Most Respectful DVC Homeowners

[SpaceMountain77]

Hi everyone,

Before I begin, I will apologize for the significant delay in posting this thread. It is a post that I have wanted to write since December, but have been unable to do so, until now.

While staying at VGF last December, I was approached by a cast member when I was walking through the lobby. Aside from inquiring about my stay, we spoke for several minutes about the concierge desk and offerings at VGF. Regarding the concierge desk, he mentioned that several hundred cast members eagerly applied for one of only a few positions. He said it was a competitive process and was delighted to be part of the inaugural team. Although some threads have included a discussion of dissatisfaction with VGF cast members, the cast member I spoke to was genuinely grateful to be part of the VGF staff and eager to assist with vacation planning.

At one point, I had mentioned touch-up work that I had observed. During the course of my stay, I had noticed that one of the walls, on the fourth floor, was noticeably scuffed. Given the color and height, I guessed it must have been a cart or stroller. Within the next day or two, painters were already touching up the wall. I mentioned this observation to the cast member and he said that VGF would be held to the same standard as GF. For example, he said that the floral arrangements in the lobby and upgraded H20 spa products were paid by the GF, not DVC dues, and, specifically, were the decision of the resort's general manager. After hearing this, I said that I wondered how long the quick response to maintenance and equal standard would last. Now, for the curious part of the conversation.

The cast member stated that wear across the DVC resorts is unequal largely because of members. Based on observations and reports from cast members in housekeeping, maintenance and management, there is one group of homeowners that is more respectful than any other. Supposedly, from rooms to common areas, VWL guests are significantly more respectful, which may be attributed to the statistics that indicate most guests staying at VWL own at VWL.

So, for whatever it is worth, perhaps home resort love runs deeper in the untamed wilderness than in other parts of the world.

Jim 8O

 

[MouseMomx2]

While it is fine to say that there is less wear and tear at the VWL, there is no way to know if it is the WVL homeowners that are more respectful. Anyone can stay in those villas.

 

[katiekomo]

While it is fine to say that there is less wear and tear at the VWL, there is no way to know if it is the WVL homeowners that are more respectful. Anyone can stay in those villas.

I wonder if it's a 'cleanliness begets cleanliness' sort of thing. It's shown that people are more careful and respectful of property when that property is kept up. If there's already scuffs and piles of trash in the hallway, people are less likely to respect it (and more likely to add their own trash). The opposite is also true. If somehow (possibly/probably from the owners?) VWL stayed cleaner longer than other resorts, it's now easier to keep that up as guests are more likely to respect the cleanliness that's already there. Just a thought. I hope VGF will have that same reputation!

 

[DizBub]

While it is fine to say that there is less wear and tear at the VWL, there is no way to know if it is the WVL homeowners that are more respectful. Anyone can stay in those villas.

Hmmm. I agree, there is no way to know who is staying in any DVC rooms. I would bet that a good percentage of people staying at VGF are actually paying cash, especially early on.

There is also something to be said about furnishings and décor. VWL and VGF are the only DVC villas I haven't stayed in but would assume there is a wide divergence of style and texture in those rooms. VGF is considered the gold standard at WDW and they will have to keep those rooms pristine.

Look at the difference in AVK and BLT. Dark at AKV with already distressed-looking woods and lots of texture in fabrics and art. BLT is sleek and cool with light colors and we all know about how BLT has held up....it hasn't, compared to AKV. Our last trip to AKV proved that even it is starting to look worn because of heavy use.

We are very respectful at all DVC properties and have not so much as scuffed a baseboard. Our "homes" BLT and BCV have the worst reputation as far as being in bad repair. Curious.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Hmmm. I agree, there is no way to know who is staying in any DVC rooms.

Although there are exceptions, such as RCI and rentals, this is one of many metrics tracked by Parks & Resorts.

DVC is well aware of how points are used and, specifically, the percentage of home owners that book at their home resort.

You may be surprised to know how much Disney knows about you. Take MDE, have you entered the names and birthdays of your family members? After making FP+ and dining reservations, Parks & Resorts can calculate descriptive statistics for attractions and dining locations based on age, sex and group size.

