Technical Question About DVC Governing Documents

[Dean]

If you want a guarantee that those items will be included with your stay, buy a DVC membership and stay on your points at the resort. There will be no question as to what benefits you're entitled to.

Are those guaranteed to members?

I don't think it's a big deal either way but most timeshare owners feel like it's inappropriate to deny perks to exchangers or renters that the owner would have received had they been in residence, I agree with them esp for things that are covered by maint fees in one way or another as is the internet. I think offering true perks to members that are value added and not covered by maint fees is more reasonable. IF they are going to segregate who to charge in this way they should do so consistently drawing the line between members and non members which would include guests when the owner is not in residence.

IMO, this is simply another way where members show they think they're better than other timeshare owners. Anyone who feels this is OK cannot complain about paying for parking, utility charges, etc if they exchange out or even legitimately complain about changes in value added perks, IMO.

 

[Sammie]

My parents own a Westgate timeshare and while they can book a room for us with their timeshare we do not recieve the owner perks unless they are with us. In fact for our last stay they were using their unit and we were using one the traded in with II I think- since they could put everyone stayong in their unit without going over the occupancy they did so we could all go to the member cookouts and such but if we were staying in their unit during their week (so not trade at all done) we would not have recieved the owner perks.

It make sense to me that certain perks are for members only. Many times DVC booked rooms are not charged for internet access but if they are charged you have to take your DVC member card to the desk for it to be taken off- therefore they have determined that it isn't a stay on points but a member card that gives you access to the free internet.

It may not be what a timeshare you own has done but many of them have specific perks that are only for the members and not their guests let alone renters.

We too, have rented other timeshares where we were specifically told what we could and could not have access to based on not being the owner/member.

So I really do not see this as being different from what other timeshare companies do.

 

[Brian Noble]

How does DVC justify denying two particular perks to non-member DVC point renters? Specifically, access to the Top of The World Lounge and Internet access.

The short answer is that these "features" are both outside the condominium plan. Who does (or does not) pay for it with what funds is probably a murky issue at best.

It's not the only instance, either. For example, inbound exchangers (and *only* inbound exchangers) are required to pay a $95 fee on check-in. As near as I can tell, the only thing those inbounds are given in exchange that any other guest of the resort would not otherwise have is the privilege of speaking directly with Member Services via the 800 number about the reservation even though they do not own the points with which it was booked.

Those are some expensive phone calls, right there.

Why does Disney charge it? Because they can, and people will pay it.