New Member Concerns

[LynnDisOKW]

This is my first post ever.I have lurked on these boards for over a year now, great community.I just wanted to post and say that my family just returned from OKW in January and we experienced the same thing.My oldest daughter even noticed the wear and tear of the 2 bedroom unit we were in.Even so, we realize that every resort will get to a point where it will really needs rehabbed, it won't prevent us from returning.Of course I hope they renovate soon, but unless it gets to be worse than All Star Sports,I probably won't complain too much.My son prefers OKW over all the other resorts.

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip).....Amongst all the debate re how to accommodate room requests, maintenance, and so on, I don't hear anyone mention getting on the board of the HOA and making some changes to the policies. That is what I would expect with our other timeshares. Am I missing something about DVC? Are owners now allowed to run for the HOA?

I assume by HOA, you mean Home Owners Association. If so, that is not an option as Disney appoints the board members to the DVC version of such. There are no "owner" elections per se.

I doubt that most members have serious issues with the way DVC is currently run. I don't. Yes, there are some things that could be better. But IMHO, it's not necessary to "throw the baby out with the bath water". I can honestly say that we have never experienced any of the really bad things that are commonly discussed here. I think our experience is by far the more common one - remember, human nature is what it is and the negative always seems to get more press than the positive.

I've been reading and posting here since 1999 and remember similar discussions occuring fairly regularly. I've learned not to take anything I read here too seriously if it doesn't match my own experience. It helps to remind myself that I am only reading one side of the story.

The only real change I've noticed lately is that there are more posters now that seem to think that if someone doesn't agree with you, they are flaming you. Too bad. Not good to be too sensitive if you are going to post on a public board. I like reading different points of view, but I hate name calling and wish posters would not assume they know the motives of those who disagree.

Sorry for the rant. Hope you keep reading - we really are a pretty nice bunch when you get to know us, LOL

Best wishes -

 

[offtheice]

Whats funny is I see people complain about the work/maint being done this past yr at the resorts. Are they the same people now complaining that maint needs to be done? This is not directed at anyone here.. just wondering!!

 

[Pa@okw95]

What I can't figure out is if it was so bad why did he wait until check out. If I see maintenace I normally call then.[/QUOTE

Regarding the compressor we most likely would have been asked to move. I wasn't about to do that-third floor -guests-had to wait to 4:45 to get the unit at check in. As for the others, the stripped faucet could still be turned off it you moved it just right and slowly. I slammed the door shut to the balcony, I thought I broke it, but we used the bedroom door to get to the balcony. The whole point is that I spend a lot of time in the unit and don't want people walking in and out. The other point is that these things should be fixed before we get into the unit. These rooms run $395 to $460 per day and for that price they should be in working order. I must confess I was concerned about the compressor running 24/7, those things shut off normally when the air or heat does-this kept running, it had to be hot. This is not hotel 6 for $59 per night. When I pay this kind of money I expect everything to be in working order, that includes the light bulbs, light switches etc, everything. When I bouhgt into DVC this was suppose to be an upscale project.

 

[Sammie]

What I can't figure out is if it was so bad why did he wait until check out. If I see maintenace I normally call then.[/QUOTE

Regarding the compressor we most likely would have been asked to move. I wasn't about to do that-third floor -guests-had to wait to 4:45 to get the unit at check in. As for the others, the stripped faucet could still be turned off it you moved it just right and slowly. I slammed the door shut to the balcony, I thought I broke it, but we used the bedroom door to get to the balcony. The whole point is that I spend a lot of time in the unit and don't want people walking in and out. The other point is that these things should be fixed before we get into the unit. These rooms run $395 to $460 per day and for that price they should be in working order. I must confess I was concerned about the compressor running 24/7, those things shut off normally when the air or heat does-this kept running, it had to be hot. This is not hotel 6 for $59 per night. When I pay this kind of money I expect everything to be in working order, that includes the light bulbs, light switches etc, everything. When I bouhgt into DVC this was suppose to be an upscale project.

