DVC vs Non-DVC resorts

[HolidayRoad]

I have been reading a lot about DVC resorts both positive and negative and IMHO the positives far out way any negatives so we bought in. Now that being said I was wondering, how do DVC resorts compared to "traditional WDW resorts" I know about the mousekeeping and different little things like that. I am more interested in what people found great and maybe not so great about staying at DVC resorts vs staying at moderates or deluxe resorts, beyond the typical stuff that comes in the brochure. Did you find the DVC resorts on par with Deluxe resorts or moderates or are they just a completely different animal. Obviously they are beautiful to look at and I am excited to be a part of this whole DVC thing but since I've always stayed at Disney Resorts I'm trying to get a grasp of how a DVC resort stay will compare to my other trips to WDW. Thanks.

 

[DVC Mike]

Well, the four DVC resorts I own at are located at existing Deluxe resorts, and share the same amenties. So, when I add-in the fantastic 1-BR or larger villas, I find them better than the Deluxe hotels they are attached to.

SSR and OKW are standalone resorts, and have more of a condo or townhome feel. They don't feel like a hotel at all.

As to comparing DVC against Moderate resorts -- there is no comparison! The 1-BR units I typically stay in at the four DVC resorts I own have:

• Room Service
• Free Valet Parking
• More Room (710-814 sq ft versus 314 sq ft at a moderate)
• Jacuzzi tub
• 1 King-size bed a Queen sleeper sofa
• a full kitchen (with all the basic cooking utensils, pots, pans and dishes supplied)
• a living room
• washer and dryer in room
• great onsite restaurants (Artist Point, Jiko & Boma, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Flying Fish Cafe, Spoodles)
• Balconies (typically 2)
• Indoor, A/C hallways
• Elaborately themed pools with awesome themed slides
• Boat service to parks
• Character Dining
• Fitness Center

There is a huge difference between DVC and the Moderate resorts!

 

[gmboy95]

Without getting to into it , once i stayed at a DVc resort, there was no going back. everything has paled in comparison since. the joy of putting the kids to bed in one room while still being able to move around and converse like you are at home is fantastic. every room or suite that i have been in was IMO a cheap knock off of DVC. What can not be overstated is the shared ammenities in the deluxe resorts!!

 

[edk35]

Well, the four DVC resorts I own at are located at existing Deluxe resorts, and share the same amenties. So, when I add-in the fantastic 1-BR or larger villas, I find them better than the Deluxe hotels they are attached to.

SSR and OKW are standalone resorts, and have more of a condo or townhome feel. They don't feel like a hotel at all.

As to comparing DVC against Moderate resorts -- there is no comparison! The 1-BR units I typically stay in at the four DVC resorts I own have:

• Room Service
• Free Valet Parking
• More Room (710-814 sq ft versus 314 sq ft at a moderate)
• Jacuzzi tub
• 1 King-size bed a Queen sleeper sofa
• a full kitchen (with all the basic cooking utensils, pots, pans and dishes supplied)
• a living room
• washer and dryer in room
• great onsite restaurants (Artist Point, Jiko & Boma, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Flying Fish Cafe, Spoodles)
• Balconies (typically 2)
• Indoor, A/C hallways
• Elaborately themed pools with awesome themed slides
• Boat service to parks
• Character Dining
• Fitness Center

There is a huge difference between DVC and the Moderate resorts!

WOW I am soooooo jealous that you own at 4 DVC resorts!!!! You are soooooooo lucky!!!!!

 

[robinb]

Like DVC Mike says, most of the WDW DVC resorts are part of existing Deluxe resorts. The other two WDW DVC resorts, OKW and SSR are more condo and "home like" IMO.

We almost always stay in studios and the size is very close to being the same as traditional Deluxe rooms. Plus, you get a microwave in the room and one of the beds is replaced with a fold-out couch giving you more room during the day.

 

[edk35]

Without getting to into it , once i stayed at a DVc resort, there was no going back. everything has paled in comparison since. the joy of putting the kids to bed in one room while still being able to move around and converse like you are at home is fantastic. every room or suite that i have been in was IMO a cheap knock off of DVC. What can not be overstated is the shared ammenities in the deluxe resorts!!

I have to agree. We love DVC and love staying in 2br villas. It is so much more relaxing and you do vacation differently in my opinion. I now look back at past vacations and loved them all but I would have a very hard time staying in a hotel room for a long period of time. I love the at home feeling that DVC brings to a vacation. It makes you realize that the magical atmosphere is not all about parks every day. We can also stay at Shades of Green and have many times but will only stay there now when we decide to add a short trip ...more of a last min. bonus trip. We plan (FOR now) using our DVC points for at least one week trips. We are going in July for 12 nights and back again in Nov. for 7.