 

[Atchley]

We currently are owners at BLT and stayed there in 2010-our first stay as DVC members.
We were not impressed by our room at BLT. The couch was stained, the carpet worn, scuff marks on the walls, etc;. It made us really question our decision to purchase DVC. BLT had been opened only a year at that point.
The next time we went to VWL. (WL is our favorite resort anyways) Our room seemed to be much cleaner and we seemed to have fewer issues.
Last year, we stayed at AKV. Again, we had no issues with the room. It was clean and was very well done. We are planning on staying at AKV again next year.
Although BLT is our home resort, I don't believe that we will be staying there again. Not for just the condition of our room when we stayed last, but the overall theme of the room. It was okay, and the view of Cinderella Castle from my bed didn't hurt, but we just enjoy the themes of the other resorts much more. Hoping to stay at BW in 2016.

 

[sssteph]

I agree, like begets like.

That being said, whether what the CM said is true or false, I find it completely unprofessional and disrespectful to be discussing "the quality or respectfulness" of owner/customers in general.

Just my two cents.

 

[disneynutz]

There are many factors that come into play. People are people, some take care of things and are considerate, others not so much. Certain resorts tend to draw certain types of people, quality and type of furnishings, colors, design choices, all come into play.

New DVC resorts still being marketed by DVD get extra attention. At BLT there was a mousekeeper who would constantly make the rounds cleaning glass in the lobby area, she is gone now.

VGF will probably get the same level of attention as the GF since the GF is Disney's flagship resort. GM's change every few years so I hope that the level of attention continues.

Bill

 

[DebbieB]

Hi everyone,

Before I begin, I will apologize for the significant delay in posting this thread. It is a post that I have wanted to write since December, but have been unable to do so, until now.

While staying at VGF last December, I was approached by a cast member when I was walking through the lobby. Aside from inquiring about my stay, we spoke for several minutes about the concierge desk and offerings at VGF. Regarding the concierge desk, he mentioned that several hundred cast members eagerly applied for one of only a few positions. He said it was a competitive process and was delighted to be part of the inaugural team. Although some threads have included a discussion of dissatisfaction with VGF cast members, the cast member I spoke to was genuinely grateful to be part of the VGF staff and eager to assist with vacation planning.

At one point, I had mentioned touch-up work that I had observed. During the course of my stay, I had noticed that one of the walls, on the fourth floor, was noticeably scuffed. Given the color and height, I guessed it must have been a cart or stroller. Within the next day or two, painters were already touching up the wall. I mentioned this observation to the cast member and he said that VGF would be held to the same standard as GF. For example, he said that the floral arrangements in the lobby and upgraded H20 spa products were paid by the GF, not DVC dues, and, specifically, were the decision of the resort's general manager. After hearing this, I said that I wondered how long the quick response to maintenance and equal standard would last. Now, for the curious part of the conversation.

The cast member stated that wear across the DVC resorts is unequal largely because of members. Based on observations and reports from cast members in housekeeping, maintenance and management, there is one group of homeowners that is more respectful than any other. Supposedly, from rooms to common areas, VWL guests are significantly more respectful, which may be attributed to the statistics that indicate most guests staying at VWL own at VWL.

So, for whatever it is worth, perhaps home resort love runs deeper in the untamed wilderness than in other parts of the world.

Jim 8O

In all my DVC stays, the resort room with the most wear and tear was BLT last year.

 

[Sandisw]

In all my DVC stays, the resort room with the most wear and tear was BLT last year.

And, I wonder if this is partly due to the shabby materials that were used..many have said that it seems the quality was not there...

 

[bumbershoot]

While it is fine to say that there is less wear and tear at the VWL, there is no way to know if it is the WVL homeowners that are more respectful. Anyone can stay in those villas.

Plus, WL is a bit dark in the hallways and even the rooms. So wear and tear is flat out harder to see/notice there, vs a light and airy place.

Although there are exceptions, such as RCI and rentals, this is one of many metrics tracked by Parks & Resorts.

