DVC changes

[wolverine2010]

I guess i should re-clarify were i am going with my posts...All DVC people that have contracts really dont have a say i guess on what WDW does on things like mugs or glasses or the ddp..now the people that spent the money on the DVC only really have a room or place to stay for probably a week or 2 at WDW per year....Most as we do love it and have a great time either if they stay at pop or the beach club...what is going on is the erosion of the world most of us and you have come to love and it sickens me to no end to see it..This is not about DVC vs Florida residents or people with familys from New Jersey or Iowa or Ohio..This is about what has happened in the last couple of years as far as quality / service and a commitment to those that have stuck by WDW and spent there hard earned dollars toward a place they felt was magic...And there is magic there still but sometimes like this issue for the DVCer's or the DDP for Florida residents... a little more seems to be lost with every stroke of the coperate pen....When will there no magic left to justify the expense???.......

 

[Pennyguy23]

2018??

 

[Muushka]

I read your post twice and I am not understanding what you are trying to say. Could you rewrite it with punctuation and complete sentences? I don't mean to offend, but I am just trying to understanding you.

 

[disneynutz]

I guess i should re-clarify were i am going with my posts...All DVC people that have contracts really dont have a say i guess on what WDW does on things like mugs or glasses or the ddp..now the people that spent the money on the DVC only really have a room or place to stay for probably a week or 2 at WDW per year....Most as we do love it and have a great time either if they stay at pop or the beach club...what is going on is the erosion of the world most of us and you have come to love and it sickens me to no end to see it..This is not about DVC vs Florida residents or people with familys from New Jersey or Iowa or Ohio..This is about what has happened in the last couple of years as far as quality / service and a commitment to those that have stuck by WDW and spent there hard earned dollars toward a place they felt was magic...And there is magic there still but sometimes like this issue for the DVCer's or the DDP for Florida residents... a little more seems to be lost with every stroke of the coperate pen....When will there no magic left to justify the expense???.......

When everyone quits going.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Years and years ago, in the '80's, we stayed at WDW and had some sort of plan where we could eat at table service whenever, and everything was pre-paid. Our DS's and we eventually decided that we didn't want to alway sit down and eat, it was taking too much time out of our vacation. I do not remember the cost, but I remember that I was very glad that it was prepaid because that was one bill I didn't want to pay afterwards. Going to WDW was a real budget breaker for us, but if we pre-paid it didn't seem quite as bad.

Disney still offers meal plans and we do alright with the DDE. I am annoyed that Disney still thinks a poor server at a buffet restaurant should get 18% gratuity, and when I complained to the person who responded to my letter, I was basically told that I should be a trainer to this waitperson, that he/she really wants to do better! Disney has an answer for everything and it often isn't the answer that I want to hear.

However, I still enjoy the overall WDW, Disney experience. I do hope that as a MEMBER of DVC's Vacation club, I have some say regarding the policy of getting styrofoam and paper cups in studios. As a couple, we stay in studios most often, as a family group we stay in a 2 bedroom and 1-3 studios. We like this arrangement for the family stays, for our "couple" stays, I'm waiting to see if this policy holds, and I am doing what I can to make it go away. I do not want to make meaningless threats, I am not going to sell all of my points, but I will not be adding any more points now, we're in a holding pattern.

DVC did provide DVD players in the studios, and people will be getting free internet. It's not a complete downward spiral.

I have complained about some service or other at WDW, and Disney has returned some money by way of a gift card, or cruise allowance. Mostly I love my WDW vacations, but the removal of a real glass in my studio is a real stone in my shoe and I think it just has to be removed. They have to come up with a better solution, for members as well as DVC/Disney.

Bobbi

 

[DVC Mike]

Every so often, we'll have a not-so-good experience that brings us down a bit. However, it always seems that the very next day, we are surprised by a magical bit of service from another Disney CM that reminds us why we bought DVC and why we go to WDW.

For example, my wife had a not-so-good dining experience at the Garden Grill at Epcot two weeks ago. She ended up not being able to eat much of anything due to the chef not being able to accomodate her food allergies.

As we walked back to BCV, I suggested we stop in at Beaches & Cream and see if she could at least pickup some gluten-free french fries. My wife told the folks at B&C what had just happened at GG, and they dove into action. They made her four gluten-free sandwiches, a special salad, a special dessert, as well as her gluten-free french fries. When we finally left, they only charged us for a $2.49 child's sandwich for all that food.

Plus, when we got back to our room at BCV, the Concierge staff had dropped off chocolate-covered strawberries!

It's things like this that keep us coming back to WDW. Yes, every so often there may be a not-so-good experience; but most of the time we get great customer service and that special Disney magic!

 

[JimMIA]

I read your post twice and I am not understanding what you are trying to say.

I don't get it either.

I'm not sure what the reference is to "...DDP for Florida residents." As far as I know, we have no access to DDP other than purchasing a package at a Disney resort or staying on DVC points.

 

[DisFlan]

Years and years ago, in the '80's, we stayed at WDW and had some sort of plan where we could eat at table service whenever, and everything was pre-paid. Our DS's and we eventually decided that we didn't want to alway sit down and eat, it was taking too much time out of our vacation. I do not remember the cost, but I remember that I was very glad that it was prepaid because that was one bill I didn't want to pay afterwards. Going to WDW was a real budget breaker for us, but if we pre-paid it didn't seem quite as bad.

Bobbiwoz -

We enjoyed the great service of the past, too - and it WAS great. We've watched it slide over a couple of decades, but we still love Disney. BUT - this lack of glassware thing is super annoying. It just means more stuff we have to haul down there or buy after we arrive. It's bad enough to eat cereal out of paper in the AM. (I'll be bringing studier bowls, plates and plastic "silverware", too.) The fact that we need to bring this stuff at all is irritating.

We don't see the studio "kitchenettes" as anything close to the real kitchens in the larger units (love them!), but we don't always need a 1 or 2 bd, and we'd like to be able to utilize the mini-kitchen at SOME reasonable level - like having a plate or cup that doesn't disintegrate in the microwave.

DisFlan

 

[BCV23]

Some things have improved as well. The mattresses, linens, pillows and sofa beds are all improved. Mattresses greatly improved.

We don't stay in studios more than a single night here or there but the glass and mug change would kill me too. I hope it is remedied.

DVCMike, what a great story!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Bobbiwoz -

...We don't see the studio "kitchenettes" as anything close to the real kitchens in the larger units (love them!), but we don't always need a 1 or 2 bd, and we'd like to be able to utilize the mini-kitchen at SOME reasonable level - like having a plate or cup that doesn't disintegrate in the microwave.

DisFlan

I agree! I bring microwaveable plates and glad storage containers with lids to use as cereal bowls as well as for storage. On our very first stay we just about died when we saw how small the little paper bowls were. We hadn't taken a tour of DVC, but I read about the fact that the bowls and plates would be paper. I "need" the dishwashing stuff to clean the stuff that I do bring, and wipe off the counter, table etc. I do bring a larger mugs for DH and I for coffee, but I will not risk bringing glass in my suitcases.

I do not use styrofoam at home and I'm upset about these new studio supplies. I also think that the way the turnover was handled is terrible. People beginning a stay with ceramic cups and glasses, and then have housekeeping just take them away. That is not WDW customer service.

I don't think my DVC experience has been all bad, and that is what my original post was about.

Bobbi

 

[DisFlan]

Hmmm. Well...maybe we can order room service the first night we're there. Then keep the dishes and hide them in the freezer! It beats a trip to Walmart.

DisFlan

 

[Dean]

I guess i should re-clarify were i am going with my posts...All DVC people that have contracts really dont have a say i guess on what WDW does on things like mugs or glasses or the ddp..now the people that spent the money on the DVC only really have a room or place to stay for probably a week or 2 at WDW per year....Most as we do love it and have a great time either if they stay at pop or the beach club...what is going on is the erosion of the world most of us and you have come to love and it sickens me to no end to see it..This is not about DVC vs Florida residents or people with familys from New Jersey or Iowa or Ohio..This is about what has happened in the last couple of years as far as quality / service and a commitment to those that have stuck by WDW and spent there hard earned dollars toward a place they felt was magic...And there is magic there still but sometimes like this issue for the DVCer's or the DDP for Florida residents... a little more seems to be lost with every stroke of the coperate pen....When will there no magic left to justify the expense???.......

As I wrote recently, things change and have changed. Some of those changes have been for the better and some not, overall I think the aggregate has been for the worse. Some of those changes were also obvious choices based on size and incorporating all of the newer resorts, some are based on choices that the system has made.

Anyone who bought with the idea of having a room to stay in at a timeshare at WDW that is a good value overall for them, is in pretty good shape if they made good choices on the front in. To say we don't have a say is not correct. We don't have a formal vote for most day to day issues but there are always things one can do to combat choices you see as incorrect. You can complain to DVC management, you can talk to the voting rep, you can complain through the state in Tallahassee, you can involve a lawyer or any and all if you desire. And you can vote with your feet if you are unhappy and can't stomach where things are, or are going.

 

[ADP]

When everyone quits going.

Dead on! Disney's reasoning for raising prices is "Customer Demand". If customers keep demanding their product prices will continue to rise. Rising prices do create higher expectations.

 

[Chester's Mum]

Dead on! Disney's reasoning for raising prices is "Customer Demand". If customers keep demanding their product prices will continue to rise. Rising prices do create higher expectations.

So anyone ready to join the "Let's stop going" thread? Any takers?

Not me, I just joined.

 

[keishashadow]

Hmmm. Well...maybe we can order room service the first night we're there. Then keep the dishes and hide them in the freezer! It beats a trip to Walmart.

DisFlan

sounds like a plan you won't have to worry about hiding them until mousekeeping returns with the towels a few days later