How can I contact the big boss at DVC?

[Laxmom]

BUT THEY ARE...that is my point. Marriott is NOTORIOUS for treating outside exchangers way different than owners both in terms of access to normal perks, access to villas, and fees. They also treat those who are owners but bought resale (from somebody besides Marriott) differently.

I am talking about being rude and disrespectful. I expect better than how the op was treated from Marriott and DVC. And no they don't treat resale buyers differently. Are Marriott rewards points that big of a deal? You haven't noticed how the points needed to stay are rising but the MVC points for your units aren't? You can reserve a unit at your home resort as a direct buyer with the same priority as a resale buyer and when you exchange, II does not ask if you purchased resale or not.

The issue of what perks are accessible to members vs. nonmembers is a different topic and not what I was commenting on. (know better than to stir up that hornets nest!!) I simply stated that we were treated like members on our exchange and had no issues.

 

[Dean]

I agree with this. It is any resort's/system's right to set up the rules of exchange however they like, balancing the costs and benefits of exchange with the needs of internal owners. And, as time goes on, more and more resorts/systems are moving to a world that favors internal owners vs. exchange guests.

Some yes, some no. But most that do favor the owners on the reservation side, not the usage side. Most treat owners the same other than unit assignments including giving most discounts to all guests other than those contractually limited like free golf in some cases.[/QUOTE]

But someone's points were used for every exchange guest, Member or not. That's not to say that DVC couldn't go this route. As I say, they have the right to set up the rules however they want, and I could see giving Member inbounds access to perks if they so chose, while not granting them to non-Member inbounds.

But, realistically, DVC trade power is already pretty decent. The biggest problem is that DVC Members can't get ACs, and by rights probably should. I'm not aware of anything that DVC can't pull, except low-quality resorts in high-demand places. But, that's due to resort quality differential, not trade power, and increased trade power won't help.


I would be too.

Actually DVC trade power is pretty mediocre. The combination of so so trade power and high resort quality gives you precious few choices overall. The email has been listed here, several different versions were listed on the long thread about the reservation changes. I don't know how accurate they are.

 

[Dean]

BUT THEY ARE...that is my point. Marriott is NOTORIOUS for treating outside exchangers way different than owners both in terms of access to normal perks, access to villas, and fees. They also treat those who are owners but bought resale (from somebody besides Marriott) differently.

I don't think that's true and I think you are ill informed in this area. They have a stated priority of unit assignments that favors owners, then Marriott exchangers, then other exchangers and they do stick to it. The only issue different for resale vs retail is that one cannot trade for Marriott reward points, not really an issue in my book, others may disagree. Most Marriott's allow day use by owners at THAT resort, but not for other Marriott owners. The only other issue is the free golf, those situations are contractual and limited to owners and Marriott exchangers at Manor Club and everyone staying at Heritage. I can't think of a single situation where Marriott charges non owners a fee they don't charge to owners, there may be some but none I can think of and I've owned and exchanged Marriott for well over 10 years. There is a lower internal exchange fee paid by Marriott owners just like DVC has negotiated a lower exchange fee. They also use II as their internal exchange sytem and thus limit access to exchange weeks for 24 days just like DVC does with their internal exchange system. They do offer all discounts they negotiate to both owners and non owners alike, at HH it's usually a 2 page 12 pt type list.

 

[Dean]

I'd have to agree with this. Although I own at Marriott Manor Club in Williamsburg, I have have also exhanged into Manor Club using my Aruba Renaissance twice. I didn't expect, nor did I receive, my six free rounds of golf like I would if I just went on my normal Manor Club reservation. I was lucky enough though to get good villas each time I exchanged in. The point is I wouldn't expect to have the same perks if I exchanged in to DVC from outside either. There has to be something special about going in as an owner on points or as a Marriott owner.

As noted above, this is a contractual situation. The Renaissance though managed by Marriott is not an internal Marriott resort including it does not have the internal trading preference.

 

[Deb & Bill]

I am talking about being rude and disrespectful. ....

None of us was there with Marylyn and we haven't heard the other side of the story. Therefore, I'm reserving my comments on the perceived rudeness of the CM.

