Taking friends and relatives

[jekjones1558]

We also do not charge friends or family. Friends sometimes buy a meal. Twice we were given a gift card. Our family doesn't buy us anything, in fact we usually pay for one big dinner at a WDW restaurant and sometimes we buy kids tickets. I don't think that our friends/family really "get" how it works. They seem to think that we are entitled to as many rooms we want as long as there are rooms available. Since none of them owns a timeshare, I don't even think they understand the buy in and annual costs. Our family trip next October is costing a whopping 1296 points. They would be shocked to know what the maintenance fees alone are on those points, much less the rental or rack rates for rooms. And I know they don't understand that DH and I will be giving up many vacations for ourselves in order to share with them. That's okay.
Bottom line: You are wise to consider this whole issue before you set a precedent.

 

[sajetto]

We take my parents on every single trip. Often, I tell my mom to bring some of her friends so that she has her gal pals to hang out with. I've never asked her or any of them to compensate. As long as they pay for their own park tickets it is fine by me. My husband's family members have been on a few trips and the same applies to them.

 

[rhax07]

We are taking our first trip with friends this coming June. We didn't ask them for anything except that they pay their own transportation, DDP, and park tickets. I guess we just feel that they are our guests and we invited them, so....

If they had asked us to tag along, then maybe we would've asked for them to help compensate the difference, but since we initiated the trip, we're bringing them as guests.

 

[dianeschlicht]

It has never occurred to us to 'charge' family and friends we invite as guests. We wouldn't charge them to come spend time with us at our home, and since DVC is our "vacation" home, we would never charge for that either.

We have also found that 90% of the time, our guests buy us a nice dinner out. The only thing that has been an issue for us is one time when the friends not only didn't treat us to a dinner, but also didn't bother to say "thank you" in any way! We haven't invited them back.

 

[brandip22]

I've taken my niece a couple of times, but she was very young and, at the time, her Mom couldn't afford to help so I of course paid for everything. In March, I have family coming along- cousin, aunt and cousin's child. I don't even remember if they asked to join us or if I asked them. Points-wise, we are spending the same amount as we would have anyway because we always get a 2 BR for the four of us. This time, we are getting a THV for the 7 of us and it'll be plenty of room still with the same amount of points. Now, we really wanted to stay elsewhere, but it's OK since they are coming along.
This cousin makes probably triple what we make. However, they've never been to DW and I am happy with them coming along without paying me anything. They will pay for their food, tickets and transportation down. She has offered to buy the groceries and all of our meals, but we told her that was too much. She was insisting, so I let it drop, but still am not planning on that. so basically, it'd be nice to have an offer, but it's not required for us.

 

[bobbiwoz]

A DCuz of mine loves Disney. She does solo visits, she come with us sometimes, and last year she invited me to be her guest when she took her family down. She's a gracious hostess, and guest, and I hope she feels the same about me.

 

[rkrose1]

My parents and sister had planned to meet us at WDW, and would have had a package at the 35% off room portion bounceback rate at CBR.

We bought DVC a week after that booking, and asked them if they wanted us to get a 2 BR instead, so we could all be together.

They each paid for their own DDP, tickets, flights, etc., and split the cost of our DDP (2A & 1C). My parents didn't have to share a room with Dsis, we had 3 bathrooms instead of 2, and the kitchen. Everyone even pitched in for their share of the bfast/snack groceries.

After covering our DDP, they still saved over $600 compared to that original discounted package.

I don't feel bad about letting them pay for our DDP because a) everyone got better accommodations & b) we had to use 2 1/2 yrs points for the 9 nights in a BLT LV 2BR (we would normally get a studio). We'll have to skip a year in 2012 to make up the borrowed points, but it was worth it for us to be together.

My parents actually wanted to buy us a souvenir for bringing them, but I declined.

 

[LVSWL]

It has never occurred to us to 'charge' family and friends we invite as guests. We wouldn't charge them to come spend time with us at our home, and since DVC is our "vacation" home, we would never charge for that either.

We have also found that 90% of the time, our guests buy us a nice dinner out. The only thing that has been an issue for us is one time when the friends not only didn't treat us to a dinner, but also didn't bother to say "thank you" in any way! We haven't invited them back.

Same with us. We wouldn't charge for the villa. We are thrilled to share with friends & family, and we have found that most everyone is very grateful & might pick up our dinner during their stay.
However, we did have "friends" who not only didn't offer to treat us, but they split 2 days early. Those two days were a Friday & Saturday of Easter weekend. Left us with an empty bedroom for 2 days during one of the most expensive point times of the year. No..they will not be invited back, EVER.

 

[keaster]

We are excited to have been able to invite good friends of ours to join us at AKL in August!

They are paying for their own park tickets, and we will split the cost of food as we go (paying for our own tabs when we go out, split the cost of groceries for the villa.)

Never even thought about asking for money to cover the points.

However, if friends wanted to rent points from us (on a vacation without us), that's something different.

 

[Sammie]

Friends and family, what is that. None of ours know we have DVC.

 

[DougEMG]

Friends and family, what is that. None of ours know we have DVC.

Same here