Inviting friends/family--Agreements?

[Dale-n-Chip]

We're planning to invite friends to go with us in 2007. My questions for y'all:
1. How do you explain DVC so they understand your commitment once you make the ressies?
2. How do you handle room-charging priviledges?

If they go, we'll get a 2 BR. But (and y'all know this routine) if they DON'T go, we'd only need a 1 BR. I don't want to use the ~60 extra points if I don't have to. I don't have enough points to throw them away! (Waiting for VDL to do an add-on! )

These are good friends and not fickle people. It's just a different concept than most vacation rentals. (When we vacation with them, we stay in her folks' two-bedroom condo--they own it so they either use the second bedroom or they don't.) How do y'all handle the explanations, commitments and ressies?

I'd appreciate any advice and input. TIA!

 

[Chuck S]

If you're truly worried that may cancel, I'd book a 1bedroom and a studio, rather than a 2 bedroom. It would take more points, and you may not be in adjoining rooms, but you could cancel one of the rooms 31 days out without penalty.

When we take people, we usually give them a "cancel by" date. But we also usually will get a studio for them and a studio for us, so cancelling isn't a problem. It also gives them the option of having the new Dining Plan if they want it, since it is something we won't be using based on our dining habits.

 

[DisFlan]

We've done this with my sister's family, and we'll be getting a 2-bd with them again in 2007. You just have to be VERY clear that it's an important commitment, and not a "we'll be able to cancel at short notice if anything else comes up" type of deal. Explain fully that you'll be out a LOT if they don't stick to it. My sis understands the drill - it's NOT the same as a regular hotel ressie. We had no problems.

We all had charging privileges on our last trip with sis and settled up at the end of the trip. (The cards all have a distinct number.) Only one credit card can be used for all charges. This worked for us, but it may not be your cup of tea. You can limit which cards get charging privileges.


DisFlan

 

[LeCras]

We are taking my family in April and have booked a 2BR for them (and a 1BR for DH and myself). I used scaring tactics to explain the seriousness of the commitment: told them the rack rate of the room they will be in! Since we are borrowing points for this trip a cancellation could be very messy, but they definitely understand this and seem to be looking forward to their first trip to the World.

Charlotte

 

[yitbos96bb]

We're planning to invite friends to go with us in 2007. My questions for y'all:
1. How do you explain DVC so they understand your commitment once you make the ressies?
2. How do you handle room-charging priviledges?

If they go, we'll get a 2 BR. But (and y'all know this routine) if they DON'T go, we'd only need a 1 BR. I don't want to use the ~60 extra points if I don't have to. I don't have enough points to throw them away! (Waiting for VDL to do an add-on! )

These are good friends and not fickle people. It's just a different concept than most vacation rentals. (When we vacation with them, we stay in her folks' two-bedroom condo--they own it so they either use the second bedroom or they don't.) How do y'all handle the explanations, commitments and ressies?

I'd appreciate any advice and input. TIA!

VDL? I'll bite... What resort would VDL be?

NEVERMIND.... DISNEY LAND VILLAS!!!! DUH.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

Hope all works out with the room - Sorry no words of wisdom here

If you do decide on the two bedroom personnelly I wouldn't put charging prividges on any of the room keys. We have a disney visa and I find it just as easy to put all our charges on that (plus the bonus of adding award dollars). Since its not family I might be uncomfortable sitting there going thru the room charges at the end of our stay trying to figure out who owes what. It would also eliminate even the slightest possibility of any issues.

I'm sure your'll have a great trip with your friends.

 

[emememem]

I also agree with the above post...keep it simple

 

[Dale-n-Chip]

VDL? I'll bite... What resort would VDL be?

NEVERMIND.... DISNEY LAND VILLAS!!!! DUH.

Yup!

 

[rocketriter]

We make it very clear that the points cost us money, and we steer guests to the WDW website so they can see the rack value of DVC rooms. We also ask our guests to book their plane flights very early. Once they've paid for non-refundable tickets they're pretty much committed.

We set up our own cards for charging privileges but not the cards of our guests; they can use their own credit cards perfectly easily, and there's no "settling up" at the end.

 

[Cruelladeville]

If nothing else works, tell your friends that if they cancel you are going to have to kill them.

 

[KelNottAt]

We plan on charging DH's family when we take them to WDW in August 2008.

We'll be reserving four 2BR for 5 nights. We're charging $500 per villa. (The rack rate for the same time would be $3,200+ per villa. And the dues value of the whole 20-room-night vacation is approx $3057.86. Not that I'm counting. )

Charging them this nominal amount will accomplish a few things:
- It lets them feel like they're helping with the trip.
- It reduces any petty family BS about "rich brother" showing off.
- It gives us *a little* compensation if someone backs out at the last minute.

I'll probably give everyone a deadline for cancellation that is a week or 10 days ahead of my REAL cancellation deadline. I'll also request that no one set-up room charging privledges.

HTH,

 

[DisFlan]

We plan on charging DH's family when we take them to WDW in August 2008.

