They are still talking about it.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Have never charged anyone family or friends for stays on our DVC points.
We knew when we purchased DVC that this is how we would use our points.
We have even given stays away as Christmas gifts.

We are apparently in the (very) small minority...