Will DVC change for the worse like other timeshares?

[WilsonFlyer]

You should consider renting your points out, and staying in some of the many wonderful Orlando-area timeshares instead. You'll have enough money left over to have some very nice meals, and then some.

Though it's only a noble gesture in the scheme of things, remember that they are keeping that money out of the parks also, whether intentional or not.

 

[Brian Noble]

...only if you assume that the prospective point-renter would only come if this unit were available, but would not otherwise. That's something of a leap, IMO.

 

[keishashadow]

Perhaps mousekeeping helped create the broken bits of wood by running into the furniture with hasty vacuuming patterns?

I don't care who was the culprit, accidents do happen. However, if a guest caused the damage, housekeeping should have discovered the pieces strewn about (under bed and sitting in plain site on night stand) when they turned the room over. If not the person assigned to the room, then the supervisor; who in the industry typically does a final check & clears the room before it is released.

It's even more difficult to imagine housekeeping hitting furniture in multiple places while vacuuming hard enough to break the wood without realizing it. Somebody had to pick up the wood and place some on the nightstand (btw, not small bits, pieces I saw ranged from size of a quarter to a few inches, if i could see them without reading glasses they were prominent). I've played too many games of Clue...it was the housekeeper, in the studio, with the sweeper.

Other than an incident re palmetto bugs years ago, i've had no issue with the cleanliness or condition of the furniture in any of my DVC rooms...although my kids have griped about the sofabeds over the years Owning a cleaning company in the past, I can't help but subconciously check the potential trouble spots in a room. DVC housekeeping was always on point.

I don't expect every DVC stay to be stellar but I do expect a certain level of service as to management's response to an issue, the same as I would at any reputable resort. I'd like to think what I experienced was a bump in the road, however, will think twice about booking SSR again due to the multiple issues.

that said, i cannot wait to head back 'home'.

 

[JimMIA]

...housekeeping should have discovered the pieces strewn about (under bed and sitting in plain site on night stand) when they turned the room over. If not the person assigned to the room, then the supervisor; who in the industry typically does a final check & clears the room before it is released.

I don't think a supervisor checks the rooms. I remember seeing posts a couple of years ago saying there was only one housekeeping supervisor for both SSR and OKW, and if that's the case, they are certainly NOT checking rooms.

Also, based on some of the complaints I've read, it's really difficult to believe a supervisor could have inspected the room without noticing the problem.

All that said, in more than 30 DVC stays, we've never had a serious housekeeping issue.

Other than an incident re palmetto bugs years ago, i've had no issue with the cleanliness or condition of the furniture in any of my DVC rooms

Palmetto bugs are not a cleanliness issue. They are a "Welcome to Florida" issue. They are everywhere, they fly, and they go wherever they want. They are attracted by open doors, not by untidiness. The smaller roaches are a sign of uncleanliness, but not Palmetto bugs.

 

[Chic]

I would like to know why you stay with DVC? I see almost 100% negative posts from you. Most of them are legitimate gripes, but I am curious why, despite your gripes, you stay with DVC? I think newer members, like myself, would like to know what positives keeps a person, who has a lot of negatives to say about DVC, a member.

I cannot speak for gentleman you are referring to in your reply above but I can tell you my positives regarding DVC Membership! My family visits Disney multiple times per year and enjoys the location and amenities of the DVC resorts. We enjoy the pools, fitness centers, restaurants, gift shops with food items and souvenirs, theming, outstanding cast members, etc. We have also had the pleasure of meeting other DVC Members who posess the same admiration for the Magic of Disney. We actually see several of the same members time and time again throughout the years. It's simply rewarding to spend time with others who share the same Disney passion. DVC allows my family to create lifetime memories at a discount. If it weren't for our DVC Membership, we would not be able to afford the numerous Disney vacations we experience year after year.

 

[Dean]

I would like to know why you stay with DVC? I see almost 100% negative posts from you. Most of them are legitimate gripes, but I am curious why, despite your gripes, you stay with DVC? I think newer members, like myself, would like to know what positives keeps a person, who has a lot of negatives to say about DVC, a member.