Pa, I am curious what compressor are you talking about? The main workings of all air/heating units are outside. They are either on the ground or on the roof. If you are talking about the fan of the unit running 24/7 did you check to see if someone had change the fan control from Auto to On. If they did it would continue to run even after the actual heating and cooling turned off. Unless you had a first floor unit with the compressor right out side your villa I am not sure you would know it was not cutting off. If the actual compressor was running and it was an outside unit it is very possible they could have fixed it and you would not have even known.

Does waiting until 4:45 to get in a unit really bother you? If so I guess I can now understand why you stay upset. We had a patio door at SSR that kept sticking, one call to Maintenance while we were out of the room and when we returned, it was fixed. I let them know when we would be gone, very nicely told them I would really appreciate if they could service it while we were out and as stated they did this.

 

[Mickmse2002]

It is very sad for me, a new owner, to read increasing number of threads like this. This, of course, is mild compared to some of the other recent ones posted it regarding BCV CM attitudes toward DVC vs. cash customers, lack of hot water for several days with no apologies, etc.

I wouldn't worry too much. We have stayed at BCV many times and have not experienced any real issues. I must confess that I don't have the time/patience to read the other 10-page thread of debate going on about DVC members being treated poorly at BCV. I can honestly say that we haven't while staying there but I have observed some guest behavior that warrants attitude from CM's. I really, really believe that many people are ultra-sensitive to not being treated special as they are DVC members. Why should we be treated any better than a cash-paying patron? I also wouldn't worry too much about some of the "problems" you see listed about BCV and more recently OKW and BWV. I think many of them are a matter of perspective and get blown way out of proportion. I am not a DVC apologist, I don't see the world through rose colored glasses, I have just never experienced anything so bad that it would negatively impact my stay.

Enjoy your DVC.

 

[Yardbird]

I'm a new DVC owner also. We haven't even made our first trip yet. This type of thread certainly adds to my concern of whether buying was the right thing to do. Had I done more reading on this board prior to purchase, I'm not sure that we would have. From the few trips we've made in the last few years, it appears that WDW is lowering it's standards. That also goes for the parks, as well as other Disney resorts. I really don't know why I thought that the DVC resorts would be any different.

Yes, everything deteriorates over time. The maintenance issues don't take away the magic of WDW, they just makes it less than perfect. At any rate, I'll try not to judge DVC until I've had the opportunity to experience it for myself.

 

[Mickmse2002]

I'm a new DVC owner also. We haven't even made our first trip yet. This type of thread certainly adds to my concern of whether buying was the right thing to do. Had I done more reading on this board prior to purchase, I'm not sure that we would have.

This is a point I made once before. These boards can be extremely helpful for learning information but I fear too many people take what is here as absolute gospel truth and make important financial/family decision based on the opinions of complete strangers. Issues like friendliness, cleanliness and relative value or all very personal and subjective. I am glad you bought and are keeping an open mind until your first trip home.

 

[crisi]

It also helps to know personalities. Pa is (while I am sure a gentleman) somewhat of a curmudgeon. He seldom posts about his wonderful trips. There are posters who think DVC is perfect and wonderful, posters who think everything was much more wonderful 10 years ago. Posters who think OKW/BCV/BWV/SSR/VWL is perfect and any other resort is inferior. When I first came here, I thought these people were nuts (still do, sometimes) and wanted to know why I'd buy into such a place (at the time the great "people shouldn't hang towels from their balconies" arguement was going on).

(And I'm not disclaiming that I don't have a personality or opinions....no, not me, I'm perfect and everything I say is gospel truth and a uniform experience for all.)

 

[Greysword]

To the point of Dr Tomorrow (and my own thoughts)...

My new bride and I bought into SSR this past January on our honeymoon. I had ordered the video the previous July (I think) as friends of ours have a Starwood property, and I knew we both liked Disney (that is, we liked the idea of owning a timeshare and I gravitated towards Disney).

On our 4-night cruise before the WDW part, they played the DVC video on one of the TV channels, and my wife told me she would be insterested in looking into it while we were there.

When we asked a few people about their DVC memberships, all of them...and I mean all...got very excited and stated that it was the best thing they ever did (vacation related I assume ). When we arrived at SSR and were asking who to talk to (it was around 9am and we took the bus there ourselves from the Swan), a gentleman who overheard us while he was checking in hollared that it will be the best decision we could make and that his family loved DVC. I thought it was kind of funny.

