Extended Family Vacas and Using Points

[asjlopi]

DW and I are planning a big family vacation with my parents, brother and his family, in laws and sister in law and her family in 2009. We are planning on using our points and borrowing from 2010. We are thinking of charging our families for the points. This would still be a substantial savings from what they would pay just making reservations on their own. Has anyone charged their families for points?

 

[wdwnut]

Hi: It depends on what the families would do otherwise. If they would go and spend money on regular rooms in resorts, you may be able to speak to them about charging for points. That being said, we've done 4 larger trips (15, 26, 25, and 19 people) and haven't charged; they were our guests. They did do things like pay for several meals though.

 

[Chuck S]

While I don't charge for friends and family, many people do. Whatever is right for you and your family is fine. But whatever you do, you need to do exactly the same for your family and your wife's family. They will talk, and it could lead to hurt feelings.

 

[jblrn2b]

It depends on what is the norm in your family. One Poster once said they charge a "fee" to make sure no one cancels on them. Just remember you have to live with these people.

 

[goofy4tink]

I traveled to WDW a few years ago, with another mom and her dd..our girls celebrated their 13th birthdays together in WDW. I booked a two bedroom at BWV. I didn't want to be 'paid back' for it, but the other mom said that they weren't going if they didn't pay for their room!! So, I just figured what a studio would be, point-wise, and then charged her $10 a point. Even that wasn't enough for her...she said that was way too little. So, she paid for a few other things once we got there.
I would imagine that our family would want to pay something, so again, I would charge that $10 a point...very reasonable, and no one thinks they are 'free loading'.

 

[mikesmom]

We have charged friends and distant family, but not charged close family.

Now original question answered I will say what many are probably thinking, but not saying...

Don't do it!

You say you are not only using all your points, but also borrowing. Many of us have had the extended family/friends trip and had bad experiences.
-people back out at the last minute
- people don't pay, you front the points because you "know" they will get the money to you, and then they cancel at the last minute
- people will cancel -not at the last minute-, but your borrowed points will be stuck in this use year
- people won't commit either way this far out and you will go crazy trying to figure out ressies so everyone who "might" go is covered
- people say they won't go, then want to go, and you go crazy making new arrangements so you don't look like the bad guy that wouldn't let them join you on vacation
-and then they change their minds again after you get the ressies made
-people pay you, then change their minds inside the 30 days and nobody in the family understands if you don't want to give the money back because "after all, they didn't take the trip".

There are lots of horror stories on these Boards from people who shared their DVC points and got burned. I know where you are coming from because we borrowed points to make a rather large ressie for family members. They cancelled outside of the 30 day mark (but just barely) and it took me the better part of 3 years before I managed to shake out all the re arranging, renting, changing our vacations, etc it took to get all our vacation points back on an even keel.

Good luck!

 

[Noreendisfour]

There have been alot of horror stories from people using their dvc points for family and then family backing out at last minute.

How about pointing them towards the rent board. They can rent from another member and you can use your own points.

 

[Donna M]

Did you already talk about it around them and now you're thinking of asking them to pay? They might be thrilled to stay at DVC especially if you are giving them a break since they are family. You might want to be careful if you are charging them the going rate but they think they are your guests. We have between 6 and 8 people joining us and we aren't asking them for any money. We just want to treat them since we can.

 

[eliza61]

We have charged friends and distant family, but not charged close family.

Now original question answered I will say what many are probably thinking, but not saying...

Don't do it!

You say you are not only using all your points, but also borrowing. Many of us have had the extended family/friends trip and had bad experiences.
-people back out at the last minute
- people don't pay, you front the points because you "know" they will get the money to you, and then they cancel at the last minute
- people will cancel -not at the last minute-, but your borrowed points will be stuck in this use year
- people won't commit either way this far out and you will go crazy trying to figure out ressies so everyone who "might" go is covered
- people say they won't go, then want to go, and you go crazy making new arrangements so you don't look like the bad guy that wouldn't let them join you on vacation
-and then they change their minds again after you get the ressies made
-people pay you, then change their minds inside the 30 days and nobody in the family understands if you don't want to give the money back because "after all, they didn't take the trip".

