We are NEW DVC Owners and I have Questions!

[MissMaryQC]

Hey Neighbors! As of January 30, 2018 my wonderful mother is a DVC owner, and that gracious, and gorgeous, lady added me to the deed!

It was a surprise, as we had discussed possibly buying in after my DH and I closed on our first home, but, as she said, it was a deal she just couldn't pass up. So, as the title says, we are now the proud owners of 200 points at Copper Creek!

As you can imagine, we have already banked our 2017-2018 points (started in August) to be used for our, apparently annual, trip in September. My sis is joining us so we have a two bedroom villa, from Sept 8-15th. But that's kinda all I know! Being in the process of buying a home, my plan was to learn AFTER all this, but now I have a few months to plan for this trip, on top of buying our first house.

SO I came here for advice!
Tell me, all wise DISers, what's DVC like?

Should I bring my own shampoo, conditioner, etc? I know Mousekeeping leaves some and I can buy more daily, but is it worth that cost?

Should I request extra towels for my woolly mammoth of a husband and the toddler who needs two? Guess I answered myself there...

Is Garden Grocer the best? Should I buy coffee, or just get the refillable mug, like always? Can I refill said mug at Geyser Point?

HELP!!!

​

 

[donaldbuzz&minnie]

Welcome! You're in for a lot of good times!
As far as shampoo and conditioner goes, the bottles they leave are small, so if more than 1 or 2 people (per shower) plan to use them, I would suggest bringing a little more to supplement, if necessary. They sell the same stuff in large bottles in all the gift shops, but it's expensive, even with the DVC discount.

I've never used a grocery service, so can't help you there. Refillable mugs are personal preference. Personally I've found them to be fun, but not a great value. I'm always in the position of wanting to get a beverage on my way to a park, without wanting to go all the way back to the room to return the used mugs, so we end up not using them much. Especially with the full-size kitchen in the two bedroom, if I had access to a grocery service, I'd buy a case of soda and some favorite coffee beans and leave it at that.

 

[Deb & Bill]

You'll get clean towels every four days. You'll have as many towels in the villa as you have sleeping spaces. CCV sleet four in the studio and one bedroom; so four towels. Two bedrooms sleep eight; so eight. If you need more towels you can purchase a towel pack for $6 - four bath towels, two hand towels, four face cloths, one tub mat. You might as well know the following:

Laundry and Housekeeping Services

Disney Vacation Club Resorts offer laundry and housekeeping services. Daily housekeeping service is not provided for Members.

Disney Vacation Club Resorts offer laundry and housekeeping services. Daily housekeeping service is not provided for Members.

This Resort hotel offers a 24-hour self-service laundry room. There are also dry-cleaning and valet laundry services. Villas with 1 or more bedrooms also feature in-unit washers and dryers.

Trash & Towel Service

For stays of 7 or less nights, Trash & Towel Service is provided on day 4, regardless of whether you're using Member-discounted cash, vacation points or a combination of both.

With Trash & Towel service, Housekeeping will:

• Empty trash and replace liners in trash bins.
• Provide fresh bathroom linens.
• Replace bath amenities as needed.
• Replenish facial tissues, paper towels and toilet paper.
• Replenish coffee, sugar, cream and sweeteners.

Full Cleaning Service
For stays of 8 or more nights, Full-Cleaning Service is provided on day 4 and Trash & Towel Service is provided on day 8, regardless of whether you're using Member-discounted cash, vacation points or a combination of both. This process repeats for stays longer than 8 days.

With Full-Cleaning service, Housekeeping will provide everything included with the Trash & Towel Service, plus:

• Change the bed linens.
• Vacuum and dust the vacation villa.
• Clean the bathroom(s).
• Clean the kitchen/kitchenette and wash the dishes.

Rental Guests (non-Members or Disney Vacation Club Members paying rack rate) receive Full Cleaning Services every day.

For all of the above, additional Housekeeping Services may be purchased.

Additional Housekeeping Service Daily Rates:

• Full Cleaning Service for Deluxe Studio - $30 per day requested
• Full Cleaning Service for 1-Bedroom Villa - $45 per day requested
• Full Cleaning Service for 2-Bedroom Villa - $60 per day requested

Additional Trash & Towel Service Daily Rates:

• Trash & Towel Service for Deluxe Studio - $15 per day requested
• Trash & Towel service for 1-Bedroom Villa - $20 per day requested
• Trash & Towel service for 2-Bedroom Villa - $25 per day requested

Pay As You Play

With Pay As You Play service, you'll be provided with the following amenities at no additional charge at the start of your stay. After that, you may purchase more amenities for the following fees (fees are subject to change):

• Toiletries Package, $5 - 1 facial soap, 1 bath soap, 1 shampoo, 1 conditioner, 1 shower gel
• Coffee Package, $3 - 1 package of coffee, 8 sugars, 8 creamers, 8 artificial sweeteners
• Towel Package, $6 - 4 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 4 washcloths, 1 bath mat
• Laundry Detergent (only in 1- and 2-Bedroom Vacation Villas), $1 - 1 box

(Go to Destinations – top bar, then Disney Vacation Club Resorts Overview (or a specific resort), then Amenities, then Laundry and Housekeeping Service)

 

[LAX]

Just out of curiosity, what's "the deal that she couldn't pass up" that OP's mother was referring to? Does DVD offer special promo to targeted groups of individuals?

LAX

 

[Wakey]

No, there is no special deal. Unless she got cast member discount. The current standard deal is free points I think, or maybe a discount, but everyone gets the same.

 

[supersnoop]

My biggest advice is to make sure you know what you purchased and make sure it fits your family’s needs. You’ve got 10 days from the date of purchase to rescind the contract. DVC is a complicated timeshare, so make sure you’re comfortable with the purchase.

