Talking about DVC with strangers

[_19disnA]

If you tell people it is Disney's version of a timeshare you probably won't get as many questions.

 

[KPeterso]

People just ask you to give them points?

Oof, that's tacky.

Yeah - that is why I just smile and say I am using them. Because if I don't, I will rent them out or will gift them to someone who would never ask to just use them.

 

[Pens Fan]

Yeah - that is why I just smile and say I am using them. Because if I don't, I will rent them out or will gift them to someone who would never ask to just use them.

I will never tell my sister that we own DVC. If she knew it would be constant requests for her kids and grandkids to use them and I just don't want to deal with it. I guess she just thinks we pay cash whenever we go, and that's fine with me .

And just so you don't think I'm a monster, we have gifted out our points in the past to others and I'm sure we will again. It's just the ones that would expect it (and be annoyed if denied) that I avoid.

 

[bwvBound]

If you tell people it is Disney's version of a timeshare you probably won't get as many questions.

That has always been my answer! It does make a quick exit when talking with strangers ... but those who know me/us aren't quickly put off. They know we own several timeshare ... and that we take great vacations. If they are asking questions about our DVC ... they likely expect a longer conversation.

EDITED to add: I generally wear the DVC string-backpack at the DLR parks. If you see me ... feel welcome to strike up a conversation!

 

[KPeterso]

I will never tell my sister that we own DVC. If she knew it would be constant requests for her kids and grandkids to use them and I just don't want to deal with it. I guess she just thinks we pay cash whenever we go, and that's fine with me .

And just so you don't think I'm a monster, we have gifted out our points in the past to others and I'm sure we will again. It's just the ones that would expect it (and be annoyed if denied) that I avoid.

Not wanting people to use your DVC (thinking it is free for you to just house them) does not make you a monster. I had expiring points (about 30-35) due to Covid in 2020 (previously banked 2018 points) and I offered them up to a group of friends who could make the trip on short notice. I know they went to someone who had an amazing visit and she got to stay at AKV which is one of her favorite places. She sent me a thank you card and a small gift card as a thank you, but that was not necessary. It is the ones who ask or expect to get to stay for free that irk me to no end. Will not offer to those people ever!

 

[pinkxray]

I don’t think I have ever talked to strangers about it. I do have 1 coworker that is a dvc member so I rarely see her as we have opposite days/shifts. We went to X-ray school together back in 2008. She is an original owner at VWL and I know she loves Disney. Back in those days I used to rent points. Finally in 2020 I bought into DVC and when I ran into her I told her and she was super excited for me. Another coworker looked lost as we rambled on about dvc and Disney.

A few people I work with know I have a Disney timeshare but don’t ask about it. They just think I’m crazy to go every year.

DH on the other hand always finds people who ask him about dvc. Which is funny bc he dislikes Disney. He would be happy to never go again. He knows nothing about how much it costs, what resorts are dvc, nothing. He just shows up on trips I booked and that’s the extent of his dvc knowledge. When I say do you want to stay at Bay Lake or Copper Creek, he asks what’s Copper Creek We stayed there last year.

He has a coworker very interested in Disney and dvc so DH had me right down resale sites for him.
He also got to sit next to a fellow DVC member on the plane last trip. He spent 2 hours chatting with her and when she found out we were new members told him all about points, how to use them, what resorts to try, etc.

I wish I could find someone to chat with about dvc. It’s like no one around me knows it exist. I do go to Starbucks every few months when they change the seasonal options and never fails that I am behind a woman my age, in a Subaru with a dvc and AP decal on her window though.

 

[mustinjourney]

Back in 2017 one of my coworkers let me use his points at BCV for a week. At the time we didn't know anything about DVC and this was actually the first time my wife and I stayed on property together (first time we stayed together was off property). BCV was awesome and we couldn't believe my coworker just charged us $930 (we didn't know what MFs were). We started talking to this other couple at the pool one day who said they owned DVC and they were really, really into it. They said they owned elsewhere but they only ever stayed at BCV. Now being an owner and seeing availability firsthand my wife and I still scratch our heads wondering how they always stay at Beach if they don't own there. But I'll tell ya that husband should be a salesman cause he was so into it and that first got us thinking about getting in ourselves.

So who knows- you may have just convinced some people to look into it!

if they're staying in 1BRs or during summer months -- it's entirely possible to get into BCV at the 7 month mark.

 

[CarolynFH]

DH likes to strike up conversations with people when we're in a long standby line. He used to bring up DVC voluntarily and encourage people to look into it if they indicated they visited WDW frequently. He doesn't volunteer information anymore due to the current prices (he encouraged resale in the past) and other changes but of course will answer questions. When we're offsite, if our frequent Disney trips come up we'll just say we bought into Disney's timeshare years ago and not go any farther unless the other party asks questions.

 

[bbeagle]

People know I'm a crazy Disney person. I've had several long conversations about it with people, but I've only talked people out of DVC. I don't know anyone else IRL who would actually be a good fit for it. I always start with that it is committing to go to Disney every year, and then most people are already out.

For starters, that's not true. We never go every year and most of the times not even every other year. As long as you'll be going to Disney once every 3 years, DVC is worth it.

 

[wilkydelts]

For starters, that's not true. We never go every year and most of the times not even every other year. As long as you'll be going to Disney once every 3 years, DVC is worth it.

I am very confused by this. If you are banking points don't you have to go every other year or you would be losing them?

 

[bbeagle]

Not wanting people to use your DVC (thinking it is free for you to just house them) does not make you a monster.

I see this attitude all the time. I think, from their perspective, you bought free hotel rooms for life by buying DVC. And if you're not using them right now, why can't they? It's similar to if you're rich and buy a beach house. You're on vacation to Europe and not using your beach house at all in July. It's going unused - why can't THEY use it in July?

I don't think they get the fact that the DVC you bought only gives you like 1 week per year.

If you give it to them, you don't get to go to Disney at all that year. And you're still paying dues for it. That's the part I don't think they understand.

 

[bbeagle]

I am very confused by this. If you are banking points don't you have to go every other year or you would be losing them?

We'd use last year's banked, this year's points and next year's borrowed points. If you have 150 points, this is like having 150+150+150=450 points to use every 3 years.

2022 - We are going this year on banked 2021 points, 2022 points and 2023 borrowed points.

Then we'll go again in 2025 using 2024 banked points, 2025 points and 2026 borrowed points.

In the past, we would have used up all of our 2023 borrowed points. Now there is a restriction that we can only borrow 50%. So now we have to rent/sell our remaining 2023 points. (And we only have 150+150+75=375 to use). It's probably this one time only until Disney goes back their 100% borrowing.

 

[supersnoop]

We'd use last year's banked, this year's points and next year's borrowed points. If you have 150 points, this is like having 150+150+150=450 points to use every 3 years.

2022 - We are going this year on banked 2021 points, 2022 points and 2023 borrowed points.

Then we'll go again in 2025 using 2024 banked points, 2025 points and 2026 borrowed points.

In the past, we would have used up all of our 2023 borrowed points. Now there is a restriction that we can only borrow 50%. So now we have to rent/sell our remaining 2023 points. (And we only have 150+150+75=375 to use). It's probably this one time only until Disney goes back their 100% borrowing.

That only works if you have exactly the right number of points and the points chart never shifts. Otherwise, you're going to lose some points. I'd only advise DVC for someone who will go to DIsney at least every two years.

 

[bbeagle]

That only works if you have exactly the right number of points and the points chart never shifts. Otherwise, you're going to lose some points. I'd only advise DVC for someone who will go to DIsney at least every two years.

Yes, if you want the same number of nights, same resort, same room size.

We've never done that. It's always a different time of year, a different resort, a different number of nights, a different room. So the points are always different. Buy up to 19 more points from Disney to round out the trip, rent the remainder, or give someone you know a 1-2 night visit.

 

[BeachClub2014]

I try not to talk to strangers. Ever. But I apparently have one of those faces that seemingly "invites" random people to strike up a conversation with me. My family finds this hilarious. Me? Not so much. Truth be told though, I do enjoy "eavesdropping" on some of the in-pool DVC conversations that always occur, those can be both entertaining and educational.

