Y'all didn't tell me DVC would ruin Marriott!

[Quilter007]

OK – So I’ve only stayed @ DVC once & it was ummm, well, not what I’d expected. Eeyore’s little black raincloud followed us around SSR – see other posts. However, despite that, I'm surprised to notice how it has ruined my Marriott experience. I stay at Marriott’s enough for work to be a Platinum member. This is my first stay since then at one of my usual places which I used to like just fine! Here’s what just ONE unsatisfactory DVC stay has done to me – SIGH!!!!!

1) grumbled that I didn’t have groceries waiting for me when I arrived and the selection at the hotel store is pathetic
2) no “welcome home”
3) I decided that I didn’t need the maids going through my stuff and so I left the “leave me alone” thing on my door. So, the staff left a note under my door whining that they didn’t get to clean my room.
4) I used to think the mini-fridge was great. Now, I’m annoyed. Tomorrow is my firm’s 1st annual “Princess Day”…that’s right ALL the girls (except for the 1 grumpy gal who came up with the idea & then was too cheap to follow through) are taking a vacation day & going to DL. I’m the tour guide…complete w/ BBB appts…..anyway, it’s going to be HOT and I’d really like to take a frozen water bottle, which I can’t put in my mini fridge because it doesn’t have a freezer big enough to freeze the water bottle!
5) I’m annoyed by the water bottle in the room w/ the note saying it’s $3.50 for the bottle of water!
6) Futher annoyed by the ice machine which is not on my floor – see mini fridge rant above.
7) Would it kill them to give me a toaster? Or a microwave? Oh – wait, don’t have any bread….or butter…..
8) That pool doesn’t have anything for the kids & the theming is terrible! As a matter of fact, this whole hotel has terrible theming!
9) They could really use a Magical Express service! I guess I should be happy with the free internet.

I’m sure there’s more – I’ve only been here for two days and it’s just me….I know if I was here trying to share w/ DH & DSes there would be significant bathroom issues, because there’s only 1 very small bathroom!!! There's also not enough closet space.

So, I'm really, really, really hoping that we like VGC when we go in November & January because obviously going back to our pre-DVC status & staying off-property @ Marriott's isn't going to make us happy anymore!!! So, since Plan B isn't looking so good, I need Plan A to work. I'll be anxiously checking out those VGC trip reports. I may snoop around tomorrow since I'm taking the staff princesses to dinner @ Storytellers -- park closes @ 8:00 -- might as well fill out the day! I wonder if they have any part of VGC that we can look at yet.....

 

[Muhlenberg]

My, how DVC can change how we view things!

 

[ransom]

I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[dianeschlicht]

LOL! Yep, we hate staying ANYWHERE but DVC now too!

 

[toniosmom]

I completely agree!!!

 

[mecllap]

Are you comparing a hotel room stay to DVC? Or what size units?

I went from a Marriott 2br (MRP at World Center) to an SSR 1br last June, and just on the basis of the units/amenities/property, the Marriott was so much better (and not just because of the added bedroom). I like the parts of DVC about being on property (theming, bus to Parks, included Park parking, EMH, etc.) -- but the Marriott had a much better balcony (DVC's are pitiful), DVC has no luggage carts, Marriott (MRP) had a few more small amenities (kichen and bath supplies) in the room, closer parking. The MRP desk clerk said "Welcome Home" (but we aren't Marriott members). There was better food availability at SSR, but the space and comfort of the room/unit was much better at Marriott (even not counting the second bedroom).

I guess they both have their plusses and minusses for an Orlando area visit -- and I like to look for the plusses (but a lot of the negatives hit me when we first got to SSR after a week at MRP -- but we got over that). (We also enjoyed our 3 nights at the Best Western LB hotel by DTD -- altho that does seem a little like regressing -- it helps remind us what "the old days" before we discovered time-sharing were like).

(It does feel more "economical" -- getting more bang for the buck -- to stay at Marriott on an exchange or getaway than what it "costs" for a week at DVC in a smaller unit).