Likely the more important issue a newer member or better yet, a prospective member, can ask about Bill's concern is to understand them. It might be that Bill's just a negative person and/or it might be that the concerns are valid (I suspect both to some degree). Or a third option, one I probably fit into as well, that there are enough cheerleaders and not enough people posting about real risks, cautions and concerns and that there is information that IS negative that many should know about. A few years ago there was little negative said about DVC but starting around the last reallocation, there were several events that got a lot of people's attention. I saw time and again people who clearly wore the rose colored glasses shift to being very critical. The 2 year reallocation, the THV reallocation, several poorly handled/planned refurbishment issues where people had to be moved late & poorly, valet parking change handled very poorly even though the decision was the correct one, and a shift in the sales process a little closer to traditional timeshares come to mind as contributing factors (I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting).

DVC is just another good timeshare that happens to be on property. It's not as good as many think and it's not as bad as some feel. It WILL change over time, some good and some bad. It will likely cont to move closer to other timeshares, in many ways it's already below many of them in a number of ways (avoidable ways BTW). But it's flexible, it's on property and it's still upper crust.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Likely the more important issue a newer member or better yet, a prospective member, can ask about Bill's concern is to understand them. It might be that Bill's just a negative person and/or it might be that the concerns are valid (I suspect both to some degree). Or a third option, one I probably fit into as well, that there are enough cheerleaders and not enough people posting about real risks, cautions and concerns and that there is information that IS negative that many should know about. A few years ago there was little negative said about DVC but starting around the last reallocation, there were several events that got a lot of people's attention. I saw time and again people who clearly wore the rose colored glasses shift to being very critical. The 2 year reallocation, the THV reallocation, several poorly handled/planned refurbishment issues where people had to be moved late & poorly, valet parking change handled very poorly even though the decision was the correct one, and a shift in the sales process a little closer to traditional timeshares come to mind as contributing factors (I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting).

DVC is just another good timeshare that happens to be on property. It's not as good as many think and it's not as bad as some feel. It WILL change over time, some good and some bad. It will likely cont to move closer to other timeshares, in many ways it's already below many of them in a number of ways (avoidable ways BTW). But it's flexible, it's on property and it's still upper crust.

You summed this up very well. As one of the rose-colored glasses people who did a total 180 in the past 2 years, I really think you hit on some great points.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

We are from the UK and since being members at SSR and more recently VGF we have been delighted with our purchases. The resorts are a very good standard by European standards, staff so friendly it shocks us everytime! We have never had an issue booking 11 months and this year we are coming for Christmas. We have got to stay at many DVC resorts at 7 months and liked them all so far. The only enhancement we would like is that coming from the UK we always stay longer than 7 nights. Usually 14. It is annoying we can't book all the vacation at the 11 month window. This is when we need to book our flights. So we need to book 7 nights then keep adding on a night for another 7 days ringing each night to join the booking together. Ok we could wait until we can add all the last week but we risk those nights being booked.

We like AP discount as we get 2 years from one pass by going slightly earlier the following year. The discounts on dining , parking free etc. Oh and go on I admit I love being told 'welcome home'. It's nice to have free laundry, dvd player and kitchenette in the studio. Saves money by having breakfast in the room.

 

[disneynutz]

I like to think of myself as someone who is detailed oriented, has learned a lot about the DVC due to many contracts, years of ownership, several long stays per year, many split stays, and conversations with many CM's in all departments, and I don't see DVC as a wonderful organization just because someone tells me it is.

I want to know how it really works, not just what's presented on stage, where our DVC money goes, what we pay for and what Disney pays for.

What I have learned is that DVC/Disney is like all other companies, they sell a product and make money, we buy the product. DVC has some positives, the rooms can save us money compared to renting the same room through Disney, but they also have some negatives that could be corrected if they wanted to or were able to correct them. I love Disney's theming that takes us away from our daily lives but I am concerned with Disney's/DVC's direction and some of their recent decisions.

As DVC owners I feel that I have a vested interest in the running of the DVC and I tend to hold their feet to the fire when necessary, complacency can allow service to deteriorate.

I share negative issues so DVC reads them along with prospective buyers and owners even though the percentage of DVC people reading the DIS is very small. Disney/DVC spends millions of dollars letting the public know how wonderful the DVC is, my posts when negative or critical are my attempt to let the same people know that DVC isn't necessarily all roses and puppy dogs and that any problems that they may experience aren't necessarily unique to just them.

Bill

 

[bwvBound]

As DVC owners I feel that I have a vested interest in the running of the DVC and I tend to hold their feet to the fire when necessary, compliancy can allow service to deteriorate.

Complacency? I suppose either word works but I think owner response to DVC's changes over time is more a behavior of complacency than compliance ?