...ok, I'll get to the point I think the posts on here are not representative as to the attitude of the majority of the people on any given day regarding issues with DVC resorts. Even we have mostly good days, and a vacation is measured by the number of good ones. Thus, the statistical odds are probably very very slim that there will be any major issues during our stay at WDW. If there are, the resort staff seems to be taking care of it quite efficiently. Thus, I am not worried when we have our first trip "Home" in October.

That said, I think the people on this forum are not the average WDW guest, nor are they the average DVC owner. The DIS boards, and especially the DVC section, is like a small club of a few hundred people, who like to get together and share their experiences with each other. Since we are in the company of our peers and friends, it seems we feel more comfortable to discuss our concerns and thoughts without too much of a stigma of being harshly judged. We may disagree, and like good friends, feel we should express our difference of opinion and state why we feel that way, but this is simply healthy debate. I would be willing to bet no one on here truely harbors ill will toward anyone else, and if we meet in person, it would be like seeing and old college friend again after several years.

ok, ok...I'll hurry up the moral of my post...listen to what is said on here, take the information in case the need for it arises, but don't expect every visit to be the way it was described on here (good or bad). Those, like Pa, who make the initial posts (or any subsequent replies) just wanted to share with their freinds that they have some concerns and want to know how we see the same type events.

Thanks for listening!!

 

[tjkraz]

People are much more likely to post if they had a problem. The reasons may include:

* Desire to vent to a group of sympathetic individuals
* Instigate change in policy / procedure
* Forewarn others of potential problems
* Stimulate discussion

What we don't often see are the hundreds of positive experiences folks enjoy every single day.

Just remember if you go looking for a problem, you're much more inclined to find it.

 

[jarestel]

People are much more likely to post if they had a problem.
Just remember if you go looking for a problem, you're much more inclined to find it.

I find more value in the opinions containing both good and bad points about something. Since I've not found many perfect purchase items in my life, ( okay maybe my Homer Simpson bottle opener qualifies ), it adds more creditability when someone says here's why I like it, but here are some of the things that MIGHT cause you problems.

It's just not too believeable when someone tells me that something is perfect. Sounds more like a sales pitch than an honest appraisal.

 

[DrTomorrow]

I find more value in the opinions containing both good and bad points about something. Since I've not found many perfect purchase items in my life, ( okay maybe my Homer Simpson bottle opener qualifies ), it adds more creditability when someone says here's why I like it, but here are some of the things that MIGHT cause you problems.

It's just not too believeable when someone tells me that something is perfect. Sounds more like a sales pitch than an honest appraisal.

I disagree with your first statement, but agree with the second. I have no problem with someone posting an opinion, experience or trip report that focuses on the postives - heck, I hope that most of us DIS folks have vacations that yield only happy memories! Not every positive needs to be countered with a negative for me to believe the poster. (Jarestel: does the opposite hold for you as well? That a post with only negatives is also less creditable?) However, I agree that if someone says "Oh, it was perfect - absolutely nothing went wrong", I tend to wonder what got glossed over ....

And let me make this perfectly clear : I have no problem with folks posting negative comments about DVC or WDW. I'm not a cheerleader (I'm probably less into pixie dust than many here) and I do believe that the more information someone has - warts and all - the better off they are. The only points I really wanted to make were these:

1. What may be untolerable or unacceptable to one can be a minor annoyance to another.

2. The expectations and opinions of DIS DVC forum posters is probably not representative of all DVC owners.

There, now: smiles, everyone! .

Regarding the new direction of this thread: I too would be hesitant to call DVC Maint. to fix a serious problem if I was going to be in the room for an extended period of time; I'd probably wait and schedule it for a time I was going to be in the parks, or let them know when I check out - I bet a fair amount of people feel the same. Sadly, this leads to a problem; once someone is out of the room and going home, they certainly don't care as much about the condition of the room they were in.

So newbies, fear not; I'm hoping that all the hubbub is just caused by a bout of SAD and all that's needed is some !

 

[Dean]

This is a point I made once before. These boards can be extremely helpful for learning information but I fear too many people take what is here as absolute gospel truth and make important financial/family decision based on the opinions of complete strangers. Issues like friendliness, cleanliness and relative value or all very personal and subjective. I am glad you bought and are keeping an open mind until your first trip home.