 

[TChrist05]

It is kind of a shame that some people are afraid to post their opinions because they are afraid of being flamed. We need to be open minded and if you don't agree, say it respectfully and move on.

My wife and I last year checked into Beach Club the last year that smoking was permitted. We do not smoke, and wanted a smoke free room. We did not get our room until 5:15, and unfortunately it was not a smoke free. We went back and were told there were no other rooms available....and that is it....end of story. Kind of rude, but we spoke to a supervisor. Apologies, but no satisfaction. The next day the general manager of the resort called us, apologized again, and moved us. Did not ruin our trip, but was annoying.

I work in a supermarket in New York in management. We try to give the best customer service we can, and sometimes we fail. We try hard, need to try harder each day. Disney does it better than we do, and I wish I could get the people that work for me to be more like a Disney cast member. But, as other posters have said, occasionally you do get a bad apple, and sometimes members make the situation worse.

Opinions are valuable, and Disney does from time to time have focus groups and pays a lot of money for the information they receive. The next guys opinion is no more valuable or right than mine.

Just keep voicing your opinions, and that makes the vacation club better for all of us....
Thanks for listening....I enjoy your opinions.....

Tom

 

[Tink415]

I just have to comment - we bought an OKW resale late in 2006 and have had stays at SSR, AKV, OKW and BCV. Our first, and only so far stay at OKW was the most abrupt, unfriendly check in experience we've ever had at WDW. Even our 7 year old DD who's been going to Disney World since she was a baby noticed it and said something to me afterwards I know that when we return I will avoid that particular CM any way possible.

 

[rie'smom]

Rudeness is not acceptable at all. The CM could have explained in a patient manner just what perks the OP could and could not expect when not staying on points.
So often both at WDW and elsewhere, a kind word or a friendly explanation can avoid hurt feelings.

 

[Brian Noble]

The email has been listed here, several different versions were listed on the long thread about the reservation changes.

I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about an email *from* him, not the address *for* him.

Actually DVC trade power is pretty mediocre.

Have you been able to compare head-to-head? That's hard because of DVC's no-self-search model, but possible. Is there anything you can't pull with DVC but that's in the Disney List?

 

[Dean]

Have you been able to compare head-to-head? That's hard because of DVC's no-self-search model, but possible. Is there anything you can't pull with DVC but that's in the Disney List?

Unfortunately there's no way to do it head to head due to the format DVC uses. The info I have suggests DVC trades about the same as Grande Vista but without the Marriott internal preference. Also emember that a large portion of the resorts on the DVC list (and even larger % of the ones worth requesting) are Westin's and Marriott's, both with internal preferences working against you. I suspect you could pull everything on the list, the problem is just where you are in line if others are requesting the same thing.

 

[Doctor P]

I don't think that's true and I think you are ill informed in this area. They have a stated priority of unit assignments that favors owners, then Marriott exchangers, then other exchangers and they do stick to it. The only issue different for resale vs retail is that one cannot trade for Marriott reward points, not really an issue in my book, others may disagree. Most Marriott's allow day use by owners at THAT resort, but not for other Marriott owners. The only other issue is the free golf, those situations are contractual and limited to owners and Marriott exchangers at Manor Club and everyone staying at Heritage. I can't think of a single situation where Marriott charges non owners a fee they don't charge to owners, there may be some but none I can think of and I've owned and exchanged Marriott for well over 10 years. There is a lower internal exchange fee paid by Marriott owners just like DVC has negotiated a lower exchange fee. They also use II as their internal exchange sytem and thus limit access to exchange weeks for 24 days just like DVC does with their internal exchange system. They do offer all discounts they negotiate to both owners and non owners alike, at HH it's usually a 2 page 12 pt type list.

Dean,

With due respect, your post CONFIRMS every one of my claims. Better units for owners vs. exchangers, Marriott rewards points (which IS a huge issue in my book), lower exchange fees for owners, lack of golf amenities for exchangers (huge in my book as that is a major factor in going the places we choose to go), and, if I am recalling my experiences correctly, in some cases, resort fees that are not charged to owners (I am fuzzy on where we ran into that, but we did). As to several other points you make, the point is that DVC is not doing things to exchangers that aren't being done in spades to DVC members at those outside resorts.

 

[Dean]

Dean,

With due respect, your post CONFIRMS every one of my claims. Better units for owners vs. exchangers, Marriott rewards points (which IS a huge issue in my book), lower exchange fees for owners, lack of golf amenities for exchangers (huge in my book as that is a major factor in going the places we choose to go), and, if I am recalling my experiences correctly, in some cases, resort fees that are not charged to owners (I am fuzzy on where we ran into that, but we did). As to several other points you make, the point is that DVC is not doing things to exchangers that aren't being done in spades to DVC members at those outside resorts.

We may simply have to disagree. Your claim was "Marriott is NOTORIOUS for treating outside exchangers way different than owners both in terms of access to normal perks, access to villas, and fees." That is simply not true. I do think part of the confusion is that II does Marriott's internal trading while DVC does their own. There is not a single fee I can think of that an exchanger pays to Marriott for a given stay that an owner does not, not a single "normal perk" I can think of they treat members differently. They do give owners unit assignment preference, I don't see how anyone could argue with that when you do have to make a choice, DVC should do the same but do not. IMO it's significantly different to give owners preference, something that should be done within limits at all timeshares, vs withholding perks that cost nothing or almost nothing to the system. Most Marriott's give preference in the following order. Owners, then Marriott exchangers, then non Marriott exchangers; they also favor multiple week stays over single week stays. I can not think of another system that charges exchangers extra simply for the right of exchanging in. Some charge extra for AC or a fuel surcharge and my opinion would be the same as in this case, it's only appropriate if they charge both groups (owners and exchangers).

I take the fee part back (in part) in that Marriott requires all resorts to provide free parking to owners and members but the resorts can charge all others if they wish. The only one I can think of that does this is Beach Place Towers but there may be others.

If we accept your criticisms of Marriott, we also have to apply the same thinking to DVC. So if we assume a lower exchange fee is bad, DVC does the same but for all exchanges, not just internal exchanges. DVC doesn't charge members at all for internal exchanges. Same for ROFR, DVC is far more aggressive than anyone else save possibly Westgate. DVC also limits exchangers from the same local, Marriott does not. A DVC HH member can trade to a Marriott HH unit but not the reverse.

As for the fact that resale owners can't trade for Marriott reward points, that's true (in most cases). I guess it'd be the same as DVC not allowing resale purchasers to use DCL, CC, DC and the like; it'd be doing the members a favor in my book. But one would know that going in and factor that in accordingly. Many timeshares limit perks by resale purchasers, that's one plus for DVC.

To be clear, DVC has the right to treat exchangers differently. My points are that the way they do it is petty, hurts members who look to exchange out, and doesn't help members that use their own resort in any way. And that members who exchange in should be treated more as members, at least in most areas, other than possibly Pool Hopping.

 

[Doctor P]

OK, NOTORIOUS was probably a bit strong. I actually agree with almost everything in this last post, Dean. My original response was to the claim that Marriott doesn't treat exchangers differently from owners. We agree that on many dimensions they do. As to the perks issue, I see both sides of the issue, but agree that some of those perks could be provided to exchangers at little or no cost and will an improvement in goodwill as a result.

 

[Dean]

OK, NOTORIOUS was probably a bit strong. I actually agree with almost everything in this last post, Dean. My original response was to the claim that Marriott doesn't treat exchangers differently from owners. We agree that on many dimensions they do. As to the perks issue, I see both sides of the issue, but agree that some of those perks could be provided to exchangers at little or no cost and will an improvement in goodwill as a result.

Now we're getting somewhere. Overall Marriott is about as good as it gets when exchanging in, the hard part is getting the exchange. IMO, there's a major difference in favoring owners and other sister owners over exchangers compared to purposefully dissing exchangers. Unless things have changed with new management, KBC gives exchangers parking lot views and offers to upgrade them for a fee. That fee was $70 per night in 2002 for a 1 BR. Lawaii Beach gives exchangers ther worst building no matter what building they exchanged to and they have different resort codes. The Grand Mayan (RCI) tends to down grade exchangers to a sister resort which is no where near the quality. This is just one of the reasons you've likely seen me post a number of times over the years to investigate a given resort before listing it as an exchange option and to NOT simply rely on DVC alone.