??s after reading "Honeymoon from H***" post

[tgj]

Hi Everyone:
First post in a long time. Been enjoying and learning a lot about DVC from you guys. We only toured SSR and haven't stayed at a DVC property yet. We were almost ready to sign on the line this week, but reading the above thread (and others lately) got me thinking, and a little confused.

Here's my question: Are we to expect a lower level of service and maintenance from DVC properties than what is provided at other WDW properties?

I'm not talking about not having daily housekeeping, etc. That I understand, expect and don't have a problem with. But I am concerned about dirty bathrooms, stained furniture or bedspreads, cockroaches, unemptied trash, lousy bus service to parks, and throngs of teenagers from DTD in the SSR pools, etc etc etc..... Things that have been raised in other posts lately.

I've NEVER EVER experienced those sort of problems with any of my other WDW stays (at Polynesian, the old Dixie Landings, and at Port Orleans a couple of weeks ago). Our expectations are that SSR (and other DVC properties) would be at least at those standards, and maybe even a little higher. But if that is unreasonable, I'd like to know now, before I send my check.... Our hope by joining DVC is to sort of "upgrade" our vacation experience, but bad buses, bugs, and having to bring a bottle of Fantastik with us wasn't really the picture we had in mind!

Any thoughts or advice on this??? I'd just like to have a better idea of where my expectations should be before we sign on. Thanks again for all the good info!

--TJ

 

[DISNEYDUET]

Please understand that the views of other should in no way dictate your desire to buy into DVC. Also, you are not buying DVC for the hotels. You are buying into DVC to have the flexibility of a pre paid vacation. As the years go on and rates go up you will essentially be paying a lot less depending on when you bought in. My husband and I love DVC and I can't imagine not having it. I kick myself everytime I think of the money I could have saved if I had bought in sooner. If you have not ordered the DVC DVD I would recommend you do so.
Just my 2 cents!

 

[MonkeyPants]

Hi Everyone:
First post in a long time. Been enjoying and learning a lot about DVC from you guys. We only toured SSR and haven't stayed at a DVC property yet. We were almost ready to sign on the line this week, but reading the above thread (and others lately) got me thinking, and a little confused.

Here's my question: Are we to expect a lower level of service and maintenance from DVC properties than what is provided at other WDW properties?

I'm not talking about not having daily housekeeping, etc. That I understand, expect and don't have a problem with. But I am concerned about dirty bathrooms, stained furniture or bedspreads, cockroaches, unemptied trash, lousy bus service to parks, and throngs of teenagers from DTD in the SSR pools, etc etc etc..... Things that have been raised in other posts lately.

I've NEVER EVER experienced those sort of problems with any of my other WDW stays (at Polynesian, the old Dixie Landings, and at Port Orleans a couple of weeks ago). Our expectations are that SSR (and other DVC properties) would be at least at those standards, and maybe even a little higher. But if that is unreasonable, I'd like to know now, before I send my check.... Our hope by joining DVC is to sort of "upgrade" our vacation experience, but bad buses, bugs, and having to bring a bottle of Fantastik with us wasn't really the picture we had in mind!

Any thoughts or advice on this??? I'd just like to have a better idea of where my expectations should be before we sign on. Thanks again for all the good info!

--TJ

well the stained bedspread and the roaches I encountered did not happen at a DVC resort, but at one of the main WDW resorts.

I've stayed a number of times at OKW and stayed at SSR this past november.

OKW is (as you likely know) the oldest of the DVC properties at WDW and I have to say I have never had any issues there, in fact its one of my favorite places....a little out of the way, but very relaxing. SSR I found to be a great looking property (just bought in there myself yesterday) The bus service was on the slow side (especially for the MK) at least for the week I was there. However, I think part of the prob is that resort wasnt finished and they still need to iron out the kinks there. As for the pool situation, I cant say if there were people there that didnt belong, but it never seemed that crowded.

 

[Mrs Potato Head]

Sometimes we take "ownership" to higher levels. I personally think that all that is complained about on these boards in rooms, with transportation, etc happens everywhere on property - DVC or not. But we expect more, want more, and feel we deserve more even.

Was our bathroom in SSR spotless when we were there in May? Probably not. Is my bathroom at home spotless? NO. Oh well. I still had a terrific time.

Buses don't magically appear when you get to a bus stop, mold DOES grow in places you will see and the housekeeper won't - garbage might get missed, etc, etc etc. All we can do is be reasonable - and point out things that can be, and should be fixed. And if we make our "complaints" reasonable, and productive, then everyone benefits.

Decide to buy DVC for yourself. If you are lurking around reading posts trying to figure out if you will be happy with this, you aren't being fair to yourself. Make up your own mind what you like and don't - and don't let others influence you in that way. Take the facts, leave the opinions.

Just my .02

 

[Tink10]

We've only been members for about a year & a half, but have stayed DVC quite a few times (both as members & non-menbers). We still like to experience the "regular" deluxe WDW resorts & I've had more bad rooms at the regular resorts.....

We've only had nice rooms at the BCV & BWV. Yes, you do see the occasional knick in the furniture & in one BWV studio, I noticed that the sink needed a bit of caulk, but those are the only problems that I've ever seen.

At the "regular" resorts, we had a bug filled room at the CBR, a very worn & dreary room at the Poly (before the rehab), a WL room that had dirty walls & my most recent room at AKL smelled terrible.

So, as with any WDW room, I think getting the perfect room is simply luck of the draw........

 

[bigboywdw]

In theory, timeshare proerties should be much better maintained than a hotel. After all it is the members not DVC or any other timeshare co. that is footing the bill.

I have been a DVC member for 12 + years now and I can say that maintenance is not one of DVC's strong points. They tend to follow pre-set schedules instead of addressing things on a "as needed" basis. Switching the procedure on this would make a huge difference.

Would I recommend DVC, absolutely, but just go into it knowing that due the pre-set schedule of maintenance and the high occupancy rate of DVC properties, things aren't always in pristeen condition.

The resorts are very good about handling small problems as they arise as long as you report them. It is the big things that are predetermined like beds, carpets, appliances, countertops etc.

Good luck,

Bill

 

[crisi]

I personally find DVC rooms and public areas to be "less opulent" than their corresponding Deluxe hotel rooms. And they seem to get a little more worn between refreshes, in my experience. We've had mold stains in showers, but I've had that in the Deluxe hotels. The big thing is usage and space - you can't expect a room that gets lived (cooking) to stay as pristine for as long as a room that only gets slept in. I'd guess DVC members spend more time in their rooms, they have kitchens and living rooms to make that possible. The hideabeds get worn from being used, the couch cushions have breakfast eaten on them and aren't as easily washed as the bedspread at a resort. In other words - they are different units that have different uses, and its difficult to do a comparison. However, I think if you expect "a Deluxe hotel" you'll be disappointed, because DVC ISN'T a Deluxe hotel and the members don't use the rooms like hotel rooms.

Personally, I am happy with the manner in which the rooms are maintained under the assumption that any improvements to the manner in which they are kept up would increase my dues.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

One thing about DVC (or any other timeshare) v. regular hotel rooms (Disney or otherwise) is the occupancy. At DVC, the occupancy goal is 95%+. While other hotels, even busy ones, tend to be in the 80-90% range.

This means that it is harder to hide problem rooms. DVC may not have a room to take out of use for even one night to fix a minor problem. As a result, I would expect you may encounter more minor problems at DVC than you might at other WDW resorts.

That may mean you need to be proactive and report problems you encounter and suffer some minor inconveniece while those repairs are being made. We had a visit from the phone repair man our first morning in our new Home at BWV. He was actually too accomodating: he had called and said he would be there at 10 and was waiting in the hallway until exactly that time before he knocked on the door!

You need to decide if the value of DVC outwieghs these possible inconveniences to you and your family.

Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[DrTomorrow]

In practice, I'd prefer to see the dues kept at the lowest level that can still maintain the resort at a level acceptable to the owners.

To the OP: Please check out the Disney Resorts Forum here on the DIS - you will find the same exact complaints there about Disney's non-DVC resorts. Just recently there was a post about a guest at the Polynesian who's trip was negatively impacted by pool-hoppers. There are times of the year where certain resorts are overwhelmed by rowdy children (Pop Warner comes to mind). We've discovered both bugs and moldy showers at the CR and at PO (before it was POFQ), and almost every resort has complaints about the buses (check out the BC/YC/BW/S/D threads!). And, after 4 SSR trips, we've encountered no stains, no holes-in-walls, no disturbingly worn carpets, and only one creepy-crawly that promptly got front-of-the-line in the SSR Flusher-Gusher; oh, and one unwashed cup that someone put back in the cupboard.