 

[vacay77]

I don't offer it up unless I'm asked by someone I know. They will tell me they are thinking about DVC, and I tell them that if they are interested in talking to a guide, to let me know and I will send a referral link. But no pressure at all. I would be the worst salesperson ever. I know it's a huge financial commitment so I don't want to be pushy about it. Plus, people inevitably ask how much I paid, and that's a really awkward conversation to have, mostly because I don't like discussing my finances with other people.

 

[mgarbowski]

Ten to fifteen years ago it was much simpler to explain.

It's a flexible timeshare where instead of fixed weeks you get points you can use to stay at the resort tied to your points any time of year you want, and also stay at any other DVC resort but you get priority booking at your own. More points means either you can stay in higher demand periods and/or bigger rooms, and/or longer stays. Every resort has fixed dues per point and fixed end dates when all rights and obligations expire. ​

Obviously there were details to fill in the complete picture but three sentences covered the essentials and did not require allowing for exceptions.

Then they started distinguishing between direct and resale, and changed the minimums so many times, and they have always grandfathered people in for every increase, but there is no obligation or guarantee to continue doing so, plus there are some benefits you get always as long as you meet those direct minimums but others only apply to usage of direct points, and now they've added the restrictions on staying at other properties which applies (everyone assumes) to all post-Riviera properties, except maybe not to (sort of) new properties added to existing properties, and sometimes an add-on property is separate (Copper Creek) and sometimes the same (Grand Floridian) and some properties have bifurcated dues structures and others have bifurcated termination dates, and, and, and ... I can't be bothered.

DVC can sell for themselves now. I'm out of the happy guest ambassador business. If someone I know asks me questions I try to help, but every attempt to answer ends "but it's really quite complicated and you absolutely need to read the details and not just the fine print in the offering documents but even the basic contours so you really need to spend a lot of time going over all of it," because that's the truth now. There are so many additional traps for the unwary. It's still a worthwhile product, but the amount of research needed to make sure that any given contract purchase it is worthwhile for you (and especially a first time purchase) has increased significantly.

 

[chalee94]

I was on the Skyliner with a family last month and their kids saw the Riviera and wanted to stay there. The parents told them it was a Disney timeshare and they weren't able to book that resort.

While they were technically incorrect, I did not correct them out of courtesy (and the prices involved in renting the Riviera for cash).

 

[BamaGuy44]

I was on the Skyliner with a family last month and their kids saw the Riviera and wanted to stay there. The parents told them it was a Disney timeshare and they weren't able to book that resort.

While they were technically incorrect, I did not correct them out of courtesy (and the prices involved in renting the Riviera for cash).

Yeah it would be bad form to correct them. They may be fully aware they can book it but know what it costs.

 

[Royal Consort]

Ten to fifteen years ago it was much simpler to explain.

It's a flexible timeshare where instead of fixed weeks you get points you can use to stay at the resort tied to your points any time of year you want, and also stay at any other DVC resort but you get priority booking at your own. More points means either you can stay in higher demand periods and/or bigger rooms, and/or longer stays. Every resort has fixed dues per point and fixed end dates when all rights and obligations expire. ​

Obviously there were details to fill in the complete picture but three sentences covered the essentials and did not require allowing for exceptions.

Then they started distinguishing between direct and resale, and changed the minimums so many times, and they have always grandfathered people in for every increase, but there is no obligation or guarantee to continue doing so, plus there are some benefits you get always as long as you meet those direct minimums but others only apply to usage of direct points, and now they've added the restrictions on staying at other properties which applies (everyone assumes) to all post-Riviera properties, except maybe not to (sort of) new properties added to existing properties, and sometimes an add-on property is separate (Copper Creek) and sometimes the same (Grand Floridian) and some properties have bifurcated dues structures and others have bifurcated termination dates, and, and, and ... I can't be bothered.

DVC can sell for themselves now. I'm out of the happy guest ambassador business. If someone I know asks me questions I try to help, but every attempt to answer ends "but it's really quite complicated and you absolutely need to read the details and not just the fine print in the offering documents but even the basic contours so you really need to spend a lot of time going over all of it," because that's the truth now. There are so many additional traps for the unwary. It's still a worthwhile product, but the amount of research needed to make sure that any given contract purchase it is worthwhile for you (and especially a first time purchase) has increased significantly.

Guests will soon also be restricted based on their height and star sign.