How do you share vacation with non DVC members?

[Vapor Trail]

We typically go to Disney with another family and share a 2 bedroom villa. We're DVC members, they're not. How can we best coordinate sharing the accomodations?

Can they rent points and have them transfered to us?

Can they somehow pay cash for their portion while we pay with points?

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

 

[bwvBound]

We simply invite others along and don't make any requests of them regarding the accommodations. We agree to split food costs and each covers their own transportation to WDW. Often the invited members will offer to pay for a meal, show or other activity -- but this isn't expected.

We are arriving Saturday with a Grand Villa booked for a full week. The group consists of three couples of which we are the only DVC members. I've completed the online check-in so that the first arriving couple will not be asked for a credit-card. I'm hoping they settle into one of the secondary bedrooms ... but experience tells me they'll likely choose the master bedroom. We'll see

Edited to add: We frequently travel with friends and family. It becomes a real joy to volley the hosting/sharing privileges. Of the three couples in this coming trip, one treated us to a week in their New Orleans timeshare this summer having booked two units (one for them, one for us) and the other brought along their boat when we last visited with them in Oklahoma at Grand Lake. I'm sure towing, fueling and addressing the hassle of boat ownership weren't free and we were extremely grateful for the time together.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

We always vacation with family and friends. I've never asked for compensation, since it's just DS(14) and I, we always invited our best friends to come along. What typically happens is that we will be compted a nice dinner or groceries by our guests as a "Thank You" for the accomodations. Last year we went to see the "Blue Man Group" and our friends paid for our tickets since they were sharing our 2 bedroom.

For family reuinions, the other 2 families pitch in money to buy the extra points transfer needed to add to my points for the weekly rental of the GV!

Anyway, this is how it works for us!

 

[Vapor Trail]

I appreciate the tone of generosity. We're doing the same this February when we take our first trip back to WDW as DVC members. We're going to bring my wife's parents for the trip and stay in 2 bdrm villas at AKV and BLT. We're able to do that this time because we were given the banked points for 2010 as new members. In other words, we had points to spare.

Going forward we won't routinely have enough points to book 2 bdrm villa reservations. If we had the points, no problem. But that won't be the case (until I break down and buy more!).

Thanks.

 

[Chuck S]

While we often invite people, it really depends upon if we have "extra" points. If we are short, we simply don't invite guests along that year. It seems to be the simplest solution.

But, if we were in a situation where we would really want to travel with someone and didn't have enough points, I would have them either pay cash to Disney for a studio, or pay to rent enough points so I could book it for them.

 

[BEASLYBOO]

Going forward we won't routinely have enough points to book 2 bdrm villa reservations. If we had the points, no problem. But that won't be the case (until I break down and buy more!).

Thanks.

Then just as I do during family reunion time, I know I typically need an additional 200 points, I've always paid $10 a point over the years, so the other 3 families split it and pay me so I can buy the points transfer and make the reservation.

If you want them with you in a 2 br it would be easier for you to get a points transfer, then you can handle the reservation yourself. Just have them pay for the extra points you need. Check out the rent/trade boards!

 

[Vapor Trail]

Thanks guys. So it sounds like renting and transfering works for when we need the extra points.

 

[bwvBound]

So it sounds like renting and transfering works for when we need the extra points.

Word of caution ... when guests share in the expenses of the room they may bring along assumptions and expectations. A quick read of the various "invited friends/family -- never again!" threads show that paying guests assume some 'influence' of the reservation/cancellation processes often leading to friction.

In this light, the idea of not expecting payment is not so much generosity on our part as not sharing control. The room reservation is made on our terms; those invited may "take it or leave it."

Evolution of our "invited guest" policy started when we bought our first timeshare in 2000. We planned a "July 4th" family gathering at a coastal resort located w/in driving distance for most of our family. We surveyed the group for their interest and offered to book units on their behalf using our timeshare resources -- but at 'cost' (stating the fee early on). We pulled it off filling six 2BR units for the week. Some family drove in for a "day visit" on our big July 4th BBQ, some booked at our timeshare through us and a few booked shorter stays at a nearby hotel. It worked -- but led to troubles later when family members started asking how they could take better advantage of our timeshare ownership.