But they don't necessarily know who caused any damage. Sometimes it seems like people are allergic to informing the resort that there is damage or something broken, or guests might not notice, or might ot use whatever is problematic (thinking of the washer in our Kidani 1-bedroom last year that still had the hot/cold water problem). So things aren't always reported in a timely fashion and it's hard to know what group did it.

I
That being said, whether what the CM said is true or false, I find it completely unprofessional and disrespectful to be discussing "the quality or respectfulness" of owner/customers in general.

Just my two cents.

Throwing in some pennies with you!

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

With the lighter colors and seemingly cheaper looking materials used for the VWL refurb (mostly referring to the the pop up table in the studios) it will be interesting to see how they will hold up now. Personally I think much of the wear and tear is dependent on the quality of furnishings and materials.

 

[rusafee1183]

With the lighter colors and seemingly cheaper looking materials used for the VWL refurb (mostly referring to the the pop up table in the studios) it will be interesting to see how they will hold up now. Personally I think much of the wear and tear is dependent on the quality of furnishings and materials.

I was thinking the same thing Kathy. I noticed a lot less wear and tear in the past at resorts like AKV and VWL. I assumed that the dark colors have a lot to due with that.

I am curious how the Lodge will hold up with the new refurb...... of which I am not a fan. I just hope it's not as "light and breezy" feeling as the pics online make it appear.

 

[DizBub]

Although there are exceptions, such as RCI and rentals, this is one of many metrics tracked by Parks & Resorts.

DVC is well aware of how points are used and, specifically, the percentage of home owners that book at their home resort.

You may be surprised to know how much Disney knows about you. Take MDE, have you entered the names and birthdays of your family members? After making FP+ and dining reservations, Parks & Resorts can calculate descriptive statistics for attractions and dining locations based on age, sex and group size.

Oh, I know Disney knows all about us and who is staying in the rooms. I meant we, on this message board have no way of knowing.

 

[Dean]

My view is that DVC is but a rental car for any of us. Those who take care of their things and treat others things even better than their own will continue to take care as always. Those that tend to feel entitled may often take advantage and are less likely to treat things well than others. My experience over the years with the occasional rental averaging about 1.5-2/yr over almost 20 years is that those who are renting and non owners are far more appreciative and easier to deal with than owners.

 

[ElizabethG]

(A) Supposedly, from rooms to common areas, VWL guests are significantly more respectful, which may be attributed to the statistics that indicate most guests staying at VWL own at VWL.

(B) So, for whatever it is worth, perhaps home resort love runs deeper in the untamed wilderness than in other parts of the world.

(A) only implies (B) if all resorts were primarily populated by guests who own at those resorts.

The resorts that show the most reported wear (BLT and BCV) see a lot of guests who don't own there (or own any DVC) because of the locations.

I think, for the most part, all the DVC owners I have observed have been respectful of the spaces.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

The one disgusting thing I see at BWV is used room service trays. Why can't these be picked up in a timely manner?

I wonder how BWV stacks up?

 

[Dean]

To me the corollary is how the guests treat the front desk CM's. We've had many reports of blow ups by members and many reports from CM's (directly and indirectly) about how they don't want to work at the DVC options and how they're treated by DVC members comparative to other resorts. It seems to me that the ownership aspect brings out the entitlement mentality in some that wouldn't be there otherwise and those are additive to the group that would be difficult regardless.

 

[Chuck S]

My view is that DVC is but a rental car for any of us. Those who take care of their things and treat others things even better than their own will continue to take care as always. Those that tend to feel entitled may often take advantage and are less likely to treat things well than others. My experience over the years with the occasional rental averaging about 1.5-2/yr over almost 20 years is that those who are renting and non owners are far more appreciative and easier to deal with than owners.

This is, IMO, a good analogy, Dean. There are those that take care of rental cars, and those that live by the theory that there are two kinds of vehicles that can go anywhere...a 4-wheel drive and a rental car.

 

[Ansky]

This is, IMO, a good analogy, Dean. There are those that take care of rental cars, and those that live by the theory that there are two kinds of vehicles than can go anywhere...a 4-wheel drive and a rental car.

LOL!