Is there anything you hate about DVC?

[Deb & Bill]

Would have only sold my BRV 100 points and OKW 50 points and kept the BCV 100 pts and OKW 75 points.

 

[DougEMG]

In no particular order here is a list of things that I hate about DVC, all of which are fairly new developments

• the direction that DVC management is taking to follow industry standards, those standards all suck totally
• their attempted manipulation of the point charts via the lock-off premium
• the addition of too many bungalows and cabins to resorts causing huge problem in booking studios for members while allowing DVC to earn even more (undeclared) breakage income
• their manipulation of the agreement with BVTC to allow RIV to join with different terms than the other resorts rather than starting a DVC II
• their believe that point can be adjusted across room types and units when that was clearly not the original intention

What it seems like is that DVC is willing to push the meaning of the contracts they have with members as far as possible until they are challenged on it. Then end result of all of this is that they are slowly breaking the trust that I had in them in regards to how they run things.

 

[Alice Sr.]

That I sold BCV, but we never stayed there so it was probably the right decision at the time. Hindsight I probably should have sold AKL and kept BCV.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

I regret getting a June UY for our HHI points. It works great for WDW since we enjoy going October-December. But once I retire in about 100 days (Woohoo!!!!), we would like to start going to HHI in the spring. An April UY would work so much better for that contract.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

The title does not really match the responses imo.
Is the question what you regret that you would do differently, or what do you hate about DVC? Two different things entirely as I see it.

There’s very little I hate about DVC (when I was a Member), but there are a couple of things.
1) I hated when they switched the booking window from check out to check in. Totally unfair imo, and that was the birth of walking.
2) Housekeeping. It has always completely sucked. Rooms constantly dirty. The first time we stayed at VWL (that was what we called it back then) we pulled down the bedspread (yup, it was some years ago) to find a giant urine stain on the underside. That was our initiation to DVC. Disgusting.
My wife became accustom to taking the first 2-3 hours of every DVC visit to clean the room.
3) Maintenance.... don’t get me started.

Other than those few things, we truly loved our DVC Membership.
I hope those things are corrected today (obviously not the booking).

 

[aokeefe]

Like others- I wish we bought sooner especially before the 2016 restrictions. I do wish that all the 1BRs slept 5; with a teenage girl and pre-teen boy, sleeping arrangements are best if everyone has their own! (We haven't attempted yet to bring an air mattress)

 

[lovin'fl]

The title does not really match the responses imo.
Is the question what you regret that you would do differently, or what do you hate about DVC? Two different things entirely as I see it.

There’s very little I hate about DVC (when I was a Member), but there are a couple of things.
1) I hated when they switched the booking window from check out to check in. Totally unfair imo, and that was the birth of walking.
2) Housekeeping. It has always completely sucked. Rooms constantly dirty. The first time we stayed at VWL (that was what we called it back then) we pulled down the bedspread (yup, it was some years ago) to find a giant urine stain on the underside. That was our initiation to DVC. Disgusting.
My wife became accustom to taking the first 2-3 hours of every DVC visit to clean the room.
3) Maintenance.... don’t get me started.

Other than those few things, we truly loved our DVC Membership.
I hope those things are corrected today (obviously not the booking).

Not. When we bought into DVC, in 2006, we didn't notice the dirty rooms for a while. But recently we have. I guess the whole 2019 dues that went up 8% on average (some were 10%) and they told us it was to give raises to housekeeping...well I think that made me start to pay more attention and be more picky. Because I am noticing how dirty and run down some of the rooms are.

And my last trip, in Oct at BWV, we had dirty room AND the housekeeper knocked on T&T day and I told her we could just swap out some towels. Handed her my dirty ones and had to wait while she went off to find us clean bath towels (she had washcloths, hand towels and the foot towels on her cart but not bath towels). A few mins later she comes back and hands me 3 bath towels. I set them on side of tub and we continue the day. When I next went to shower I grabbed one and was using it when I noticed a hard stuck together section of towel (like some clear goop had dried and stuck the towel together in a spot). Ew. I dropped that towel and grabbed an old one I had kept from before (luckily I had only swapped out 3 towels). Well, I showed DH and he told me how he had used a towel from the new stack that had pink stains on it. So...housekeeping went and grabbed 3 dirty towels and folded them and handed them to us. We were in 1BR so I threw them in wash and hoped they came out the same (so stuck together spot might have been glue or clear nail polish or melted together or something...indicating they were clean....that is what I was hoping). They came out clean and spotless, no hard stuck together goop and pink stains came out too. So she DID give us dirty towels. Nasty!

That was the first time I left no housekeeper tip at the end of the stay. If they wanted to give them that raise to $15...then my room should be clean and my towels should be clean. Then they get tip. The floors in that room left my feet black.

Also with the maintenance...we constantly have things NOT in working order. From no light bulbs, to remotes not working, to DW not working (wasn't on last BWV trip), to thermostat not working right (also BWV last trip...room was an icebox), to fridge not being cold, to drier not drying unless you run through 5 times, to drawers not pulling open or about to fall apart (BLT in March).....to noises like drippy tub (BCV a few years ago) and noisy air return (also at BWV last trip)......