 

[dcfromva]

My thought/concern when I talk to people with non-Disney timeshares is that they say things get worse over time. I'm not specifically wondering about resorts getting older or annual fees going up some, but wondering about reservations. I've talked to people who say it is nearly impossible for them to find dates to use their points.

Is the DVC setup such that no matter how many resorts/rooms there are it will always be about the same difficulty to make a reservation? I'm asking because though some room types and seasons book up right away we have had good success when we are flexible and even when we waitlist.

Would love to hear from the "experts".

We have been members for almost 14 years. We would not have even considered joining DVC except for the flexibility in booking a room--what I mean by that is that we could book the nights we needed, we weren't forced into booking a week at a time with specific check in days.

There are some booking categories that have always been difficult to book, but we have never been shut out with no other options to use our points. One of the factors that influenced us to buy at BWV was the difficulty in booking std view rooms during the food and wine festival. Even when we first joined, the odds were not ever in your favor if you didn't own there. And, folks used to book day-by-day because the reservations went by the check out date. So, a week would involve multiple phone calls (and long holding time each morning) and the potential for missing days in the middle of your stay. That wasn't fun. Even with the complexities caused by folks walking reservations on high demand room categories, I prefer the current booking system. When we first joined there wasn't online capability--so, having the ability to make a reservation online is a definite improvement.

DVC has made changes. My family has changed. The way my family visits Disney has changed. As time goes by, I'm sure there will be more changes. I am optimistic that DVC will remain flexible.

 

[disneynutz]

Complacency? I suppose either word works but I think owner response to DVC's changes over time is more a behavior of complacency than compliance ?

Thanks, that's what I get for trying to use big words!

 

[bwvBound]

Thanks, that's what I get for trying to use big words!

And you'll note that I [LIKE]d your post #49!
Nicely written, indeed. Thx!

 

[keishashadow]

I don't think a supervisor checks the rooms. I remember seeing posts a couple of years ago saying there was only one housekeeping supervisor for both SSR and OKW, and if that's the case, they are certainly NOT checking rooms.

Also, based on some of the complaints I've read, it's really difficult to believe a supervisor could have inspected the room without noticing the problem.

All that said, in more than 30 DVC stays, we've never had a serious housekeeping issue.

Palmetto bugs are not a cleanliness issue. They are a "Welcome to Florida" issue. They are everywhere, they fly, and they go wherever they want. They are attracted by open doors, not by untidiness. The smaller roaches are a sign of uncleanliness, but not Palmetto bugs.

lol doesn't make the idea of them crawling over you any less creepy! I spent several years in St Pete area as a child.

I'm really surprised they don't have a supervisor clearing the rooms.

 

[kapicka]

Thanks all for the input and perspective. We have really enjoyed our experiences so far on DVC stays and it is good to know what others who have owned for longer than us have experienced.

As a side note while we like our DVC ownership and have loved our stays, we do not encourage anyone we know personally that they should buy. In fact if anything I am much more reserved in the way I talk about it to non-members. I think it might be because I don't want someone else to buy on my recommendation and regret it or make a bad financial decision for their family just because they saw that I own it. In addition, the rising costs of buying in keep me from wanting to tell others to buy in too.

 

[CraigInPA]

Palmetto bugs are not a cleanliness issue. They are a "Welcome to Florida" issue. They are everywhere, they fly, and they go wherever they want. They are attracted by open doors, not by untidiness. The smaller roaches are a sign of uncleanliness, but not Palmetto bugs.

No matter if you call them "Palmetto Bugs" or their real name, "American Cockroaches", they're disgusting. I do agree, however, that they are unavoidable in Florida.

 

[Sammie]

As to damage to the furniture, I really think DVC needs to charge guests for damage. I saw some kids riding a scooter in a unit literally hitting everything they could with the scooter. Adults just did not seem to care. We were directly across the hall from them at SSR and they left the door open so the kids could ride in and out of the villa. They almost ran over several people. We were on our way to the park but I did call security. Have no idea if they talked to them. It was as if they were playing bumper cars.

 

[Dean]

No matter if you call them "Palmetto Bugs" or their real name, "American Cockroaches", they're disgusting. I do agree, however, that they are unavoidable in Florida.

Palmetto bugs are actually different, another name is FL woods cockroach. The common american cockroaches are more common indoors though in FL. The ones we had in HI were often a full 3 inches long.