DVC vs other timeshares

[Lizardbeth61]

We visited the Saratoga Springs model a few weeks ago and I, again, brought up the issue of how nice it would be to have a day bed rather than a fold out couch . . . yes, I know that will never happen . . . and our tour guide . . . I don't think she was licensed . . . told me that yes, that would be nice, but Disney needs to conform to other time shares because of the trading out process.

I for one think the others should conform to Disney and not the other way around. We pay a premium price for Disney and not IMHO just because of the location. I don't want quality to begin to suffer because they can't be better than their competition.

And at the risk of inciting a riot, I was somewhat disappointed in some things at Vero Beach, our home resort that we bought site unseen. The resort, itself was beautiful, but some things like housekeeping, the quality of the sheets and towels were not up to Disney standards. I know that sounds picky and don't get me wrong. I'm not sorry I bought, but I expected everything to be the quality of a deluxe Disney Resort, some of which we've experienced. And had I purchased the average timeshare, that would have been fine. Was I wrong in my expectations or is this an ongoing effort to match the expectations of most other time share situations? I guess I'm used to Disney exceeding my expectations and raising the bar for competetors.

Don't beat me up too badly. I love DVC and we have our next trip planned for January at VWL. I'm hoping that it will better meet what I expected.

 

[jmminarik]

Don't feel bad. I think there is a general trend at WDW to cut costs and it seems to me that maintenance and cleaning is one of those areas. What doesn't make sense to me is we're paying for the upkeep of the DVC resorts outside of Disney's 4% ownership, so why are they skimping so much?

I guess this wouldn't bother me if Eisner and his buddies weren't taking so many bonuses while services are cut and people laid off. I might just be too blue collar, but no executive should get a bonus in a year when even 1 person was laid off as a cost cutting measure. *sigh*

-joe

 

[lehrsj]

OK I understand the need to 'conform' in order to trade out but I doubt at any time there will ever be even 10% of the DVC rooms involved in a trade. So why do all rooms wouldn't need to conform?

What I'd like to see at a FUTURE DVC resort would be a portion (a third or a half) of the rooms have a different configuration. Maybe the day bed option. Or, maybe have a 1 bedroom that consists of two queen beds in the master and two regular size bathrooms instead of the large master bathroom. It could cost say 1 or 2 more points during the week, 3 or 4 during the weekend. Those units would not need to participate in trading.

I know, a lot of people like the 'master' bedroom suit. So do I. But sometimes with family and guest having more sleeping options would come in handy. And I emphasize 'future' resorts. I'm not suggesting changing the current resorts.

 

[Lizardbeth61]

Thanks. You both, at least, seem to feel as I do. The sleeping situation is part of the problem. I'm all for some changes there because of my family configuration. However, I'm also concerned about the other quality issues I mentioned. Overall, I don't want DVC to be a regular timeshare and it seems like you don't either.

I figured I was going to be chewed up and spit out for my post and I may still be, but at least we're on the same wave length.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Interesting observation, Lizardbeth61. I have never noticed a difference in towels or sheets at Vero. I will be heading to VB again in October, and I will pay more attention.
What other items do you feel lacked quality?

Personally, I think the housekeeping needs a good kick in the butt at on-site DVCs as well. Actually, my room at VB has always been immaculate, while VWL could have used better housekeeping. As much as I hate to say it, I think housekeeping is somewhat hit or miss.

 

[Lizardbeth61]

And I know it's really picky, but when we stayed at the Poly last January we had double sheeted beds and nice thick towels. The room was immaculate too.

We stayed at the Beach Club before too and it was the same.

My beef is that the Ocean View Inn room we had could have been for cash paying guests and not for DVC people. Had I been paying that amount or the amount we paid for the Poly pre DVC purchase, I wouldn't have been happy with the sheets, towels or cleanliness of the rooms. I wasn't happy as a member either, but I was trying to think of a possible excuse for lack of superior quality.

You're right though. There were no other areas of lack of quality. VB was fantastic except for that and while I'd like the bedding and towels to improve, my main concern would be the housekeeping. Had I not had the smell issue, I may not have even been annoyed by the sheet/towel thing. Like I said, I know it's picky, but luxury is one of the reasons I bought into DVC rather than Marriot or something.

Now you've got me nervous. Our next trip home is in January to VWL. And we gave an employee points as a gift at VWL next week. I'm so eager to show off DVC, I hope they don't have problems.

I guess housekeeping anywhere is hit or miss, but I truly wish they'd get their act together!!!! However, I will go back to VB 'cause we LOVED it overall.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Thanx, Lizardbeth61. I don't mean to alarm you about the housekeeping, it's just that my wife highly inspects everything and is probably too picky. We just call housekeeping, and they re-clean whatever my wife has asks them too. They always have a good attitude about it. I am sure DVC housekeeping is superior to most other housekeeping overall.

I am glad you liked the Vero Beach Resort.