LOVE LOVE LOVE being a DVC member.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Well, once we moved from a regular WDW resort room to a DVC 1,2, or 3 bedroom villa, there was no going back. We don't even stay in studios much, because they are too much like regular hotel rooms. DVC rooms are not only deluxe, but also feel like a home!

 

[HolidayRoad]

I just wanted to thank everyone who responded. Basically you told me exactly what I was hoping to hear . I'm so pumped for my first trip "Home" I can't wait! Thanks again.

 

[Sammie]

Well I am sorry to be the one to say I find the deluxe resorts to be much better taken care of as far as maintenance and more often than DVC resorts and housekeeping better.

The amenities I find to be very similar but I definitely think Disney takes better care of their deluxe resorts than DVC does theirs.

 

[crisi]

I prefer hotels. But I can't affordably sleep my kids in a different room in a hotel. And I'm very content with DVC for now. But here is where I see the negative differences.

I like daily mousekeeping (not enough to pay for it)

We don't use the kitchen much

I think the CRO rooms are better maintained. They seem to be refreshed more often - and lacking the kitchen, the rooms seem to be less impacted by food.

I think the CRO rooms are better appointed (better furnishings, I don't find drawers off their tracks with nearly the frequency at hotels, is it just me, or is it just the Boardwalk, or is it DVC in general, rooms always are missing drawerpulls or have their drawers off the tracks or their hinges broken.)

I think the CRO rooms offer more flexibility (I don't have to plan so far out, CRO often has availability longer, I can decide if I want a value or if I want to stay at the Yacht Club, I can cancel last minute, I can skip Disney for years without wondering what I should do with my points).

Positive differences - we actually cook more than we thought we would. The washer dryer ROCKS with little kids (which shocked me), and I affordably sleep my kids in a different room. We don't really use the jacuzzi (have one at home) but for a lot of people that's a huge plus. It is nice to have the extra room - but all of these really only applies when you have a one bedroom or larger. Studios really don't carry the same pro list for me.

 

[tjkraz]

A lot of it is the nature of the beast. Without daily housekeeping, it's difficult to pay the attention to details that the cash rooms get. When you're cleaning rooms daily, little problems are caught when they are still little problems. At DVC little problems may not get attention for a week or even longer if the housekeeping staff isn't particularly observant.

The points charts being tilted toward weekday stays seems to place a terribly uneven burden on the housekeepers, too. The volume of Sunday check-ins and Friday check-outs often means that there are hundreds of rooms in need of servicing in a single day.

The high occupancy rate of DVCs means that rooms can't be easily blocked-off for additional maintenance. With the cash resorts typically running around 90% occupancy, it's very easy to block-off rooms that need a fresh coat of paint, carpet shampooed or some plumbing repairs. But at the DVC resorts, they often have only a few hours from 11am to 4pm to clean the unit and affect any necessary repairs.

So, those are all the contributing factors to shabbier room conditions and lackluster housekeeping.

I also think that some of the larger rooms have become magnets for guests willing to overstuff the rooms. It doesn't help that DVC openly condones the addition of guests beyond the stated occupancy.

When you allow people to put 5 guests in a One Bedroom that only sleeps 4, you've got people bringing in their own airbeds, cots, sleeping bags and so forth. While these guests are acting within the guidelines enforced by DVC, it's impossible to think that these additional guests don't add more wear-and-tear to the rooms as a whole.

 

[edk35]

A lot of it is the nature of the beast. Without daily housekeeping, it's difficult to pay the attention to details that the cash rooms get. When you're cleaning rooms daily, little problems are caught when they are still little problems. At DVC little problems may not get attention for a week or even longer if the housekeeping staff isn't particularly observant.

The points charts being tilted toward weekday stays seems to place a terribly uneven burden on the housekeepers, too. The volume of Sunday check-ins and Friday check-outs often means that there are hundreds of rooms in need of servicing in a single day.

The high occupancy rate of DVCs means that rooms can't be easily blocked-off for additional maintenance. With the cash resorts typically running around 90% occupancy, it's very easy to block-off rooms that need a fresh coat of paint, carpet shampooed or some plumbing repairs. But at the DVC resorts, they often have only a few hours from 11am to 4pm to clean the unit and affect any necessary repairs.