Somehow the rules of timeshare reservation and cancellation processes don't translate well to non-owners. It is difficult to grasp the differences compared to their experiences with hotel reservations. We also had troubles asking them to comply with unit occupancy rules when they wanted to add "just one more person." We became the "bad guys" when we were trying to be helpful.

In the end ... we evolved several different strategies.

• Want to travel with a group but can't afford to host? Initiate a 'group cruise' where everyone pays their own way, books their own stateroom and maintains full control of their reservation. (This is easily modified to land-based journeys using hotels, RVs, campgrounds, etc.)
• Snag a great timeshare with extra space? Invite a compatible travel couple/family to share the space.
• Want to travel with a couple/family you've not traveled with before? Avoid sharing a single unit (book separate units) for this first go'round. If possible, allow the other group to control their own reservation process and expenses. If this first trip goes well ... discuss comfort levels and logistics of a shared unit in the future.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thanks guys. So it sounds like renting and transfering works for when we need the extra points.

Remember, you can only transfer in or out once per use year. So if you are transferring points in to make enough for a reservation, you'll only be able to transfer in one time.

 

[bumbershoot]

I appreciate the tone of generosity. We're doing the same this February when we take our first trip back to WDW as DVC members. We're going to bring my wife's parents for the trip and stay in 2 bdrm villas at AKV and BLT. We're able to do that this time because we were given the banked points for 2010 as new members. In other words, we had points to spare.

Going forward we won't routinely have enough points to book 2 bdrm villa reservations. If we had the points, no problem. But that won't be the case (until I break down and buy more!).

Thanks.

We're new to DVC, and our first trip to WDW is going to be a big one, and is going to include family staying with us for 4 nights in a 2 bedroom.

We won't be able to do this again, as we're using almost 3 years worth of points to do it, and we will not want to do that in the future.

So...it just won't happen again, plain and simple. I'm hoping that they appreciate this trip, and in the future they can stay where they want, and we'll stay where we can, and we'll meet up in that way!

 

[Sammie]

We typically go to Disney with another family and share a 2 bedroom villa

How have you handled in the past?

I totally agree with bwvBound.

Unless you have the points to invite and treat, I would simply consider this a situation where two groups are going to Disney at the same time and each person is responsible for the cost and booking of their vacation.

You can certainly educate them on the cost savings of renting points, but be sure to include that the savings involves limitations such as no daily housekeeping, some risk, no cancellations.

I think the easiest way is to let the others book theirs, you book yours and stay at the same resort with a request to be near each other.

 

[Disneywedding2010]

We typically go to Disney with another family and share a 2 bedroom villa. We're DVC members, they're not. How can we best coordinate sharing the accomodations?

Can they rent points and have them transfered to us?

Can they somehow pay cash for their portion while we pay with points?

Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

I don't make my friends compensate me when they are staying with me at my DVC. They pay for their own airfare, whatever groceries they want, and their park tickets.

 

[TDC Nala]

I charge $20 a night to use my second bed. Also payable in food or booze. I don't charge my parents, or my brother's family.

 

[Vapor Trail]

How have you handled in the past?
QUOTE]

We split costs 50/50.

I think my questions have been a bit misunderstood. I wasn't exactly looking for advice on vacation etiquette, good advice though it may be. I was really trying to learn the logistics on how best to split a booking with a non DVC member. For the occasional trip with family/close friends or one time invite, we would naturally try to bring our guests along "free of charge" as most of you have stated. Again, we're doing this very thing in Feb.

However, we vacation pretty much every year with this particular family and have all felt very comfortable splitting the costs. It just works. And we enjoy having a large villa to all hang out rather than 2 separate rooms. The kids really like it and it's convenient for the adults to chat after the kids are all in bed. Odds are we'll spend a lot of upcoming trips at WDW/Disneyland, so it would be preferable to find a way to maintain the financial arrangement as much as possible.

Thanks for all the input.