 

[AdamsMum]

the direction that DVC management is taking to follow industry standards, those standards all suck totally

I agree with you there. Do they not realized that "industry standard" is the reason timeshares have such a bad reputation? Why would they want to associate their premium product with an industry that has been misused and mistrusted so much?

 

[bwvBound]

Is there anything you hate about DVC?

Regrets, wish lists, if you could sell it and get all of your money back, and I do mean all of your money, would you do it?

Anyone out there wished they hadn’t bought into DVC?

Hard to say. With 15+ years, we've had both Highs and Lows with our DVC ownership. Overall we do not regret the purchase; we wouldn't particularly change the decisions. Most likely, if we hadn't spend the money on DVC, we'd have spent it elsewhere. At least with DVC, I could sell and recoup something. Two of our other timeshares closed and a "membership plan" fell apart when the underlying product clamped down on rentals.

It might not be our favorite timeshare ... and it has left me disappointed now and again ... but we still enjoy Disney.

 

[Spark65]

(when I was a Member),

All your posts start with your no longer a member you should buy back in I think you secretly miss it.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

All your posts start with your no longer a member you should buy back in I think you secretly miss it.

Lol!!! I’ve considered it more than once, but just enough for a few nights during F&W. Perhaps a small BCV resale..

 

[lovin'fl]

Lol!!! I’ve considered it more than once, but just enough for a few nights during F&W. Perhaps a small BCV resale..

Maybe small BWV where sometimes you can be lucky enough to grab a standard view studio and save some points. That's why we went BWV over BCV. Though sometimes I wish we'd gone BCV but then we are able to book standard view for super cheap (comparatively). And it makes it worth it.

 

[TongaToast21]

My only regret is not really understanding use years/cancellations with borrowed points when i bought (self inflicted)-

I tried to book a sep-oct 2020 trip (use year oct) with borrowed 2020 points for the september portion, and found that if I had to cancel (50/50 chance) my borrowed 2020 points would need to be used by sep 30 2020. Obviously it makes sense and the policy is there for a reason, but wish you could "unborrow".

But other than that-- I only wish i bought more points!

 

[Noheat]

I really hate the first version of the 2020 point charts and their attempt to profit from the lockoff premium at the expense of members.

You did seem to be a little miffed over that one. I think there was a small thread about it on here

 

[zavandor]

You did seem to be a little miffed over that one. I think there was a small thread about it on here

Getting ready for version 2, in just a month time when we'll get the new 2021 charts.

 

[jerseyduke]

I hate the Bungalows and Cabins. It is clear that DVD/DVC is taking advantage of the system enabling them to build rooms and have others pay for them.

I hate that they are taking DVC (to me it was a time share system on steroids) and are not just trying to make it a time share system

I hate the Rivera Resale Restrictions.

At times, I dislike the 11 month/7 month time frames, does it have to be THAT far out? (but its tolerable)

It is not DVC specific, more Disney, but I despise the 180 day ADR **** that is too far out. Planning a meal 6 months out????? Heck, at that point in time, I am not even sure how many people will be on the trip half the time.

I hate that I didnt buy OKW way back when....

 

[jerseyduke]

I agree with you there. Do they not realized that "industry standard" is the reason timeshares have such a bad reputation? Why would they want to associate their premium product with an industry that has been misused and mistrusted so much?

Not to mention, when has Disney ever been about the industry standards. Six flags is a good industry standard for parks - is that what they want for their parks.

Disney should be offering a premium product.

 

[Noheat]

Getting ready for version 2, in just a month time when we'll get the new 2021 charts.

I'll be waiting to make my call too.

 

[Lurch]

Nothing I really hate, but there is one thing that annoys me. Booking a stay. The site is not as user friendly as it could be and if you are not booking 11 months out it is next to impossible to get what you are looking for. I own and BRV and BWV and people "walking" reservations make it next to impossible to book standard studios most of the time.

Although I absolutely love BWV and it is hands down my favorite resort, I sold the last of my 100 points (waiting on ROFR now) for a different resort just down the road. As bittersweet as it is, I am thrilled that our new "resort" is a 2 bedroom condo in Celebration! I won't have any trouble booking that one. The price per point and maintenance fees are just a bit higher though. Yikes!

I am keeping a 50 pt contract at BRV just so I can keep my toe in the DVC game. Don't think I'll ever sell that one.

 

[lovin'fl]

Nothing I really hate, but there is one thing that annoys me. Booking a stay. The site is not as user friendly as it could be and if you are not booking 11 months out it is next to impossible to get what you are looking for. I own and BRV and BWV and people "walking" reservations make it next to impossible to book standard studios most of the time.

Although I absolutely love BWV and it is hands down my favorite resort, I sold the last of my 100 points (waiting on ROFR now) for a different resort just down the road. As bittersweet as it is, I am thrilled that our new "resort" is a 2 bedroom condo in Celebration! I won't have any trouble booking that one. The price per point and maintenance fees are just a bit higher though. Yikes!

I am keeping a 50 pt contract at BRV just so I can keep my toe in the DVC game. Don't think I'll ever sell that one.

Keep that for a couple nights in Dec to see the Xmas decor. Or for a F&W stay where you don't want to drive back to Celebration afterwards.