 

[Coach81]

I love my DVC!!! SSR is our home resort, and we get soo happy when we are driving into our HOME!!!!

Good luck!

 

[littlestar]

You should try staying at one of the MVCI (Marriott Vacation Clubs) instead of their normal hotel rooms. The vacation club resorts in Orlando are terrific! Next time I'd try to see if you can use rewards to stay at Marriott's Harbour Lake (especially if you have little ones with you). It has 2 bedroom, 2 baths and two themed zero entry pools with a pirate theme and slides:

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/mcoho-marriotts-harbour-lake/

I agree that it's really hard to go back to a hotel room.

 

[bumbershoot]

I figured that time was going to heal that SSR wound.

You can get a tour of the model! Bring all the princesses for the tour, it's fun to pack a ton of people in the model.

Have fun on your princess day!

 

[Dean]

It sounds like you're comparing timeshares to hotel rooms. That is a far larger difference than Disney vs Marriott. With some plan specific differences, Marriott is every bit as good as DVC overall. When you take certain situations, one or the other might be better for a given person and usage.

 

[Quilter007]

I'm comparing to standard Marriott hotel rooms which I LOVED before -- absolutely LOVED and REFUSED to stay anywhere else! That was the biggest impediment to DVC for us. Sigh......you know I had to pack up a wad of dirty clothes this morning as well, since I didn't have a washer/dryer in my room!!!!

We've never stayed @ a Marriott timeshare. We have stayed at Marriott extended stay hotels & suites and we like them....at least we used to!!! Oh I am so HOSED!

I was very happy to go to my beloved Disneyland yesterday, even though Space Mountain was closed. Going w/out kids was odd. Going with the girls from the office was odder, fun but odd. Going straight to BBB and coming out with crowns was an experience! We were noticed! I'll just leave it at that!

 

[Dean]

I'm comparing to standard Marriott hotel rooms which I LOVED before -- absolutely LOVED and REFUSED to stay anywhere else! That was the biggest impediment to DVC for us. Sigh......you know I had to pack up a wad of dirty clothes this morning as well, since I didn't have a washer/dryer in my room!!!!

We've never stayed @ a Marriott timeshare. We have stayed at Marriott extended stay hotels & suites and we like them....at least we used to!!! Oh I am so HOSED!

I was very happy to go to my beloved Disneyland yesterday, even though Space Mountain was closed. Going w/out kids was odd. Going with the girls from the office was odder, fun but odd. Going straight to BBB and coming out with crowns was an experience! We were noticed! I'll just leave it at that!

It sounds like your discovered the luxury of space and a fully functional unit over a hotel room. A top Marriott would give you the same contrast.

 

[minniecarousel]

ha-ha, I see your point.

We solved that problem by buying into Hyatt's Timeshare. Not always easy to find availability at non-home resorts. But our home-resort is a beautiful unit with full kitchen and balcony overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Hard to beat that view!

We've yet to stay at SSR, looking forward to it in Dec.

 

[majortom1981]

thats why you stay in resorts that you can trade into from dvc. we stayed at polo towers in vegas with dvc points and it was a great place.

 

[Quilter007]

You don't understand the gravity of my problem. When I travel for business, the company PAYS. So I don't want to use my DVC points then! I don't think I can get my boss to shell out for 10,000 VGC points, although that would be nice! Oh -- actually, that would be great! I could ride space mountain after work! Hmmmmm..........OK, well, maybe after the economy turns around I can talk him into that, but for now I don't think I can get him to go for it, so I've got to make hotel stays work when I'm in S. Cal. I wonder what the referral incentives would be on 10,000 points......getting distracted again....anyway, somehow...I've got to get back to some sort of zen peace w/ staying at Marriotts again, sigh! When did I turn into such a high maintenance whiner?

 

[bookwormde]

I am not sure buying a Marriott or other higher end time share would help. My brother has one at Cypress Harbour, which I can use at any time and is very nice, but staying at DVC ruined even that for me.

bookwormde