So, those are all the contributing factors to shabbier room conditions and lackluster housekeeping.

I also think that some of the larger rooms have become magnets for guests willing to overstuff the rooms. It doesn't help that DVC openly condones the addition of guests beyond the stated occupancy.

When you allow people to put 5 guests in a One Bedroom that only sleeps 4, you've got people bringing in their own airbeds, cots, sleeping bags and so forth. While these guests are acting within the guidelines enforced by DVC, it's impossible to think that these additional guests don't add more wear-and-tear to the rooms as a whole.

I didn't realizes you could put 5 people in a 1 bedroom? I thought if they were maybe crib age you could? OH I am sure that the DVC resorts are abused with too many occupants per villa. You would think that housekeeping seeing cots, air mattresses and such might get some guests a call from the front desk. I mean....isn't it blantanly obvious that too many people are there if you see an air mattress or cot??

 

[tjkraz]

I didn't realizes you could put 5 people in a 1 bedroom? I thought if they were maybe crib age you could? OH I am sure that the DVC resorts are abused with too many occupants per villa. You would think that housekeeping seeing cots, air mattresses and such might get some guests a call from the front desk. I mean....isn't it blantanly obvious that too many people are there if you see an air mattress or cot??

For over 2 years now DVC has advocated putting 5 of any age in a One Bedroom and 9 in a Two Bedroom. They won't provide additional sleeping accommodations or towels, but they will let that many names be added to the reservation. In most cases, that guarantees people are bringing their own air beds, etc.

 

[starbox]

Well....... prior to DVC, we stayed in mods. I actually think they have some advantages.

1) Excluding SAB - it seems like the mods have the most elaborately themed pools. I do think CSR and POR have better pools than the deluxes (DVC or non-DVC).

2) The mods have great CS dining. CSR was our first on-property resort and it was a huge disappointment to realize that none of the deluxe resorts have anything remotely comparable to Pepper Market.

3) The mods have convenient bus transportation - multiple stops so there's not a long walk and they don't share busses with other resorts. AKV, SSR, and OKW don't share and have similar set-ups. BWV and BCV share with the Swan, Dolphin, and each other depending on where you're going. The monorail deluxes all share a bus. VWL can share with FW depending on where you are going. I was shocked that deluxes do not get better bus transportation.

But - that said, we LOVE DVC and would not trade it. I'm glad, however, that Kidani is supposed to get an elaborate pool - and I would not complain if future DVCs had nice food courts and dedicated busses.

 

[edk35]

For over 2 years now DVC has advocated putting 5 of any age in a One Bedroom and 9 in a Two Bedroom. They won't provide additional sleeping accommodations or towels, but they will let that many names be added to the reservation. In most cases, that guarantees people are bringing their own air beds, etc.

I surely didn't realize that they allowed that. I have heard of more than what I thought was allowed staying in the villas. I swear I thought our handbooks say that only 8 in a 2 br. I guess because of the King beds....people could put 3 in those if they wanted. Well I know I like MY SPACE and I will not be sleeping more than 8 in my 2 br. LOL

 

[edk35]

A lot of it is the nature of the beast. Without daily housekeeping, it's difficult to pay the attention to details that the cash rooms get. When you're cleaning rooms daily, little problems are caught when they are still little problems. At DVC little problems may not get attention for a week or even longer if the housekeeping staff isn't particularly observant.

The points charts being tilted toward weekday stays seems to place a terribly uneven burden on the housekeepers, too. The volume of Sunday check-ins and Friday check-outs often means that there are hundreds of rooms in need of servicing in a single day.

The high occupancy rate of DVCs means that rooms can't be easily blocked-off for additional maintenance. With the cash resorts typically running around 90% occupancy, it's very easy to block-off rooms that need a fresh coat of paint, carpet shampooed or some plumbing repairs. But at the DVC resorts, they often have only a few hours from 11am to 4pm to clean the unit and affect any necessary repairs.

So, those are all the contributing factors to shabbier room conditions and lackluster housekeeping.

I also think that some of the larger rooms have become magnets for guests willing to overstuff the rooms. It doesn't help that DVC openly condones the addition of guests beyond the stated occupancy.

When you allow people to put 5 guests in a One Bedroom that only sleeps 4, you've got people bringing in their own airbeds, cots, sleeping bags and so forth. While these guests are acting within the guidelines enforced by DVC, it's impossible to think that these additional guests don't add more wear-and-tear to the rooms as a whole.

and I sure as heck don't want my kids sleeping in sleeping bags on hotel floors. ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww