Traded into DVC- many questions!

[emerymt]

Hi!
We have traded into DVC through II and are really excited! I do have a couple of questions.

1. Are we able to add-on the Disney Dining Plan?
2. Are there on-site fees I need to know about?
3. If we're staying at OKW, do we need a car (we're going on a Disney cruise the few days before hand)?
4. The cruise ends the day after our week starts. Besides losing a day of our stay, is this a problem? We have had this happen many other times at other resorts because of II's funny scheduling policies.
5. How do you get a nonsmoker's room?

Thanks!

 

[Dean]

Hi!
We have traded into DVC through II and are really excited! I do have a couple of questions.

1. Are we able to add-on the Disney Dining Plan?
2. Are there on-site fees I need to know about?
3. If we're staying at OKW, do we need a car (we're going on a Disney cruise the few days before hand)?
4. The cruise ends the day after our week starts. Besides losing a day of our stay, is this a problem? We have had this happen many other times at other resorts because of II's funny scheduling policies.
5. How do you get a nonsmoker's room?

Thanks!

You can add the DDP but must do so prior to arrival through MS. The phone number is on the confirmation. You can also pay the extra $95 resort services fee at the same time but in past they've allowed one to pay it on arrival. No other fees, I'm sure you knew about the $95 fee previously. IMO, A car is preferable for OKW but not completely necessary. I personally wouldn't stay there without one if I could help it but many go to SSR and OKW and never move their car. You may be better off renting a car and paying the parking fees rather than using the Disney buss system. Just let them know you're arriving the next day at the number I mentioned above. The other thing you need to know is if you get the DDP for an II week, you have to do so for 7 days no matter what. So if you get there late and arrive early, you still are limited to 7 days. It's also for the entire number in your party with 10 yr and above being charged the adult rate. You can request non smoking on the same phone call and it's likely you'll be successful but it is not guaranteed.

Let me also point out that this is not II's fault. You CAN specify certain start days. II does default to Thursday to Sunday with any start day but you can have them change it and avoid this situation though you're chances of success would drop by the number of those units for the start days removed. If you don't know how to do that just email me and I'll give you the process.

 

[rantnnravin]

You may be better off renting a car and paying the parking fees rather than using the Disney buss system.

are they charging resorts guests for parking now? wow.

 

[emerymt]

Dean, your anwers are great! Thanks for helping this newbie.

We did look at some of the towncar rentals going to and from Port Canaveral that would carry 5 people and thought that might be cheaper and easier- but also we're enamored with doing everything 100% Disney

I knew you could narrow down the days but I didn't do it since I was worried we would not get an exchange at all. Now that I know we can, next time I will specify. Disney is the only resort we have used that has seven-day a week checkins and I was really lucky not to lose more days because of the cruise.

If we decide to rent a car to get around, is there a rental agency nearby? I am a little worried about this since I have rheumatoid arthritis and can only take so much walking. I use a scooter at the parks. Too bad we can't just rent a golf cart for the week .

One more question re: The DDP. If we don't use it at all on the first day (we won't even be there) we can use those meals later in our stay, correct?

Thanks!

 

[Dean]

are they charging resorts guests for parking now? wow.

Sorry I wasn't clear, talking about the cruise terminal.

 

[SueM in MN]

Dean, your anwers are great! Thanks for helping this newbie.

We did look at some of the towncar rentals going to and from Port Canaveral that would carry 5 people and thought that might be cheaper and easier- but also we're enamored with doing everything 100% Disney

I knew you could narrow down the days but I didn't do it since I was worried we would not get an exchange at all. Now that I know we can, next time I will specify. Disney is the only resort we have used that has seven-day a week checkins and I was really lucky not to lose more days because of the cruise.

If we decide to rent a car to get around, is there a rental agency nearby? I am a little worried about this since I have rheumatoid arthritis and can only take so much walking. I use a scooter at the parks. Too bad we can't just rent a golf cart for the week .

One more question re: The DDP. If we don't use it at all on the first day (we won't even be there) we can use those meals later in our stay, correct?

Thanks!

You might want to look into renting a scooter (also called ECV) from one of the off-site equipment rental places. That way, you would have it available for use at the resort too.
If you follow the link in my signature to the disABILITIES Board, look in the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the board and you will find all the information you should need.

 

[Dean]

Disney is the only resort we have used that has seven-day a week checkins and I was really lucky not to lose more days because of the cruise.

If we decide to rent a car to get around, is there a rental agency nearby? I am a little worried about this since I have rheumatoid arthritis and can only take so much walking. I use a scooter at the parks. Too bad we can't just rent a golf cart for the week .