 

[Sleepy425]

You will have a washer and dryer, so no need to request more towels. I do a grocery delivery when I am in a 2BR and always include a small bottle of laundry detergent. It is easy enough to just throw in a load when I'm getting kids ready for bed, and the cycles are very quick. This means we pack very little when we go - 4 outfits max for each person. Being able to wash clothes so easily makes packing so much easier.

 

[MissMaryQC]

Welcome! You're in for a lot of good times!
As far as shampoo and conditioner goes, the bottles they leave are small, so if more than 1 or 2 people (per shower) plan to use them, I would suggest bringing a little more to supplement, if necessary. They sell the same stuff in large bottles in all the gift shops, but it's expensive, even with the DVC discount.

I've never used a grocery service, so can't help you there. Refillable mugs are personal preference. Personally I've found them to be fun, but not a great value. I'm always in the position of wanting to get a beverage on my way to a park, without wanting to go all the way back to the room to return the used mugs, so we end up not using them much. Especially with the full-size kitchen in the two bedroom, if I had access to a grocery service, I'd buy a case of soda and some favorite coffee beans and leave it at that.

Thank you! We use He mugs a lot, but having the machine in the room might be less costly, and more convenient, than hitting Roaring a Fork every morning. But if I can fill up at Geyser Point, that might work too...

 

[MissMaryQC]

You'll get clean towels every four days. You'll have as many towels in the villa as you have sleeping spaces. CCV sleet four in the studio and one bedroom; so four towels. Two bedrooms sleep eight; so eight. If you need more towels you can purchase a towel pack for $6 - four bath towels, two hand towels, four face cloths, one tub mat. You might as well know the following:

Thank you! I was reading this over last night.

Just out of curiosity, what's "the deal that she couldn't pass up" that OP's mother was referring to? Does DVD offer special promo to targeted groups of individuals?

LAX

So, since she purchased before the end of January she got points starting in Aug 2017. They also had a promotion where she saved $2,000 on the purchase and received a gift card, not sure the value there though. Because we had contact with a DVC specialist earlier in the month she was also able to get the rates for 2017 instead of the rates for 2018. To her that was enough to just jump into the program.

My biggest advice is to make sure you know what you purchased and make sure it fits your family’s needs. You’ve got 10 days from the date of purchase to rescind the contract. DVC is a complicated timeshare, so make sure you’re comfortable with the purchase.

My mother actually purchased, and is paying, so while I can plan stuff, it’s really her account. But I will be sure to read the fine print. Thank you!

You will have a washer and dryer, so no need to request more towels. I do a grocery delivery when I am in a 2BR and always include a small bottle of laundry detergent. It is easy enough to just throw in a load when I'm getting kids ready for bed, and the cycles are very quick. This means we pack very little when we go - 4 outfits max for each person. Being able to wash clothes so easily makes packing so much easier.

Nice! The w/d was an exciting thing for me. We love in Michigan so we fly down, and the added cost of all the checked bags in nuts. It’ll be nice to take what we need and not have to pack our lives worth of stuff!

When you are doing grocery orders do you use Garden Grocer? If not what do you use? Thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

Should I bring my own shampoo, conditioner, etc? I know Mousekeeping leaves some and I can buy more daily, but is it worth that cost?

I do. I also have an Owner’s Locker where I keep many things for trips.

Should I request extra towels for my woolly mammoth of a husband and the toddler who needs two? Guess I answered myself there...

I wouldn’t. With anything but a studio you have a washer and dryer in your unit, so you can just bring detergent and wash towels every day if needed.

Is Garden Grocer the best? Should I buy coffee, or just get the refillable mug, like always?

We always have a car so we hit publix, Trader Joe’s, and Whole Foods.

Coffee makers are the big 8 or 10 cup ones with the flat bottom filter (unless this resort is different). Bring or buy a bag of ground coffee and have coffee in the mornings if that works for you.

And/or buy a mug.

 

[Sleepy425]

When you are doing grocery orders do you use Garden Grocer? If not what do you use? Thanks!

Yes we use Garden Grocer. You can get alcohol delivered from them, too. And if you aren’t there when they deliver Bell services will put things in their freezer/fridge so it doesn’t go bad.

 

[disneynutz]

Spend some time reading the member website where you will learn much about what you own. Keep reading and participating here on the DIS where you will keep learning about the DVC and Disney. Welcome to the group!

Bill

 

[Deb & Bill]

Thank you! I was reading this over last night.

So, since she purchased before the end of January she got points starting in Aug 2017. They also had a promotion where she saved $2,000 on the purchase and received a gift card, not sure the value there though. Because we had contact with a DVC specialist earlier in the month she was also able to get the rates for 2017 instead of the rates for 2018. To her that was enough to just jump into the program.

My mother actually purchased, and is paying, so while I can plan stuff, it’s really her account. But I will be sure to read the fine print. Thank you!

Nice! The w/d was an exciting thing for me. We love in Michigan so we fly down, and the added cost of all the checked bags in nuts. It’ll be nice to take what we need and not have to pack our lives worth of stuff!

When you are doing grocery orders do you use Garden Grocer? If not what do you use? Thanks!

If she was given an August Use Year, her points start in Aug 2017. Nothing extra there. That's what all members get who have a UY that started in 2017 (there isn't a Jan UY so no contracts would have been sold with a 2018 UY yet in January). So she got the price per point before the price change, correct? The price went up on Jan 17, so I guess she bought right about that time. She saved $6 a point and paid $176 per point instead of $182 per point. She'll get the gift card once the purchase closes. The deal was $1250 off for 150 points, plus 20% down (and the $1250 was a credit, not cash returned and not included in the down payment). If she bought 200 points, they gave her extra off.