 

[Sammie]

The thing is and maybe it would not affect your situation but it seems based on personal experience and reading many accounts of situations here on the forums, that when you book a room before you are member, it is easy to split everything 50/50 because there was a set dollar amount to divide, but once you become a member, then everything changes.

The friends that had no problem with 50/50 suddenly think that you should do the treating all the time (since you are not having to pay for it now)

Can they somehow pay cash for their portion while we pay with points?

I don't know how you divided the rooms in the past in a 2 bedroom as to who got the Master bedroom; but one thing you could do is have them rent either from Disney or another member either a one bedroom or studio, you book a one bedroom or studio, depending who gets the Master Bedroom and link the reservations together.

That way you use your points and they pay cash. The other thing is to have them buy points that can be transferred into your account and then you book the two bedroom.

 

[ToddyLu]

I do not think that my MIL and parents should have to pay for accommodations when they stay DVC with us. We do not have children and to make the points go farther we stay in a studio and they do too. So they get the same type room as us. My MIL always wants to pay for some part of it but she is not asked to do so....my parents appreciate the invite as well. This will be MIL second time with us, my parents will have their first DVC visit with us next Oct. If they want DDP they can put it on their reservation. BIL was with MIL for a few days last year and has already stated he wants to own points at BLT so in the future he will go every other year. I say just do what ever works for you and have fun. It is too hard to decide how much some one owes for the room....I would not have paid cash to stay at AKV ever. $3500 for 9 nights in a SV studio it too much for us OOP, that is another reason why DVC just works for us. We got 2 studios this year and last so we are up to around $14000 cash in rooms.

I would not invite friends to join us in DVC...too much hassle depending on others outside of family. My brother has five precious children and we cannot "point afford" them a 2 bedroom and us a studio so that will probably never happen.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Word of caution ... when guests share in the expenses of the room they may bring along assumptions and expectations. A quick read of the various "invited friends/family -- never again!" threads show that paying guests assume some 'influence' of the reservation/cancellation processes often leading to friction.

In this light, the idea of not expecting payment is not so much generosity on our part as not sharing control. The room reservation is made on our terms; those invited may "take it or leave it."

Evolution of our "invited guest" policy started when we bought our first timeshare in 2000. We planned a "July 4th" family gathering at a coastal resort located w/in driving distance for most of our family. We surveyed the group for their interest and offered to book units on their behalf using our timeshare resources -- but at 'cost' (stating the fee early on). We pulled it off filling six 2BR units for the week. Some family drove in for a "day visit" on our big July 4th BBQ, some booked at our timeshare through us and a few booked shorter stays at a nearby hotel. It worked -- but led to troubles later when family members started asking how they could take better advantage of our timeshare ownership.

Somehow the rules of timeshare reservation and cancellation processes don't translate well to non-owners. It is difficult to grasp the differences compared to their experiences with hotel reservations. We also had troubles asking them to comply with unit occupancy rules when they wanted to add "just one more person." We became the "bad guys" when we were trying to be helpful.

In the end ... we evolved several different strategies.

• Want to travel with a group but can't afford to host? Initiate a 'group cruise' where everyone pays their own way, books their own stateroom and maintains full control of their reservation. (This is easily modified to land-based journeys using hotels, RVs, campgrounds, etc.)
• Snag a great timeshare with extra space? Invite a compatible travel couple/family to share the space.
• Want to travel with a couple/family you've not traveled with before? Avoid sharing a single unit (book separate units) for this first go'round. If possible, allow the other group to control their own reservation process and expenses. If this first trip goes well ... discuss comfort levels and logistics of a shared unit in the future.

An excellent post that bears repeating!

We often invite guests to stay with us in a 2 bedroom villa WHEN WE HAVE THE POINTS. If anyone stiffs us after we've passed the 7 month mark, we just don't invite them again. I figure it is my gift to them to supply the accomodations so they can enjoy a fun time with us. If they are in the habit of looking that gift horse in the mouth, they aren't likely to be invited back for a second chance.

In January we are traveling with friends and some of their extended family. In this case, both they and we own DVC, so we combined a few points and booked a GV. That of course, is the best of both worlds!