 

[JimC]

I remember a thread somewhere and a poster said that the towels were once superior to anything on property, but the members kept taking them, so a lesser quality was purchased to contain costs and mitigate the likelihood that they would be taken home by members. I don't know if this is true or not or if I may have taken this our of context.

 

[Richyams]

I know OKW towels were definitely of a higher quality at one time.

I just don't understand these protestations about room configurations. Really, a one bedroom is for two people, a two bedroom is for four to six people and the GV sleeps six or eight. These 'room limits' are really absurd. Who wants to open a pull out couch? Sleep with kids in the room? have to wait on line for a bathroom?

I think Disney had to make a way for people to crowd into their, people who don't want to spend the requisite number of points for the proper size unit.

Notice that this has nothing to do with going over the limits, I think the limits are too high.

If somone has a problem with the sleeping configuration of the one bedroom, they need a two bedroom.

 

[Lizardbeth61]

Sorry Richyams! I'm not touching the room configuration thing except to say that any hotel is to accommodate 4 people and at least there you can get a roll a way if you need it for two opposite sex children, but I've been in the middle of the brew-ha-ha before and prefer not to go there again. Maybe I'm not as used to the concept of more space on vacation yet that using double points instead of $15.00 for a roll a way for an extra bed when it's only 4 of us doesn't yet make sense to me.

This towel thing, how trivial it sounds, is interesting. So, why don't they just charge members if the towels aren't there when they leave. Don't hotels with the robes do that? When I'm on vacation, I want luxury and I don't want to be penalized because other members are being unscrupulous!

Oh well. Again, it isn't that big a deal, but I want Disney to be better than others and not lower their standards to meet those of other time shares. That's my biggest argument. If I wanted average, I would have paid average and accepted average and for me, it isn't just about location! I bought Disney quality, not Disney location.

Still, I love DVC and I'm glad I joined so I don't want to sound so petty that all I care about are towels and sheets.

 

[Granny]

I'm glad that people are not flaming you for being disappointed in some aspects of DVC quality. Maybe we're becoming tolerant of others' opinions a little more? I hope so.

I personally haven't seen the problem with towels or housekeeping. But we've only been on 3 DVC trips, so maybe we never saw the older towels and don't know what we're missing.

Personally, I have found that the DVC accommodations have been everything I expected and more.

Buying sight unseen can cause a gap between expectations and reality....and especially those who listen to us gush about our DVC accommodations on this board!

I hope you come to think of your DVC accommodations in a more favorable light down the road. And that future visits hold better housekeeping and fewer disappointments for you.

 

[jmminarik]

Originally posted by Lizardbeth61
This towel thing, how trivial it sounds, is interesting. So, why don't they just charge members if the towels aren't there when they leave. Don't hotels with the robes do that?

From reading these boards, I've come to the unproven theory that Disney's mainly concerned about being non-confrontational. Rather than pursuing the criminals, they prefer to remove the enticement since the other option of raising maintenance fees would annoy members _and_ potentially hurt future sale more than less than fluffy towels. Since there's no way for Disney to 'prove' the room's occupant of being a thief (i.e. Mousekeeping took them, or Disney's lying to get an extra 20 bucks, etc) they just opt for the easy way out.


Its the same thing with the entire 'smoking in a non-smoking room'. It's the least confrontational thing to do since the smoker is obviously annoyed, but the odds of the non-smoker who gets the room next being a complainer are not 100% whereas a the smoker in front of the CM being a complainer has already been established.

Most people I think don't lodge complaints or even whine about alot of the stuff we do here on the boards. Disney (like most companies) count on that when placating irate people or seeking the non-confrontational route.

It's just _my_ theory. I could be wrong.

-Joe

 

[ncligs]

Originally posted by Granny
I'm glad that people are not flaming you for being disappointed in some aspects of DVC quality.

 

[Lizardbeth61]

. . . was brutal!!! Just kidding. I got another one of my own personalized smiley faces. Thanks!

 

[Lizardbeth61]

Good thinking Curmudgeon. You may be right, however disappointng that may be, but it makes sense.

Granny. I love DVC even though it was only our first trip. So thanks for the tolerance and I have every reason to believe that this person's association with DVC will continue. I was just showing a comparison. In some ways, you're right. The DVC accommodations are amazing in a lot of ways. I mean, the room itself at VB was certainly a far ways above a Hampton Inn for instance. It's just that there are a few extras I've seen at the Deluxe resorts that were obviously traded in exchange for the space of a DVC room. Ah well.

Anyway, you got me flamed by ncligs! How could you?!? LOL!

Thanks everyone for your input. I appreciate it.

 

[Chim Chiminy]

I know this is off topic, but my nickname when I was a kid was Lizardbeth! Given to me by an Uncle, who also called me Lizardbreath when he was feeling a bit like getting at me.
Sorry!
Oh, and we just returned from BCV and we thought the towels there were pretty nice. Very thick.