DVC Complaints

[JimMIA]

Another thing that is more important now than when we bought 5 years ago is Use Year. With the change in banking deadlines and the inability to use the account for certain types of transactions in the last 4 months, use year really matters now.

Jim,

Interesting and informative post. You lost me on the use year change. Can you expand on your thoghts regarding this? I'm just looking to learn.

Thanks
Rick

The change was to the banking deadlines and to certain non-DVC uses of points within the last 4 months of your UY.

With the old banking deadlines, there were three periods - a period during which you could bank as many points as you wanted, a period you could bank up to 50% of your points, and finally a deadline two months out by which you could bank up to 25% of your points. That system was "streamlined to enhance the membership experience" to 100% banking during the first 8 months, but nothing thereafter.

In the old system, you could cancel a ressie pretty late in your UY and just bank the points -- or most of the points. Now, you can't do that during the latter 1/3 of your UY, so that makes UY more critical. I have an October UY. If I wanted to book a trip in September, in the old system, I could cancel in July and still bank points. With the new system, if I cancel after May 31, my points are use-or-lose -- they can't be banked.

I'll let someone else take on the non-DVC bookings in the last 4 months of the UY. We don't use our points outside of DVC, so I'm not familiar with that change except to know there was one.

 

[RickinPA]

The change was to the banking deadlines and to certain non-DVC uses of points within the last 4 months of your UY.

With the old banking deadlines, there were three periods - a period during which you could bank as many points as you wanted, a period you could bank up to 50% of your points, and finally a deadline two months out by which you could bank up to 25% of your points. That system was "streamlined to enhance the membership experience" to 100% banking during the first 8 months, but nothing thereafter.

In the old system, you could cancel a ressie pretty late in your UY and just bank the points -- or most of the points. Now, you can't do that during the latter 1/3 of your UY, so that makes UY more critical. I have an October UY. If I wanted to book a trip in September, in the old system, I could cancel in July and still bank points. With the new system, if I cancel after May 31, my points are use-or-lose -- they can't be banked.

I'll let someone else take on the non-DVC bookings in the last 4 months of the UY. We don't use our points outside of DVC, so I'm not familiar with that change except to know there was one.

Jim,

Thanks for your reply. When I joined DVC, after the 100% in eight months rule went into effect.

It will be some time before we use points outside of DVC. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something regarding the !00% in eight months rule.

Thank you again for your time

Rick

 

[acourtwdw]

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

There isn't a lack of available rooms. Just other members got them before you did. There are a limited number of villas available and you are competing for them with other members. That's why a lot of us say buy where you won't mind staying when you make that reservation at 11 months out and can't change to anything else you want at 7 months out.

Some members, especially newer ones, don't quite get the timeshare aspect of DVC. When they see villas available on the Disney website, they don't understand why they can't get those with points. Either a member has traded their points for a non-DVC Disney vacation like a cruise or a Concierge level stay at a non-DVC resort. Or they belong to DVC and not to members and DVC has to give them to DRC to sell.

Lots of members like to go when the points are low like early Dec. Newer members don't understand why a totally unbusy time like that has nothing available when they decide to book at four or five months out. DVC requires planning and you can't just wait until the last few months to book your stay.

And you are never going to get a special deal from DVC for 40% off on points for your stay like you get with Disney.

 

[JimMIA]

The other thing I wanted to mention - neither a complaint nor a technicality, but a tip - is to always review your transactions in detail with MS after making a reservation. Be sure you know how many points were used, which resorts they came from if you have multiple home resorts, and what the resulting balances are in the affected use years. In particular, check to be sure banked points are used first, and that you really need to borrow before you borrow.

I just straightened out a problem caused because one of my daughters did not do that. She made a 31 point ressie, with the 31 points borrowed from 10/2010 OKW. However, we had a balance of 18 10/2009 points in our SSR account which should have been used before points were borrowed. It's not a lot of points, but you hate to lose any points accidentally.

MS reversed the transaction so we didn't lose any points, but it's a lot easier to spot problems while making the ressie than fixing it months later.

 

[RickinPA]

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

I check Dis Boards daily, but don't often post. I find myself with some free time today and find this thread interesting.

I'm sorry to hear you have had difficulty in booking a trip.

I have to say that my wife and I were very lucky to get assigned an excellent guide.

He interviewed us and asked numerous questions about our vacation habits.

Most of the complaints we read about DVC are items our guide covered indepth.

Point reallocation and short notice reservations were covered in depth.

We were very lucky.

He told us point blank that DVC is not for everyone and why.

 

[vicki_c]

My guide sounds like your guide, Rick -- very upfront with us, at least about anything we asked about. And I had done a lot of homework in advance on most DVC things, so didn't need a lot explained to me, but he was very open about the pros/cons of anything I asked about. The only thing I thought he talked up too much was using the points outside of DVC - I just don't see us doing that very often or ever, and I don't think that is as great of a deal as the guides often make it out to be.

 

[ACDSNY]

As far as last minute bookings we've had some with no problems and others with no availability which is what I'd expect. Timeshares in general require more advance planning in order to get the dates, location and unit size you'd like for each trip so it's not just a DVC issue.

 

[JimMIA]

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

This is another great lesson for prospective buyers to learn before they purchase. DVC is a timeshare, not a hotel, and the whole program is designed for the resorts to operate at 90+% occupancy. Many resorts are booked solid exactly at the 11-month window during certain peak periods (e.g. BWV Boardwalk or Standard View during F&W).