One more question re: The DDP. If we don't use it at all on the first day (we won't even be there) we can use those meals later in our stay, correct?

Thanks!

While technically DVC could do any day of the week to start, almost all are Sat. I've seen a rare Friday and Sunday but don't recall seeing any other start dates. I'd think the only time you would see something else would be if that's the only way DVC could get a unit to give to II. II's rules say they'll call you first if it's not a Friday, Sat or Sun. I can't say much about car rentals other than they're pretty cheap in the area, others are far more knowledgeable than I in that area. I'm sure you've been to the DCL board, they should have a lot of suggestions about your options in this situaiton. You can use the DDP meals later, up until MN on the day of checkout. You could also use for some of the options that require more than one voucher such as dinner shows and Signature restaurants. You could even use them all on the first day if you wanted.

 

[castleri]

Alamo has a rental counter at the Dolphin with a very pleasant non pushy reservationist so you could get a car there. We took the bus to DTD and transferred to Swan/Dolphin bus and then got the car. There is also the Car Care Center and they will send a van to pick you up and transport you there. I found it was cheaper and worked better for us to do the Dolphin pickup and drop off because of our plans for the day but you may find other options better. We only rented the car for grocery shopping and because we had our son coming in and leaving during our trip and we wanted to be able to pick him up and return him to the airport. We had the car for 7 days and it came out to about the same as if we had had 3 one way town car trips. We did use it to go to the premium outlets and once to drive to the HH and to US so it was a good purchase. The rest of the time it sat in the parking place and we used bus transportation exclusively tot the parks and DTD for the whole stay. I second the idea of renting the ECV for your stay and you really won't need a car unless you want to go off property for someting. Of course the price of the car will vary with the season you are traveling. We will not have one Christmas week as the price is 3-4 times what it was for Sept and for 2 days less time.
With the DDP you can use the credits anyway you want so you could use two TS credits for a signature restaurant one day to use up the first day you wil not be there or use one for breakfast and one for supper one day etc. The same would hold true for the CS credits in that you could do breakfast at a park one day as well as lunch. They are good until midnight on your checkout day.
Good luck and hope you enjoy your stay at our second home OKW.

 

[emerymt]

Dean, you need to write an "Insider's Guide to II." Seriously.

SueM, I have been poking around the disAbilities threads and have learned a lot. I have in the past been very resistant to using an ECV. I am one of those people who look pretty healthy and not old enough to have arthritis. I feel self-conscious about it. I know I need to get over it, because what happens is I end up causing problems for everyone else if I don't rent one. My plan is to spend a lot of time hanging around OKW and let the fam go to the parks. I can't ride the rides anyway.

Though one thing I truly appreciate about Disney is that the grounds are interesting, beautiful and there is a lot for non-riders to do. I'm just still in the anger stage regarding this illness. I used to be quite athletic. If I have to pout, the resort is a nice place in which to do it.

The car rental from Swan & Dolphin sounds perfect for when we get back from the cruise. Am I ever glad the DDP is so flexible- using two TS credits at once to go somewhere nice sounds great.

 

[LoveToDisney]

When you call in to pay your resort fee and ask for a non-smoking room, be sure to tell them you will be arriving a day later than your reservation starts so they will note it on your reservation. Enjoy your trade into DVC and your stay at OKW, not to mention the fun you will have on your cruise.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

How did you get the trade through II into Disney? We own at Westgate Villas and belong to II. I would love to stay at Disney, but never seem to find anything available.

 

[LoveToDisney]

How did you get the trade through II into Disney? We own at Westgate Villas and belong to II. I would love to stay at Disney, but never seem to find anything available.

If you own with Westgate in the Orlando vicinity, you are blocked along with any other Orlando vicinity timeshares. If not owning in the Orlando area, then perhaps your ownership is not rated high enough to get a trade into Disney.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

It is the Westgate Vacation Villas in Orlando. We are really trying to sell it, but haven't had any luck. I want to spend my $$ to stay on property at DW!!

I know when I check availability in II, other Orlando timeshares come up, but never anything w/ DVC.

 

[LoveToDisney]

It is the Westgate Vacation Villas in Orlando. We are really trying to sell it, but haven't had any luck. I want to spend my $$ to stay on property at DW!!

I know when I check availability in II, other Orlando timeshares come up, but never anything w/ DVC.

I know Disney has the Orlando timeshares blocked from exchange into DVC because they are in the same market...I guess part of their II agreement.

 

[Monkey Bum]

How do you check to see what transfers are available through II? Specifically, trading out my DVC into something else?