[As an aside, we recently stayed at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas - one of the more upscale resorts - and discovered ripped wallpaper, mold in the shower and an unplugged (and really stinky) mini-fridge.]

So to answer your question, it appears that DVC suffers the same ills that all temporary housing suffer. You've been lucky not to experience them . I would not expect upkeep to be 'better' at DVC - again, it is a timeshare, where the expected use is much rougher than in a hotel room.

IMHO, I cut DVC a bit more slack than I would a hotel; it's a vacation "home", and homes take a bit more of a beating.

Be well!

 

[elijahpep]

You should definitely follow your own thoughts. Researching something with such a big price tag is very important and smart! I bet if you look back thru the pages of threads you will find that good reports out weigh the bad ones.
(well, I hope the numbers add up that way). I think is healthy to question this purchase. Though the thoughts regarding upkeep and service, well, I guess you could stay anywhere at anytime and have something out of the comfort zone occur in what you expect in quality and service. Maybe the thing that stands out about DVC is that it is a group of places that you will be frequenting over and over thru out the years, uping the percentage for something to go wrong.
If you stay at any given hotel anywhere, you have a good visit, and you won't mind to stay at that chain again. If something goes wrong, well then you may quesiton to stay there next time. With DVC there's so much to take advantage of, today's rates tomorrow, being the biggest for us. Most of the time it seems DVC offers special rates on different resturants, shopping and experiences. Most of all a place in Disney to call home.

Best of luck with your decision. Hope to welcome you home if you decide to buy.

~DW

 

[tgj]

I agree with you all - there is no "perfect" hotel room -- at least not in this world (but hopefully in the next!!). Minor problems, in my mind, are to be expected - caulk, etc.... I guess I would just make a distinction between normal wear and tear and cleanliness.

Frequenting one place will, as stated, increase the chances of bumping into something out of whack.... But it sounds like, in most situations, an unclean room is the exception and not the rule, and if it is found to be "sub-par" they've been ready to come and take care of things promptly when brought to their attention (this last part important because someone can't attend to something they aren't aware of.....).

Would this be, in your experiences, accurate?? And is the staff responsive?

Thanks - these responses have been helpful!

 

[rinkwide]

As others have stated, the DVC resorts face challenges that other "Deluxe" properties don't. Higher than average occupancy, less frequent cleaning, full kitchens and, depending upon who you ask, renters all contribute to an increased level of wear and tear.

In my opinion, Disney does a more-than-adequate job of maintaining these properties for the amount of dues that I pay and I've found the staff at DVC resorts to be quite responsive when a problem is brought to their attention. However, to make sure that the experience will be to your liking, I suggest you try before you buy. Rent some points at a resort that interests you and see for yourself (just don't trash the place, mkay).

 

[JimMIA]

Another strategy you might try in evaluating what someone posts is to go look at their other posts. You can do that by left-clicking on most members' screen names, and then clicking on the link that says "Find more posts by..."

You may find that some posters have much higher standards than others...or much more difficulty and disappointment in life generally than others.

A wise old friend of mine once told me, "You can tell the size of a man by the size of the things that make him mad." I find some posters who consistently take really difficult things in stride, and others who freak out at the slightest upset...so I "consider the source" quite a bit with some of these threads.

 

[Nennie]

BCV is a dump!!! Don't stay there!! If you already have ressies, I would suggest that you cancel them right away!!!

I have very low standards, so I will take one for the team and stay there, so as not to tie up all of the nicer resorts.

 

[Doug Wolfe]

I do not think DVC service/maintenance is any worse/better than any other Disney resort.

Time for sarcasm. (Be warned )

Stains? Look critically at any Disney Resort, or any resort in the country for that matter, and you will find stains.

Crooked light fixture in the hall? Oh please.

I agree with the honeymooners that the elevators could be in a little better shape at BCV.

Bugs? Who knew there were bugs in Florida?

Transportation? BCV, BWV and VWL are using the exact same bus pick-up points as the Beach Club hotel resort, the Boardwalk Inn and the Wilderness Lodge hotel. So the transporation service from those resorts is no slower for DVC guests than for any other hotel guest.

Other resorts have maintenance issues from time to time. My wife hates the Poly. Why? They turned off the hot water while she was in the shower at 10am so they could do some upkeep. They just forgot to tell the customers. That was in 1997. But she will never stay at the Poly again.