We'll be reserving four 2BR for 5 nights. We're charging $500 per villa. (The rack rate for the same time would be $3,200+ per villa. And the dues value of the whole 20-room-night vacation is approx $3057.86. Not that I'm counting.

Charging them this nominal amount will accomplish a few things:
- It lets them feel like they're helping with the trip.
- It reduces any petty family BS about "rich brother" showing off.
- It gives us *a little* compensation if someone backs out at the last minute.

I'll probably give everyone a deadline for cancellation that is a week or 10 days ahead of my REAL cancellation deadline. I'll also request that no one set-up room charging privledges.

HTH,

We'll be doing this, too. My sis is paying $500 for the trip. She knows what a good deal this is for where they'll be spending the week. If people kick in some money, they're a lot less likely to back out. (Not that she would dare! ) This also helps cover our dues.

DisFlan

 

[ceejay13]

We have taken family on 5 different occasions and some close friends 3 times. We also made it clear what our consequences would be if they cancel. We have never had a problem and in fact I just made another ressie for my brother and SIL last week. They are going for 6 nights of our 11 night visit beginning November 27th. I knew I needed to make them at the 11 month window as it is so popular with all us DVCers. I called day by day but they knew once they decided that it was a done deal barring any life crisis. We have never charged anyone but we but feel those that have are still giving a great deal to their friends and families. Our friends/family have been very generous in return, however, in giving meals, gifts, etc.

As to charging privileges as a previous poster said all cards have a distinct number on them if anyone needs to use them but it has happened rarely with us.

We have taken groups of 8 and 12 with us on 2 occasions. With my family and the group of 12 we booked a Magical Gathering. You can download a planner with the Magical Gatherings and I have used the notes portion of the planner for these two groups and printed each one off a copy. I put in info on the room keys/charge cards, valet parking, trash and towel service, health club, food availabililty, package pick-up, everyone's cell phone numbers, hotel phone number, etc. It became a handy tool for everyone on both occasions.

 

[JimMIA]

We're planning to invite friends to go with us in 2007. My questions for y'all:
1. How do you explain DVC so they understand your commitment once you make the ressies?
2. How do you handle room-charging priviledges?

If they go, we'll get a 2 BR. But (and y'all know this routine) if they DON'T go, we'd only need a 1 BR. I don't want to use the ~60 extra points if I don't have to. I don't have enough points to throw them away! (Waiting for VDL to do an add-on! )

These are good friends and not fickle people. It's just a different concept than most vacation rentals. (When we vacation with them, we stay in her folks' two-bedroom condo--they own it so they either use the second bedroom or they don't.) How do y'all handle the explanations, commitments and ressies?

I'd appreciate any advice and input. TIA!

Of all the horror stories we hear, problems in taking friends/family is the most common. And we hear some really AWFUL horror stories. It's important to understand that there is almost never a case where the friend/family intentionally cost the DVC owner a bunch of money or points. It just comes naturally. Taking others on your DVC vacation can be a minefield of problems.

The problem is, people just don't GET the difference between DVC and a hotel reservation. They think you can cancel up to 6 PM the day of arrival, which of course you can't. As an owner, you have to be aware of (and protect yourself against) use year and banking deadlines, the 31-day cancellation policy, and a host of other issues your friends/family don't know about...and wouldn't understand if they did know.

Based on some of the horror stories I've heard, I'd recommend you first establish a "drop-dead date," after which they are on their own. If they commit by the drop-dead date, everything is non-cancelable -- no changes, no additions, no deletions, no date changes. After the drop-dead date, I'd refer them to the Rent/Trade board for a great bargain.

Second, I like Chuck S's suggestion of separate rooms. The studio is theirs and they are responsible for it. The studio will be much better than the extra bedroom you stay in at their condo, and it will be good to have some privacy. If they ask why, tell them the truth: Because that way, if you cancel, I'm only partially messed up.

As far as room-charging, they can have that if they put down a credit card at registration. Your relatives are not going to intentionally run up your credit card bill, but it's a lot easier to manage if they are in a separate studio with their own bill for incidentals.

 

[crisi]

Sounds like people who are good friends and not fickle can probably understand some of the basics....

While you want to invite them, and it IS a timeshare, DVC operates on a points (or credits) system. By taking them along you are using more points for this trip and will have fewer points next time. Its worth the extra points to have their company, it is not worth the extra points if they go to waste.

Going to waste includes cancelling on you. You need a pretty firm committment up front because even if they give you plenty of notice they can't make it, its possible you won't be able to use the extra points or even rebook a smaller room for your own vacation.

I'd also be bluntly up front about the costs you expect them to incur. Plane fare, park tickets and dining add up and can be burdensome. I suspect at least some of the horror stories on bringing guests stem for cost (some of them are apparently more of a case of "you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your relatives).

 

[Steamboat Bill]

Get new friends.....such as me and my family....we understand the rules and would love to stay at DVC on your points. Hee-hee

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Responsibility
. . . let them know of your investment
. . . let them know you pay of items are ruined
. . . let them know this is Disney
2) Room charging
. . . have everyone have their own credit card
. . . have that credit card tied to their own room key
. . . no, everyone's charges goes to their own credit card
. . . no reason to split or discuss charges later