There are lots of horror stories on these Boards from people who shared their DVC points and got burned. I know where you are coming from because we borrowed points to make a rather large ressie for family members. They cancelled outside of the 30 day mark (but just barely) and it took me the better part of 3 years before I managed to shake out all the re arranging, renting, changing our vacations, etc it took to get all our vacation points back on an even keel.

Good luck!

Whew, get out of my head. You were reading my thoughts. Op, I would say "know your family" While I love my sister dearly, the woman can't follow through on a trip to Walmart. She has burned me too many times so the last family trip. I charged her. You know what, I guess since she had to fork over cash it was a little more important to her.

Now it depends on what type of trip and who will be sharing accomodations with me. when I invite the grandparents I never think to charge them.

 

[Chuck S]

While I love my sister dearly, the woman can't follow through on a trip to Walmart.

I had some family like that, but they way you stated it.

 

[helenk]

DW and I are planning a big family vacation with my parents, brother and his family, in laws and sister in law and her family in 2009. We are planning on using our points and borrowing from 2010. We are thinking of charging our families for the points. This would still be a substantial savings from what they would pay just making reservations on their own. Has anyone charged their families for points?

I have not done this as yet, but my brother wants to go next year with his step daughter and her son. this means I would have to get either a 1 or 2 bedroom so that would shoot my future vacation plans. I would not be able to get in a second trip. When we went last year and stayed at the Allstar Music he paid for 2 rooms for himself and his other step-daughter. So he offered to pay the same amount to me for the DVC stay. We agreed that he should just pay the amount of my annual dues. This way he gets to stay at a nice resort for far less than a weeks stay at the Allstar Music, and I have enough to pay for my dues next year. Its a win win situation.

 

[HGD24]

We invited my in-laws on our upcoming trip so we didn't ask them to pay anything because we invited them as our guests. Other family members invited themselves to be Disney at the same time as us so we asked them to pay 1/2 of what we would have charged someone from the rent board here on DIS.

We did everything via e-mail and asked for payment by x date and stated that if they needed to cancel, they needed to do so by x date or we would lose our points and that we would give them back any money they had given to us up until that point. We made sure to say, "Do you agree on the payment and cancellation date and refund?" in our e-mail and they responded back that they agreed. That way it was at least in writing that we all agreed upon the "terms".

 

[pyrxtc]

I ahve a bunch of family invited to go in December with us. None of them have been to Disney before, well at least not in the last 10 years. They all have their rooms booked by me with points, they all have their airfare paid for and time off from work. I most of them signed up to get the dining plan, which they wil pay for upon check-in.

I already had my BIL cancel but my sister is still coming. We are coming from 5 states to be there. If everyone in one room cancels, I know I could rent it out in a heartbeat since DVC is currently full for that time period and there are waiting lists. I couldn't cancel and bank the points cuz they would still be of no use to me but I could charge a very nice rate and rent out the time period if I chose.

I hope that this all works out since it is our first vacation together ever and just realized the other day that I ahve never hung out wiht my younger sister and her DH when they were sober for more than a couple of hours. I am also the only one wiht kids so it will be an experience for them.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We just started getting e-mails from my husband's family (brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, etc) about a BIG FAMILY REUNION next year. I haven't responded to any of them. My husband doesn't do e-mails, so I doubt if he will either. But I'm going to WDW next summer and not with them.

 

[shelby101301]

My sister is significantly younger than I am, and hasn't been to Disney since she was a kid. When we told her about joining DVC she was so excited for us. I know we are not in a position to give points away financially - we had planned on renting some points initially until we pay it off.

But from the get go, I told her if she was interested in rentnig points, we would do so at a discount. So we have our first trip planned, a 2 bedroom at BWV and she is going to pay us $650 for the entire week for her and her boyfriend. I went to Disney.com and priced it for the week we will be there, and it came out to $4100.