Finally, go back to the honeymooner post. Read it carefully. They were there for a week. Four of those days they had the flu. That certainly must have colored their opinions. I suspect they were exposed days before at their reception or on the plane...but it sure sounded like they were blaming DVC & BCV for their flu bug. And, they were so sick they never got to swim in Storm-A-Long Bay. They were there for a week and sick for four days!? What were they doing the other 3-days???? Oh, it was their honeymoon, never mind.

My experiences at DVC resorts have been great. I hope the honeymoon couple has a long & happy marriage.

 

[jakenjess]

We've owned DVC for about a year now and have stayed at OKW, VWL, BWV, and Vero. All of our rooms were fine, and the couple of small issues we had were promptly addressed as soon as we reported them. The only regret we have about DVC is not buying sooner! Good luck with your decision.

 

[dianeschlicht]

LOL, good post, Doug!

We have been members for 9 years and have had more than 20 stays, and I have never seen a problem that wasn't easily solved by calling Maintenance or housekeeping. Sometimes it's as simple as a missing plate in the cupboard or a lightbulb in the bathroom. Once it was the fridge leaking! A quick call to maintenance, and all was fit again and ready for a great stay!

 

[chris1gill]

I agree with you all - there is no "perfect" hotel room -- at least not in this world (but hopefully in the next!!). Minor problems, in my mind, are to be expected - caulk, etc.... I guess I would just make a distinction between normal wear and tear and cleanliness.

Frequenting one place will, as stated, increase the chances of bumping into something out of whack.... But it sounds like, in most situations, an unclean room is the exception and not the rule, and if it is found to be "sub-par" they've been ready to come and take care of things promptly when brought to their attention (this last part important because someone can't attend to something they aren't aware of.....).

Would this be, in your experiences, accurate?? And is the staff responsive?

Thanks - these responses have been helpful!

I think your expectations are in line with reality... If you do EVER encounter a cleanliness problem, all you need to do is pick up the phone & call housekeeping or maintenance, they have always been responsive whenever we have had issues....

 

[utahkennedys]

On our first visit to OKW last Sept. the room was immaculate. I half expected it not to be from posts here, and since it's the oldest DVC. My Dad and Stepmom were with us, and they were blown away. They are world travelers at many 5* resorts, and absolutely loved the room, the quality and cleanliness of it, and the size. I probably could have found a few things wrong with it, but we just built a new custom home we moved into 2 weeks ago and I am noticing things here too. Some people are WAY too picky, and if they don't want to call maintenance about the big issues and prefer to write letters when they get home, good luck to them. I would rather have things fixed while I was IN my room if they are so important.

 

[Scotch]

All I can add is that among the two OKW and one BCV stays we've had since December 2oo4, all in 2BR units, we have had rooms with no filth, mold, bugs, etc. And the bus service for each stay has been within expectation (with one exceptionally long wait at BCV once during the week due to a bus breakdown). Yes I did notice some wear and tear on the furniture, but fairly mild and to be expected of any hotel room. And yes I did have to call BCV housekeeping twice over two days because they forgot to come for our mid-week cleaning (what is up with repeated reports of that??). Otherwise each trip has been great due to the spaciousness of the units -- having the extra bedrooms while travelling with a baby improved our vacations a hundred fold -- we saved money eating some meals in our units, and we had so much space to relax in a cool and calm setting after some time at the parks. If I find bugs on any of our upcoming trips, my reaction will depend on how many bugs I find. If I find an odd one or two, I will first ask DH to kill it (because I cannot stand getting near bugs when I do not have to) and probably let it go at that since I find bugs in my own house on occasion. If I find more, particularly upon check-in, I will definitely call housekeeping immediately and maybe ask for a room change if I think there has been an infestation. (We did stay at the fancy and amazing Four Seasons Aviara timeshare resort once and woke up with hundreds of ants crawling in the otherwise spotless kitchen. They sent a guy to spray; he also cleaned up afterwards. We didn't think of moving over ants that had been killed.) I would not hesitate to call over any other poor housekeeping/maintenance issues (even if I were ill). So far DVC has met our expectations such that if we did end up with a disappointing trip due to housekeeping/maintenance/service troubles we would probably chalk it up as one unlucky experience and still look forward to our next trip.