Does annual dues cover?

[Samaya]

Does the annual dues cover the wages of all the cast members working in a DVC Resort; such as guest services at check in, chef's, table service waiters, cast members working in a General Store such as Conch Flats at OKW, housekeeping, etc. etc?

Thanks.

 

[Chuck S]

Dues should cover the cost of the personnel for resort services. That would include check-in, housekeeping, maintenance, lifeguards, security, etc.

The restaurants and shops are operated by a Disney food and Merchandise division, with those personnel costs covered by that division.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Waiters and food service employees as part of the restaurants, should be covered by the restuarant as part of their pricing in their meals. Items that are covered are guest services at check-in, mousekeeping, resort management, etc.

 

[Samaya]

Thank you Chuck S & Jlewisinsyr for your replies, we often wondered if all the Cast Members working at a DVC resort were paid out of member dues.

In fact we asked that question to a wonderful couple working at Conch Flats General Store many years ago and they were not sure.

Presumably the dues cover the full cost of employing a Cast Member including all the perks their position offers, such as medical benefits, retirement plans, vacation and sick days, free-reduced park tickets, discounted DVC membership, etc?

Dues should cover the cost of the personnel for resort services. That would include check-in, housekeeping, maintenance, lifeguards, security, etc.

The restaurants and shops are operated by a Disney food and Merchandise division, with those personnel costs covered by that division.

Waiters and food service employees as part of the restaurants, should be covered by the restuarant as part of their pricing in their meals. Items that are covered are guest services at check-in, mousekeeping, resort management, etc.

 

[drusba]

Yes, your dues pay for the personnel who work at the resort and any of their benefits, and that includes housekeeping (usually the most expensive item service item), front desk and other personnel, maintenance personnel, and security. You also pay for transportation systems -- busses, boats, and monorail -- and their personnel to extent your resort uses any of those. Personnel costs are about 65% of all your dues.

As to "full" cost, that depends. For example, those at OKW would pay the full cost or close to it of their front desk personnel but those at BWV share that cost with BWI. BLT members pay only a portion of the monorail costs since it is used by others.

Your dues also, of course, along with those from all resorts pay for Member Services although in a round about way. There is $1 per member reservation fee that goes to MS. Then there is "breakage period" inclome. At 60 days or less out, DVD can rent any unreserved rooms. The net income from those rentals goes first to offset up to 2.5 percent of the resort's operating budget. Then amounts above that go to pay for MS (and if amounts exceed what is needed for that, it goes to DVD). The third potential source for MS costs is the Management Fee. It is an item listed in the dues and pays for Disney's overall management of the resorts and anything additonal needed for MS and its reservation systems. It is a set percentage (12.5%) of the annual operating budget of the resorts. The percentage does not change buit the amount goes up as the total dues go up. Much of that fee is mostly real (and legal) profit for DVD. It is the incentive that keeps Disney from selling a sold-out resort such as VB or HH.

 

[Chuck S]

I don't think dues pay any portion of their discounted DVC, if they choose to purchase. There are specific restrictions that come with that perk. Nor is it a cost of employment, as compared to health insurance, retirement benefits, etc.

I would think "employee discounts" are much like "DVC Member Discounts." They are granted by Disney (or the privately operated store) to encourage them to shop there, figuring the increase in business offsets the difference in profits.

 

[DebbieB]

In each resort contract/public offering statement, it lists ammenities that are included as part of the timeshare. Members are responsible for operations and maintenance of those items, for example the pools are listed. Restaurants and stores are not included. If they were, then the members would have a right to a portion of the income from them. The BLT contract specifically says that Top of the World is not a part of the timeshare, thus there is not guaranteed member use nor is there any income.

 

[fast43]

Has anyone tried to "write off" their dues payments on their income taxes? I know you can write off the property taxes and the mortgage interest but my tax accountant told me I could deduct the annual dues as a "Home owner maintenance fee". Does anyone else believe this?

 

[crisi]

Has anyone tried to "write off" their dues payments on their income taxes? I know you can write off the property taxes and the mortgage interest but my tax accountant told me I could deduct the annual dues as a "Home owner maintenance fee". Does anyone else believe this?

I am not a tax accountant, I am not your tax accountant, and tax advice on the internet is worth what you pay for it, but if I were you, I'd get a new tax accountant - or at least make him show you the code where this is specified out. That is not a deductible expense, any more than the exterior paint for your own primary residence is deductible.