Very few timeshares lend themselves to spur of the moment trips, although both of my daughters have been successful with last-minute reservations.

 

[DebbieB]

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

Say a resort has 300 rooms. 400 members who own at that resort decide they would like to stay on a certain date. What do you suggest they do?

 

[sissy_42]

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

My suggestion would be to buy a second home. Not a timeshare. This is why I purchased DVC and not a traditional timeshare where I have the same week or two every year, but still there are limitations to the number of rooms in a resort.

 

[antnyh]

I want to thank everyone for making this a very imformative post for us newbies. You have been great at answering and explaning your answers. My wife and I met with our friends tonight and discussed all their complaints and praises. I am glad to report that they only complained about the same thing that got my wife and I....towels. Apparently that gets most people...lol. Well we are going to discuss and research more this weekend. Please keep posting as I will be checking back here often. I do have one other question. If I buy in now can I set my UY or is it locked into June? Thanks again everyone!!!

 

[Deb & Bill]

I want to thank everyone for making this a very imformative post for us newbies. You have been great at answering and explaning your answers. My wife and I met with our friends tonight and discussed all their complaints and praises. I am glad to report that they only complained about the same thing that got my wife and I....towels. Apparently that gets most people...lol. Well we are going to discuss and research more this weekend. Please keep posting as I will be checking back here often. I do have one other question. If I buy in now can I set my UY or is it locked into June? Thanks again everyone!!!

I wouldn't say towels bother everyone or most of the members. There are a vocal few on the DIS that don't hesitate to be bothered by towels, but just as many who don't have a problem with how towels are dispersed to members.

 

[blondietink]

At several of the DVC resorts, there is usually a towel cart left on the first floor so that if anybody needs extra towels, you can just go and get them. Usually they are wrapped in plastic. Towels have never bothered us.

We own 175 points, which is a good amount for us and if we buy another contract which we would love to do, we would probably only buy at 50 or 75 points for each contract. Easier to resell the smaller contracts. If you do buy in and then add on points later, get the same use year as it is just easier to keep track of the points.

We also own a traditional timeshare through Starwood/Sheraton which is a floating week/points system. We like them both for different reasons. However, we believe that the DVC is much more flexible, but Starwood is becoming more flexible to compete.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[javamom]

I just wanted to chime in on the valet parking thing. Could it be that you mistook free valet parking for free park parking? Because we do get free park parking (not that I have ever used it), just not free valet resort parking. Just a thought...

 

[vicki_c]

I just wanted to chime in on the valet parking thing. Could it be that you mistook free valet parking for free park parking? Because we do get free park parking (not that I have ever used it), just not free valet resort parking. Just a thought...

Yes, but that's not a DVC perk, but a perk any on-site guest receives. So true, but not exclusive to DVC. I'm guessing the guide did say valet was free - who knows if they're as up on the nuances of membership as they should be - since it just changed last year.

 

[Dean]

I do not want to start a DVC trashing topic, but we are about to join at BLT. I have read numerous posts here and at another site. I haven't really read any negative comments from DVC members. The only negative debates have been around the financial sense of joining. I am not concerned about that as I have the money and it makes financial sense to me. I do wonder if there are any complaints or dislikes that you may have. Something that you wish you knew before you joined. Not that they would make you reconsider, but it was a bummer when you found out.

Thanks...

I love DVC but it only makes sense for one who will use the points almost exclusively at DVC resorts and who plans AT LEAST 7 months out. In years past I would have cautioned you about joining for long weekends but the points changes have mitigated that somewhat. If you have the finances to do so and meet those criteria, I see no reason for you not to join. Just make sure you spend enough time learning the ins and outs before buying as you don't want to buy and find out there's a deal breaker for you that I wouldn't worry about and you don't find out until it's too late. IF you decide to buy, the question is then which resort and how many points. How many points is another matter, depending on what unit size, number of nights and time of year, one should buy a cushion of at least 10% UNLESS you're looking at a 2 BR or larger Magic or Premier season and at least 7 nights, then the cushion is less important but still a consideration.

My biggest issue with DVC is lack of available rooms. If we want to go on a whim, it can be impossible to find a DVC studio at certain times of the year. I'm not talking about the week of Xmas or Easter. Times that used to be low season. If it's my "home", I should be able to go there when I want!!!

I hope you're not serious about expecting availability on a whim. In theory each resort that is sold out should be pretty full almost all the time and there really is very little low season including some of the adventure season is really not low season. If you truly like to visit Orlando on a whim, you might consider a non DVC timeshare option where you can trade in to Orlando. This will work with either II or RCI and IF you position yourself correctly, you might be able to trade in to DVC as well though not likely on short notice there either.

 

[ToddyLu]

At several of the DVC resorts, there is usually a towel cart left on the first floor so that if anybody needs extra towels, you can just go and get them. Usually they are wrapped in plastic. Towels have never bothered us.

So you paid for them? Or just got them off the cart? I didn't see a cart at AKV, just the housekeeping cart.

 

[blondietink]

Usually this is at the villas that have outside access (OKW, SSR, Kadini, etc.). The towel carts are left under an overhang somewhere so they stay dry, but are also wrapped in plastic for extra protection. No we do not pay for them.

 

[Dean]

Usually this is at the villas that have outside access (OKW, SSR, Kadini, etc.). The towel carts are left under an overhang somewhere so they stay dry, but are also wrapped in plastic for extra protection. No we do not pay for them.

Are you saying you steal the towels off the carts or just that they are there and someone could if they chose?