No question. However the info gathered here will be far better, more accurate and more helpful overall than anything you can get directly from DVC. Such is the nature of the beast.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

For all those afraid about the negative posts, you have to keep in mind that all the posters: the perpetual Suzie Sunshines, the Plain Janes and the Negative Nellies still own their piece of the magic, and have not sold do to the poor quality of their vacations.

It's great to hear all sides of the story. The pixie dust posts are enjoyed by many, but somehow the negative threads are always the longest and most viewed ones. This board's tone flip-flops over time between the positive and negative. With so many more DVCers, and the tendancy to post the negatives over the positives, statistically there are likely to just be more negative threads that pop-up.

In the recent past, many posters were deemed "negative" (and other descriptives) for daring to desire a DVC park pass discount. These posters were repeatedly advised by other posters to sell if they didn't like DVC. Luckily...that negative has now become a positve, and to the benefit of most DVCers. Sometimes good can come out of all the complaining that goes on here, to MS, and to Disney customer relations.

 

[Sammie]

The other thing to consider is each person's perspective of unplesant or negative is different. Obviously to some not getting into your villa before 4pm is horrible. It truely does not bother me. We always check in around 3-4 pm and if the room is not ready, we just leave and come back much later after dinner.

Things that need to be fixed, I just call maintenance, as I figure the guest before me ignored it and they come and fix it.

I don't tolerate rooms that are not clean. However I won't faint at the sight of them. I immediately call the Housekeeping Super, ask her/him to come to my room to see what I am talking about and then leave for them to reclean my room. While I am gone enjoying some other aspect of the Disney magic, my room is now clean.

I never request anything but NS and therefore my chances of getting it are very good. I could care less what I can see out my balcony.

So my point is if I posted trip reports which I don't, no one would probably believe my perfect vacation. But to me it happens.

 

[lllovell]

I am just VERY excited to HAVE a balcony

 

[athenna]

I am just VERY excited to HAVE a balcony

I hear ya!
Before I joined DVC, I had only stayed in a room with a balcony once, at the GC in DL. I loved having my morning coffee, hanging out on the balcony. Believe it or not, it one of the things I am most excited about. (what a dork I am ). Of ourse, I have a balcony at home, but it's covered in snow right now. Just doesn't have quite the same feel to it

 

[DrTomorrow]

For all those afraid about the negative posts, you have to keep in mind that all the posters: the perpetual Suzie Sunshines, the Plain Janes and the Negative Nellies still own their piece of the magic, and have not sold do to the poor quality of their vacations.

Could you tell than a man posted this?

[snip] In the recent past, many posters were deemed "negative" (and other descriptives) for daring to desire a DVC park pass discount. These posters were repeatedly advised by other posters to sell if they didn't like DVC. Luckily...that negative has now become a positve, and to the benefit of most DVCers. Sometimes good can come out of all the complaining that goes on here, to MS, and to Disney customer relations.

Well, unless I missed something (always a very real possibility ), the only park pass discounts we got were on AP/PAP. And have we actually heard that this was given to DVC owners due to complaints to any of the sources you mention? It seems that an argument can easily be made that Disney simply realized that keeping DVC owners in the parks more over the period of one year would generate more than enough revenue to offset the cost of the discount. If they were responding to complaints, they could have just given us free park passes, like in "the good old days".

 

[CarolMN]

Could you tell than a man posted this?

Certainly! And I am most impressed that you noticed! (being of the male persuasion yourself, LOL)

Well, unless I missed something (always a very real possibility ), the only park pass discounts we got were on AP/PAP. And have we actually heard that this was given to DVC owners due to complaints to any of the sources you mention? It seems that an argument can easily be made that Disney simply realized that keeping DVC owners in the parks more over the period of one year would generate more than enough revenue to offset the cost of the discount. If they were responding to complaints, they could have just given us free park passes, like in "the good old days".

I agree - doubt complaints were the impetus behind the decision. Much more likely to be a belief by Disney that it would result in more revenue for them. That said, it probably didn't hurt that members made their desires known.

Best wishes -