I told her that, and she said "maybe I should think about joining too!" LOL

I don't know if she will back out on me, but we are in the position that we are going to lose developer and incentive points anyway, so oh well. I hope she doesn't back out

 

[robind]

I am taking my aunt, uncle, my cousin, her husband, their two kids and my cousin's in laws w/ me for my December trip. I am renting a two bedroom for myeveryone except the in-laws and a one bedroom (although I'm wait listed for a studio) for my cousin's in-laws. My cousin and her husband don't have a lot of money so I am covering the "cost" of the 2 bedroom and charging her in-laws the same price as a standard room at POP would have been. I did give them the estimated costs (room, air, tickets meal plan) before they decided to go so everyone knew what the deal was going in.

 

[Anal Annie]

We are trying to plan a trip for mid-August next summer and have invited extended family to celebrate my parents 50th anniversary...but I am not booking anything until the 7 month mark because none of them will plan that far out. If everybody went that we invited we would also have to borrow.

We originally invited my parents, my brother and his GF and my nephews. We also orig. invited my MIL, BIL & DH's adopted brother (along with BIL's GF). Since we hatched this plan several months ago, BIL has received orders to ship out to Iraq again in January...so we're down 2 there and then one nephew signed up for the Army & leaves for boot camp in June so he's out. I asked MIL to decide if she'd rather just wait for BIL's tour to be over & then we'll plan another trip sometime and separate the 2 sides of the family. The other thing we don't know is step-brother will be going off to his freshman year of college...a big unknown at this point as to WHEN he will have to go...mid-August may not work for him. It's very complicated for sure.

We invited everyone as our guests and as a present for my parents so we will not be charging anyone who goes. We will cover their accomodations but they WILL however have to get themselves to FL and they will have to buy their own park tickets and meals. THAT alone may stop my brother & his GF & the remaining nephew...

Just last week I emailed screen shots of the current ticket prices & options and told them what kind of expense they would be looking at if they want to go...just so they could budget for it. I also suggested we could try for VB instead so we could eliminate that expense. But I told them I am booking by January 16 whichever way the vote swings so run the numbers and decide. I would love to play host for them but I have a feeling it's not going to happen the way I'd originally envisioned. Once I know who's in for sure we'll decide WHERE to stay and if we should get separate studios or a 2 bedroom or what...

 

[flechette]

Please Listen to Mikesmom.

Speaking as one who got burned: it started out being 6 of us and now down to just me and hubby in a 2 bedroom villa. Granted it will be nice to not have to wait for the shower and such but still. Both sisters have understandable reasons for cancelling - in both cases Life interferred- but it was a headache from the word go. And both of them don't get I saved 5 days of vacation for this to see them and that's why my family hasn't seen me this year.....

I've got a 2009 trip planned with friends - despite a year of saving up money as a group, monthly emails showing current costs and my expectations of costs rising, and almost every email saying it would be a Sun - Fri stay so we could afford a Grand villa for that time- last week one party asked why we couldn't do a Wed - Sun stay.... ( I had even sent out links to point charts and calculators!)


Please be very sure and explain everything in simple terms and make your family send back an email stating they understand your expectations. Perhaps offer them a free room this time but make it clear any cancellation will inccur a fee for which you would expect to be reimbursed.

FWIW - I don't have a problem asking for $$ for points beyond what we would use. Good Luck!

We have charged friends and distant family, but not charged close family.

Now original question answered I will say what many are probably thinking, but not saying...

Don't do it!

You say you are not only using all your points, but also borrowing. Many of us have had the extended family/friends trip and had bad experiences.
-people back out at the last minute
- people don't pay, you front the points because you "know" they will get the money to you, and then they cancel at the last minute
- people will cancel -not at the last minute-, but your borrowed points will be stuck in this use year
- people won't commit either way this far out and you will go crazy trying to figure out ressies so everyone who "might" go is covered
- people say they won't go, then want to go, and you go crazy making new arrangements so you don't look like the bad guy that wouldn't let them join you on vacation
-and then they change their minds again after you get the ressies made
-people pay you, then change their minds inside the 30 days and nobody in the family understands if you don't want to give the money back because "after all, they didn't take the trip".

There are lots of horror stories on these Boards from people who shared their DVC points and got burned. I know where you are coming from because we borrowed points to make a rather large ressie for family members. They cancelled outside of the 30 day mark (but just barely) and it took me the better part of 3 years before I managed to shake out all the re arranging, renting, changing our vacations, etc it took to get all our vacation points back on an even keel.

Good luck!