 

[emerymt]

But there is an II website that tells me what's available right now for certain dates. I have only used it to trade into the Marriott and Westgate there in Orlando.

Mostly what I do is look in the II book that I get annually, research the places I want to go, and call II up to get in the queue. This thread http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1234300 has all the gory details.

If you're an advance planner, it works pretty well.

If that hyperlink isn't working, you can find the thread under DVC Operations, "Trading into DVC Through II." It's still on the first page today.

 

[Dean]

If you own with Westgate in the Orlando vicinity, you are blocked along with any other Orlando vicinity timeshares. If not owning in the Orlando area, then perhaps your ownership is not rated high enough to get a trade into Disney.

No Orlando Westgate would be able to get in. DVC blocks other Orlando trades, it's called a regional block. Same for HH and VB for timeshares in those areas. This is a program that II offers to developers/resorts and DVC has chosen to take advantage of it. They bill it as protecting the members but it's simply a method to try to direct purchases to themselves rather than other timeshares with trade attempts to use DVC.

How do you check to see what transfers are available through II? Specifically, trading out my DVC into something else?

DVC members do not have any way to check II other than to call DVC directly. The closest you could come would be to find someone who was an II member who would be willing to check for you realizing it could all change in a few minutes. IMO, that is only one of several glaring problems with using DVC to exchange. I've been told by someone in the know that DVC is actively working with II and to be hopeful that some of those problems will be resolved within a few months. Even those of us who are II members are not allowed to work directly with II where DVC is concerned.

 

[welovedisneyx4]

Thanks for the advice on Westgate. Man, I want to get rid of it sooo much! We like Westgate and haven't had a lot of problems w/ them and love how close it is to DW, as well as the extra room on vacation and all the pools, etc.

However, we don't like paying the maintanance fees every year and not having much luck w/ trading anywhere that we want to go.

There are so many other options that we could use that $600.00 we pay for maintanance fees. That would help for an on-site stay or we could even get a house for less than that.

I am going to really work on getting rid of this thing!!!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Dean, you need to write an "Insider's Guide to II." Seriously.

SueM, I have been poking around the disAbilities threads and have learned a lot. I have in the past been very resistant to using an ECV. I am one of those people who look pretty healthy and not old enough to have arthritis. I feel self-conscious about it. I know I need to get over it, because what happens is I end up causing problems for everyone else if I don't rent one. My plan is to spend a lot of time hanging around OKW and let the fam go to the parks. I can't ride the rides anyway.

Though one thing I truly appreciate about Disney is that the grounds are interesting, beautiful and there is a lot for non-riders to do. I'm just still in the anger stage regarding this illness. I used to be quite athletic. If I have to pout, the resort is a nice place in which to do it.

The car rental from Swan & Dolphin sounds perfect for when we get back from the cruise. Am I ever glad the DDP is so flexible- using two TS credits at once to go somewhere nice sounds great.

Just wanted to chime in to say you shouldn't feel bad about needing to use an ECV. I needed one for a couple of trips several years ago, and it was a life saver to be able to rent the ECV from CARE for the week, and take it to the parks on the Disney bus system. The bus is VERY easy to get the ECV on and off, and the bus drivers are very helpful. I got pretty good a backing it onto the loading lift too. The weekly rental rates are reasonable, and they will bring the ECV right to the resort by the time you are scheduled to check in.

Have a GREAT trip! We love OKW, and I think you will too. DOn't worry about the buses, because they are very efficient at OKW. The only time we really use a car at OKW is when we want to go to one of the other resorts for a special restaurant. All park travel is much easier with the buses, and they drop you off right at the entrance instead of having to negotiate getting in and out of park parking lots.

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the advice on Westgate. Man, I want to get rid of it sooo much! We like Westgate and haven't had a lot of problems w/ them and love how close it is to DW, as well as the extra room on vacation and all the pools, etc.

However, we don't like paying the maintanance fees every year and not having much luck w/ trading anywhere that we want to go.

There are so many other options that we could use that $600.00 we pay for maintanance fees. That would help for an on-site stay or we could even get a house for less than that.

I am going to really work on getting rid of this thing!!!

Orlando options in general and Westgate specifically are hard to move. Expect to recoup only a fraction of what was paid if it was through the resort. Many resale agents have stopped even listing Westgate due to the fact Westgate has tried to impose a ROFR even in situations where they don't have the legal right. They even go a step further and demand the commission in addition. The only Orlando options that have any success resale are those with a catch like Marriott, DVC, Hilton, Hyatt and the like.